US 12,428,971 B2Granted

Thermal processes and systems for generating electricity utilizing predetermined working fluids

OwnerBabak Bob Arefiinventor

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Abstract

A process of generating electricity from a thermal energy source includes selecting a predetermined primary fluid having: a latent heat greater than a latent heat of water at a phase change from liquid to gas; and a specific heat capacity less than a specific heat capacity of water in a liquid phase and in a gas phase; and selecting a predetermined secondary fluid having: a latent heat less than a latent heat of water at a phase change from liquid, to gas; and; a specific heat capacity less than a specific heat capacity of water in a liquid phase and in a gas phase. The process includes the primary fluid absorbing thermal energy from the thermal energy source; exchanging the thermal energy of the primary fluid with the secondary fluid; driving a turbine via the secondary fluid; and driving an electricity generator by the turbine to generate electricity.

Claims34

Dependent claims

A system for generating electricity, comprising:

a predetermined primary working fluid that absorbs thermal energy from an energy source to become a heated primary working fluid, wherein the thermal energy source is located at one of:
on a surface of the earth, above the surface, and below the surface;
a predetermined secondary working fluid;
a heat exchanger in which the predetermined secondary working fluid absorbs the thermal energy from the heated primary working fluid to elevate a kinetic energy of the predetermined secondary working fluid;
a turbine that is driven by the kinetic energy of the predetermined secondary working fluid;
and
an electricity generator that is driven by the turbine to generate electricity, wherein:
the predetermined primary working fluid comprises:
a latent heat greater than a latent heat of water at a phase change from liquid to gas;
and
a specific heat capacity less than a specific heat capacity of water in a liquid phase and in a gas phase;
and
the predetermined secondary working fluid comprises:
a latent heat less than a latent heat of water at a phase change from liquid to gas;
and
a specific heat capacity less than a specific heat capacity of water in a liquid phase and in a gas phase;
and
at least one of the predetermined primary working fluid and the predetermined secondary working fluid has a total value comprising a highest sum total of:
a first sum total of values assigned to physical and chemical properties of the at least one of the predetermined primary working fluid and the predetermined secondary working fluid, the physical and chemical properties including at least one of:
boiling point, specific heat capacity, latent energy, phase status, specific enthalpy, specific entropy, supercriticality, flash point, specific heat storage capacity, and thermal conductivity
a second sum total of values assigned to Health, Safety and Environmental (HSE) properties of the at least one of the predetermined primary working fluid and the predetermined secondary working fluid, the HSE properties including at least one of:
flammability, harmfulness to humans, environmental friendliness, corrosiveness, and erosiveness;
and
a third value assigned to a monetary cost of the at least one of the predetermined primary working fluid and the predetermined secondary working fluid.

21 more elements

A system for generating electricity, comprising:

a predetermined working fluid that absorbs thermal energy from an energy source to become a heated working fluid, wherein the thermal energy source is located at one of:
on a surface of the earth, above the surface, and below the surface;
a turbine that is driven by kinetic energy of the heated working fluid;
and
an electricity generator that is driven by the turbine to generate electricity, wherein:
the predetermined working fluid comprises:
a latent heat less than a latent heat of water at a phase change from liquid to gas;
and
a specific heat capacity less than a specific heat capacity of water in a liquid phase and in a gas phase;
and
the predetermined working fluid has a total value comprising a highest sum total of:
a first sum total of values assigned to physical and chemical properties of the predetermined working fluid, the physical and chemical properties including at least one of:
boiling point, specific heat capacity, latent energy, phase status, specific enthalpy, specific entropy, supercriticality, flash point, specific heat storage capacity, and thermal conductivity;
a second sum total of values assigned to Health, Safety and Environmental (HSE) properties of the predetermined working fluid, the HSE properties including at least one of:
flammability, harmfulness to humans, environmental friendliness, corrosiveness, and erosiveness;
and
a third value assigned to a monetary cost of the predetermined working fluid.

14 more elements

A process of generating electricity from an energy source, wherein the thermal energy source is located at one of:

on a surface of the earth, above the surface, and below the surface, and wherein the process comprises:
selecting a predetermined primary working fluid that comprises:
a latent heat greater than a latent heat of water at a phase change from liquid to gas;
and
a specific heat capacity less than a specific heat capacity of water in a liquid phase and in a gas phase;
selecting a predetermined secondary working fluid that comprises:
a latent heat less than a latent heat of water at a phase change from liquid to gas;
and
a specific heat capacity less than a specific heat capacity of water in a liquid phase and in a gas phase, wherein selecting at least one of the predetermined primary working fluid and the predetermined secondary working fluid comprises:
assigning first values to physical and chemical properties of at least one of the predetermined primary working fluid and the predetermined secondary working fluid, the physical and chemical properties including at least one of:
boiling point, specific heat capacity, latent energy, phase status, specific enthalpy, specific entropy, supercriticality, flash point, specific heat storage capacity, and thermal conductivity;
assigning second values to Health, Safety and Environmental (HSE) properties of at least one of the predetermined primary working fluid and the predetermined secondary working fluid, the HSE properties including at least one of:
flammability, harmfulness to humans, environmental friendliness, corrosiveness, and erosiveness;
assigning a third value to a monetary cost of at least one of the predetermined primary working fluid and the predetermined secondary working fluid;
and
utilizing the at least one of the predetermined primary working fluid and the predetermined secondary working fluid in the process based on a highest sum total of:
a sum of the first values, a sum of the second values;
and the third value;
heating the predetermined primary working fluid by absorbing thermal energy from the energy source to produce a heated primary working fluid;
exchanging the thermal energy of the heated primary working fluid with the predetermined secondary working fluid in a heat exchanger to elevate a kinetic energy of the predetermined secondary working fluid;
driving a turbine via the kinetic energy of the predetermined secondary working fluid;
and
driving an electricity generator by the turbine to generate electricity.

20 more elements

A process of generating electricity from an energy source, wherein the thermal energy source is located at one of:

on a surface of the earth, above the surface, and below the surface, and wherein the process comprises:
selecting a predetermined working fluid that comprises:
a latent heat less than a latent heat of water at a phase change from liquid to gas;
and
a specific heat capacity less than a specific heat capacity of water in a liquid phase and in a gas phase, wherein selecting the predetermined working fluid comprises:
assigning first values to physical and chemical properties of the predetermined working fluid, the physical and chemical properties including at least one of:
boiling point, specific heat capacity, latent energy, phase status, specific enthalpy, specific entropy, supercriticality, flash point, specific heat storage capacity, and thermal conductivity;
assigning second values to Health, Safety and Environmental (HSE) properties of the predetermined working fluid, the HSE properties including at least one of:
flammability, harmfulness to humans, environmental friendliness, corrosiveness, and erosiveness;
assigning a third value to a monetary cost of the predetermined working fluid;
and
utilizing the predetermined working fluid in the process based on a highest sum total of:
a sum of the first values;
a sum of the second values;
and the third value;
heating the predetermined working fluid by absorbing thermal energy from the energy source to elevate a kinetic energy of the predetermined working fluid;
driving a turbine via the kinetic energy of the predetermined working fluid;
and
driving an electricity generator by the turbine to generate electricity.

16 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 18/682,064Filed 12 Aug 2022 · us provisional application
Priority: 12 Aug 2021
Published: US 2024/0369263 A17 Nov 2024
Granted: 30 Sep 2025
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification14 codes

F01D 15/10
Adaptations of machines or engines for special use; Combinations of engines with devices driven thereby: adaptations for driving, or combinations…
F03G 4/001
Devices for producing mechanical power from geothermal energy: binary cycle plants where the source fluid from the geothermal collector heats the…
F03G 4/031
Devices for producing mechanical power from geothermal energy: using waste heat from a primary power cycle to produce mechanical power in a second…
F03G 4/035
Having a Rankine cycle: of the Organic Rankine Cycle [ORC] type or the Kalina Cycle type