Intermediate pressure supercritical CO2 power cycle
AssigneeSouthwest Research Institute
InventorsAaron M. McClung, Klaus Brun
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The systems and methods described herein reduce relatively high pressure supercritical CO2 to a relatively low-pressure supercritical CO2 using a first CO2 expansion system positioned upstream of the thermal input system. The relatively low-pressure supercritical CO2 passes through the thermal input system and into a second CO2 expansion system. The first supercritical CO2 expansion system provides a first power output and/or the second CO2 expansion system provides a second power output. A CO2 compressor system converts the gaseous CO2 exiting the second CO2 expansion system to the relatively high-pressure supercritical CO2, at least a portion of which is returned to the first CO2 expansion system.
Claims10
A carbon dioxide (CO2) power system, comprising:
- a first CO2 expansion system having an inlet and an outlet, the first CO2 expansion system configured to:
- receive, via the first CO2 expansion system inlet, CO2 at a first temperature and a first pressure;
- and
- expand at least a portion of the CO2 to provide a first power output;
- and
- discharge, via the first CO2 expansion system outlet, at least a portion of the CO2 at a second temperature and an intermediate second pressure, the second temperature lower than the first temperature and the second pressure lower than the first pressure;
- a heater having an inlet and an outlet, wherein the heater inlet fluidly couples to the first CO2 expansion system outlet, the heater to:
- receive, via the heater inlet, at least a portion of the CO2 at the second temperature and the second pressure;
- and
- discharge, via the heater outlet, at least a portion of the CO2 at a third temperature and a third pressure, the third temperature greater than the second temperature;
- a second CO2 expansion system having an inlet and an outlet, wherein the second CO2 expansion system inlet fluidly couples to the heater outlet, the second CO2 expansion system configured to:
- receive, via the second CO2 expansion system inlet, at least a portion of the CO2 at the third temperature and the third pressure;
- expand the CO2 to provide a second power output;
- and
- discharge, via the second CO2 expansion system discharge, at least a portion of the CO2 at a fourth temperature and a fourth pressure, the fourth temperature lower than the third temperature and the fourth pressure lower than the third pressure, wherein
- the first CO2 expansion system comprises at least one first CO2 turbine system, that in operation, provide the first power output;
- the second CO2 expansion system comprises at least one second turbine system that in operation, provide the second power output;
- the CO2 at the first temperature and the first pressure comprises supercritical CO2;
- the CO2 at the second temperature and the second pressure comprises supercritical CO2;
- the CO2 at the third temperature and the third pressure comprises supercritical CO2;
- and
- the CO2 at the fourth temperature and the fourth pressure comprises a gaseous CO2.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.