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US 2006/0272334 A1Published application
Practical method for improving the efficiency of cogeneration system
OwnerPavol Pranda, Tailai Huinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems and methods for exhaust gas recirculation in which a desired oxygen concentration is maintained for stable combustion at increased recirculation rates. Exhaust gas of an energy generation system is divided and reintroduced at different locations of the system.
Claims22
A method for generating heat energy, comprising:
- a) mixing a first stream of exhaust gas with a stream of fresh air, thereby forming a first mixture;
- b) igniting the first mixture with a stream of fuel, thereby forming a second mixture;
- c) mixing the second mixture with a second stream of exhaust gas, thereby forming a third stream of exhaust gas;
- d) dividing the third stream of the exhaust gas into at least a fourth stream of exhaust gas and a fifth stream of the exhaust gas;
- and
- e) dividing at least a portion of the fifth stream of the exhaust gas into at least the first stream of exhaust gas and the second stream of the exhaust gas.
3 more elements
A steam generator, comprising:
- a) a main duct;
- b) a furnace in fluid communication with the main duct, comprising:
- i) a combustion chamber having a first axial end and a second axial end;
- and
- ii) a burner located proximate to the first axial end;
- c) a heat exchanger having a first chamber physically separate from and in thermal communication with a second chamber, the first chamber either in fluid communication with the main duct or being part of the main duct, the first chamber in fluid communication with the second axial end of the combustion chamber;
- and
- d) a recirculation system, comprising:
- i) a first diverter damper in fluid communication with the first chamber of the heat exchanger and a recycle duct;
- ii) the recycle duct in fluid communication with the diverter damper a second diverter damper;
- iii) the second diverter damper in fluid communication with the recycle duct and first and second recycle sub-ducts;
- iv) a mixing damper in fluid communication with the first recycle sub-duct and fresh air;
- v) the first recycle sub-duct in fluid communication with the main duct at a location distal from the first end of the combustion chamber;
- and
- vi) the second recycle sub-duct in fluid communication with the first end of the combustion chamber at a location proximate to the burner.
12 more elements
A control system for use with a cogeneration system, comprising:
- a) a memory unit containing a set of instructions;
- b) a diverter damper configured to variably divide at least a portion of a first stream of recycled exhaust gas into at least a second stream and a third stream, wherein the second stream is mixed with fresh air to form a mixture;
- c) an oxygen sensor configured to measure an oxygen concentration of the mixture, the oxygen sensor in electrical communication with a processor;
- and
- d) a processor configured to control operation of the diverter damper and perform an operation, when executing the set of instructions, comprising:
- i) comparing the measured oxygen concentration of the mixture with a predetermined oxygen concentration;
- and
- ii) if the measured oxygen concentration is not substantially equal to the predetermined oxygen concentration, then adjusting the diverter damper so that the measured oxygen concentration will be substantially equal to the predetermined oxygen concentration.
5 more elements
A method for generating heat energy, comprising:
- a) operating a cogeneration system in a first mode in which a gas turbine engine is operated to produce energy;
- and
- b) operating the cogeneration system in a second mode in which the gas turbine engine disabled and a steam generation system operates to generate energy, wherein the operation in the second mode comprises:
- i) flowing a combustible mixture into an ignition unit in order to combust the combustible mixture and produce exhaust gas;
- ii) introducing a first recirculated portion of the exhaust gas at a location of the steam generation system upstream of the ignition unit;
- and
- iii) introducing a second recirculated portion of the exhaust gas at a location of the steam generation system downstream of the ignition unit.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.