US 2014/0208752 A1 · METHOD AND APPARATUS OF PRODUCING AND UTILIZING THERMAL ENERGY IN A COMBINED HEAT AND POWER PLANT

Abstract

Method and apparatus for operating a combined heat and power system with greater flexibility, reliability, control and stability, for providing operational flexibility and energy efficiency in operating a combined heat and power plant which includes a backpressure steam engine that expands a high temperature heat source of a thermodynamic fluid to generate mechanical power and discharge its spent heat for a beneficial use comprises a vessel subsystem for the spent heat, said vessel subsystem including: at least one main indirect heat exchange device or vessel (7) in heat exchange communication between its primary space (10) and its secondary space (11). The present invention also discloses the use of a method and apparatus to operate a combined heat and power system.

Claims24

Dependent claims

A method of producing and utilizing thermal energy in a combined heat and power plant, said method comprising:

a. generating a flow of steam in a steam generator (120) from a flow of feed water;
b. directing the generated flow of steam from the steam generator (120) into a steam engine to produce mechanical power and discharging a flow of exhaust steam from the steam engine;
c. directing either the flow of exhaust steam from the steam engine or a flow comprising a combination of the exhaust steam from the steam engine and supplementary steam from the steam generator as process steam to provide thermal energy fix a downstream process;
d. in at least a vessel (7), wherein the vessel includes a primary space (10) and a secondary space (11) in heat communication with but with fluid separation from each other, said secondary space containing a quantity of a secondary fluid in liquid phase:
introducing the flow of process steam of step (c) into the primary space as primary steam to vaporize a portion of the secondary fluid;
simultaneously introducing the secondary fluid in liquid phase as make-up fluid into the secondary space resulting in precipitation of the primary steam as a primary condensate;
and
directing the vaporized secondary fluid to impart thermal energy for the downstream process;
whilst delivering the primary condensate from the primary space.

6 more elements

An arrangement a combined heat and power plant to produce and utilize thermal energy including

a. a means to produce a flow of generated steam from a flow of feed water;
b. a means to receive a flow of the generated steam into a steam engine to produce mechanical power and to discharge a flow of exhaust steam from the steam engine;
c. a means to direct either a flow of exhaust steam from the steam engine or a flow comprising a combination of an exhaust steam from the steam engine and supplementary steam from a steam generator as process steam to provide thermal energy to a downstream process;
d. at least a vessel (7) wherein the said vessel includes a primary space (10) and a secondary space (11) in heat communication with but with fluid separation from each other, said secondary space containing a quantity of a secondary fluid in liquid phase, and the vessel (7) configured to receive the process steam into the primary space (10) as a primary steam which imparts a thermal energy to the secondary space (11) resulting in precipitation of the primary steam as a primary condensate, and the vessel (7) further includes a means of introducing a secondary fluid in liquid phase as make-up fluid into the secondary space (11), wherein said secondary fluid is vaporizable using the said imparted thermal energy in the secondary space (11), and a means to output and direct any vaporized secondary fluid to the downstream process, and a means to withdraw the primary condensate.

1 more element

A vessel (7) for fluid separation and providing thermal energy buffer capacity, said vessel includes a primary space (10) and a secondary space (11) in heat communication with but with fluid separation from each other, said secondary space containing a quantity of a secondary fluid in liquid phase, the vessel (7) configured to receive a flow of steam into the primary space (10) as a primary steam which imparts a thermal energy to the secondary space (11) resulting in precipitation of the primary steam as a primary condensate, and the vessel (7) further includes a means of introducing a secondary fluid in liquid phase as make-up fluid into the secondary space (11), wherein the secondary fluid is vaporizable using the said imparted thermal energy in the secondary space (11), and a means to output and direct any vaporized secondary fluid to a downstream process, and a means to withdraw the primary condensate.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and apparatus of producing and utilizing thermal energy in a combined heat and power plant

Life of this patent

Method and apparatus of producing and utilizing thermal energy in a combined heat and power plant

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims24