Gas pressure reduction generator
AssigneeElectraTherm, Inc.
InventorAndrew Oxner
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Gas Pressure Reduction Generator (GPRG) systems and methods for implementing a GPRG system are provided, where the GPRG systems comprise a gas inlet configured to receive a pressurized gas flow, at least one expander in gas flow receiving communication with the gas inlet wherein the expander is operable to convert the pressurized gas flow into mechanical energy and a depressurized gas flow, and a generator configured to convert the mechanical energy into electrical energy.
Claims20
A system for converting pressure to power, the system comprising:
- A. a pressurized gas system inlet and a reduced pressure gas system outlet;
- B. a pressurized gas expander comprising a pressurized gas expander inlet in pressurized gas receiving communication with said pressurized gas system inlet and a reduced pressure gas expander outlet in reduced pressure gas sending communication with said reduced pressure gas system outlet;
- C. a variable speed alternating current electrical power generator in mechanical power receiving communication with said pressurized gas expander;
- D. a rotational speed governor;
- and
- E. one or more rotational speed monitor(s) in rotational speed data sending communication with said rotational speed governor;
- wherein the system is configured to generate alternating current electrical power at a specified frequency based on rotational speed data provided by said one or more rotational speed monitor(s) to said rotational speed governor.
A method of generating constant frequency alternating current electrical power from a non-recirculating flow of pressurized gas using a rotating pressurized gas expander, a variable speed alternating current electrical power generator, a rotational speed governor, and a rotational speed monitor, the method comprising:
- A. receiving the flow of pressurized gas at a pressurized gas inlet of the rotating pressurized gas expander;
- B. expanding said pressurized gas in said rotating pressurized gas expander, thereby generating mechanical power;
- C. communicating said mechanical power to the variable speed alternating current electrical power generator, thereby generating alternating current electrical power;
- D. monitoring the rotational speed of said variable speed alternating current electrical power generator via the rotational speed monitor;
- E. communicating rotational speed data from said rotational speed monitor to the rotational speed governor;
- and
- F. adjusting the frequency of said generated alternating current electrical power via said rotational speed governor based on said rotational speed data from said rotational speed monitor.
A method of converting gas pressure to power using a pressurized gas expander, a variable speed alternating current electrical power generator, a rotational speed governor, and a rotational speed monitor, the method comprising:
- A. expanding a non-circulating stream of pressurized gas in a pressurized gas expander to create rotational mechanical power;
- B. communicating said rotational mechanical power to an alternating current electrical power generator to generate alternating current electrical power;
- C. monitoring the rotational speed of said alternating current electrical power generator using the rotational speed monitor;
- and
- D. adjusting the frequency of said generated alternating current electrical power to a specified frequency via the rotational speed governor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.