Intercooled Cascade Cycle Waste Heat Recovery System
AssigneeIndustrom Power LLC
InventorsPaul Angel, Joseph Harris
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Provided herein is a power generation system and method for transforming thermal energy, such as waste heat, into mechanical energy and/or electrical energy. The system employs features designed to accelerate start times, reduce size, lower cost, and be more environmentally friendly. Tire system may include multiple compressors on separate pinion shafts with multiple expanders, a temperature valve upstream of compressors with a mass management system downstream, an intercooler between compressors, and a cascade exchanger. In one embodiment, the system is configured to drive a synchronous generator, with the separate pinion shafts rotating at two separate, but constant, speeds.
Claims20
A supercritical Brayton cycle power generation system comprising:
- a. At least one compressor for compressing working fluid;
- b. At least one expander for generating work;
- c. At least one primary heat exchanger for adding heat to the power generation system;
- d. At least one temperature control valve located upstream of the at least one compressor;
- e. A mass management system located downstream of the at least one compressor, the mass management system comprising a pressure control valve for adding mass to the power generation system and a backpressure control valve for removing mass from the power generation system;
- f. Wherein the at least one temperature valve is configured to maintain working fluid outside of a liquid state.
A supercritical Brayton cycle power generation system comprising:
- a. A first compressor for compressing working fluid;
- b. A second compressor for compressing working fluid;
- c. An inter-stage cooler,
- d. Wherein the inter-stage cooler is positioned downstream of the first compressor and upstream of the second compressor such that working fluid is cooled by way of the inter-stage cooler prior to the inlet of the second compressor;
- e. A primary expander for generating work;
- f. A cascade expander for generating work;
- g. A cascade heat exchanger positioned downstream of the primary expander and upstream of the cascade expander such that excess heat from the primary expander is transferred to the working fluid entering the cascade expander.
A supercritical Brayton cycle power generation system comprising:
- a. a cascade expander mechanically rotationally connected to a first compressor through a first pinion shaft;
- b. a primary expander mechanically rotationally connected to a second compressor through a second pinion shaft,
- c. wherein the first pinion shaft and second pinion shaft are mechanically rotationally connected through a gear;
- and
- d. a generator mechanically rotationally connected to the first and second pinion shafts.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.