Rankine cycle boiler feed via hydrokinetic amplifier
AssigneeHelios Research Corp.
InventorMark Nicodemus
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A hydrokinetic amplifier can pump and heat condensate returned to a boiler in a Rankine cycle system by receiving vapors at different pressures that are directed into merger with a condensate stream that is accelerated through merging regions. By properly selecting parameters for successive stages of a hydrokinetic amplifier and for the liquid and vapor inputs to a hydrokinetic amplifier, the condensate return can be pressurized to boiler pressure and heated close to the boiling point at boiler pressure.
Claims44
A Rankine cycle system including a boiler, a turbine, a condenser, and a hydrokinetic amplifier, said system comprising:
- a. a condensate pump for pumping condensate into a liquid input of the hydrokinetic amplifier;
- b. a motivating vapor line directing vapor from the turbine to a motivating vapor input nozzle of the hydrokinetic amplifier;
- c. a heating vapor line drawn from a higher pressure region of the turbine than the motivating vapor for directing the heating vapor into merger with an accelerated stream of condensate in a merging region of the hydrokinetic amplifier downstream of an R area;
- d. a throat region of the hydrokinetic amplifier arranged for receiving the heating vapor and condensate from the merging region;
- and
- e. a diffuser downstream of the throat region for converting fluid velocity to pressure directed to the boiler.
A Rankine cycle boiler feed system using a hydrokinetic amplifier and comprising:
- a. condensate drawn from the Rankine cycle and pumped into the hydrokinetic amplifier;
- b. a motivating vapor drawn from the Rankine cycle and directed into the hydrokinetic amplifier for condensing in the condensate, warming the condensate, and accelerating the condensate to a high velocity through an R area;
- c. a warming vapor drawn from the Rankine cycle and directed to merge with the accelerated condensate as it departs from the R area;
- d. the warming vapor having sufficient pressure for condensing in and substantially raising the temperature of the accelerated condensate;
- and
- e. the accelerated condensate and warming vapor being directed through a throat and into a diffuser that converts fluid velocity to pressure directed to a boiler.
A hydrokinetic amplifying system having inputs receiving from available sources a condensate in a central jet and a motivating vapor that surrounds and mixes together with the condensate to condense the vapor and warm and accelerate the condensate through an R area to a high velocity, the system comprising:
- a. a secondary gas flowing from another source into merger with the accelerated condensate through a converging and diverging nozzle surrounding the accelerated condensate downstream of the R area;
- b. a minimum pressure of the secondary gas being at least about double the vapor pressure of the accelerated condensate so that the secondary gas accelerates into merger with the condensate at at least sonic velocity;
- and
- c. an inflow rate of the secondary gas into merger with the accelerated condensate being a function of the amount by which the pressure of the secondary gas exceeds the minimum pressure.
A method of returning condensate to a boiler in a Rankine cycle system, the method comprising:
- a. pumping the condensate into an input of a hydrokinetic amplifier to form a condensate stream within the hydrokinetic amplifier;
- b. surrounding the condensate stream with a pumping vapor that combines with the condensate stream to condense the pumping vapor and accelerate the condensate stream to a high velocity through an R area;
- c. surrounding the accelerated condensate stream with a sufficiently pressurized heating vapor in a merging region downstream of the R area so that the heating vapor condenses in and warms the accelerated condensate stream;
- and
- d. directing the merged heating vapor and accelerated condensate stream through a throat region into a diffuser to convert fluid velocity to pressure directed to the boiler.
A method of merging a gas with an accelerated condensate stream in a hydrokinetic amplifier merging chamber arranged directly downstream of an R area, the method comprising:
- a. directing the merging gas through an expanding nozzle into the merging chamber;
- b. providing the merging gas with an input pressure at least about double a pressure in the merging chamber so that the merging gas expands at least sonically through the nozzle into engagement with the accelerated condensate stream;
- c. directing the merging gas and accelerated condensate stream into a throat region downstream of the merging chamber and then into a diffuser of the hydrokinetic amplifier that converts fluid velocity to pressure;
- and
- d. an input flow rate of the merging gas being a function of an amount by which the pressure of the merging gas exceeds a pressure needed for the merging gas to enter the merging chamber at sonic velocity and being independent of fluid flow resistance pressure downstream of the diffuser.
A hydrokinetic amplifier comprising:
- a. a plurality of merging regions arranged in succession so that a vapor surrounds, merges with, condenses in, and accelerates a liquid stream passing successively through each of the merging regions;
- b. the merging regions each having a start-up overflow;
- c. the merging regions being separated from each other by an R area and not being separated from each other by a diffuser:
- and
- d. liquid acceleration occurring in each of the merging regions.
A multi-stage hydrokinetic amplifier comprising:
- a. a succession of merging regions each having a vapor inlet arranged for merging a surrounding vapor with a liquid stream passing successively through the merging regions;
- b. an R area with no diffuser between each of the succession of merging regions:
- c. each of the merging regions having a start-up overflow;
- d. vapor merger with liquid in each of the merging regions resulting in liquid acceleration;
- and
- e. a diffuser receiving the liquid output from the final merging region to convert fluid velocity to pressure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.