Energy recovery during expansion of compressed gas using power plant low-quality heat sources
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
InventorsThomas L. Ochs, William K. O'Connor
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Abstract
A method of recovering energy from a cool compressed gas, compressed liquid, vapor, or supercritical fluid is disclosed which includes incrementally expanding the compressed gas, compressed liquid, vapor, or supercritical fluid through a plurality of expansion engines and heating the gas, vapor, compressed liquid, or supercritical fluid entering at least one of the expansion engines with a low quality heat source. Expansion engines such as turbines and multiple expansions with heating are disclosed.
Claims20
A method of recovering energy from a compressed gas, comprising incrementally expanding the compressed gas through a plurality of expansion engines and heating the gas entering at least one of the expansion engines with a low quality heat source, wherein the gas entering the expansion engines and the low quality heat source are less than about 250° C.
A method of recovering energy from a compressed remediated flue gas substantially free of CO2, SO2 and H2O at a pressure of not less than about 1000 psia, comprising incrementally expanding the compressed gas through a plurality of turbines and heating the gas entering at least one turbine by passing the gas in heat exchange relationship with a low quality source of heat wherein the temperature differential between the gas and the low quality source of heat is less than about 350° C.
A method of recovering energy from a compressed remediated CO2 supercritical fluid, liquid, or vapor stream, comprising:
- incrementally expanding the compressed supercritical-fluid/vapor/liquid through a plurality of turbines and heating the vapor/liquid entering at least one turbine by passing the supercritical-fluid/liquid/vapor in heat exchange relationship with a low quality source of heat wherein the temperature differential between the supercritical-fluid/liquid/vapor and the low quality source of heat is less than about 350° C. and the remediated CO2 is at a pressure of not less than about 1106 psia.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.