TurbinAL™ high flow CO2 delivery system

An apparatus for the purging of hydrogen cooling gas from a turbine, the apparatus comprising:

• a) a fist and second source of liquid carbon dioxide in fluid communication with a flow manifold;
• b) the flow manifold in fluid communication with a vaporizing heater;
• c) the flow manifold comprising a device configured to switch the source of liquid carbon dioxide into the vaporizing heater from the first source of liquid carbon dioxide to the second source of liquid carbon dioxide or from the second source of liquid carbon dioxide to the first source of liquid carbon dioxide;
• d) the vaporizing heater configured to receive the liquid carbon dioxide from the flow manifold and vaporize the liquid carbon dioxide to a gaseous state;
• e) an outlet in fluid communication with the vaporizing heater, the outlet configured to deliver gaseous carbon dioxide from the vaporizing heater;
• f) one or both of:
• A) a pressure sensor adapted to detect a liquid carbon dioxide pressure in the first or second source of liquid carbon dioxide and configured to send a signal to a controller;
• B) a flow rate measurement device adapted to sense a loss of liquid carbon dioxide flow rate corresponding to a loss of pressure and configured to send a signal to the controller;
• g) the controller configured to:
• A) receive the signal from the pressure sensor, if the pressure is present, and
• B) to actuate the device configured to switch the source of liquid carbon dioxide in response the signal from the pressure sensor, the flow rate measurement device, or both, to thereby switch the source of liquid carbon dioxide in fluid communication with the vaporizing heater through the manifold;
• h) a temperature sensor configured to measure the temperature of the gaseous carbon dioxide produced by the vaporizing heater;
• and
• i) a second temperature sensor configured to measure the temperature of the liquid carbon. dioxide entering the vaporizing heater.

An apparatus for the purging of hydrogen cooling gas from a turbine, the apparatus comprising:

• a) a first and second source of liquid carbon dioxide in fluid communication with a flow manifold,
• b) the flow manifold in fluid communication with a vaporizing heater,
• c) the flow manifold comprising a device configured to switch the source of liquid carbon dioxide into the vaporizing heater from the first source of liquid carbon dioxide to the second source of liquid carbon dioxide or from the second source of liquid carbon dioxide to the first source of liquid carbon dioxide,
• d) the vaporizing heater configured to receive the liquid carbon dioxide from the flow manifold and vaporize the liquid carbon dioxide to a gaseous state,
• e) an outlet in fluid communication with the vaporizing heater, the outlet configured to deliver gaseous carbon dioxide from the vaporizing heater,
• f) one or both of
• A) a pressure sensor adapted to detect a liquid carbon dioxide pressure in the first or second source of liquid carbon dioxide and configured to send a signal to a controller,
• B) a flow rate measurement device adapted to sense a loss of liquid carbon dioxide flow rate corresponding to a loss of pressure and configured to send a signal to the controller,
• g) the controller configured to
• A) receive the signal from the pressure sensor, if the pressure sensor is present, and
• B) to actuate the device configured to switch the source of liquid carbon dioxide in response the signal from the pressure sensor, the flow rate measurement device, or both, to thereby switch the source of liquid carbon dioxide in fluid communication with the vaporizing heater through the manifold,
• C) wherein the controller is a programmed logic controller (PLC) specifically adapted to actuate the device configured to switch the source of liquid carbon dioxide when the signal from the pressure sensor is less than or equal to 1000 psig, and wherein
• h) the first and second sources of liquid carbon dioxide each comprise two or more liquid carbon dioxide cylinders and the two or more liquid carbon dioxide cylinders are in fluid communication through a cylinder manifold,
• i) the first and second source of liquid carbon dioxide have an associated first and second flow manifold in fluid communication with the respective first and second source of liquid carbon dioxide,
• j) the first and second source of liquid carbon dioxide are in fluid communication with the flow manifold through an intermediate cryogenic liquid cylinder hose or a pigtail connection,
• k) the device configured to switch the source of liquid carbon dioxide into the vaporizing heater from the first source of liquid carbon dioxide to the second source of liquid carbon dioxide, or from the second source of liquid carbon dioxide to the first source of liquid carbon dioxide, is a switchover manifold configured to open and close a fluid communication path from the first and second sources of liquid carbon dioxide,
• l) the vaporizing heater is configured to produce a gaseous carbon dioxide having a temperature in the range of −10 to 100 degrees C.,
• m) a temperature sensor configured to measure the temperature of the gaseous carbon dioxide produced by the vaporizing heater, wherein the temperature sensor is in electronic communication with the controller and adapted to transmit the temperature of the gaseous carbon dioxide to the controller, and
• n) an outlet flow rate control valve or pressure regulator.