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US 8,984,884 B2Granted
Waste heat recovery systems
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsJames Jun Xu, Albert Andreas Scharl, Shamim Imani
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In one embodiment, a waste heat recovery system includes multiple organic Rankine cycle (ORC) systems arranged in a cascade configuration. Each ORC system includes a heat exchanger that transfers heat to the working fluid to vaporize the working fluid. Each ORC system also includes an integrated power module that expands the working fluid to generate electricity.
Claims20
A waste heat recovery system comprising:
- a first organic Rankine cycle system comprising:
- a first heat exchanger configured to transfer heat from a heat source to a first working fluid to vaporize the first working fluid;
- and
- a first integrated power module configured to expand the first working fluid to generate electricity;
- a second organic Rankine cycle system comprising:
- a second heat exchanger configured to transfer heat from the first working fluid to a second working fluid to vaporize the second working fluid;
- and
- a second integrated power module configured to expand the second working fluid to generate electricity;
- and
- a third organic Rankine cycle system comprising:
- a third heat exchanger configured to transfer heat from the second working fluid to a third working fluid to vaporize the third working fluid;
- and
- a third integrated power module comprising a turbine and a generator, wherein the turbine is configured to expand the third working fluid to generate electricity, and wherein the third integrated power module is configured to direct the third working fluid through the generator after expanding the third working fluid in the turbine.
10 more elements
A waste heat recovery system comprising:
- a first organic Rankine cycle system comprising:
- a first heat exchanger configured to transfer heat from a heat source to a first working fluid to vaporize the first working fluid;
- and
- a first integrated power module configured to expand the first working fluid to generate electricity;
- a second organic Rankine cycle system comprising:
- a second heat exchanger configured to transfer heat from the first working fluid to a second working fluid to vaporize the second working fluid;
- and
- a second integrated power module configured to expand the second working fluid to generate electricity;
- and
- a third organic Rankine cycle system comprising:
- a third heat exchanger configured to transfer heat from the second working fluid to cyclohexane to vaporize the cyclohexane;
- and
- a third integrated power module comprising a turbine and a permanent magnet generator, wherein the turbine is configured to expand the cyclohexane to drive the permanent magnet generator to generate electricity, and wherein the permanent magnet generator comprises a protective layer between a stator and a rotor.
10 more elements
A method, comprising:
- circulating a first working fluid through a first organic Rankine cycle to heat and expand the first working fluid to generate electricity within a first integrated power module;
- circulating a second working fluid through a second organic Rankine cycle to transfer heat from the first working fluid to the second working fluid and to expand the second working fluid to generate electricity within a second integrated power module;
- and
- circulating a third working fluid through a third organic Rankine cycle to transfer heat from the second working fluid to the third working fluid and to expand the third working fluid to generate electricity within a third integrated power module, wherein circulating the third working fluid comprises flowing the third working fluid through a generator after expanding the third working fluid through a turbine of the third integrated power module.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.