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US 9,243,498 B2Granted
Gas pressure reduction generator
AssigneeElectraTherm, Inc.
InventorAndrew Oxner
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Gas Pressure Reduction Generator (GPRG) systems and methods for implementing a GPRG system are provided, where the GPRG systems comprise a gas inlet configured to receive a pressurized gas flow, at least one expander in gas flow receiving communication with the gas inlet wherein the expander is operable to convert the pressurized gas flow into mechanical energy and a depressurized gas flow, and a generator configured to convert the mechanical energy into electrical energy.
Claims23
A gas pressure reduction generator system comprising in combination:
- A. a pressurized gas flow inlet;
- B. at least one lubricated pressurized gas expander having (i) a pressurized gas expander inlet in pressurized gas flow communication with the pressurized gas flow inlet and (ii) a reduced pressure gas outlet;
- C. a lubrication oil separator/reservoir in lubrication oil receiving communication with the reduced pressure gas outlet;
- D. a lubrication oil pump in lubrication oil receiving communication with the lubrication oil separator/reservoir and in lubrication oil sending communication with the expander;
- E. one or more lubrication oil heaters interposed (i) between the reduced pressure gas outlet and the lubrication oil separator/reservoir, (ii) between the lubrication oil separator/reservoir and the lubrication oil pump, or (iii) between the reduced pressure gas outlet and the lubrication oil separator/reservoir and between the lubrication oil separator/reservoir and the oil pump, wherein the temperature of the lubrication oil is increased upon passage through at least one lubrication oil heater;
- and
- F. a power generating generator in rotational generator driving communication with the pressurized gas expander.
4 more elements
A method of reducing gas pressure and generating electrical power comprising:
- A. receiving a pressurized gas flow;
- B. combining the pressurized gas flow with lubrication oil;
- C. introducing the combined pressurized gas and lubrication oil flow into a lubricated pressurized gas expander;
- D. expanding the pressurized gas flow in the pressurized gas expander and generating mechanical power and a depressurized gas and lubrication oil flow;
- E. communicating the mechanical power to an electricity generator;
- F. delivering the depressurized gas and lubrication oil flow to a depressurized gas outlet;
- G. separating the lubrication oil from the depressurized gas and lubrication oil flow;
- and
- H. via one or more lubrication oil heater(s), increasing the temperature of the lubrication oil (i) after delivering the depressurized gas and lubrication oil flow to the depressurized gas outlet but prior to separating the lubrication oil from the depressurized gas and lubrication oil flow, (ii) after separating the lubrication oil from the depressurized gas and lubrication oil flow but prior to combining the pressurized gas flow with lubrication oil, or (iii) after delivering the depressurized gas and lubrication oil flow to the depressurized gas outlet but prior to separating the lubrication oil from the depressurized gas and lubrication oil flow, and after separating the lubrication oil from the depressurized gas and lubrication oil flow but prior to combining the pressurized gas flow with lubrication oil.
6 more elements
A method of converting gas pressure to mechanical power, the method comprising:
- A. providing one or more expanders each comprising a gas inlet and a gas outlet;
- B. providing a flow of lubrication oil to each of the one or more expanders;
- C. providing a flow of pressurized gas to the gas inlets of each of the one or more expanders;
- D. allowing the pressurized gas to expand from a higher pressure to a lower pressure in each of the one or more expanders, thereby generating mechanical power and reduced pressure gas in each of the one or more expanders;
- E. allowing the reduced pressure gas to exit each of the one or more expanders via each of the one or more gas outlets in each of the one or more expanders;
- F. recovering the lubrication oil from each of the one or more expanders;
- and
- G. adding heat to the lubrication oil recovered from each of the one or more expanders.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.