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US 9,316,121 B2Granted
Systems and methods for part load control of electrical power generating systems
AssigneeSuperCritical Technologies, Inc.
InventorsChal S. Davidson, Steven A. Wright
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed illustrative embodiments include systems for part load control of electrical power generating systems and methods of operating a system for part load control of electrical power generating systems. A representative system includes a computer controller system operatively coupled to an electrical power generator and programmed to control a compressor inlet pressure responsive to a level of electrical power output requested of the electrical power generator, and a reservoir with supercritical fluid, responsive to the computer controller system and in fluid communication with the electrical power generating system between a compressor outlet and an expander inlet, and between an expander outlet and a compressor inlet.
Claims26
A part load control system for controlling partial loading of an electrical power generator, the electrical power generator being part of an electrical power generating system, the electrical power generating system being operative to execute a thermodynamic cycle using a supercritical fluid and including (a) at least a first compressor having an inlet and an outlet and being structured to compress supercritical fluid, and (b) an expander having an inlet coupled to receive compressed supercritical fluid, an outlet, and being structured to convert a drop in enthalpy of supercritical fluid to mechanical energy, the expander being coupled to the electrical power generator, the part load control system including:
- a computer controller system operatively coupled to the electrical power generator and programmed to control a compressor inlet pressure directly responsive to a level of electrical power output requested of the electrical power generator;
- and
- a reservoir with supercritical fluid, and responsive to the computer controller system to add supercritical fluid to, or withdraw supercritical fluid from, the electrical power generating system, the reservoir being in fluid communication with the electrical power generating system between the compressor outlet and the expander inlet and between the expander outlet and the compressor inlet.
A system comprising:
- an electrical power generating system operative to execute a thermodynamic cycle using a supercritical fluid, the electrical power generating system including:
- at least one compressor having an inlet and an outlet and being structured to compress supercritical fluid;
- an expander having an inlet coupled to receive compressed supercritical fluid, having an outlet, and being structured to convert a drop in enthalpy of supercritical fluid to mechanical energy;
- and
- an electrical power generator coupled to the expander;
- and
- a part load control system configured to control partial loading of the electrical power generator, the part load control system including:
- a computer controller system operatively coupled to the electrical power generator to control compressor inlet pressure directly responsive to a level of electrical power output requested of the electrical power generator;
- and
- a reservoir with supercritical fluid, the reservoir being responsive to the computer controller system to add supercritical fluid to, or withdraw supercritical fluid from, the electrical power generating system, the reservoir being in fluid communication with the at least one compressor and the expander between the compressor outlet and the expander inlet and between the expander outlet and the compressor inlet.
7 more elements
A method of controlling partial loading of an electrical power generator, the method including:
- compressing a supercritical fluid with at least a first compressor having an inlet and an outlet, the compressor having a first inlet pressure;
- expanding supercritical fluid and converting a drop in enthalpy of supercritical fluid to mechanical energy with an expander having an inlet coupled to receive compressed supercritical fluid, the expander having an outlet;
- generating electricity at a first electrical power output level with an electrical power generator coupled to the expander;
- correlating compressor inlet pressure directly with a second electrical power output level requested of the electrical power generator;
- controlling compressor inlet pressure to a second compressor inlet pressure directly responsive to correlating compressor inlet pressure with a second electrical power output level requested of an electrical power generator;
- and
- generating electricity at the second electrical power output level directly responsive to controlling compressor inlet pressure to the second compressor inlet pressure.
4 more elements
A system comprising:
- a supercritical power module including:
- a compressor having an inlet and an outlet and being structured to compress supercritical fluid;
- a recuperator structured to heat compressed supercritical fluid;
- an outlet path structured to provide heated compressed supercritical fluid from the recuperator to a heat source;
- an inlet path structured to provide heated compressed supercritical fluid from the heat source;
- an expander having an inlet coupled to receive heated compressed supercritical fluid from the heat source, the expander having an outlet, and being structured to convert a drop in enthalpy of supercritical fluid to mechanical energy;
- an electrical power generator coupled to the expander;
- and
- a cooler structured to cool expanded supercritical fluid from the expander and provide cooled supercritical fluid to the compressor;
- and
- a part load control system configured to control partial loading of the electrical power generator, the part load control system including:
- a computer controller system operatively coupled to the electrical power generator and programmed to control compressor inlet pressure directly responsive to a level of electrical power output requested of the electrical power generator;
- and
- a reservoir with supercritical fluid, the reservoir being responsive to the computer controller system to add supercritical fluid to, or withdraw supercritical fluid from, the electrical power generating system, the reservoir being in fluid communication with the compressor and the expander between the compressor outlet and the expander inlet and between the expander outlet and the compressor inlet.
11 more elements
A system comprising:
- a supercritical power module including:
- a first compressor structured to compress supercritical fluid;
- a first recuperator structured to heat compressed supercritical fluid from the first compressor;
- a second compressor structured to compress supercritical fluid in parallel with the first compressor;
- a second recuperator structured to heat compressed supercritical fluid from the first compressor and the second compressor;
- an outlet path structured to provide heated compressed supercritical fluid from the second recuperator to a heat source;
- an inlet path structured to provide heated compressed supercritical fluid from the heat source;
- an expander coupled to receive heated compressed supercritical fluid from the heat source and structured to convert a drop in enthalpy of supercritical fluid to mechanical energy;
- and
- a cooler structured to cool expanded supercritical fluid from the first recuperator and provide cooled supercritical fluid to the first compressor;
- and
- a part load control system configured to control partial loading of the electrical power generator, the part load control system including:
- a computer controller system operatively coupled to the electrical power generator and programmed to control first and second compressor inlet pressure directly responsive to level of electrical power output requested of the electrical power generator;
- and
- a reservoir with supercritical fluid, the reservoir being responsive to the computer controller system to add supercritical fluid to, or withdraw supercritical fluid from, the electrical power generating system, the reservoir being in fluid communication with the first and second compressors between the first and second compressor outlets and the expander inlet, and between the expander outlet and the first and second compressor inlets.
12 more elements
A system comprising:
- a supercritical power module including:
- a first compressor structured to compress supercritical fluid;
- a first recuperator structured to heat compressed supercritical fluid from the first compressor;
- a second compressor structured to compress heated supercritical fluid received from the first recuperator;
- a second recuperator structured to heat compressed supercritical fluid from the second compressor;
- an outlet path structured to provide heated compressed supercritical fluid from the second recuperator to a heat source;
- an inlet path structured to provide heated compressed supercritical fluid from the heat source;
- an expander coupled to receive heated compressed supercritical fluid from the heat source and structured to convert a drop in enthalpy of supercritical fluid to mechanical energy;
- an electrical power generator coupled to the expander;
- and
- a cooler structured to cool expanded supercritical fluid from the first recuperator and provide cooled supercritical fluid to the first compressor;
- and
- a part load control system configured to control partial loading of the electrical power generator, the part load control system including:
- a computer controller system operatively coupled to the electrical power generator and programmed to control compressor inlet pressure directly responsive to a level of electrical power output requested of the electrical power generator;
- and
- a reservoir with supercritical fluid, responsive to the computer controller system to add supercritical fluid to, or withdraw supercritical fluid from, the electrical power generating system, the reservoir being in fluid communication with the first compressor, the second compressor, and the expander between the second compressor outlet and the expander inlet and between the expander outlet and the first compressor inlet.
13 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.