A novel Rankine cycle system configured to convert waste heat into mechanical and/or electrical energy is provided. In one aspect, the system provided by the present invention comprises a novel configuration of the components of a conventional Rankine cycle system; conduits, ducts, heaters, expander
A novel Rankine cycle system configured to convert waste heat into mechanical and/or electrical energy is provided. In one aspect, the system provided by the present invention comprises a novel configuration of the components of a conventional Rankine cycle system; conduits, ducts, heaters, expanders, heat exchangers, condensers and pumps to provide more efficient energy recovery from a waste heat source. In one aspect, the Rankine cycle system is configured such that an initial waste heat-containing stream is employed to vaporize a first working fluid stream, and a resultant heat depleted waste heat-containing stream and a first portion of an expanded second vaporized working fluid stream are employed to augment heat provided by an expanded first vaporized working fluid stream in the production of a second vaporized working fluid stream. The Rankine cycle system is adapted for the use of supercritical carbon dioxide as the working fluid.
대표청구항▼
1. A Rankine cycle system comprising: (a) a heater in which a first waste heat-containing stream is brought into thermal contact with a first working fluid stream to produce therefrom a first vaporized working fluid stream and a second waste heat-containing stream;(b) a first expander into which the
1. A Rankine cycle system comprising: (a) a heater in which a first waste heat-containing stream is brought into thermal contact with a first working fluid stream to produce therefrom a first vaporized working fluid stream and a second waste heat-containing stream;(b) a first expander into which the first vaporized working fluid stream is introduced to produce therefrom mechanical energy and an expanded first vaporized working fluid stream;(c) a first heat exchanger in which the expanded first vaporized working fluid stream and the second waste heat-containing stream are brought into thermal contact with a first condensed working fluid stream to produce therefrom a second vaporized working fluid stream;(d) a second expander into which the second vaporized working fluid stream is introduced to produce therefrom mechanical energy and an expanded second vaporized working fluid stream;(e) a first working fluid stream splitter through which the expanded second vaporized working fluid stream is passed to produce therefrom a first portion of the expanded second vaporized working fluid stream and a second portion of the expanded second vaporized working fluid stream; and(f) a second heat exchanger;wherein the first portion of the expanded second vaporized working fluid stream is introduced into the first heat exchanger and brought into thermal contact with the first condensed working fluid stream, andwherein the second portion of the expanded second vaporized working fluid stream is introduced into the second heat exchanger and brought into thermal contact with a second condensed working fluid stream. 2. The Rankine cycle system according to claim 1, further comprising a generator. 3. The Rankine cycle system according to claim 2, wherein the generator is mechanically coupled to the first expander. 4. The Rankine cycle system according to claim 2, wherein the generator is mechanically coupled to the second expander. 5. The Rankine cycle system according to claim 1, further comprising a generator mechanically coupled to the first expander and the second expander. 6. The Rankine cycle system according to claim 5, further comprising a common driveshaft, wherein the first expander and second expander share the common drive shaft. 7. The Rankine cycle system according to claim 1, wherein the first working fluid is carbon dioxide. 8. The Rankine cycle system according to claim 1, wherein the first vaporized fluid working stream is a supercritical carbon dioxide. 9. The Rankine cycle system according to claim 1, further comprising at least one duct heater configured to heat the second waste heat-containing stream. 10. The Rankine cycle system according to claim 1, wherein the system is configured to produce the first condensed working fluid stream and the second condensed working fluid stream from a common condensed working fluid stream. 11. The Rankine cycle system according to claim 1, further comprising a working fluid condenser. 12. The Rankine cycle system according to claim 11, wherein the system comprises a single working fluid condenser. 13. The Rankine cycle system according to claim 1, further comprising a third heat exchanger. 14. A Rankine cycle system comprising: (a) a heater in which a first waste heat-containing stream is brought into thermal contact with a first working fluid stream to produce therefrom a first vaporized working fluid stream and a second waste heat-containing stream;(b) a first expander into which the first vaporized working fluid stream is introduced to produce therefrom mechanical energy and an expanded first vaporized working fluid stream;(c) a first heat exchanger in which the expanded first vaporized working fluid stream and the second waste heat-containing stream are brought into thermal contact with a first condensed working fluid stream to produce therefrom a second vaporized working fluid stream, a heat depleted waste heat-containing stream, and a first heat depleted working fluid stream;(d) a second expander into which the second vaporized working fluid stream is introduced to produce therefrom mechanical energy and the expanded second vaporized working fluid stream;(e) a first working fluid stream splitter through which the expanded second vaporized working fluid stream is passed to produce therefrom a first portion of the expanded second vaporized working fluid stream and a second portion of the expanded second vaporized working fluid stream; and(f) a second heat exchanger in which the second portion of the expanded second vaporized working fluid stream is brought into thermal contact with a second condensed working fluid stream, to produce therefrom a stream of the working fluid having greater enthalpy than second condensed working fluid stream, and a second heat depleted working fluid stream;(g) a working fluid stream combiner in which the first heat depleted working fluid stream is combined with the second heat depleted working fluid stream to produce therefrom a consolidated heat depleted working fluid stream;(h) a condenser into which the consolidated heat depleted working fluid stream is introduced and to produce therefrom a first consolidated condensed working fluid stream;(i) a working fluid pump which pressurizes the first consolidated condensed working fluid stream and produces thereby a second consolidated condensed working fluid stream; and(j) a second working fluid stream splitter through which the second consolidated condensed working fluid stream is passed to produce therefrom at least two condensed working fluid streams;wherein the first portion of the expanded second vaporized working fluid stream is introduced into the first heat exchanger and brought into thermal contact with the first condensed working fluid stream. 15. The Rankine cycle system according to claim 14, wherein the second working fluid stream splitter provides the first condensed working fluid stream and the second condensed working fluid stream. 16. The Rankine cycle system according to claim 14, wherein at least one of the two condensed working fluid streams is further subdivided before being introduced into a heat exchanger. 17. The Rankine cycle system according to claim 14, further comprising a duct heater configured to heat the second waste heat-containing stream. 18. The Rankine cycle system according to claim 17, further comprising a third heat exchanger. 19. A method of recovering thermal energy using a Rankine cycle system comprising: (a) in a first heater transferring heat from a first waste heat-containing stream to a first working fluid stream to produce thereby a first vaporized working fluid stream and a second waste heat-containing stream;(b) in a first expander expanding the first vaporized working fluid stream to produce thereby mechanical energy and an expanded first vaporized working fluid stream;(c) in a first heat exchanger transferring heat from the expanded first vaporized working fluid stream and the second waste heat-containing stream to a first condensed working fluid stream to produce thereby a second vaporized working fluid stream, a heat depleted second waste heat-containing stream and a first heat depleted working fluid stream;(d) in a second expander expanding the second vaporized working fluid stream to produce thereby mechanical energy and the expanded second vaporized working fluid stream;(e) in a first working fluid stream splitter splitting the expanded second vaporized working fluids stream into a first portion of the expanded second vaporized working fluid stream and a second portion of the expanded second vaporized working fluid stream; and(f) in a second heat exchanger transferring heat from a second portion of the expanded second vaporized working fluid stream to a second condensed working fluid stream, to produce thereby a stream of the working fluid having greater enthalpy than the second condensed working fluid stream, and a second heat depleted working fluid stream;wherein the first portion of the expanded second vaporized working fluid stream is introduced into the first heat exchanger and brought into thermal contact with the first condensed working fluid stream in step (c). 20. The method according to claim 19, further comprising a step: (g) combining the first heat depleted working fluid stream with the second heat depleted working fluid stream to produce thereby a consolidated heat depleted working fluid stream. 21. The method according to claim 20, further comprising a step: (h) condensing the consolidated heat depleted working fluid stream to produce thereby a first consolidated condensed working fluid stream. 22. The method according to claim 21, further comprising a step: (i) pressurizing the first consolidated condensed working fluid stream to produce thereby a second consolidated condensed working fluid stream. 23. The method according to claim 22, further comprising a step: (j) dividing the second consolidated condensed working fluid stream to produce thereby at least two condensed working fluid streams. 24. The method according to claim 19, wherein the working fluid is carbon dioxide in a supercritical state during at least a portion of at least one method step.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (18)
Stinger,Daniel H.; Mian,Farouk Aslam, Cascading closed loop cycle power generation.
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