A novel Rankine cycle system configured to convert waste heat into mechanical and/or electrical energy is provided. 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 exchang
A novel Rankine cycle system configured to convert waste heat into mechanical and/or electrical energy is provided. 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 three distinct condensed working fluid streams are employed at various stages in the waste heat recovery cycle. A first condensed working fluid stream is vaporized by an expanded first vaporized working fluid stream, a second condensed working fluid stream absorbs heat from an expanded second vaporized working fluid stream, and a third condensed working fluid stream removes heat directly from a waste heat-containing 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 first 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 whi
1. A Rankine cycle system comprising: (a) a first 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 is 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 second heat exchanger in which the expanded second vaporized working fluid stream is brought into thermal contact with a second condensed working fluid stream, to produce therefrom a first stream of the working fluid having greater enthalpy than the second condensed working fluid stream;(f) a second heater in which a waste heat-containing stream is brought into thermal contact with a third condensed working fluid stream to produce a second stream of the working fluid having greater enthalpy than the third condensed working fluid stream; and(g) a working fluid stream combiner in which the first stream of the working fluid having greater enthalpy than the second condensed working fluid stream is combined with the second stream of the working fluid having greater enthalpy than the third condensed working fluid stream, to produce the first working fluid stream. 2. The Rankine cycle system according to claim 1, wherein the second heater transfers heat from the second waste heat-containing stream to the third condensed working fluid stream. 3. The Rankine cycle system according to claim 1, wherein the second heater transfers heat from a heat depleted second waste heat-containing stream to the third condensed working fluid stream. 4. The Rankine cycle system according to claim 1, wherein the second heater transfers heat from a thermally enhanced second waste heat-containing stream to the third condensed working fluid stream. 5. The Rankine cycle system according to claim 1, further comprising a generator. 6. The Rankine cycle system according to claim 1, further comprising a generator mechanically coupled to the first expander and the second expander. 7. The Rankine cycle system according to claim 1, which system is configured to accommodate a single working fluid. 8. The Rankine cycle system according to claim 1, wherein the system is configured to accommodate 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, the second condensed working fluid stream and the third 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 1, further comprising a third heat exchanger. 13. The Rankine cycle system according to claim 7, wherein the working fluid is carbon dioxide. 14. The Rankine cycle system according to claim 11, wherein the system comprises a single working fluid condenser. 15. A Rankine cycle system comprising: (a) a first heater in which a first waste heat-containing stream is brought into thermal contact with a first working fluid stream to produce 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 is brought into thermal contact with a first condensed working fluid stream to produce therefrom a second vaporized working fluid 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 second heat exchanger in which the expanded second vaporized working fluid stream is brought into thermal contact with a second condensed working fluid stream, to produce therefrom a first stream of the working fluid having greater enthalpy than second condensed working fluid stream, and a second heat depleted working fluid stream;(f) a first 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;(g) a condenser into which the consolidated heat depleted working fluid stream is introduced and to produce therefrom a first consolidated condensed working fluid stream;(h) a working fluid pump which pressurizes the first consolidated condensed working fluid stream and produces thereby a second consolidated condensed working fluid stream;(i) at least one working fluid stream splitter through which the second consolidated condensed working fluid stream is passed to produce therefrom at least three condensed working fluid streams;(j) a second heater in which a waste heat-containing stream is brought into thermal contact with a third condensed working fluid stream to produce therefrom a second stream of the working fluid having greater enthalpy than the third condensed working fluid stream; and(k) a second working fluid stream combiner in which the first stream of the working fluid having greater enthalpy than the second condensed working fluid stream is combined with the second stream of the working fluid having greater enthalpy than the third condensed working fluid stream to produce therefrom the first working fluid stream. 16. The Rankine cycle system according to claim 15, wherein the working fluid stream splitter provides the first condensed working fluid stream, the second condensed working fluid stream and the third condensed working fluid stream. 17. The Rankine cycle system according to claim 15, further comprising a generator mechanically coupled to at least one of the first expander and the second expander. 18. The Rankine cycle system according to claim 15, further comprising a duct heater configured to heat the second waste heat-containing stream. 19. The Rankine cycle system according to claim 18, further comprising a third heat exchanger. 20. 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 to a first condensed working fluid stream to produce thereby a second vaporized working fluid 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 an expanded second vaporized working fluid stream;(e) in a second heat exchanger transferring heat from the expanded second vaporized working fluid stream to a second condensed working fluid stream, to produce thereby a first stream of the working fluid having greater enthalpy than the second condensed working fluid stream, and a second heat depleted working fluid stream;(f) in a second heater transferring heat from a waste heat-containing stream to a third condensed working fluid stream to produce thereby a second stream of the working fluid having greater enthalpy than the third condensed working fluid stream; and(g) in a first combiner combining the first stream of the working fluid having greater enthalpy than the second condensed working fluid stream with the second stream of the working fluid having greater enthalpy than the third condensed working fluid stream to produce thereby the first working fluid stream. 21. The method according to claim 20, further comprising a step: (h) in a second combiner 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. 22. The method according to claim 21, further comprising a step: (i) in a first condenser condensing the consolidated heat depleted working fluid stream to produce thereby a first consolidated condensed working fluid stream. 23. The method according to claim 22, further comprising a step: (j) pressurizing the first consolidated condensed working fluid stream to produce thereby a second consolidated condensed working fluid stream. 24. The method according to claim 23, further comprising a step: (k) dividing the second consolidated condensed working fluid stream to produce thereby at least three condensed working fluid streams. 25. The method according to claim 20, 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 (20)
Stinger,Daniel H.; Mian,Farouk Aslam, Cascading closed loop cycle power generation.
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