Power System Involving Change Of State Patents (Class 60/670)
  • Patent number: 11965434
    Abstract: A combined power plant is provided. The combined power plant includes a gas turbine configured to combust fuel to generate a rotating force, a boiler configured to heat water to generate steam, an ammonia decomposition apparatus configured to receive a combustion gas generated in the gas turbine to thermally decompose ammonia to generate a decomposed gas containing hydrogen, nitrogen, and a residual ammonia, a steam turbine configured to generate a rotating force using the steam generated in the boiler, and a decomposed gas supply line configured to supply the decomposed gas generated in the ammonia decomposition apparatus to a combustor of the gas turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: DOOSAN ENERBILITY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sung Gju Kang, Hyun Hu Kang, Gwang Soo Jang, Song Hun Cha
  • Patent number: 11920570
    Abstract: An improved Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion system (called OTEC) is presented herein by the addition of a closed heat transfer loop. In conventional OTEC, warm surface waters are used to vaporize a working fluid for use in a turbine, and cold waters are then brought up from deep water, typically more than 1000 meters, to condense the working fluid. In simple terms conventional OTEC brings the cooling potential up to the warm surface. The disclosed OTEC system brings the heat down to the deep cold waters by using a separate heat transfer fluid loop. We refer to this as Enhanced OTEC or E-OTEC. A key feature of the process is descending to the depths as a dense fluid and returning to the surface as a much lower density fluid, thereby gaining a gravitational boost in pressure and temperature. This leads to several technological, performance, and economic advantages over prior art.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Inventors: Roy E. Robinson, Georg E. Engelmann
  • Patent number: 11873742
    Abstract: An energy storage system converts variable renewable electricity (VRE) to continuous heat at over 1000° C. Intermittent electrical energy heats a solid medium. Heat from the solid medium is delivered continuously on demand. An array of bricks incorporating internal radiation cavities is directly heated by thermal radiation. The cavities facilitate rapid, uniform heating via reradiation. Heat delivery via flowing gas establishes a thermocline which maintains high outlet temperature throughout discharge. Gas flows through structured pathways within the array, delivering heat which may be used for processes including calcination, hydrogen electrolysis, steam generation, and thermal power generation and cogeneration. Groups of thermal storage arrays may be controlled and operated at high temperatures without thermal runaway via deep-discharge sequencing. Forecast-based control enables continuous, year-round heat supply using current and advance information of weather and VRE availability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: Rondo Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: John Setel O'Donnell, Peter Emery von Behrens, Chiaki Treynor, Jeremy Quentin Keller, Matthieu Jonemann, Robert Ratz, Yusef Desjardins Ferhani
  • Patent number: 11867096
    Abstract: An energy storage system converts variable renewable electricity (VRE) to continuous heat at over 1000° C. Intermittent electrical energy heats a solid medium. Heat from the solid medium is delivered continuously on demand. An array of bricks incorporating internal radiation cavities is directly heated by thermal radiation. The cavities facilitate rapid, uniform heating via reradiation. Heat delivery via flowing gas establishes a thermocline which maintains high outlet temperature throughout discharge. Gas flows through structured pathways within the array, delivering heat which may be used for processes including calcination, hydrogen electrolysis, steam generation, and thermal power generation and cogeneration. Groups of thermal storage arrays may be controlled and operated at high temperatures without thermal runaway via deep-discharge sequencing. Forecast-based control enables continuous, year-round heat supply using current and advance information of weather and VRE availability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Rondo Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: John Setel O'Donnell, Peter Emery von Behrens, Chiaki Treynor, Jeremy Quentin Keller, Matthieu Jonemann, Robert Ratz, Yusef Desjardins Ferhani
  • Patent number: 11867427
    Abstract: A fluid heating system for heating a production fluid using a thermal transfer fluid, the production fluid being contained in a vessel includes an electric blower configured to receive ambient air and electrical input power and to provide output source air, a combustion system configured to receive the source air from the electric blower and to receive fuel and to provide the thermal transfer fluid, a heat exchanger configured to receive the thermal transfer fluid from the combustion system and configured to provide heat exchange from the thermal transfer fluid to the production fluid, and to provide output exhaust gas, and wherein the electric fan provides a predetermined volume flow rate of the output source air at a predetermined blower efficiency such that the fluid heating system has a Bulk Heat Flux of at least about 14.7 kBTU/Hr/ft2 and a Pressure Drop of at least about 0.7 psi.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: FULTON GROUP N.A., INC.
    Inventors: Alexander Thomas Frechette, Carl Nicholas Nett, Thomas William Tighe, Keith Richard Waltz
  • Patent number: 11808209
    Abstract: A turbine engine assembly includes a condenser that is at least partially disposed within the core flow path where water is extracted from the exhaust gas flow, an evaporator system that is at least partially disposed within the core flow path that is upstream of the condenser where thermal energy from the exhaust gas flow is utilized to generate a steam flow. An aftercooler provides a cooling flow that is selectively injected into the core flow path upstream of at least the condenser for cooling the exhaust gas flow in response to a parameter that is indicative of an engine operating parameter that exceeds a predefined condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: RTX CORPORATION
    Inventor: Jon Erik Sobanski
  • Patent number: 11779879
    Abstract: The present invention concerns the field of capturing the CO2 from a gaseous effluent. The incoming gaseous effluent is burned with a fuel, so as to obtain a hot gaseous effluent rich in acidic compounds, and the hot gaseous effluent rich in acidic compounds is cooled to give a cold effluent rich in acidic compounds, which is subsequently used in the step of contacting with an absorbent solution rich in acidic compounds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: IFP Energies nouvelles
    Inventors: Florent Guillou, Berenice Moroy, Vania Santos-Moreau
  • Patent number: 11566542
    Abstract: A 660MW supercritical unit bypass control method after a load rejection is provided. Steam channels after the load rejection are switched without an interference, and ache steam pressure is controllable. The 660MW supercritical unit bypass control method includes Pipeline 1, Pipeline 2, Pipeline 3, and Pipeline 4; a bottom of Pipeline 3, a bottom of the Pipeline 2, and a head of the Pipeline 4 are connected by a temperature and pressure reducer; a bottom of the Pipeline 1 is connected to a head of Pipeline 2; a branch pipe is arranged between the Pipeline 1 and the Pipeline 2, and a steam turbine is arranged in the branch pipe. A high-pressure bypass control system automatically adapts to the load rejection or FCB under any loading situation, avoids drastic changes of unit parameters from loading fluctuations, meets requirements of the load rejection and the FCB.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: CHINA ENERGY ENGINEERING GROUP EAST CHINA ELECTRIC POWER TEST RESEARCH INSTITUTE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Meng Wang, Fei Li, Yanyun Lai, Hailong Qian, Jinliang Wang, Tao Wang
  • Patent number: 11560812
    Abstract: A steam turbine having a low-pressure inner housing NDIG and a high-pressure inner housing HDIG within a steam turbine outer housing, a reheater downstream of the HDIG and upstream of the NDIG wherein the first steam inlet section of the HDIG faces the second steam inlet section of the NDIG, a process steam deflection section for deflecting process steam out of the first steam outlet section into a gap between an inner wall of the steam turbine outer housing and an outer wall of the HDIG and of the NDIG, a high-pressure sealing shell for sealing the upstream end-section of the HDIG, a low-pressure sealing shell for sealing the upstream end-section of the NDIG, the high-pressure sealing shell located adjacent to the low-pressure sealing shell, wherein process steam can be drawn from the HDIG and conveyed to a region between the high- and low-pressure sealing shells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: Siemens Energy Global GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Stefan Preibisch
  • Patent number: 11448098
    Abstract: An arrangement for converting thermal energy from lost heat of an internal combustion engine into mechanical energy where a working circuit is provided for a working medium which can be heated and evaporated using the lost heat. An expansion machine for obtaining mechanical energy from the heat of the working medium is provided in the working circuit where the working circuit extends through a heat exchanger mounted upstream of the expansion engine in the flow direction of the working medium. The internal combustion engine includes a cylinder having a cylinder liner. A cooling duct is provided in the cylinder liner through which the working medium flows. The cylinder liner is formed by centrifugal casting where the cooling duct is introduced into one centrifugal mold as an insert prior to the centrifugal casting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: Daimler AG
    Inventors: Nicolas Stanzel, Martin Luippold
  • Patent number: 11371393
    Abstract: An arrangement for converting thermal energy from lost heat of an internal combustion engine into mechanical energy includes a working circuit for a working medium. An expansion engine is disposed in the working circuit. A heat exchanger is mounted upstream of the expansion engine in a flow direction of the working medium where the working circuit extends through the heat exchange. The heat exchanger includes an exhaust gas recirculation heat exchanger having a cold part and a warm part, an exhaust gas heat exchanger, and a phase transition cooling in the internal combustion engine. The heat exchanger is formed by serial connection in a sequence of the cold part of the exhaust gas recirculation heat exchanger, the exhaust gas heat exchanger, the phase transition cooling in the internal combustion engine, and the warm part of the exhaust gas recirculation heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Daimler AG
    Inventors: Eugen Krebs, Nicolas Stanzel, Thomas Streule
  • Patent number: 11199361
    Abstract: A method and system for heat recovery and/or power plant cooling, incorporating an ejector configured to transfer vapor from a generator to a condenser. The ejector includes a converging-diverging nozzle to create a low pressure zone that entrains a fluid. The ejector is within a cooling fluid cycle line in heat exchange combination with an exhaust flue gas. Two fluid flows of the fluid cycle line are mixed via the ejector into a combined fluid, wherein the ejector adjusts a temperature and/or pressure of the combined fluid. Condensing the combined fluid provides a cooling medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: GAS TECHNOLOGY INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Yaroslav Chudnovsky, Aleksandr Kozlov, Dmytro Buyadgie, Olexiy Buyadgie, Oleksii Drakhnia
  • Patent number: 11143102
    Abstract: A power conversion system including a first working fluid circuit and a second working fluid circuit. Heat, e.g. waste heat from a top, high-temperature thermodynamic cycle, is transferred to working fluid circulating in the first working fluid circuit and expanded in a first expander to generate useful mechanical power. A heat transfer arrangement is provided, between the first working fluid circuit and second working fluid circuit, configured for transferring low-temperature heat from the first working fluid circuit to the second working fluid circuit. In the second working fluid circuit working fluid is processed, which is expanded in at least one expander to generate useful mechanical power which is used to power a pump or compressor of the first working fluid circuit. The heat of the expanded gas is further used in a second recuperator to pre-heat the first working fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: NUOVO PIGNONE TECNOLOGIE SRL
    Inventors: Paolo Del Turco, Jury Auciello, Stefano Capodanno, Simone Amidei
  • Patent number: 11146069
    Abstract: An optimized control method for a primary frequency regulation based on art exergy storage correction of a thermodynamic system of a coal-fired unit is provided. Through measuring and recording temperatures and pressures of working fluids and metal heating surfaces of the coal-fired unit thermodynamic system in real-time, an exergy storage amount of the thermodynamic system is obtained. During a transient process, according to an exergy storage variation before and after acting of each regulation scheme, a maximum power output of each scheme is obtained. Thereafter, through comparing the maximum power output with a power regulation quantity required by a power grid, an optimal primary frequency regulation control scheme is selected, so as to maintain a fast and stable grid frequency. The present invention reduces a selection blindness of the primary frequency regulation schemes, so that an operation flexibility of the coal-fired power unit during the transient processes is greatly improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: XI'AN JIAOTONG UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Yongliang Zhao, Junjie Yan, Ming Liu, Daotong Chong
  • Patent number: 11111824
    Abstract: At least one aspect of the technology provides a self-contained processing facility configured to convert organic, high water-content waste, such as fecal sludge and garbage, into electricity while also generating and collecting potable water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
    Inventor: Peter Janicki
  • Patent number: 10982549
    Abstract: Stator vanes including curved trailing edges are disclosed. The stator vanes may include a body including a central section, a tip section positioned radially above the central section, and a root section positioned radially below the central section. The body of the stator vanes may also include a leading edge extending radially adjacent the root section, central section, and tip section, respectively, and a trailing edge positioned opposite and aft to the leading edge. The trailing edge may include a concave contour including a first portion radially aligned with the central section of the body. The first portion may be axially offset and forward of a reference line that may be perpendicular to an axial direction and intersects the concave contour at the tip section and the root section. A concavity of the first portion of the concave contour may be formed radially aft of the central section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Moorthi Subramaniyan, Adam John Fredmonski, Francesco Soranna
  • Patent number: 10895173
    Abstract: A method of driving a turbine, the method comprising: (a) providing solid carbon dioxide; (b) heating the solid carbon dioxide to produce a high pressure carbon dioxide fluid; (c) passing the carbon dioxide over a blade of the turbine; and (d) collecting the carbon dioxide that has passed over the turbine blade; wherein carbon dioxide collected in step (d) is in solid form.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: CCm Technologies Limited
    Inventor: Peter Hammond
  • Patent number: 10858961
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for controlling a waste-heat utilization system (20) for an internal combustion engine (10) of a vehicle, wherein the waste-heat utilization system (20) has at least one expander (22), which can transmit torque to the internal combustion engine (10) and which can be bypassed by means of a bypass flow path (25), at least one evaporator (21), and at least one pump (24) for an operating medium, and wherein at least the evaporator (21) is arranged in the region of the exhaust gas system (11) of the internal combustion engine (10). The expander (22), which can be operated in several operating modes, has a driving connection to a secondary drive shaft (19) of the internal combustion engine in at least one operating mode. An operating mode of the waste-heat utilization system (20) is selected by a control device (30) on the basis of at least one input variable and the waste-heat utilization system (20) is operated in said operating mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignees: AVL LIST GMBH, IVECO S.P.A., FPT INDUSTRIAL S.P.A., MAHLE AMOVIS GMBH
    Inventors: Klemens Neunteufl, Oswald Lackner, Gerald Gradwohl, Michael Bucher, Fabio Cococcetta, Ivan Calaon, Michael Glensvig
  • Patent number: 10704426
    Abstract: A compressor installation provided with one or more compressor elements and a heat recovery circuit in the form of a closed Rankine circuit in which a working medium circulates through one or more evaporators that act as a cooler for the compressed gas, and a condenser connected to a cooling circuit for cooling the working medium in the condenser, whereby an additional cooler is provided for each evaporator that is connected in series to an evaporator concerned, and which is calculated to be able to guarantee sufficient cooling by itself when the heat recovery circuit is switched off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: ATLAS COPCO AIRPOWER, NAAMLOZE VENNOOTSCHAP
    Inventors: Anton Jan Goethals, Jan Van Gilsen
  • Patent number: 10634012
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a pump circuit structured to receive pump data indicative of an operating characteristic of a pump feeding a fluid to a waste heat recovery (WHR) system; a flow circuit structured to receive valve position data indicative of a position of a valve downstream of the pump, estimate a flow rate of the fluid exiting the pump, and estimate the flow rate of the fluid exiting the valve; and a pressure circuit structured to receive pressure data indicative of the pressure of the fluid exiting the valve, estimate a change in pressure of the fluid across the WHR system, and determine a pressure of the fluid in a hot section of the WHR system based on the pressure of the fluid exiting the valve and the change in the pressure of the fluid across the WHR system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: Cummins Inc.
    Inventors: Christophe Tricaud, James A. Zigan
  • Patent number: 10577984
    Abstract: The system according to the invention comprises a heat source and a cooling device for discharging heat from the heat source, the cooling device comprising: a heat exchanger/radiator for transferring heat to a surrounding medium, in particular wherein the radiator is an air cooler and the surrounding medium is air; and a thermodynamic cycle device, in particular an ORC device, comprising a working medium, an evaporator for evaporating the working medium by transferring heat from the heat source to the working medium, an expansion device for generating mechanical energy, and a condenser for condensing the working medium expanded in the expansion device; wherein the cooling device further comprises a condenser coolant circuit for discharging heat out of the condenser of the thermodynamic cycle device via the heat exchanger/radiator. The method according to the invention is suitable for discharging heat from a heat source with a cooling device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: ORCAN ENERGY AG
    Inventors: Richard Aumann, Nicolas Restrepo, Andreas Schuster, Andreas Sichert
  • Patent number: 10570782
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for controlling ORC stacks with a total number ntot of individually operable ORC modules, said method comprising the following steps: determining the running time remaining until the next servicing time for each operable ORC module respectively; determining a target number nsoll of ORC modules to be operated; comparing said target number nsoll to an actual number nist of currently operated ORC modules; when nsoll>nist, connecting a number nsoll?nist of ORC modules that corresponds to the difference between the target number and the actual number, where the ORC modules with the longest remaining running times of the ORC modules currently not being operated are connected; and/or when nsoll<nist, disconnecting a number nist?nsoll of ORC modules that corresponds to the difference between the actual number and the target number, where the ORC modules with the shortest remaining running times of the ORC modules currently being operated are disconnected; and/or when nsoll=nist
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: Orcan Energy AG
    Inventors: Markus Lintl, Jens-Patrick Springer, Andreas Schuster
  • Patent number: 10208631
    Abstract: The present invention drives an ejector refrigeration unit using waste heat, such as a combustion gas generated from the outside, etc., and cools a working fluid sucked into a compressor in a power generator using the working fluid that circulates in the ejector refrigeration unit, thereby reducing a compression work of the compressor so that efficiency of a system can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: KOREA INSTITUTE OF ENERGY RESEARCH
    Inventors: Young Jin Baik, Jun Hyun Cho, Gil Bong Lee, Ho Sang Ra, Hyung Ki Shin
  • Patent number: 10082047
    Abstract: A system for rapidly heating a vehicle engine when the engine is below a pre-determined temperature allows for improved fuel efficiency after a vehicle cold-start. The system includes an organic Rankine cycle (ORC) loop having a two-phase ORC fluid traveling circuitously through a conduit. The ORC fluid is vaporized by a power electronics cooling device and by an evaporator in thermal communication with exhaust waste heat. The vaporized ORC fluid is passed through an expander to generate electrical power. When the vehicle engine is below the pre-determined temperature, heat from the vaporized ORC fluid is transferred directly or indirectly to the engine. When the vehicle engine is at or above the pre-determined temperature, heat from the vaporized ORC fluid is instead transferred to an alternate heat sink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Shailesh N. Joshi, Ercan Mehmet Dede
  • Patent number: 9926889
    Abstract: An exhaust heat recovery system may include an exhaust pipe through which exhaust gas exhausted from an engine moves, a main channel through which a working fluid moves, a turbine rotated by the working fluid exhausted from the main channel to generate energy, an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) line circulating a portion of the exhaust gas exhausted from the engine to an intake manifold, and channel control valves disposed in the main channel and configured to control movement of the working fluid so that the exhaust gas moving along the EGR line and the working fluid moving along the main channel exchange heat with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventor: You Sang Son
  • Patent number: 9766011
    Abstract: The present invention is a process for removing carbon dioxide from a compressed gas stream including cooling the compressed gas in a first heat exchanger, introducing the cooled gas into a de-sublimating heat exchanger, thereby producing a first solid carbon dioxide stream and a first carbon dioxide poor gas stream, expanding the carbon dioxide poor gas stream, thereby producing a second solid carbon dioxide stream and a second carbon dioxide poor gas stream, combining the first solid carbon dioxide stream and the second solid carbon dioxide stream, thereby producing a combined solid carbon dioxide stream, and indirectly exchanging heat between the combined solid carbon dioxide stream and the compressed gas in the first heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: NEWVISTAS CAPITAL, LLC
    Inventors: Larry Baxter, Paul Terrien, Pascal Tessier, Christopher Hoeger
  • Patent number: 9745870
    Abstract: An improved heat engine that includes an organic refrigerant exhibiting a boiling point below ?35° C.; a heat source having a temperature of less than 82° C.; a heat sink; a sealed, closed-loop path for the organic refrigerant, the sealed, closed-loop path having both a high-pressure zone that absorbs heat from the heat source, and a low-pressure zone that transfers heat to the heat sink; a positive-displacement decompressor providing a pressure gradient through which the organic refrigerant in the gaseous phase flows continuously from the high-pressure zone to the low-pressure zone, the positive-displacement decompressor extracting mechanical energy due to the pressure gradient; and a positive-displacement hydraulic pump, which provides continuous flow of the organic refrigerant in the liquid phase from the low-pressure zone to the high-pressure zone, the hydraulic pump and the positive-displacement decompressor maintaining a pressure differential between the two zones of between about 20 to 42 bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: Heat Source Energy Corp.
    Inventors: Keith Sterling Johnson, Corey Jackson Newman
  • Patent number: 9599015
    Abstract: A device for utilizing waste heat from an engine, which is provided with a Rankine cycle device having an expander bypass passage and a bypass valve that opens and closes the expander bypass passage, and transmits the output torque Tr of the Rankine cycle device to the engine, estimates the output torque Tr of the Rankine cycle device accurately. An output calculation part includes a torque estimation portion that estimates the torque of an expander. The torque estimation portion has a first torque estimation equation corresponding to an opening position of a bypass valve, and a second torque estimation equation corresponding to a closed position of the bypass valve. The output calculation part calculates an output torque Tr of a Rankine cycle device, based on a torque estimated value by the first or second torque estimation equation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: SANDEN HOLDINGS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomonori Haraguchi, Hajime Makino, Hiroyuki Nagai
  • Patent number: 9551240
    Abstract: A system of recycling exhaust heat from an internal combustion engine may include an EGR line circulating a portion of exhaust gas generated from the engine to an intake side, a working fluid circulating line configured to have a working fluid satisfying a Rankine cycle, which is circulated therein, and an EGR side heat exchanging unit configured to perform a heat-exchange between an EGR gas flowing in the EGR line and the working fluid flowing in the working fluid circulating line. When a temperature of the EGR gas is equal to or greater than a reference temperature T1, the EGR gas is circulated to the intake side via the EGR side heat exchanging unit, and when the temperature of the EGR gas is less than the reference temperature T1, the EGR gas is circulated to the intake side without passing through the EGR side heat exchanging unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: You Sang Son, Kyoung Heo
  • Patent number: 9272330
    Abstract: A method for managing heat energy in a metal casting plant includes executing a local control optimization model to control mass of solid metal charges to each modular melting furnace. The local control optimization model is configured to achieve a commanded total mass of molten material and coincidentally minimize waste heat for each of the modular melting furnaces. The method for managing heat energy in the metal casting plant further includes executing a system control optimization model to manage operation of a heat energy recovery system. The system control optimization model is configured to manage the operation of the heat energy recovery system including transferring the waste heat from the modular melting furnaces to a plurality of heat demand centers while minimizing total loss of the waste heat in the metal casting plant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Jorge F. Arinez, Alaa Elwany, Stephan R. Biller, Robert K. Baird, Jr., James Benjamin D'Arcy
  • Patent number: 9140732
    Abstract: The present device includes a high frequency induction thermal plasma generation unit 10; a second tube portion 20, which is connected to a first tube portion 13 and which includes window 25 on at least one side surface; and a testing subject installing pedestal 23 configured to be fixedly attached at a reference position in the second tube portion 20, wherein the testing subject installing pedestal 23 includes a seating portion for installing the testing subject 40, and a hold-down portion for fixing the installed testing subject 40 with a part of the testing subject exposed; and an ablated vapor generated from the testing subject is observed through the window from an outer side of the second tube portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: KANEKA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasunori Tanaka, Masahiro Ishida, Naoki Shinsei, Hiroyasu Hagi, Atsushi Mizobuchi
  • Publication number: 20150143828
    Abstract: A system for recycling heat or energy of a working medium of a heat engine for producing mechanical work is described. The system may comprise a first heat exchanger (204) for transferring heat from a working medium output from an energy extraction device (202) to a heating agent to vaporise the heating agent; a second heat exchanger (240) for transferring further heat to the vaporised heating agent; a compressor (231) coupled to the second heat exchanger (240) arranged to compress the further-heated heating agent; and a third heat exchanger (211) for transferring heat from the compressed heating agent to the working medium. A heat pump is also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2013
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Inventor: Naji Amin ATALLA
  • Publication number: 20150143808
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a turbine generation system, including a first turbine part that is configured to have a first impeller rotated by an introduced fluid, and a second turbine part that is configured to have a second impeller rotated by steam, evaporated within a cycle unit, in which the fluid circulates along a rankine cycle, wherein the fluid, which is discharged from the first turbine part after rotating the first impeller, is heat-exchanged with a refrigerant of an evaporator disposed in the cycle unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2014
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Applicant: KOREA INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Yong Bok LEE, Se Na JEONG, Chang Ho KIM, Bok Seong CHOE
  • Publication number: 20150143809
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an environmentally friendly and high efficiency solid fuel production method using high-water-content organic waste, and, more specifically, relates to a solid fuel production method using high-water-content organic waste, the method comprising: (a) a waste mixing step in which high-water-content organic waste and municipal waste are introduced into a Fe-based reactor and mixed; (b) a hydrolysis step in which high temperature steam is added to the reactor and the mixture of organic waste and municipal waste is placed under pressure and is then stirred in the pressurized state so as to hydrolyse the mixture; (c) a pressure-reducing step in which the steam in the reactor is discharged and the inside of the reactor is rapidly reduced in pressure and left to stand in such a way as to give the organic waste from step (b) a low molecular weight or in such a way as to enlarge the specific surface area of the municipal waste from step (b) and thereby break apart same; (d) a vacuum or
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2013
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Inventors: Jae-Hyeon HA, Joji TAKASE
  • Publication number: 20150144500
    Abstract: An energy production and distribution system, a hydrogen production and distribution system, and a method are disclosed. The energy production and distribution system may include one or more previously decommissioned maritime resources positioned in floating and/or adjacent disposition with a body of water. An electricity generating apparatus may be disposed in an off-grid configuration on each of the maritime resources to generate electricity. Electrolysis electrodes may be electrically coupled with the electricity generating apparatus and may disposed to make contact with water in the body of water to perform an electrolysis operation to separate hydrogen from the water using the generated electricity. A hydrogen capturing element may disposed to capture the hydrogen separated from the water. A storage container may hold the hydrogen, and a conduit may be provided to transfer the hydrogen from the hydrogen capturing element to the storage container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2013
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Inventor: Guy L. James
  • Patent number: 9038390
    Abstract: Systems and methods for transferring and optionally storing and/or retrieving thermal energy are disclosed. The systems and methods generally include a heat engine and a heat pump, the heat engine including first isothermal and gradient heat exchange mechanisms, and the heat pump including second isothermal and gradient heat exchange mechanisms. The heat engine and the heat pump exchange heat with each other countercurrent across the first and second gradient heat exchange mechanisms, the first isothermal heat exchange mechanism transfers heat to an external heat sink, and the second isothermal heat exchange mechanism receives heat from an external heat source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Inventor: Sten Kreuger
  • Publication number: 20150135711
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a circulatory osmotic pressure electricity generation system configured to generate electricity by using a working medium, which includes an osmotic pressure generator, a turbine, a tank, a separating tower, a heat source and the working medium. The working medium has a critical temperature which separates a first temperature zone and a second temperature zone from each other and has a phase transition to a first phase or a second phase which occurs at the critical temperature. The osmotic pressure generator is placed under a temperature of the working medium within the first temperature zone, and comprises (i) a container, (ii) an osmosis membrane, (iii) a first inlet, (iv) a second inlet, and (v) an outlet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2014
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Kenji SANO, Toshihiro Imada
  • Publication number: 20150135713
    Abstract: Steam turbine system and control system therefor are provided. In one embodiment, a steam turbine system includes an auxiliary turbine in fluid communication with an IP turbine via an auxiliary turbine inlet conduit branch of an IP exhaust conduit. A heat exchanger system may remove heat from an IP exhaust steam, and may add the removed heat to water flowing through a boiler feed-water conduit to a boiler of the steam turbine system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2013
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Nestor Hernandez Sanchez, Kamlesh Mundra
  • Patent number: 9032731
    Abstract: A method for powering a cooling unit. The method including applying electromagnetic (EM) radiation to a complex, where the complex absorbs the EM radiation to generate heat, transforming, using the heat generated by the complex, a fluid to vapor, and sending the vapor from the vessel to a turbine coupled to a generator by a shaft, where the vapor causes the turbine to rotate, which turns the shaft and causes the generator to generate the electric power, wherein the electric powers supplements the power needed to power the cooling unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: William Marsh Rice University
    Inventors: Nancy J. Halas, Peter Nordlander, Oara Neumann
  • Patent number: 9027348
    Abstract: A method for retrofitting a fossil-fueled power station is provided. The power station includes a multi-housing stream turbine with a carbon dioxide separation device. As per the method, a suction capability of the steam turbine is adapted for an operation of the carbon dioxide separation device to a process steam to be removed. The carbon dioxide separation device is connected via a process steam line to an intermediate superheating line. Further, an auxiliary condenser is connected to the carbon dioxide separation device. On failure or deliberate switching off of the carbon dioxide separation device surplus process steam is condensed in the auxiliary condenser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Ulrich Grumann, Ulrich Much, Andreas Pickard, Mike Rost
  • Publication number: 20150121875
    Abstract: A steam generator for generating a superheated fluid from a working fluid using a stream of heated gas, the steam generator comprising: a housing, which defines a gas flow path having an inlet at one, upstream end thereof into which a stream of heated gas is delivered and an outlet at the other, downstream end thereof; and a steam generation module which is disposed within the gas flow path of the housing, the steam generation module comprising a heat exchanger which receives a working fluid and is operative to raise the temperature of the working fluid to provide a saturated fluid, and a superheater which receives the saturated fluid from the heat exchanger and is operative to raise the temperature of the saturated fluid and provide a supersaturated fluid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2014
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Inventors: Michael Alan Burns, Paul Andrew Burns
  • Publication number: 20150121876
    Abstract: An exhaust heat recovery apparatus includes an exhaust heat passage through which a first heat medium holding exhaust heat flows; a second heat medium passage through which the second heat medium, of which temperature is lower than that of the first heat medium, flows; a Rankine cycle which includes a pump, an evaporator, an expander, and a condenser and causes heat exchange at the evaporator between the first heat medium flowing through the exhaust heat passage and a working fluid, so that the working fluid is evaporated, the evaporated working fluid expands at the expander, and power is generated; and an exhaust heat recovery heat exchanger which causes heat exchange between the first heat medium flowing through the exhaust heat passage and the second heat medium flowing through the second heat medium passage, so that the second heat medium is heated and exhaust heat of the first heat medium is recovered.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2014
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Inventors: ATSUO OKAICHI, OSAO KIDO, TAKUMI HIKICHI, OSAMU KOSUDA
  • Publication number: 20150121870
    Abstract: Systems and processes provide for a thermal process to transform sludge (and a variety of other natural waste materials) into electricity. Dewatered sludge and other materials containing a high amount of latent energy are dried into a powdered biofuel using a drying gas produced in the system. The drying gas is recirculated and is heated by the biofuel produced in the system, waste heat (from turbines or internal combustion engines), gas (including natural gas or digester gas) and/or oil. The biofuel is combusted in a boiler system that utilizes a burner operable to burn biofuel and produce heat utilized in a series of heat exchangers that heat the recirculating drying air and steam that powers the turbines for electricity production.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2013
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Applicant: GATE 5 ENERGY PARTNERS, INC.
    Inventors: Steven DELSON, Lawrence E. DEES, JR.
  • Patent number: 9021810
    Abstract: A power plant includes a boiler, a stream turbine generator, a post combustion processing system, a feed water regeneration processing system and a heat exchanger. Heat from the heat exchanger is used to regenerate (a) a reagent that absorbs carbon dioxide from flue gas and (b) a water-lean desiccant used to increase plant operating efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: The University of Kentucky Research Foundation
    Inventors: Kunlei Liu, James K. Neathery
  • Patent number: 9003799
    Abstract: Heat flow from a steam seal header could be used in a stage, such as a low pressure stage, of a steam turbine. However, the dump steam temperature from the steam seal header can be too high requiring removal of excess heat, typically through attemperation, before the dump steam is provided to the low pressure stage. Attemperation poses reliability and life issues and lowers efficiency. To address such short comings, one or more heat pumps are used to transfer heat from the dump steam to the fluid entering a boiler. This allows the dump steam temperature to be within acceptable limits, and at the same time, increase the temperature of the fluid so that the steam cycle performance is enhanced. Preferably, solid-state heat pumps are used as they are reliable, silent and can be precisely controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Sanyaswara Rao Ganti, Rajasekar Natarajan, Rakesh Alamsetty
  • Publication number: 20150089947
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus of processing material having an organic content. The method comprises heating a batch of the material (“E”) in a batch processing apparatus (16) having a reduced oxygen atmosphere to gasify at least some of the organic content to produce syngas, The temperature of the syngas is then elevated and maintained at the elevated temperature in a thermal treatment: apparatus (18) for a residence time sufficient to thermally break down any long chain hydrocarbons or volatile organic compounds therein. The calorific value of the syngas produced is monitored by sensors (26) and, when the calorific value of the syngas is below a predefined threshold, the syngas having a low calorific value is diverted to a burner of a boiler (22) to produce steam to drive a steam turbine (36) to produce electricity (“H”).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2013
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Applicant: Chinook End-Stage Recycling Limited
    Inventors: Rifat Al Chalabi, Ophneil Henry Perry, Ke Li
  • Publication number: 20150059341
    Abstract: A combined-type gas turbine engine system is provided which achieves high efficiency by very effectively using exhaust heat from a gas turbine engine. In a gas turbine engine system including: a compressor for compressing a first working medium; a heater for heating the compressed first working medium by an external heat source; a turbine for outputting power from the first working medium; an intermediate cooler provided at the compressor for cooling the first working medium compressed by a low-pressure compression part of the compressor and supplying the first working medium to a high-pressure compression part of the compressor; and an exhaust heat boiler using as a heating medium an exhaust gas from the turbine, a Rankine cycle engine using the intermediate cooler and the exhaust heat boiler as heat sources and a cooling medium of the intermediate cooler as a second working medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2013
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Applicant: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Tanimura, Ryozo Tanaka, Takao Sugimoto, Hiroshi Morishita, Karsten Kusterer, Dieter Bohn, Rene Braun
  • Publication number: 20150052895
    Abstract: A heat exchanger is provided. The heat exchanger comprises an evaporator, a vapor-liquid separator, a liquid level sensor and a controller. The evaporator is used for heating a working fluid up to a vapor-liquid state, and has a working fluid inlet pipe and a working fluid outlet pipe. The vapor-liquid separator is connected to the working fluid outlet pipe for separating the working fluid into a vapor working fluid and a liquid working fluid. The liquid level sensor detects a level of the liquid working fluid inside the vapor-liquid separator and outputs a liquid level signal. The controller receives the liquid level signal and controls the vapor quality of the working fluid inside the evaporator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2013
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Applicant: INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Sung-Wei Hsu, Chi-Ron Kuo
  • Publication number: 20150052896
    Abstract: To provide a waste heat recovery system for a vessel capable of efficiently recovering waste heat regardless of a flow volume of excess steam. Provided is a waste heat recovery system for a vessel for supplying, to a steam utilization device, steam generated by a steam generator, using waste heat from a main machine as a heat source. With respect to the waste heat recovery system, a plurality of expansion machines are connected in parallel to one another and excess steam without being supplied to the steam utilization device is supplied individually to the expansion machines by the opening/closing of gate valves arranged in the respective expansion machines respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2013
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Inventor: Taisuke Ono
  • Patent number: 8959915
    Abstract: A waste heat steam generator for a gas and steam turbine power plant is provided. The generator has economizer, evaporator and superheater heating surfaces which form a flow path and through which a flow medium flows. An overflow line branches off from the flow path and leads to injection valves arranged downstream at a flow side of a superheater heating surface in the flow path. The overflow line permits a brief power increase of a downstream steam turbine without resulting in an excessive loss in efficiency of the steam process. The brief power increase is permitted independently of the type of waste heat steam generator. The branch location of the overflow line is arranged upstream of an evaporator heating surface at the flow medium side and downstream of an economizer heating surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Jan Brückner, Frank Thomas