Abstract: A geothermal district heating (DH) system includes a plurality of DH conduits each of the conduits extending to a corresponding heat consumer; means for delivering a DH-usable fluid through said plurality of DH conduits; a fluid circuit through which a geothermal fluid is flowable; and at least two heat exchangers, each of the heat exchangers configured to transfer heat directly or indirectly from the geothermal fluid to said DH-usable fluid with a total heat influx provided by the at least two heat exchangers to said DH-usable fluid that is sufficiently high to raise a temperature of the DH-usable fluid to a predetermined DH-usable temperature without need for any supplemental fossil fuel derived waste heat to be transferred to said DH-usable fluid.

Abstract: A geothermal power plant related maintenance support system comprises: a thermodynamic calculation module for determining performance of specified geothermal power plant components; a plurality of. embedded sensors, each of which is embedded in a different geothermal power plant location and adapted to sense a corresponding real-time geothermal power plant parameter; a plurality of environmental sensors adapted to sense ambient conditions in the vicinity of the geothermal power plant; and a processor in data communication with each of said embedded sensors and environmental sensors.

Abstract: An energy storage system has a pressure vessel that is exposed to ambient temperatures and that contains a working fluid which is condensable at ambient temperatures (CWF); a liquid reservoir in communication with one of the vessels and containing a liquid that is unvaporizable in the reservoir and in the vessel; and apparatus for delivering the liquid from the reservoir to the vessel. The CWF is compressible within the vessel upon direct contact with the liquid and is storable in a liquid state after being compressed to its saturation pressure. In a method, at least some of the liquid located in the vessel is propelled by the CWF towards a turbine to produce power. In one embodiment, a module has a first vessel having at least four ports, a second vessel at ambient temperatures, and a flow control component operatively connected to a corresponding conduit for selectively controlling fluid flow.

Abstract: A binary power plant system, comprising: a vaporizer for vaporizing an organic motive fluid circulating in a closed Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) by a heat source fluid in heat exchange relation therewith and producing wet organic motive fluid vapor having a quality of at least approximately 80 percent; and a single organic vapor, turbine of said ORC: having an inlet for receiving the wet organic motive fluid vapor, wherein organic motive fluid vapor is expanded in said single organic vapor turbine without causing turbine blades of the turbine to be subjected to erosion.

Abstract: A power plant through which motive fluid flows including a vapor turbine into which motive fluid vapor is introduced and expanded so that power is produced, and a horizontal air-cooled condenser (ACC) for receiving and condensing the expanded motive fluid discharged from said vapor turbine. The condenser includes a plurality of mutually parallel and spaced condenser tubes across which air for condensing the motive fluid flows that are disposed at an angle of inclination with respect to a horizontal plane of at least 5 degrees, such that accumulated liquid condensate is evacuated by gravitational forces.

Abstract: The present invention provides wind guiding vane apparatus for mitigating a detrimental influence of cross winds flowing in the vicinity of an air-cooled condenser (ACC) and through one or more fans, positioned in lateral direction of the ACC, to which ambient air is directed and discharged to the atmosphere after cooling condenser tubes of the ACC, comprising one or more stationary wind guiding vanes positioned along at least a portion of an air flow streamline and below a plurality of condenser tubes of the ACC, wherein said one or more wind guiding vanes are configured to redirect air flow during windy conditions towards a portion of said plurality of condenser tubes and at least one of the fans at such an angle that significantly deviates from perpendicular, fairly horizontal inflow. The one or more wind guiding vanes are also suitable to maintain a nominal flow rate of air during quiescent wind conditions.

Abstract: A turbine shaft bearing apparatus in a turbine module includes two axially spaced turbine shaft bearings, including an outlet side bearing protected from overheating by a solid bearing housing which surrounds the outlet side bearing. The bearing housing being provided with a support including conduit for a lubricating medium. The turbine module has plurality of axially spaced turbine wheels connected to a common turbine shaft and coaxial therewith; an inlet through which motive fluid vapor is introduced to a first stage of the turbine wheels; a structured bleeding exit opening formed in an outer turbine casing of the turbine module; and a passage defined between two of the turbine wheels and in fluid communication with the bleeding exit opening, wherein expanded motive fluid vapor may be extracted through the structured bleeding exit opening and supplied to a heat exchange component for heating the motive fluid condensate.

Abstract: In a method for supplying cooling water to a condenser under conditions where an evaporation rate of the cooling water is low during a certain time and is higher during other times, cooling water is delivered from a body of water underlying a cooling tower to the condenser. During the certain time when the evaporation rate of the cooling water is low, a level of the water in the body of water is controlled to a value such that a concentration of a contaminant in the body of water is low, and such that the temperature of the water in the body of water throughout the other times will assure a desired condensate temperature in the condenser throughout the other times. Then, a level of the water in the body of water during the other times is controlled to a value maintaining the low concentration of a dissolved solid and ions.

Abstract: A power plant through which motive fluid flows including a vapor turbine into which motive fluid vapor is introduced and expanded so that power is produced, and a horizontal air-cooled condenser (ACC) for receiving and condensing the expanded motive fluid discharged from said vapor turbine. The condenser includes a plurality of mutually parallel and spaced condenser tubes across which air for condensing the motive fluid flows that are disposed at an angle of inclination with respect to a horizontal plane of at least 5 degrees, such that accumulated liquid condensate is evacuated by gravitational forces.

Abstract: The present invention provides wind guiding vane apparatus for mitigating a detrimental influence of cross winds flowing in the vicinity of an air-cooled condenser (ACC) and through one or more fans, positioned in lateral direction of the ACC, to which ambient air is directed and discharged to the atmosphere after cooling condenser tubes of the ACC, comprising one or more stationary wind guiding vanes positioned along at least a portion of an air flow streamline and below a plurality of condenser tubes of the ACC, wherein said one or more wind guiding vanes are configured to redirect air flow during windy conditions towards a portion of said plurality of condenser tubes and at least one of the fans at such an angle that significantly deviates from perpendicular, fairly horizontal inflow. The one or more wind guiding vanes are also suitable to maintain a nominal flow rate of air during quiescent wind conditions.

Abstract: A heat exchanger system for cooling liquid having a plurality of finned tube arrays and a plurality of fans for inducing air through the finned tube array comprising: at least one wind deflector installed along the long side of the finned tube arrays on at least one side of the arrays.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a system for generating power from fuel cell waste heat, comprising: at least one fuel cell module for generating power and producing waste heat; a bottoming cycle power block through which a motive fluid circulates to generate power; a waste heat heat-transfer unit for transferring heat from exhaust gases of the at least one fuel cell module to the bottoming cycle power block motive fluid thereby producing a desired combined power level from the at least one fuel cell module and the bottoming cycle power block.

Abstract: A heliostat includes a heliostat frame and a plurality of reflective surfaces, each reflective surface is movably mounted within the heliostat frame. The heliostat also includes a plurality of actuators, wherein each individual actuator of the plurality of actuators is associated with a single reflective surface of the plurality reflective surfaces and capable of moving the single reflective surface.

Abstract: The present invention provides a turbine shaft bearing apparatus, comprising two axially spaced, inlet side and outlet side bearings for providing support to a turbine shaft to which are connected a plurality of turbine wheels such that the turbine shaft, the two spaced bearings, and the plurality of turbine wheels are all coaxial, wherein the outlet side bearing is protected from overheating by motive fluid expanded by one or more of the plurality of turbine wheels or stages by a solid bearing housing which surrounds the outlet side bearing which is supported and provided with a conduit through which a lubricating medium for lubricating said outlet side bearing is supplied from a port external to said turbine.

Abstract: A method for producing power from two geothermal heat sources includes: separating a first geothermal fluid from a first geothermal heat source into geothermal vapor comprising steam and non-condensable gases, and geothermal brine; supplying the geothermal vapor to a vaporizer; vaporizing a preheated motive fluid using heat from the geothermal vapor, wherein the heat content in the geothermal vapor exiting the flash tank is only enough to vaporize the preheated motive fluid in the vaporizer; expanding the vaporized motive fluid in a vapor turbine producing power and expanded vaporized motive fluid; condensing the expanded vaporized motive fluid to produce condensed motive fluid; and preheating the condensed motive fluid in a preheater using heat from a second geothermal fluid from a second geothermal heat source having a lower temperature and salinity content that the first geothermal fluid, thereby producing the preheated motive fluid, make-up water and heat-depleted geothermal brine.

Abstract: The present invention provides a power and regasification system based on liquefied natural gas (LNG), comprising a vaporizer by which liquid motive fluid is vaporized, said liquid motive fluid being LNG or a motive fluid liquefied by means of LNG; a turbine for expanding the vaporized motive fluid and producing power; heat exchanger means to which expanded motive fluid vapor is supplied, said heat exchanger means also being supplied with LNG for receiving heat from said expanded fluid vapor, whereby the temperature of the LNG increases as it flows through the heat exchanger means; a conduit through which said motive fluid is supplied from at least the outlet of said heat exchanger to the inlet of said; and a line for transmitting regasified LNG.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for operating a plurality of independent, closed cycle power plant modules each having a vaporizer comprising the steps of serially supplying a medium or low temperature source fluid to each corresponding vaporizer of one or more first plant modules, respectively, to a secondary preheater of a first module, and to a vaporizer of a terminal module, whereby to produce heat depleted source fluid; providing a primary preheater for each vaporizer; and supplying said heat depleted source fluid to all of said primary preheaters in parallel.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for selecting the location of a stimulating well, comprising the steps of conducting a geological study of a field containing a geothermal hydrothermal resource by operating geological useful equipment, determining a maximum horizontal stress line within said field by means of a device, generating a map of existing wells including a plurality of sub-commercial wells within said field relative to said maximum horizontal stress line, measuring a distance between each of said sub-commercial wells and the maximum horizontal stress line, determining that those sub-commercial wells aligned with, or located relatively close to the maximum horizontal stress line are stimulatable, and selecting a location of a stimulating well for stimulating the stimulatable well that is separated less than an anticipated fracture propagating distance from said stimulatable well.

Abstract: A heat exchanger system for cooling liquid having a plurality of finned tube arrays and a plurality of fans for inducing air through the finned tube array comprising: at least one wind deflector installed along the long side of the finned tube arrays on at least one side of the arrays.

Abstract: A heat exchanger system for cooling liquid includes a generally rectangular arrangement of a plurality of horizontally spaced finned tube arrays arranged above the ground, the arrangement having longer sides extending in a length direction and shorter sides extending in a width direction. A plurality of fans are provided above the finned tube arrays for inducing air through the finned tube arrays, wherein at least two of said fans are mutually spaced in the width direction. At least one wind deflector is provided adjacent one of the longer sides, wherein the at least one wind deflector is installed on the ground separately from any of the plurality of finned tube arrays.