Patents by Inventor Lucien Y. Bronicki

Lucien Y. Bronicki has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20110259010
    Abstract: The present invention provides a waste heat recovery system, comprising a closed fluid circuit through which an organic motive fluid flows, heat exchanger means for transferring heat from waste heat gases to the motive fluid, means for flashing the motive fluid which exits the heat exchanger means into a high pressure flashed vapor portion, means for flashing liquid non-flashed motive fluid producing a low pressure flashed vapor portion, a high pressure turbine module which receives said high pressure flashed vapor portion to produce power, and a low pressure turbine module which receives a combined flow of motive fluid vapor comprising the low pressure flashed vapor portion and discharge vapor from the high pressure turbine module whereby additional power is produced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2010
    Publication date: October 27, 2011
    Applicant: Ormat Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Lucien Y. Bronicki, Yoram Bronicki
  • Patent number: 7950214
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to auxiliary apparatus for augmenting the pressure head of a gas flowing in a pipeline that may be provided by at least one gas turbine running a first pressure augmenting means, said auxiliary apparatus comprising: a vapor turbine operatively connected to a second pressure augmenting means; first connection means for providing fluid communication between said pipeline and said second pressure augmenting means; second connection means for providing fluid communication between said first pressure augmenting means and said second pressure augmenting means; and heating means for vaporizing a working fluid of said vapor turbine. In one embodiment, a bypass means for said pipeline having a bypass conduit and shut-off valve system are provided for connecting said first pressure augmenting means to the downstream portion of said pipeline via a bypass conduit. In a further embodiment, the vaporizer of the working fluid utilizes the heat of an intermediate fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: Ormat Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Lucien Y. Bronicki, Joseph Sinai
  • Publication number: 20110115445
    Abstract: A power system is provided for delivering a custom level of electrical power to an industrial or commercial facility, comprising a local generator connected to a turbine operating in accordance with an organic Rankine cycle, the local generator having a capacity at least greater than a maximum anticipated power level needed for the electrical needs of a local industrial or commercial facility, one or more control devices operatively connected to the local generator for regulating active and reactive power generated by the generator, a detector for sensing active voltage induced by said generator, a detector for sensing reactive voltage produced by the generator, and a controller in electrical communication with said one or more control devices and with the active and reactive voltage detectors, wherein the controller directs the one or more control devices to regulate the generator such that the active power and reactive power generated by the generator are sufficient to satisfy active and reactive load condi
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2009
    Publication date: May 19, 2011
    Applicant: Ormat Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: LUCIEN Y. BRONICKI, Shlomo Shitrit
  • Publication number: 20110113778
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method and an apparatus for generating power using a synthetic gas/natural gas mixture comprising: a) an expander for expanding a hydrocarbon gas from a pipeline and forming an expanded hydrocarbon gas; b) supply means for supplying said expanded hydrocarbon gas to a medium temperature reformer; a) equipment constructed and arranged to reform said expanded hydrocarbon gas from said pipeline into a synthetic gas/natural gas mixture using solar radiation, said equipment including said medium temperature solar reformer and a steam generator generating steam using heat from the medium temperature reformer; d) further supply means for supplying said synthetic gas/natural gas mixture produced by said equipment to a compressor for compressing said mixture and forming a compressed mixture; and e) a still further supply means for supplying said compressed mixture to said pipeline.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2009
    Publication date: May 19, 2011
    Inventors: Lucien y. Bronicki, Joseph Sinai
  • Patent number: 7900451
    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 circulated from at least the inlet of said vaporizer to the outlet of said heat exchanger means; and a line for transmitting regasified LNG.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Ormat Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Nadav Amir, Lucien Y. Bronicki, Uri Kaplan, Marat Klochko
  • Publication number: 20110041502
    Abstract: A closed Rankine cycle power plant using an organic working fluid includes a solar trough collector for heating an organic working fluid, a flash vaporizer for vaporizing the heated organic working fluid, a turbine receiving and expanding the vaporized organic working fluid for producing power or electricity, a condenser for condensing the expanded organic working fluid and a pump for circulating the condensed organic working fluid to the solar trough collector. Heated organic working fluid in the flash vaporizer that is not vaporized is returned to the solar trough collector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Publication date: February 24, 2011
    Applicant: Ormat Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Ohad ZIMRON, Lucien Y. Bronicki
  • Publication number: 20110011052
    Abstract: A gas turbine exhaust gas cooling system includes a conduit for a primary gas turbine exhaust gas extending from the primary gas turbine to an inlet of a desired industrial process apparatus, a work producing thermodynamic cycle in which a working fluid is heated and expanded, and at least one heat exchanger by which heat is sufficiently transferred from the primary gas turbine exhaust gas to the working fluid to produce a low temperature heating medium downstream of the heat exchanger at a predetermined temperature and energy level which are sufficient for effecting a desired industrial process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2009
    Publication date: January 20, 2011
    Applicant: Ormat Technologies Inc.
    Inventor: Lucien Y. Bronicki
  • Patent number: 7823386
    Abstract: The present invention provides an improved, commercially available organic working fluid, which is operable under a broad range of temperatures, is thermally stable, has a high auto-ignition temperature, low freezing point and high critical temperature and is benign to the environment, and safe for human use. Such an organic working fluid is useful in organic Rankine cycle (ORC) power plants or units and other systems of the like as an intermediate fluid for heat-recovery wherein heat from various heat sources is transferred using the intermediate fluid to a further working fluid and converted into work, and the intermediate fluid is also exploited to produce electricity. Such organic working fluids are also operable as heat transfer fluids either in ORC power plants or units or in other heat transfer systems. For this purpose the present invention presents a working fluid comprising at least one highly branched, heavy iso-paraffin hydrocarbons, or a mixture of two or more of such hydrocarbons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Ormat Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Ohad Zimron, Lucien Y. Bronicki
  • Publication number: 20100242474
    Abstract: According to present invention, a method is provided for operating a multi-heat source power plant using a low-medium temperature heat source fluid, wherein the multi-heat source power plant includes a turbine or expander run by an organic motive fluid, comprising preheating the organic motive fluid using the low-medium temperature heat source fluid and thereafter providing further heat from an additional heat source to vaporize the motive fluid which is supplied to the turbine or expander. Furthermore, in an embodiment of the present invention, the present invention provides an apparatus comprising a heat exchanger suitable to pre-heat an organic motive fluid with a low-medium temperature geothermal fluid, and solar energy collecting means suitable to directly or indirectly provide heat to the pre-heated organic motive fluid for heating and vaporizing the motive fluid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2009
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Applicant: Ormat Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Dov BERGER, Joseph Sinai, Lucien Y. Bronicki
  • Publication number: 20090320473
    Abstract: According to present invention, a method is provided for operating a multi-heat source power plant using a low-medium temperature heat source fluid, wherein the multi-heat source power plant includes a turbine or expander run by an organic motive fluid, comprising preheating the organic motive fluid using the low-medium temperature heat source fluid and thereafter providing further heat from an additional heat source to vaporize the motive fluid which is supplied to the turbine or expander. Furthermore, in an embodiment of the present invention, the present invention provides an apparatus comprising a heat exchanger suitable to pre-heat an organic motive fluid with a low-medium temperature geothermal fluid, and solar energy collecting means suitable to directly or indirectly provide heat to the pre-heated organic motive fluid for heating and vaporizing the motive fluid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2008
    Publication date: December 31, 2009
    Applicant: Ormat Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Zvi Krieger, Lucien Y. Bronicki
  • Publication number: 20090100845
    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 circulated from at least the inlet of said vaporizer to the outlet of said heat exchanger means; and a line for transmitting regasified LNG.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2007
    Publication date: April 23, 2009
    Applicant: Ormat Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Nadav AMIR, Lucien Y. Bronicki, Meir Regal
  • Patent number: 7493763
    Abstract: The present invention provides a power and regasification system based on liquefied natural gas (LNG), comprising a vaporizer by which liquid working fluid is vaporized, said liquid working fluid being LNG or a working fluid liquefied by means of LNG; a turbine for expanding the vaporized working fluid and producing power; heat exchanger means to which expanded working 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 working fluid is circulated from at least the inlet of said vaporizer to the outlet of said heat exchanger means; and a line for transmitting regasified LNG.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2009
    Assignee: Ormat Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Marat Klochko, Uri Kaplan, Danny Batscha, Nadav Amir, David Machlev, Lucien Y. Bronicki
  • Patent number: 7353653
    Abstract: The present inventive subject matter is drawn to a hybrid ultra reliable power generating system for supplying continuous reliable power at remote locations comprising: a primary power unit producing electric power that is supplied to a load. Also a secondary power unit is included in the form of a closed cycle vapor turbine (CCVT) system that is capable of producing 100% of the electric power that is produced by the primary power unit and which is heated in hot standby by rejected heat of the primary power unit, wherein the vaporizer of the CCVT is maintained during hot standby at a temperature above its nominal operating temperature and the vapor turbine of the CCVT is preferable maintained at idle during hot standby at a rotating speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2008
    Assignee: Ormat Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Lucien Y. Bronicki
  • Patent number: 7320221
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for enhancing the flow of geothermal fluid from at least one injection well to at least one production well, which comprises a first horizontal geothermal well, which is used as the injection well, and into which water is injected; a second horizontal, geothermal well, which is used s the production well and from which geothermal fluid issues, wherein the second, horizontal, production, geothermal well is substantially horizontally and vertically spaced from the first, horizontal, injection, geothermal well and located at a shallower depth than the first, horizontal, injection, geothermal well; and the apparatus form producing a pressure difference between the first horizontal, injection well and the second horizontal, production well and utilizing the water density difference induced by the temperature difference. Preferably, binary geothermal power plants or combined cycle geothermal power plants can be used to produce power from geothermal fluid recovered from the production well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2008
    Assignee: Oramt Technologies Inc.
    Inventor: Lucien Y. Bronicki
  • Patent number: 7225621
    Abstract: The present invention provides an improved, commercially available organic working fluid, which is operable under a broad range of temperatures, is thermally stable, has a high auto-ignition temperature, low freezing point and high critical temperature and is benign to the environment, and safe for human use. Such an organic working fluid is useful in organic Rankine cycle (ORC) power plants or units and other systems of the like; as an intermediate fluid for heat-recovery wherein heat from various heat sources is transferred using the intermediate fluid to a further working fluid and converted into work, and the intermediate fluid is also exploited to produce electricity. Such organic working fluids are also operable as heat transfer fluids either in ORC power plants or units or in other heat transfer systems. For this purpose the present invention presents a working fluid comprising at least one highly branched, heavy iso-paraffin hydrocarbons, or a mixture of two or more of such hydrocarbons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2007
    Assignee: Ormat Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Ohad Zimron, Lucien Y. Bronicki
  • Patent number: 6981378
    Abstract: Uninterruptible power is supplied to a load connected to a power line by connecting the power line to a rotatable member that includes a Rankine cycle turbine coupled to a device that operates as a motor when line power is operative thereby rotating the member at a standby rotational speed so that a predetermined amount of kinetic energy is stored in the rotating member, and that operates as a generator when the line power is inoperative and the member is rotated by the application of vaporized working fluid to the turbine. Working fluid is vaporized and maintained at an operational temperature level only when the line power is inoperative. The working fluid is held at a standby temperature level, preferably greater than the operational temperature level, while the power line is operative whereby the working fluid contains a predetermined amount of stored thermal energy while the power line is operative.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2006
    Assignee: Ormat Technologies Inc.
    Inventor: Lucien Y. Bronicki
  • Patent number: 6883328
    Abstract: The present inventive subject matter is thus drawn to a hybrid ultra reliable power generating system for supplying continuous reliable power at remote locations comprising: a primary power unit producing electric power that is supplied to a load. And a secondary power unit in the form of a closed cycle vapor turbine (CCVT) system that is capable of producing 100% of the electric power that is produced by the primary power unit and which is heated in hot standby by rejected heat of the primary power unit, wherein the vaporizer of the CCVT is maintained during hot standby at a temperature above its nominal operating temperature and the vapor turbine of the CCVT is preferable maintained at idle during hot standby at a rotating speed. Preferably, the CCVT includes a burner that combusts the same fuel as the primary power unit and supplies sufficient heat so that the CCVT produces 100% of power produced by the primary unit to the load once the primary power units stops operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2005
    Assignee: Ormat Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Lucien Y. Bronicki
  • Publication number: 20040128999
    Abstract: Uninterruptible power is supplied to a load connected to a power line by connecting the power line to a rotatable member that includes a Rankine cycle turbine coupled to a device that operates as a motor when line power is operative thereby rotating the member at a standby rotational speed so that a predetermined amount of kinetic energy is stored in the rotating member, and that operates as a generator when the line power is inoperative and the member is rotated by the application of vaporized working fluid to the turbine. Working fluid is vaporized and maintained at an operational temperature level only when the line power is inoperative. The working fluid is held at a standby temperature level, preferably greater than the operational temperature level, while the power line is operative whereby the working fluid contains a predetermined amount of stored thermal energy while the power line is operative.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2004
    Publication date: July 8, 2004
    Inventor: Lucien Y Bronicki
  • Patent number: 6701712
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing power comprising a grate cooler for cooling clinker supplied from cement production apparatus, an electrostatic precipitator that extracts particulate matter from hot air supplied from said grate cooler, the grate cooler and electrostatic precipitator working in combination with an air-heat transfer heat-exchanger, a pre-heater, a vaporizer, a turbine, and a working fluid condenser, to produce power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2004
    Assignee: Ormat Industries Ltd.
    Inventors: Lucien Y. Bronicki, Hilel Legmann, Nadav Amir, Dan Batscha
  • Patent number: 6694738
    Abstract: Retrofit equipment includes an auxiliary gas turbine unit including an auxiliary compressor for compressing ambient air to produce compressed air, a solar collector that receives the compressed air for heating the same to produce heated compressed air, and an auxiliary turbine coupled to the auxiliary compressor and to an auxiliary generator for expanding the heated compressed air and driving the auxiliary compressor and auxiliary generator thereby producing power and hot exhaust gases. When solar insolation is available, a flow control selectively supplies the hot exhaust gases from the retrofit equipment to a boiler which is part of a conventional fossil fueled power plant. The boiler has heat exchanger coils containing water and receives hot exhaust gases for vaporizing water in the coils and producing steam which is supplied to a steam turbine coupled to a generator for expanding steam produced by the boiler, and driving the generator and producing power and expanded steam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2004
    Assignee: Ormat Industries Ltd.
    Inventors: Lucien Y. Bronicki, Uriyel Fisher