Patents by Inventor Roberto Bini
Roberto Bini 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).
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Publication number: 20260117796Abstract: A steam compressor, specifically a multistage centrifugal compressor which could have an operating pressure between 0.2 bar and 12 bar and be used in industrial processes with heat pumps or for the mechanical compression of steam in general. The present invention is to improve the state of the art for steam compressors by means of an optimized architecture that minimizes the manufacturing cost, such that it makes it comparable to that of a fan, without compromising its typical performance.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 29, 2025Publication date: April 30, 2026Applicant: TURBODEN S.P.A.Inventors: Roberto Bini, Mario Gaia, Gabriele Mariotti
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Publication number: 20260098685Abstract: An air condenser for an organic Rankine cycle plants which includes a two-pitch tube bundle in which in the first pitch the condensation of the working fluid takes place up to a steam content in any case greater than zero and in the second pitch only the residual steam flow rate of the working fluid not condensed in the first pitch is condensed. The second pitch is inclined upwards and is provided with an opening for the extraction of incondensable gases. Preferably, the second pitch is located in a position above the first pitch on a position parallel to that of the first pitch. The innovative air condenser is particularly suitable for non-cogenerative organic Rankine cycle plants.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 5, 2023Publication date: April 9, 2026Applicant: TURBODEN S.P.A.Inventors: Roberto Bini, Mariio Gaia, Isaia Casali
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Patent number: 12221904Abstract: A regulation system (20) of an expansion turbine (3) speed, the system having an organic Rankine cycle system (10) in turn having at least one expansion turbine (3), a control unit (21) which manages all the control processes of the regulation system (20), and regulates the frequency of the electrical energy produced by a generator (4) operating according to a predetermined management logic on one or more of the following components: at least one inlet valve (AV), at least one by-pass valve (BV), an electrical accumulation system (22), a dissipative electrical brake (24), a control of interruptible electrical loads (25) or a system for modulating heat generation or recovery, the predetermined management logic includes a primary regulation that takes place within 10 s and a secondary regulation that takes place in a time between 30 seconds and 30 minutes.Type: GrantFiled: July 13, 2022Date of Patent: February 11, 2025Assignee: Turboden S.p.A.Inventors: Roberto Bini, Mario Gaia
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Publication number: 20240301807Abstract: A regulation system (20) of an expansion turbine (3) speed, the system having an organic Rankine cycle system (10) in turn having at least one expansion turbine (3), a control unit (21) which manages all the control processes of the regulation system (20), and regulates the frequency of the electrical energy produced by a generator (4) operating according to a predetermined management logic on one or more of the following components: at least one inlet valve (AV), at least one by-pass valve (BV), an electrical accumulation system (22), a dissipative electrical brake (24), a control of interruptible electrical loads (25) or a system for modulating heat generation or recovery, the predetermined management logic includes a primary regulation that takes place within 10 s and a secondary regulation that takes place in a time between 30 seconds and 30 minutes.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 13, 2022Publication date: September 12, 2024Applicant: TURBODEN S.P.A.Inventors: Roberto Bini, Mariio Gaia
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Patent number: 11976560Abstract: A rotating turbomachine provided with a fluid sealing device, comprising an extensible/dilatable bellows piston to make a sealing surface abut against a rotor disc, or against the head of the shaft, therefore confining the working fluid in the turbomachine stopped during the respective maintenance operations, is described. A coolant is supplied inside the bellows piston during the normal operations of the machine.Type: GrantFiled: January 11, 2019Date of Patent: May 7, 2024Assignee: TURBODEN S.P.A.Inventors: Mario Gaia, Roberto Bini, Andrea Monterisi
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Patent number: 11976575Abstract: An organic Rankine cycle system with cascade cycles provided with a first organic Rankine cycle which operates at high temperature, in which a first organic working fluid carries out a heat exchange with a hot source fluid and a second organic Rankine cycle which operates at a temperature lower than the temperature of the first organic Rankine cycle and in which a second organic working fluid carries out a heat exchange with the same hot source. The evaporator of the first organic Rankine cycle is fed by the entire flow rate of the hot source fluid, while the evaporator and the preheater of the second organic Rankine cycle are fed by a first partial flow of the hot source fluid, the remaining second partial flow of the hot source fluid being used to partially carry out the preheating of the organic working fluid of the first organic Rankine cycle.Type: GrantFiled: May 26, 2021Date of Patent: May 7, 2024Assignee: TURBODEN S.P.A.Inventors: Mario Gaia, Roberto Bini, Claudio Pietra
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Patent number: 11802494Abstract: A cascade organic Rankine cycle plant comprising a hot source, at least a first high temperature organic Rankine cycle and a second low temperature organic Rankine cycle, said cycles comprising at least one preheater, at least one vaporizer, at least one turbine, at least one condenser, wherein the hot source first supplies a vaporizer of the high temperature cycle, then the vaporizer of the low temperature cycle and finally it is divided into two flows which supply a first preheater of the high temperature cycle and a preheater of the low temperature cycle. The first high-temperature organic Rankine cycle comprises a further vaporizer operating at an intermediate pressure between the vaporizer pressure of the high temperature cycle and the vaporizer pressure of the low temperature cycle.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 2020Date of Patent: October 31, 2023Assignee: TURBODEN S.p.A.Inventors: Roberto Bini, Mario Gaia, Claudio Pietra
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Patent number: 11802716Abstract: A heat exchange circuit for a geothermal plant comprising a well excavated in the rock, a casing arranged inside the well, integral with it and comprising at least a first perforated section extending along a first portion of the well and at least a second perforated section extending along a second portion of the well, the perforated sections allowing the exit and the entry of a flow of geothermal fluid contained in an aquifer, an internal duct, located inside the casing in which a heat transfer fluid flows, wherein the well, the casing and the internal duct being arranged as a substantially closed ring, except for at least one surface interruption, at least one heat-exchange section at the bottom of the well between the first portion and the second portion of the well within which the geothermal fluid transfers heat to the heat transfer fluid.Type: GrantFiled: April 8, 2020Date of Patent: October 31, 2023Assignee: TURBODEN S.p.A.Inventors: Mario Gaia, Roberto Bini
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Patent number: 11473428Abstract: An axial turbine (100) with two supply levels for the expansion phase of a working fluid in a thermodynamic vapor cycle or in an organic Rankine cycle comprising a shaft (2), a plurality of rotor blade arrays (R1-Rn) and corresponding support disks (21, 22), a plurality of stator blade arrays (S1-Sn), further comprising a first inlet opening (5) and a second inlet opening (7?). The second volute (4) is positioned inside the first volute (3), the working fluid of the second supply level reaching upstream of a stator blade (S2,Sn) that is are immediately upstream of one of the rotor blade arrays that extends radially into both of the first and second supply levels.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2019Date of Patent: October 18, 2022Assignee: TURBODEN S.P.A.Inventors: Mario Gaia, Roberto Bini
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Patent number: 11365652Abstract: A binary geothermal system comprising: —an organic Rankine cycle having at least one supply pump for feeding an organic working fluid, in liquid phase, of at least one heat exchanger for heating the organic working fluid until its transformation vapor phase and to its eventual overheating, an expansion turbine to expand the organic working fluid vapor, a condenser bringing in a liquid phase the organic working fluid, —a geothermal source comprising a geothermal liquid and a geothermal vapor, the organic working fluid is vaporized directly or indirectly through a flow of geothermal vapor in the heat exchanger and is preheated by a flow of geothermal liquid in a first pre-heater, and the organic working fluid is preheated also in a second pre-heater which exploits the thermal energy contained in a flow rate formed by the gas mixture and by the geothermal vapor fraction which is not condensed.Type: GrantFiled: May 24, 2017Date of Patent: June 21, 2022Assignee: TURBODEN, S.p.A.Inventors: Mario Gaia, Roberto Bini, Andrea Duvia
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Publication number: 20220186984Abstract: A heat exchange circuit for a geothermal plant comprising a well excavated in the rock, a casing arranged inside the well, integral with it and comprising at least a first perforated section extending along a first portion of the well and at least a second perforated section extending along a second portion of the well, the perforated sections allowing the exit and the entry of a flow of geothermal fluid contained in an aquifer, an internal duct, located inside the casing in which a heat transfer fluid flows, wherein the well, the casing and the internal duct being arranged as a substantially closed ring, except for at least one surface interruption, at least one heat-exchange section at the bottom of the well between the first portion and the second portion of the well within which the geothermal fluid transfers heat to the heat transfer fluid.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 8, 2020Publication date: June 16, 2022Applicant: TURBODEN S.P.A.Inventors: Mario Gaia, Roberto BINI
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Publication number: 20220112809Abstract: Axial turbine (100) with two supply levels for the expansion phase of a working fluid in a thermodynamic vapor cycle or in an organic Rankine cycle comprising a shaft (2), a plurality of rotor blade arrays (R1-Rn) and corresponding support disks (21, 22), a plurality of stator blade arrays (S1-Sn), further comprising a first inlet opening (5) and a second inlet opening (7?). The second volute (4) is positioned inside the first volute (3), the working fluid of the second supply level reaching upstream of a stator blade (S2, S3 . . . Sn) any subsequent to the first stage, and the vapor flow of the first supply level and that of the second supply level are conveyed so as to be substantially parallel to each other according to an axial direction upstream of a stator blade (S2, S3 . . . Sn).Type: ApplicationFiled: December 20, 2019Publication date: April 14, 2022Applicant: TURBODEN S. p. A.Inventors: Mario Gaia, Roberto Bini
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Patent number: 11248500Abstract: An organic Rankine cycle system (100, 110, 120) with direct exchange and in cascade comprising a high temperature organic Rankine cycle (10) which carries out the direct heat exchange with a hot source (H) and a low temperature organic Rankine cycle (10?) in thermal communication with the high temperature cycle (10). The organic Rankine cycle system (100, 110, 120) is configured in a way that the thermal communication between the cycles (10, 10?) takes place through at least one heat exchanger (3) configured to use at least the condensation heat of the high temperature cycle to vaporize and/or preheat the working fluid of the low temperature organic Rankine cycle fluid and through a heat exchanger (4) configured to operate as working fluid sub-cooler for the high temperature organic Rankine cycle (10) and as a working fluid preheater for the low temperature organic Rankine cycle (10?).Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 2017Date of Patent: February 15, 2022Assignee: TURBODEN S.p.A.Inventors: Mario Gaia, Roberto Bini, Riccardo Vescovo
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Publication number: 20210277805Abstract: An organic Rankine cycle system (100, 110, 120) with direct exchange and in cascade comprising a high temperature organic Rankine cycle (10) which carries out the direct heat exchange with a hot source (H) and a low temperature organic Rankine cycle (10?) in thermal communication with the high temperature cycle (10). The organic Rankine cycle system (100, 110, 120) is configured in a way that the thermal communication between the cycles (10, 10?) takes place through at least one heat exchanger (3) configured to use at least the condensation heat of the high temperature cycle to vaporize and/or preheat the working fluid of the low temperature organic Rankine cycle fluid and through a heat exchanger (4) configured to operate as working fluid sub-cooler for the high temperature organic Rankine cycle (10) and as a working fluid preheater for the low temperature organic Rankine cycle (10?).Type: ApplicationFiled: July 26, 2017Publication date: September 9, 2021Applicant: TURBODEN S. p. A.Inventors: Mario Gaia, Roberto Bini, Riccardo Vescovo
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Publication number: 20210222591Abstract: A binary geothermal system (100) comprising:—at least one organic Rankine cycle (10) having at least one supply pump (PUMP) for feeding an organic working fluid, in liquid phase, of at least one heat exchanger (EV1) for heating the organic working fluid until its transformation vapor phase and to its eventual overheating, an expansion turbine to expand the organic working fluid vapor, a condenser (CON) bringing in a liquid phase the organic working fluid,—a geothermal source (20) comprising a geothermal liquid and a geothermal vapor, wherein the organic working fluid is vaporized directly or indirectly through a flow (S1) of geothermal vapor in the heat exchanger (EV1) and is preheated by a flow of geothermal liquid (B1) in a first pre-heater (PRE1), and the organic working fluid is preheated also in a second pre-heater (PRE2) which exploits the thermal energy contained in a flow rate (S4) formed by the gas mixture and by the geothermal vapor fraction (S2) which is not condensed, and exit from the heat exchanType: ApplicationFiled: May 24, 2017Publication date: July 22, 2021Applicant: TURBODEN S. p. A.Inventors: Mario Gaia, Roberto Bini, Andrea Duvia
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Publication number: 20210189912Abstract: An apparatus for gas compression comprising: a container containing the gas to be compressed; a first heat exchanger exchanging heat between a high temperature thermal source and the gas, to introduce heat into the gas; a second heat exchanger exchanging heat between a low temperature thermal source and the gas, to extract heat from the gas; supply means of the gas at a supply pressure and delivery means of the gas at a delivery pressure greater than the supply pressure); gas permeable means configured to accumulate and transfer heat to the gas, and gas permeable or gas impermeable movable means dividing the container into a first section in thermal communication with the first heat exchanger and in a second section in thermal communication with the second heat exchanger and in fluid communication with said supply means and said gas delivery means.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 17, 2018Publication date: June 24, 2021Applicant: TURBODEN S. p. A.Inventors: Roberto Bini, Mario Gaia, Paolo Belotti
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Patent number: 10895164Abstract: A method for reducing the leakage of an organic working fluid operating within a turbine (10) of an Organic Rankine Cycle system, the method comprising the injection of a fluid flow rate (Q) into a volume (I) at a static pressure lower than the total pressure (P1) upstream of the turbine and located near of at least one labyrinth seal (L1, L11) of at least one stage of the turbine (10), said fluid flow rate (Q) having an initial exergetic content lower than the initial exergetic content of the organic working fluid located inside the turbine and flowing through said labyrinth seal (L1, L11).Type: GrantFiled: January 18, 2017Date of Patent: January 19, 2021Assignee: TURBODEN S.P.A.Inventors: Mario Gaia, Roberto Bini
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Patent number: 10883510Abstract: A control method of a centrifugal compressor (C) mechanically coupled to an expansion turbine (TorC), the centrifugal compressor (C) being provided with at least a control system (20) of the absorbed power. The control method of the rotation speed of the turbine-centrifugal compressor group performs the following steps: —acting on the centrifugal compressor control system (20) of the absorbed power by means of a first controller (PID-f), in order to keep constant the rotational speed of the compressor mechanically coupled to the expansion turbine; —ensuring that the centrifugal compressor (C) remains in a stable operating condition by means of an admission valve (Vi) of the expansion turbine (TorC).Type: GrantFiled: July 25, 2017Date of Patent: January 5, 2021Assignee: TURBODEN S.P.A.Inventors: Roberto Bini, Mario Gaia
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Publication number: 20200408103Abstract: A rotating turbomachine provided with a fluid sealing device, comprising an extensible/dilatable bellows piston to make a sealing surface abut against a rotor disc, or against the head of the shaft, therefore confining the working fluid in the turbomachine stopped during the respective maintenance operations, is described. A coolant is supplied inside the bellows piston during the normal operations of the machine.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 11, 2019Publication date: December 31, 2020Applicant: TURBODEN S. p. A.Inventors: Mario Gaia, Roberto Bini, Andrea Monterisi
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Patent number: 10794202Abstract: A mixed flow turbine (1) for the expansion phase of steam thermodynamic cycles of an organic Rankine cycle provided with a first section (A) in which a first expansion of a main flow of working fluid takes place, in a substantially radial direction having at least one stator stage (S1, S2, . . . Sn) and at least one rotor stage (R1, R2, . . . Rn) of a second section (B) in which a second expansion of the main flow of the working fluid takes place in a substantially axial direction having at least one stator stage and at least one rotor stage and, between the first and the second section, with at least one angular stator stage (S4) comprising an array of angular blades which deflect the main flow of working fluid from the initial radial direction to a substantially axial direction. The turbine (1) is provided with means for injection (60) and/or means for extraction (70) of a second flow of working fluid, placed in proximity of the stator stage (S4).Type: GrantFiled: May 8, 2017Date of Patent: October 6, 2020Assignee: Turboden S.p.A.Inventors: Mario Gaia, Roberto Bini, Davide Colombo