SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR COOLING USING SYSTEM EXHAUST

Abstract

A method for operating a system comprising a number of fluid streams and a number of components include a device is provided. The method comprises separating a cooling fluid from an exhaust stream discharged from a device and transferring heat to the cooling fluid from at least one of the number of fluid streams, at least one of the number of components, or both. A system comprising a number of fluid streams, a number of components including a device comprising an exhaust for discharging an exhaust stream, a separator for separating a cooling fluid from the exhaust stream, and a heat exchanger is provided. The heat exchanger transfers heat to the cooling fluid from at least one of the number of fluid streams, at least one of the number of components, or both.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure generally relates to cooling systems with system exhaust.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In various applications, there may be by-product or waste streams produced which do not have use for the primary objective of the applications. For example, in some applications emission of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, may be a rising concern. As such, various techniques for reduction and/or sequestration of greenhouse gases have been proposed. For example, use of captured carbon dioxide for food applications (e.g., liquid carbon dioxide or “dry ice”), natural resource extraction, and other uses have been proposed in conceptual designs.

Accordingly, there is a need for improved methods for use of by-product and/or waste streams.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This disclosure provides a method for operating a system comprising a number of fluid streams and a number of components including a device. The method comprises separating a cooling fluid from an exhaust stream discharged from a device and transferring heat to the cooling fluid from at least one of the number of fluid streams, at least one of the number of components, or both.

This disclosure also provides a system comprising a number of fluid streams, a number of components including a device, a number of components including a device comprising an exhaust for discharging an exhaust stream, a separator for separating a cooling fluid from the exhaust stream, and a heat exchanger. The heat exchanger transfers heat to the cooling fluid from at least one of the number of fluid streams, at least one of the number of components, or both.

This disclosure also provides a system comprising a number of fluid streams, a number of components including a device, a number of components including a device comprising an exhaust for discharging an exhaust stream, a separator for separating a cooling fluid from the exhaust stream, and at least one fluid stream inlet. The at least one fluid stream inlet is for adding the cooling fluid to at least one of the number of fluid streams, at least one of the number of components, or both.

Other objects, features, and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, drawings, and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic of a gas turbine system 10 made in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic of another gas turbine system 40 made in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 illustrates a schematic of yet another gas turbine system 50 made in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

As summarized above this disclosure encompasses a method and systems comprising a number of fluid steams and a number of components. Embodiments of the method and embodiments of the systems are described below and illustrated in FIGS. 1-3. Though FIGS. 1-3 are illustrated and described with reference to embodiments for a gas turbine system, it should be understood that any system (e.g., other turbines systems, the GE H System turbine systems, turbo machine systems, electric machine systems) having a number of fluid streams and a number of components, which has a system exhaust, and may be cooled with a cooling fluid may likewise be employed or be made by alternate embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of the present disclosure which is a gas turbine system 10 comprising a device 12. The gas turbine system 10 also includes a number of fluid streams 14 and a number of other components 16 besides the device 12. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the device 12 is a gas turbine and includes a fluid stream 14 and several components 16. In other embodiments, the device 12 may be, but is not limited to, other turbines, turbo machines, electric machines, or the like. In FIG. 1, the gas turbine 12 has an exhaust which discharges an exhaust stream 18.

In alternate embodiments, other fluid streams 14 may comprise, but are not limited to, inlet air streams, fuel streams, or the like. In some embodiments, the components 16 may comprise, but is not limited to, turbine buckets, rotors, stators, turbine air foils, turbine nozzles, heat exchangers, air compressors, burners, combustors, output shafts, or the like.

The exhaust stream 18 is directed to a separator 20 for separating a cooling fluid 22 from the exhaust stream. In certain embodiments, the separator 20 may be, but is not limited to, a cooling fluid adsorber/desorber, a condenser, a cooler, or the like. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the cooling fluid 22 is carbon dioxide. It should be understood, however, that in other embodiments, the cooling fluid 22 may comprise other gases or liquids, such as liquid water or water vapor, air, or hydrogen.

The carbon dioxide 22 temperature, pressure, and/or phase of is then changed or adjusted in the cooling fluid modifying apparatus 30. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the cooling fluid modifying apparatus 30 is a compressor. However, it should be understood that any cooling fluid modifying apparatus 30 may be used in other embodiments to change the temperature, pressure, and/or phase of the cooling fluid 22. In this particular embodiment, the carbon dioxide 22 is compressed from an exhaust pressure to a higher second pressure. In one embodiment, the second pressure may be 2000 psia. It should be understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art that in other embodiments, the carbon dioxide 22 may be compressed from a first pressure to any appropriate pressure for use as a cooling fluid in a particular system.

In alternate embodiments, the cooling fluid 22 may have its temperature and/or pressure lowered. In particular embodiments, the phase of the cooling fluid 22 may be changed from a gas to a liquid or a solid. In other embodiments, the cooling fluid 22 may have its temperature, pressure, and/or phase modified to facilitate optimal cooling of a fluid stream 14 or a component 16. It should be understood, however, that a person of ordinary skill in the art would be able to select the appropriate temperature, pressure, and phase of the cooling fluid 22 to cool a fluid stream 14 or a component 16 (e.g., a temperature lower than the fluid stream or component such that heat transfers to the cooling fluid 22). For example, in some embodiments, the carbon dioxide 22 may be used to transfer heat from incoming air feed to a gas turbine 12 inlet apparatus to increase the air's density and associated mass flow, thereby increasing the gas turbine 12 output.

In FIG. 1, the carbon dioxide 22 is fed from the compressor 30 into a heat exchanger 24 which is in thermal communication with a component 16 of the gas turbine 12. Specifically, the heat exchanger 24 allows the carbon dioxide 22 to pass through the component 16 such that heat from the component transfers to the carbon dioxide, thereby lowering the temperature of the component. In alternate embodiments, the heat exchanger 24 may comprise any type of heat exchanger, such as a parallel flow heat exchanger, a counter-flow heat exchanger, a phase change heat exchanger, a shell and tube heat exchanger, a plate heat exchanger, regenerative heat exchanger, an adiabatic wheel heat exchanger, a fluid heat exchanger, a dynamic scraped surface heat exchanger, or the like. In alternate embodiments, the cooling fluid 22 could be used in place of typically used coolants, such as air and the like.

As shown in FIG. 1, a portion of the carbon dioxide 22 may be stored in storage container 28. It should be understood that in alternate embodiments, the cooling fluid 22 may be stored in any container known in the art suitable for storage of the cooling fluid. In alternate embodiments, the storage container 28 may not be present and the cooling fluid 22 may be used or consumed in by other processes or applications. In certain embodiments, the gas turbine system 10 may be adapted to sequester a portion of the carbon dioxide 22 or any other cooling fluid from the outside environment 26. Thus, such embodiments could use the carbon dioxide 22 in a closed circuit cooling path such that substantially all of the carbon could be sequestered from the outside environment 26.

The gas turbine system 10 additionally includes other components 16, such as a heat exchanger 32 for cooling or heating a fuel stream or steam generation, for example, using the carbon dioxide 22. After passing through the heat exchanger 32, the carbon dioxide 22 is again compressed in the compressor 30 to be stored in the storage container 28.

FIG. 2 illustrates another embodiment of a gas turbine system 40 in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. Like elements in FIGS. 1 and 2 are numbered with like numerals. The gas turbine system 40 includes a fluid stream inlet 34 for adding the carbon dioxide 22 to the fluid stream 14 to cool the fluid stream. It should be understood that in alternate embodiments the cooling fluid 22 could be to any fluid stream 14 in the system 10 to cool that fluid stream as long as the cooling fluid was suitable for mixing with that fluid stream in operation of the system.

FIG. 3 illustrates yet another embodiment of a gas turbine system 50 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Like elements in FIGS. 1 and 3 are numbered with like numerals. The gas turbine system 50 includes additional components 16 which are an additional compressors 36 and 38. The compressor 36 can be used to further compress the cooling fluid 22 for storage in the storage container 28. The compressor 38 can be used to re-compress the cooling fluid 22 to compensate for any pressure difference between the cooling fluid which has not had heat transferred to it from the component 16 and the cooling fluid returning form the heat exchanger 24 in thermal communication with the component 16 and the heat exchanger 32.

The present disclosure also provides for a method for operating a system comprising a number of fluid streams and a number of components including a device. The method comprising separating a cooling fluid from an exhaust stream discharged from the device and transferring heat to the cooling fluid from at least one of the number of fluid streams, at least one of the number of components, or both. According to certain embodiments, the system, fluid streams, components, devices, cooling fluid, and exhaust stream may be similar to the systems, fluid streams, components, devices, cooling fluids, and exhaust streams described above.

According to some embodiments, the method may further comprise sequestering at least a portion of the cooling fluid from an environment outside the system. According to other embodiments, the method may further comprise storing the cooling fluid.

According to certain embodiments, the method may further comprise, before the step of transferring heat, changing the temperature, the pressure, the phase or combinations thereof of the cooling fluid. In particular embodiments, the step of changing comprises lowering the temperature, the pressure, or both of the cooling fluid. In still other embodiments, the step of transferring heat comprises adding the cooling fluid to least one of the number of fluid streams. In some embodiments, the step of transferring heat comprises passing the cooling fluid into a heat exchanger in thermal communication with at least one of the number of fluid streams, at least one of the number of components, or both.

In particular embodiments, where the device comprises a gas turbine and the cooling fluid comprises carbon dioxide, the method further comprises lowering the temperature of the carbon dioxide from a first temperature to a second temperature. It should be understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art that in other embodiments, the cooling fluid may have its temperature lowered to any temperature for use as a cooling fluid in a particular system.

Without being bound by theory, it is believed that embodiments of the methods and systems of the present disclosure cool fluid streams and components of the systems, such as gas turbine systems, so as to optimize its operation. In certain embodiments, such as gas turbine systems, carbon dioxide can be used as a cooling fluid before it is stored or otherwise disposed of, thereby leveraging the carbon dioxide's properties before it is stored, maximizing the system's resources, and enhancing the device operation to offset efficiency penalties incurred by carbon dioxide sequestration.

It should be apparent that the foregoing relates only to the preferred embodiments of the present application and that numerous changes and modifications may be made herein by one of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the generally spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the following claims and the equivalents thereof.

Claims

1. A method for operating a system comprising a number of fluid streams and a number of components including a device, the method comprising:

separating a cooling fluid from an exhaust stream discharged from the device; and

transferring heat to the cooling fluid from at least one of the number of fluid streams, at least one of the number of components, or both.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the device comprises a turbine.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the cooling fluid comprises carbon dioxide or water.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising sequestering at least a portion of the cooling fluid from an environment outside the system.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the cooling fluid.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising, before the step of transferring heat, changing the temperature, the pressure, the phase or combinations thereof of the cooling fluid.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of changing comprises lowering the temperature, the pressure, or both of the cooling fluid.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of transferring heat comprises adding the cooling fluid to least one of the number of fluid streams.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of transferring heat comprises passing the cooling fluid into a heat exchanger in thermal communication with at least one of the number of fluid streams, at least one of the number of components, or both.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the device comprises a gas turbine, and wherein the cooling fluid comprises carbon dioxide, the method further comprises changing the temperature of the carbon dioxide from a first temperature to a second temperature.

11. A system comprising:

a number of fluid streams;

a number of components including a device, the device comprising an exhaust for discharging an exhaust stream;

a separator for separating a cooling fluid from the exhaust stream; and

a heat exchanger for transferring heat to the cooling fluid from at least one of the number of fluid streams, at least one of the number of components, or both.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the device comprises a turbine.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the cooling fluid comprises carbon dioxide or water.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the system is adapted to sequester at least a portion of the cooling fluid from an environment outside the system.

15. The system of claim 11, further comprising a storage container for storing the cooling fluid.

16. The system of claim 11, further comprising a cooling fluid modifying apparatus for changing the temperature, the pressure, the phase or combinations thereof of the cooling fluid

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the cooling fluid modifying apparatus lowers the temperature, lowering the pressure, changing the phase, or combinations thereof of the cooling fluid.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the device comprises a gas turbine, and wherein the cooling fluid comprises carbon dioxide, the method further comprises changing the temperature of the carbon dioxide from a first temperature to a second temperature.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the device comprises a gas turbine, and wherein the cooling fluid modifying apparatus changes the phase of the cooling fluid from a gas to a liquid.

20. A system comprising:

a number of fluid streams;

a number of components including a device;

a number of components including a device, the device comprising an exhaust for discharging an exhaust stream;

a separator for separating a cooling fluid from the exhaust stream; and

at least one fluid stream inlet for adding the cooling fluid to least one of the number of fluid streams.