Motive Fluid Comprises A Material Other Than Steam Or Water Patents (Class 60/671)
  • Patent number: 12129772
    Abstract: An apparatus for generating power includes a heated fluid reservoir including a heated fluid, a back-pressure control channel, an energy extractor coupled to the heated fluid reservoir and the back-pressure control channel, and a pressure ejector coupled to the back-pressure control channel. The back-pressure control channel includes a fluid mobilization device configured to circulate an internal fluid and to form a low-pressure region within the back-pressure control channel. The energy extractor includes an energy extraction rotor. The low-pressure region in the back-pressure control channel causes the heated fluid from the heated fluid reservoir to be entrained through the energy extractor forming an entrained fluid. The energy extraction rotor is configured to extract power from the entrained fluid. The pressure ejector is configured to transmit the entrained fluid to an exhaust reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2024
    Assignee: SPAR SYSTEMS INC.
    Inventor: Gaurav Bazaz
  • Patent number: 12123326
    Abstract: A pumped heat storage apparatus has a prime mover, a power take off, first and second fluid working machines functioning as a compressor (8) and as an expander (10), a working fluid circulation pathway with high and low pressure sides, and high and low temperature heat exchangers (18A-B). The heat exchangers operate using direct contact between gaseous working fluid and solid thermal storage media, such as glass beads, which move in opposite directions, typically using an augur (44). The system is reversible between energy storage and energy recovery modes and when it reverses, the direction of movement of the working fluid and the thermal storage media reverses. The apparatus may very rapidly swap between energy storage and energy recovery while having a high capacity and energy throughout.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2024
    Assignee: SYNCHROSTOR LIMITED
    Inventors: William Rampen, Carn Gibson, Tommaso Serra
  • Patent number: 12078085
    Abstract: A new combined SEOL cycle is represented by the recovery vapor Generator (GVR) which completely substitutes the Regenerator, of the prior art, being capable of recovering the energy differential (QR) between the temperature at the end of expansion and the temperature at nearly complete condensation of the thermal fluid and then, by using this great energy differential, it is capable of producing water vapor, entirely reusable in the preheating of the mixture, considerably contributing to the increase of the overall energy yield of the cycle and to the increase of the unit power of the heat engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2024
    Assignee: I.V.A.R. S.P.A.
    Inventor: Sergio Olivotti
  • Patent number: 12044151
    Abstract: In various embodiments, a system and method are provided for storing a liquid mixed refrigerant (MR) separated and stored as Low boiling point (LBP) and high boiling point (HBP) components. These storage components are later used in conjunction with heating and/or cooling sources in effecting the operation of a Rankine cycle to generate electric or mechanical power on a dispatch or when needed basis. The MR is reconstituted by combining the LBP and HBP. In a cycle, the LBP and HBP are later separated from the MR utilizing sporadically available energy sources (for example, solar, wind, hydro, etc.) or consistently available sources (for example geothermal).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Assignee: SOLUTIATECH LLC
    Inventors: Ken Teague, Powell Cutts
  • Patent number: 12018569
    Abstract: A method and system in which a waste gas or liquid product is combusted or otherwise used at a well site or other source location to drive a generator to produce electrical energy which is then stored in a portable storage device, such as rechargeable battery or an array of rechargeable batteries, which can subsequently be transported, for example, to a charging station for vehicles or other electrical devices or systems, or to a delivery location for downloading the portable stored electrical energy to a power supply grid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2024
    Assignee: ZEECO, INC.
    Inventors: Darton J. Zink, Rex K. Isaacs, John Petersen
  • Patent number: 12006848
    Abstract: A low-temperature heat utilization assembly may be configured to decouple low-temperature heat from process gas at temperatures below 200° C. and to provide the process gas at a lowered intermediate temperature or at a still further lowered final temperature for at least one subsequent process. In the low-temperature heat utilization assembly the process gas may be fed to a first unit, by means of which the temperature may be lowered to the intermediate temperature. The process gas may in some cases be provided to a heat exchanger stage for further lowering to the final temperature. The first unit is an ORC unit for energy transformation of the heat energy into electrical energy and may be coupled to an electrical consumer unit. The ORC unit may be configured for energy feedback of electrical energy within the low-temperature heat utilization assembly or to a process upstream of the ORC unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2024
    Assignees: thyssenkrupp Uhde GmbH, thyssenkrupp AG
    Inventor: Marco Scholz
  • Patent number: 12000312
    Abstract: Device for expanding a fluid, wherein the device (1) is provided with an expander element (2) for expanding the fluid, a generator (3) and a transmission (4) between the two, characterized in that the generator (3) is a liquid-cooled generator and the expander element (2) is heated using liquid, wherein the device (1) is further provided with a common liquid circuit (8) for the generator (3) and the expander element (2), wherein the liquid circuit (8) comprises a liquid pump (10) which can pump up liquid from a liquid reservoir (11), wherein the liquid circuit (8) also comprises a liquid line (9) which runs from the liquid reservoir (11) and which incorporates the liquid pump (10), the generator (3) and the expander element (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2024
    Assignee: ATLAS COPCO AIRPOWER, NAAMLOZE VENNOOTSCHAP
    Inventors: Peter Heirman, Erik Fabry, Anton Goethals, Henrik Öhman, Rasmus Rubycz
  • Patent number: 12000658
    Abstract: A heat transport system includes: a two-phase closed loop heat pipe; a pump disposed in a liquid conduit or a vapor conduit of the loop heat pipe to exert a circulation drive force on a working fluid; a tilt sensor that detects a tilt of the loop heat pipe; and a controller configured to run the pump if the tilt is greater than a predetermined tilt threshold and stop the pump if the tilt is equal to or smaller than the tilt threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2024
    Assignee: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yu Haruki, Keiji Sakagawa, Kazuhide Hakamada, Ryosuke Mitani
  • Patent number: 11988114
    Abstract: A power plant comprises supplies of hydrogen fuel, oxygen fuel and water, a boiler comprising a burner for combusting hydrogen and oxygen to produce heat, combustion products and low/intermediate-pressure steam and a first heat exchanger configured to heat water to generate high-pressure steam, and a steam turbine comprising a first turbine configured to be driven only with the high-pressure steam to provide input to a first electrical generator and a second turbine configured to be driven by low/intermediate-pressure steam from the boiler. A method of operating a steam plant comprises combusting hydrogen fuel in a boiler to produce combustion products and LP/IP steam, turning a turbine with the combustion products, condensing water from the combustion products in a condenser, heating water from the condenser in a heat exchanger within the boiler to produce HP steam and turning a turbine with the steam from the first heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Power Americas, Inc.
    Inventor: David McDeed
  • Patent number: 11927117
    Abstract: A method for converting heat to mechanical work including providing incoming heat transfer fluid (HTF) at a first temperature to a mixing chamber, providing incoming compressed gas at a second temperature to the mixing chamber, enabling the gas and the HTF to mix, producing a gas-and-HTF mix, enabling the HTF in the gas-and-HTF mix to heat the gas and isothermal expansion of the gas in the gas-and-HTF mix, limiting volume of the gas-and-HTF mix, thereby increasing pressure of the gas and causing acceleration of a flow of the gas-and-HTF mix, causing the gas-and-HTF mix to eject through a nozzle, thereby converting the heat of the HTF to kinetic energy, and using the kinetic energy to produce mechanical work. Related apparatus and methods are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: TECHNION RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION LIMITED
    Inventors: Carmel Rotschild, Joseph Cassell
  • Patent number: 11906190
    Abstract: A distributed metering device and method based on a matching coefficient, wherein the room temperature is regulated by means of an on-off controller according to an on-off time area method based heat metering device, and heat meter for the building is distributed to heat consumers according to a ratio of the on-off control valve opening cumulative time, the building area and the radiator power to a design heat load; or multiplying the ratio of heat meter reading of each household divided by heat load per unit area of each household to heat reading of a heat meter of each household of the entire building divided by the sum of the heat load per unit area of each household by the heat meter reading of a settlement point as the user's shared heat according to a heat meter method based household metering device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Inventor: Yuming Cheng
  • Patent number: 11859874
    Abstract: A modified two-phase refrigeration cycle compresses a working fluid, condenses the working fluid into a saturated or supercooled liquid, expands the saturated or supercooled liquid into a two-phase fluid, and evaporates the two-phase working fluid. The modified two-phase refrigeration cycle reduces irreversibilities imposed by conventional refrigeration cycles and extracts energy from the working fluid during the expansion process. For instance, a system that employs the modified two-phase refrigeration cycle includes a two-phase expander to reduce irreversibilities during an expansion process and extract energy. In some instances, the system includes a two-phase compressor to compress two-phase fluids for varying loads and environmental conditions of the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Regi U.S., Inc.
    Inventors: Paul W. Chute, Allen MacKnight, Lynn Petersen, Paul Porter
  • Patent number: 11840943
    Abstract: The invention relates generally to methods and apparatus for integration of renewable and conventional energy to enhance electric reliability and reduce fuel consumption and emissions via thermal energy storage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Pintail Power LLC
    Inventor: William M. Conlon
  • Patent number: 11811107
    Abstract: A cooling system containing a two-phase refrigerant that comprises a condenser, an evaporator and a conveying device. The evaporator is integrated in a heat source or thermally coupled thereto. Gaseous refrigerant from the evaporator is expanded in an expander, converted into mechanical energy and used to drive a generator for generation of electricity. Furthermore, an aircraft comprising a cooling system, wherein an electrical drive is supplied with electricity from a fuel cell, cooled using the cooling system, and the generator of the cooling system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignees: Airbus Operations GmbH, Airbus Defence and Space GmbH
    Inventors: Markus Piesker, Winfried Lohmiller
  • Patent number: 11761353
    Abstract: Systems and generating power in an organic Rankine cycle (ORC) operation to supply electrical power. In embodiments, an inlet temperature of a flow of gas from a source to an ORC unit may be determined. The source may connect to a main pipeline. The main pipeline may connect to a supply pipeline. The supply pipeline may connect to the ORC unit thereby to allow gas to flow from the source to the ORC unit. Heat from the flow of gas may cause the ORC unit to generate electrical power. The outlet temperature of the flow of the gas from the ORC unit to a return pipe may be determined. A flow of working fluid may be adjusted to a percentage sufficient to maintain temperature of the flow of compressed gas within the selected operating temperature range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2023
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: ICE Thermal Harvesting, LLC
    Inventors: Adrian Benjamin Bodishbaugh, Carrie Jeanne Murtland
  • Patent number: 11732697
    Abstract: Systems and methods for generating and a controller for controlling generation of geothermal power in an organic Rankine cycle (ORC) operation in the vicinity of a wellhead during hydrocarbon production to thereby supply electrical power to one or more of in-field operational equipment, a grid power structure, and an energy storage device. In an embodiment, during hydrocarbon production, a temperature of a flow of wellhead fluid from the wellhead or working fluid may be determined. If the temperature is above a vaporous phase change threshold of the working fluid, heat exchanger valves may be opened to divert flow of wellhead fluid to heat exchangers to facilitate heat transfer from the flow of wellhead fluid to working fluid through the heat exchangers, thereby to cause the working fluid to change from a liquid to vapor, the vapor to cause a generator to generate electrical power via rotation of an expander.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2023
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: ICE Thermal Harvesting, LLC
    Inventors: Adrian Benjamin Bodishbaugh, Carrie Jeanne Murtland
  • Patent number: 11719133
    Abstract: An ALBERT Process (Accumulation of Latent BTU's & Electricity for Retention & Transfer) is described in various forms, and systems are described for performing the process. In various embodiments, a system and method are provided for storing a liquid mixed refrigerant (MR) separated and stored as Low boiling point (LBP) and high boiling point (HBP) components. These storage components are later used in conjunction with heating and/or cooling sources in effecting the operation of a Rankine cycle to generate electric or mechanical power on a dispatch or when needed basis. The MR is reconstituted by combining the LBP and HBP. In a cycle, the LBP and HBP are later separated from the MR utilizing sporadically available energy sources (for example, solar, wind, hydro, etc.) or consistently available sources (for example geothermal).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: SOLUTIATECH LLC
    Inventors: Ken Teague, Powell Cutts
  • Patent number: 11713769
    Abstract: An impeller includes a housing having a fluid inlet cavity defining a rotational axis. A plurality of vane are inlets arranged along an inner surface of the fluid inlet cavity and a plurality of vane outlets are circumferentially arranged along a rim of the housing. Each of the vane outlets is fluidly connected to a corresponding vane inlet by a corresponding internal channel situated internal to the housing. Each of the channels maintains a triangular cross-section from the vane inlet to the vane outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Jacob Greenfield, Thomas J. Ocken, John Sypek, Andrew W. Solomon
  • Patent number: 11710501
    Abstract: A magnetic head includes a first magnetic pole, a second magnetic pole, a magnetic element, and a magnetic member. The magnetic element is provided between the first and second magnetic poles, and includes a first magnetic layer. The magnetic member includes a first magnetic part. A second direction from the first magnetic part to the magnetic element crosses a first direction from the first to second magnetic pole. The first magnetic part includes a magnetic material including at least one of first to third materials. The first material includes at least one selected from the group consisting of Mn3Sn, Mn3Ge and Mn3Ga. The second material includes at least one selected from the group consisting of a cubic or tetragonal compound including Mn and Ni, a cubic alloy including ?-phase Mn, and a cubic alloy including Fe. The third material includes an antiferromagnet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA ELECTRONIC DEVICES & STORAGE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuji Nakagawa, Naoyuki Narita, Masayuki Takagishi, Tomoyuki Maeda, Tazumi Nagasawa, Kenichiro Yamada, Akira Kikitsu
  • Patent number: 11685893
    Abstract: A system comprising a collocated thermal plant, water source, CO2 source and biomass growth module is disclosed. A method of improving the environment by utilizing the system is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Brisa International, LLC
    Inventors: Kevin C. Harmon, Shannon M. Johnson, Eugene T. Holmes
  • Patent number: 11635237
    Abstract: A thermal management system includes an open-circuit refrigeration system including a cooling system configured to supply a cooling medium. The open-circuit refrigeration system includes a receiver having a receiver outlet, the receiver configurable to store a refrigerant fluid, the receiver configured to receive the cooling medium from the cooling system, an evaporator coupled to the receiver outlet, the evaporator configurable to receive liquid refrigerant fluid from the receiver outlet and to extract heat from a heat load when the heat load contacts or is proximate to the evaporator a control device configurable to control a temperature of the heat load and an exhaust line, with the receiver, the evaporator, and the exhaust line coupled to form an open-circuit refrigerant fluid flow path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: Booz Allen Hamilton Inc.
    Inventors: Igor Vaisman, Joshua Peters
  • Patent number: 11598261
    Abstract: To produce power using the cold in a stored fluid in a cold condensed state (for example, LNG or liquid air), the fluid is initially pumped, heated, and expanded to generate a first amount of power and form initially expanded fluid, which is then re-condensed, re-pumped, re-heated, and re-expanded to generate a second amount of power, where the initially expanded fluid is re-condensed against the pumped fluid from the initial pumping. The technique can be used to store excess energy in the cold condensed fluid using excess energy generation capacity for subsequent recovery when energy is either deficient or otherwise more expense to generate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: JUST IN TIME ENERGY CO.
    Inventor: James E. Berry
  • Patent number: 11549042
    Abstract: Disclosed is an environmentally friendly near-azeotropic mixed refrigerant, consisting essentially of HFO-1234 yf, HFE-143a and a third component, with the mass percentage of each component being: 70%-98% of HFO-1234yf, 1%-15% of HFE-143a and 1%-15% of the third component. The refrigerant of the present invention is environmentally friendly, excellent in thermodynamic properties, can directly realize drop-in substitution in an original system using HFC-134a without changing any parts, and can be used as a long term alternative to HFC-134a.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignees: ZHEJIANG LANTIAN ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION HI-TECH CO., LTD., SINOCHEM LANTIAN CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Zhikai Guo, Pinzan Xie, Xiaoqing Fang
  • Patent number: 11542839
    Abstract: The invention relates to a system and process for electricity generation using steam production by hydrogen combustion, and more particularly to a Rankine Cycle system and process for the generation of electricity using a primary pure hydrogen fuel source for the generation of steam in the boiler system. The Rankine Cycle system and process may also use one or more secondary fuel sources in combination with the primary hydrogen fuel source to supplement the primary pure hydrogen fuel if necessary. Additionally, the inventive system and process can use a flame temperature reducing fluid for lowering bulk flame temperature of a burner in the boiler system to increase equipment life and decrease equipment failure. The inventive Rankine Cycle system and process reduce emissions of carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, and reduce bulk flame temperatures to increase equipment life and decrease equipment failure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Inventor: Roberto Ruiz
  • Patent number: 11480074
    Abstract: Systems and generating power in an organic Rankine cycle (ORC) operation to supply electrical power. In embodiments, an inlet temperature of a flow of gas from a source to an ORC unit may be determined. The source may connect to a main pipeline. The main pipeline may connect to a supply pipeline. The supply pipeline may connect to the ORC unit thereby to allow gas to flow from the source to the ORC unit. Heat from the flow of gas may cause the ORC unit to generate electrical power. The outlet temperature of the flow of the gas from the ORC unit to a return pipe may be determined. A flow of working fluid may be adjusted to a percentage sufficient to maintain temperature of the flow of compressed gas within the selected operating temperature range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: ICE Thermal Harvesting, LLC
    Inventors: Adrian Benjamin Bodishbaugh, Carrie Jeanne Murtland
  • Patent number: 11255242
    Abstract: Centralizing the handling and manipulating of vaporization medium to a single subsystem that supplies multiple ammonia vaporizers allows for efficient and effective production of a corresponding vaporized ammonia stream containing a controlled quantity of ammonia. These vaporized ammonia streams can then be used in conjunction with ammonia-consuming devices to reduce NOx in NOx-containing exhaust streams from multiple furnaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Mark A. Rooney, Venkatesh Subramania, Robert C. Thiets
  • Patent number: 11162391
    Abstract: The heat cycle facility includes: a first vaporizer that vaporizes a first liquid heating medium by combusting fuel; a first motive power generator that generates motive power by using as a drive fluid a first gas heating medium obtained at the first vaporizer; a condenser that condenses the first gas heating medium discharged from the first motive power generator by heat-exchanging the first gas heating medium for a second liquid heating medium; a circulator that pressurizes the first liquid heating medium obtained at the condenser and supplies the pressurized first liquid heating medium to the first vaporizer; a second vaporizer that produces gaseous ammonia by heat-exchanging the second liquid heating medium for liquid ammonia; and a supplier that supplies the liquid ammonia to the second vaporizer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: IHI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shogo Onishi, Shintaro Ito, Soichiro Kato, Taku Mizutani, Masahiro Uchida, Tsukasa Saitou, Toshiro Fujimori, Kazuo Miyoshi
  • Patent number: 11028735
    Abstract: One embodiment of an improved thermal power cycle comprising a wet binary motive fluid, pump (21), evaporator (22), expander (23), and condenser (24). Using a binary motive fluid, it can operate efficiently over a lower range of heat source temperatures than the steam Rankine cycle. Using a wet binary motive fluid, it eliminates the need for superheating the fluid in evaporator (22), allows for complete expansion of the fluid in expander (23), and reduces back-pressure by the fluid on expander (23), thereby providing higher efficiency than the ORC (organic Rankine cycle), Eliminating the regenerator that is used by ORC systems results in a simpler, less costly system. Using direct-contact heat exchange in condenser (24) rather than the indirect-contact heat exchange used by ORC systems results in more efficient condensation of the fluid. Using a pump (21) rather than the power-hungry compressor used by ORC systems further reduces power losses and expenses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Inventor: Michael Joseph Timlin, III
  • Patent number: 10787936
    Abstract: An expander of the piston (2) and cylinder (3) type is inverted from normal orientation, with the crankshaft (4) upper most and the cylinder “head” (5) lower most. The cylinder head has a pair of liquid injectors (6, 7) oriented for respective liquids pentane and glycerine to be injected as mists into contact with each other at the bottom of the cylinder. The pentane is vaporised by transfer of latent heat to it from the glycerine. Respective injector valves (9, 10) from high pressure rails (11, 12) fed by pumps (14, 15) are provided. An exhaust valve (16) is opened by a cam (17) driven at crankshaft speed by a chain drive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: Gas Expansion Motors Limited
    Inventors: Alan Charles Pearce, Simon Few, Natalie Adele Winter
  • Patent number: 10641132
    Abstract: A supercritical CO2 power generating system prevents cold-end corrosion capable of improving reliability against cold-end corrosion by including a recirculation pump. Part of the working fluid heated in the low-temperature-side external heat exchanger using the recirculation pump is mixed with the low-temperature working fluid at the rear end of the pump, to heat the working fluid above the temperature of the dewpoint of the waste heat gas. The heated working fluid is then supplied to the external heat exchanger. By reducing the cold-end corrosion phenomenon of the low-temperature-side external heat exchanger, the life of the external heat exchanger can be increased and the reliability of the external heat exchanger and the supercritical CO2 power generating system can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: Doosan Heavy Industries Construction Co., Ltd
    Inventor: Song Hun Cha
  • Patent number: 10436077
    Abstract: Certain aspects of a natural gas liquid fractionation plant waste heat conversion to potable water using modified multi-effect distillation system can be implemented as a system that includes a waste heat recovery heat exchanger network thermally coupled to multiple heat sources of a Natural Gas Liquid (NGL) fractionation plant. The heat exchanger network is configured to recover at least a portion of heat generated at the multiple heat sources. The system includes a sub-system thermally coupled to the waste heat recovery heat exchanger network to receive at least a portion of heat recovered by the heat exchanger network. The sub-system is configured to perform one or more operations using at least the portion of heat recovered by the heat exchanger network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Mahmoud Bahy Mahmoud Noureldin, Akram Hamed Mohamed Kamel
  • Patent number: 10385247
    Abstract: A method for producing heating in a high temperature heat pump having a heat exchanger is provided. The method comprises extracting heat from a working fluid, thereby producing a cooled working fluid wherein said working fluid comprises (2E)-1,1,1,4,5,5,5-heptafluoro-4-(trifluoromethyl)pent-2-ene (“HFO-153-10mzzy”). Also, a high temperature heat pump apparatus is provided containing a working fluid comprising HFO-153-10mzzy. Also a composition is provided comprising (i) a working fluid consisting essentially of HFO-153-10mzzy; and (ii) a stabilizer to prevent degradation at temperatures of 55° C. or above, or (iii) a lubricant suitable for use at 55° C. or above, or both (ii) and (iii).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: THE CHEMOURS COMPANY FC, LLC
    Inventors: Konstantinos Kontomaris, Robert Daniel Lousenberg
  • Patent number: 10240512
    Abstract: A rankine cycle system includes: an internal combustion engine; a gas-liquid separator; a first pump; a steam generator; a superheater; an expander; a condenser; a first control valve; and a controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hideo Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 10100816
    Abstract: A process for the generation of electricity comprises the steps of extracting a warm saline stream from a geothermal formation, and converting latent osmotic energy present in said stream into electricity by passage through an osmotic power unit in which said stream is passed over one side of a semi-permeable membrane which permits the passage of water but not the passage of salts, an aqueous stream of lower salinity than said stream being passed over the other side of said membrane. The temperature of said warm saline stream is reduced before said stream enters the osmotic power unit by passage through a thermal power unit in which thermal energy present in said stream is converted into electricity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: APPLIED BIOMIMETIC A/S
    Inventors: Steen Søndergaard Nissen, Jørgen Mads Clausen
  • Patent number: 9856754
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a cascaded recompression closed Brayton cycle (CRCBC) system and method of operation thereof, where the CRCBC system includes a compressor for compressing the system fluid, a separator for generating fluid feed streams for each of the system's turbines, and separate segments of a heater that heat the fluid feed streams to different feed temperatures for the system's turbines. Fluid exiting each turbine is used to preheat the fluid to the turbine. In an embodiment, the amount of heat extracted is determined by operational costs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC
    Inventor: James J. Pasch
  • Patent number: 9803513
    Abstract: Optimizing power generation from waste heat in large industrial facilities such as petroleum refineries by utilizing a subset of all available hot source streams selected based, in part, on considerations for example, capital cost, ease of operation, economics of scale power generation, a number of ORC machines to be operated, operating conditions of each ORC machine, combinations of them, or other considerations are described. Recognizing that several subsets of hot sources can be identified from among the available hot sources in a large petroleum refinery, subsets of hot sources that are optimized to provide waste heat to one or more ORC machines for power generation are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Mahmoud Bahy Mahmoud Noureldin, Hani Mohammed Al Saed, Ahmad Saleh Bunaiyan
  • Patent number: 9803511
    Abstract: Optimizing power generation from waste heat in large industrial facilities such as petroleum refineries by utilizing a subset of all available hot source streams selected based, in part, on considerations for example, capital cost, ease of operation, economics of scale power generation, a number of ORC machines to be operated, operating conditions of each ORC machine, combinations of them, or other considerations are described. Subsets of hot sources that are optimized to provide waste heat to one or more ORC machines for power generation are also described. Further, recognizing that the utilization of waste heat from all available hot sources in a mega-site such as a petroleum refinery and aromatics complex is not necessarily or not always the best option, hot source units in petroleum refineries from which waste heat can be consolidated to power the one or more ORC machines are identified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Mahmoud Bahy Mahmoud Noureldin, Hani Mohammed Al Saed, Ahmad Saleh Bunaiyan
  • Patent number: 9797272
    Abstract: A thermal energy recovery device includes: a circulating flow path connected to a heater, an expander, a condenser and a circulating pump for circulating a working medium; a bypass valve in a bypass path connecting the upstream side region and the downstream side region of the expander in the circulating flow path; a power recovery machine connected to the expander; a circulating pump sending the working medium condensed in the condenser to the heater; a cooling medium pump sending a cooling medium to the condenser; an upstream side sensor detecting the pressure/temperature of the working medium on the expander upstream side in the circulating flow path; and a controller controlling the bypass valve and the cooling medium pump. The controller opens the bypass valve after stopping the circulating pump, and drives the cooling medium pump if the pressure/temperature of the working medium on the expander upstream side exceeds a threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigeto Adachi, Takayuki Fukuda, Koichiro Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 9791216
    Abstract: An object is to enable a compact and high output heat storage system to perform warm-up rapidly when a vehicle is started up, and after warm-up, to recover surplus heat that is present in a heat source in the vehicle to prepare for the next warm-up event. A heat recovery-type heating device includes: an ammonia buffer configured so as to be capable of fixing and desorbing ammonia that serves as a chemical reaction medium; and a chemical heat storage reactor provided with a chemical heat storage material that generates heat through a chemical reaction with ammonia supplied from the ammonia buffer, and that desorbs ammonia using surplus heat from a heat source and returns the ammonia to the ammonia buffer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA CHUO KENKYUSHO
    Inventors: Takafumi Yamauchi, Takashi Shimazu, Tsutomu Shinagawa, Shuzou Sanda
  • Patent number: 9751767
    Abstract: A method comprises receiving a carbon dioxide recycle stream having carbon dioxide and hydrocarbons. The carbon dioxide recycle stream is fed to a catalytic reactor. The hydrocarbons are converted to carbon dioxide in the catalytic reactor by a catalytic reaction without combustion to form a purified carbon dioxide recycle stream. Electrical energy is generated by using heat produced by the catalytic reactor in the conversion. Another method comprises receiving a recycle stream having carbon dioxide, C1-C2 hydrocarbons, and C3+ hydrocarbons. The C3+ hydrocarbons are separated from the carbon dioxide and the C1-C2 hydrocarbons. The carbon dioxide and the C1-C2 hydrocarbons are fed to a catalytic reactor at a pressure greater than about 300 pounds per square inch (psi), and the C1-C2 hydrocarbons are converted to carbon dioxide, water, and heat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: Pilot Energy Solutions, LLC
    Inventor: Eric Prim
  • Patent number: 9347437
    Abstract: A cold state engine utilizing air heat energy to output work, refrigeration and water, includes a first cycle and a second cycle. The first cycle comprises of vaporizer, expander, and working fluid pump. The second cycle includes a vaporizer, circulation pump, air heat exchanger. The two cycles are opera lively interconnected via at least a vaporizer, piping, valves, sensors and a generator. Using air or water as a high temperature heat source, an expander generates cryogenic liquid as a low temperature heat source, using natural gases (such as N2, He, Air, CO2 etc.) as a working fluid, based on methods of cryogenic working fluid thermodynamic-refrigeration cycle and frost-free two stage heat exchange cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Inventor: Jason Lew
  • Patent number: 9284120
    Abstract: A novel method and system for storing high purity hydrogen into a salt cavern is provided. Particularly, the storage process involves storing high purity hydrogen into a salt cavern without seepage or leakage of the stored hydrogen through the salt cavern walls, by creating a substantially impermeable permeation barrier along the salt cavern walls. The cavern pressure is monitored and controlled to ensure formation and maintenance of the substantially impermeable permeation barrier. Optional temperature treatments may also be incorporated as desired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: PRAXAIR TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventor: Rommel M. Oates
  • Patent number: 9279347
    Abstract: The invention relates to an ORC (Organic Rankine Cycle) for the conversion of thermal energy into electric energy, comprising at least one heat exchanger unit for re-superheating the working fluid by means of the thermovector fluid from the hot source, between the discharge of the first expander and the input of the second expander, and a regenerator unit including a first regenerator and at least one second regenerator for regenerating the working fluid in at least two successive stages, in said first regenerator and at least in said second regenerator respectively, with an additional regenerative heat exchange along the flow line connecting the liquid working fluid output of the second regenerator to the liquid working fluid input of the first regenerator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: TURBODEN S.R.L.
    Inventors: Mario Gaia, Roberto Bini, Claudio Pietra
  • Patent number: 9140613
    Abstract: A superheat sensor includes a housing, a pressure sensor mounted within the housing, a temperature sensor that is integrated to the pressure sensor, and/or is external to the pressure sensor, a fluid passageway connecting the pressure sensor to a source of superheat fluid, and a processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: Zhejiang DunAn Hetian Metal Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Parthiban Arunasalam, Wayne C Long
  • 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: 20150145256
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for performing an ORC-process, comprising a first circular flow (16) in which a first process fluid (18) is conducted, having an evaporator (14) for evaporating the first process fluid (18), an expansion machine (22) located downstream of the evaporator (14) for expanding the evaporated first process fluid (18), wherein the expansion machine (22) is connectable to a generator (26) for generating electrical energy, a first condenser (28) located downstream of the expansion machine (22) for condensing the expanded first process fluid (18), and a first fluid energy machine (34) located downstream of the first condenser (28) for increasing the pressure of the condensed first process fluid (18) and for transporting the first process fluid (18) to the evaporator (14) that is located downstream of the first fluid energy machine (34).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Applicant: SAXESS HOLDING GMBH
    Inventor: John Omoruyi
  • Publication number: 20150135714
    Abstract: The invention relates to energy conversion and generation systems, and more specifically, to a unit for generating and converting energy by way of a pressure differential in a Working Fluid. A Pressure Power Unit is described which comprises a condenser and a vaporizer arranged in a closed loop, the condenser and vaporizer being respectively maintained at lower and higher temperatures relative to one another. A Working Fluid is circulated through the closed loop, the Working Fluid having different equilibrium vapor pressures in the condenser and in the vaporizer, according to the respective state functions, representing two different levels of elastic potential energy. This results in a pressure differential between the condenser and the vaporizer. A work extraction system is positioned between the outlet of the vaporizer and the inlet of the condenser, to convert the elastic potential energy/pressure differential into kinetic energy. Other embodiments of the invention are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2013
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Inventors: Bruce I. Benn, Jean-Pierre Hofman
  • Publication number: 20150135709
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2014
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Applicant: ORMAT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Dany BATSCHA, David MACHLEV, Noa KALISH, Rachel HUBERMAN
  • Publication number: 20150113986
    Abstract: A thermodynamic system and method for performing work includes a working fluid and a fluid pump for pumping the working fluid through a cycle. A thermal input supplies heat to the working fluid. An expansion device downstream of the thermal input converts at least the heat of the working fluid to useful work. A heat exchanger downstream of the expansion device has a first portion to transfer heat from downstream said expansion device to a second portion at or upstream of said thermal input. A conversion device expands the working fluid with constant enthalpy from a higher to a lower pressure. The conversion device may be part of a heat pump pumping heat from one portion of said working fluid to another portion of the working fluid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2014
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Inventor: James A. Burkhart
  • Patent number: 9016063
    Abstract: The invention concerns an ORC plant (Organic Rankine Cycle) for a conversion of thermal energy into electric energy, that comprises a heat exchange group for the exchange of heat between the thermal carrier fluid and a working fluid destined to feed at least one expander connected to an electric generator. The heat exchanger group comprises in succession at least one primary heater and a primary evaporator respectively for preheating and evaporation of the working fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Turboden S.R.L.
    Inventors: Mario Gaia, Roberto Bini