Withdrawn Fluid Heats Boiler Feed Indirectly Patents (Class 60/678)
  • Patent number: 10845049
    Abstract: A steam power generating system includes at least one steam generator, at least one turbine assembly, at least one electric generator, at least one condenser and a feedwater preheat arrangement including at least one injection feedwater heater connected to the condenser and the turbine assembly. The injection feedwater heater includes a main heater body and at least one injection nozzle. A predetermined amount of condensate water from the condenser is arranged to be pumped into the main heater body. The condensate water passing through the water inlet is arranged to be injected into a heat exchange compartment through the injection nozzle for creating a negative pressure in the heat exchange compartment. The negative pressure draws a predetermined amount of steam from the turbine assembly to enter the heat exchange compartment for mixing with the condensate water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Inventors: Xuedong Gu, MingWei Tong
  • Patent number: 10253973
    Abstract: A power plant is suggested with an additional heat transfer between the flue gas that flows through a flue gas line (5) and the feed-water in a feed-water line (19). The claimed arrangement of the first heat exchanger (13) upstream and adjacent to a precipitator (7) leads to a reduced space demand and optimizes dust precipitation as well as the pressure drop of the flue gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Technology GmbH
    Inventors: Volker Schüle, Daniel Zimmer
  • Patent number: 9835143
    Abstract: The invention is an ocean thermal energy conversion method and a system in which a motive fluid having predetermined characteristics is circulated in a closed loop between a cold source in cold deep ocean water and heat sources in warm surface water. The motive fluid is compressed between the cold source and a first primary warm water heat source resulting in the motive fluid being substantially totally vaporized at an outlet of the warm water heat source. The motive fluid is heated downstream from the primary heat source by a secondary heat source. The thermal energy of the heated motive fluid is recovered from a turbine and the motive fluid is condensed in the cold source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: IFP ENERGIES NOUVELLES
    Inventors: David Teixeira, Claude Mabile
  • Patent number: 9458739
    Abstract: A steam turbine plant of one embodiment includes a boiler to change water into steam, an upstream turbine including plural stages of rotor vanes and plural stages of stator vanes and to be driven by the steam from the boiler, a downstream turbine including plural stages of rotor vanes and plural stages of stator vanes and to be driven by the steam from the upstream turbine, a condenser to change the steam exhausted from the downstream turbine into water, a collector to collect water from, for example, the steam which exists upstream of an inlet of the final-stage rotor vane in the upstream turbine, and a collected matter path to cause collected matter in the collector to flow into, for example, the steam between an outlet of the final-stage rotor vane of the upstream turbine and an inlet of the final-stage rotor vane of the downstream turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Koichi Goto, Nobuo Okita
  • Patent number: 9399929
    Abstract: A steam turbine plant of one embodiment includes a boiler to change water into steam, a high pressure turbine including plural stages of rotor and stator vanes and to be driven by the steam from the boiler, a reheater to heat the steam from the high pressure turbine, a reheat turbine including plural stages of rotor and stator vanes and to be driven by the steam from the reheater, a condenser to change the steam from the reheat turbine into water, a collector to collect water from, for example, the steam existing upstream of an inlet of the final-stage rotor vane in the high pressure turbine, and a path to cause collected matter in the collector to flow into, for example, the steam between an outlet of the final-stage rotor vane of the high pressure turbine and an inlet of the final-stage rotor vane of the reheat turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Koichi Goto, Nobuo Okita
  • Patent number: 9399931
    Abstract: Cogeneration method, according to which a hot source (2) produces steam that is released in at least one turbine (3) having a low-pressure steam outlet (5) linked to a condenser; at least a fraction (Q) of the steam leaving the turbine (3) is directed towards a Venturi thermocompressor (14) into which a fluid having higher pressure and temperature than the outgoing steam is injected, resulting in a fluid having higher pressure and temperature than the outgoing steam, and this mixture is directed towards a second condenser (21) where the heat of the mixture is transferred to an auxiliary fluid of a circuit (23) external to the thermodynamic cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: SUEZ ENVIRONMENT
    Inventor: Frederic Duong
  • Patent number: 9169744
    Abstract: A steam power plant is suggested having, parallel to the preheater passage (VW1 to VW4), a heat reservoir (25) which is loaded with preheated condensate in weak-load times. This preheated condensate is taken from the heat reservoir (25) for generating peak-load and inserted downstream of the preheater passage into the condensate line (19.2) resp. the feed water container (8). Thus it is possible to quickly control the power generation of the power plant in a wide range without significantly having to change the heating output of the boiler of the steam generator (1). A steam power plant equipped according to the invention can thus be operated with bigger load modifications and also provide more control energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Inventors: Volker Schüle, Ewald Kitzmann, Matthias Legin
  • Publication number: 20150076831
    Abstract: Heat engine systems having selectively configurable working fluid circuits are provided. One heat engine system includes a pump that circulates a working fluid through a working fluid circuit and an expander that receives the working fluid from a high pressure side of the working fluid circuit and converts a pressure drop in the working fluid to mechanical energy. A plurality of waste heat exchangers are each selectively positioned in or isolated from the high pressure side. A plurality of recuperators are each selectively positioned in or isolated from the high pressure side and the low pressure side. A plurality of valves are actuated to enable selective control over which of the plurality of waste heat exchangers is positioned in the high pressure side, which of the plurality of recuperators is positioned in the high pressure side, and which of the plurality of recuperators is positioned in the low pressure side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2014
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Applicant: ECHOGEN POWER SYSTEMS, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Josua Giegel
  • Patent number: 8850817
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating a steam turbine power plant comprising at least one steam generator that is fueled by lignite, wherein the lignite is indirectly dried in a fluidized bed dryer that is heated at least partially with steam from the water-steam circuit of the steam generator. Said method is characterized in that the flue gas from the steam generator undergoes gas scrubbing to remove CO2 and that the energy required for the gas scrubbing is at least partially extracted from the drying process in the fluidized bed. The invention additionally relates to a device for creating steam from lignite comprising a drying system for the lignite and a device to scrub CO2 from the flue gas, wherein the drying process and the CO2 gas scrubbing are thermally coupled to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: RWE Power Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Georg Berger, Peter Moser, Toni Rupprecht, Sandra Schmidt
  • Patent number: 8820077
    Abstract: A saturated steam or weakly superheated steam thermodynamic cycle in an electricity generating plant includes at least a nuclear energy source and a turbine having at least a high-pressure module, a medium-pressure module and a low-pressure module. The steam flows successively through the high-pressure, medium-pressure and low-pressure modules. The steam undergoes a first drying and/or superheating cycle between the high-pressure and medium-pressure modules and also a second cycle comprising at least a drying and/or a superheating process between the medium-pressure module and the low-pressure module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: ALSTOM Technology Ltd
    Inventors: Vincent Jourdain, Jérôme Colin, Hoan Levan
  • Patent number: 8695347
    Abstract: A boiling water nuclear power plant supplies steam from a reactor to high-pressure and low-pressure turbines. Feed water generated by condensing steam in a condenser is heated by low-pressure and high-pressure feed water heaters and supplied to the reactor. The steam discharged from the low-pressure turbine is compressed by a steam compressor and supplied to one of the low-pressure feed water heaters to heat feed water. The steam extracted from the low-pressure turbine is supplied to the low-pressure feed water heater. When power required for the steam compressor is Q1, heat energy supplied from the steam compressor is Q3, a coefficient of performance of the steam compressor is COP (=Q3/Q1), and a thermal efficiency of the boiling water nuclear power plant is ?, the steam compression apparatus is connected to a position in a main steam system and to the feed water heater so as to satisfy COP?1/?>0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigeo Hatamiya, Koji Namba, Fumio Takahashi, Koji Nishida, Susumu Nakano, Takanori Shibata
  • Publication number: 20140096522
    Abstract: Provided is a power plant and a method of operating thereof. The power plant includes a boiler for heating process fluids; and a multistage first steam turbine with an outlet line that passes through the boiler. The outlet line includes an extraction line that is configured and arranged to extract steam from an intermediate stage of the first steam turbine and heat at least one of the process fluids.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2013
    Publication date: April 10, 2014
    Applicant: ALSTOM Technology Ltd
    Inventors: Julia KIRCHNER, Volker Schüle, Stefan Hellweg
  • Patent number: 8661820
    Abstract: LNG is regasified with concurrent power production in systems and methods where the refrigeration content of the LNG condenses a low pressure working fluid vapor and in which the combined refrigeration content of the warmed LNG and low pressure working fluid condensate condenses an intermediate pressure working fluid vapor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Fluor Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: John Mak
  • Patent number: 8661821
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for reducing coal consumption in coal fired plant with fluidized-bed drying, namely a fluidized-bed drying system is provided between a coal powder bunker as well as a weighing belt and a coal grinding mill of the prior coal fired boiler generating set, and superheated steam which has done partial work is extracted from an steam turbine and used as a drying medium, moisture contained in the coal powder is evaporated with sensible heat and latent heat of the superheated steam, water resulted from the condensation of the superheated steam is fed into a deaerator of the steam turbine via a condensate pump for recirculation. The present invention has advantages of reducing coal consumption and saving coal, recovering residual heat, reducing emission of carbon dioxide and adopting to the national industrial policy on energy saving and emission reduction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignees: Tianhua Institute of Chemical Machinery and Automation, National Engineering Technology Research Center of Drying Technology & Equipment, Lanzhou Ruide Drying Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Xu Zhao, Maikui Zhang, Yan Dou, Yongzhong Jiang, Jinwen Shi
  • Patent number: 8567196
    Abstract: A steam turbine power plant 10 includes a steam turbine facility 20 in which power is generated by driving steam turbines with steam from a boiler 21 generating steam using combustion heat and steam from a heat collecting steam generator 31 generating steam using sunlight, and a carbon dioxide collecting facility 60 in which carbon dioxide contained in combustion gas from the boiler 21 and the like is collected. Further, steam from the heat collecting steam generator 31 is delivered to a solar heat steam turbine 32 and performs expansion work, and thereafter part of the steam is delivered to the carbon dioxide collecting facility 60 via a pipe 51 and heats the absorbing liquid 100 in the recovery tower 80.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Nobuo Okita, Takeo Suga, Haruhiko Hirata
  • Patent number: 8495878
    Abstract: The technology combines a secondarily-fueled boiler with a primary-fueled Rankine steam cycle combustion system in a hybrid process. Outputs from a secondarily-fueled combustion system are fed into the feedwater heater(s), deaerators, feedwater heating lines, and/or reheat lines of a primary-fueled Rankine system. The integrated steam flow eliminates or reduces one or more extractions from the steam turbine generator, thereby allowing it to generate more electrical power using the same Rankine system input energy or generate equivalent electrical power using energy inputs from multiple fuel sources. The technology can be utilized in any type and/or configuration of secondary fuel or secondarily-fueled combustion technology and/or can utilize any type of primary-fueled steam source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: EIF NTE Hybrid Intellectual Property Holding Company, LLC
    Inventors: Alan Roger Smithe, Mackenzie Brooke Miller, Philip J Dirkse, Seth Shortlidge
  • Patent number: 8464533
    Abstract: The technology combines a secondarily-fueled boiler with a primary-fueled Rankine steam cycle combustion system in a hybrid process. Outputs from a secondarily-fueled combustion system are fed into the feedwater heater(s), deaerators, feedwater heating lines, and/or reheat lines of a primary-fueled Rankine system. The integrated steam flow eliminates or reduces one or more extractions from the steam turbine generator, thereby allowing it to generate more electrical power using the same Rankine system input energy or generate equivalent electrical power using energy inputs from multiple fuel sources. The technology can be utilized in any type and/or configuration of secondary fuel or secondarily-fueled combustion technology and/or can utilize any type of primary-fueled steam source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: EIF NTE Hybrid Intellectual Property Holding Company, LLC
    Inventors: Alan Roger Smithe, Mackenzie Brooke Miller, Philip J Dirkse, Seth Shortlidge
  • Patent number: 8453451
    Abstract: In a nuclear power plant, thermal power in a second operation cycle of a nuclear reactor is uprated from thermal power in a first operation cycle preceding the second operation cycle by at least one operation cycle. A proportion of steam extracted from a steam system and introduced to a feedwater heater, which is in particular extracted from an intermediate point and an outlet of a high pressure turbine, with respect to a flow rate of main steam, is reduced in the second operation cycle from that in the first operation cycle such that the temperature of feedwater discharged from the feedwater heater is lowered by 1° C. to 40° C. in the second operation cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masao Chaki, Kazuaki Kitou, Motoo Aoyama, Masaya Ootsuka, Kouji Shiina
  • Patent number: 8448439
    Abstract: An electric power plant supplies steam generated to a high-pressure turbine and a low-pressure turbine. The steam discharged from the low-pressure turbine is condensed with a condenser. Water generated with the condenser is heated with a low-pressure feed water heater and a high-pressure feed water heater. The steam extracted from the high-pressure turbine is supplied to the high-pressure feed water heater. The steam extracted from the low-pressure turbine is compressed with a steam compressor, and the steam whose temperature has been increased is then supplied to the high-pressure feed water heater. The feed water is heated in the high-pressure feed water heater by the steam extracted from the high-pressure turbine and the steam compressed with the steam compressor. Because the feed water is heated by the extracted steam and the compressed steam in the high-pressure feed water heater, the amount of power consumed by the steam compressor can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy, Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Namba, Shigeo Hatamiya, Fumio Takahashi, Koji Nishida, Susumu Nakano, Takanori Shibata
  • Patent number: 8418467
    Abstract: A system is disclosed including a low pressure steam turbine; an air-cooled condenser (ACC) in fluid connection with the low pressure (LP) steam turbine, the ACC for receiving a portion of steam from an exhaust of the LP steam turbine; a feedwater heater in fluid connection with the low pressure steam turbine via a conduit, the feedwater heater for receiving a portion of supply steam from the LP steam turbine; and a condensate pump in fluid connection with the ACC and the feedwater heater, the condensate pump for receiving condensate fluid from the ACC and drain fluid from the feedwater heater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Mahendhra Muthuramalingam, Veerappan Muthaiah, Raub Warfield Smith
  • Patent number: 8091361
    Abstract: This invention relates to a method and apparatus for increasing the final feedwater temperature associated with a regenerative Rankine cycle, said cycle commonly used in thermal systems such as conventional power plants, whose steam generators are fired with a fossil fuel and whose regenerative Rankine cycle employs a reheating of the working fluid. This invention involves the placement of an Exergetic Heater System in the feedwater path of the regenerative Rankine cycle. The Exergetic Heater System conditions and heats feedwater such that the temperature of the cycle's final feedwater as it enters the steam generator has reached a desired value. The Exergetic Heater System receives its driving steam from an Intermediate Pressure turbine extraction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Exergetic Systems, LLC
    Inventor: Fred D. Lang
  • Publication number: 20110314819
    Abstract: A system is disclosed including a low pressure steam turbine; an air-cooled condenser (ACC) in fluid connection with the low pressure (LP) steam turbine, the ACC for receiving a portion of steam from an exhaust of the LP steam turbine; a feedwater heater in fluid connection with the low pressure steam turbine via a conduit, the feedwater heater for receiving a portion of supply steam from the LP steam turbine; and a condensate pump in fluid connection with the ACC and the feedwater heater, the condensate pump for receiving condensate fluid from the ACC and drain fluid from the feedwater heater.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2010
    Publication date: December 29, 2011
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Mahendhra Muthuramalingam, Veerappan Muthaiah, Raub Warfield Smith
  • Patent number: 8042498
    Abstract: A superheated steam generator includes an introduction section for introducing saturated steam into hollow pipe members arranged as steam flow passages and acting as inductively heated elements, and a discharge section for discharging superheated steam from the flow passages, wherein a turbulence generator is disposed in each of the steam flow passages to accelerate heat transfer to the steam in the pipe members, wherein the turbulence generator is a zigzag bent member disposed in the steam flow passage, and a zigzag bending pitch of the bent member changes from rough to minute from the introduction section to the discharge section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Dai-Ichi High Frequency Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kotaro Hirayama, Yoshimasa Hiramatsu, Takashi Kogin
  • Patent number: 7882692
    Abstract: A fuel combustion power generation system is provided operating as a closed loop Rankine cycle and with zero atmospheric emissions. The fuel is combusted with oxygen in a combustor to generate high temperature products of combustion. The products of combustion are routed to a first side of a heat exchanger. A second side of the heat exchanger has a working fluid of the closed loop Rankine cycle passed therethrough to boil the working fluid into a gas. The working fluid is then expanded, condensed back to a liquid and pumped back to high pressure for return to the heat exchanger the products of combustion enter a condenser, where gases are collected and liquids recirculated or released. The products of combustion can be expanded upstream of the heat exchanger. The fuel can be a gaseous fuel or a solid or liquid fuel, such as coal or biomass, with gasification before combustion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Clean Energy Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Keith L. Pronske, Roger E. Anderson, Fermin Viteri
  • Patent number: 7578139
    Abstract: A controller reduces a rotational speed of a Rankine cycle from a predetermined normal rotational speed during an operation of a compressor in a predetermined state when the controller determines that a predicted refrigerant flow quantity, which is predicted by assuming that the compressor is operated in a sole operation of the Rankine cycle at the predetermined normal rotational speed of the Rankine cycle, exceeds a predetermined flow quantity. The predetermined state is a state that satisfies a predetermined condition, which relates to the sole operation of the Rankine cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2009
    Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, Nippon Soken, Inc.
    Inventors: Michio Nishikawa, Atsushi Inaba, Hironori Asa, Hiroshi Kishita
  • Patent number: 7325401
    Abstract: Power generation systems and methods are provided with features directed to various innovations including ones relating to the conversion of concentrated solar and biomass energy to electricity, load-shifting of electrical power supply systems, gas turbine devices and cycles, and power plant control systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Assignee: Brayton Energy, LLC
    Inventors: James B. Kesseli, Thomas L. Wolf
  • Patent number: 6647726
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an arrangement in the production of electric energy in a boiler plant of a pulp mill. Black liquor having a dry solids content of more than 80% and combustion air are fed into a furnace of a recovery boiler for combusting black liquor and recovering chemicals contained therein. The flue gases generated in the combustion are led into an economizer of the recovery boiler, in which economizer the feed water for the boiler is heated, and after the economizer to gas cleaning. The feed water is led from the economizer onto the steam-generating bank at a temperature below the saturation temperature and further into a superheater to produce steam having a pressure of more than 80 bar. The steam is led from the recovery boiler to a steam turbine to produce electricity. The temperature of the feed water being led into the economizer is regulated by means of bleed steam of the turbine so that the flue gases exit the economizer at a temperature of more than 250° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2003
    Assignee: Andritz Oy
    Inventors: Kari Saviharju, Jorma Simonen
  • Patent number: 6170264
    Abstract: A low or no pollution engine is provided for delivering power for vehicles or other power applications. The engine has an air inlet which collects air from a surrounding environment. At least a portion of the nitrogen in the air is removed using a technique such as liquefaction, pressure swing adsorption or membrane based air separation. The remaining gas is primarily oxygen, which is then compressed and routed to a gas generator. The gas generator has an igniter and inputs for the high pressure oxygen and a high pressure hydrogen-containing fuel, such as hydrogen, methane or a light alcohol. The fuel and oxygen are combusted within the gas generator, forming water and carbon dioxide with carbon containing fuels. Water is also delivered into the gas generator to control the temperature of the combustion products. The combustion products are then expanded through a power generating device, such as a turbine or piston expander to deliver output power for operation of a vehicle or other power uses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2001
    Assignee: Clean Energy Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Fermin Viteri, James P. Taylor, Harry Brandt, Roger E. Anderson
  • Patent number: 6125634
    Abstract: A method for operating a power plant includes generating flue gas in a furnace of a fossil-fueled steam generator and generating steam for a steam turbine from heat contained in the flue gas. The steam is superheated prior to entry into the steam turbine and after partial expansion in the steam turbine. Feedwater is preheated exclusively outside the steam generator. The preheated feedwater is evaporated at high pressure. Nitrogen is removed from the hot flue gas directly following heat exchange of the flue gas with the partially expanded steam. A power plant includes a fossil-fueled steam generator having a combustion chamber wall being constructed as an evaporator heating surface, a number of tubes of the evaporator heating surface being gas-tightly joined together and having inlet ends, an inlet collector communicating with the inlet ends of the tubes, and an intermediate superheater. A deNO.sub.x device is disposed directly downstream of the intermediate superheater in flow direction of flue gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2000
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Eberhard Wittchow
  • Patent number: 6076476
    Abstract: An apparatus for preventing the emission of dioxins in an incineration facility including an incinerator having a boiler, and an exhaust gas treatment facility for treating exhaust gas discharged from a flue of the boiler. This apparatus further includes a steam supply pipe for supplying steam into a water tube or a downcomer of the boiler from an auxiliary boiler or another steam-generating source, a flue damper for opening and closing the flue of the boiler, a detector for detecting the temperature of gas within the boiler at a point disposed upstream of the flue damper, and a damper control device responsive to a temperature, detected by the detector, for opening and closing the flue damper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2000
    Assignee: Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kiyotaka Yano, Minoru Sumitomo
  • Patent number: 5878675
    Abstract: A flue gas desulfurizer having an absorption tower for bringing untreated flue gas into gas-liquid contact with an absorbent slurry, wherein there is provided heat recovery means for recovering heat from the flue gas passing through the flue gas inlet section of the absorption tower prior to gas-liquid contact, and to boiler equipment including heat release means for releasing the recovered heat to heat utilization equipment. This invention also relates to thermal electric power generation equipment including extraction feedwater heaters for heating boiler feedwater with steam from steam turbines, a flue gas desulfurizer using an absorbent slurry, and means for recovering heat from the flue gas passing through the flue gas desulfurizer and/or the absorbent slurry within the flue gas desulfurizer, whereby boiler feedwater is preheated by the recovered heat and then introduced into the extraction feedwater heaters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 9, 1999
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masaki Iijima, Atsushi Tatani, Kazuaki Kimura, Koichiro Iwashita, Satoshi Yajima, Toru Takashina, Susumu Okino
  • Patent number: 5836162
    Abstract: A system for draining condensed steam from a closed high pressure feedwater heater installed in a steam turbine power generation cycle, and recycling the drains into the feedwater system at a point between the inlet to the main feedwater pump and an immediately adjacent closed feedwater heater, with controls for regulating the level in the high pressure heater, in conjunction with the normal cascade drain system, and with provisions for preventing the backflow of feedwater into the drain system and then into the high pressure feedwater heater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1998
    Assignee: Power Software Associates, Inc.
    Inventor: Christopher J. Haynes
  • Patent number: 5699666
    Abstract: A steam generating power plant includes a generator connected to a network, a steam turbine driving the generator, a steam bleeder line being connected to the steam turbine and having a load-dependently adjustable valve, a system having a superconducting magnetic energy accumulator and being connected electrically parallel to the generator, and a control unit. The control unit furnishes electrical power directly from the superconducting energy accumulator to level a power deficit lasting on the order of several seconds in the network and the control unit at the same time adjusts the valve to increase steam available to the steam turbine. A process for operating a steam generating power plant, an interlocking electrical network in combination with a number of steam generating power plants, and a process for operating the interlinking network in combination with the steam generating power plants, are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 23, 1997
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Heribert Kurten, Uwe Radtke, Wolfgang Taube, Horst Vollmar
  • Patent number: 5507145
    Abstract: A steam generating power plant includes a generator connected to a network, a steam turbine driving the generator, a steam bleeder line being connected to the steam turbine and having a load-dependently adjustable valve, a system having a superconducting magnetic energy accumulator and being connected electrically parallel to the generator, and a control unit. The control unit furnishes electrical power directly from the superconducting energy accumulator to level a power deficit lasting on the order of several seconds in the network and the control unit at the same time adjusts the valve to increase steam available to the steam turbine. A process for operating a steam generating power plant, an interlocking electrical network in combination with a number of steam generating power plants, and a process for operating the interlinking network in combination with the steam generating power plants, are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 16, 1996
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Heribert Kurten, Uwe Radtke, Wolfgang Taube, Horst Vollmar
  • Patent number: 5497624
    Abstract: A power plant operating on steam for producing electric power including a plurality of integrated power plant unit modules each having a steam turbine responsive to the steam and producing heat depleted steam, a steam condenser associated with the steam turbine operating at a pressure no less than atmospheric pressure for collecting non-condensable gases and condensing the heat depleted steam and vaporizing organic fluid applied to the condenser, a closed organic Rankine cycle turbine operating on the organic fluid and a single electric generator driven by the steam turbine and the organic Rankine cycle turbine for producing electric power, and also including means for supplying in parallel the steam to each steam turbine in each of the modules. A method for producing electric power using steam is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 12, 1996
    Assignee: Ormat, Inc.
    Inventors: Nadav Amir, Lucien Y. Bronicki
  • Patent number: 5431016
    Abstract: A closed-loop Brayton cycle (topping system) takes in heat energy at very high temperatures and rejects heat energy as input heat energy to a closed-loop Rankine cycle (base system). Heat energy input to the base system comes partially or solely from the high-temperature topping system. Materials having high strength at high temperatures enable the topping system to extract significant mechanical energy from thermal energy contained in high temperature working fluid and discharge waste energy from the topping system to the base system at temperatures sufficiently high to be fully useable input to the base system. In the preferred embodiment, closed-loop Brayton-cycle operates at maximum temperatures greatly in excess of maximum temperatures of a conventional steam Rankine-cycle. Consequently, a high-temperature closed-loop Brayton cycle topping system of significant output and efficiency can act as an addition to a conventional steam power-generating station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 11, 1995
    Assignee: Loral Vought Systems Corp.
    Inventor: William E. Simpkin
  • Patent number: 5404724
    Abstract: An improved cycle arrangement for a steam turbine system in which an auxiliary turbine drives a boiler feedwater pump. The turbine system includes a primary turbine driving an electric power generator. The primary turbine includes a high pressure section and a low pressure section. A boiler supplies steam to drive the primary and auxiliary turbines. A condenser recovers exhaust steam from the LP section and a plurality of feedwater heaters preheats condensate collected at the condenser and pumped back to the boiler. The system extracts steam from the HP turbine section for operating the auxiliary turbine. Extracted steam from the auxiliary turbine is isolated from the primary turbine by coupling the steam to a feedwater heater supplied solely from a corresponding extraction point of the auxiliary turbine. The exhaust steam from the auxiliary turbine is coupled directly to the condenser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 11, 1995
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corporation
    Inventor: George J. Silvestri, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5377489
    Abstract: A steam turbine system including a low pressure (LP) turbine has a plurality of moisture extraction points at which a steam-water mixture is extracted and passed through a respective one of a corresponding plurality of heat exchangers. Each exchanger passes the steam-water mixture in heat exchange relationship with feedwater in a feedwater conduit. A low pressure and low temperature final stage extraction point on the steam turbine is coupled to a condenser, and water collected at the condenser is directed into the feedwater conduit. The system separates at least some of the steam in the steam-water mixture from the final stage extraction point and passes this steam in heat exchange relationship with water in the feedwater conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 3, 1995
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corporation
    Inventors: George J. Silvestri, Jr., Paul W. Viscovich
  • Patent number: 5140818
    Abstract: A steam turbine system including a low pressure (LP) turbine has a plurality of moisture extraction points at which a steam-water mixture is extracted and passed through a respective one of a corresponding plurality of heat exchangers. Each exchanger passes the steam-water mixture in heat exchange relationship with feedwater in a feedwater conduit. A low pressure and low temperature final stage extraction point on the steam turbine is coupled to a condenser, and water collected at the condenser is directed into the feedwater conduit. The system separates at least some of the steam in the steam-water mixture from the final stage extraction point and passes this steam in heat exchange relationship with water in the feedwater conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 1991
    Date of Patent: August 25, 1992
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventors: George J. Silvestri, Jr., Paul W. Viscovich
  • Patent number: 5079922
    Abstract: A steam turbine system has a plurality of moisture-separator-reheaters (MSR) each connected via a respective drain line to a corresponding drain receiver. Each drain receiver includes a further drain line coupled through a flow control valve to a common line. The common line empties into a drain cooler connected at the highest pressure end of a series of feedwater reheaters. The drain cooler dumps through another flow control valve to one of the feedwater heaters. Each of the drain receivers includes a pressure sensor and liquid level sensor. A control processor monitors the pressure sensors and selects the drain receiver subjected to the lowest pressure. The processor then fully opens the valve associated with the selected drain receiver and thereafter regulates the liquid level in the others of the drain receivers by adjustment of their respective flow control valves in response to their respective level sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 1990
    Date of Patent: January 14, 1992
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventors: Paul W. Viscovich, George J. Silvestri, Jr., Richard M. Stephani, Homer G. Hargrove
  • Patent number: 4955200
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for improving a steam-to-steam reheat system employing the drain cooler concept in a steam turbine is disclosed. The large and complicated drain receiver of the prior art is eliminated, thereby removing a source of unreliable performance and internal flooding of MSR bundle drains. A drain cooler is utilized and its utility enhanced by installing a condensate bypass line with control valve which is used to adjust the condensing capability of the drain cooler in order to optimize the amount of scavenging steam for varying load conditions, thereby achieving an improvement in heat rate reduction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 11, 1990
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventors: Paul W. Viscovich, George J. Silvestri, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4953355
    Abstract: A steam turbine installation with bleeding adjusted to a predetermined pressure P, the installation driving a load and including a bleed outlet disposed between two successive stages, wherein the bleed pressure P is adjusted over a range D of bleed rates by a servo valve disposed on the exhaust duct and controlled by a servo-control circuit including device for measuring the pressure of the bleed flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 4, 1990
    Assignee: GEC Alsthom SA
    Inventors: Jean Poulain, Jacques Desdouits
  • Patent number: 4948331
    Abstract: A casing for a high pressure steam turbine is provided which is adapted to be stocked for subsequent customization. The casing is made as an incomplete casing with a closed chamber between an inner and outer wall and extending axially along a significant length of the casing. Taps for extraction or admission are subsequently provided by locating the axial locations which provide the desired pressures, machining a slot through the inner wall and an opening through the outer wall, and securing a fluid tight barrier between the walls adjacent the slot to separate the chamber in an additional chamber. Other aspects of the invention include providing for a controlled extraction with control means in the upper portion of the casing and extraction out of the lower portion. Additional features include axial ribs to abut and support the barrier, and provisions for making connections to the interior of the turbine casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 1989
    Date of Patent: August 14, 1990
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Daniel R. Roy, Wingming O. Chow, William A. Schofield
  • Patent number: 4897999
    Abstract: In a multi-stage steam power plant a portion of the bleed steam is passed through a heat exchanger in the combustion air input duct to preheat the combustion air. The condenser output water is also passed through a heat exchanger in the combustion air input duct and then, before returning to the boiler feed water line, is passed through a heat exchanger in the flue and then a further heat exchanger in the air input duct. In this way heat from the condensate is retained in the system and heat from the flue gas is returned to the intake combustion air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 1989
    Date of Patent: February 6, 1990
    Inventor: John W. Varney
  • Patent number: 4825657
    Abstract: An improved method of heating feedwater streams in a steam-to-steam reheating system for turbine generators is disclosed in which a drain cooler is located to receive the reheater drain and pass it in heat exchange relationship with the discharge of the highest pressure feedwater heater. By use of the drain cooler, heat rate improvement is effected on both single stage reheat plants and two-stage reheat plants. Cycle impairment from moisture carryover in the moisture separator/reheater is also reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 2, 1989
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventors: George J. Silvestri, Jr., Paul W. Viscovich
  • Patent number: 4819436
    Abstract: In a steam turbine power plant, a deaerator is heated and pressurized by extraction steam from the steam turbine for the purpose of preheating feedwater to the power plant boiler. Under certain conditions, the available steam to the deaerator is insufficient to adequately maintain pressure in the deaerator leading to steam voids with a rapid rise in deaerator water level which could cause damage to the deaerator, feedwater pumps or the turbine and lead to a power plant shutdown. A second source of steam is available to provide steam under these conditions and a control system for controlling the steam input into the deaerator is shown. Under conditions of falling pressure, if a certain rate is exceeded, the second source of steam is input into the deaerator to maintain adequate pressure for stable operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 1988
    Date of Patent: April 11, 1989
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: David J. Ahner, Philippe J. Dupin
  • Patent number: 4651533
    Abstract: A steam turbine power plant having a feedwater heater, a boiler, a steam turbine driven by steam generated in the boiler, and a condenser for condensing steam exhausted from the steam turbine. An extracting steam pipe is provided which includes a control valve for extracting a steam from the steam turbine to the feedwater heater, with a controller being provided for controlling an amount of the extracting steam in order to control a feedwater temperature flowing through the feedwater heater at an adequate range when the plant is starting or stopping. By controlling the feedwater temperature, a thermal stress generated in the feedwater heater is reduced to below an allowable value so that it is possible to increase the working or service life of the feedwater heater and improve the reliability of the steam turbine plant while reducing the maintenance costs thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 1986
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1987
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsumi Ura, Kenji Sakka, Yosimi Kouno, Taiji Inui
  • Patent number: 4637350
    Abstract: A system for recovering drain which recovers two or more flows or drain of different temperatures, which is applied to a generating plant provided with feed-water heaters in which drain is recovered into a condensation system downstream from a condenser through a drain tank by a drain pump and which comprises a high temperature recovered drain inlet, which is at high temperature and contains much flush steam, and a low temperature drain inlet. The high temperature recovered drain inlet is positioned at a lower part and the low temperature side drain inlet is positioned above the former. This system effects efficient degassing of drain which has high content of dissolved oxygen and efficient control of dissolved oxygen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1985
    Date of Patent: January 20, 1987
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Youshun Horibe, Yoshikuni Ohshima, Toyohiko Masuda
  • Patent number: 4617878
    Abstract: In a steam generating system, steam condensate extracted from steam used to reheat boiler water in heaters (H1, . . . , H4) is revaporized in the recuperators-vaporizers (RV1, . . . , RV3) by heat exchange contact with the flue gas from boiler (B). The steam thus formed is recycled to contribute to the reheating of the water fed to the boiler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1985
    Date of Patent: October 21, 1986
    Assignee: Engetra S.A.
    Inventor: Andre J. Paquet
  • Patent number: 4561255
    Abstract: A feedwater heater system for a steam turbine power plant is provided which incorporates a liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger in addition to a plurality of vapor-to-liquid feedwater heaters. The advantage of this configuration is that the potential magnitude of entrained impurities within the feedwater stream is reduced without a significant increase in the overall heat rate of the steam turbine power plant. A preferred embodiment of the present invention incorporates three low pressure feedwater heaters and two high pressure feedwater heaters in conjunction with a drain cooler which is connected serially between the low and high pressure feedwater heaters. An alternative embodiment of the present invention incorporates a liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger connected hydraulically in parallel with the low pressure feedwater heaters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 1983
    Date of Patent: December 31, 1985
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventor: George Silvestri, Jr.