EP3265655A1 - Energy conversion system and method - Google Patents
Energy conversion system and methodInfo
- Publication number
- EP3265655A1 EP3265655A1 EP16762053.3A EP16762053A EP3265655A1 EP 3265655 A1 EP3265655 A1 EP 3265655A1 EP 16762053 A EP16762053 A EP 16762053A EP 3265655 A1 EP3265655 A1 EP 3265655A1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- tank
- working fluid
- evaporator
- flow
- inlet
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Withdrawn
Links
Classifications
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F01—MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; ENGINE PLANTS IN GENERAL; STEAM ENGINES
- F01K—STEAM ENGINE PLANTS; STEAM ACCUMULATORS; ENGINE PLANTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ENGINES USING SPECIAL WORKING FLUIDS OR CYCLES
- F01K13/00—General layout or general methods of operation of complete plants
- F01K13/02—Controlling, e.g. stopping or starting
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F01—MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; ENGINE PLANTS IN GENERAL; STEAM ENGINES
- F01K—STEAM ENGINE PLANTS; STEAM ACCUMULATORS; ENGINE PLANTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ENGINES USING SPECIAL WORKING FLUIDS OR CYCLES
- F01K27/00—Plants for converting heat or fluid energy into mechanical energy, not otherwise provided for
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F01—MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; ENGINE PLANTS IN GENERAL; STEAM ENGINES
- F01K—STEAM ENGINE PLANTS; STEAM ACCUMULATORS; ENGINE PLANTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ENGINES USING SPECIAL WORKING FLUIDS OR CYCLES
- F01K1/00—Steam accumulators
- F01K1/08—Charging or discharging of accumulators with steam
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F01—MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; ENGINE PLANTS IN GENERAL; STEAM ENGINES
- F01K—STEAM ENGINE PLANTS; STEAM ACCUMULATORS; ENGINE PLANTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ENGINES USING SPECIAL WORKING FLUIDS OR CYCLES
- F01K5/00—Plants characterised by use of means for storing steam in an alkali to increase steam pressure, e.g. of Honigmann or Koenemann type
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F01—MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; ENGINE PLANTS IN GENERAL; STEAM ENGINES
- F01K—STEAM ENGINE PLANTS; STEAM ACCUMULATORS; ENGINE PLANTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ENGINES USING SPECIAL WORKING FLUIDS OR CYCLES
- F01K7/00—Steam engine plants characterised by the use of specific types of engine; Plants or engines characterised by their use of special steam systems, cycles or processes; Control means specially adapted for such systems, cycles or processes; Use of withdrawn or exhaust steam for feed-water heating
- F01K7/16—Steam engine plants characterised by the use of specific types of engine; Plants or engines characterised by their use of special steam systems, cycles or processes; Control means specially adapted for such systems, cycles or processes; Use of withdrawn or exhaust steam for feed-water heating the engines being only of turbine type
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F01—MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; ENGINE PLANTS IN GENERAL; STEAM ENGINES
- F01D—NON-POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, e.g. STEAM TURBINES
- F01D15/00—Adaptations of machines or engines for special use; Combinations of engines with devices driven thereby
- F01D15/10—Adaptations for driving, or combinations with, electric generators
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F01—MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; ENGINE PLANTS IN GENERAL; STEAM ENGINES
- F01K—STEAM ENGINE PLANTS; STEAM ACCUMULATORS; ENGINE PLANTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ENGINES USING SPECIAL WORKING FLUIDS OR CYCLES
- F01K9/00—Plants characterised by condensers arranged or modified to co-operate with the engines
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F05—INDEXING SCHEMES RELATING TO ENGINES OR PUMPS IN VARIOUS SUBCLASSES OF CLASSES F01-F04
- F05D—INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS
- F05D2220/00—Application
- F05D2220/30—Application in turbines
- F05D2220/31—Application in turbines in steam turbines
Definitions
- the present invention relates to an energy conversion system and to a method of controlling such an energy conversion system.
- an electric pump 101 is used for increasing the pressure of liquid state working fluid before the working fluid is evaporated by evaporator 102, to vapor state working fluid.
- the evaporated vapor state working fluid is provided to an expander 103, such as a turbine, whereby thermal energy stored as pressure is converted to mechanical energy.
- the expanded vapor state working fluid is cooled and condensed, by condenser 104, to liquid state working fluid. Following condensation in the condenser 104, the liquid state working fluid flows to a buffer tank 105, and from the buffer tank, the liquid state working fluid is again supplied to the pump 101 .
- the (electrical) energy consumption of the pump 101 used for increasing pressure of the liquid state working fluid is often considered to be negligible, due to the high efficiency of the Rankine cycle for such applications.
- the efficiency is typically lower, which means that the (electrical) energy consumption of the pump 101 may be significant in relation to the output power from the expander 103.
- an energy conversion system for converting thermal energy to mechanical energy comprising: an evaporator for evaporating liquid state working fluid to vapor state working fluid through supply of heat, the
- evaporator being arranged to receive liquid state working fluid and output vapor state working fluid at a first pressure; an expander for expanding vapor state working fluid and converting expansion into mechanical energy, the expander having an expander inlet connected to the evaporator for receiving vapor state working fluid at the first pressure and an expander outlet for output of vapor state working fluid at a second pressure lower than the first pressure; a condenser for condensing vapor state working fluid to liquid state working fluid by cooling, the condenser having a condenser inlet connected to the expander outlet for receiving vapor state working fluid and a condenser outlet for output of liquid state working fluid; a first tank having a first inlet fluid flow connected to the condenser outlet, a second inlet fluid flow connected to the evaporator for receiving vapor state working fluid from the evaporator, and an outlet fluid flow connected to the evaporator for providing liquid state working fluid to the evaporator; a second tank having a first inlet fluid flow connected to the condens
- the evaporator may be any device capable of evaporating the working fluid (transitioning the working fluid from liquid state working fluid to vapor state working fluid).
- the evaporator may be a part of or be connected to a solar heating system, a combustion-based heating system, or a heat accumulator etc.
- the expander may be any device capable of expanding vapor state working fluid and converting the expansion of the vapor state working fluid to mechanical energy.
- the expander may, for instance, comprise a turbine.
- first and second inlets of the first tank may be provided as a common inlet of the first tank and/or that the first and second inlets of the second tank may be provided as a common inlet of the second tank.
- the control unit may advantageously comprise processing circuitry which may include at least one microprocessor and a memory.
- the memory may contain a set of instructions for the microprocessor, and the
- microprocessor may control the different flow control devices in the energy conversion system based on the set of instructions.
- the set of instructions may specify a scheme of sequentially controlling the flow control devices to allow or restrict flow of working fluid past the respective flow control device.
- the energy conversion system may be transitioned between operational states when various state transition conditions are fulfilled.
- the present invention is based upon the realization that a more energy efficient conversion, based on the Rankine cycle, of thermal energy to mechanical energy can be achieved by using vaporized working fluid for pressurizing liquid state working fluid supplied to the evaporator.
- vaporized working fluid can conveniently be used for pressurizing the liquid state working fluid supplied to the evaporator by providing two tanks, where one of the tanks supplies the pressurized liquid state working fluid, and the other tank receives liquid state working fluid following evaporation, expansion and condensation.
- the function of the tanks may be alternated, so that the working fluid originating from the first tank is provided to the second tank (following evaporation, expansion and condensation) until a predetermined condition has been fulfilled, after which working fluid from the second tank is provided to the first tank (following evaporation, expansion and
- the energy conversion system may not be necessary to use a pump to keep the energy conversion process going. It may not even be necessary to use a pump to get the energy conversion process started, but the energy conversion system according to embodiments of the present invention may be configured to automatically start when heat is supplied to the working fluid via the
- the condenser may advantageously be arranged at a higher vertical level than the first and second tanks.
- the expander may advantageously be arranged at a higher vertical level than the condenser.
- first and second tanks may advantageously be arranged at at least approximately the same vertical positions.
- first and second inlets or the common inlet forming the first and second inlets
- the outlet may be arranged at a higher vertical level than the outlet.
- the energy conversion system may be controlled to convert thermal energy to mechanical energy by transitioning between operational states based on a fixed schedule, so that the control unit maintains the flow control devices in a first
- the energy conversion system may, according to various embodiments, further comprise at least one state sensor for sensing a present state of the energy conversion system, and the control unit may additionally be connected to the at least one state sensor and configured to control the flow control devices based on a signal from the at least one state sensor.
- the at least one state sensor may be configured to sense at least one process-related parameter of the energy conversion system, such as one or several of pressure, temperature and liquid state working fluid level.
- At least one of the working fluid pressure, temperature or (interface) level may be sensed in each of the first and second tanks. This allows the control unit to transition the energy conversion system between operational states based on, for instance, the pressure or liquid level
- control unit may be configured to alternate the energy conversion system between a first operational state in which each of the first, third and fifth flow control devices is controlled to allow flow of working fluid past the respective flow control devices; and each of the second, fourth and sixth flow control devices is controlled to prevent flow of working fluid past the respective flow control devices; and a second operational state in which each of the second, fourth and sixth flow control devices is controlled to allow flow of working fluid past the respective flow control devices; and each of the first, third and fifth flow control devices is controlled to prevent flow of working fluid past the respective flow control devices.
- working fluid will alternatingly follow a first flow path from the first tank and sequentially through the evaporator, the expander, and the condenser to the second tank, and a second flow path from the second tank and sequentially through the evaporator, the expander, and the condenser to the first tank.
- first flow path some of the vapor state working fluid leaving the evaporator is used for pressurizing the first tank
- second flow path some of the vapor state working fluid leaving the evaporator is used for pressurizing the second tank.
- control unit may transition the energy conversion system from an operational state when a respective predetermined condition is fulfilled.
- a predetermined condition may advantageously be selected in such a way that the control unit keeps the energy conversion system in the above-mentioned first operational state until the first tank substantially only contains vapor state working fluid, and keeps the energy conversion system in the second operational state until the second tank substantially only contains vapor state working fluid.
- That tank After having supplied liquid state working fluid from the first or second tank, that tank may contain vapor state working fluid at an elevated pressure. For an efficient energy conversion process, it may be desirable to reduce the pressure in the 'emptied' tank (the tank having supplied liquid state working fluid to the evaporator).
- the energy conversion system may advantageously further comprise a pressure equalization conduit directly connecting the first tank and the second tank; and a seventh flow control device for controlling flow of working fluid directly between the first tank and the second tank.
- the stored thermal energy in the 'emptied' tank may be used for preheating the (liquid state) working fluid and increasing pressure in the other tank.
- the pressure equalization conduit may advantageously be connected to the first tank in a bottom portion of the first tank, and to the second tank in a bottom portion of the second tank.
- efficient heat transfer between the hot vapor state working fluid from the 'emptied' tank and the liquid state working fluid in the other tank can be achieved.
- the evaporator may comprise: a first evaporator unit fluid flow connected to the expander inlet to provide vapor state working fluid to the expander; and a second evaporator unit fluid flow connected to the second inlet of the first tank and to the second inlet of the second tank.
- the efficiency of the energy conversion system can be improved even further.
- At least the second evaporator unit may advantageously be arranged at a lower vertical level than the first and second tanks.
- at least an inlet of the second evaporator unit may be arranged at a lower vertical level than the respective outlets of the first and second tanks to facilitate flow of liquid state working fluid from the tanks to the second evaporator unit.
- the energy conversion system of the present invention may advantageously comprise at least one additional tank connected to the evaporator and condenser in the same way as the above-mentioned first and second tanks are fluid flow connected to the evaporator and condenser.
- at least one additional tank connected to the evaporator and condenser in the same way as the above-mentioned first and second tanks are fluid flow connected to the evaporator and condenser.
- a method of controlling an energy conversion system comprises the steps of: (a) controlling the flow control devices to allow flow of working fluid from the outlet of the first tank, through the evaporator, the expander and the condenser to the first inlet of the second tank, while allowing flow of vapor state working fluid from the evaporator into the second inlet of the first tank; (b) releasing vapor phase working fluid (under pressure) from the first tank; (c) controlling the flow control devices to allow flow of working fluid from the outlet of the second tank, through the evaporator, the expander and the condenser to the first inlet of the first tank, while allowing flow of vapor state working fluid from the evaporator into the second inlet of the second tank; and (d) releasing vapor phase working fluid (under pressure) from the second tank.
- the vapor phase working fluid may be released (allowed to flow out of the tank to reduce pressure in the tank) through any suitable conduit.
- the pressurized vapor phase working fluid may be allowed to flow back towards the condenser.
- At least some of the pressurized vapor phase working fluid may be passed to an auxiliary expander to be converted to mechanical energy.
- step (b) may comprise releasing vapor phase working fluid from the first tank to the second tank; and step (d) may comprise releasing vapor phase working fluid from the second tank to the first tank.
- continuous energy conversion can be provided for using an energy conversion system further comprising a third tank and a fourth tank, by adding the following steps: (e) controlling the flow control devices to allow flow of working fluid from the outlet of the third tank, through the evaporator, the expander and the condenser to the first inlet of the fourth tank, while allowing flow of vapor state working fluid from the evaporator into the second inlet of the third tank; (f) releasing vapor phase working fluid (under pressure) from the third tank; (g) controlling the flow control devices to allow flow of working fluid from the outlet of the fourth tank, through the evaporator, the expander and the condenser to the first inlet of the third tank, while allowing flow of vapor state working fluid from the evaporator into the second inlet of the fourth tank; and (h) releasing vapor phase working fluid (under pressure) from the fourth tank.
- the different tanks may be emptied, filled and pressure equalized asynchronously.
- the flow control devices may be controlled to allow flow of working fluid from each of the tanks from a substantially full state to a substantially empty state of the tank, through the evaporator, the expander and the condenser, to at least two other tanks.
- This emptying of a tank into at least two other tanks may take place sequentially. Furthermore, the flow control device(s) allowing flow into one of the destination tanks may be 'closed' before the flow control device(s) allowing flow into another one of the destination tanks is Opened'.
- the amount of working fluid in the energy conversion system may be adapted so that the total liquid volume of working fluid in the tanks is, at any time, about 1 .5 times the volume of one of the tanks.
- the present invention relates to an energy conversion system for converting thermal energy to mechanical energy, comprising an evaporator, an expander, a condenser, a first tank, and a second tank.
- the energy conversion system further comprises flow control devices for controlling flow or working fluid between the evaporator, the expander, the condenser and the tanks, and a control unit for controlling operation of the energy conversion system by controlling the flow control devices.
- Each of the tanks has an outlet connected to an inlet of the evaporator, and an inlet connected to the condenser as well as to an outlet of the evaporator.
- some of the pressurized vapor state working fluid flowing from the outlet of the evaporator can be used for pressurizing liquid state working fluid supplied from one the tanks to the evaporator.
- This configuration of the energy conversion system provides for improved energy conversion efficiency.
- Fig 1 schematically shows a Rankine cycle based energy conversion system according to the prior art
- Fig 2a schematically shows an energy conversion system according to a first embodiment of the present invention
- Fig 2b schematically shows an energy conversion system according to a second embodiment of the present invention
- Figs 3a-d schematically illustrate different operational states of the energy conversion system in fig 2;
- Fig 4 schematically shows an energy conversion system according to a third embodiment of the present invention.
- the energy conversion process may be controlled using parameters other than sensed pressure and level in the tanks.
- the energy conversion may be controlled using preset time durations for each operational state, or other process parameters may be sensed, such as the temperature and/or the energy output by the expander or a generator which may be connected to the expander.
- Fig 2a schematically illustrates an energy conversion system 1 according to a first example embodiment of the present invention
- fig 2b schematically illustrates an energy conversion system 1 according to a second example embodiment of the present invention.
- the energy conversion system 1 comprises an evaporator 2, a primary expander 3, a condenser 4, a first tank 5, a second tank 6, an auxiliary expander 7, and a control unit 8 for controlling operation of the energy conversion system 1.
- the energy conversion system further comprises a first pressure sensor 9 for sensing the pressure in the first tank 5, a first level sensor 10 for sensing the liquid level in the first tank 5, a second pressure sensor 1 1 for sensing the pressure in the second tank 6, and a second level sensor 12 for sensing the liquid level in the second tank 6.
- the evaporator 2 has an evaporator inlet 14 and an evaporator outlet 15
- the primary expander 3 has an expander inlet 16 and an expander outlet 17
- the condenser 4 has a condenser inlet 18 and a condenser outlet 19
- the first tank 5 has an inlet 20 and an outlet 21
- the second tank 6 has and inlet 22 and an outlet 23
- the auxiliary expander 7 has an auxiliary expander inlet 24 and an auxiliary expander outlet 25.
- the various parts of the energy conversion system 1 in fig 2 are fluid flow connected by conduits schematically indicated as solid lines in fig 2, and control lines (which may be wired or wireless) are indicated by dashed lines. Flow of working fluid through the conduits can be controlled using flow controlled devices, here in the form of controllable valves 30a-i.
- a suitable working fluid is the Genetron® R-245fa from Honeywell.
- the skilled person will realize that this is merely an example, and that there is a large number of commercially available working fluids that may be suitable for different embodiments depending on various factors, such as the thermal power provided by the evaporator etc.
- the second embodiment of the energy conversion system 1 in fig 2b differs from the first embodiment described above with reference to fig 2a in that the evaporator 2 is shown to include a first evaporator unit 2a and a second evaporator unit 2b.
- the first evaporator unit 2a is arranged to receive liquid phase working fluid from the first tank 5 and the second tank 6, and to provide vapor phase working fluid to the expander 3
- the second evaporator unit 2b is arranged to receive liquid phase working fluid from the first tank 5 and the second tank 6, and to provide vapor phase working fluid to second inlets 20, 22 of the first tank 5 and the second tank 6, respectively.
- the second evaporator unit 2b is arranged at a lower vertical level than the outlet 21 of the first tank 5 and the outlet 23 of the second tank 6.
- the second evaporator unit 2b may comprise an evaporator container and a heater to evaporate working fluid in the evaporator container.
- liquid phase working fluid enters the evaporator container at a relatively low vertical level, and vapor phase working fluid exits the evaporator container at a relatively high vertical level.
- the heat supplied to the second evaporator unit may emanate from any suitable heat source, such as steam, thermal oil, or electricity.
- the first 2a and second 2b evaporator units may advantageously be supplied with heat from the same heat source.
- control unit 8 can control the energy conversion system to different operational states for achieving a sustained conversion of thermal energy, supplied to the working fluid circulating through the conduits of the energy conversion system 1 by the evaporator 2, to mechanical energy provided by the expander 3.
- this schematic illustration only includes the flow path from the outlet 21 of the first tank 5 sequentially via the evaporator 2, the primary expander 3, and the condenser 4 to the inlet 22 of the second tank 6.
- the control unit 8 (not shown in fig 3a) controls valves 30a, 30c and 30g to Open'.
- the remaining valves in fig 2a are 'closed'.
- liquid state working fluid flows from the outlet 21 of the first tank 5 to the inlet 14 of the evaporator 2.
- thermal energy is supplied to the liquid state working fluid, which evaporates to vapor state working fluid.
- the vapor state working fluid is provided from the evaporator outlet 15 to the expander inlet 16 and to the inlet 20 of the first tank 5.
- the vapor state working fluid provided to the inlet 20 of the first tank 5 increases the pressure of the liquid state working fluid supplied from the outlet 21 of the first tank 5 to the evaporator inlet 14.
- the vapor state working fluid supplied to the expander inlet 16 is expanded and the expansion converted by the expander 3 to mechanical energy.
- the expansion is converted to rotation, which can be used to drive a generator.
- the expanded vapor state working fluid is condensed to liquid state working fluid in the condenser 4, before being supplied to the second tank 6 through the inlet 22 of the second tank 6.
- Fig 3a schematically shows the beginning of the illustrated operational state, with the first tank 5 being almost filled with liquid state working fluid and the second tank 6 being almost empty (or rather the level of liquid state working fluid being low).
- the control unit 8 controls the energy conversion system 1 to a new operational state for pressure equalization. It may be determined by the control unit 8 that the first tank 5 is 'empty' or almost 'empty' based on signals provided by one or both of the first pressure sensor 9 and the first level sensor 10.
- this schematic illustration only includes the flow path from the outlet 21 of the first tank 5 to the outlet 23 of the second tank 6.
- the control unit 8 (not shown in fig 3b) controls valve 30d to 'open'.
- the remaining valves in fig 2a are 'closed'.
- the first tank 5 now has a low liquid level (is 'empty'), while the second tank 6 has a high liquid level (is 'full').
- hot vapor state working fluid at high pressure such as about 20 bar
- the hot vapor state working fluid bubbles through the relatively cool liquid state working fluid in the second tank 6, heats the liquid state working fluid in the second tank 6, partly condenses and increases the pressure in the second tank 6.
- the transfer of vapor state working fluid from the first tank 5 to the second tank 6 stops when the pressure is equalized in the system formed by the first 5 and second 6 tanks.
- the pressure in the second tank 6 (and in the first tank 5) may then be about 5 bar, and the liquid state working fluid stored in the second tank has been preheated.
- this schematic illustration only includes the flow path from the outlet 23 of the second tank 6 sequentially via the evaporator 2, the primary expander 3, and the condenser 4 to the inlet 20 of the first tank 5.
- the control unit 8 (not shown in fig 3c) controls valves 30f, 30b and 30h to 'open'.
- the remaining valves in fig 2a are 'closed'.
- thermal energy is supplied to the liquid state working fluid, which evaporates to vapor state working fluid.
- the vapor state working fluid is provided from the evaporator outlet 15 to the expander inlet 16 and to the inlet 22 of the second tank 6.
- the vapor state working fluid provided to the inlet 22 of the second tank 6 increases the pressure of the liquid state working fluid supplied from the outlet 23 of the second tank 6 to the evaporator inlet 14.
- the vapor state working fluid supplied to the expander inlet 16 is expanded and the expansion converted by the expander 3 to mechanical energy.
- the expansion is converted to rotation, which can be used to drive a generator.
- the expanded vapor state working fluid is condensed to liquid state working fluid in the condenser 4, before being supplied to the first tank 5 through the inlet 20 of the first tank 5.
- Fig 3c schematically shows the beginning of the illustrated operational state, with the second tank 6 being almost filled with liquid state working fluid and the first tank 5 being almost empty (or rather the level of liquid state working fluid being low).
- the control unit 8 controls the energy conversion system 1 to a new operational state for pressure equalization. It may be determined by the control unit 8 that the second tank 6 is 'empty' or almost 'empty' based on signals provided by one or both of the second pressure sensor 1 1 and the second level sensor 12.
- fig 3d The final pressure equalization operational state before the energy conversion system 1 is again back to the initial configuration shown in fig 3a, is shown in fig 3d.
- fig 3b and fig 3d the configuration is the same. The only difference is that the direction of fluid flow between the first 5 and second 6 tanks is now from the second tank 6 to the first tank 5.
- auxiliary expander 7 A full 'main' energy conversion cycle of the energy conversion system 1 in fig 2a has now been described with reference to figs 3a-d. To simplify the description and make the explanation clearer, there has so far been no reference to the auxiliary expander 7 in fig 2a.
- the purpose of the auxiliary expander 7 is to use the thermal energy remaining in an 'empty' tank following the pressure equalization process described above with reference to fig 3b and fig 3d. Considering, for example, the state of the energy conversion system 1 following the pressure equalization process described with reference to fig 3b.
- the control unit 8 may then control valves 30a, 30b, and 30c to their 'closed' states, and control valve 30e to its open state. Vapor state working fluid remaining in the first tank 5 can then be expanded by the auxiliary expander 7. Hereby, the pressure in the first tank 5 can be reduced further, and more energy can be converted to mechanical energy.
- the energy conversion device 1 in fig 2a (or fig 2b) will not supply mechanical energy (or electrical energy converted from the mechanical energy) continuously due to the pressure equalization processes described with reference to fig 3b and fig 3d.
- a pressure equalization between two tanks in a first set of two tanks can be timed to take place while liquid state working fluid stored in a first tank in a second set of two tanks is used for energy conversion as described above with reference to fig 3a and fig 3c.
- a third embodiment of the energy conversion system according to the present invention is schematically shown in fig 4.
- the energy conversion system 50 in fig 4 differs from the embodiments of the energy conversion system 1 described above with reference to figs 2a-b and figs 3a-d in that a second set of two tanks 51 and 52 has been added. These added tanks 51 and 52 are connected to each other as well as to the other parts of the energy conversion system 50 (the evaporator 2, the primary expander 3, the condenser, and the auxiliary expander 7 using controllable valves in exactly the same way as was described above with reference to fig 2. To avoid cluttering the drawing and to dispense with an unnecessarily lengthy description, pressure and level sensors, inlets and outlets and controllable valves associated with the added tanks 51 and 52 have been omitted from the drawing.
- control unit 8 is configured to control these components
- controllable valves associated with the added tanks 51 and 52 in the same way as the controllable valves 30a-i associated with the first 5 and second 6 tanks were controlled to transition the energy conversion system 1 in figs 2a-b between operational states.
- the energy conversion system according to the above-described third
- embodiment may be controlled asynchronously to provide for a uniform output of mechanical (or electrical) energy from the energy conversion system.
- the tanks are denoted by numbers from left to right in fig 4. Furthermore, the transition between operational states of the energy conversion system is determined by a predetermined duration of the different steps. When a tank is referred to as being 'empty', this means that the tank only contains vapor phase working fluid. A tank that is 'preheating' is connected to a tank that is 'preheated', and pressure equalization as described above with reference to fig 3b and fig 3d takes place.
Abstract
Description
Claims
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
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SE1550274A SE1550274A1 (en) | 2015-03-06 | 2015-03-06 | Energy conversion system and method |
PCT/SE2016/050163 WO2016144233A1 (en) | 2015-03-06 | 2016-03-02 | Energy conversion system and method |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
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EP3265655A1 true EP3265655A1 (en) | 2018-01-10 |
EP3265655A4 EP3265655A4 (en) | 2018-12-05 |
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Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
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EP16762053.3A Withdrawn EP3265655A4 (en) | 2015-03-06 | 2016-03-02 | Energy conversion system and method |
Country Status (5)
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US (1) | US20180045077A1 (en) |
EP (1) | EP3265655A4 (en) |
SE (1) | SE1550274A1 (en) |
WO (1) | WO2016144233A1 (en) |
ZA (1) | ZA201706680B (en) |
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Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
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FR3086694B1 (en) * | 2018-10-02 | 2023-12-22 | Entent | MACHINE FOR CONVERSION OF WASTE HEAT INTO MECHANICAL ENERGY |
IT202100019994A1 (en) * | 2021-07-27 | 2023-01-27 | Star Engine Srl | PLANT AND PROCESS FOR THE CONVERSION OF THERMAL ENERGY INTO MECHANICAL AND/OR ELECTRIC ENERGY |
PL442372A1 (en) * | 2022-09-27 | 2024-04-02 | Tomasz Grudniak | Method and device for transferring a working medium in a liquid phase from an area of low pressure to an area of high pressure, and system containing the device |
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US3611723A (en) * | 1969-11-13 | 1971-10-12 | Hollymatic Corp | Hydraulic turbine and method |
US4805410A (en) * | 1988-01-28 | 1989-02-21 | Barry Johnston | Closed loop recirculation system for a working fluid with regeneration |
US20070163261A1 (en) * | 2005-11-08 | 2007-07-19 | Mev Technology, Inc. | Dual thermodynamic cycle cryogenically fueled systems |
SE533122C2 (en) * | 2008-03-12 | 2010-06-29 | Oerjan Forslund | Converters of solar energy to electricity |
IL208881A0 (en) * | 2010-02-01 | 2011-02-28 | Winpower Inc | Working fluid circulation system |
US20120006023A1 (en) * | 2010-03-22 | 2012-01-12 | Keith Sterling Johnson | Loop thermal energy system |
US9322299B2 (en) * | 2012-08-29 | 2016-04-26 | Ronald David Conry | Heat engine shuttle pump system and method |
-
2015
- 2015-03-06 SE SE1550274A patent/SE1550274A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
-
2016
- 2016-03-02 US US15/555,652 patent/US20180045077A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 2016-03-02 EP EP16762053.3A patent/EP3265655A4/en not_active Withdrawn
- 2016-03-02 WO PCT/SE2016/050163 patent/WO2016144233A1/en active Application Filing
-
2017
- 2017-10-04 ZA ZA2017/06680A patent/ZA201706680B/en unknown
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
US20180045077A1 (en) | 2018-02-15 |
ZA201706680B (en) | 2019-02-27 |
EP3265655A4 (en) | 2018-12-05 |
SE1550274A1 (en) | 2016-09-07 |
WO2016144233A1 (en) | 2016-09-15 |
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