US6497090B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Externally fired combined cycle gas turbine system
Assignee: Ormat Technologies Inc
•
Filing: 2001-01-02
•
Granted: 2002-12-24
•
Expires: 2021-01-02
Abstract
Abstract An externally fired gas turbine system according to the present invention has a compressor for compressing ambient air and producing compressed air, an air heat exchanger for heating the compressed air to produce heated compressed air, a turbine for expanding the heated compressed air to produce heat depleted expanded air, and a generator connected to the turbine for generating electricity. According to the present invention, the system also includes combustible products producing apparatus for processing fuel to produce combustible products that include combustible gases and an external combustion chamber for burning the combustible products and transferring heat to the air heat exchanger and producing heat depleted combustion products. The system also includes a closed Rankine cycle steam power plant having a water heat exchanger for vaporizing water and producing steam using heat contained in the heat depleted combustion products. The power plant further includes a steam turbine for expanding the steam producing power and expanded steam, and a steam condenser for condensing the expanded steam producing condensate that is returned to the water heat exchanger.
Inventors
- 👤 Lucien Y. Bronicki
- 👤 Daniel Goldman
- 👤 Joseph Sinia
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 21:19
CPC Classifications
F; F02; F02C; F02C3/00; F02C3/20; F02C3/26; F01; F01K; F01K23/00; F01K23/02; F01K23/06; F01K23/10; F02C1/00; F02C1/04; F02C3/28; F02C6/00; F02C6/18; F02C7/00; F02C7/08; F05; F05D; F05D2220/00; F05D2220/70; F05D2220/72; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E20/00; Y02E20/16
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
191 words
Apparatus for producing power comprising: a) an indirect contact heat exchanger responsive to heat coming from combustion products for heating a substance and for producing products comprising a heated substance and cooled combustion products; b) means utilizing heat associated with the heated substance produced by said indirect heat exchanger for converting heat to power, said means comprising an energy converter containing a working fluid and having a working fluid vaporizer containing said working fluid that is vaporized by heat associated with the heated substance, a turbine responsive to vaporized working fluid produced by said working fluid vaporizer that, produces power and expanded working fluid, and a working fluid condenser responsive to said expanded working fluid that condenses the latter to working fluid condensate whereby said working fluid condensate is returned to said working fluid vaporizer; c) means for heating heat transfer fluid that flows in a closed loop; and d) a preheater for transferring heat from said heat transfer fluid to working fluid contained in said energy converter by transferring the heat to working fluid condensate for preheating said working fluid condensate before it is supplied to said working fluid vaporizer.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
191 words
Apparatus for producing power comprising: a) an indirect contact heat exchanger responsive to heat coming from combustion products for heating a substance and for producing products comprising a heated substance and cooled combustion products; b) means utilizing heat associated with the heated substance produced by said indirect heat exchanger for converting heat to power, said means comprising an energy converter containing a working fluid and having a working fluid vaporizer containing said working fluid that is vaporized by heat associated with the heated substance, a turbine responsive to vaporized working fluid produced by said working fluid vaporizer that, produces power and expanded working fluid, and a working fluid condenser responsive to said expanded working fluid that condenses the latter to working fluid condensate whereby said working fluid condensate is returned to said working fluid vaporizer; c) means for heating heat transfer fluid that flows in a closed loop; and d) a preheater for transferring heat from said heat transfer fluid to working fluid contained in said energy converter by transferring the heat to working fluid condensate for preheating said working fluid condensate before it is supplied to said working fluid vaporizer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
57 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said apparatus for producing power includes a gas turbine power plant system having a compressor that compresses ambient air, a heater that heats the compressed air and produces heated gas, a turbine that expands the heated gas producing expanded gas and an electric generator connected to the turbine that generates electricity.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said indirect contact heat exchanger transfers heat from said combustion products to said compressed air.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
47 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said means for heating heat transfer fluid that flows in a closed loop comprises a thermal water fluid cycle containing water fluid that produces heated water fluid, heat contained in the heated water fluid being transferred to said working fluid condensate.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
14 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said working fluid comprises an organic working fluid.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
12 words
Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said organic working fluid comprises pentane.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
63 words
Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said thermal water fluid cycle comprises a closed Rankine cycle power plant having a water heat exchanger that vaporizes water and produces steam, a steam turbine that expands the steam and produces power and expanded steam, and a steam condenser that condenses the expanded steam and produces steam condensate that is returned to the water heat exchanger.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
206 words
A method for producing power comprising the steps of: a) providing an indirect contact heat exchanger responsive to heat coming from combustion products for heating a substance and for producing products comprising a heated substance and cooled combustion products; b) providing means utilizing heat associated with the heated substance produced by said indirect heat exchanger for converting heat to power, said means utilizing heat associated with said heated substance comprising an energy converter containing a working fluid and having a working fluid vaporizer containing said working fluid that is vaporized by heat associated with the heated substance, a turbine responsive to vaporized working fluid produced by said working fluid vaporizer that produces power and expanded working fluid, and a working fluid condenser responsive to said expanded working fluid that condenses the latter into working fluid condensate whereby said working fluid condensate is returned to said working fluid vaporizer; c) providing means for heating heat transfer fluid that flows in a closed loop; and d) providing a preheater for transferring heat from said heat transfer fluid to working fluid contained in said energy converter by transferring the heat to working fluid condensate for preheating said working fluid condensate before it is supplied to said working fluid vaporizer.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
206 words
A method for producing power comprising the steps of: a) providing an indirect contact heat exchanger responsive to heat coming from combustion products for heating a substance and for producing products comprising a heated substance and cooled combustion products; b) providing means utilizing heat associated with the heated substance produced by said indirect heat exchanger for converting heat to power, said means utilizing heat associated with said heated substance comprising an energy converter containing a working fluid and having a working fluid vaporizer containing said working fluid that is vaporized by heat associated with the heated substance, a turbine responsive to vaporized working fluid produced by said working fluid vaporizer that produces power and expanded working fluid, and a working fluid condenser responsive to said expanded working fluid that condenses the latter into working fluid condensate whereby said working fluid condensate is returned to said working fluid vaporizer; c) providing means for heating heat transfer fluid that flows in a closed loop; and d) providing a preheater for transferring heat from said heat transfer fluid to working fluid contained in said energy converter by transferring the heat to working fluid condensate for preheating said working fluid condensate before it is supplied to said working fluid vaporizer.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
67 words
The method according to claim 8 including providing a gas turbine power plant system in said apparatus for producing power, said gas turbine power plant system having a compressor that compresses ambient air, a heater that heats the compressed air and produces heated gas, a turbine that expands the heated and compressed gas producing expanded gas and an electric generator connected to the turbine that generates electricity.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method according to claim 9 including transferring heat from said combustion products to said compressed air using said indirect contact heat exchanger.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method according to claim 8 including transferring heat contained in said heat transfer fluid present in said closed loop to said working fluid condensate using a closed loop thermal water fluid cycle containing water fluid.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method according to claim 8 including providing an organic working fluid for operating as said working fluid.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method according to claim 12 including providing pentane for operating as said organic working fluid.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
75 words
The method according to claim 11 including providing a closed Rankine cycle power plant to operate as said closed loop thermal water fluid cycle, said closed Rankine cycle power plant having a water heat exchanger that vaporizes water and produces steam, a steam turbine that expands the steam and produces power and expanded steam, and a steam condenser that condenses the expanded steam and produces steam condensate that is returned to the water heat exchanger.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
16 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said working fluid condenser comprises an air-cooled working fluid condenser.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
17 words
Apparatus according to claim 8 including the step of using air to cool the working fluid condensate.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2005-12-23 | 2006-06-24 | 2006-12-24 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2009-12-23 | 2010-06-24 | 2010-12-24 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2013-12-23 | 2014-06-24 | 2014-12-24 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |