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US7225621B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Organic working fluids
Assignee: Ormat Technologies Inc
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Filing: 2005-03-01
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Granted: 2007-06-05
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Expires: 2025-03-01
Abstract
Abstract The present invention provides an improved, commercially available organic working fluid, which is operable under a broad range of temperatures, is thermally stable, has a high auto-ignition temperature, low freezing point and high critical temperature and is benign to the environment, and safe for human use. Such an organic working fluid is useful in organic Rankine cycle (ORC) power plants or units and other systems of the like; as an intermediate fluid for heat-recovery wherein heat from various heat sources is transferred using the intermediate fluid to a further working fluid and converted into work, and the intermediate fluid is also exploited to produce electricity. Such organic working fluids are also operable as heat transfer fluids either in ORC power plants or units or in other heat transfer systems. For this purpose the present invention presents a working fluid comprising at least one highly branched, heavy iso-paraffin hydrocarbons, or a mixture of two or more of such hydrocarbons. Preferably, at least one highly branched iso-paraffin hydrocarbon is present as the major component (i.e. at least 50% by volume) in the working fluid. A preferred sub-class of the class of the branched iso-paraffins which are suitable to be incorporated in organic working fluids of the present invention includes 8 to 20 carbon atom-containing hydrocarbons having at least one methyl radical (CH 3 ) arranged to achieve a highly stable compound.
Inventors
- 👤 Ohad Zimron
- 👤 Lucien Y. Bronicki
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 19:31
CPC Classifications
F; F01; F01K; F01K25/00; F01K25/08; C; C09; C09K; C09K5/00; F01K23/00; F01K23/02; F01K23/04; F01K25/06; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E10/00; Y02E10/40; Y02E10/46; Y02T; Y02T10/00; Y02T10/60; Y02T10/7072
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 41
Claim 1
Independent Claim
70 words
In a heat recovery system including a highly thermally stable working fluid, wherein the improvement comprises a highly thermally stable working fluid suitable for operating in the range of about −50° C. up to 350° C., comprising as the major component at least one compound of formula (I): C n H 2n+2 (I) wherein n is between 8 and 20, and wherein the compounds of formula (I) are substantially branched.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
70 words
In a heat recovery system including a highly thermally stable working fluid, wherein the improvement comprises a highly thermally stable working fluid suitable for operating in the range of about −50° C. up to 350° C., comprising as the major component at least one compound of formula (I): C n H 2n+2 (I) wherein n is between 8 and 20, and wherein the compounds of formula (I) are substantially branched.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
48 words
A fluid according to claim 1 , comprising at least one compound in which part or all the methyl groups present in said compound are substituted with one or more halogens or halogen containing substituents, wherein said halogens are selected from the group consisting fluorine, chlorine, or bromine.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
33 words
A fluid according to claim 1 , further comprising an additive selected from the group consisting of fire-retardant agents, flow aids, corrosion inhibitors, lubricants, anti-freezing agents, anti-oxidants, and process oils and mixtures thereof.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
53 words
A fluid according to claim 1 , wherein said fluid comprises an iso paraffin selected from the group consisting of iso-dodecane or 2,2,4,6,6-pentamethylheptane, iso-eicosane or 2,2,4,4,6,6,8,10,10-nonamethylundecane, iso-hexadecane or 2,2,4,4,6,8,8-heptamethylnonane, iso-octane or 2,2,4 trimethylpentane, iso-nonane or 2 , 2 , 4 , 4 tetramethylpentane and a mixture of two or more of said compounds.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
The heat recovery system of claim 1 , wherein said heat recovery system is a heat recovery organic Rankine the cycle (ORC) power plant.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
55 words
The heat recovery system of claim 5 , wherein said heat recovery system comprises an intermediate fluid, which is said highly thermally stable working fluid and wherein said intermediate fluid transfers heat from a heat source to a further organic working fluid for producing power, and said intermediate fluid is also used for producing power.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
The heat recovery system of claim 6 wherein both the intermediate fluid and further organic working fluid operate power cycle operating according to the Rankine cycle.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method for waste heat recovery from a power plant, comprising extracting heat from the waste heat source using a power plant operated by the highly thermally stable working fluid of claim 1 .
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method for waste heat recovery from waste heat from industrial processes, comprising extracting heat from the waste heat source using a power plant operated by the highly thermally stable working fluid of claim 1 .
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
40 words
A method for heat recovery from heat produced by the combustion of conventional fuels, comprising extracting heat produced by the combustion of conventional fuels using a power plant operated by the highly thermally stable working fluid of claim 1 .
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method for heat recovery from a geothermal heat source, comprising extracting heat from the geothermal heat source using a power plant operated by the highly thermally stable working fluid of claim 1 .
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method for heat recovery from solar radiation, comprising extracting heat from a heat source produced by solar energy using a power plant operated by the highly thermally stable working fluid of claim 1 .
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
20 words
The use of a working fluid of any of claims 1 to 4 in waste heat recovery in power plants.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
20 words
The use of a working fluid of any one of claims 1 to 4 in heat recovery of geothermal sources.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
25 words
The use of a working fluid of any one of claims 1 to 4 in heat recovery of a heat source produced from solar energy.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
48 words
The use according to claim 15 of a working fluid in heat recovery of a heat source produced by solar energy wherein said working fluid is heated in a solar trough collector and supplied to a flash vaporizer for producing vapor that is supplied to a vapor turbine.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
70 words
In a heat transfer cycle including a highly thermally stable working fluid, wherein the improvement comprises a highly thermally stable working fluid suitable for operating in the range of about −50° C. up to 350° C., comprising as the major component at least one compound of formula (I): C n H 2n+2 (I) wherein n is between 8 and 20, and wherein the compounds of formula (I) are substantially branched.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
70 words
In a heat transfer cycle including a highly thermally stable working fluid, wherein the improvement comprises a highly thermally stable working fluid suitable for operating in the range of about −50° C. up to 350° C., comprising as the major component at least one compound of formula (I): C n H 2n+2 (I) wherein n is between 8 and 20, and wherein the compounds of formula (I) are substantially branched.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
48 words
A fluid according to claim 17 , comprising at least one compound in which part or all the methyl groups present in said compound are substituted with one or more halogens or halogen containing substituents, wherein said halogens are selected from the group consisting fluorine, chlorine, or bromine.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
33 words
A fluid according to claim 17 , further comprising an additive selected from the group consisting of fire-retardant agents, flow aids, corrosion inhibitors, lubricants, anti-freezing agents, anti-oxidants, and process oils and mixtures thereof.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
46 words
A fluid according to claim 17 , wherein said fluid comprises an iso-paraffin selected from the group consisting of iso-dodecane or 2,2,4,6,6-pentamethylheptane, iso-eicosane or 2,2,4,4,6,6,8,10,10-nonamethylundecane, iso-hexadecane or 2,2,4,4,6,8,8-heptamethylnonane, iso-octane or 2,2,4 trimethylpentane, iso-nonane or 2,2,4,4 tetramethylpentane and a mixture of two or more of said compounds.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
17 words
The use of a working fluid of any of claims 17 to 20 in heat transfer cycles.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
126 words
An organic Rankine cycle power plant comprising a vaporizer for producing organic working fluid vapor, a vapor turbine for expanding said organic working fluid vapor, an electric generator driven by said vapor turbine for producing electrical power, a condenser for condensing expanded organic working fluid vapor exiting said vapor turbine and a pump for supplying the organic working fluid condensate produced by said condenser to said vaporizer, said organic working fluid comprising a highly thermally stable working fluid suitable for operating in the range of about −50° C. up to 350° C., comprising as the major component at least one compound of formula (I): C n H 2n+2 (I) wherein n is between 8 and 20, and wherein the compounds of formula (I) are substantially branched.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
126 words
An organic Rankine cycle power plant comprising a vaporizer for producing organic working fluid vapor, a vapor turbine for expanding said organic working fluid vapor, an electric generator driven by said vapor turbine for producing electrical power, a condenser for condensing expanded organic working fluid vapor exiting said vapor turbine and a pump for supplying the organic working fluid condensate produced by said condenser to said vaporizer, said organic working fluid comprising a highly thermally stable working fluid suitable for operating in the range of about −50° C. up to 350° C., comprising as the major component at least one compound of formula (I): C n H 2n+2 (I) wherein n is between 8 and 20, and wherein the compounds of formula (I) are substantially branched.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
20 words
The organic Rankine cycle power plant according to claim 22 wherein said vaporizer receives heat from power plant waste heat.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
32 words
The organic Rankine cycle power plant according to claim 22 wherein said power plant comprises a heat recovery organic Rankine cycle (ORC) power plant for recovering heat from power plant waste heat.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
30 words
The organic Rankine cycle power plant according to claim 22 wherein said power plant comprises a heat recovery organic Rankine cycle (ORC) power plant for recovering heat from geothermal sources.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
35 words
The organic Rankine cycle power plant according to claim 22 wherein said power plant comprises a heat recovery organic Rankine cycle (ORC) power plant for recovering heat from a heat source produced from solar energy.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
37 words
The organic Rankine cycle power plant according to claim 26 wherein said organic Rankine cycle power plant further comprises a pre-heater for pre-heating the organic working fluid with geothermal fluid prior to supplying it to said vaporizer.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
72 words
Apparatus for producing power comprising a plurality of organic Rankine cycle power plants according to claim 27 each including a pre-heater and vaporizer wherein said geothermal fluid is applied in series to the vaporizers of said plurality of said organic Rankine cycle power plants producing heat depleted geothermal fluid and the heat depleted geothermal fluid is applied in parallel to the pre-heaters of said plurality of said organic Rankine cycle power plants.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
24 words
The organic Rankine cycle power plant according to claim 25 wherein said organic Rankine cycle power plant operates together with a geothermal steam turbine.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
26 words
The organic Rankine cycle power plant according to claim 29 further including means for re-injecting steam condensate, non-condensable gases and geothermal liquid into a re-injection well.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
14 words
The organic Rankine cycle power plant according to claim 22 further comprising a burner.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
56 words
The organic Rankine cycle power plant according to claim 22 wherein said power plant comprises an intermediate fluid, which is said highly thermally stable working fluid and wherein said intermediate fluid transfers heat from a heat source to a further organic working fluid for producing power, and said intermediate fluid is also used or producing power.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
60 words
The organic Rankine cycle power plant according to claim 32 further comprising a recuperator for heating condensate of said further organic working fluid with further organic working fluid vapor exiting a vapor turbine operated by said further organic working fluid prior to supplying said further organic working fluid vapor exiting said vapor turbine to a further organic working fluid condenser.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
35 words
The organic Rankine cycle power plant according to claim 32 further comprising a further organic vapor turbine for expanding further organic vapor turbine vapor produced from heat transferred from said intermediate fluid and producing power.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
25 words
The organic Rankine cycle power plant according to claim 34 further comprising an electric generator run by said further organic vapor turbine for producing electricity.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
32 words
The organic Rankine cycle power plant according to claim 35 wherein said electric generator is run by both said vapor turbine operated by said intermediate fluid and said further organic vapor turbine.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
38 words
The organic Rankine cycle power plant according to claim 26 wherein said vaporizer is a flash vaporizer supplied with said working fluid heated in a solar trough collector for producing vapor that is supplied to said vapor turbine.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
46 words
The organic Rankine cycle power plant according to claim 22 further comprising a recuperator for heating condensate of said organic working fluid with organic working fluid vapor exiting said vapor turbine prior to supplying said organic working fluid vapor exiting said vapor turbine to said condenser.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2010-06-04 | 2010-12-04 | 2011-06-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2014-06-04 | 2014-12-04 | 2015-06-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2018-06-04 | 2018-12-04 | 2019-06-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |