Patent Application
20110068575
This application claims priority to Canada patent application 2,680,571, filed 16 Sep. 2009, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein.
In the field of cogeneration (CHP) systems and more particularly to a new zero emission triple integrated cogeneration system. The heating system is combined with a chilled-water central air conditioner to provide a triple integrated system with air conditioning, water based central heating or forced air based heating for existing forced air infrastructure and service hot-water. A second embodiment relates to a higher capacity triple integrated system cogeneration plant with zero emission.
Housing apartment units and multi-family units usually use a central heat source such as a boiler or a forced-air system using gas fired or electric resistance furnaces for space heating. All these systems are mostly energy inefficient.
In order to solve these energy inefficiencies, different methods have been proposed. For example, a heating system is disclosed to provide an improvement in the combined configuration for better efficiency, by Talbert et al (U.S. Pat. No. 6,109,339) that discloses a triple integrated system to provide room air heating, and cooling and domestic hot water.
In order to utilize cogeneration and to be able to respond to a plurality of different demands of thermal energy, a cogeneration system apparatus is disclosed by Togawa, et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 6,290,142) including an improvement in hot-water storage and re-heating of hot water, that enables it to respond to two different thermal loads.
With respect to space heating, combustion gases from direct air heating are used to heat a water tank. Doherty (U.S. Pat. No. 2,354,507) and Biggs (U.S. Pat. No. 5,361,751) both use warm combustion gases for the space heating, to heat potable water in a water tank. Due to the need for dual burners, such systems are large size and therefore are costlier. Clawson (U.S. Pat. No. 5,046,478) uses a combustion gas heat exchanger to heat a potable water to be used for air heating. Woodin (U.S. Pat. No. 4,848,416) discloses an instantaneous heat exchanger.
The demand for highly efficient and low cost cogeneration is increasing world-wide. In the last decade of the century, more than 100 billion watts of new electric generating capacity will be needed in the U.S. and greater than 500 GW (e) will be needed in the rest of the world. Unless there is a widespread applicable technological improvement, a very conservative estimate predicts that world-wide power related CO2 emission would rise more than 60 percent from 1997 by 2020. Warnings are coming from respectable U.S. and international scientific institutions about serious threats on ecosystems. The global climate change-breakdown will cause great economic damages; substantial economic losses have already occurred as ecosystems have started to fail. Based on the UK Meteorological Office data, since the beginning of the industrial age, up to the year 2000, significant rises in average temperatures occurred within a 140 years period; since the year 1860, being indicative that within next 140 years temperature increases could be exponential. Therefore, the European Union Commission aims to double the contribution of combined heating and power (CHP) solutions from 9 percent to at least 18 percent by 2010. The new climate campaign, which is gathering momentum as the current world economic crisis has surfaced, and a recent report by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory prove that large scale international investment into renewable energy systems would create a new economy which would generate large scale new employment throughout the world, and nearly one million highly skilled new jobs in the U.S.A. alone.
Each year 17 million vehicles are manufactured in the U.S. further increasing the energy demand. The electric-battery vehicle is the future in the automotive sector and electrical power driven economy requires an inexpensive source of electricity.
The trend indicates that eventually there will be a synergy of conventional technologies with proven high technologies to improve renewable energy output. Only this will enable hybrid-renewable energy systems of highest efficiency and the lowest cost production. This system aims to lead this trend by having operational renewable energy input from relatively few wind generators and few solar panels for this innovation.
Most important central heating performance measurements are: a. Thermal load density that is preferably high, and; b. Annual load factor; that is high. A high load density is needed in order to cover the capital investment of the transmission and distribution system that constitutes the majority of the capital cost. The yearly load factor is important because the total system is capital intensive.
Central heating systems are best for: 1. Industrial complexes; 2. Populated urban areas; 3. High density building clusters with high thermal loads: Central heating is best suited for areas that have high building and population densities—where the climate is cold; and, 4. Where the efficiency of insulation can be maximized.
End user priorities are reliability, long term low operational costs and reasonable price and compactness for onsite generation. Prior art cogeneration and central heating systems developed are of two main types: Those that are based on a conventional combustion means with high energy density and related heat transfer mechanisms and those based on a renewable energy source with low energy densities.
Energy consumed in U.S. residences for space heating-cooling accounts for 46 percent of all residential energy consumption. Service water-heating accounts for an additional 14 percent. This is a total of 60 percent for residential needs. That is, 60 percent of all energy consumed is of low energy quality type of utilization. Hence, there is need for cogeneration to be applied as widespread as possible, as it is more efficient; thermo-dynamic energy is not converted back from the electrical power generated, nor is heat wasted.
Operational cost is related to: 1. Energy type; fossil fuel—burner type or renewable type; 2. Heat transfer efficiency; 3. Insulation type and efficiency; and, 4. Cogeneration-CHP efficiency.
From the foregoing, it may be appreciated that a need has arisen for a system and method for a cogeneration system and triple integrated system with air conditioning, central heating and service hot-water that avoids energy inefficiencies of the prior art.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a cogeneration apparatus capable of supplying thermodynamic energy efficiently to satisfy a plurality of different energy demands.
It is another object of the present invention to provide as a first feature of the invention, a system that ideally receives operational energy input from a low cost renewable prime energy source, such as wind and solar, but can also get operational energy from the utility grid. The system can also be paralleled to the utility grid for electrical energy output, thereby also increases the resiliency of the national energy infrastructure by offsetting transmission loses and limiting congestion. It is recommended to utilize existing wind farms for operational energy input or small capacity wind or solar energy input to be integrated to the invention system. Hence, for both for wind and solar, a large energy surplus gets stored.
It is another object of the present invention to provide as a second feature of the present invention, at least a set of infrared radiation members to provide infrared radiation as thermo-dynamic energy for the molten salt containing TES volume through a special enclosure that closely approximates an ideal blackbody container condition therein which results in a high stability total kinetic energy and stable average kinetic energy TES.
It is another object of the present invention to provide as a third feature of the invention, to establish a stable TES that enables high efficiency capacity utilization within a much shorter period relative to prior art systems to reach their most efficient system capacity utilization, with a substantially shorter initial power load period.
It is another object of the present invention as a fourth feature of the invention, to secure and keep the system functional with a secondary backup means that is always ready to backup the main thermo-dynamic energy means if it fails or when it is under maintenance.
It is another object of the present invention to provide as a fifth feature of the invention, wherein at least one cylindrical container, in which the thermo-dynamic energy of the working gas gets intensified within cylindrical volume quickly; and the energy density level increasing means becomes comparable to combustion based systems of comparable capacity in energy density level.
It is another object of the present invention to provide as a sixth feature of the present invention, a total TES molten salt mass that is greater by mass than the total working gas mass by a certain proportion, which is used to heat the working gas, to maximize thermo-dynamic stability of the TES.
It is another object of the present invention to provide as a seventh feature of the present invention, several steam turbines that utilize the high pressure steam generated to generate electrical energy and the working gas passing the turbines is circulated and utilized for central heating of residential and/or commercial premises.
It is another object of the present invention to provide as a eighth feature of the invention, a service hot water storage tank that heats service hot water and a hot oil storage tank for drawing heat to heat the refrigerant coils for the central air conditioning which are circulated therein, both tanks are heated by the waste heat from the thermal storage volume to provide a triple integrated system, providing a high total system efficiency throughout all seasons.
It is another object of the present invention to provide as a ninth feature of the present invention, to enable optimal distribution of working gas between the steam turbine power generation and the central heating.
It is another object of the present invention to provide, as a tenth feature of the present invention, a TES volume that enables flexibility of using different, alternative types of thermal storage materials that can be used and that are easy to maintain, overhaul, drain out, change and refill.
In the second embodiment, it is an object of the invention to provide as an eleventh object, to enable modular capacity increase for higher capacity cogeneration.
It is another object of the present invention to provide as an twelfth feature, a system that achieves a minimized waste heat system and therefore, provides a zero thermal pollution system; there is no combustion and no exhaust-no exhaust heat loss, therefore the system is ideal for the international greenhouse gases trading scheme.
It is another object of the present invention to provide as a thirteenth feature, an invention system that enables high energy quality utilization. Thermal energy generated is utilized directly as thermal energy for central heating and air conditioning.
It is another object of the present invention to provide as a fourteenth feature of the system, a system that provides power cogeneration which provides very high flexibility in terms of enabling different sizes and a wide range of capacity scalability.
It is another object of the present invention to provide as a fifteenth feature of this cogeneration system, of which the rated capacity to run on the highest capacity factor operation condition does not entail high economic and environmental opportunity costs and is independent of external variables and constraints like; ideal geographic locations with best sunny or windy conditions, ideal ebb and tide, day-night cycles, a need for large areas of land for the installation as in large area solar panels and large wind turbine farms, scarcity of fuels and unstable fuel prices, pollution control costs as in combustion plants, erosion and loss of valuable land, as in flooding of land for hydroelectric dams, tradeoff of degrading of valuable farming soil as in bio-fuels. That is, this system can avoid a substantial part of these high economic and externality costs by eliminating majority of these means.
It is another object of the present invention to provide as a sixteenth feature of the system, a wear-resistant cogeneration system that by eliminating and not having moving components-friction or combustion chambers as the main energy generation means, thereby also eliminates the green-house gas emissions as a zero emission system and is compatible with the 350 ppm CO2 objective, and has high durability and longer product life cycle.
It is another object of the present invention to provide as a seventeenth feature of the present invention to be subject of a relatively low cost OEM or subcontracted manufacturing and can be compatible to existing central residential and commercial heating and power generation, in technical means and labor and accordingly is then subject of reasonable prices of sale to the consuming and operating entities and end users, despite high profit margins on system sales and also enables high operational profit margins, thereby makes said cogeneration and the second embodiment of cogeneration of power and central heating plant to provide significant economic gains to all energy sectors and end users.
It is another object of the present invention to provide as a eighteenth feature of the invention, a system that provides OEM power generation, thermo-dynamic processing engineering companies the flexibility to choose different means to integrate the system with process heat or other industrial processes—by integrating related devices to this system and which can utilize the high stability thermo-dynamic base of this invention.
It is another object of the present invention to provide as a nineteenth feature of the invention, a system that does not have moving parts like pistons or combustion related volumes, pressure vessels, therefore the system operates without vibration and is very silent.
It is another object of the present invention to provide as a twentieth feature of the invention, to keep the main system technical features secret and make these sections accessible to only expert company personnel and make it tamper proof and inaccessible to others.
The objects of the current invention will be evident as depicted by the drawings.
This invention is based on the following principles and method combination:
1. An energy efficiency increasing means which utilizes lower installation cost, substantially smaller scale-capacity solar or wind energy installation operational energy input; where the increased energy efficiency differential of this means with at least 90 percent and the ability to store this high stability thermo-dynamic energy, is substantially greater than the energy generation efficiency that can be due to a large scale-capacity stand alone solar panels installation or a large stand alone wind farm installation. Because large scale wind farms and solar panels peak electrical energy generation capacities cannot be stored and have to be unloaded at un-economic rates, whereas with this system for both for wind and solar, almost all of the renewable energy surplus gets stored with high efficiency;
2. Industrial scale state of the art high quality infrared radiant energy emitters, of which the radiation is applied on a high technology carbon-carbon composite or metal alloy material with very high radiant energy absorption rate and which therefore is also a good emitter, applied on a container 4 that emits thermo-dynamic energy into the molten salt containing TES 69 located above it. The container 4 is to closely approximate an ideal blackbody condition, with the radiant energy absorption angled surfaces 4b and 4d. Wherein, surfaces 4b and 4d facing the TES 69 molten salt volume have a non-corrosive coating of Ni3Al or another state of the art coating. A secondary concentric ring area 67 is a distinct and separate surface area under the same TES 69 circular bottom platform for the backup means and a third separate infrared radiation 74 providing members 71 are within a cylindrical container 68, spiral pipe section 8 made of highly corrosion resistant stainless/lined steel pipe with a coating of PYROMARK paint or a higher quality state of the art high absorption paint, is for the fast energy intensity increasing means;
3. A strongly insulated total kinetic energy stable and high temperature TES 69 molten salt reservoir with an internal non-corrosive coating of Ni3Al type applied on ASTM-SA210 grade 1 or ASTM-SA213-T-11 type of steel. The above mentioned coatings are not imperative, a coating that acts as an anti-corrosion layer against molten salt at a continuous high temperature operation range of 500-550 degrees Centigrade can be applied. Operation of the Aircraft Reactor Experiment (ARE) during the 50s and the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment (MSRE) in the 60s have proven the compatibility of a fluoride fuel mixture with Ni-based container alloys at maximum operating temperature of 710 degrees Centigrade. Hence, Ni-based container alloys can be considered. Zn—Mg coated steel sheet is another means in the industry that could be considered for the TES 69 molten salt tank internal surfaces. Instead of steel or alloy, concrete would be a good choice for a lower cost molten salt TES 69 container tank and also to avoid corrosion. Within the TES 69, located is the double surface circular pipe 89 containing the flat and wide working gas pipe 70. The double surface circular pipe 89 enables the molten salt to enter the middle volume 91 of the steam generator pipe 89 through small inlet channels 90 but the flat and wide working gas pipe 70 is contained separately within the walls 92a, 92b in internal volume 92 of the double-wall double surface circular pipe 89 and is protected from the molten salt. Flat and wide working gas pipe 70 is circulated within volume 92 and wherein both flat side surfaces of pipe 70 face the double surface circular pipe 89 walls 92a and 92b; so thermo-dynamic energy gets conducted into the flat and wide working gas pipe 70 by solid to solid heat conduction and on both sides maximized area.
4. The TES 69 has a larger total mass as compared to the total working gas mass and depending on the engineering choices would contain of one of the following: A static oil volume of hydrocarbon or carbon-tetrachloride type fluid, but ideally purified high density molten salt that is highly stable for continuous high temperature operation with high average heat conductivity, contains a high specific heat capacity medium that enables first equation condition that is derived from the qualify facility (QF) status formula, which instead reads as:
Power output+½ Useful Thermal Output/Energy Input>>42.5 percent (in one year;) (1).
5. A method of periodically providing infrared radiation with lower energy input phase first and then repeating the same, where each one reduced energy input interval lasts longer than a full on radiation period, along with off intervals in between, hence having longer periods of lower operating temperature input ranges and lower, efficient energy consumption spread in time, once the system starts to operate at base load.
The heat transfer means is as follows:
a. The infrared radiation application 74 area-volume 4a is below the enclosed container 4, and wherein the enclosed container 4 closely approximates an ideal blackbody container 4 condition therein with bottom surface 4c and upper surface 4b facing the enclosed container 4 internal volume 3, and the periodic infrared radiant energy 74 results in emitting the absorbed thermo-dynamic energy by the blackbody container 4, preferably made of a structurally strong composite material with very high radiant energy absorption rate and high temperature endurance, of which external bottom surface of 4c is the surface subject to direct radiant energy, wherein the radiant energy absorption and emitting is also increased due to the slightly larger surface area because of an angled surface structure and double surface structure radiant energy absorption container 4, wherein the angular plane with an angle that is at least downward-negative 10 degrees as compared to zero degrees horizontal and extends from one higher midpoint at the center, therefore is conical in form, which is a mid point on the vertical, referenced as line H represented by a 90 degrees intermittent vertical line (as shown in
q=U A(Ta−Tb) (2);
Where q is the rate of transfer and U the overall transfer coefficient; A is the surface area for heat transfer and (Ta−Tb) the average temperature difference. The area A of thermo-dynamic energy emitting surface area total is thereby made larger by the double surface container 4 surface area at the center of the container 4 bottom of the cylindrical TES 69 that is in the form of a double surface container 4 with an angled surface and has an enclosed volume 3, hence the rate of thermo-dynamic energy transfer increases.
b. The fast energy density increasing section volume within the cylindrical container 68 is air.
c. The spiraling pipe section 8, located within the cylindrical container 68 for direct heat exchange by the fast energy density increasing means has high infrared radiation absorption rate coating of durable PYROMARK brand paint with high absorption rate of 95 percent, or a better state of the art coating, and is made of a material with a structurally strong atomic and molecular composition which maximizes radiant energy absorption—such as highly corrosion resistant stainless/lined steel, and the spiral section 8 is continuation of pipe 8a coming out of TES 69 vertically, and this section circulating working gas pipe 8 is in a spiral shape to increase the total radiant energy transfer area, wherein radiant energy is provided by infrared radiation 74, thereby the energy density of the steam-working gas 33 is increased efficiently and swiftly.
d. Within TES 69, is hot-service water tank volume 13 surrounding the center part of the TES, utilizing the TES 69 waste heat for indirect heat exchange, with an internal semi-insulation layer 6 that is around the molten salt volume is enclosure side wall 7, cylindrical wall external surface area 15 and faces the internal semi-insulation layer 6 that covers the TES 69 molten salt that is enclosed within the enclosure side wall 7, and water is stabilized at 75 degrees Centigrade in service hot water tank volume 13, and utilizes waste heat from the TES 69.
e. A service hot water temperature mixer-regulator unit 17 for outgoing service hot water, that avoids water temperatures above a pre-selected upper threshold range of about 60-70 degrees Centigrade, it is utilized for heated water output for shower, dish-washing, washing machine or other appliances.
f. Within TES 69, is air conditioner refrigerant 19 heating tank 20 for indirect heat exchange with internal refrigerant coil spiral 21 that runs within the oil tank 20, that contains an oil stabilized at a range of 70-80 degrees Centigrade, likewise surrounds the other ½ of the external surface area 15 of the molten salt TES 69 of the cylindrical enclosure side wall 7, and also utilizes the waste heat to enable substantially less compression time for the refrigerant 19 to function with heat input from the molten salt TES 69, by the internal semi-insulation layer 6. The balanced waste heat utilization is made possible by insulation layer 6.
The fast energy density increasing means high efficiency is enforced by the utilization of the electronic sensor controlled working gas 33 flow control board 73 and returning working gas 50 pre-heater unit 12 that increases the pre-TES 69 entry temperature of the returning working gas 50, and with the total-kinetic energy stabilization factor with a high stability temperature range within the TES 69, which is the main contributor in the stabilization of the temperature of the working gas 33, this combination results in about 70 percent of the working gas 33 volume per cycle to pass through the spiral pipes section 8 within the cylindrical container 68, that is within the fast energy density increasing means, to arrive into the spiral section 8 with at least 500 degrees Centigrade, wherein the flow is without fluctuation in temperature per cycle, and only about 30 percent of the total working gas 33 volume circulating within the spiral pipe section 8 per cycle to pass through with an average kinetic energy that arrives at about 350 degrees Centigrade to be swiftly raised to 500-550 degrees Centigrade. Said spiral pipe section 8 is located at the center of cylindrical container volume 68.
The double surface circular pipe 89 is within the TES 69, and therein the flat-wide working gas pipe 70 is circulated. Small inlet channels 90 between the two walls 92a and 92b of the double surface circular pipe 89 let molten salt to enter into the middle volume 91 of the circular pipe 89, thereby both surfaces 92a and 92b are subject to heat transfer, and the flat and wide working gas pipe 70 is circulated within volume 92 (see
In the context of keeping the system as a trade secret or to avoid reverse engineering, the technical details and know-how of the main critical system features of at least; the circular structure 83 holding infrared radiation emitter members 3a with air inflow grids 3c along with air in and outflow channels 3d, which are for cooling the emitter members 3a and volume 4a, radiant energy inflow openings 87 of the approximate ideal blackbody container 4, bottom surface 4c of container 4 that closely approximates a blackbody condition therein, infrared radiation 74 application volume 4a, the container 4 which is made of double surfaces 4b and 4c and corner sections 4d, the cylindrical container 68 fast energy density increasing means, all of these sections are kept secret and are to be made accessible to only expert company maintenance personnel and made tamper proof and inaccessible to others.
With reference to
Referring to
Post turbine pipes 31 and 32: Enables working gas-steam 33 post turbines 27 and 30 to proceed for feedback; to the closed cycle feedback steam pipe 45 and back into working gas pre-heater pre-steam generator unit 12. The returning working gas 50 closed cycle central heating circulation returns through pipe 97a at a range of 40-65 degrees Centigrade, pre-heater unit 12 is for increasing the temperature of returning lower temperature working gas 50 post central heating, unit 12 which is a heat exchanger unit generating pre-steam before it enters the TES 69, of which the feedback steam also re-enters TES 69, to turn the condensate returning working gas 50 into steam again and the condensed hot water at about 60 degrees Centigrade, swiftly becomes steam 33 at least at 270 degrees Centigrade prior entering the circular pipe 89 within the TES 69, so that it can reach thermal equilibrium with the TES 69 very quickly and energy efficiently, that is within the molten salt TES 69 circular pipe 89 flat and wide working gas pipe section 70, and then goes through spiral section 8 within energy density increasing cylindrical container 68.
The return condensed working gas 50 return pipe 97a leads into the TES 69, returning circulated working gas 50 after being pumped by pumps 42 and 44 (see
With reference to
Service hot-water, water input goes through the pre-heater unit 14. Also shown is air conditioner refrigerant gas coils 21 combined with an air conditioner and chilled-water unit 36 to provide a central air conditioning.
Air conditioner refrigerant heating coil 21 that runs within volume 20 is compressed by refrigerant gas compressor 65 and also heated by the waste heat from the enclosure wall 7 and semi-insulation layer 6 that is around the molten salt TES 69 cylindrical container wall 7.
The refrigerant 19 is heated to about 70 degrees Centigrade and its temperature and pressure increases by thermal input and compression combination. Pump units 24 and 59 are used to pump the refrigerant 19. The heat dissipation coils 22 allow refrigerant 19 to dissipate its' heat. As it cools, refrigerant 19 condenses into liquid form and goes through an expansion valve 41; the expansion valve 41 enables a low pressure evaporated and cold refrigerant 19 to proceed to the central air conditioning chilled-water unit 36, wherein it cools water to 4.4 and 7.2 degrees Centigrade. This chilled water is then piped out with pipes 37 through the buildings 35.
With reference to
With reference to
A strong insulation layer 5 insulates the TES 69, of one internal semi-insulation layer 6 within tanks 13 and 20 and one overall TES 69 insulator layer 5 of strong insulator.
The net work W done by the working gas can be approximated by the following third formula:
(Basis the internal energy; U) U2−U1=Delta U=Q−W. (Q+Energy added, W=Work) U2−U1=U=−W (3);
(TES 69 heat is replenished regularly and keeps a highly stable total kinetic energy).
With reference to
The returning working gas 50 returns to TES molten salt volume 69 condensed and at a lower pressure after having been circulated through all radiators 34, first re-enters the pre-heater unit 12, where the working gas 50 re-entry temperature is increased to pre-steam before it re-enters the TES 69, through the return pipe 97a to the section within molten salt TES 69 to reach thermal equilibrium in the circular pipe 89 that contains the flat and wide working gas pipe 70, again. Also seen is the water based steam to water heat exchanger 98, which gets steam heat input by the central heating steam provider pipe 97, the water based central heating pump 99 pumps hot water to the residential and/or commercial buildings 35, with hot water radiators 34. Pipe 100 takes exiting lower temperature steam from steam to water heat exchanger 98, and enters into the pre-heater pre-steam generator unit 12.
With reference to
The TES 69 internal containers for service hot water tank 13 and the refrigerant gas coil heating oil volume 20 have separation wall 82 and is connected to the external wall 7, thereby separates service hot water volume 13 from refrigerant gas coil heating oil volume 20.
The service hot water tank 13 on the left side, that covers one-half the circumference of the TES 69, the other one-half of the circumference of the TES 69 is covered by refrigerant gas heating oil volume tank 20 (right) that contains refrigerant coils 21, double surface circular pipe 89 and flat and wide working gas pipe 70 is depicted along cross section A.
Working gas pipe section 70 exits the TES 69 vertically as pipe section 8a, enters the fast energy increasing cylindrical container 68, and becomes the working gas spiral pipe 8 therein—seen here as top plan view.
With reference to
With reference to
With reference to
Also are seen from top the service hot water tank 13 on the left side that covers one-half the circumference of the TES 69 and the other one-half of the circumference of the TES 69 is covered by the refrigerant heating oil volume tank 20 on the right that contains the refrigerant coils 21.
With reference to
The common cold water chiller unit 56, for the central air conditioning is also depicted; the chilled water output pipe 37 is for central air conditioning. The system can be a relatively compact, a 300 kW capacity system or relatively compact, relative to a higher output capacity, a modularly integrated higher capacity system with the integration of two, four, six, eight, and more modular and larger-higher capacity TES 69 units. Alternatively, as one high capacity TES 69 unit, the integrated system has higher capacity working gas 51, (single large TES not depicted) increasing overall system output capacity to about 15 MW capacity for small power plant type of capacity output. For example, one TES 69 unit has 300 kW capacity, when the TES 69 volume is enlarged the capacity of one TES 69 unit becomes 1 MW and when 15 units of these enlarged capacity TES 69 units are integrated at one site, it becomes a 15 MW plant. Any capacity between 300 kW and 15 MW is possible.
With reference to
With reference to
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The system would be monitored and controlled by a direct digital control (DDC) computer. Operation parameters are based on volumes, pressure, temperature and working gas flow controls.
Monitoring Devices
For the various volumes and components, voltage regulators for the generator turbines, power output and mechanic switches and electronic controls have to be used. System operation conditions are based on two main phases: 1. Before base load: This is before reaching the temperature range of 400-500 degrees Centigrade within the TES molten salt volume 69. (500-600 degrees Centigrade, 2nd embodiment). 2. Post base load: After the temperature of the TES molten salt volume 69 reaches a range of 400-500 degrees Centigrade stabilized, sustained. (500-600 degrees Centigrade 2nd embodiment).
The data coming from these sensors would be monitored continuously by the computer and direct digital control (DDC). Before the base load and peak load operation conditions are reached, the computer would do the initialization with the following initialization fourth algorithm, based on the pre-radiation temperature of the upper surface 4b of the double surface container 4 that closely approximates an ideal blackbody radiator and infrared radiation temperature readouts.
The radiated state 75 of the upper surface 4b of the blackbody container 4 results in increasing the thermo-dynamic energy of the TES 69 and the non-radiation state wait periods 77; where radiation frequencies can be adjusted and all wait periods 77 are in terms of post-radiation 74 applied state upper surface 4b, container 4 temperature: (Power on-Initialization):
Do (4);
Then; raise operational energy input to normal radiation level;
Else if (source is to be utility 2; get input energy from the utility grid 2, then; raise operational energy input to radiation level);
Activate infrared radiation Start (to);
Wait (frequency to+t1=radiated wait state 77);
While do
If (radiated temperature 75 of surfaces 4c or 4b of container 4<350 C);
Else if (radiated temperature 75 of surfaces 4c or 4b of the container 4<500 C);
Else if (TES 69 temperature<300 C for a period exceeding preset time limit);
Else if (radiated temperature 75 of surfaces 4c, 4b of container 4<550 C);
The initialization and then gradually reaching the desired base load temperature of the TES 69 as a function of the radiated state 75 of upper surface 4b of container 4 stands at a temperature range of 350-550 degrees Centigrade, heated by radiation 75 temperature range of 450-650 degrees Centigrade and therefore the TES molten salt volume 69 long term temperature range of 400-550 degrees Centigrade gets stabilized due to specified time interval repeated radiant energy supply that would be provided by the infrared radiation members 3a.
The maximum 550 degrees Centigrade of the TES and maximum 550 degrees Centigrade of surface of 4b periodically becomes equal for certain periods, hence this enables radiation 74, a long term balanced pattern of energy input, which is for short intervals and with high energy efficiency.
Every time the two are equated; which can remain so for certain periods or are within the range of 500-550 degrees Centigrade for example, there is no need for radiation 74 input. Therefore, fast thermo-dynamic energy flow occurs when the average of the TES 69 is 400 degrees Centigrade or equal to 500 degrees Centigrade and surface 4b is 500-650 degrees Centigrade, 650 degrees Centigrade being a short term maximum, and periodic radiation 74 temperature is 650 degrees Centigrade for example. Wherein, this contributes thermo-dynamic energy input into at least one TES volume 69 by the double surface container 4.
A lower range radiant energy within 400-500 degrees Centigrade with shorter duration radiation in the radiation closed container 4a is to be provided along with strong insulation of the TES 69, once the TES 69 temperature gets stabilized at about 500 degrees Centigrade; thereby less energy is needed to keep TES 69 temperature stable.
Purified molten salt or combined molten salt or oil; both have a higher average density (kg/m), higher heat capacity (cal/C), higher average heat conductivity (W/m K), higher average heat capacity (kJ/kg K) and higher volume specific heat capacity (kWh/m) values than water, if once-one of these materials reach a high threshold temperature. Hence, one of these choices would establish a thermo-dynamic energy storage stability volume, once the threshold temperature is stabilized.
What is meant by “thermo-dynamic stability” as related to specific heat capacity defined by the following fifth formula:
c=Q/Delta T/m (5);
where Q is expressed in calories, it is the fact that it would take considerably less energy for example, the (kcal) of heat-once a threshold of high temperature range gets stabilized, to raise or keep the temperature at a certain range of a said fluid mentioned above, while having minimized losses by strong insulation, as compared to heat input needed to raise the temperature by one Celsius degrees of another reservoir, of another element of equal mass.
After base load conditions are reached, the computer would start operational and monitoring functions with the sixth algorithm that is based on the TES 69 molten salt temperature instead of the pre-radiation molten salt TES 69, and the radiated wait periods 78 and volume temperature readings thereafter, as follows:
While not stopped (6);
Activate infrared radiation (74) Start (to);
Stop infrared radiation (74) End (t1);
Wait (frequency to+t1=First period radiated state 75);
Temperature=TES (69) Temperature-T2 (t1);
Repeat Cycle for next radiation:
If (Power Output<Optimal (e));
If (Heat generation for central heating<Optimal; Temperature T);
Else if (TES Temperature>500 degrees Centigrade;
until TES temperature=500 degrees Centigrade); or (optional);
Set frequency=I; (System overheats—second option: Full stop).
This system offers very important advantages as compared to combustion systems for example. The invention enables a fully secure control method against overheating accidents, as indicated in the last line of above algorithm. There is no risk of a disaster, no waste products; no exhaust heat loss.
Central Chilled-Water Air Conditioner Unit
The molten salt in the TES 69 has to be kept at a temperature range of 400-550 degrees Centigrade. Sodium freezes at 208 F (97.68 C, and remains liquid at 288 degrees Centigrade). Therefore, the TES volume 69 temperature must never decline below 350 degrees Centigrade. The hot TES volume 69 central air conditioner refrigerant 19 hot spiral coil 21 to be heated to 70 degrees Centigrade within the waste heat utilizing oil volume 20, which surrounds ½ of the external cylindrical surface area 15 of the TES 69.
In order to increase the pressure of the refrigerant 19, mostly the waste heat of the TES 69 is utilized to increase temperature and thereby also the pressure of refrigerant gas 19 to 70 degrees Centigrade. to enable much shorter total compressor time, or absorption cooling is utilized.
Demand for service hot water is about the same in summer; energy is needed for service hot-water tank 13 throughout all seasons. Utilization of the waste heat from the TES volume 69 for both central air conditioning chilled-water unit 36 and to provide heat for the service hot-water tank 13, and provide power with the steam turbines 27 and 30, or of more units of turbines based on capacity, this combination makes the system to be utilized all year long efficiently. In summer; all of the working gas-steam 33 is available for power generation.
Return on investment would occur sooner, electricity can be sold on a contract basis to users outside of host facility, while satisfying air conditioning needs.
Investment Feasibility
Due to the feature of the complete independence from all types of combustion-fossil fuels and the ability to utilize both renewable and utility power as operational energy input, the system is very efficient and flexible. Thereby, the long term operational energy input cost becomes negligible. The organizer company would have the option to have a modular design and production method where the components can be made by one or several different expert companies with established economies of scale and these could be modularly assembled. The organizing company can have a relatively low capital intensive investment. Return on investment can be realized in a substantially shorter time, as the system could become efficiently operational with optimal system capacity utilization conditions much sooner as compared to comparable capacity combustion plants and due to high profit margins on system sales or on high profit rate leases. The system is suitable to provide onsite-decentralized customized solutions, enables diversification and provides high modularity and flexibility. Since there is no central heating demand in summer; power generation level would be maximized. This enhances faster return on investment, as electricity can be sold on contract basis to outside of host facility, while satisfying even peak load air conditioning.
In compliance with the statute, the invention described herein has been described in language more or less specific as to structural features. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the specific features shown, since the means and construction shown is comprised only of the preferred embodiments for putting the invention into effect. The invention is therefore claimed in any of its forms or modifications, and for the more than two combined system TES units, within the legitimate and valid scope of the amended claims, to be appropriately interpreted in accordance with the doctrine of equivalents.
The device and the methods mentioned heretofore have novel features resulting in a new device, method for high efficiency, and a second embodiment system of which the capacity can be increased modularly, that are not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, implied by prior art systems, alone or in any combination thereof.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2680571 | Sep 2009 | CA | national |
