Air start steam engine

摘要

A method and system using at least two different working fluids to be supplied to an expander to cause it to do mechanical work. The expander is started by providing a compressed gaseous working fluid at a sufficient pressure to the expander. At the same time the compressed gaseous working fluid is provided to the expander, a second working fluid that is liquid at ambient temperatures is provided to a heater to be heated. The second working fluid is heated to its boiling point and converted to pressurized gas Once the pressure is increased to a sufficient level, the second working fluid is injected into the expander to generate power, and the supply of the first working fluid may be stopped. After expansion in the expander, the working fluids are is exhausted from the expander, and the second working fluid may be condensed for separation from the first working fluid. Control circuitry controls the admission of the first and second working fluids responsive to monitoring the load on the expander.

主权项

1. A power generation unit comprising:
a first vessel holding a quantity of a first pressurized gaseous working fluid that is gaseous at ambient temperature, being pressurized to a pressure substantially greater than ambient pressure; a second vessel holding a quantity of a second working fluid that is in a liquid state at ambient temperature; a controllable heater in controllable communication with at least said second vessel for heating at least said second working fluid; an expander in controllable communication with said heater and said first vessel, such that said expander can receive said first pressurized gaseous working fluid and/or receive said second working fluid, having been heated by said heater to be vaporized and form a second pressurized gaseous working fluid, said first and/or second pressurized gaseous working fluids being supplied to at least one chamber in said expander where said pressurized gaseous working fluids can expand, causing said expander to produce power; and a controller responsive to a control input to determine the power required to be provided by said expander, and for controlling heating of said at least second working fluid in said heater, and flow of said first and second working fluids from the respective vessels to the heater and to said at least one chamber of the expander responsive to the amount of power required.