Multiple organic Rankine cycle system and method

摘要

Apparatus, systems and methods are provided for the use of multiple organic Rankine cycle (ORC) systems that generate mechanical and/or electric power from multiple co-located waste heat flows using a specially configured system of multiple expanders operating at multiple temperatures and/or multiple pressures (“MP”) utilizing a common working fluid. The multiple ORC cycle system accepts waste heat energy at different temperatures and utilizes a single closed-loop cycle of organic refrigerant flowing through all expanders in the system, where the distribution of heat energy to each of the expanders allocated to permit utilization of up to all available heat energy, In some embodiments, the multiple ORC system maximizes the output of the waste energy recovery process. The expanders can be operatively coupled to one or more generators that convert the mechanical energy of the expansion process into electrical energy.

主权项

1. A system for generating power from heat, the system comprising:
A. a working fluid; B. a working fluid condenser comprising a working fluid inlet and a working fluid outlet; C. one or more working fluid pump(s) in working fluid receiving communication with the outlet of the working fluid condenser; D. two or more source(s) of heat energy; E. more than two working fluid heat exchangers, each heat exchanger (i) in working fluid receiving communication with at least one of the one or more working fluid pumps and (ii) in heat energy receiving communication with at least one of the two or more source(s) of heat energy such that at least two of said heat exchangers are in heat energy receiving communication with different portions of the same source of heat energy; F. a first expander comprising (i) a working fluid inlet in working fluid receiving communication with at least one of the more than two working fluid heat exchangers, (ii) a rotating mechanical power output shaft, and (iii) a working fluid outlet; G. a second expander comprising (i) a working fluid inlet in working fluid receiving communication with the working fluid outlet of the first expander, (ii) a rotating mechanical power output shaft, and (iii) a working fluid outlet in working fluid sending communication with the working fluid inlet of the condenser;wherein the system is configured to:
a) portion, distribute, and communicate heat energy from the two or more source(s) of heat energy to the working fluid via the more than two working fluid heat exchangers; b) expand the working fluid in the first expander to generate mechanical power at the rotating mechanical power output shaft of the first expander; c) further expand the working fluid in the second expander to generate mechanical power at the rotating mechanical power output shaft of the second expander; d) cool the working fluid in the condenser; and e) communicate cooled working fluid from the condenser to the one or more heat exchangers via the one or more working fluid pumps.