Power plants – Utilizing natural heat – Geothermal
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-18
2001-11-13
Nguyen, Hoang (Department: 3748)
Power plants
Utilizing natural heat
Geothermal
C060S649000, C060S651000, C060S671000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06314738
ABSTRACT:
This invention relates generally to two-phase turbines, and more particularly to an improved multistage, single rotor turbine driven by an input mixture of gas and liquid, and capable of generating shaft power, while simultaneously separating the gas and liquid phase components in one or more expansions, and also increasing the pressure of the separated liquid phase component.
There is need for an improved two-phase turbine having the above multistage characteristics. There is need for improved processes in which such a turbine is employed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a major object of the invention to provide an improved turbine structure and processes in which it is employed meeting the above needs. Basically, the improved multistage two-phase turbine has one or more stages to receive fluid, each stage having an inlet and an outlet, and comprises:
a) nozzles at the inlet to each stage to accelerate the fluid that consists of a mixture of gas and liquid, to form two-phase jets,
b) a rotating separator structure to receive and separate the two-phase jets into gas streams and liquid streams in each stage,
c) the turbine having a rotating output shaft, and there being means to convert the kinetic energy of the liquid streams into shaft power,
d) means to remove the separated liquid from at least one stage and transfer it to nozzles at the next stage,
e) means to remove the separated liquid from the last stage and transfer it to primary outlet structure,
f) means to remove the separated gas from each stage and transfer it to secondary outlet structure or optionally,
g) means to remove the separated gas from each stage and transfer it to the nozzles at the next stage.
It is another object to provide such a turbine, and including means in at least one stage to convert the kinetic energy of the gas stream to shaft power. Means may also be employed in at least one stage to recover the kinetic energy of the separated liquid stream as pressure.
Another object is to provide turbine axial flow blades associated with at least one rotating separator structure to convert the gas stream kinetic energy to shaft power.
A further object includes the provision of means separating the stages wherein the nozzles are an integral part of the means.
Yet another object includes the provision of means to separate two components of the separated liquid stream from at least one stage, and to separately remove each liquid component from the stage. In this regard, a diffuser may be positioned to remove the heavier of two liquid components from at least one stage, or a liquid stream receiving nozzle may be employed to remove the heavier of two liquid components from at least one stage. Additionally, structure may be provided to coalesce a dispersed liquid component into a continuous phase in the rotating separator structure of at least one stage.
The improved turbine may be used in a process requiring one or more successive reductions in pressure of a mixture of steam and brine flowing from a geothermal well. The referenced turbine produces power, while separating the steam, so that it can be utilized at lower pressures in a conventional steam turbine. The separated brine pressure can be increased such that it can be re-injected into the ground with no pump.
The turbine can also be used in a process involving combined liquid and gas flows require several successive reductions in pressure with separation at each succeeding pressure level. One example is the production of oil and gas from a high pressure well. The two-phase flow is flashed at several pressures, each lower than the preceding pressure. At each flash the gas is separated from the liquid, so that it can be recompressed. The separated liquid is subsequently flashed to a lower pressure and the evolved gas again separated.
The turbine can also be utilized in a process requiring multiple two-phase flashes in the conversion of waste heat from a prime mover to useful power. In this regard, if a liquid is heated and flashed several times to produce vapor at several pressures to operate a multiple pressure vapor turbine, a more efficient conversion of the waste heat to power is possible.
These and other objects and advantages of the invention, as well as the details of an illustrative embodiment, will be more fully understood from the following specification and drawings, in which:
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Biphase Energy Company
Haefliger William W.
Nguyen Hoang
LandOfFree
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