| CPC F01K 15/00 (2013.01) [F01K 7/16 (2013.01); F01K 21/042 (2013.01); F01K 21/047 (2013.01)] | 9 Claims |
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1. A modified Rankine-cycle power-plant without cycle-heat rejection driven by a thermocompressor (ejector) operating in the wet-vapor region, consisting of the following interconnected equipment/processes:
a) a wet-vapor-region thermocompressor/ejector (10), consisting of: a supersonic nozzle (11), for acceleration of the high-pressure high-temperature liquid of a working fluid, comprising subcooled water or a low-quality water-vapor mixture, a conical part (12) of the ejector mixing chamber for admission of exhausted wet vapor from a backpressure steam turbine (1), a long constant-diameter part (14) of the said ejector mixing chamber for mixing and deceleration/acceleration of the water-vapor mixture in the form of one or more normal shock waves, and a subsonic diffuser (15) for subsonic deceleration of the mixed water-vapor mixture;
b) a cylindrical separator/separation tank (2) for as-complete-as-possible separation of the wet water-vapor mixture exiting the said diffuser (15) of the said thermocompressor (10), using a dry-pipe steam separator having of a plurality of holes at the top and two holes at the bottom half, whereas the turbulently moving steam-water mixture is directed through the top half holes of the dry pipe and forced to separate between water and steam, whereby the separated steam flows to the said backpressure steam turbine (1) and the separated water drops down to the bulk liquid through bottom holes;
c) the said backpressure steam turbine (1) for adiabatic expansion of the saturated vapor (gas fraction) separated in the said cylindrical separator/separation tank (2), exhausting wet vapor to the said conical part (12) of the said ejector mixing chamber of the said thermocompressor (10), driving a load (8) via a connecting shaft;
d) a steam compressor (18) preceding the said backpressure steam turbine (1), mounted on the same connecting shaft with the said load (8) and driven by the said backpressure steam turbine (1), which serves for precompression of a secondary ejector fluid, that is, saturated steam/vapor separated in the said cylindrical separator/separation tank (2), prior to its expansion in the said backpressure steam turbine (1), thus artificially increasing the pressure recovery ratio of the said wet-vapor thermocompressor (10) which is obtainable at an ejector entrainment ratio, which is a ratio of mass flow rates of suction and driving fluid and is defined by the vapor quality at the outlet of the said diffuser (15), so that it matches the chosen expansion pressure ratio of the said backpressure steam turbine (1);
e) the said load (8), comprising an electric generator, driven by the said backpressure steam turbine (1) via the said connecting shaft, so that it converts mechanical energy of the said steam turbine (1) into the generator's electrical energy supplied to a power grid;
f) a condensate pump (3) for pressurizing and circulation of the liquid working fluid, which is saturated water separated in the said cylindrical separator/separation tank (2);
g) a stop valve (4) at the discharge side of the said condensate pump (3) for starting up of the said pump (3) and of the entire working-fluid circulation loop; and
h) a liquid/water heat exchanger (5) for isobaric heat addition to the liquid working fluid, being subcooled water or a low-quality water-vapor mixture, either directly heated by a fuel or indirectly heated by heat exchange with any source of heat contained in a primary heat-exchange fluid, thereby supplying the heated liquid working fluid to the said nozzle (11) of the said thermocompressor (10), to the end of re-pressurizing of the secondary ejector fluid, which is exhausted wet vapor from the said backpressure steam turbine (1)).
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