Method of and means for using a two phase fluid

Claim 2

A geothermal power plant having apparatus for separating geothermal fluid into a vapor stream containing steam, and a liquid stream containing hot brine, a heat exchanger containing an organic fluid for condensing steam in said vapor stream to condensate and for vaporizing said organic fluid, an organic vapor turbine connected to a generator and responsive to vaporized organic fluid for driving said generator to produce power and producing heat depleted organic vapor, an organic fluid condenser for condensing organic vapor exhausted from the organic vapor turbine to organic condensate; a preheater for receiving steam condensate produced by said heat exchanger, and organic condensate whereby said organic condensate is preheated before being vaporized in said heat exchanger; and a further vapor turbine connected to said generator, said further vapor turbine operating on heat contained in said vapor stream to drive said generator.

Claim 3

A power plant comprising: a) means for extracting geothermal fluid from a water-dominated geothermal fluid source; b) steam/brine separator means for separating said fluid into a vapor stream containing steam, and a liquid stream containing hot brine; c) heat transfer apparatus for transferring heat in said vapor stream to an organic fluid thereby producing vaporized organic fluid and steam condensate; d) means for combining said liquid stream with said steam condensate to produce a combined stream; e) means for disposing of said combined stream; f) a pair of organic vapor turbines for receiving said vaporized organic fluid in parallel thereby producing work and expanded organic vapor; g) an organic fluid condenser connected to each turbine for condensing the expanded organic vapor produced by a turbine into organic condensate; and means for returning the organic condensate from each condenser to the heat transfer apparatus; j) a preheater interposed between the organic condensers and the heat transfer apparatus for preheating said organic condensate before it is returned to said heat transfer apparatus; k) a single generator; and l) coupling means coupling said generator to both turbines for generating power; f) said coupling means being constructed and arranged such that each of turbines is individually and selectively coupleable to said generator.

Claim 4

A power plant comprising: a) means for extracting geothermal fluid from a water-dominated geothermal fluid source; b) steam/brine separator means for separating said fluid into a vapor stream containing steam, and a liquid stream containing hot brine; c) heat transfer apparatus for transferring heat in said vapor stream to an organic fluid thereby producing vaporized organic fluid and steam condensate; d) means for combining said liquid stream with said steam condensate to produce a combined stream; e) means for disposing of said combined stream; f) a pair of organic vapor turbines for receiving said vaporized organic fluid in parallel thereby producing work and expanded organic vapor; g) an organic fluid condenser connected to each turbine for condensing the expanded organic vapor produced by a turbine into organic condensate; and means for returning the organic condensate from each condenser to the heat transfer apparatus; j) a preheater interposed between the organic condensers and the heat transfer apparatus for preheating said organic condensate before it is returned to said heat transfer apparatus; k) a single generator; and l) coupling means coupling said generator to both turbines for generating power; f) said coupling means being constructed and arranged such that each of turbines is individually and selectively coupleable to said generator.

Claim 5

A power plant according to claim 2 including means for passing said combined stream through said preheater before applying the combined stream to said means for disposing of said combined stream.

Claim 6

A power plant comprising: a) means for extracting geothermal fluid from a water-dominated geothermal fluid source; b) steam/brine separator means for separating said fluid into a vapor stream containing steam, and a liquid stream containing hot brine; c) heat transfer apparatus for transferring heat in said vapor stream to an organic fluid thereby producing vaporized organic fluid and steam condensate; d) means for combining said liquid stream with said steam condensate to produce a combined stream; e) means for disposing of said combined stream; f) an organic vapor turbine for expanding said vaporized organic fluid thereby producing work and expanded organic vapor; g) an organic fluid condenser for condensing said expanded organic vapor and returning the resulting condensate to the heat transfer apparatus; and j) a preheater interposed between the organic condenser and the heat transfer apparatus for preheating said resulting condensate before it is returned to said heat transfer apparatus; k) a second organic vapor turbine for expanding said vaporized organic fluid thereby producing work and expanded organic vapor; l) a second organic fluid condenser for condensing said expanded organic vapor produced by said second organic vapor turbine and returning the resulting condensate to the heat transfer apparatus; and m) a generator; n) coupling means coupling said generator to both turbines for generating power; and o) wherein said generator is located between the two organic vapor turbines.

Claim 7

A power plant comprising: a) means for extracting geothermal fluid from a water-dominated geothermal fluid source; b) steam/brine separator means for separating said fluid into a vapor stream containing steam, and a liquid stream containing hot brine; c) heat transfer apparatus for transferring heat in said vapor stream to an organic fluid thereby producing vaporized organic fluid and steam condensate; d) means for combining said liquid stream with said steam condensate to produce a combined stream; e) means for disposing of said combined stream; f) an organic vapor turbine for expanding said vaporized organic fluid thereby producing work and expanded organic vapor; g) an organic fluid condenser for condensing said expanded organic vapor and returning the resulting condensate to the heat transfer apparatus; and j) a preheater interposed between the organic condenser and the heat transfer apparatus for preheating said resulting condensate before it is returned to said heat transfer apparatus; k) a second organic vapor turbine for expanding said vaporized organic fluid thereby producing work and expanded organic vapor; l) a second organic fluid condenser for condensing said expanded organic vapor produced by said second organic vapor turbine and returning the resulting condensate to the heat transfer apparatus; and m) a generator; n) coupling means coupling said generator to both turbines for generating power; and o) wherein said generator is located between the two organic vapor turbines.

Claim 8

A power plant operating on geothermal fluid for producing electric power comprising: a) a separator for separating said geothermal fluid into geothermal steam and geothermal liquid; b) a plurality of integrated power plant modules each having a vaporizer containing an organic fluid and responsive to said steam for producing vaporized organic fluid and condensed steam, a pair of organic Rankine cycle turbines coupled to a single electric generator, means for applying said vaporized organic fluid to said turbines in parallel whereby the vaporized organic fluid expands forming expanded organic fluid and driving the generator which produces power, a pair of condensers respectively associated with said turbines for condensing said expanded organic vapor into a liquid which is returned to said vaporizer; c) means for supplying said geothermal steam in parallel to each of said modules; and d) means for disposing of said condensed steam and said geothermal liquid.

Claim 9

A power plant operating on geothermal fluid for producing electric power comprising: a) a separator for separating said geothermal fluid into geothermal steam and geothermal liquid; b) a plurality of integrated power plant modules each having a vaporizer containing an organic fluid and responsive to said steam for producing vaporized organic fluid and condensed steam, a pair of organic Rankine cycle turbines coupled to a single electric generator, means for applying said vaporized organic fluid to said turbines in parallel whereby the vaporized organic fluid expands forming expanded organic fluid and driving the generator which produces power, a pair of condensers respectively associated with said turbines for condensing said expanded organic vapor into a liquid which is returned to said vaporizer; c) means for supplying said geothermal steam in parallel to each of said modules; and d) means for disposing of said condensed steam and said geothermal liquid.

Claim 10

A power plant according to claim 5 wherein each module includes a preheater interposed between the condensers and the vaporizer thereof.

Claim 11

A power plant according to claim 6 including means for applying said geothermal liquid in parallel to the preheaters of the modules.

Claim 12

A power plant according to claim 7 wherein each module includes means for combining said condensed steam produced by the vaporizer of a module with geothermal liquid applied to the module to produce a combined stream, and means for applying the combined stream to the preheater of each module.

Claim 13

A power plant according to claim 5 wherein each module include a by-pass that shunts the turbines and selectively supplies the vaporized organic fluid directly to said condensers.

Claim 14

A power plant according to claim 9 wherein each module includes a control associated with each turbine for controlling the amount of vaporized organic fluid applied to each turbine.

Claim 15

A power plant according to claim 5 wherein said organic fluid is n-pentane.

Claim 16

A power plant according to claim 11 wherein said coupling means is constructed and arranged such that each of said turbines is individually and selectively coupleable to said generator.

Claim 17

A power plant according to claim 11 wherein each module includes a by-pass line for connecting the vaporized organic fluid produced by the vaporizer of the module to the organic condensers of the module, and a selectively operable valve for controlling the application of vaporized organic fluid produced by the vaporizer of the module to said condensers of the module.

Claim 18

A power plant according to claim 11 including control means responsive to the output of said generator for controlling the amount of vaporized organic fluid produced by said heat transfer apparatus which is applied to said turbines.

Claim 19

A power plant according to claim 14 wherein each module includes a by-pass line for connecting the vaporized organic fluid produced by the vaporizer of the module to the organic condensers of the module, and a selectively operable valve for controlling the application of vaporized organic fluid produced by the vaporizer of the module to said condensers of the module.

Claim 20

A power plant according to claim 11 wherein said condensers are air-cooled.

Claim 21

A power plant according to claim 16 wherein each module includes a by-pass line for connecting the vaporized organic fluid produced by the vaporizer of the module to the organic condensers of the module, and a selectively operable valve for controlling the application of vaporized organic fluid produced by the vaporizer of the module to said condensers of the module.

Claim 22

A power plant according to claim 8 including means for passing said combined stream through said preheater before applying the combined stream to said means for disposing of said combined stream.

Claim 23

A power plant operating on geothermal fluid for producing electric power comprising: a) a separator for separating said geothermal fluid into geothermal steam and geothermal liquid; b) at least one power plant module having a vaporizer containing an organic fluid and responsive to said geothermal steam for producing vaporized organic fluid and condensed steam, at least one organic Rankine cycle turbine coupled to a generator, means for applying said vaporized organic fluid to said turbine whereby the vaporized organic fluid expands forming expanded organic fluid and driving the generator which produces power, a condenser associated with said turbine for condensing said expanded organic vapor into organic condensate, a preheater, and means for returning said organic condensate to said vaporizer through said preheater; d) means supplying said condensed steam to said preheater for preheating said organic condensate; and e) means for disposing of said condensed steam after said organic condensate is preheated; f) wherein said module includes a further vapor turbine connected to said generator, and means for operating said further vapor turbine on heat contained in said geothermal steam to drive said generator.

Claim 24

A power plant operating on geothermal fluid for producing electric power comprising: a) a separator for separating said geothermal fluid into geothermal steam and geothermal liquid; b) at least one power plant module having a vaporizer containing an organic fluid and responsive to said geothermal steam for producing vaporized organic fluid and condensed steam, at least one organic Rankine cycle turbine coupled to a generator, means for applying said vaporized organic fluid to said turbine whereby the vaporized organic fluid expands forming expanded organic fluid and driving the generator which produces power, a condenser associated with said turbine for condensing said expanded organic vapor into organic condensate, a preheater, and means for returning said organic condensate to said vaporizer through said preheater; d) means supplying said condensed steam to said preheater for preheating said organic condensate; and e) means for disposing of said condensed steam after said organic condensate is preheated; f) wherein said module includes a further vapor turbine connected to said generator, and means for operating said further vapor turbine on heat contained in said geothermal steam to drive said generator.

Claim 25

A power plant operating on geothermal fluid for producing electric power comprising: a) a separator for separating said geothermal fluid into geothermal steam and geothermal liquid; b) a plurality of integrated power plant modules each having a vaporizer containing an organic fluid and responsive to said steam for producing vaporized organic fluid and condensed steam, a pair of organic Rankine cycle turbines coupled to a single electric generator, means for applying said vaporized organic fluid to said turbines in parallel whereby the vaporized organic fluid expands forming expanded organic fluid and driving the generator which produces power, and condenser apparatus associated with said turbines for condensing said expanded organic vapor into a liquid which is returned to said vaporizer; c) means for supplying said geothermal steam in parallel to the vaporizer of each of said modules; and d) means for disposing of said condensed steam produced by each module and said geothermal liquid.

Claim 26

A power plant operating on geothermal fluid for producing electric power comprising: a) a separator for separating said geothermal fluid into geothermal steam and geothermal liquid; b) a plurality of integrated power plant modules each having a vaporizer containing an organic fluid and responsive to said steam for producing vaporized organic fluid and condensed steam, a pair of organic Rankine cycle turbines coupled to a single electric generator, means for applying said vaporized organic fluid to said turbines in parallel whereby the vaporized organic fluid expands forming expanded organic fluid and driving the generator which produces power, and condenser apparatus associated with said turbines for condensing said expanded organic vapor into a liquid which is returned to said vaporizer; c) means for supplying said geothermal steam in parallel to the vaporizer of each of said modules; and d) means for disposing of said condensed steam produced by each module and said geothermal liquid.