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  Waste heat recovery generatorUSPTO Application #: 20060236698Title: Waste heat recovery generator Abstract: A low grade waste heat recovery generator system is presented. The system comprises an expander generator set having a compressor rotatably coupled to a generator. The compressor rotates in a reverse direction to operate as an expander. The system also comprises a condenser fluidly coupled to the expander generator set, a refrigerant pump fluidly coupled to the condenser, an evaporator fluidly coupled to the refrigerant pump and the expander generator set, and a working fluid configured to flow from the evaporator to the expander generator set, to the condenser, and to the refrigerant pump in a closed loop Organic Rankin Cycle. The working fluid is heated to a temperature of about 140 ° F. to about 300 ° F. (end of abstract) Agent: Tobin, Carberry, O'malley, Riley, Selinger, P.C. - New London, CT, US Inventor: Richard K. Langson USPTO Applicaton #: 20060236698 - Class: 060651000 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Power Plants, Motive Fluid Energized By Externally Applied Heat, Process Of Power Production Or System Operation, Including Vaporizing A Motive Fluid Other Than Water The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060236698. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
PRIORITY STATEMENT [0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/673,542, entitled "Waste Heat Recovery Generator", filed on Apr. 20, 2005 and to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/673,543, entitled "Waste Heat Recovery Generator", filed on Apr. 20, 2005. The disclosures of each provisional application are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety. BACKGROUND [0002] The conversion of fuels into electricity has long been the focus of engineers. The supply of the fuel to the generation site as well as the reliability and cost of the supply has factored into the engineering decision process. One area of energy conversion for electrical supply has been to utilize currently converted thermal energy from fuel energy of an unrelated process into electrical energy. Another more specific area of energy conversion is the recovery of discarded thermal energy into electrical energy, i.e., waste heat recovery. With ever increasing electrical power costs for commercial and residential electrical power, customers are expanding the search for alternative sources of reliable electrical power. The increasing need for electricity in areas with limited access to electrical power or even high cost electrical power has fertilized the field of waste heat recovery technologies. [0003] The thrust of waste heat recovery technology is to make use of thermal energy normally discarded from a primary power conversion process. The discarded thermal energy, i.e., waste heat, can be harnessed to drive additional thermo-fluid processes that can yield additional energy, i.e., electricity. [0004] The prior art has developed many systems that can convert the waste heat into electrical power. Conventional waste heat systems are designed to recover waste heat and generate electrical power. [0005] Referring to Prior Art FIG. 1, the prior art waste heat recovery system directs a supply of waste heat measured at temperatures between 300.degree. F. to 800.degree. F. from a heat source to an evaporator (see numeral 1). The waste heat is transferred to a working fluid in the evaporator. The working fluid is evaporated; changes from a liquid to a vapor, in the evaporator and expanded through a turbine (see numeral 2). The expansion of the working fluid through the turbine drives the turbine. The turbine, in turn, drives an electric generator coupled to the turbine. The generator produces electrical power. The working fluid flows to a condenser and changes phase from vapor to a liquid (see numeral 3). The liquid working fluid is then pumped back to the evaporator and begins the cycle again (see numeral 4). The above described system employs the closed-loop Rankin cycle to produce electricity from a thermal energy source, such as waste heat. The waste heat can be recovered from engines, gas turbines, gas flares in landfills, industrial manufacturing processes that continuously produce thermal energy, incinerators, boilers, geothermal wells, bio-gas sources, and the like. [0006] The above prior art example waste heat recovery system is large and requires costly turbine-generator sets. The turbine-generator sets are complex, expensive and require considerable maintenance expertise in order to reliably function continuously. These prior art systems also require high temperature heat of above 300.degree. F. [0007] What is needed in the art is a waste heat recovery electrical generator system that includes simple and reliable cost efficient components at low cost and high efficiency that can be scaled for residential to industrial use. SUMMARY [0008] The following presents a simplified summary of the present invention in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the present invention. This summary is not an extensive overview of the present invention. It is not intended to identify key or critical elements of the present invention or to delineate the scope of the present invention. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of the present invention in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented herein. [0009] A simple, reliable, high efficiency low cost waste recovery generator system is disclosed. The system uses low temperature waste heat of about 140.degree. F. to about 300.degree. F. The system is easy to install and requires little maintenance. The system operates at low revolutions per minute (rpms), from about 800 rpms to about 10,000 rpms. The system can control vapor wetness through sensors connected to a microprocessor. The microprocessor controls the speed of the refrigerant feed pump using a VFD controller and can be scaled for residential to industrial use. [0010] A low grade waste heat recovery generator system is presented. The system comprises an expander generator set having a compressor rotatably coupled to a generator. The compressor rotates in a reverse direction to operate as an expander. The system also comprises a condenser fluidly coupled to the expander generator set, a refrigerant pump fluidly coupled to the condenser, an evaporator fluidly coupled to the refrigerant pump and the expander generator set, and a working fluid configured to flow from the evaporator to the expander generator set, to the condenser, and to the refrigerant pump in a closed loop Organic Rankin Cycle. The working fluid is heated to a temperature of about 140.degree. F. to about 300.degree. F. [0011] A method of operating a waste heat recovery generator system to generate electrical power from low grade waste heat is disclosed. The method comprises transferring thermal energy from a waste heat source to a working fluid in an evaporator. The working fluid is heated to a temperature of about 140.degree. F. to about 300.degree. F. The method also comprises expanding the working fluid through an expander generator set fluidly coupled to the evaporator. The expander generator set having a compressor rotatably coupled to a generator, in which the compressor rotates in a reverse direction to operate as an expander. The method also comprises rotating the expander to generate the electrical power in the generator and condensing the working fluid in a condenser fluidly coupled to the expander generator set. The method also comprises flowing the working fluid to a refrigerant pump fluidly coupled to the condenser and pumping the working fluid to the evaporator fluidly coupled to the refrigerant pump in a closed loop Organic Rankin Cycle. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0012] Referring now to the figures, wherein like elements are numbered alike: [0013] FIG. 1 is an illustration of a prior art waste heat recovery system; [0014] FIG. 2 is an illustration of an exemplary waste heat recovery generator system; [0015] FIG. 3 is an illustration of an exemplary waste heat recovery generator system; [0016] FIG. 4 is an illustration of an exemplary scroll compressor; [0017] FIG. 5 is an illustration of an exemplary single screw compressor; and [0018] FIG. 6 is an illustration of yet an exemplary double screw compressor. DETAILED DESCRIPTION [0019] Persons of ordinary skill in the art will realize that the following disclosure is illustrative only and not in any way limiting. Other embodiments of the invention will readily suggest themselves to such skilled persons having the benefit of this disclosure. Continue reading... Full patent description for Waste heat recovery generator Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Waste heat recovery generator patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Waste heat recovery generator or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Configuration and process for shift conversion Next Patent Application: Lng-based power and regasification system Industry Class: Power plants ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Waste heat recovery generator patent info. 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