Valves for gas-turbines and multipressure gas-turbines, and gas-turbines therewith

Abstract

A multiport valve suitable for use with a gas-turbine allowing switching of a mode of gas-turbine operation between a Brayton cycle and an inverse Brayton cycle, and a gas-turbine configured to switch between a high-pressure operation mode according to a Brayton cycle and a low-pressure operation mode according to an inverse Brayton cycle employing the valve are provided. Also provided are a method and apparatus for operating a gas-turbine according to an inverse Brayton cycle.

1 . A gas-turbine configured for operation according to both Brayton-cycle and inverse-Brayton cycle, comprising:
 a) a multiport valve including movable valve members and at least five ports comprising: a compressor-outlet inlet port, an ambient inlet port, a heat-exchanger cold-stream inlet outlet port, an exhaust outlet port, and a fifth port;   b) a compressor outlet of a compressor in fluid communication with said compressor-outlet inlet port; and   c) a heat-exchanger cold-stream inlet of a heat-exchanger in fluid communication with said heat-exchanger cold-stream inlet outlet port;   
       wherein during Brayton-cycle operation of the gas-turbine:
 a valve member blocks fluid communication between said compressor-outlet inlet port and said exhaust outlet port, and 
 a valve member blocks fluid communication between said ambient inlet port and said heat-exchanger cold-stream inlet outlet port; 
 
       and during inverse Brayton-cycle operation of the gas-turbine:
 a valve member blocks fluid communication between said compressor-outlet inlet port and said heat-exchanger cold-stream inlet outlet port. 
 
     
     
         2 . The gas-turbine of  claim 1 , wherein said fifth port comprises a compressor-inlet outlet port in fluid communication with an inlet of said compressor, wherein during inverse Brayton-cycle operation of the gas-turbine, a valve member blocks fluid communication between said ambient inlet port and said compressor-inlet outlet port. 
     
     
         3 . The gas-turbine of  claim 2 , further comprising an additional valve functionally associated with a hot-stream outlet of said heat-exchanger, wherein during inverse Brayton-cycle operation of the gas-turbine, said additional valve allows fluid communication from said hot-stream outlet of said heat-exchanger to an inlet of said compressor. 
     
     
         4 . The gas-turbine of  claim 3 , wherein during Brayton-cycle operation of the gas-turbine, said additional valve allows fluid communication from said hot-stream outlet of said heat-exchanger to an exhaust outlet of the gas-turbine. 
     
     
         5 . The gas-turbine of  claim 1 , wherein said fifth port comprises a heat-exchanger hot-stream outlet inlet port in fluid communication with a hot-stream outlet of said heat-exchanger, and wherein during inverse Brayton-cycle operation of the gas-turbine, a valve member blocks fluid communication between said heat-exchanger hot-stream outlet inlet port and said exhaust outlet port. 
     
     
         6 . The gas-turbine of  claim 5 , further comprising an additional valve functionally associated with a hot-stream outlet of said heat-exchanger, wherein during inverse Brayton-cycle operation of the gas-turbine, said additional valve allows fluid communication from said hot-stream outlet of said heat-exchanger to an inlet of said compressor. 
     
     
         7 . The gas-turbine of  claim 6 , wherein during Brayton-cycle operation of the gas-turbine, said additional valve allows fluid communication from ambient to an inlet of said compressor. 
     
     
         8 . The gas-turbine of  claim 1 , wherein said fifth port comprises a compressor-inlet outlet port in fluid communication with an inlet of said compressor, and wherein during inverse Brayton-cycle operation of the gas-turbine a valve member blocks fluid communication between said ambient inlet port and said compressor-inlet outlet port; and said multiport valve further includes a sixth port, a heat-exchanger hot-stream outlet inlet port in fluid communication with a hot-stream outlet of said heat-exchanger. 
     
     
         9 . The gas-turbine of  claim 8 , further comprising an additional valve functionally associated with a hot-stream outlet of said heat-exchanger, wherein during inverse Brayton-cycle operation of the gas-turbine, said additional valve allows fluid communication from said hot-stream outlet of said heat-exchanger to an inlet of said compressor. 
     
     
         10 . The gas-turbine of  claim 9 , wherein during Brayton-cycle operation of the gas-turbine, said additional valve allows fluid communication from said hot-stream outlet of a heat-exchanger to an exhaust outlet of the gas-turbine through said heat-exchanger hot-stream outlet inlet port. 
     
     
         11 . The gas-turbine of  claim 8 , further comprising a component functionally associated with said heat-exchanger hot-stream outlet inlet port, allowing flow of fluid from said hot-stream outlet of said heat-exchanger through said heat-exchanger hot-stream outlet inlet port and blocking flow of fluid from said multiport valve to said hot-stream outlet of said heat-exchanger through said heat-exchanger hot-stream outlet inlet port. 
     
     
         12 . The gas-turbine of  claim 11 , wherein said component comprises a undirectional valve that is part of said multiport valve. 
     
     
         13 . The gas-turbine of  claim 8 , said multiport valve further comprising a bypass conduit providing fluid communication between said heat-exchanger hot-stream outlet inlet port and said compressor-inlet outlet port, and wherein during Brayton-cycle operation of the gas-turbine, a said valve member blocks said fluid communication between said heat-exchanger hot-stream outlet inlet port and said compressor-inlet outlet port through said bypass conduit. 
     
     
         14 . A multiport valve suitable for use with a gas-turbine allowing switching of a mode of gas-turbine operation between a Brayton cycle and an inverse Brayton cycle, comprising:
 a) a valve body defining a void in the form of a plurality of fluid conduits;   b) at least five ports leading to said void comprising:
 a compressor-outlet inlet port, an ambient inlet port, a heat-exchanger cold-stream inlet outlet port, an exhaust outlet port and a fifth port; 
   c) a first valve member inside said valve body movable between at least two positions, a first position and a second position; and   d) a second valve member inside said valve body movable between at least two positions, a first position and a second position,   
       where a position of said first valve member and a position of said second valve member together define fluid communication between said inlet ports and said outlet ports through said void. 
     
     
         15 . The valve of  claim 14 , said first valve member and said second valve member configured to cooperatively move between said first positions and said second positions. 
     
     
         16 . The valve of  claim 14 , said first valve member and said second valve member configured to move independently between said first positions and said second positions. 
     
     
         17 . The valve of  claim 14 , wherein:
 said first valve member in said first position blocks fluid communication between said ambient inlet port and said heat-exchanger cold-stream inlet outlet port and in said second position blocks fluid communication between said ambient inlet port and said fifth port, a compressor inlet outlet port; and   said second valve member in said first position blocks fluid communication between said compressor-outlet inlet port and said exhaust outlet port and in said second position blocks fluid communication between said compressor-outlet inlet port and said heat-exchanger cold-stream inlet outlet port.   
     
     
         18 . The valve of  claim 14 , wherein:
 said first valve member in said first position blocks fluid communication between said compressor-outlet inlet port and said exhaust outlet port and in said second position blocks fluid communication between said fifth port, a heat-exchanger hot-stream outlet inlet port, and said exhaust outlet port; and   said second valve member in said first position blocks fluid communication between said ambient inlet port and said heat-exchanger cold-stream inlet outlet port and in said second position blocks fluid communication between said compressor-outlet inlet port and said heat-exchanger cold-stream inlet outlet port.   
     
     
         19 . The valve of  claim 14 , wherein:
 said first valve member in said first position blocks fluid communication between said ambient inlet port and said heat-exchanger cold-stream inlet outlet port and in said second position blocks fluid communication between said ambient inlet port and said fifth port, a compressor inlet outlet port and said second valve member in said first position blocks fluid communication between a sixth port, a heat-exchanger hot-stream outlet inlet port, and said heat-exchanger cold-stream inlet outlet port and in said second position blocks fluid communication between said compressor-outlet inlet port and said heat-exchanger cold-stream inlet outlet port.   
     
     
         20 . The valve of  claim 19 , further comprising a component functionally associated with said heat-exchanger hot-stream outlet inlet port, allowing flow of fluid into said void through said heat-exchanger hot-stream outlet inlet port and blocking flow of fluid from said void out through said heat-exchanger hot-stream outlet inlet port. 
     
     
         21 . The valve of  claim 20 , wherein said component comprises a unidirectional valve. 
     
     
         22 . The valve of  claim 19 , further comprising a bypass conduit providing fluid communication between said heat-exchanger hot-stream outlet inlet port and said compressor inlet outlet port, and a third valve member inside said valve body movable between at least two positions, a first position and a second position, wherein
 in said first position said third valve member blocks fluid communication between said heat-exchanger hot-stream outlet inlet port and said compressor inlet outlet port through said bypass conduit; and   in said second position said third valve member blocks fluid communication between said heat-exchanger hot-stream outlet inlet port and said exhaust outlet port.   
     
     
         23 . The valve of  claim 22 , said first valve member, said second valve member and said third valve member configured to cooperatively move between said first positions and said second positions. 
     
     
         24 . The valve of  claim 22 , wherein at least one of said first valve member, said second valve member and said third valve member is configured to move between said first position and said second position independently of at least one other said valve member. 
     
     
         25 . The valve of  claim 14 , wherein at least one of said valve members is movable to at least one intermediate position between a respective said first position and respective said second position, thereby allowing fluid communication between a said inlet port and at least two said outlet ports. 
     
     
         26 . The valve of  claim 14 , wherein at least one valve member is fashioned as an airfoil having an aerodynamic profile. 
     
     
         27 . The valve of  claim 25 , wherein said second valve member is movable to at least one said intermediate position, providing fluid communication between said compressor-outlet inlet port and said heat-exchanger cold-stream inlet outlet port and said exhaust outlet port. 
     
     
         28 . The valve of  claim 25 , wherein said first valve member is movable to a said intermediate position, providing fluid communication between said ambient inlet port and said heat-exchanger cold-stream inlet outlet port and a compressor outlet port. 
     
     
         29 . The valve of  claim 25 , comprising a said third valve member, wherein said third valve member is movable to a said intermediate position, providing fluid communication between a heat-exchanger hot-stream outlet inlet port and said exhaust outlet port and a compressor-inlet outlet port. 
     
     
         30 . The valve of  claim 14 , wherein at least one valve member is configured to vary a size of a fluid path between a said inlet port and a outlet port while said valve member in a said first position and/or a second position. 
     
     
         31 . The valve of  claim 30 , wherein said second valve member is configured to vary a size of a fluid path between said compressor-outlet inlet port and said heat-exchanger cold-stream inlet outlet port when in said first position. 
     
     
         32 . The valve of  claim 30 , wherein said first valve member is configured to vary a size of a fluid path between said ambient inlet port and said heat-exchanger cold-stream inlet outlet port when in said second position. 
     
     
         33 . The valve of  claim 30 , further comprising an additional valve member movable inside said valve body and configured to vary a size of a fluid path between said compressor-outlet inlet port and said heat-exchanger cold-stream inlet outlet port. 
     
     
         34 . The valve of  claim 14 , further comprising an additional valve member movable inside said valve body and configured to vary a size of a fluid path between said ambient inlet port and said heat-exchanger cold-stream inlet outlet port. 
     
     
         35 . The valve of  claim 14 , further comprising a permeable section between a first region and a second region of said void, providing fluid communication between said first region and said second region. 
     
     
         36 . The valve of  claim 35 , wherein said permeable section is unidirectional, allowing passage of fluid from said first region to said second region, and blocking passage of fluid from said second region to said first region. 
     
     
         37 . A gas-turbine configured to switch between a high-pressure operation mode according to a Brayton cycle and a low-pressure operation mode according to an inverse Brayton cycle, comprising a valve of  claim 14 . 
     
     
         38 . The gas-turbine of  claim 37 , further configured to switch to an intermediate pressure mode between said high-pressure operation mode and said low-pressure operation mode. 
     
     
         39 . A method of operating a gas-turbine according to an inverse Brayton cycle, comprising:
 a. providing a conduit allowing fluid communication between a compressor of the gas-turbine and a cold-stream inlet of a heat-exchanger of the gas-turbine; and   b. during inverse Brayton cycle operation of the gas-turbine, directing fluid from said compressor to said heat-exchanger cold-stream inlet through said conduit so that a portion of the fluid entering said heat-exchanger cold-stream inlet is from said compressor.   
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39 , further comprising: adjusting a size of said conduit so as to control an amount of fluid entering said cold-stream inlet from said compressor. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein between about 30% and about 70% by mass of the fluid entering the cold-stream inlet is from said compressor. 
     
     
         42 . A gas-turbine comprising, when operating according to an inverse Brayton cycle,
 a. an air inlet configured to direct fluid into a cold-stream conduit of a heat-exchanger through a cold-stream inlet;   b. conduits to direct fluid from said cold-stream conduit to a combustor, from said combustor to a turbine, from said turbine to a hot-stream conduit of said heat-exchanger, from said hot-stream conduit to a compressor, and from said compressor to an exhaust outlet; and   c. a conduit allowing passage of fluid from said compressor into said cold-stream inlet of said heat-exchanger.   
     
     
         43 . The gas-turbine of  claim 42 , wherein said conduit allowing passage of fluid from said compressor into said cold-stream inlet is of fixed size. 
     
     
         44 . The gas-turbine of  claim 42 , wherein a size of said conduit allowing passage of fluid from said compressor into said cold-stream inlet is adjustable. 
     
     
         45 . The gas-turbine of  claim 42 , wherein said conduit allowing passage of fluid from said compressor into said cold-stream inlet is configured so that during operation of the gas-turbine according to an inverse Brayton cycle between about 30% and about 70% by mass of the fluid entering said cold-stream inlet is from said compressor.