Hydrothermal Power Plant

Abstract

A super critical water oxidation reactor (SCWOR) serves as an extremely efficient power source in a power plant by coupling the various output streams in thermal communication with multiply staged or cascaded compressor-expanders that are themselves mechanically coupled to a motor or generator. In one embodiment heat from re-circulating liquid brine loop either directly or indirectly preheats the exhaust gases of the SCWOR prior to expansion. In another embodiment the heat of compression is used to preheat the effluent of an expander prior to a subsequent expansion stage. The re-circulating brine loop also preferably preheats expander effluent prior to a subsequent expansion stage.

We claim: 
     
         1 ) A power generating plant that comprises:
 a) super critical water oxidation reactor (SCWOR) having at least one first feed port for reactants, a second feed port to receive a portion of the effluent there from after re-pressurization, and an exit port for exhaust of effluent,   b) a gravity separator having;
 i) an inlet for receiving the exhaust of the SCWOR, 
 ii) at least one gas outlet, 
 iii) at least one fluid outlet for hot fluid brine, 
 iv) at least one fluid inlet for brine that is cooler than that exciting at the at least one outlet for hot fluid brine, 
   c) a brine circulation loop for routing heated fluid brine from the at least one outlet of the gravity separator and returning it to the at least one fluid inlet port thereof,   d) at least a first pair of an air compressor and an expander in a cascade arrangement and coupled in rotary motion by a common axial drive mechanism, wherein the hot exhaust gas from the at least one gas outlet of the gravity separator enters the expander to drive the common axial drive mechanism, wherein re-pressurized gas exhausted from the air compressor is returned to the SCWR at the second feed port thereof,   e) at least one heat exchanger that is coupled to said brine circulation loop to provide for reheating of gas prior to entry into an expander,   f) at least one of a motor and motor/generator with a rotary coupling to the common axial drive mechanism of the air compressor-expander pair, wherein the rotary motion of the common axial drive mechanism supplies mechanical power driving the generator for at least one of electric power generation and driving the air compressor.   
     
     
         2 ) A power generating plant according to  claim 1  that further comprises;
 a) a second pair of an air compressor and an expander coupled in rotary motion by a common axial drive mechanism, 
 b) a second heat exchanger that is coupled to the exhaust of a compressor to receive energy there form for re-heating a fluid passing there through, 
 c) wherein the exhaust from the expander of the first pair is reheated in the second heat exchanger before entering the expander of the of second pair, 
 d) wherein the rotary motion of the common axial drive mechanism of at least one of the first and second expander-compressor pair supplies mechanical power driving the generator for at least one of electric power generation and driving the air compressor. 
 
     
     
         3 ) A power generating plant according to  claim 2  further comprising a third heat exchanger that is coupled to said brine circulation loop to receive energy there form for re-heating a fluid passing there through. 
     
     
         4 ) A power generating plant according to  claim 1  that further comprises a quench cooler disposed to receive the effluent from the exit port of the SCWOR fluid for mixing therein with fluid received from the brine circulation loop and returning the mixture thereof to the gravity separator at the at least one fluid port thereof. 
     
     
         5 ) A power generating plant that comprises:
 a) super critical water oxidation reactor (SCWOR) having a feed port for reactants and an exit port for exhaust,   b) a gravity separator having;
 i) an inlet for receiving the exhaust of the SCWOR, 
 ii) at least one gas outlet, 
 iii) at least one fluid outlet for hot fluid brine, 
 iv) at least one fluid inlet for brine that is cooler than that exciting at the at least one outlet for hot fluid brine, 
   c) a brine circulation loop for routing heated fluid brine from the at least one outlet of the gravity separator and returning it to the at least one fluid inlet port thereof,   d) at least one expanders coupled in rotary motion to a generator, wherein the at least one expander receives and is driven by gas exhausted from the at least one gas outlet of the gravity separator,   e) a steam generator located in the hot brine recirculation loop that generates steam which it then provides a steam turbine system for power generation than that produced by the at least one expander.   
     
     
         6 ) A power generating plant according to  claim 5  that further comprises a quench cooler disposed to receive the effluent from the exit port of the SCWOR fluid for mixing therein with fluid received from the brine circulation loop and returning the mixture thereof to the gravity separator at the at least one fluid port thereof. 
     
     
         7 ) A power generating plant that comprises:
 a) a super critical water oxidation reactor (SCWOR) having at least one first feed port for reactants, a second feed port to receive a portion of the effluent there from after re-pressurization, and an exit port for exhaust of effluent,   b) a gravity separator having;
 i) an inlet for receiving the exhaust of the SCWOR, 
 ii) at least one gas outlet, 
 iii) at least one fluid outlet for hot fluid brine, 
 iv) at least one fluid inlet for brine that is cooler than that exciting at the at least one outlet for hot fluid brine, 
   c) a flash evaporator for receiving a liquid solid mixture from the bottom of the brine separator, the flash evaporator having an upper gas outlet portal and a lower fluid outlet portal,   d) a brine circulation loop for routing fluid brine from the lower fluid outlet portal of the flash evaporator and returning it to the at least one fluid inlet port of the gravity separator,   e) a first expander coupled in rotary motion to a generator, wherein the first expander receives and is driven by gas exhausted from the at least one of the one gas outlet of the gravity separator and the upper gas outlet portal of the flash evaporator.   
     
     
         8 ) A power generating plant according to  claim 7  that further comprises a quench cooler disposed to receive the effluent from the exit port of the SCWOR fluid for mixing therein with fluid received from the brine circulation loop and returning the mixture thereof to the gravity separator at the at least one fluid port thereof. 
     
     
         9 ) A power generating plant according to  claim 7  that further comprises a second expander coupled in rotary motion to drive the generator, wherein the first expander receives and is driven by gas exhausted from the at least one of the one gas outlet of the gravity separator, and the second expander receives and is driven by a mixture the upper gas outlet portal of the flash evaporator plus the exhaust from the preceding expander. 
     
     
         10 ) A power generating plant according to  claim 8  wherein the first expander has an outlet port for exhausted lower pressure gas, and the second expander is in fluid communication with the outlet port of the first expander to receives and be driven by the exhausted lower pressure gas. 
     
     
         11 ) A power generating plant according to  claim 10  that further comprises a quench cooler disposed to receive the effluent from the exit port of the SCWOR fluid for mixing therein with fluid received from the brine circulation loop and returning the mixture thereof to the gravity separator at the at least one fluid port thereof. 
     
     
         12 ) A power generating plant according to  claim 10  that further comprises a superheater disposed at least partially within the SCWOR, wherein the superheater receives gas from a gas outlet of at least one of the gravity separator and the flash drum and returns hotter gas to the first expander. 
     
     
         13 ) A process for generating power, the process comprising the step of:
 a) oxidizing an aqueous suspension of combustible matter in a SCWOR having a transpiring wall to generate hot effluent exiting there from,   b) cooling the hot effluent by mixing with an aqueous media to form a two phase brine,   c) extracting gas from the 2 phase brine to form a liquid brine,   d) driving a generator with the extracted gas,   e) re-circulating at least a portion of the liquid brine as the aqueous media.   
     
     
         14 ) A process for generating power according to  claim 13  wherein gas is extracted from the liquid brine in a first stage and thereafter in a second stage, wherein the gas extracted in the first stage is at a higher pressure than the gas from the second stage, and the gas from the first stage is directed to a first expander and the gas from the second stage is directed to a second expander. 
     
     
         15 ) A process for generating power according to  claim 14  wherein the first and second expander are mechanically coupled to drive a common generator and gas exhausted by the first expander also drives the second expander. 
     
     
         16 ) A process for generating power according to  claim 13  further comprising extracting heat from the liquid brine before said step of re-circulating. 
     
     
         17 ) A process for generating power according to  claim 16  wherein the heat extracted from the heat from the liquid brine pre-heats the aqueous suspension before it is oxidized in the SCWOR. 
     
     
         18 ) A process for generating power according to  claim 13  further comprising the steps of
 a) condensing water from gas that is exhausted from the first expander, 
 b) returning said condensed water to the SCWOR. 
 
     
     
         19 ) A process for generating power according to  claim 18  wherein the water returned to the SCWOR is at least one of:
 a) mixed with the aqueous suspension that is oxidized; and 
 b) injected between an inner wall of the SCWOR and the transpiring wall. 
 
     
     
         20 ) A process for generating power according to  claim 13  wherein gas is extracted from the liquid brine in a first stage and thereafter in a second stage, and the first extraction stage is in a gravity separator and the second extraction stage is in a flash drum, wherein an intermediate brine flows from an exit port of the gravity separator to an inlet port of the flash drum.