Patent Publication Number: US-2019170024-A1

Title: Global cooling system and method

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S) 
     The present application is related to and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/584,693 filed Nov. 10, 2017, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The following includes information that may be useful in understanding the present disclosure. It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein is prior art nor material to the presently described or claimed inventions, nor that any publication or document that is specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates generally to the field of power generation of existing art and more specifically relates to power plants including vaporizing a motive fluid other than water. 
     RELATED ART 
     The Rankine Cycle includes the process in which heat engines generate power. Power depends on the temperature difference between a heat source and a cold source. The higher the difference, the more mechanical power can be produced from the heat energy. 
     Generally, there are four main components to a Rankine device used to produce power: 1) a pump, 2) boiler, 3) turbine, and 4) condenser. The heat sources used in these such power plants are usually nuclear fission, combustion of fuels, or a concentrated solar power source. The higher the temperature differential, the more power may be produced. 
     The efficiency of the Rankine Cycle can be limited by the heat of vaporization of the working fluid. Also, unless the pressure and temperature reach super critical levels in the steam boiler, the temperature range the cycle can operate over is quite small: steam turbine entry temperatures are typically around 565° C. (for conventional and large scale power plants) and steam condenser temperatures are around 30° C. in some applications (as seen in conventional and large scale power plants). This low steam turbine entry temperature (compared to a gas powered turbine) is why the Rankine (steam) Cycle is often used as a cycle to recover otherwise rejected heat in combined-cycle gas turbine power stations. The cold source (the colder the better) used in these power plants are usually cooling towers and/or a large body of water. The efficiency of the Rankine Cycle is limited on the cold side by the lower relative temperature of the working fluid as well as the high relative temperature of the other fluid. 
     Many fluids could be used as the working fluid of the Rankine Cycle, water is generally used because of its favorable properties (e.g., non-toxic, and mostly unreactive chemical nature, overall abundance, relative low cost, and thermodynamic properties). By condensing the working vapor to a liquid, the pressure at the turbine outlet is lowered and energy required by the pump consumes generally less than 5 percent of the turbine output power contributing to a relative high efficiency for the cycle. 
     A major limitation with the traditional use of the Rankine Cycle to produce a power output which includes the high temperature requirements relative to normal environmental conditions (e.g., burning fuels, nuclear combustion, etc.). Also, water has become a scarcer resource in recent years such that the net use of water for cooling often necessitates an overall consumption of water, which is not preferred. Therefore, a suitable solution is desired. 
     U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2012/0255302 to Rodney D. Hugelmand and Marc S. Alberin relates to a heating, cooling and power generations system. The described heating, cooling and power generations system includes a thermal separator/power generator that uses the thermodynamic properties of refrigerant substances to provide supplemental heating, cooling, and power without emitting any additional greenhouse gases to the environment by utilizing waste or unused heat energy. 
     This is accomplished through the combined operation of a Rankine Cycle Generator using a refrigerant, preferably a natural refrigerant such as NH3, as the working fluid, and a CO2 a vapor compression heat pump cycle, also called a Thermal Separator Module. The combined system is called a Thermal Separator/Power Generator. It produces electrical power and simultaneously produces secondary heating and water or air cooling as byproducts. In the combined vapor compression heat pump/Rankine power generator cycle, waste heat from external source(s) is/are recovered and used for heating in the Rankine power cycle. The CO2 heat pump provides cooling and optional space or process heating in lieu of heat boost efficiency for the Rankine power generator cycle. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known power plants art, the present disclosure provides a novel global cooling system and method. The general purpose of the present disclosure, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a global cooling system and method. 
     A global cooling system is disclosed herein. The global cooling system includes a heat-exchanger-boiler, a heat-exchanger-condenser, a pump, a compressor, a rotary-device, a generator, an electrical-power-inverter, and a voltage-regulator, in a preferred embodiment. The global cooling system utilizes a (relative) high-temperature-liquid from a water-source to heat a (relative) low-temperature-liquid to produce net heat and therefore power said generator via a Rankine Cycle. 
     The heat-exchanger-boiler is preferably configured to convert heat from the high-temperature-fluid to the low-temperature-fluid such that the heat is absorbed from the high-temperature-fluid into the low-temperature-fluid. Additionally, the heat-exchanger-condenser is configured to extract heat from the high-temperature-fluid such that the high-temperature-fluid is cooled. 
     The pump is configured to provide movement of the high-temperature-fluid and the low-temperature fluid where the compressor is configured to compress the low-temperature-fluid. The rotary-device is configured to convert heat from the high-temperature fluid to provide rotational motion in conjunction with the generator configured to convert the rotational motion from the rotary-device to produce a net power output, preferably a turbine. The electrical power-inverter is preferably electrically coupled to the rotary-device, and the voltage-regulator is coupled to the system. 
     Preferably, the low-temperature-liquid is R-410A refrigerant, and the high-temperature liquid is water, other low-temperature-liquids may be used. The water is provided from a water-source, preferably an aquifer. Also, the water is preferably returned to the water-source upon completion of the Rankine Cycle in a net cooled state. Also, the generator is preferably coupled to an electricity-storage-device, where the electricity-storage-device is batteries, as well as a power-grid. 
     According to another embodiment, a method of using a global cooling system is also disclosed herein. The method of using a global cooling system includes a first step, providing a global cooling system, the system including, a heat-exchanger-boiler, a heat-exchanger-condenser, a pump, a compressor, a generator, and a rotary-device; a second step, affixing the global cooling system to a water-source; a third step, heating a low-temperature-fluid via the water-source; a fourth step, producing power via the heating of said low-temperature-fluid, and a fifth step, returning the high-temperature-fluid to the water-source in a cooled state. 
     For purposes of summarizing the invention, certain aspects, advantages, and novel features of the invention have been described herein. It is to be understood that not necessarily all such advantages may be achieved in accordance with any one particular embodiment of the invention. Thus, the invention may be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving other advantages as may be taught or suggested herein. The features of the invention which are believed to be novel are particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the specification. These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings and detailed description. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The figures which accompany the written portion of this specification illustrate embodiments and methods of use for the present disclosure, a global cooling system and method, constructed and operative according to the teachings of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the global cooling system during an ‘in-use’ condition, according to an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is a diagram of a commonly used Rankine Cycle, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 3  is a diagram of the components of the global cooling system of  FIG. 1 , according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic view of the global cooling system of  FIG. 1 , according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 5  is a flow diagram illustrating a method of using a global cooling system, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     The various embodiments of the present invention will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the appended drawings, wherein like designations denote like elements. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     As discussed above, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a power plants including vaporizing a motive fluid and more particularly to a global cooling system and method as used to improve the production of power. 
     Generally, in the global cooling system, the working fluid used would not be water. The global cooling system would incorporate a material/liquid that boils at a much lower temperature for it to be possible to boil with a temperature of water at approximately 57 degrees Fahrenheit. An example of such a material may be R-410A type refrigerant that boils at approximately −60.7 degrees Fahrenheit under certain atmospheric conditions. When R-410A re-condenses, it expels heat that it has extracted from the water. 
     A rotary device such as a turbine, air motor, or other system that uses the treated R-410A refrigerant (or other suitable material) to produce rotary motion and turn a generator to produce electricity inserted between a first and second heat exchanger in the global cooling system. Heat may be absorbed by the boiling refrigerant in a heat exchanger which expels the absorbed heat in a second heat exchanger. Since running the machine is continually removing heat from the water and the water is returned to the source, the net effect of running the global cooling system is to produce electricity or mechanical output while cooling the water source. 
     Referring now more specifically to the drawings by numerals of reference, there is shown in  FIGS. 1-4 , various views of a global cooling system  100 . 
       FIG. 1  shows global cooling system  100  during an ‘in-use’ condition  150 , according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Here, global cooling system  100  may be beneficial for use to produce a power output while cooling a water-source  5 . As illustrated, global cooling system  100  may include heat-exchanger-boiler  110 , heat-exchanger-condenser  120 , pump  130 , compressor  138 , rotary-device  146 , and generator  144  (as shown in  FIGS. 1-4 ). In embodiments, system  100  may be readily movable and transportable. Alternate embodiments may include system  100  constructed as a permanent fixture (all shown in  FIGS. 1-4 ). 
     As described, heat-exchanger-boiler  110  may be configured to convert heat from high-temperature-fluid  160  to low-temperature-fluid  162  such that heat is absorbed from high-temperature-fluid  160  into low-temperature-fluid  162  ( FIG. 4 ). Also, heat-exchanger-condenser  120  may be configured to convert high-temperature-fluid  160  such that high-temperature-fluid  160  is cooled. Low-temperature-fluid  162  may include R-410A refrigerant. Embodiments may also include an alternate low-temperature-fluid  162 , or combination of fluids which may boil at a temperature below the temperature of the high-temperature fluid  160 , as shown in  FIGS. 1-4 . 
     Pump  130  may be configured to provide movement of high-temperature-fluid  160  and low-temperature fluid  162 . Additionally, compressor  138  may be configured to compress low-temperature-fluid  162 . Rotary-device  146  may be configured to convert heat from high-temperature-fluid  160  to provide rotational motion. Coupled to rotary-device  146  may be generator  144  configured to convert rotational motion from rotary-device  146  to produce a net power output. 
     Global cooling system  100  may utilize high-temperature-fluid  162  from water-source  5  to heat low-temperature-fluid  162  to produce net heat and therefore power generator via a Rankine Cycle. Water-source  5  may include a variety of sources. For example, water-source  5  may include an aquifer, a municipality, a surface water supply (e.g., lake, river, stream, ocean, sea, etc.). Upon completion of the cycle of system  100 , water may be returned to water-source  5  in a cooled condition. 
     Generator  144  may be electrically coupled to an electricity-storage-device (not shown), where the electricity-storage-device may include one or more batteries. Other embodiments may include other types of electricity storage. Further embodiments may include types of storage of energy (e.g., pumping water to an elevated location, retaining heat, etc.). Also, system  100  may further include electrical power-inverter  166  and/or voltage-regulator  168  such that system  100  is compatible with local electrical systems. System  100  may also be electrically coupled to a power-grid and/or a local electrical demand (e.g., home, business, etc.). 
     In various embodiments, rotary-device  146  may include one or more different power producing devices. As such, rotary-device  146  may include, but not limited to a turbine, rotary-pump, piston-pump, or any other suitable device. 
     According to one embodiment, the global cooling system  100  may be arranged as a kit  105 . In particular, the global cooling system  100  may further include a set of instructions  107 . The instructions  155  may detail functional relationships in relation to the structure of the global cooling system  100  such that the global cooling system  100  can be used, maintained, or the like, in a preferred manner. 
       FIG. 5  is a flow diagram illustrating method of using a global cooling system  500 , according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In particular, method of using a global cooling system  500  may include one or more components or features of global cooling system  100  as described above. As illustrated, method of using a global cooling system  500  may include: step one  501 , providing global cooling system  501 , system  100  including, heat-exchanger-boiler  110 , heat-exchanger-condenser  120 , pump  130 , compressor  138 , generator  144 , and rotary-device  146 , step two  502 , affixing global cooling system  100  to water-source  5 ; step three  503 , heating low-temperature-fluid  162  via water-source  5 ; step four, producing power via the heating of low-temperature-fluid  162 ; and step five  505 , returning high-temperature-fluid  160  to water-source  5  in a cooled state. 
     It should be noted that step five  505  is an optional step and may not be implemented in all cases. Optional steps of method of use  500  are illustrated using dotted lines in  FIG. 5  so as to distinguish them from the other steps of method of use  500 . It should also be noted that the steps described in the method of use can be carried out in many different orders according to user preference. 
     The use of “step of” should not be interpreted as “step for”, in the claims herein and is not intended to invoke the provisions of 35 U.S.C. § 112(f). It should also be noted that, under appropriate circumstances, considering such issues as design preference, user preferences, marketing preferences, cost, structural requirements, available materials, technological advances, etc., other methods of using a global cooling systems (NOTE: e.g., different step orders within above-mentioned list, elimination or addition of certain steps, including or excluding certain maintenance steps, etc.), are taught herein. 
     The embodiments of the invention described herein are exemplary and numerous modifications, variations and rearrangements can be readily envisioned to achieve substantially equivalent results, all of which are intended to be embraced within the spirit and scope of the invention. Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientist, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. 
     Upon reading this specification, it should be appreciated that, under appropriate circumstances, considering such issues as user preferences, design preference, structural requirements, marketing preferences, cost, available materials, technological advances, etc., other heating, cooling, and condensing arrangements such as, for example, alternate fluids, etc., may be sufficient. 
     Those with ordinary skill in the art will now appreciate that upon reading this specification and by their understanding the art of heating, cooling and the Rankine Cycle as described herein, methods of power production will be understood by those knowledgeable in such art.