Rotary Liquid Piston Compression for Supercritical Fluid Pressure Exchange
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional power generation systems using Rankine cycles face inefficiencies when dealing with supercritical fluids, as compressing them is not as efficient as pumping liquids, and there is limited thermodynamic efficiency in transferring work and pressure.
Innovation Solution
A power generation system incorporating a rotary liquid piston compressor that exchanges pressure between a liquid and a supercritical fluid, using a rotor with channels and barriers to minimize mixing, and a thermal management system for efficient heat transfer, allowing for iso-thermal compression and increased efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If conventional compressors are used to compress supercritical fluids, then the compression process can be completed, but the efficiency is low compared to pumping liquids
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a liquid intermediary fluid that acts as a mediator to transfer pressure to the supercritical working fluid. The liquid piston compresses the supercritical fluid indirectly through pressure exchange, achieving compression efficiency comparable to liquid pumping while maintaining the supercritical state of the working fluid.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs hydraulic principles by using a liquid piston to transmit mechanical pressure to the supercritical fluid through a barrier membrane. This hydraulic pressure transmission mechanism enables efficient compression by leveraging the incompressibility and high density characteristics of liquids.
2Device complexity
If direct compression of supercritical fluids is used, then the process is simple, but thermodynamic efficiency is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The compression chamber is segmented into two distinct regions by a barrier membrane: a liquid piston region and a supercritical fluid region. This segmentation allows independent optimization of each fluid's properties while enabling efficient pressure transfer through the barrier, improving thermodynamic efficiency without excessive complexity.
3Stress or pressure
If liquid and supercritical fluid are allowed to mix, then pressure transfer is direct, but fluid contamination occurs
Solution Approach 1:
A barrier membrane serves as an intermediary between the liquid piston and supercritical fluid, allowing direct pressure transfer through mechanical contact while preventing fluid mixing. The barrier transmits compressive forces efficiently while maintaining complete fluid separation, eliminating contamination risks.
4Device complexity
If compression without thermal management is used, then the system is simpler, but heat transfer efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The liquid piston serves multiple functions simultaneously: it transmits compression pressure to the supercritical fluid, manages thermal energy through its heat capacity, and prevents fluid mixing. This multi-functionality enables efficient thermal management during compression without requiring separate complex thermal control systems.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system achieves higher energy densities and reduced turbine size, with efficiencies exceeding 50% in transferring work and pressure, and maintains thermodynamic efficiency by using liquid-like properties of supercritical fluids.
Implementation Method 1
a rotary liquid piston compressor that exchanges pressure between a liquid and a supercritical fluid
Implementation Method 2
a rotor that exchanges pressure between the liquid and the supercritical fluid as the rotor rotates
Implementation Method 3
a thermal management system that surrounds at least a portion of the rotor and that exchanges heat with the rotary liquid piston compressor
Implementation Method 4
allowing for iso-thermal compression and increased efficiency
Implementation Method 5
A plurality of barriers block mixing between the liquid and the supercritical fluid. The plurality of barriers rest within the rotor.
Data Source
AI summary
A system includes a rotary liquid piston compressor configured to exchange pressure between a liquid and a supercritical fluid. The rotary liquid piston compressor includes a rotor configured to exchange pressure between the liquid and the supercritical fluid as the rotor rotates. The rotor defines channels that extend through the rotor. The rotary liquid piston compressor further includes barriers configured to block mixing between the liquid and the supercritical fluid. The barriers rest within the rotor. Each channel of the channels is configured to receive a barrier of the barriers.