US-12624681-B2 - Geothermal power generation systems with pressure exchangers

US12624681B2US 12624681 B2US12624681 B2US 12624681B2US-12624681-B2

Abstract

A system includes a pressure exchanger (PX) configured to receive a first fluid via a first inlet and a second fluid via a second inlet. The PX is to exchange pressure between the first fluid and the second fluid and provide the first fluid at a first outlet and the second fluid at a second outlet. The system further includes a heat exchanger to exchange corresponding thermal energy between the first fluid and the second fluid. The system further includes a turbine configured to receive the second fluid output from the first heat exchanger and convert corresponding energy of the second fluid into rotational kinetic energy.

Inventors

Azam Mihir Thatte

Assignees

ENERGY RECOVERY, INC.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20230519

Claims (20)

1 . A system, comprising: a pressure exchanger (PX) configured to receive a first fluid at a first pressure via a first inlet of the PX from a geothermal source, receive a second fluid at a second pressure via a second inlet of the PX, and exchange pressure between the first fluid and the second fluid, wherein the first fluid is to exit the PX at a third pressure via a first outlet of the PX, and wherein the second fluid is to exit the PX at a fourth pressure via a second outlet of the PX; a first flow valve configured to receive the second fluid at the fourth pressure and a third fluid at the fourth pressure, wherein the first flow valve is further configured to combine the third fluid with the second fluid; a first heat exchanger configured to exchange corresponding thermal energy between the first fluid at approximately the third pressure and the second fluid at approximately the fourth pressure; and a turbine configured to receive the second fluid output from the first heat exchanger and convert corresponding energy of the second fluid into rotational kinetic energy.
2 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising: a generator mechanically coupled to the turbine, wherein the generator is configured to generate electricity responsive to the turbine converting corresponding thermal energy of the second fluid into kinetic energy.
3 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising: a second heat exchanger configured to receive fluid output from the turbine and provide corresponding thermal energy from the fluid output from the turbine to the second fluid input to the first heat exchanger to increase temperature of the second fluid input to the first heat exchanger.
4 . The system of claim 3 , further comprising: a third heat exchanger configured to receive fluid output from the second heat exchanger, the third heat exchanger configured to provide corresponding thermal energy from the fluid output from the second heat exchanger to a corresponding environment.
5 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising: a second flow valve configured to provide the second fluid at the second pressure to the PX and to provide the third fluid at the second pressure; and a compressor or pump configured to receive the third fluid at the second pressure from the second flow valve and increase pressure of the third fluid to the fourth pressure, wherein the first a flow valve is configured to receive the second fluid at the fourth pressure from the PX and the third fluid at the fourth pressure from the compressor, wherein the first flow valve is further configured to combine the second fluid with the fourth fluid.
6 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising: a motor coupled to a rotor of the PX, wherein the motor is configured to control a rotational velocity of the rotor.
7 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising: a booster configured to: receive the second fluid and increase pressure of the second fluid to the second pressure; and provide the second fluid at the second pressure to the PX via the second inlet; and a pump configured to: receive the first fluid from the geothermal source and increase pressure of the first fluid to the first pressure; and provide the first fluid at the first pressure to the PX via the first inlet.
8 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising: a booster configured to: receive the second fluid from the second outlet of the PX and increase pressure of the second fluid; and provide the second fluid to be combined with output of a compressor and input to the first heat exchanger.
9 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising: a first receiver configured to receive the first fluid from the first outlet of the PX, wherein the first receiver forms a first chamber configured to separate the first fluid into a first gas and a first liquid; and a second receiver configured to receive the second fluid from the second outlet of the PX, wherein the second receiver forms a second chamber configured to separate the second fluid into a second gas and a second liquid.
10 . The system of claim 9 , further comprising: a first compressor configured to: receive the first gas from the first receiver and increase pressure of the first gas; and provide the first gas to be combined with output of a second compressor and input to the first heat exchanger.
11 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising: a second heat exchanger configured to receive the second fluid output from the turbine and provide corresponding thermal energy from the second fluid to a fourth fluid to increase temperature of the fourth fluid; a third heat exchanger configured to receive the second fluid output from the second heat exchanger and provide corresponding thermal energy from the second fluid to the fourth fluid to increase temperature of the fourth fluid; and a compressor configured to receive at least a portion of the second fluid output from the third heat exchanger, increase pressure of the at least a portion of the second fluid, and provide the at least a portion of the second fluid to be combined with the fourth fluid to form the fourth fluid.
12 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first heat exchanger is configured to: receive the first fluid output from the PX at the third pressure; or receive the first fluid from the geothermal source and provide the first fluid to the PX at the first pressure.
13 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the second fluid comprises one or more of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), a hydrofluorocarbon, or a hydrocarbon.
14 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first pressure is higher than the second pressure, and wherein the third pressure is lower than the fourth pressure.
15 . A method, comprising: causing, via a pressure exchanger (PX) pressure to be exchanged between a first fluid received from a geothermal source and a second fluid, wherein the PX is to decrease pressure of the first fluid from a first pressure to a third pressure and increase pressure of the second fluid from a second pressure to a fourth pressure; causing, via a first flow valve configured to receive the second fluid at the fourth pressure and a third fluid at the fourth pressure, the third fluid to be combined with the second fluid; causing, via a first heat exchanger, corresponding thermal energy to be provided from the first fluid at approximately the third pressure to the second fluid at approximately the fourth pressure; and causing, via a turbine, conversion of corresponding energy of the second fluid into rotational kinetic energy.
16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the PX is to receive the first fluid at the first pressure via the first inlet of the PX from the geothermal source and the PX is to receive the second fluid at the second pressure via a second inlet of the PX, wherein the PX is to exchange pressure between the first fluid and the second fluid, wherein the first fluid is to exit the PX at the third pressure via a first outlet of the PX, and wherein the second fluid is to exit the PX at the fourth pressure via a second outlet of the PX.
17 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising: causing, via a first receiver forming a first chamber, separation of the first fluid output from the PX into a first gas and a first liquid; and causing, via a second receiver forming a second chamber, separation of the second fluid output from the PX into a second gas and a second liquid.
18 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processing device, cause the processing device to perform operations comprising: causing, via a pressure exchanger (PX) pressure to be exchanged between a first fluid received from a geothermal source and a second fluid, wherein the PX is to decrease pressure of the first fluid from a first pressure to a third pressure and increase pressure of the second fluid from a second pressure to a fourth pressure; causing, via a first flow valve configured to receive the second fluid at the fourth pressure and a third fluid at the fourth pressure, the third fluid to be combined with the second fluid; causing, via a first heat exchanger, corresponding thermal energy to be provided from the first fluid at approximately the third pressure to the second fluid at approximately the fourth pressure; and causing, via a turbine, conversion of corresponding energy of the second fluid into rotational kinetic energy.
19 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18 , wherein the PX is to receive the first fluid at the first pressure via a first inlet of the PX from the geothermal source and the PX is to receive the second fluid at the second pressure via a second inlet of the PX, wherein the PX is to exchange pressure between the first fluid and the second fluid, wherein the first fluid is to exit the PX at the third pressure via a first outlet of the PX, and wherein the second fluid is to exit the PX at the fourth pressure via a second outlet of the PX.
20 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18 , wherein the processing device is to perform operation further comprising: causing, via a second heat exchanger configured to receive fluid output from the turbine, corresponding thermal energy to be provided from the fluid output from the turbine to a corresponding environment.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 371 of International Patent Application No. PCT/US2023/023009, filed May 19, 2023, that claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/345,789, filed May 25, 2022, the contents of each are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to geothermal power generation systems, and, more particularly, geothermal power generation systems with pressure exchangers. BACKGROUND Systems use fluids at different pressures. Pumps and/or compressors may be used to increase pressure of fluids used by systems. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present disclosure is illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings. FIGS. 1A-B illustrate schematic diagrams of fluid handling systems including hydraulic energy transfer systems, according to certain embodiments. FIGS. 2A-E are exploded perspective views of pressure exchangers (PXs), according to certain embodiments. FIGS. 3A-D are schematic diagrams of geothermal power generation systems including PXs, according to certain embodiments. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a geothermal power generation system including a PX, according to certain embodiments. FIGS. 5A-5B are schematic diagrams of geothermal power generation systems including a PX, according to certain embodiments. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a geothermal power generation system including a PX, according to certain embodiments. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of a geothermal power generation system including a PX, according to certain embodiments. FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of a geothermal power generation system including a PX, according to certain embodiments. FIG. 9 is a flow diagram illustrating an example method for controlling a geothermal power generation system, according to certain embodiments. FIG. 10 is a block diagram illustrating a computer system, according to certain embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Embodiments described herein are related to geothermal power generation systems (e.g., geothermal fluid handling systems, energy generating systems that include a pressure exchanger, etc.). Systems may use fluids at different pressures. These systems may include hydraulic fracturing (e.g., fracking or fracing) systems, desalinization systems, refrigeration systems, heat pump systems, energy generation systems, mud pumping systems, slurry pumping systems, industrial fluid systems, waste fluid systems, fluid transportation systems, geothermal power generation systems, ground source systems, etc. Pumps or compressors may be used to increase pressure of fluid to be used by systems. Conventionally, geothermal systems (e.g., ground source, geothermal heat pump, ground source heat pump, etc.) transfers heat between the ground and the rest of the system. Conventional geothermal system include a geothermal heat pump (e.g., ground source heat pump) is a heating/cooling system for buildings that uses a type of heat pump to transfer heat to or from the ground and uses the relative consistency of temperatures of the Earth through the seasons. Conventional geothermal systems include systems that use heated fluid (e.g., hot water) from a geothermal source (e.g., from within the Earth, a heated portion of the Earth, from a hot aquifer via a production well, etc.) to heat and/or evaporate fluid into steam. The steam can be used to spin a turbine and the spinning turbine can then be used to generate electricity. Conventional geothermal systems decrease the pressure of hot, high pressure geothermal fluid from a production well to a low pressure before introducing the hot geothermal fluid into a heat exchanger, where heat is exchanged with the working fluid (e.g., water/steam) used in the turbine. The geothermal fluid is then reinjected into the ground (e.g., via a re-injection well into a hot aquifer). Because of the low temperature of the geothermal fluid received from the production well relative to the operating temperatures of steam turbine systems powered by combustion (e.g., coal-fired steam turbines, etc.), conventional geothermal power generation systems are inefficient. For example, according to the Carnot (ηmax=1-TLTH), maximum efficiency remains low when the hot source efficiency temperature (TH) is low. The high pressure of the geothermal fluid received from the production well in a geothermal power generation system can be used to increase efficiency of the system, notwithstanding the low relative temperature of the hot geothermal fluid. The systems, devices, and methods of the present disclosure provide fluid handling systems (e.g., for geothermal energy production, etc.) that include pressure exchangers (PXs). In some embodiments, a system (e.g., a fluid handling system, a heat transfer system, a geothermal power generation system, etc.) includes a PX that is configured to exchange pressure between