Systems and methods for cooling a power generation working fluid are disclosed that reduce the amount of cooling fluid used. These systems and methods save on water usage in the generation of power by thermoelectric power generation systems.

This disclosure provides flow components, methods of additive manufacture, and output manifolds for heat recovery steam generators incorporating flow components. A flow component may include an annular wall that defines a flow path for a fluid. The annular wall may have a normative region and a stress region. The annular wall in the stress region may include a continuous skin to form a portion of the interior wall surface and an additive manufactured mesh adjacent to the continuous skin to the interior of the annular wall. The annular wall in the normative region may have a cross-section with a different structure than the stress region.

This disclosure provides flow components, methods of additive manufacture, and output manifolds for heat recovery steam generators incorporating flow components. A flow component may include an annular wall that defines a flow path for a fluid. The annular wall may have a normative region and a stress region. The annular wall in the stress region may include a continuous skin to form a portion of the interior wall surface and an additive manufactured mesh adjacent to the continuous skin to the interior of the annular wall. The annular wall in the normative region may have a cross-section with a different structure than the stress region.

A condenser having passages of varying geometry for cooling of fluid. The condenser apparatus includes substantially parallel tubes each defining a channel and having an inlet at a first end and an outlet at a second end, the first end having a greater hydraulic diameter than the second end. Inlet and outlet manifolds are provided. The tubes may be oriented substantially vertically with the inlets above the respective outlets. A heat exchanger core comprises the tubes and substantially horizontally oriented fin material connecting the tubes. The tubes may receive a relatively higher temperature vapor or vapor and liquid mixture into the inlets of the tubes, around the tubes coolant flows substantially horizontally to remove heat from the tubes, and relatively cooler saturated liquid is discharged from the outlets. In one embodiment, the tube's channel splits into multiple channels to reduce the hydraulic diameter and increase the surface area ratio.

A condenser having passages of varying geometry for cooling of fluid. The condenser apparatus includes substantially parallel tubes each defining a channel and having an inlet at a first end and an outlet at a second end, the first end having a greater hydraulic diameter than the second end. Inlet and outlet manifolds are provided. The tubes may be oriented substantially vertically with the inlets above the respective outlets. A heat exchanger core comprises the tubes and substantially horizontally oriented fin material connecting the tubes. The tubes may receive a relatively higher temperature vapor or vapor and liquid mixture into the inlets of the tubes, around the tubes coolant flows substantially horizontally to remove heat from the tubes, and relatively cooler saturated liquid is discharged from the outlets. In one embodiment, the tube's channel splits into multiple channels to reduce the hydraulic diameter and increase the surface area ratio.

A non-circular coolant passage is disclosed, which includes one or more walls axially defining a flow path; an inlet connecting to a first end of the flow path; and an exit connecting to a second end of the flow path, wherein a size of a passage cross-section varies in the axial direction. In certain exemplary embodiments the passage cross-section size varies uniformly, while in others the passage cross-section size varies incrementally. In certain exemplary embodiments, an angular orientation of the passage cross-section varies in the axial direction. The cross-section angular orientation can vary uniformly, incrementally, or a combination of both. In still other embodiments, both the size of the passage cross-section and the angular orientation of the passage cross-section vary in the axial direction. In these embodiments, the passage cross-section size and/or the angular orientation of the passage cross-section can vary uniformly, incrementally, and/or a combination of the two.

A plate-fin condenser includes a plate body defining an interior channel having a fluid inlet, a first interior channel section having a first cross-sectional area in fluid communication with the inlet, a second interior channel section downstream of the first interior channel section, and a fluid outlet in fluid communication with the converging interior channel. The second interior channel section has a second cross-sectional area that is smaller than the first cross-sectional area.

A plate-fin condenser includes a plate body defining an interior channel having a fluid inlet, a first interior channel section having a first cross-sectional area in fluid communication with the inlet, a second interior channel section downstream of the first interior channel section, and a fluid outlet in fluid communication with the converging interior channel. The second interior channel section has a second cross-sectional area that is smaller than the first cross-sectional area.

A process for extracting a condensable vapor from a supplied gas, comprising the steps of: i) condensing the condensable vapor by cooling the supplied gas at a condensing surface, such that the supplied gas is divided into at least one condensed fraction and a product gas; while ii) removing the at least one condensed fraction from the condensing surface by mechanical scraping means.

A process for extracting a condensable vapor from a supplied gas, comprising the steps of: i) condensing the condensable vapor by cooling the supplied gas at a condensing surface, such that the supplied gas is divided into at least one condensed fraction and a product gas; while ii) removing the at least one condensed fraction from the condensing surface by mechanical scraping means.