A waste heat recovery system for an engine is disclosed. In one example, the waste heat recovery system includes an expander, a first heat exchanger system, and a second heat exchanger system. The expander is configured to convert waste heat from a working fluid into mechanical energy. The first heat exchanger system is in fluid communication with the expander, the first heat exchanger system disposed upstream of the expander. The second heat exchanger system is in fluid communication with the expander and is disposed upstream of the expander and arranged in parallel with the first heat exchanger system.

Systems and methods to control power plant operation via control of turbine run-up and acceleration are disclosed. According to one embodiment of the disclosure, a method of controlling a turbine in a power plant can be provided. The method may include receiving an operating pressure of a condenser associated with a power plant; receiving a rotor speed of a turbine associated with the power plant; receiving a last stage blade (LSB) protection limit for the turbine; based at least in part on the operating pressure of the condenser, the rotor speed of the turbine, and the LSB protection limit, allowing, via a control system, a run-up of the turbine. The method may further include: receiving a rotor speed gradient of the turbine; receiving one or more critical speed ranges associated with the rotor speed of the turbine; and based at least in part on the operating pressure of the condenser, the rotor speed, the rotor speed gradient, and the one or more critical speed ranges, regulating, via the control system, at least one of: the rotor speed of the turbine and the rotor speed gradient of the turbine.

A system for the generation of electrical power using a solar collector that heats water using solar energy. The heated water is stored in a first tank. A vessel is connected to the first tank through a pipe and includes a headspace within which the heated water is sprayed to thereby generate steam. The headspace pressure is lower than atmospheric pressure and the water not converted to steam is collected in a pool at the bottom of the vessel to be fed back into the first tank. The steam is fed to a partial admission turbine that drives an electrical generator.

Methods and systems for lifting wellbore fluids in a subterranean well towards a surface include providing a closed water system free of fluid communication with the wellbore fluids, the closed water system having a water storage tank located outside of a high temperature zone of the subterranean well. Water from the water storage tank is circulated into the high temperature zone of the subterranean well to form a steam. A downhole steam turbine is rotated by the steam to drive a submersible pump system in fluid communication with the wellbore fluids and the wellbore fluids are lifted towards the surface with the submersible pump system. The steam exiting from the steam turbine is directed towards the water storage tank.

An expansion apparatus for recovering waste heat may include two or more turbines and a distribution valve distributing working fluid supplied from the boiler to the two or more turbines, wherein the two or more turbines include a power turbine and one or more auxiliary turbines, and the power turbine is configured to receive a larger amount of working fluid than the one or more auxiliary turbines.

A valve assembly for use to regulate a flow of steam in a flowpath of a turbine. The valve assembly can be configured with a body that circumscribes a rotor. The body is disposed upstream of the rotor blades. In one implementation, the body forms an annular ring with a plurality of arcuate segments, each being configured to move independently of the other segments in the ring to change the size of an annular gap between the arcuate segments and the rotor. The size of the annular gap corresponds with flow parameters for working fluid that flows across the rotor and that exits the turbine for use in pre-heaters and like collateral equipment.

A control system for a power plant includes a sensor that measures a rotor surface temperature of a steam turbine rotor, where the temperature is a function of exhaust gasses from a heat source for heating steam to a target temperature. The control system includes a controller coupled to the sensor and configured to compute the target temperature using an inverse process model for steam turbine rotor stress dynamics, and based on a reference steam turbine rotor stress and a feedback steam turbine rotor stress, compute a measured steam turbine rotor stress based on a measured surface temperature of the steam turbine rotor, compute an estimated steam turbine rotor stress using a process model for the steam turbine rotor stress dynamics, and based on the target temperature, and compute the feedback steam turbine rotor stress based on the measured steam turbine rotor stress and the estimated steam turbine rotor stress.

A device for controlling a supply of a working fluid to a power generation cycle with a compressor compressing the working fluid and a precooler cooling the working fluid supplied to the compressor comprises a storage tank storing the working fluid supplied to the power generation cycle and a flotation tank disposed between the precooler and the compressor to flow or temporarily store the working fluid, wherein a pressure within the flotation tank and a flow rate of the working fluid are controlled based on pressures at an inlet of the compressor and an outlet of the precooler.

In one embodiment, a combined cycle power plant includes first and second superheaters to generate first and second main steams, first and second reheaters to heat first and second discharge steams to generate first and second reheat steams, and a steam turbine to be supplied with the merged first and second reheat steams. The plant further includes a first valve to adjust a flow rate of the first discharge or reheat steam, and a second valve to adjust a flow rate of the second discharge or reheat steam. A plant control apparatus includes a determination module to determine a target opening degree of the second valve by using flow rates of the first and second main steams, and a controller to compare the determined target opening degree with a valve opening degree of the second valve and to control the second valve based on a comparison result.

Methods and systems for generating power (and optionally heat) from a high value heat source using a plurality of circulating loops comprising a primary heat transfer loop, several power cycle loops and an intermediate heat transfer loop that transfers heat from the high-temperature heat transfer loop to the several power cycle loops. The intermediate heat transfer loop is arranged to eliminate to the extent practical the shell and tube heat exchangers especially those heat exchangers that have a very large pressure difference between the tube side and shell side, to eliminate shell and tube, plate type, double pipe and similar heat exchangers that transfer heat directly from the primary heat transfer loop to the several power cycle loops with very high differential pressures and to maximize the use of heat transfer coils similar in design as are used in a heat recovery steam generator commonly used to transfer heat from gas turbine flue gas to steam or other power cycle fluids as part of a combined cycle power plant.