Power plant

Abstract

A power plant includes a compressor configured to compress inlet air for combustion. The power plant also includes an air separation unit configured to receive and remove nitrogen from an air supply. The power plant further includes a fluid manipulator operably coupled to the air separation unit and the compressor, wherein the fluid manipulator is configured to receive nitrogen removed from the air separation unit at an inlet pressure and an inlet temperature and produce a modified pressure and a modified temperature of the nitrogen prior to selectively delivering the nitrogen to the compressor.

1 . A power plant comprising:
 a compressor configured to compress inlet air for combustion;   an air separation unit configured to receive and remove nitrogen from an air supply; and   a fluid manipulator operably coupled to the air separation unit and the compressor, wherein the fluid manipulator is configured to receive nitrogen removed from the air separation unit at an inlet pressure and an inlet temperature and produce a modified pressure and a modified temperature of the nitrogen prior to selectively delivering the nitrogen to the compressor.   
     
     
         2 . The power plant of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid manipulator is a vortex tube having a vortex inlet, a high temperature outlet, and a low temperature outlet. 
     
     
         3 . The power plant of  claim 2 , wherein the vortex inlet receives the nitrogen removed from the air separation unit at a higher than ambient pressure. 
     
     
         4 . The power plant of  claim 2 , wherein the vortex tube further comprises a valve proximate the high temperature outlet for selectively controlling the modified temperature of the nitrogen delivered to the compressor. 
     
     
         5 . The power plant of  claim 2 , further comprising a nitrogen compressor configured to receive nitrogen from the air separation unit and to deliver compressed nitrogen directly to a combustor. 
     
     
         6 . The power plant of  claim 2 , wherein the modified temperature of the nitrogen delivered to the compressor is greater than the inlet temperature. 
     
     
         7 . The power plant of  claim 2 , wherein the modified temperature of the nitrogen delivered to the compressor is less than the inlet temperature. 
     
     
         8 . The power plant of  claim 2 , further comprising a plurality of vortex tubes. 
     
     
         9 . A power plant comprising:
 a compressor configured to compress inlet air for combustion;   an air separation unit configured to receive and remove a separated air component from an air supply;   a fluid manipulator operably coupled to the air separation unit and the compressor, wherein the fluid manipulator receives the separated air component at a first pressure and a first temperature and selectively delivers the separated air component to the compressor at a second pressure and a second temperature.   
     
     
         10 . The power plant of  claim 9 , wherein the fluid manipulator is a vortex tube having a vortex inlet, a high temperature outlet, and a low temperature outlet. 
     
     
         11 . The power plant of  claim 10 , wherein the separated air component is nitrogen. 
     
     
         12 . The power plant of  claim 11 , wherein the vortex inlet receives the nitrogen removed from the air separation unit at a higher than ambient pressure. 
     
     
         13 . The power plant of  claim 11 , wherein the vortex tube further comprises a valve proximate the high temperature outlet for selectively controlling the second temperature of the nitrogen delivered to the compressor. 
     
     
         14 . The power plant of  claim 11 , wherein the nitrogen delivered to the compressor is delivered at or near relatively ambient pressure. 
     
     
         15 . The power plant of  claim 11 , wherein the second temperature is greater than the first temperature. 
     
     
         16 . The power plant of  claim 11 , wherein the second temperature is less than the second temperature. 
     
     
         17 . The power plant of  claim 11 , further comprising a plurality of vortex tubes. 
     
     
         18 . A method of operating a power plant comprising:
 removing nitrogen from an air supply;   introducing the nitrogen removed from the air supply into a vortex tube;   modifying a temperature of the nitrogen within the vortex tube to produce a modified nitrogen; and   delivering the modified nitrogen to a compressor of the power plant.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein modifying the temperature of the nitrogen further comprises heating a portion of the nitrogen and cooling another portion of the nitrogen within the vortex tube. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising operating a valve operably coupled to the vortex tube for selectively controlling the modified nitrogen delivered to the compressor.