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Copyright © 2012. All Rights Reserved. Site operated by Ron Buie Enterprises, LLC.

Natural Gas Pipeline

Objectives

  • Produce Beta test electrical generation systems using gas pressure from a variety of sources.
  • Install 3 complete systems on private well-heads in NE Arizona.
  • Collect data from Beta systems to improve the systems performance and cost structure.
  • Mass produce the PowerVerde systems for sales to public utilities and other NG customers.

Overview

PowerVerde Inc. a Delaware corporation based in Arizona has developed, patented and tested a unique electrical generation system that utilizes the excess, wasted pressure along natural gas pipelines, at well-heads and at other gas pressure sources to generate clean, renewable electricity without burning the natural gas or using any of the pressure source gasses.

PowerVerde has contracted Global Machine Works (GMW), located in Arlington, WA www.globalmachineworks.com to manufacture the systems. GMW produces components and parts for companies like Boeing, Bell Helicopter, Cessna, Bombardier, Air Bus and many other aerospace firms. GMW is also certified ISO 9000 which insures all components are manufactured and assembled meeting exacting quality control standards. Presently, the extensive natural gas pipeline systems in the United States and around the world waste tremendous amounts of energy that could be used to generate megawatts of electricity. In 2008, the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America (INGAA) published a study titled: Waste Energy Recovery Opportunities for Interstate Natural Gas Pipelines.

Waste Energy Recovery Opportunities for Interstate Natural Gas Pipelines

The study concluded that tremendous amounts of electricity could be produced utilizing the pressure drop that occurs along the natural gas pipelines where the pressure must be stepped down to deliver the natural gas to customers. At present, that pressure drop is accomplished by stepping down the pressure by mechanical means. That type of system does not recapture any of the energy that was used to pump up the pressure at the many pumping stations located along the natural gas pipeline.

This 2008 study shows the tremendous potential of utilizing the wasted pressure letdown process that is currently used at “City Gates” and other pressure letdown locations along NG pipelines.

The study focused on “Turbo Expanders” as the rotating power source to generate electricity and the problems encountered by those turbines including:

  1. High installation and maintenance costs as well as initial capital expenditures
  2. The necessary large installations due to economy of scale issues, required pre and post heating of the gas due to the rapid drop in temperature associated with expansion of the gas through the turbines.
  3. The installations were very site specific and required significant custom engineering design, and did not lend themselves easily to the economies of prepackaged designs or standard configuration that would have lowered costs (e.g. our module type technology)

The NGRPGSCC is a Real-time visualization tool that allows Power Mangers and Operators to monitor the location, status, health and probability of failure of units. A Web based single unit NGRPGSCC can even be provided to the local maintenance technician. The NGRPGSCC allows operators to view detailed information on each unit’s systems while maintaining an overview of condition status and location at all units under the user’s control.

Select Unit Area

The Select Unit portion of the NGRPGSCC allows operations to monitor, at a very high level, the status of all units within their control. The NGRPGSCC is monitoring the activity of each unit and summarizes that information into a single health condition. Depending on the condition of the unit, the indicator will display the unit identifier in white— unit off, green, all statuses are good and the unit is in operation; yellow, one or more systems are out of condition, over limit or trending to failure, and red, imminent failure or failed unit. The list is in floating order with all red units first, yellow next, then green and finally white.

Open Unit Area

When a Unit is selected from the select unit area the unit is opened for all information to be displayed by the NGRPGSCC. An operator can have multiple units open at any given time and can jump to the detail of each, as required.

Watch Area

The Watch control allows the user to monitor the fleet for a period of time that the operator is out of the office or in a meeting. When the Watch is reset the system records any unit that changed to a less than optimal condition. When the operator returns the number of units that went out of condition is displayed along with the times. The user can then quickly review these units by selecting the view button.

The Dashboard

When a Unit is selected the Dashboard, location map and unit detail windows are opened. The Dashboard is a summation of each of the critical subsystems of the unit. This notifies the operator which systems the problem is being generated from and what the level of criticality of the problem. Green shows the given subsystem is reporting good, yellow is an indication that a problem is developing in that subsystem, and a red color indicates a failed or failing subsystem component.

Map Window Display

The map window displays the current location of the unit selected. This map can be zoomed in and out from a continental view down to a city level and even to the address level.

Information Tab Area

The information tabs are arranged to provide maximum information in a limited area. The tabs are organized by information type and can be quickly selected for the information required.

Unit Overview Tab

The Unit Overview tab provides graphical information specific to the selected unit in real-time.

Data Detail Tab

The data detail tab lists all active (non event) data that can be monitored from the unit such as temperature, RPM, etc. Each entry displays last known value and the minimum and maximum recorded along with a time stamp of when it occurred. An added feature allows the limits to be reset if more direct monitoring over a time period is required.

Plot Data Tab

This display allows the operator to plot individual data elements over time to look for trending or behavior indicators. This tab contains contact information and company, division and unit descriptions along with contact information.

Incidents Tab

The Incidents tab keeps a record of events to track unit and even company wide incidents. These could be failures and the like. The view button allows the operator to investigate the incidents as to type and severity.

Log Tab

The log tab records any event or code generated by the unit. This can be any of the codes the NGRPGSCC is monitoring.

View Menu

Overview Map: The overview map provides a larger area map

Unit: This selection allows the operators to toggle back to the unit monitoring from the large map display or the Log file

Log: The Log display records a summary of all events from all the units being monitored.

Requirements on how data should be received, processed, and stored in the DCC database.

Data Fields

Unit ID

Unit Location, Description

Unit Location LAT/LON

Gas leak sensor and alarm

Pressure at input port of motor

Temp at input of motor

Pressure at output of motor

Temp at output port of motor

RPM of Generator

Voltage out at Generator

Amps out at Generator

Temp of Generator

Ambient temp

Flow rate in cu/ft/min at input of motor

NGPGS Control Center (NGRPGSCC)

Advantages of PowerVerde System

  • Low Initial Installation Cost (Estimated at Less than $2000 per installed kW)
  • Low Maintenance Costs
  • System Components can be replaced without shutting down other units
  • Temperature drop of natural gas is minimal (no pre or post heat of gas)
  • If downstream demand for gas is reduced, individual units shut down, not the whole system
  • Additional units can be installed as gas demand ramps up
  • Locations are close to electric grid, requiring no long distance transmission costs
  • Systems are monitored on a special website
  • Gas leak monitors shut down individual systems if a leak is detected
  • High pressure containment vessel of motor ensures safety
  • Systems produce electricity 24/365, and don’t depend on sun or wind
  • Systems maintain maximum output, even on very hot days by using PowerVerde’s patented generator cooling system.

Manufacturing and Testing

Global Machine Works, an aerospace ISO 9000 certified facility has been contracted to be the Prime Contractor. In addition, several other companies are sub-contractors for enclosures, electronics, web-monitoring and other time critical assemblies and software.

Actual Manufacturing at Global Machine Works of PowerVerde 100KW System Makino a-81 Machining Center

The study concluded that “Power purchase prices that recognize and reward clean energy productions would greatly enhance the economic viability of turbo expander systems.

The study also concluded that there are no commercially available systems that have overcome the problems associated with pressure letdowns. After extensive research and development, PowerVerde’s patented electrical generation systems have overcome those problems by:

  1. Producing systems that do not use turbo expanders, resulting in low installation and maintenance costs.
  2. Utilizing designed and manufactured systems that are smaller and are connected in parallel, thereby minimizing the drop in temperature.
  3. Produced systems that are turn-key designs and standard configurations.

Technology

PowerVerde has developed and patented a unique system for generating megawatts of electricity on existing natural gas pipeline systems. These unique systems will be able to generate huge amounts of electricity without burning or otherwise using any of the gas or disrupting the flow of the natural gas to customers.

The PowerVerde system uses the high pressure of the natural gas in the pipelines where the pressure needs to be dropped to deliver to customers. Presently, the pressure drop is accomplished by throttling down the pressure by mechanical means. That process wastes the latent potential of the natural gas to produce electrical energy. The payoff bonus is that all of the electrical energy potential can be produced without emitting any pollutants or adding any carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. In essence, after the initial cost of installation and low maintenance costs, the electricity generated is free and non-polluting.

The cold natural gas that exits the exhaust side of the motor is passed through a heat exchanger to cool the generator, resulting in a 20% increase in output of the generator on hot days. We believe this extra electrical production means that the installed cost per kW hour will be even less in hot climates.

This illustration shows the PowerVerde systems installed on a typical natural gas pipeline.

System Monitoring and Website

Natural Gas Renewable Power Generation System Control Center & Data Consolidation Center

RA Natural Gas Renewable Power Generation System Control Center NGRPGSCC