Power plants – Combustion products used as motive fluid – Multiple fluid-operated motors
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-07
2001-09-25
Freay, Charles G. (Department: 3746)
Power plants
Combustion products used as motive fluid
Multiple fluid-operated motors
C060S039500, C060S039511, C060S039540, C060S039550
Reexamination Certificate
active
06293086
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to power generation equipment and is particularly concerned with power generation equipment that is highly efficient and discharges reduced amounts of pollutants into the atmosphere.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Conventional power generation equipment relying on the combustion of a suitable carbon-based fuel usually produces pollutants, the majority of which are in the form of the oxides of nitrogen and carbon dioxide. There is pressure to reduce the levels of these pollutants to levels at which they do not present a hazard to the environment and desirably to eliminate them completely.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to achieve this end and to provide power generation equipment having enhanced efficiency.
According to the present invention, power generation equipment comprises air compression equipment, means to inject finely dispersed water into the air intake of said air compression equipment, combustion equipment for mixing air compressed by said air compression equipment with a suitable fuel and supporting the combustion of that mixture, turbine equipment to receive and be driven by the exhaust products of said combustion and in turn to drive said air compression equipment, power turbine equipment to receive and be driven by the exhaust efflux of said turbine equipment, heat exchange equipment positioned to receive the exhaust efflux of said power turbine equipment and place that exhaust efflux in heat exchange relationship with water to thereby cool that exhaust efflux and generate steam from said water, means to substantially remove carbon dioxide from the efflux exhausted from said heat exchange equipment and additional compression equipment driven by said power turbine equipment and positioned to receive and compress the exhaust efflux from said carbon dioxide removal equipment, said steam generated from said water in heat exchange relationship with said turbine exhaust efflux being directed to said combustion equipment to enhance the combustion process sustained thereby.
Said compression equipment preferably comprises first and second compressors in flow series relationship.
Said finely dispersed water is preferably injected into the intakes of each of said first and second compressors.
An intercooler may be interposed between said first and second compressors in flow series relationship therewith, said intercooler being adapted to provide said water injection into the intake of said second compressor.
Some of said generated steam may be directed into the intake of said turbine equipment.
Some of said steam may be additionally injected into the intake of said power turbine.
The exhaust efflux from said power turbine may be sequentially passed through a superheater, an evaporator, an economiser and a cooler in order to reduce the temperature of said exhaust efflux.
Water may be sequentially passed through said cooler, economiser, evaporator and superheater to place said water in heat exchange relationship with said exhaust efflux and thereby generate said steam.
A recuperator may be positioned immediately downstream of said power turbine.
Water may be passed through said recuperator to place said water in heat exchange relationship with the exhaust efflux of said power turbine to thereby generate said steam.
A cooler may be positioned downstream of said recuperator.
Said carbon dioxide removal means may comprise a sequestration membrane.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4248039 (1981-02-01), Cheng
patent: 4509324 (1985-04-01), Urbach et al.
patent: 6148602 (2000-11-01), Demetri
patent: 6223523 (2001-05-01), Frutschi
Freay Charles G.
Manelli Denison & Selter PLLC
Rolls-Royce plc
Taltavull W. Warren
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