Abstract: An apparatus for managing liquid under pressure having a first volume containing a liquid at a first pressure and a second volume containing liquid at a second, lower, pressure and energy storage means to receive and store energy derived from said first volume as a result of said first volume containing liquid under said first pressure and using said stored energy to increase the pressure in the second volume.

Abstract: A recirculatory system comprising a combustion chamber, means to cause fuel to combust in the combustion chamber, means to exhaust exhaust gas from the combustion chamber, a circuit through which the exhaust gas is fed from the combustion chamber and returned to the combustion chamber and the circuit including means to treat at least some of the exhaust gas to remove a part therefrom wherein storage means are provided to store the part removed from the exhaust gas in the circuit.

Abstract: A closed cycle apparatus comprising a combustion chamber, delivery means to deliver inert carrier gas, combustion supporting gas and fuel into the combustion chamber, means to cause the fuel to burn in the combustion chamber, means to exhaust exhaust gas from the combustion chamber, a circuit through which exhaust gas is ducted from the combustion chamber and returned to the combustion chamber to provide the carrier gas, the circuit including means by which the exhaust gas is treated to remove carbon dioxide from the exhaust gas wherein a part only of the exhaust gas in said circuit is treated to remove carbon dioxide.

Abstract: A heat exchanger comprises a matrix made up of alternate layers of generally planar sheets and generally corrugated sheets which cooperate to define a plurality of parallel passages for first and second heat exchange fluids. Alternate of the passages defined by each of the corrugated sheets and its adjacent planar sheets are adapted for the passage of a first heat exchange fluid and the remainder adapted for the passage of a second heat exchange fluid. The ony bonding together of the planar sheets and corrugated sheets is along those portions of their peripheries which are parallel with the defined passages.

Abstract: An apparatus for transferring liquid between regions of a first and a second pressure comprising:a vessel,a dividing member in the vessel, the vessel and the dividing member being relatively movable to divide the vessel into separate variable volume chambers,a first pair of valves,one of which controls passage of liquid between a first of said chambers and said region of a first pressure,the other of which controls passage of liquid between a second of said chambers and said region of a first pressure,a second pair of valves, one of which controls passage of liquid between said first chamber and said region of a second pressure,the other of which controls passage of liquid between said second chamber and said region of a second pressure,operating means repeatedly to perform the following cycle of operations;close the valves of one of said pairs and open the valves of the other of said pairs,then move the dividing member to cause the volume of said first chamber to increase and the volume of said second chambe

Abstract: The working medium of a gas turbine engine power plant is heated indirectly by energy derived by solar radiation, the power plant comprising radiant energy collecting means, radiant energy receiving means, radiant energy heat transfer means, a relatively large capacity pressurized heat store and a gas turbine engine in which the compressed air is heated by heat energy in the heat store.

Abstract: A power plant utilizing solar energy as the heat source has a radiant energy heat receiver having a controllable entry aperture for the incoming radiant energy, the aperture being defined by at least three movable shutters, each shutter having a temperature sensing device and operating means which are operable in dependence of the sensed temperature to maintain each shutter in a position corresponding to a predetermined temperature at the entry aperture.

Abstract: A radiant energy heat exchanger for use in a solar energy power plant comprises one or more banks of heat exchange ducts, the or each bank of ducts having an inlet and an outlet manifold to receive and discharge respectively the medium to be heated, the ducts all being curved along their length between the inlet and outlet manifolds so that the amount of radiant energy falling on the ducts per unit area of duct decreases between the inlet and outlet manifolds at such a rate that the duct temperature is substantially constant between the manifolds while the temperature of the medium being heated increases, the radiant energy falling on the ducts being substantially unidirectional.

Abstract: A fluidized bed combustion apparatus comprises a vessel in which a bed of fluidizable combustible and inert materials is supported, an inlet for a flow of fluidizing and combustion gas, an outlet for a flow of heated gas and gas swirling means located in the vessel between the fluidizable bed and the vessel outlet, the function of the gas swirling means being to retain any unburnt or only partially burnt materials in the vessel until combustion is complete.

Abstract: A gas turbine engine power plant having a coal burning fluidized bed utilized as the heating source for the power plant. The fluidized bed comprises inerts and coal in which is immersed a temperature sensitive device, the signal from which is used to control the supply of coal to the bed to thereby maintain the bed at a predetermined temperature and to limit the bed temperature to a predetermined maximum value. The bed can be fluidized by the flow of compressed air from the compressor of the gas turbine engine power plant and the whole of the compressor delivery air flows through the bed in direct chemical contact with the bed materials and is then cleaned prior to delivery to the turbines of the power plant from which it is discharged to atmosphere.

Abstract: An energy system consists of a gas turbine engine having a power turbine which is arranged to drive a load, the exhaust from the power turbine passes to a further turbine which is arranged to drive a compressor, the exhaust from the further turbine passes to atmosphere via the compressor and a combined cooler and scrubber in which water is heated and sulphur is removed from the hot exhaust gas. The combined cooler and scrubber consists of a bed of flints through which the hot exhaust gas flows and a condenser arranged to receive a supply of relatively cool water, the resulting hot water being stored in a hot water store. The bed of flints also receives a supply of water to which calcium carbonate and manganese sulphate has been added so that sulphur in the form of calcium sulphate is removed from the exhaust gas.