Patents by Inventor Alexander I. Kalina

Alexander I. Kalina has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20130019596
    Abstract: Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) systems and methods utilizing the systems are disclosed for producing a useable form of energy utilizing warm surface seawater and cold seawater from depths up to 2 miles below the surface and utilizing a multi-component working fluid. The systems and methods are designed to maximize energy conversion per unit of cold seawater, the limited resource, achieving relative net outputs compared to a Rankine cycle using a single component fluid by at least 20% and even as high as about 55%.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2011
    Publication date: January 24, 2013
    Applicant: KALEX, LLC
    Inventor: Alexander I. Kalina
  • Publication number: 20130019597
    Abstract: Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) systems and methods utilizing the systems are disclosed for producing a useable form of energy utilizing warm surface seawater and cold seawater from depths up to 2 miles below the surface and utilizing a multi-component working fluid. The systems and methods are designed to maximize energy conversion per unit of cold seawater, the limited resource, achieving relative net outputs compared to a Rankine cycle using a single component fluid by at least 20% and even as high as about 55%.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2011
    Publication date: January 24, 2013
    Applicant: KALEX, LLC
    Inventor: Alexander I. Kalina
  • Publication number: 20120317983
    Abstract: Simple thermodynamic cycles, methods and apparatus for implementing the cycles are disclosed, where the method and system involve once or twice enriching an upcoming basic solution stream, where the systems and methods utilize relatively low temperature external heat source streams, especially low temperature geothermal sources.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2011
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Applicant: KALEX, LLC
    Inventor: Alexander I. Kalina
  • Patent number: 8281592
    Abstract: A direct heat exchange method and apparatus for recovering heat from a liquid heat source is disclosed, where the method includes contacting a liquid heat source stream with a multi-component hydrocarbon fluid, where the hydrocarbon fluid compositions has a linear or substantially linear temperature versus enthalpy relationship over the temperature range of the direct heat exchange apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Inventor: Alexander I. Kalina
  • Patent number: 8176738
    Abstract: Methods and systems for converting waste heat from cement plant into a usable form of energy are disclosed. The methods and systems make use of two heat source streams from the cement plant, a hot air stream and a flue gas stream, to fully vaporize and superheat a working fluid stream, which is then used to convert a portion of its heat to a usable form of energy. The methods and systems utilize sequential heat exchanges stages to heat the working fluid stream, first with the hot air stream or from a first heat transfer fluid stream heated by the hot air stream and second with the flue gas stream from a second heat transfer fluid stream heated by the hot air stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Kalex LLC
    Inventor: Alexander I. Kalina
  • Publication number: 20120096862
    Abstract: A new method, system and apparatus for power system utilizing flue gas streams and a multi-component working fluid is disclosed including a heat recovery vapor generator (HRVG) subsystem, a multi-stage energy conversion or turbine subsystem and a condensation thermal compression subsystem (CTCSS), where the CTCSS receives a single stream from the turbine subsystem and produces at least one fully condensed stream.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2010
    Publication date: April 26, 2012
    Applicant: KALEX, LLC
    Inventor: Alexander I. Kalina
  • Patent number: 8087248
    Abstract: An apparatus, system and method for transferring heat from a hot flue gas stream from a cement plant including large particles and dust to a working fluid of a power plant via a high temperature heat transfer fluid without exposing all or most of the equipment to the erosive force of the particles and dust is disclosed where the apparatus includes a cement plant, a particle separation and heat transfer system and a power plant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Kalex, LLC
    Inventor: Alexander I. Kalina
  • Publication number: 20110259011
    Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for converting heat into a usable form of energy, where the system and method are designed to utilize at least two separate heat sources simultaneously, where one heat source stream has a higher initial temperature and a second heat source stream has a lower initial temperature, which is transferred to and a multi-component working fluid from which thermal energy is extracted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2010
    Publication date: October 27, 2011
    Applicant: KALEX, LLC
    Inventor: Alexander I. Kalina
  • Publication number: 20110185727
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention disclose systems and methods for the efficient conversion of solar energy into a useable form of energy using a solar collector subsystem and a heat conversion subsystem. The systems and methods transfer solar energy directly to an intermediate solution and a working solution and indirectly to and between a basic rich solution, a condensing solution, a lean solution and a rich vapor solution. The systems and methods also include condensing the basic rich solution using an external coolant. The systems and methods support a closed thermodynamic cycle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2010
    Publication date: August 4, 2011
    Applicant: KALEX, LLC
    Inventor: Alexander I. Kalina
  • Publication number: 20110174296
    Abstract: Solar-thermal energy storage systems and methods are disclosed including a heat transfer fluid storage and distribution subsystem (HTFSDSS) including at least N storage tanks, control valves, and transfer lines, a solar heating or collector subsystem (SHSS) connected to the HTFSDSS via the transfer lines, and a heat conversion or power subsystem (HCSS) connected to the HTFSDSS via the transfer lines, where at least one of the N tanks is empty at the start of an operational cycle and heat transfer fluid is forwarded from filled tanks in the HTFSDSS through the other subsystem and into the empty tank or tanks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2010
    Publication date: July 21, 2011
    Applicant: KALEX, LLC
    Inventor: Alexander I. Kalina
  • Patent number: 7980079
    Abstract: Power generation systems and methods are disclosed for use with medium to high temperature heat source stream, gaseous or liquid, where the systems and methods permit efficient energy extraction for medium and small scale power plants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: Kalex, LLC
    Inventor: Alexander I. Kalina
  • Publication number: 20110067400
    Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for the combined production of power and heat from an external heat source stream, where the system utilizes four basic stream of different compositions to co-generate power and to heat an external heat absorber stream from an external heat source stream.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2009
    Publication date: March 24, 2011
    Applicant: KALEX, LLC
    Inventor: Alexander I. Kalina
  • Publication number: 20110024084
    Abstract: A direct heat exchange method and apparatus for recovering heat from a liquid heat source is disclosed, where the method includes contacting a liquid heat source stream with a multi-component hydrocarbon fluid, where the hydrocarbon fluid compositions has a linear or substantially linear temperature versus enthalpy relationship over the temperature range of the direct heat exchange apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2009
    Publication date: February 3, 2011
    Applicant: KALEX, LLC
    Inventor: Alexander I. Kalina
  • Patent number: 7841179
    Abstract: System and method is disclosed to increase the efficient of internal combustion engines using to generate electric power, where the system and method converts a portion of thermal energy produced in the combustion process to a usable form of energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: Kalex, LLC
    Inventor: Alexander I. Kalina
  • Publication number: 20100205962
    Abstract: The present invention discloses systems and methods for converting heat from external heat source streams or from solar energy derived from a solar collector subsystem. The systems and methods comprise a thermodynamic cycle including three internal subcycles. Two of the subcycles combine to power a higher pressures turbine and third or main cycle powers a lower pressure turbine. One of the cycles increases the flow rate of a richer working solution stream powering the lower pressure turbine. Another one of the cycles is a leaner working solution cycle, which provides increased flow rate for leaner working solution stream going into the higher pressure turbine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2010
    Publication date: August 19, 2010
    Applicant: KALEX, LLC
    Inventor: Alexander I. Kalina
  • Publication number: 20100146973
    Abstract: Power generation systems and methods are disclosed for use with medium to high temperature heat source stream, gaseous or liquid, where the systems and methods permit efficient energy extraction for medium and small scale power plants.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2009
    Publication date: June 17, 2010
    Applicant: KALEX, LLC
    Inventor: Alexander I. Kalina
  • Publication number: 20100122533
    Abstract: Methods and systems for converting waste heat from cement plant into a usable form of energy are disclosed. The methods and systems make use of two heat source streams from the cement plant, a hot air stream and a flue gas stream, to fully vaporize and superheat a working fluid stream, which is then used to convert a portion of its heat to a usable form of energy. The methods and systems utilize sequential heat exchanges stages to heat the working fluid stream, first with the hot air stream or from a first heat transfer fluid stream heated by the hot air stream and second with the flue gas stream from a second heat transfer fluid stream heated by the hot air stream.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2008
    Publication date: May 20, 2010
    Inventor: Alexander I. Kalina
  • Publication number: 20100101227
    Abstract: Power generation systems and methods are disclosed for use with medium to high temperature heat source stream, gaseous or liquid, where the systems and methods permit efficient energy extraction for medium and small scale power plants.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2008
    Publication date: April 29, 2010
    Applicant: KALEX LLC
    Inventor: Alexander I. Kalina
  • Publication number: 20100083662
    Abstract: An apparatus, system and method for transferring heat from a hot flue gas stream from a cement plant including large particles and dust to a working fluid of a power plant via a high temperature heat transfer fluid without exposing all or most of the equipment to the erosive force of the particles and dust is disclosed where the apparatus includes a cement plant, a particle separation and heat transfer system and a power plant
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2008
    Publication date: April 8, 2010
    Applicant: KALEX LLC
    Inventor: Alexander I. Kalina
  • Patent number: 7685821
    Abstract: A system and process are disclosed for converting thermal energy into power from three different compositional streams of a multi-component working fluid, one of the streams being a lean working fluid stream pressurized into its super-critical state before being vaporized in a heat recovery vapor generator, another stream is a rich working fluid steam and the third stream is an intermediate working fluid stream, where the system and process has increased overall efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Inventor: Alexander I. Kalina