Abstract: Thermodynamic cycles with diluent that produce mechanical power, electrical power, and/or fluid streams for heating and/or cooling are described. Systems contain a combustion system producing an energetic fluid by combusting fuel with oxidant. Thermal diluent is preferably used in the cycle to improve performance, including one or more of power, efficiency, economics, emissions, dynamic and off-peak load performance, temperature regulation, and/or cooling heated components. Cycles include a heat recovery system and preferably recover and recycle thermal diluent from expanded energetic fluid to improve cycle thermodynamic efficiency and reduce energy conversion costs. Cycles preferably include controls for temperatures, pressures, and flow rates within a combined heat and power (CHP) system, and controls for power, thermal output, efficiency, and/or emissions.

Abstract: A thermally diluted exothermic reactor system is comprised of numerous orifices distributed within a combustor by distributed perforated contactor tubes or ducts. The perforated contactors deliver and mix diluent fluid and one or more reactant fluids with an oxidant fluid. Numerous micro-jets about the perforated tubes deliver, mix and control the composition of reactant fluid, oxidant fluid and diluent fluid. The reactor controls one or more of composition profiles, composition ratio profiles and temperature profiles in one or more of the axial direction and one or two transverse directions, reduces temperature gradients and improves power, efficiency and emissions.

Abstract: A remediation system for decontaminating a polluted site that delivers a remediation fluid to the polluted site and receives a contaminated effluent from the polluted site. The system includes a reactor that receives the contaminated effluent and generates an exit fluid stream and a first flow control mechanism coupled to the outlet of the reactor that releases a controlled portion of the exit fluid from the system, and delivers the remaining portion of the exit fluid as the remediation fluid, or delivers the remaining portion to a second flow control mechanism for combination with a controlled quantity of the second reactant to form the remediation fluid.

Abstract: A thermodynamic system that produces mechanical, electrical power, and/or fluid streams for heating or cooling. The cycle contains a combustion system that produces an energetic fluid by combustion of a fuel with an oxidant. A thermal diluent may be used in the cycle to improve performance, including but not limited to power, efficiency, economics, emissions, dynamic and off-peak load performance, and/or turbine inlet temperature (TIT) regulation and cooling heated components. The cycle preferably includes a heat recovery system and a condenser or other means to recover and recycle heat and the thermal diluent from the energetic fluid to improve the cycle thermodynamic efficiency and reduce energy conversion costs. The cycle may also include controls for temperatures, pressures, and flow rates throughout the cycle, and controls power output, efficiency, and energetic fluid composition.

Abstract: Diluted wet combustion forms a hot process fluid or VASTgas including carbon dioxide (CO2) and fluid water which is delivered to geologic formations and/or to surface mined materials to reduce the viscosity and/or increase hydrocarbon extraction. High water and/or CO2 content is achieved by reducing non-aqueous diluent and/or adding or recycling CO2. Power recovered from expanding the VASTgas may be used to pressurize the VASTgas for delivery by partial expansion through a Direct VAST cycle, and/or by diverting compressed oxidant through a parallel thermogenerator in a Diverted VAST cycle. Pressurized VASTgas may be injected into a well within the hydrocarbon formation or with mined material into a heavy hydrocarbon separator vessel to heat, mobilize, solubilize and/or extract heavy hydrocarbons. Light hydrocarbons may be mixed in with the hot process fluid to enhance hydrocarbon mobilization and recovery. Microwaves may further heat the VASTgas and/or hydrocarbon.

Abstract: A thermally diluted exothermic reactor system is comprised of numerous orifices distributed within a combustor by distributed perforated contactor tubes or ducts. The perforated contactors deliver and mix diluent fluid and one or more reactant fluids with an oxidant fluid. Numerous micro-jets about the perforated tubes deliver, mix and control the composition of reactant fluid, oxidant fluid and diluent fluid. The reactor controls one or more of composition profiles, composition ratio profiles and temperature profiles in one or more of the axial direction and one or two transverse directions, reduces temperature gradients and improves power, efficiency and emissions.

Abstract: A thermally diluted exothermic reactor system is comprised of numerous orifices distributed within a combustor by distributed perforated contactor tubes or ducts. The perforated contactors deliver and mix diluent fluid and one or more reactant fluids with an oxidant fluid. Numerous micro-jets about the perforated tubes deliver, mix and control the composition of reactant fluid, oxidant fluid and diluent fluid. The reactor controls one or more of composition profiles, composition ratio profiles and temperature profiles in one or more of the axial direction and one or two transverse directions, reduces temperature gradients and improves power, efficiency and emissions.

Abstract: A thermodynamic system that produces mechanical, electrical power, and/or fluid streams for heating or cooling. The cycle contains a combustion system that produces an energetic fluid by combustion of a fuel with an oxidant. A thermal diluent may be used in the cycle to improve performance, including but not limited to power, efficiency, economics, emissions, dynamic and off-peak load performance, and/or turbine inlet temperature (TIT) regulation and cooling heated components. The cycle preferably includes a heat recovery system and a condenser or other means to recover and recycle heat and the thermal diluent from the energetic fluid to improve the cycle thermodynamic efficiency and reduce energy conversion costs. The cycle may also include controls for temperatures, pressures, and flow rates throughout the cycle, and controls power output, efficiency, and energetic fluid composition.

Abstract: Diluted wet combustion forms a hot process fluid or VASTgas comprising carbon dioxide (CO2) and fluid water which is delivered geologic formations and/or from surface mined materials to reduce the viscosity and/or increase hydrocarbon extraction. This may improve thermal efficiency and/or increases heat delivery for a given combustor or per capital investment. High water and/or CO2 content is achieved by reducing non-aqueous diluent and/or adding or recycling CO2. Power recovered from expanding the VASTgas may be pressurize the VASTgas for delivery by partial expansion through a Direct VAST cycle, and/or by diverting compressed oxidant through a parallel thermogenerator in a Diverted VAST cycle. Pressurized VASTgas may be injected into well within the hydrocarbon formation or with mined material into a heavy hydrocarbon separator vessel to heat, mobilize, solubilize and/or extract heavy hydrocarbons.

Abstract: A remediation system and method for decontaminating a polluted site. An outlet system is to deliver a remediation fluid to the polluted site, and an inlet system receives a contaminated effluent from the polluted site. A processing system extracts a contaminant component from the contaminated effluent. A reactor receives the extracted contaminant component as a first reactant, and also, a second reactant. The reactor generates a reaction product-containing exit fluid stream, a controlled portion of which is released from the system. The remaining portion of the reactor exit fluid forms the remediation fluid. Optionally, the remaining portion is combined with a controlled quantity of the second reactant to form the remediation fluid. In addition, a controlled quantity of diluent/coolant fluid may be delivered into a reaction process in the reactor and/or downstream of the reaction process, and/or separately in a heat transfer system.

Abstract: A thermodynamic system that produces mechanical, electrical power, and/or fluid streams for heating or cooling. The cycle contains a combustion system that produces an energetic fluid by combustion of a fuel with an oxidant. A thermal diluent may be used in the cycle to improve performance, including but not limited to power, efficiency, economics, emissions, dynamic and off-peak load performance, and/or turbine inlet temperature (TIT) regulation and cooling heated components. The cycle preferably includes a heat recovery system and a condenser or other means to recover and recycle heat and the thermal diluent from the energetic fluid to improve the cycle thermodynamic efficiency and reduce energy conversion costs. The cycle may also include controls for temperatures, pressures, and flow rates throughout the cycle, and controls power output, efficiency, and energetic fluid composition.

Abstract: Thermodynamic cycles with diluent that produce mechanical power, electrical power, and/or fluid streams for heating and/or cooling are described. Systems contain a combustion system producing an energetic fluid by combusting fuel with oxidant. Thermal diluent is preferably used in the cycle to improve performance, including one or more of power, efficiency, economics, emissions, dynamic and off-peak load performance, temperature regulation, and/or cooling heated components. Cycles include a heat recovery system and preferably recover and recycle thermal diluent from expanded energetic fluid to improve cycle thermodynamic efficiency and reduce energy conversion costs. Cycles preferably include controls for temperatures, pressures, and flow rates within a combined heat and power (CHP) system, and controls for power, thermal output, efficiency, and/or emissions.

Abstract: A power generating system and method operating at high pressure and utilizing a working fluid consisting of a mixture of compressed non-flammable air components, fuel combustion products and steam. The working fluid is substantially free of CO and NOx. Fuel and compressed air at an elevated temperature and at a constant pressure are delivered to a combustion chamber, the amount of air being chosen so that at least about 90% of the oxygen in the air is consumed during combustion. The quantity of air and fuel supplied to the combustion chamber may be varied provided a constant fuel to air ratio is maintained. Superheated water is delivered under pressure to the combustion chamber, and is converted substantially instantaneously to steam. The quantity of water delivered is controlled such that the latent heat of vaporization of the water maintains the temperature of the working fluid at a desired level.

Abstract: The invention relates in general to methods of controlled mixing one fluid with another. In particular it relates to a distributed direct fluid contactor including arrays of streamlined perforated tubes distributed across a flow to efficiently contact and mix one or more fluids flowing through one or more tubes with a second fluid flowing across those tubes. These distributed contactors thereby mix the fluids in a fairly uniform fashion causing a prescribed uniformity or variation in the ratio of the first to second fluid across the space. This thereby to generally creates and controls the physical and/or chemical changes in those fluids, including evaporation, condensation, forming powders and conducting chemical reactions including combustion.

Abstract: The invention relates in general to methods of controlled mixing one fluid with another. In particular it relates to a distributed direct fluid contactor including arrays of streamlined perforated tubes distributed across a flow to efficiently contact and mix one or more fluids flowing through one or more tubes with a second fluid flowing across those tubes. These distributed contactors thereby mix the fluids in a substantially uniform fashion causing a prescribed uniformity or variation in the ratio of the first to second fluid across the space. This thereby to generally creates and controls the physical and/or chemical changes in those fluids, including evaporation, condensation, forming powders and conducting chemical reactions including combustion.

Abstract: A thermodynamic system that produces mechanical, electrical power, and/or fluid streams for heating or cooling. The cycle contains a combustion system that produces an energetic fluid by combustion of a fuel with an oxidant. A thermal diluent may be used in the cycle to improve performance, including but not limited to power, efficiency, economics, emissions, dynamic and off-peak load performance, and/or turbine inlet temperature (TIT) regulation and cooling heated components. The cycle preferably includes a heat recovery system and a condenser or other means to recover and recycle heat and the thermal diluent from the energetic fluid to improve the cycle thermodynamic efficiency and reduce energy conversion costs. The cycle may also include controls for temperatures, pressures, and flow rates throughout the cycle, and controls power output, efficiency, and energetic fluid composition.

Abstract: A thermally diluted exothermic reactor system is comprised of numerous orifices distributed within a combustor by distributed perforated contactor tubes or ducts. The perforated contactors deliver and mix diluent fluid and one or more reactant fluids with an oxidant fluid. Numerous micro-jets about the perforated tubes deliver, mix and control the composition of reactant fluid, oxidant fluid and diluent fluid. The reactor controls one or more of composition profiles, composition ratio profiles and temperature profiles in one or more of the axial direction and one or two transverse directions, reduces temperature gradients and improves power, efficiency and emissions.

Abstract: A power generating system is described which operates at high pressure and utilizes a working fluid consisting of a mixture of compressed non-flammable air components, fuel combustion products and steam. The working fluid exiting the power generating system is substantially free of NOx and CO. Working fluid is provided at constant pressure and temperature. Combustion air is supplied by one or more stages of compression. Fuel is injected at pressure as needed. At least about 40% of the oxygen in the compressed air is consumed when the fuel is burned. Inert liquid is injected at high pressure to produce working an inert mass of high specific heat diluent vapor for use for internal cooling of the combustion chamber. The use of non-flammable liquid injection inhibits the formation of pollutants, increases the efficiency and available horsepower from the system, and reduces specific fuel consumption.