Abstract: A method for capturing carbon dioxide is provided. In a first absorption process, carbon dioxide is absorbed by contacting a supplied carbon dioxide-containing natural gas with a first substream of a solvent. In this process a carbon dioxide-depleted natural gas and carbon dioxide-enriched solvent are formed. Then in a combustion process, the carbon dioxide-depleted natural gas is burnt, with a carbon dioxide-containing exhaust gas being formed. Then, in a second absorption process, carbon dioxide is absorbed by contacting the carbon dioxide-containing exhaust gas with a second substream of the solvent. In this process an exhaust gas freed from carbon dioxide and carbon dioxide-enriched solvent are formed. Then, in a desorption process, the first substream and the second substream of the carbon dioxide-enriched solvent are combined and carbon dioxide is desorbed by supplying heating energy, with carbon dioxide-depleted solvent being formed.

Abstract: An energy storage device for storing thermal energy, with a charging circuit for a working gas, is provided, having a compressor, heat accumulator and expansion turbine, the compressor and expansion turbine arranged on a common shaft, and the compressor connected on the outlet side to the inlet of the expansion turbine via a first line for the working gas, the heat accumulator wired into the first line, wherein the compressor is connected on the inlet side to a line, which is open to the atmosphere, and the expansion turbine is connected on the outlet side to a line, which is open to the atmosphere such that a circuit open to the ambient air is formed, wherein the expansion turbine is connected to the heat accumulator via a line for a hot gas such that the working gas in the expansion turbine can be heated by heat from the heat accumulator.

Abstract: A method for operation of a gas power plant, and to a gas power plant of this type, comprising a gas turbine, which is connected to a generator that can also be operated as a motor and which is thermally coupled to a water vapour circuit by way of a first heat exchanger are provided. The method includes: operating the generator as a motor in such a way that a heated gas flow is discharged from the gas turbine; thermally treating of water in the water vapour circuit via the first heat exchanger by the heated gas flow; storing of the water thermally treated in this way in a vapour accumulator; operating a steam turbine with water vapour taken from the vapour accumulator; diverting of the water vapour after interaction with the steam turbine into a vapour chamber for condensation; and collecting of the condensed water in a condensate reservoir.

Abstract: A device for separating CO2 from an exhaust gas flow of a combustion device is provided. The device has a store for storing a heat transfer fluid together with a CO2 separating device which has an absorber and a desorber. The store and the desorber are thermally coupled to each other via a line system, and the store is thermally coupled to an electrically driven heating device which allows a thermal conditioning of the heat transfer fluid in the store. The heating device is designed as a gas turbine driven by a generator as a motor, and air is sucked into the compression stage of the gas turbine while the turbine is driven and is substantially adiabatically heated as a result of the compression. The heated exhaust gas exiting the gas turbine interacts with the store for the purpose of the heat transfer.

Abstract: A hybrid solar energy power plant combines solar collector technologies with different cost and performance characteristics, to exploit the advantages and mitigate the disadvantages of each technology. The synergies allow significant improvement in plant economics. Embodiments include a high concentrating solar tower plus lower concentrating linear Fresnel or parabolic trough solar energy collectors. During sunlight, the lower concentrating collector generates steam for a turbine producing electric power. The higher concentrating (hotter) collector increases the temperature of this steam and also stores thermal energy by accumulating hot molten salt. Absent sunlight, the stored energy generates steam for power and also optimizes system temperatures, such as for quick startup from a cold state. In a hybrid plant, energy storage also improves utilization of collector capacity.

Abstract: A method for starting a burner for combusting synthesis gases is provided. The burner includes first and second fuel passages, the first fuel passage encompasses the second fuel passage in a substantially concentric manner and the gas transferred to the burner is mixed with combusting air and is combusted. In order to start the burner, the second fuel passage is first loaded with a synthesis gas to a predefined burner power at a first starting phase and the first fuel passage is loaded with the synthesis gas at a second starting phase.

Abstract: A steam power station is provided having a steam boiler which can be fired by a combustion device in a combustion chamber and has an air preheater which is suitable for removing thermal energy from the flue gas of the combustion chamber in order to transfer the thermal energy to a first air flow, the first air flow being fed back to the combustion chamber at least partly as combustion air. The steam power station also has a high-temperature battery which can likewise be supplied with air from the first air flow.

Abstract: A method for retrofitting an already existing gas turbine power plant is provided. The method features at least the following steps: fluidically connecting a gas turbine to a flue gas duct which is suitable for conducting flue gas which is produced by the gas turbine; connecting the flue gas duct to a steam generating unit which is fluidically connected to a water-steam cycle, and via which water-steam cycle a power generating facility can be operated; fluidically connecting a CO2 separation apparatus to the flue gas duct for separating the CO2 from the flue gas in the flue gas duct; and electrically connecting the power generating facility to the CO2 separation apparatus, preferably for the essentially energy-autonomous operation of the CO2 separation apparatus.

Abstract: An energy storage power plant for harvesting electric energy, and suitable for converting electric energy into thermal energy is provided. The thermal energy can be temporarily stored in at least two thermal stores until demanded and retrieved to increase the energy content of water in a water circuit upon demand. The power plant has the at least two thermal stores, each has at least one converting device that allows electric energy to be directly or indirectly converted into thermal energy, the thermal stores being thermally chargeable by temporarily storing thermal energy, wherein one thermal store is for storing sensible heat and one thermal store is for storing latent heat; and at least one energy generating unit operated using the water in the water circuit, the energy content of the water having been increased by the temporary storage of thermal energy, in order to generate electric energy when operated.

Abstract: An energy storage apparatus for the storage of thermal energy is provided, with a charging circuit, having a compressor, a heat store and an expansion turbine, the compressor connected on the outlet side to the inlet of the expansion turbine via a first line for a first working gas, and the heat store inserted into a second line, and the first line connected to a first heat exchanger, in which the first line and the second line are coupled thermally, and, furthermore, having a discharge circuit which has a water/steam circuit equipped with a steam generator and which has at least one feed water preheater preceding the steam generator with respect to the direction of flow of the water in this water/steam circuit, and thermal coupling between the charging circuit and discharge circuit achieved by the feed water preheater, in particular achieved solely by the feed water preheater.

Abstract: An energy storage device for storing thermal energy, with a charging circuit for a working gas, is provided, having a compressor, heat accumulator and expansion turbine, the compressor and expansion turbine arranged on a common shaft, and the compressor connected on the outlet side to the inlet of the expansion turbine via a first line for the working gas, the heat accumulator wired into the first line, wherein the compressor is connected on the inlet side to a line, which is open to the atmosphere, and the expansion turbine is connected on the outlet side to a line, which is open to the atmosphere such that a circuit open to the ambient air is formed, wherein the expansion turbine is connected to the heat accumulator via a line for a hot gas such that the working gas in the expansion turbine can be heated by heat from the heat accumulator.

Abstract: A charging circuit for converting electrical energy into thermal energy is provided, having a compression stage, connected via a shaft to an electric motor, a heat exchanger and an expansion stage, which is connected via a shaft to a generator, wherein the compression stage is connected to the expansion stage via a hot-gas line, and the heat exchanger is connected on the primary side into the hot-gas line, wherein the expansion stage is connected via a return line to the compression stage, so that a closed circuit for a working gas is formed. A recuperator is also provided which, on the primary side, is connected into the hot-gas line between the heat exchanger and the expansion stage and, on the secondary side, is connected into the return line, so that heat from the working gas in the hot-gas line can be transferred to the working gas in the return line.

Abstract: An energy-storing device with a charging circuit for a working gas for storing thermal energy, comprising a compressor, a heat accumulator, and an expansion turbine is provided. The compressor is connected to the inlet of the expansion turbine at the outlet side of the compressor via a first line for the working gas, and the heat accumulator is connected into the first line. The compressor and the expansion turbine are arranged on a common shaft, and the heat exchanger of the heat accumulator is designed such that the working gas which is expanded in the expansion turbine largely matches the thermodynamic state variables of the working gas prior to entering the compressor. Only a part of the thermal energy is transferred to the heat accumulator in the process. The working gas fed to the expansion turbine remains relatively hot.

Abstract: In order to reduce computation time and cost involved with detecting and diagnosing a fault in a system, simplified representations of components of the system are used to estimate valid intervals for state variables at the components. Generic failure rules are configured to compare the estimated valid intervals to related intervals for the same state variables, from either observations or propagations, for overlap. Failure output vectors are generated based on the comparison, and the failure output vectors are compared to diagnostic matrices to determine a source of the fault.

Abstract: A method for operating a directly heated, solar-thermal steam generator is provided. As per the method, a nominal value Ms for the supply water mass flow M is conducted to an apparatus for adjusting the supply water mass flow M wherein, at the adjustment of the nominal value Ms for the supply water mass flow M, account is taken of a correction value KT, by which the thermal effects of storage or withdrawal of thermal energy in an evaporator are corrected.

Abstract: A method for converting carbon monoxide and water into carbon dioxide and hydrogen, with simultaneous removal of one or more products, is described. The method includes the following steps: in a first reactor, carbon monoxide from the gas phase is bound in a first solvent and converted into formate, in a third reactor, formate is decomposed and resultant hydrogen H2 is removed, and in a second reactor a solid which is a hydrogen-carbonate salt or a carbonate salt is removed. The thermal decomposition of the solid and the expulsion of the carbon dioxide are carried out in an additional fourth reactor, optionally in a second solvent. Further presented is an apparatus for converting carbon monoxide and water into carbon dioxide and hydrogen, including a fourth reactor which thermally decomposes solids formed in the course of the reaction, and gives off carbon dioxide.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described that provide a Heat Flow Model (HFM) graph modeling methodology. Embodiments automatically translate formal HVAC system descriptions from a Building Information Model (BIM) into HFM graphs, and compile the graphs into executable FDD systems. During an engineering phase, a user interface is used to enter parameters, conditions, and switches not found in the BIM. During a runtime phase, real-time data from an HVAC control system is input to the generated FDD system (HFM graph) for fault detection and diagnosis.

Abstract: An apparatus for carrying out a carbon monoxide shift reaction, which includes converting carbon monoxide and water into carbon dioxide and hydrogen, the converting proceeding in a liquid phase with removal of a product gas including carbon dioxide and hydrogen, is provided. The apparatus includes dry methanol, as a first solvent in a first region for an absorption of carbon monoxide with simultaneous formation of methyl formate, and water, as a second solvent in a second region for a liberation of the product gas in order to avoid losses of hydrogen in a carbon dioxide region.

Abstract: A process for carrying out a carbon monoxide shift reaction is provided. In the implementation of the carbon monoxide shift reaction, including the conversion of carbon monoxide and water into carbon dioxide and hydrogen, this conversion takes place in the liquid phase and involves separation of the product gases carbon dioxide and/or hydrogen, where as a first solvent dry methanol is used, for the absorption of carbon monoxide with simultaneous formation of a methyl formate, as a second solvent, in the area of release of the product gases, water is used, for avoiding hydrogen losses in a carbon dioxide area.

Abstract: A method for capturing carbon dioxide is provided. In a first absorption process, carbon dioxide is absorbed by contacting a supplied carbon dioxide-containing natural gas with a first substream of a solvent. In this process a carbon dioxide-depleted natural gas and carbon dioxide-enriched solvent are formed. Then in a combustion process, the carbon dioxide-depleted natural gas is burnt, with a carbon dioxide-containing exhaust gas being formed. Then, in a second absorption process, carbon dioxide is absorbed by contacting the carbon dioxide-containing exhaust gas with a second substream of the solvent. In this process an exhaust gas freed from carbon dioxide and carbon dioxide-enriched solvent are formed. Then, in a desorption process, the first substream and the second substream of the carbon dioxide-enriched solvent are combined and carbon dioxide is desorbed by supplying heating energy, with carbon dioxide-depleted solvent being formed.