Abstract: An air/fuel pre-mixer for a gas turbine combustor and a method of pre-mixing air and fuel for a combustor are provided. In one embodiment the pre-mixer includes a first annular premix fuel manifold disposed upstream of the combustor and an annular member concentric with the first premix fuel manifold. Together the annular premix fuel manifold and the annular member define a first venturi shaped air/fuel pre-mix volume between them that has a throat. At or upstream from the throat, the first premix fuel manifold has a plurality of pores whereby the fuel is injected from the first premix fuel manifold to mix with air in the first pre-mix volume. In another embodiment, the annular member is an outer wall, whereas in yet another embodiment, the annular member is a second premix fuel manifold.

Abstract: A premixer for a combustor to entrain a selected volume of fuel in an oxidizer to be combusted to heat the oxidizer. The combustor is for a gas powered turbine which employs the hypergolic or high energy air stream which will allow a fuel to be combusted in the absence of an additional ignition source. A heat exchanger and a catalyst combusts a first portion of fuel in air without the production of undesired chemical species. The catalyst is employed to lower the combustion temperature of the fuel to substantially eliminate selected chemical species. The fuel premixed in the air then encounters the catalyst and the fuel is combusted to increase the temperature of the air to an auto-ignition temperature so that no other ignition source is needed to combust additional fuel added later.

Abstract: A combustor for a gas powered turbine which employs a heat exchanger and a catalyst to combust a fuel without the emission of undesired chemical species. A gas powered turbine requires expanding gases to power the turbine blades. Fuel is combusted to produce the required gases. A catalyst is employed to lower the combustion temperature of the fuel. The catalyst is placed on a set of tubes in the heat exchanger such that a portion of the thermal energy may be transferred to the air before it engages the catalyst. After encountering the catalyst, the combusted fuel increases the temperature of the air to an auto-ignition temperature so that no other ignition source is needed to combust additional fuel.

Abstract: A system, such as a turbine power production system, including a plurality of combustion chambers. The combustion chamber may be provided with an ignition system that allows for substantially simultaneous ignition of each of the plurality of the combustors. Generally, a detonation wave may be provided to each of the combustion chambers substantially simultaneously from a single ignition combustion wave chamber.

Abstract: A counter-flow system for use in a turbine for selecting various mixtures of fluids for use with the system. The system may be used for a combustor for a gas powered turbine which employs a heat exchanger to combust a fuel without the emission of undesired chemical species. A gas powered turbine requires expanding gases to power the turbine blades. Fuel is combusted to produce the required gases. An oxidizer is introduced into the counter-flow system in a first direction before a first portion of fuel is introduced into the oxidizer. The fuel and oxidizer mixture is then flowed through a second pathway wherein the fuel and oxidizer mixture obtains a selected amount of thermal energy. Moreover, in a second pathway an equivalence ratio of the fuel and oxidizer mixture may be altered from the original fuel and oxidizer mixture.

Abstract: An injection device transfers calcium carbonate particles for regeneration into calcium oxide. The device includes an injector body having an inlet end which receives a heated air volume, and a discharge end. At least one transfer tube disposed through a portion of the injector body discharges the calcium carbonate particles at the discharge end. At least one flow nozzle receives the heated air volume and discharges the heated air volume at the discharge end. Each flow nozzle is angularly oriented to directly impinge the plurality of calcium carbonate particles discharged from the transfer tube with the heated air volume. A flow splitter can also be connected to the device to split the calcium carbonate particles into multiple flow streams.

Abstract: A hydrogen generation system includes a hydrogen generator reacting a steam/methane mixture. Calcium oxide particles in the hydrogen generator absorb a substantial reacted portion of carbon dioxide from the reacted steam/methane mixture. The hydrogen generator discharges a hydrogen/COx gas volume. A methanation unit subsequently converts substantially all of the COx portion of the hydrogen/COx gas volume to methane gas.

Abstract: A coolant liner for a carbonaceous fuel (coal or petcoke) gasification vessel including a ceramic composite panel and a method of cooling a vessel. The panel includes at least two layers of woven yarns of fibrous material and walls extending between the layers. Accordingly, the layers and the walls define coolant channels that extend in a warp direction. Moreover, one of the layers may be less than about 0.08 inches thick. Materials used to create the composite panel may include alumina, chromia, silicon carbide, and carbon. Additionally, the liners may be shaped in an arc or have coolant channels which vary in diameter in the warp direction. Additionally, the liner may abut a structural closeout of the vessel. The coolant liner provides a significantly more durable component than previously employed liners and is especially well suited to demanding service environments.

Abstract: There are provided an injector and an associated method for injecting and mixing gases, comprising a carbonaceous fuel and oxygen, in a combustion chamber of a combustion device. The injector has jets, which can be used to separately inject different combustion fuels. The injector is compatible with combustion devices that inject only gases, for example, a reheater that provides initial combustion in a power generation cycle or a reheater that recombusts a discharged gas from a gas generator and turbine. Further, the injector defines an annular space through which a recycle gas can be injected into the combustion chamber to lower the combustion temperature.

Abstract: There are provided an injector and an associated method for injecting and mixing gases, comprising a carbonaceous fuel and oxygen, in a combustion chamber of a combustion device. The injector has jets, which can be used to separately inject different combustion fuels. The injector is compatible with combustion devices that inject only gases, for example, a reheater that provides initial combustion in a power generation cycle or a reheater that recombusts a discharged gas from a gas generator and turbine. Further, the injector defines an annular space through which a recycle gas can be injected into the combustion chamber to lower the combustion temperature.

Abstract: A premixer for a combustor to entrain a selected volume of fuel in an oxidizer to be combusted to heat the oxidizer. The combustor is for a gas powered turbine which employs the hypergolic or high energy air stream which will allow a fuel to be combusted in the absence of an additional ignition source. A heat exchanger and a catalyst combusts a first portion of fuel in air without the production of undesired chemical species. The catalyst is employed to lower the combustion temperature of the fuel to substantially eliminate selected chemical species. The fuel premixed in the air then encounters the catalyst and the fuel is combusted to increase the temperature of the air to an auto-ignition temperature so that no other ignition source is needed to combust additional fuel added later.

Abstract: A counter-flow system for use in a turbine for selecting various mixtures of fluids for use with the system. The system may be used for a combustor for a gas powered turbine which employs a heat exchanger to combust a fuel without the emission of undesired chemical species. A gas powered turbine requires expanding gases to power the turbine blades. Fuel is combusted to produce the required gases. An oxidizer is introduced into the counter-flow system in a first direction before a first portion of fuel is introduced into the oxidizer. The fuel and oxidizer mixture is then flowed through a second pathway wherein the fuel and oxidizer mixture obtains a selected amount of thermal energy. Moreover, in a second pathway an equivalence ratio of the fuel and oxidizer mixture may be altered from the original fuel and oxidizer mixture.

Abstract: There are provided an injector and an associated method for injecting and mixing gases, comprising a carbonaceous fuel and oxygen, in a combustion chamber of a combustion device. The injector has jets, which can be used to separately inject different combustion fuels. The injector is compatible with combustion devices that inject only gases, for example, a reheater that provides initial combustion in a power generation cycle or a reheater that recombusts a discharged gas from a gas generator and turbine. Further, the injector defines an annular space through which a recycle gas can be injected into the combustion chamber to lower the combustion temperature.

Abstract: There is provided a low-emission, staged-combustion power generation system and associated method for generating power. The power generation system and method combust a carbonaceous fuel with an oxidizing fluid, both of which are substantially free of nitrogen and sulfur, to generate power, for example, in the form of electricity, without the formation of nitrous oxides (NOx) and sulfur oxides (SOx). Efficiency is enhanced using a multi-staged combustion, in which the carbonaceous fuel is partially combusted before passing through a first power take-off device and subsequently reheated and passed through one or more additional power take-off devices. Additionally, exhaust gases from one or more of the power take-off devices can be extracted and processed to provide quantities of useful products such as hydrogen and methanol.

Abstract: An injection system, injector, and associated method are provided for injecting and combusting combustion fluids in a combustion chamber. The system includes a faceplate that faces the combustion chamber and a plurality of injectors that extend through the faceplate. Each of the injectors has an injector body with an outlet side. A fuel bore extends from a fuel bore inlet to a fuel bore outlet located at the outlet side of the injector. Each injector also includes a swirler chamber with at least one inlet for receiving steam and an oxidizing fluid and an oxidizing fluid outlet located on the injector outlet side. A converging channel extends from the oxidizing fluid outlet to the swirler chamber, and the converging channel converges relative to the fuel bore so that steam and oxidizing fluid exiting the injector through the oxidizing fluid outlet impinge on a stream of fuel in the combustion chamber flowing from the fuel bore.

Abstract: There are provided an injector and an associated method for injecting and mixing gases, comprising a carbonaceous fuel and oxygen, in a combustion chamber of a combustion device. The injector has jets, which can be used to separately inject different combustion fuels. The injector is compatible with combustion devices that inject only gases, for example, a reheater that provides initial combustion in a power generation cycle or a reheater that recombusts a discharged gas from a gas generator and turbine. Further, the injector defines an annular space through which a recycle gas can be injected into the combustion chamber to lower the combustion temperature.

Abstract: An injection system, injector, and associated method are provided for injecting and combusting combustion fluids in a combustion chamber. The system includes a faceplate that faces the combustion chamber and a plurality of injectors that extend through the faceplate. Each of the injectors has an injector body with an outlet side. A fuel bore extends from a fuel bore inlet to a fuel bore outlet located at the outlet side of the injector. Each injector also includes a swirler chamber with at least one inlet for receiving steam and an oxidizing fluid and an oxidizing fluid outlet located on the injector outlet side. A converging channel extends from the oxidizing fluid outlet to the swirler chamber, and the converging channel converges relative to the fuel bore so that that steam and oxidizing fluid exiting the injector through the oxidizing fluid outlet impinge on a stream of fuel in the combustion chamber flowing from the fuel bore.

Abstract: There is provided a low-emission, staged-combustion power generation system and associated method for generating power. The power generation system and method combust a carbonaceous fuel with an oxidizing fluid, both of which are substantially free of nitrogen and sulfur, to generate power, for example, in the form of electricity, without the formation of nitrous oxides (NOx) and sulfur oxides (SOx). Efficiency is enhanced using a multi-staged combustion, in which the carbonaceous fuel is partially combusted before passing through a first power take-off device and subsequently reheated and passed through one or more additional power take-off devices. Additionally, exhaust gases from one or more of the power take-off devices can be extracted and processed to provide quantities of useful products such as hydrogen and methanol.

Abstract: A cooled turbine blade (either a rotor blade or a stationary vane) comprises a blade structural member whose primary function is to withstand the various loads exerted on the blade and maintain structural integrity of the blade, and a heat-transfer sheath that surrounds the outer surface of the structural member. A plurality of coolant passages are formed between the structural member and the heat-transfer sheath. Thus, when coolant is passed through the coolant passages, the heat transferred to the sheath from the hot gases passing through the turbine is in turn transferred to the coolant, which is then removed from the blade, thereby cooling the blade.

Abstract: An anode wick for use with electrochemical fuel cells, in accordance with the invention, establishes a physical connection between a fuel cell's anode membrane surface and a liquid water reservoir. Wicking action substantially ensures the cell's anode surface is continually bathed in water. Two mechanical check valves are incorporated to effectively prevent mixing of gaseous hydrogen and oxygen gases in the event the fuel cell system's water tanks become over pressurized. This design can effectively eliminate the need for some of a conventional fuel cell system's pumps and/or compressors. Advantageously, the invention also reduces the overall weight and mechanical complexity of the fuel cell system, thereby improving system reliability.