Abstract: Turbulence is controlled in boundary layer or wall-bounded fluid flow fields having a turbulent wall region characterized by a system of roll pairs extending in the direction of flow, and obliquely propagating structures interacting with the system of roll pairs, by locally introducing into the turbulent wall region two separate disturbances that are effective to produce, in a local region, a composite disturbance field that is strongly coupled to and modifies the obliquely propagating structures in a manner that increases or decreases the interaction of the propagating structures with the system of roll pairs thereby locally increasing or decreasing the turbulence in the flow field. One of the disturbances may result from the interaction of the fluid with a linear strip, or an array of strips, of delta-shaped protrusions positioned spanwise on the wall (i.e., transverse to the flow direction); and the second disturbance may result from injecting sonic energy into the local region.

Abstract: A hygroscopic power plant utilizes low salinity liquid (e.g., sea water having a salinity of about 4%) and a source of high salinity liquid (e.g., brine having a salinity of about 38%) for generating electricity. The plant includes a flash chamber to which liquid is supplied and within which water in the liquid is flashed into steam producing more concentrated liquid. A steam turbine is responsive to the steam for generating electricity and producing heat depleted steam. A condenser is provided to which high salinity liquid and the heat depleted steam are supplied for directly contacting the steam with the high salinity liquid whereby the steam condenses on the liquid producing diluted high salinity liquid. A regenerator is provided for evaporating water from the diluted high salinity liquid to produce the high salinity liquid supplied to the condenser.

Abstract: A transportation system is based on battery powered vehicles operating in an isolated geographic area within which a base electrical load during the day exceeds the normal electrical load during the night. The system is operated by generating power for the load by using a geothermal power plant that operates day and night at a substantially constant power output. The vehicles are operated during the day; and power generated by the power plant supplies the base electrical load. Recharging of the batteries of the vehicles occurs only at night when power generated by the power plant in excess of the normal electrical load is available for recharging purposes.

Abstract: A power plant includes a gas turbine unit having a compressor for compressing ambient air, a burner for burning fuel and heating air compressed by said compressor, and a turbine for expanding air heated by said burner to drive said compressor and produce hot exhaust gases. The plant further includes a combustor for containing particles of solid fuel which are fluidized by the exhaust gases from the turbine to produce hot products of combustion that include coarse ash particulate. Apparatus is provided for generating power from the hot products of combustion.

Abstract: An externally fired gas turbine system has a compressor for compressing ambient air and producing compressed air, an indirect-contact air heat exchanger for heating the compressed air to produce heated compressed air, an air turbine for expanding the heated and compressed air to produce expanded air, and a generator connected to the turbine for generating electricity that is supplied to a load. The system also includes a source of energy including solar energy, oil shale, solid waste fuel, land fill gas, biomass, or combinations thereof, and/or solid, liquid, or gaseous hydrocarbon fuels, for adding heat to the compressed air in the air heat exchanger and producing heat depleted gases that exit the air heat exchanger.

Abstract: An externally fired gas turbine system according to the present invention has a compressor for compressing ambient air and producing compressed air, an air heat exchanger for heating the compressed air to produce heated compressed air, a turbine for expanding the heated compressed air to produce heat depleted expanded air, and a generator connected to the turbine for generating electricity. According to the present invention, the system also includes combustible products producing apparatus for processing fuel to produce combustible products that include combustible gases and an external combustion chamber for burning the combustible products and transferring heat to the air heat exchanger and producing heat depleted combustion products. The system also includes a closed Rankine cycle steam power plant having a water heat exchanger for vaporizing water and producing steam using heat contained in the heat depleted combustion products.

Abstract: An energy recovery, pressure reducing system for reducing high pressure gas in a transmission pipeline to a low pressure gas in a consumer pipeline includes an expander system having at least one expander for expanding the high pressure gas and producing work and low pressure gas that is supplied to the consumer pipeline, and a generator coupled to said expander for converting the work to electricity which is supplied to an electrical load. The system further includes apparatus including an on/off valve serially connected to a pressure regulating valve, the apparatus being connected in parallel with the expander system. The on/off valve has an open state for effecting transmission of gas through the pressure regulating valve which has an adjustable flow control opening for throttling high pressure gas and producing low pressure gas when the on/off valve is in its open state; and a closed state for preventing transmission of gas through the pressure regulating valve.

Abstract: Power is produced from high presser geothermal fluid by separating the fluid into high pressure steam and high pressure brine, expanding the high pressure steam in a high pressure turbogenerator for producing power and heat depleted steam, and separating liquid from the heat depleted steam thereby producing dried heat depleted steam at a pressure and temperature lower than the pressure and temperature of the high pressure steam. The liquid so separated, and the high pressure brine are combined in a flash chamber which produces steam which is combined with the dried heat depleted steam and expanded in a lower pressure turbogenerator for producing additional power. Optionally, some of the high pressure steam is used to reheat the dried heat depleted steam and the steam produced by the flash chamber before such steam is expanded in the lower pressure turbogenerator.

Abstract: Apparatus for generating power includes a gas turbine unit having a compressor for compressing ambient air and producing compressed air, a combustion chamber to which the compressed air is supplied, a source of relatively high grade fuel for burning in the combustion chamber and producing combustion gases, and a gas turbine connected to generator and to the compressor for expanding the combustion gases and producing exhaust gases. The apparatus further includes a combustor that burns relatively low grade fuel, and produces combustion products, and an indirect contact heat exchanger responsive to the combustion products for heating the compressed air before the latter is applied to the combustion chamber, and for producing cooled combustion products. In addition, an energy converter is provided having an organic working fluid responsive to the exhaust gases for converting heat in the exhaust gases to electricity.

Abstract: A method for using a two-phase fluid includes separating the fluid into its two phases, one of which is a hot gas containing energy in the form of latent heat, and one of which is a hot liquid containing energy in the form of sensible heat; converting sensible heat in the liquid to sensible heat in a working fluid for producing preheated working fluid; and transferring latent heat in the gas to the preheated working fluid for vaporizing the same at substantially constant temperature and pressure.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, a method for supplying solid material such as hot carbonaceous material from a pyrolyzer or reactor to a furnace, is provided comprising providing a screw conveyor for receiving the solid carbonaceous material from the pyrolyzer or reactor preferably from above the conveyor and transporting it along its length to a vaned rotor preferably positioned on the axle of the screw conveyor preferably substantially near the end of the screw conveyor for supplying the carbonaceous material to the furnace.

Abstract: A seasonally configurable combined cycle cogeneration plant of the type having a gas turbine unit for producing power and hot exhaust gases, includes a heat recovery water heater for receiving the exhaust gases. The heat recovery water heater contains an indirect contact heat exchanger for exchanging heat in the exhaust gases with water in the heat exchanger which produces hot water as a result. The plant further includes a hot water utilization device responsive to hot water supplied thereto for utilizing heat in the hot water in an amount that varies seasonally. Also included is an organic Rankine cycle converter having a vaporizer responsive to hot water supplied thereto for producing organic vapor, an organic vapor turbine for expanding the organic vapor and producing expanded organic vapor and power, an organic vapor condenser for condensing the expanded organic vapor and producing condensate, and means for returning the condensate to the vaporizer.

Abstract: In order to augment the power produced by a gas turbine system of a type having an air compressor for producing compressed air, a combustor for heating the compressed air, and a gas turbine responsive to the heated air for driving the air compressor and the load, cooling air is supplied to the compressor by indirectly contacting the air with water that is chilled by flashing some of the water into a vapor.

Abstract: A geothermal power plant operating on geothermal fluid includes a source of low pressure geothermal steam, and a turbo-generator including a low pressure steam turbine to which the geothermal steam is applied, and a generator coupled to the steam turbine. The low pressure geothermal steam is applied to the turbine, wherein expansion takes place driving the generator, and producing expanded steam that is exhausted from the turbine. A condenser for condensing the expanded steam includes a steam heat exchanger for receiving the expanded steam, a coolant, an air cooled heat exchanger, and a pump to exchange coolant during the steam heat exchanger and the air cooled heat exchanger, in a closed secondary coolant cycle. Preferably, the coolant is water.

Abstract: The power produced by a gas turbine system is augmented by a direct contact heat exchanger for contacting and cooling humid ambient air with cooler water for producing cooled ambient air and warmed water, and a precompressor device for compressing said cooled ambient air to produce pressurized air that is warmer than ambient air and has a lower relative humidity. An evaporative cooler, which is supplied with the warmed water, is provided for cooling said pressurized air to produce cooled pressurized air at about ambient air temperature and relative humidity, which is supplied to the main compressor.

Abstract: Power is produced from geothermal fluid containing non-condensable gases whose main constituent is carbon-dioxide. The geothermal fluid is separated into steam and geothermal liquid, the steam being applied to a steam turbine which produces power. The steam exiting the turbine indirectly condensed by an organic fluid liquid which is vaporized and used to run at least one organic vapor turbine for producing power. Organic vapor exiting the organic vapor turbine is condensed and preheated by the steam condensate. Heat extracted from the geothermal liquid is used to run another organic vapor turbine producing power and cooled geothermal liquid which is combined with the cooled steam condensate to form a mixture to which the non-condensable gases are added to form an effluent that is injected into a re-injection well.

Abstract: Turbulence is controlled in boundary layer or wall-bounded fluid flow fields having a turbulent wall region characterized by a system of roll pairs extending in the direction of flow, and obliquely propagating structures interacting with the system of roll pairs, by locally introducing into the turbulent wall region two separate disturbances that are effective to produce, in a local region, a composite disturbance field that is strongly coupled to and modifies the obliquely propagating structures in a manner that increases or decreases the interaction of the propagating structures with the system of roll pairs thereby locally increasing or decreasing the turbulence in the flow field. One of the disturbances may result from the interaction of the fluid with a linear strip, or an array of strips, of delta-shaped protrusions positioned spanwise on the wall (i.e., transverse to the flow direction); and the second disturbance may result from injecting sonic energy into the local region.

Abstract: A power plant operating on geothermal steam containing more than about 5% non-condensable gases includes a topping steam turbine for expanding the steam to produce power and from which exhaust steam is extracted at a pressure above atmospheric pressure, and an indirect contact heat exchanger containing clean water for condensing the exhaust steam at a pressure above atmospheric pressure to produce geothermal steam condensate, and for consequently vaporizing the clean water to produce clean steam. The non-condensable gases contained in the geothermal steam are extracted from the heat exchanger and, being at a pressure above atmospheric pressure, can be injected, without being further pressurized, directly into the ground. The clean steam produced by the heat exchanger is applied to a bottoming steam turbine which expands the clean steam to produce power and from which clean exhaust steam is extracted.

Abstract: High sulfur content fuel is combusted in the presence of oil shale containing significant amounts of calcium carbonate so that the sulfur and calcium carbonate oxidize and react to form calcium sulfate particulate which captures the sulfur and in the fuel and prevents its release to the atmosphere.

Abstract: A Rankine cycle power plant has a vaporizer member responsive to heat input for vaporizing a working fluid and producing vaporized working fluid, a turbogenerator responsive to vaporized working fluid for generating power and producing heat depleted working fluid, a condenser member responsive to said heat depleted working fluid for condensing the same and producing condensate, and suitable piping for returning said condensate to the vaporizer. The working fluid is in the form of a liquid having a plurality of fractions; at least one fraction is distilled from said liquid to produce a distillated fluid. It is this distillated fluid that is supplied to the power plant as the working fluid.