Having Fuel Conversion (e.g., Reforming, Etc.) Patents (Class 60/780)
  • Patent number: 11719199
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine assembly is provided with a fuel tank for fuel including ethanol, and a reformer for steam reforming of ethanol that is with an outlet connected to a buffer tank. A first reformer supply duct extends from the fuel tank to the reformer via a fuel evaporator that is in heat exchanging contact with the exhaust gases, for supplying ethanol vapor to the reformer. A second reformer supply duct extends from a water reservoir to the reformer via a water evaporator that is in heat exchanging contact with the exhaust gases. The reformer is in heat exchanging contact with the catalytic converter and is adapted for reforming ethanol and water into syngas including carbon monoxide and hydrogen, and for supplying the syngas via the outlet to the buffer tank. The reformer and the catalytic converter may form an integrated unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation
    Inventor: Ola Rolandson
  • Patent number: 11313274
    Abstract: A power generation system using a combined solar-assisted fuel reformer and oxy-combustion membrane reactor is proposed. The system uses solar heating to activate the endothermic fuel steam reforming reaction. The produced gas is separated into streams of H2 and CO for separate oxy-combustion reactions. The O2 used in the oxy-combustion reactions is produced by permeating O2 through ion transport membranes in contact with solar-heated air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: KING FAHD UNIVERSITY OF PETROLEUM AND MINERALS
    Inventors: Esmail M. A. Mokheimer, Mohamed A. Habib
  • Patent number: 11300063
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for increasing a temperature of a catalyst of an engine by operating the engine in a split lambda catalyst heating mode. In one example, a method may include, while operating an engine in a split lambda catalyst heating mode, adjusting a magnitude of a lambda split between a rich set of combustion events and a lean set of combustion events based on soot formation in the rich set of combustion events. In this way, catalyst temperature may be increased while maintaining engine efficiency and preventing soot formation in the cylinders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas G. Leone, Peter C. Moilanen, Xiaogang Zhang, Jianwen James Yi, Steven Schwochert
  • Patent number: 11293310
    Abstract: A steam network assembly for a plant including an ammonia-producing unit and a urea-producing unit, including a high-pressure steam line, two medium-pressure steam lines and first and second turbines supplied with high-pressure steam by the high-pressure steam line; wherein the first turbine is a condensing-type turbine with extraction into one of the two medium-pressure steam lines, and is configured to deliver power to a syngas compressor in the ammonia-producing unit of the plant, and the second turbine is a counter-pressure type turbine with extraction connected to the two medium-pressure steam lines and is configured to deliver power to a CO2 compressor in the urea-producing unit of the plant. A method to distribute high-pressure steam in a steam network assembly for a plant including an ammonia-producing unit and a urea-producing unit and a method to revamp the steam network assembly for a plant including an ammonia-producing unit and a urea-producing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: YARA INTERNATIONAL ASA
    Inventors: Danny Franceus, Lino Giovanni Porro
  • Patent number: 11274598
    Abstract: A power plant with a multi-stage intercooled compressor, a combustion chamber, a turbine which is arranged downstream of the combustion chamber, a compressor air line which connects the compressor to the combustion chamber, and a first heat exchanger which is connected into the compressor air line and into an exhaust gas line branching off from the turbine. A first compressor air expander is arranged in the compressor air line between the first heat exchanger and the combustion chamber, and the power plant includes a device for regasifying liquid natural gas, having a natural gas line, wherein a heat exchanger device is connected into the natural gas line between two compressor stages of the compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Carsten Graeber, Uwe Juretzek
  • Patent number: 11268439
    Abstract: A cold-heat power generation device includes a thermal power generation device, a CAES power generation device, and an output merging part. A facility includes an LNG vaporizer, a motive power part that burns natural gas vaporized by the LNG vaporizer to convert the natural gas into motive power, and a primary generator that is driven by the motive power part. A facility includes an air compressor that compresses air cooled by the LNG vaporizer, an air tank that stores compressed air discharged from the air compressor, air heaters that heat the compressed air supplied from the air tank with heat generated when the natural gas is burned in the motive power part, an air expander that expands the compressed air heated by the air heaters, and a secondary generator that is driven by the air expander. At the output merging part, output of the primary generator and output of the secondary generator are merged with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroki Saruta, Masaki Matsukuma, Takashi Sato
  • Patent number: 11181043
    Abstract: Apparatuses for generating carbon particles and exhaust gas used by gas turbine systems are disclosed. One apparatus may include a decarbonization component combusting or reacting a mixture of a fuel and a mixing gas to generate the carbon particles and the exhaust gas and an exhaust conduit to receive the exhaust gas generated by the decarbonization component. The apparatus may also include a mixing duct in fluid communication with the exhaust conduit and the gas turbine system. The mixing duct may receive the exhaust gas and provide the exhaust gas to the gas turbine system to be used to produce a working fluid within the gas turbine system. The apparatus may further include a carbon particle collection component for receiving and storing the generated carbon particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Jonathan Dwight Berry
  • Patent number: 11118575
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the utilization of solar energy for generation of electricity and/or production of clean fuels or other chemicals, as a means for long term, transportable storage of inherently intermittent solar energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Inventors: Jacob Karni, Leon Karni
  • Patent number: 10989117
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine system includes a gas turbine engine and a fuel turbine system. The gas turbine engine includes an air inlet, compressor, combustor, turbine, and heat exchange system. The heat exchange system is configured to transfer thermal energy from an inlet air flow or exhaust air flow to a fuel to produce a gaseous fuel that is used to drive a fuel turbine and fuel pump and used for combustion in the gas turbine engine. The fuel turbine is in fluid communication with the heat exchange system and the combustor and configured to extract energy from expansion of the gaseous fuel. The fuel pump is configured to be driven by the fuel turbine and is in fluid communication with the heat exchanger system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Gary D. Roberge
  • Patent number: 10975846
    Abstract: The present discussion relates to generating power generation forecasts both on-site and remote to a wind farm, or other intermittent power generation asset, so as to increase the reliability of providing a forecast to interested parties, such as regulatory authorities. Forecasts may be separately generated at both the on-site and remote locations and, if both are available, one is selected for transmission to interested parties, such as regulatory authorities. If, due to circumstances, one forecast is unavailable, the other forecast may be used in its place locally and remotely, communications permitting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Rahul Kumar Srivastava, Krishna Kumar Swaminathan, Sridhar Dasaratha, Shishir Goel, Milesh Shrichandra Gogad, Nitika Bhaskar, Pritesh Jain
  • Patent number: 10914232
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for power production utilizing a recirculating working fluid. In particular, a portion of the recirculating working fluid can be separated from the main stream of recirculating working fluid as a bypass stream that can be compressed for adding heat to the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: 8 Rivers Capital, LLC
    Inventor: Rodney John Allam
  • Patent number: 10830105
    Abstract: A combined cycle power plant and heating and cooling system and method for the power plant is disclosed as having a liquid natural gas supply and a vaporizer configured to vaporize the liquid natural gas into natural gas that is supplied to a gas performance heater before entering a combustion section of a gas turbine. A closed cooling water circuit is in fluid communication with at least one power plant component such as a gas turbine inlet heating/cooling coil, a heat recovery heat exchanger, the vaporizer, and mixtures thereof. An open cooling water circuit is in fluid communication with at least one power plant component such as at least one steam turbine condenser, the heat recovery heat exchanger, and mixtures thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Abhijit Gupta, Cheng Eng Cong, Adrianto Darmoyo, Raub Smith
  • Patent number: 10718523
    Abstract: A fuel injector includes a frame and a pair of fuel injection bodies coupled to the frame. The frame has interior sides that define an opening for passage of a first fluid. Inlet flow paths for the first fluid are defined at least between the interior sides of the frame and the respective fuel injection bodies. Each fuel injection body defines a fuel plenum and includes at least one fuel injection surface that defines a plurality of fuel injection holes in communication with the fuel plenum. An outlet member is located downstream of, and in fluid communication, with the inlet flow paths. The outlet member is configured to produce discrete outlet flow paths exiting the outlet member via struts, flow diverters, and/or separate outlet members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Sreenivasa Rao Gubba, Michael John Hughes, Krishna Kant Agarwal
  • Patent number: 10634425
    Abstract: The method for producing liquid hydrogen can include the steps of: introducing pressurized natural gas from a high pressure natural gas pipeline to a gas processing unit under conditions effective for producing a purified hydrogen stream; and introducing the purified hydrogen stream to a hydrogen liquefaction unit under conditions effective to produce a liquid hydrogen stream, wherein the hydrogen liquefaction unit provides a warm temperature cooling and a cold temperature cooling to the purified hydrogen stream, wherein the warm temperature cooling is provided by utilizing letdown energy of a pressurized stream selected from the group consisting of a nitrogen stream sourced from a nitrogen pipeline, a natural gas stream sourced from the high pressure natural gas pipeline, an air gas sourced from an air separation unit, and combinations thereof, wherein the cold temperature is provided by utilizing letdown energy of the purified hydrogen stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme Pour L'Etude Et L'Exploitation Des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Alain Guillard, Pierre-Etienne Franc, Michael A. Turney, Kirill Andreev, Alexander Roesch
  • Patent number: 10619173
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a process for forming a biogenic carbon-based fuel or a fuel intermediate from biogenic carbon dioxide and hydrogen. At least a portion of the biogenic carbon dioxide and hydrogen is subjected to a reverse water gas shift reaction that produces at least carbon monoxide. The carbon monoxide so produced, the biogenic carbon dioxide and the hydrogen are introduced, together or separately, to a biologic or chemical conversion process to produce the fuel or fuel intermediate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: Iogen Corporation
    Inventors: Patrick J. Foody, Brian Foody
  • Patent number: 10190540
    Abstract: In order to stably use a catalyst for pyrolysis and supply a reformed fuel, the fuel supply system includes a fuel reforming section which pyrolyzes a hydrocarbon system fuel by the heat of the combustion chamber to generate the reformed fuel. The fuel reforming section includes a preheat vaporization section provided on the combustion chamber, and a decomposition reaction section that is provided on the preheat vaporization section and includes the catalyst for pyrolysis. The preheat vaporization section heats the fuel, the decomposition reaction section pyrolyzes the heated fuel to generate the reformed fuel, and the fuel reforming section supplies the reformed fuel to the combustion chamber. The reforming catalyst includes a zeolitic catalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Kenji Suzuki, Atsushi Kuroyanagi, Toshinobu Yasutake
  • Patent number: 10106756
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for producing biomethane suitable for supplying a natural gas network that incorporates a process for providing heat for heating the biogas production step, the process comprising at least steps of producing biogas by anaerobic fermentation of organic matter, of pretreating and compressing the biogas and also of permeation in order to obtain, after a first separation by permeation, a stream of biomethane and a gaseous permeate having a reduced methane content; the process additionally provides the heat necessary for the anaerobic fermentation step via a boiler using the retentate from a second permeation step fed by the permeate from the first separation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide Societe Anonyme Pour L'Etude Et L'Exploitation Des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Nicolas Paget, Delphine Garnaud, Guénaël Prince, Mathieu Lefebvre
  • Patent number: 9765667
    Abstract: A method is provided for loading or reloading a decomposition unit of an SCR system, the SCR system being mounted on board a vehicle and including a filler pipe in communication with the decomposition unit. The method is such that at least one capsule containing at least one protein component adapted to decompose ammonia precursor is introduced through the filler pipe and is then guided through the filler pipe towards the decomposition unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Plastic Omnium Advanced Innovation and Research
    Inventors: Francois Dougnier, Dominique Madoux, Beatriz Monge-Bonini, Jules-Joseph Van Schaftingen
  • Patent number: 9708973
    Abstract: A power generation system is provided. The power generation system includes a reformer system for producing syngas for an internal combustion engine. The reformer system includes a reforming unit having a catalyst for thermochemical conversion of a first portion of a hydrocarbon fuel to the syngas. The power generation system also includes a waste heat recovery system including at least one organic Rankine cycle flow path of working fluid, at least one waste heat recovery exchanger, for extracting waste heat from the reformer system, and at least one evaporator for using the extracted waste heat for heating the working fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Günther Wall, Anthony Mark Thompson, Wei Wei, Gabor Ast
  • Patent number: 9574479
    Abstract: A method for loading or reloading a decomposition unit of a vehicular system, the vehicular system including a filler pipe in communication with the decomposition unit. The method includes introducing at least one capsule including at least one protein component adapted to decompose ammonia precursor through the filler pipe and which is then guided through the filler pipe towards the decomposition unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: PLASTIC OMNIUM ADVANCED INNOVATION AND RESEARCH
    Inventors: Francois Dougnier, Dominique Madoux, Beatriz Monge-Bonini, Jules-Joseph Van Schaftingen
  • Patent number: 9543808
    Abstract: This power generation system is provided with a medium circuit, a circulation pump, an evaporator which evaporates a medium, an expander configured to be driven using the medium evaporated by the evaporator, a condenser configured to condense the medium discharged from the expander, a generator configured to be driven by the expander to generate power, a cooling system configured to cool the generator using the medium taken out from the medium circuit at a downstream side of the condenser, and a gas-liquid separator configured to separate the medium heated as a consequence of cooling the generator by the cooling system into gas and liquid phases, wherein the gas phase of the medium is flowed into the medium circuit at an upstream side of the condenser, and the liquid phase of the medium is flowed into the medium circuit at the downstream side of the condenser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Yutaka Kubota, Takao Sakurai, Toyotaka Hirao, Naoki Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 9464573
    Abstract: A power supply device or system for aeronautics, having a hydrocarbon supply for supplying an engine with hydrocarbon fuel and a hydrogen supply having a fuel reformer for producing hydrogen from hydrocarbon fuel from said hydrocarbon supply. The hydrogen supply is connected to a hydrogen-powered fuel cell for producing electric power and to a hydrogen injecting system for injection of hydrogen into a combustion chamber of the engine. Further, the invention relates to an aircraft having an engine that can be supplied by that power supplying device or system, and to a method for operating said engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: Airbus SAS
    Inventors: Sebastien Remy, Jean Botti
  • Patent number: 9416019
    Abstract: An ammonia production process is disclosed. The process uses gasification of biomass waste and the like to produce syngas which, using an integrated system including using nitrogen enriched air and a porous coated catalyst, produces ammonia in a plasma reactor. The ammonia is finally recovered using sulphonated PolyHIPE Polymer which can be used as a fertilizer after neutralization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: University of Newcastle upon Tyne
    Inventor: Galip Akay
  • Patent number: 9410480
    Abstract: A synthesis gas (H2+CO) that comes from a gasifier is supposed to be used in more efficient and optimal manner, particularly for generating electricity, whereby then, CO2 that occurs at the same time is supposed to be passed to storage. This is achieved in that—the synthesis gas (H2+CO) and oxygen (O2) from an air separation system are combusted in a burner, and relaxed by way of a gas turbine (driving a generator), —CO2 is separated in the waste gas stream and passed to a compressor driven by the gas turbine, and—passed to CO2 storage as compressed CO2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: ThyssenKrupp Uhde GmbH
    Inventors: Domenico Pavone, Ralf Abraham
  • Patent number: 9249690
    Abstract: An energy generation system and method are presented for use in operating a heat engine. The energy generation method comprises: reducing a CO2 gas into CO and O2 gases; reacting said CO and O2 gases, thus combusting the CO gas, and yielding a substantially pure CO2 outlet gas; and supplying said CO2 outlet gas to the heat engine as a working gas in its heat-to-work generation process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: YEDA RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CO. LTD.
    Inventors: Jacob Karni, Uri Garbi
  • Patent number: 9091213
    Abstract: Methods for the processing of biomass, particularly but not exclusively poultry litter, to generate energy. A method is presented for generating power from biomass comprising a gasification process involving the gasification of biomass to produce a combustible fuel gas and a power generation process involving combustion of the combustible fuel gas to produce a combustion exhaust gas which is fed to a power generator to generate power and a generator exhaust gas. Compressed air is placed in thermal contact with the generator exhaust gas to facilitate heat transfer between the compressed air and the generator exhaust gas. A first portion of compressed air that has thermally contacted the generator exhaust gas is fed to the gasification process to assist in gasification of further biomass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: Keld Energy Limited
    Inventor: Alastair Douglas Martin
  • Patent number: 9021814
    Abstract: A process for co-producing synthesis gas and power includes producing a synthesis gas comprising at least CO and H2 by reacting a hydrocarbonaceous feedstock with oxygen, the synthesis gas being at a first temperature, separating air from a compressed air stream by means of at least one ion transport membrane unit thereby producing a permeate stream consisting predominantly of oxygen and a reject stream of oxygen-depleted air at a second temperature which is lower than the first temperature, indirectly heating the reject stream of oxygen-depleted air with the synthesis gas and at least partially expanding, the heated reject stream of oxygen-depleted air through at least one turbine to generate power, producing an at least partially expanded reject stream of oxygen-depleted air, and feeding at least a portion of the permeate stream consisting predominantly of oxygen to the synthesis gas generation stage to provide oxygen for production of synthesis gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Sasol Technology (Proprietary) Limited
    Inventor: Isabella Lodewina Greeff
  • Patent number: 8984886
    Abstract: A method for operating a catalytic reforming assembly. The method includes injecting a quantity of oxidizer gas and a quantity of combustion gas into a reformer to form a mixture. The mixture is channeled across a catalyst bed to form a reformate gas stream. A temperature of the catalyst bed is measured using at least one temperature sensor. A level of the oxidizer gas in the reformate stream is measured using at least one oxidizer gas sensor. A health of the catalyst bed is determined based on at least one of a catalyst bed temperature measurement and an oxidizer gas level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Chetan Babu Velkur, Hasan Karim
  • Publication number: 20150059354
    Abstract: A process for upgrading pyrolysis oil that includes heating pyrolysis oil in the absence of added catalyst at 100° C. to 200° C. temperature and 50 bar to 250 bar pressure, and heating the product of the first heating in the absence of added catalyst at 200° C. to 400° C. temperature and 50 bar to 250 bar pressure. Also, the product obtained by this process and the use of treated pyrolysis oil. Further, methods where the treated pyrolysis oil is fed to a power plant for producing electricity; is burned in a boiler for producing heating oil and/or is used as transportation fuel or as a blending component in transportation fuel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Applicant: UPM-KYMMENE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Andrea Gutierrez, Pekka Jokela, Jaakko Nousiainen
  • Publication number: 20150033755
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for the treatment of a feedstock material, the method comprising: (i) thermally treating a feedstock material to produce an syngas; and (ii) plasma-treating the syngas in a plasma treatment unit in the presence of additional carbon dioxide to produce a refined syngas, wherein the additional carbon dioxide is added to the feedstock material during the thermal treatment and/or to the syngas before plasma treatment and/or introduced in the plasma treatment unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2013
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Applicant: ADVANCED PLASMA POWER LIMITED
    Inventor: Richard Taylor
  • Publication number: 20150031097
    Abstract: The present invention improves biodiesel production in several ways. Unique combinations of unit operations and flow configurations are disclosed in mobile processing units that are feedstock-flexible and can be dynamically deployed in a distributed way. In some embodiments, a process includes introducing a waste oil and an alcohol into a reactor with an esterification-transesterification enzymatic catalyst. Free fatty acids are reacted with alcohol to produce fatty acid alkyl esters, and glycerides are reacted with alcohol to produce fatty acid alkyl esters and glycerin. A membrane separator removes glycerin, water, and alcohol. Unreacted free fatty acids are then separated and recycled, to generate a product stream with fatty acid alkyl esters. A genset may be provided for combusting glycerin to produce electrical power and thermal heat as co-products. This biodiesel process may be energy self-sufficient, require no external utilities, and avoid direct discharge of wastewater.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2013
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Inventors: James M. Rethore, Julie E. Wheeler, Luca Zullo
  • Patent number: 8931283
    Abstract: A reformer for use in a gas turbine engine specially configured to treat a supplemental fuel feed to the combustor that includes a reformer core containing a catalyst composition and an inlet flow channel for transporting the reformer fuel mixture, air and steam (either saturated or superheated) into a reformer core. An outlet flow channel transports the resulting reformate stream containing reformed and thermally cracked hydrocarbons and substantial amounts of hydrogen out of the reformer core for later combination with the main combustor feed. Because the catalytic partial oxidation reaction in the reformer is highly exothermic, the additional heat is transferred (and thermally integrated) using one or more heat exchange units for a first and/or second auxiliary gas turbine fuel stream that undergo thermal cracking and vaporization before combining with the reformate. The combined, hydrogen-enriched feed significantly improves combustor performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Abdul Rafey Khan, Hasan Karim, Jonathan Dwight Berry
  • Publication number: 20150000298
    Abstract: Advanced gas turbines and associated components, systems and methods are disclosed herein. A gas turbine configured in accordance with a particular embodiment includes a rotor operably coupled to a shaft and a stator positioned adjacent to the rotor. A coolant line extends at least partially through the stator to transfer heat out of an air flow within a compressor section of the gas turbine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Applicant: ADVANCED GREEN TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventor: Roy Edward McAlister
  • Patent number: 8910484
    Abstract: A system for reducing harmful substances in engine exhaust gases includes a fuel cell, which is adapted to generate electrical energy and a steam-containing fuel cell exhaust gas during operation. A fuel tank serves to store fuel which is to be supplied to an engine during operation. A condensing device is connected to an exhaust gas outlet of the fuel cell so that steam-containing fuel cell exhaust gas is supplyable to the condensing device. The condensing device is adapted to convert the steam contained in the fuel cell exhaust gas into the liquid state of aggregation by means of condensation and to introduce the water obtained as a result of the condensing process into the fuel in order to form a water/fuel mixture. A water/fuel mixture line is connected to the engine so that a water/fuel mixture is supplyable to the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH
    Inventors: Claus Hoffjann, Hansgeorg Schuldzig, Ralf-Henning Stolte
  • Publication number: 20140360201
    Abstract: In a method for supplying nitrogen to a combustion chamber, gaseous nitrogen (9) is drawn off from an air separation unit (7) at a first pressure, the nitrogen is compressed in at least two stages (C1, C2) of a nitrogen compressor and sent to a combustion chamber (25) at a second pressure, which is the output pressure of the last stage (C3) of the nitrogen compressor, between two stages of the nitrogen compressor the nitrogen is humidified by direct contact in passing through a contactor (17) supplied at its top with water, and the humidified nitrogen is compressed in at least one stage of the nitrogen compressor and sent to the combustion chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2012
    Publication date: December 11, 2014
    Inventors: Richard Dubettier-Grenier, Sylvain Gerard, Loic Joly
  • Patent number: 8901178
    Abstract: A method and system for co-production of electric power, fuel, and chemicals in which a synthesis gas at a first pressure is expanded using a turbo-expander, simultaneously producing electric power and an expanded synthesis gas at a second pressure after which the expanded synthesis gas is converted to a fuel and/or a chemical.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Gas Technology Institute
    Inventors: Iosif K. Rabovitser, Arunabha Basu
  • Publication number: 20140345293
    Abstract: Disclosed is a system suitable for both of the production of electricity, and the utilization of electricity, comprising: electricity transformator, rectifyer, an oxygen storage and drawer unit, a hydrogen gas transmission unit, a reactor for the production of methanol, to which a carbon dioxide container and a carbon dioxide compression and pre-heating unit is linked at the input side, and a methanol-water rectifying unit is linked at the output side, the water leaving said rectifying unit is transferred to the fresh water inlet, and the separated methanol is transferred to the methanol storage tank, which is optionally linked to an equipment suitable for the combustion of methanol, preferably gas turbine. A process for storing electricity using the system is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2014
    Publication date: November 27, 2014
    Inventors: Iván RAISZ, Dávid RAISZ
  • Patent number: 8893505
    Abstract: The integrated solar-gas turbine cogeneration plant includes a fuel reformer, a plurality of solar collectors, and a gas turbine. The fuel reformer produces syngas to be used as fuel for the gas turbine. One solar collector is operatively connected to both the fuel reformer and the turbine to provide heat for the reforming reaction and to preheat air for a combustion chamber. Exhaust gas from the turbine is directed to the fuel reformer and to a heat recovery steam generator, the former as an additional heat source and the latter to heat the generator. Another solar collector is connected to the generator and heats a portion of the water being fed into the generator in order to help produce steam. The syngas is stored in a fuel storage unit to provide fuel to the gas turbine continuously and to a supplemental heater on the steam generator during low insolation periods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals
    Inventors: Esmail M. A. Mokheimer, Mohamed Abdel-Aziz Habib
  • Patent number: 8869502
    Abstract: A turbomachine system includes a compressor portion having a compressor inlet and a compressor outlet, a turbine portion operatively connected to the compressor portion, a combustor having a combustor inlet fluidly connected to the compressor outlet and a combustor outlet fluidly connected to the turbine portion; and a reformer having a reformer inlet fluidly connected to the compressor outlet and a reformer outlet fluidly connected to the combustor inlet. The reformer partially combusts air from the compressor portion and a fuel to form a hydrogen-rich syngas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Kihyung Kim, Hasan Karim, Abdul Rafey Khan
  • Patent number: 8850826
    Abstract: A gas turbine power generation system having a carbon production apparatus and a carbon fuel cell to generate electricity. The carbon production apparatus is functionally connected to the fuel cell to provide carbon to the fuel cell to generate electricity. The system is configured to power the carbon production apparatus with a portion of the electricity generated from the fuel cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: EGT Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventor: Bernard P. Ennis
  • Publication number: 20140290267
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a power plant to generate electrical power, having a reformer unit, in which an energy carrier can be converted, with the supply of heat, into combustion fluid, wherein the reformer unit has a reformer burning device to provide a heat supply, with which reformer burning device an energy carrier can be burnt, a burner unit, in which thermal energy can be produced by burning the combustion fluid, a turbine unit, in which a rotational movement can be produced with the thermal energy, and a generator unit which can be driven by the rotational movement to generate electrical power. The power plant is characterised according to the invention in that, in order to provide a heat supply, in addition to the reformer burning device, an electric heating unit is provided, through which electrical energy can be converted into heat energy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: LUMENION AG
    Inventor: Andrew ZWINKELS
  • Publication number: 20140283526
    Abstract: In some implementations, one or more methods can include producing a hydrogen rich fuel gas for a gas turbine ballasted with nitrogen and steam and superheated to a temperature above its dew point. The fuel gas may have a minimal or reduced content of CO2 or fuel components CO and CH4 which contain carbon so that when combusted in a suitable gas turbine there may be minimal or reduced emissions of CO2 to the atmosphere. These example methods may result in a capture of the bulk of the carbon present in the total natural gas feed as CO2 compressed to pipeline delivery pressure for sequestration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2014
    Publication date: September 25, 2014
    Inventor: Rodney J. Allam
  • Publication number: 20140262284
    Abstract: A method and apparatus to form and compress relatively pure carbon dioxide includes a syngas generator which forms syngas and directs it into a combustion chamber where it is combined with oxygen and combusted to form relatively pure carbon dioxide. A first portion of the formed carbon dioxide is directed to a compressor which is powered by an internal combustion engine. A second portion of the formed carbon dioxide is combined with oxygen and used in combination with a carbonaceous fuel to power the internal combustion engine. This produces exhaust gas which is relatively high purity carbon dioxide which is combined with the carbon dioxide formed by combusting the syngas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: Enerjetik LLC
    Inventors: JAMES E KLEPPER, Kenneth L. Klepper, Ron Stites
  • Publication number: 20140260310
    Abstract: In various aspects, systems and methods are provided for integrated operation of molten carbonate fuel cells with turbines for power generation. Instead of selecting the operating conditions of a fuel cell to improve or maximize the electrical efficiency of the fuel cell, an excess of reformable fuel can be passed into the anode of the fuel cell to increase the chemical energy output of the fuel cell. The increased chemical energy output can be used for additional power generation, such as by providing fuel for a hydrogen turbine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: EXXONMOBIL RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING COMPANY
    Inventors: Paul J. Berlowitz, Timothy Andrew Barckholtz, Frank H. Hershkowitz, Anita S. Lee
  • Publication number: 20140260311
    Abstract: In various aspects, systems and methods are provided for operating a molten carbonate fuel cell assembly at increased power density. This can be accomplished in part by performing an effective amount of an endothermic reaction within the fuel cell stack in an integrated manner. This can allow for increased power density while still maintaining a desired temperature differential within the fuel cell assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: EXXONMOBIL RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING COMPANY
    Inventors: Paul J. Berlowitz, Timothy Andrew Barckholtz, Anita S. Lee
  • Publication number: 20140260309
    Abstract: A system includes a gas turbine engine having a combustor, and a fuel blending system. The fuel blending system further includes a first fuel supply configured to supply a first fuel, a second fuel supply configured to supply a second fuel, a first fuel circuit, a second fuel circuit, and a controller. The first fuel circuit may be configured to blend the first fuel and the second fuel to form a first fuel mixture. The second fuel circuit may be configured to blend the first fuel and the second fuel to form a second fuel mixture. The controller may be configured to regulate blending of the first fuel mixture and the second fuel mixture based on a measured composition of the first fuel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Arvind Venugopal Menon, Alan Meier Truesdale, Abhijit Prabhakar Kulkarni, Predrag Popovic
  • Publication number: 20140250911
    Abstract: The present techniques are directed to a system and method for generating power and producing liquefied natural gas (LNG). The system includes a power plant configured to generate power, wherein an exhaust gas from the power plant provides a gas mixture including nitrogen and carbon dioxide. The system also includes a dehydration system configured to dehydrate the gas mixture to generate a nitrogen refrigerant stream and a refrigeration system configured to produce LNG from a natural gas stream using the nitrogen refrigerant stream.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2014
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Inventors: Richard A. Huntington, Stanley O. Uptigrove, Russell H. Oelfke, O. Angus Sites
  • Publication number: 20140230450
    Abstract: A power generation system has a fuel cell, a gas turbine, an exhausted oxidant line, a fuel gas supply line, an exhausted fuel gas supply line, a supply amount adjustment unit, and a control system including an information acquisition unit, a calculation unit, and a fuel gas supply control unit. The information acquisition unit acquires an output command of the gas turbine, an atmospheric temperature, a temperature of the exhausted oxidant supplied to the gas turbine, and a temperature of the exhausted fuel gas supplied to the gas turbine. The calculation unit calculates a heat input of the exhausted oxidant, calculates a heat input of the exhausted fuel gas, and calculates by the output command and the atmospheric temperature to calculate a gas turbine heat input command.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2014
    Publication date: August 21, 2014
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Hiroyuki OZAWA
  • Publication number: 20140208767
    Abstract: In order to stably use a catalyst for pyrolysis and supply a reformed fuel, the fuel supply system includes a fuel reforming section which pyrolyses a hydrocarbon system fuel by the heat of the combustion chamber to generate the reformed fuel. The fuel reforming section includes a preheat vaporization section provided on the combustion chamber, and a decomposition reaction section that is provided on the preheat vaporization section and includes the catalyst for pyrolysis. The preheat vaporization section heats the fuel, the decomposition reaction section pyrolyses the heated fuel to generate the reformed fuel, and the fuel reforming section supplies the reformed fuel to the combustion chamber. The reforming catalyst includes a zeolitic catalyst.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2013
    Publication date: July 31, 2014
    Inventors: Kenji SUZUKI, Atsushi KUROYANAGI, Toshinobu YASUTAKE
  • Publication number: 20140203557
    Abstract: A system including a gas turbine system and an electrolysis unit configured to produce a hydrogen gas for reducing a minimum emissions compliance load of the gas turbine system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2013
    Publication date: July 24, 2014
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Kihyung Kim, Seyfettin Can Gulen