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:
Combustible gases from a solid fuel are produced by pyrolyzing the fuel in a pyrolyzer which also produces carbonaceous material. The carbonaceous material from the pyrolyzer is combusted in a furnace to produce combustion products that include hot flue gases and ash particulate. The combustion products are separated into a plurality of streams, one of which contains flue gases, and another of which contains hot ash which is directed into the pyrolyzer. Finally, the stream of flue gases from the furnace is used to dry the fuel that is supplied to said pyrolyzer.
Abstract:
A method for controlling the condition of air in an enclosure, such as a greenhouse, containing growing plants involves reducing the heat load on the enclosure by reducing the rate of convective heat flow of air across the canopy of the plants. This is achieved by heating and dehumidifying the air in the greenhouse during periods of low light levels such as at night in a manner that minimizes ventilation for controlling humidity. Apparatus is also provided for controlling the condition of air in an enclosure using an air-brine-vapor direct contact heat exchanger. Regeneration of the brine from the heat exchanger can be achieved by heating the brine using heated air from the enclosure or hot flue gases such that latent heat and/or sensible heat contained in the air, gases, and/or vapor exiting the regenerator can be transferred to the sir in the enclosure.
Abstract:
A method is provided for extracting heat from a hot liquid containing scaling material whose solubility is proportional to the temperature of the liquid. The method includes providing a pond containing a liquid, and locating in said pond a vertical tube having an upper end that is substantially closed, and an open lower end immersed in the liquid in the pond and spaced from the bottom thereof for establishing a trapped region above a column of liquid in the the tube. Hot liquid is supplied to the trapped region, and the pond and the tube are constructed and arranged so that the liquid in the pond and the liquid in the column are in substantial hydrostatic equilibrium. As a consequence, the trapped region is maintained at a pressure such that some of the liquid supplied to said trapped region flashes into a vapor thereby concentrating the liquid in the column. Finally, the open lower end of the tube effects the passage to the bottom of the pond of scaling material that precipitates as a consequence of the concentration of liquid below the trapped region.
Abstract:
A solar pond serving the dual purposes of concentrating an aqueous brine by evaporation and simultaneously producing power by storage of incident solar radiation. The so-stored solar energy is used by a heat machine. The solar pond has a concentrated aqueous brine which serves as the heat storage layer, and a halocline overlying the heat storage layer. An evaporation layer, whose density does not exceed that of the upper stratum of the halocline, overlies the halocline. A heat exchanger forms a part of a heat machine, and includes an organic, water-emiscible operating fluid as heat carrier, means for withdrawing hot brine from the heat storage layer to the heat exchanger, means for returning brine from the heat exchanger to the heat storage layer, a condenser for the operating fluid adapted for the throughflow of an aqueous coolant as heat sink, and means for feeding a warmed coolant emerging from the condenser to the evaporation layer.
Abstract:
A method for removing acidic gases from waste gases is disclosed. The invention relates to a method for removing acid gases, in particular from SO2 and NOx, by contacting the waste gas with an emulsion of water in organic sulfoxides, in particular of water in oil-derived-sulfoxides. The organic sulfoxide phase can be regenerated after the emulsion is loaded with polluants, by letting the emulsion to settle down and separate into two phases. The aqueous phase obtained after the separation contains sulfate and nitrate ions which can be collected and used as valuable chemicals.
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. Finally, the apparatus of the invention serves to minimize the consumption of high grade fuel in the presence of changes in the heating value of the low grade fuel.
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:
Combustible gases from a solid fuel are produced by pyrolyzing the fuel in a pyrolyzer which also produces carbonaceous material. The carbonaceous material from the pyrolyzer is combusted in a furnace to produce combustion products that include hot flue gases and ash particulate. The combustion products are separated into a plurality of streams, one of which contains flue gases, and another of which contains hot ash which is directed into the pyrolyzer. Finally, the stream of flue gases from the furnace is used to dry the fuel that is supplied to said pyrolyzer.
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.