A system for repowering a coal fired electrical generation plant with natural gas is disclosed. The plant has having high and low pressure steam turbines that drives an electrical generator. The coal fired plant has a regenerative system comprising a plurality of feedwater heaters that supply heated feedwater to evaporators and superheaters that supply steam to the turbines. The repowering system has a gas turbine that drives a second electrical generator where the HRSG is configured to receive the exhaust from the gas turbine and which is heated by a burner so as to generate steam for driving the steam turbines. The feedwater heaters utilize condensate from the said and from steam extractions to supply heated feedwater to the superheaters that feed superheated steam to turbines such that the first generator driven by the turbines is driven at a high percentage of its rated megawatt output.

The invention relates to a system (10) having a liquid air energy storage and power plant apparatus (12), having a charging component (16) comprising a compressor (26) for compressing supplied air and comprising a liquefier (40) which adjoins said compressor and which serves for liquefying the air. According to the invention, an apparatus (14) for permanent water electrolysis having at least one first heat exchanger (94, 96) is provided, by means of which the heat energy generated during the electrolysis is absorbed by a fluid flowing through the first heat exchanger (94, 96).

The invention relates to a system (10) having a liquid air energy storage and power plant apparatus (12), having a charging component (16) comprising a compressor (26) for compressing supplied air and comprising a liquefier (40) which adjoins said compressor and which serves for liquefying the air. According to the invention, an apparatus (14) for permanent water electrolysis having at least one first heat exchanger (94, 96) is provided, by means of which the heat energy generated during the electrolysis is absorbed by a fluid flowing through the first heat exchanger (94, 96).

Embodiments of the present disclosure can include a system for harvesting salt and generating distilled water from at least one of a produced water and salt water, comprising. A direct steam generator (DSG) can be configured to generate saturated steam and combustion exhaust constituents from the at least one of the produced water and salt water. A separation system can be configured to separate the salt from at least one of the saturated steam and combustion exhaust constituents in brine form or solid form. An expansion turbine can be configured to recover energy from the steam and combustion exhaust constituents.

Embodiments of the present disclosure can include a system for harvesting salt and generating distilled water from at least one of a produced water and salt water, comprising. A direct steam generator (DSG) can be configured to generate saturated steam and combustion exhaust constituents from the at least one of the produced water and salt water. A separation system can be configured to separate the salt from at least one of the saturated steam and combustion exhaust constituents in brine form or solid form. An expansion turbine can be configured to recover energy from the steam and combustion exhaust constituents.

The invention relates to a system for generating mechanical energy, comprising at least: a compressor; an expander; a heat exchanger; said system having a motor operative mode in which said system additionally comprises: means for the intake of pressurised liquid nitrogen in a liquid nitrogen intake inlet of said exchanger, means for the intake of air or gaseous nitrogen in an air or gaseous nitrogen intake inlet of said exchanger, means for discharging vaporised nitrogen at a vaporised nitrogen outlet of said exchanger, and means for discharging air or cooled nitrogen at another outlet of said exchanger for air or cooled gaseous nitrogen; means for the intake of said vaporised nitrogen into the interior of said expander in order to expand same; means for the intake of the air or cooled gaseous nitrogen into said compressor so as to produce compressed air or gaseous nitrogen therein.

The invention relates to a system for generating mechanical energy, comprising at least: a compressor; an expander; a heat exchanger; said system having a motor operative mode in which said system additionally comprises: means for the intake of pressurised liquid nitrogen in a liquid nitrogen intake inlet of said exchanger, means for the intake of air or gaseous nitrogen in an air or gaseous nitrogen intake inlet of said exchanger, means for discharging vaporised nitrogen at a vaporised nitrogen outlet of said exchanger, and means for discharging air or cooled nitrogen at another outlet of said exchanger for air or cooled gaseous nitrogen; means for the intake of said vaporised nitrogen into the interior of said expander in order to expand same; means for the intake of the air or cooled gaseous nitrogen into said compressor so as to produce compressed air or gaseous nitrogen therein.

Systems and methods are provided for charging a pumped thermal energy storage (“PTES”) system. A system may include a compressor or pump configured to circulate a working fluid within a fluid circuit, wherein the working fluid enters the pump at a first pressure and exits at a second pressure; a first heat exchanger through which the working fluid circulates in use; a second heat exchanger through which the working fluid circulates in use; a third heat exchanger through which the working fluid circulates in use, a turbine positioned between the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger, configured to expand the working fluid to the first pressure; a high temperature reservoir connected to the first heat exchanger; a low temperature reservoir connected to the second heat exchanger, and a waste heat reservoir connected to the third heat exchanger.

Systems and methods are provided for charging a pumped thermal energy storage (“PTES”) system. A system may include a compressor or pump configured to circulate a working fluid within a fluid circuit, wherein the working fluid enters the pump at a first pressure and exits at a second pressure; a first heat exchanger through which the working fluid circulates in use; a second heat exchanger through which the working fluid circulates in use; a third heat exchanger through which the working fluid circulates in use, a turbine positioned between the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger, configured to expand the working fluid to the first pressure; a high temperature reservoir connected to the first heat exchanger; a low temperature reservoir connected to the second heat exchanger, and a waste heat reservoir connected to the third heat exchanger.

The invention relates to a method for operating a power plant (1) for generating electrical energy for delivery to at least one consumer (16) by combustion of a carbonaceous combustible, wherein carbon dioxide (19) is separated from the flue gas (7) of the power plant (1), the separated carbon dioxide (19) is converted at least in part into a fuel (20), characterized in that the fuel (20) is combusted at least temporarily in at least one heat engine (4) so as to form a waste gas (8), and electrical energy is generated by the heat engine (4) and is delivered to at least one consumer (16), at least some of the thermal energy of the waste gas (8) being used in at least one of the following processes: a) for heating combustion air (10) of a power plant (1); b) for heating a process medium (14) of the power plant (1); c) in a drying of the combustible of the power plant (1); and d) in carbon dioxide separation.