The invention relates to a process producing useful energy from thermal energy. An overall population of mobile particles confined to a unidirectional flow closed circuit of conducting channels (1-2-3-3′-4-1) is subjected to a conservative or effectively conservative force field. The circuit is thermally insulated with the exception of two non juxtaposed areas a first area (2-3) allowing thermal exchange for heating (Qin) from a warmer environment outside the circuit, a second area (4-1) allowing thermal exchange (Qout) for cooling, as necessary, by a colder environment outside the circuit. The closed circuit is provided with a load (3′-4;) designed to convert the energy it receives from the mobile particles flow to a useful output energy. In two portions of the unidirectional circuit located before (3-3′) and after (1-2;) said load, flow velocity vector is parallel or has a component which is parallel to the conservative or effectively conservative force field one portion with a warm flow and the other portion with a cool flow of mobile particles and in that if the density of the chosen mobile particles decreases when the temperature increases, the direction of the conservative force field is the same as that of the cool flow velocity vector or of a cool flow velocity vector component in the said circuit portion and the inverse if the density of the chosen mobile particles increases when the temperature increases.

A method for producing an energy source from excess electricity is disclosed. The method uses excess electricity from a power grid when electrical demand is low. The method produces the energy source by performing the steps firstly in the storage phase of feeding the excess electricity to a thermal reactor wherein solid carbon and gaseous hydrogen are produced from the thermal reaction of a hydrocarbon; feeding the gaseous hydrogen to a hydrogen storage unit; feeding the solid carbon to a carbon storage unit; and secondly in the discharge phase, feeding the solid carbon to a combustion unit wherein steam is produced; and feeding the steam to an engine or a turbine thereby producing electricity.

Provided is a hydrogen production system including a thermal energy storage having a housing, a storage chamber with heat storage material inside the storage chamber and a fluid inlet port fluidically connected to the storage chamber and a fluid outlet port fluidically connected to the storage chamber, and at least one high temperature electrolyser for producing hydrogen, whereby the at least one high temperature electrolyser is thermally connected to the heat storage material of the storage chamber of the thermal energy storage. Several modes of operation are defined. A method for producing hydrogen in the hydrogen production system is also provided.

The combined cycle power device of the present invention belongs to the field of energy and power technology. A combined cycle power device comprises an expander, a compressor, a second expander, a pump, a high-temperature heat exchanger, a condenser and an evaporator. A condenser has a liquid refrigerant pipe which passes through a pump and connects the evaporator. An evaporator connects a high-temperature heat exchanger. The high-temperature heat exchanger has a vapor channel connected a compressor. The compressor has a low-pressure vapor channel connected the evaporator. The evaporator connects the compressor and the second expander respectively. The second expander connects the condenser. The high-temperature heat exchanger connects the outside. The condenser has the cooling medium channel connected the outside. The evaporator has the heat source medium channel connected the outside. The expander and the second the expander connect the compressor and transmit power.

The combined cycle power device of the present invention belongs to the field of energy and power technology. A combined cycle power device comprises an expander, a compressor, a second expander, a pump, a high-temperature heat exchanger, a condenser and an evaporator. A condenser has a liquid refrigerant pipe which passes through a pump and connects the evaporator. An evaporator connects a high-temperature heat exchanger. The high-temperature heat exchanger has a vapor channel connected a compressor. The compressor has a low-pressure vapor channel connected the evaporator. The evaporator connects the compressor and the second expander respectively. The second expander connects the condenser. The high-temperature heat exchanger connects the outside. The condenser has the cooling medium channel connected the outside. The evaporator has the heat source medium channel connected the outside. The expander and the second the expander connect the compressor and transmit power.

An assembly with a piston reciprocated with the aid of a floating head in fluid communication with the piston. The assembly may utilize a floating head that is shifted in position to promote reciprocation of the piston through the aid of pressure supplied to the floating head from a pressure volume regulator. Alternatively, the floating head may be in fluid communication with the piston at one side of the head and isolated at the other side. In this manner changing volume and pressure at this other side of the head during reciprocation may ultimately lead to floating head movement toward the piston, thereby promoting the continued reciprocation. Additional efficiencies may also be realized through unique hydraulic layouts for both operating and working fluid circulations.

An assembly with a piston reciprocated with the aid of a floating head in fluid communication with the piston. The assembly may utilize a floating head that is shifted in position to promote reciprocation of the piston through the aid of pressure supplied to the floating head from a pressure volume regulator. Alternatively, the floating head may be in fluid communication with the piston at one side of the head and isolated at the other side. In this manner changing volume and pressure at this other side of the head during reciprocation may ultimately lead to floating head movement toward the piston, thereby promoting the continued reciprocation. Additional efficiencies may also be realized through unique hydraulic layouts for both operating and working fluid circulations.

A powerplant is provided that includes an engine and a water recovery system. The engine includes an engine combustor, an engine turbine, a flowpath and a fluid delivery system. The flowpath extends out of the engine combustor and through the engine turbine. The fluid delivery system includes a hydrogen reservoir and an oxygen reservoir. The hydrogen reservoir is configured to store fluid hydrogen as liquid hydrogen. The oxygen reservoir is configured to store fluid oxygen as liquid oxygen. The fluid delivery system is configured to provide the fluid hydrogen and the fluid oxygen for combustion within the engine combustor to produce combustion products within the flowpath. The water recovery system is configured to extract water from the combustion products. The water recovery system is configured to provide the water to a component of the powerplant.

A combined-cycle power plant comprises a gas turbine engine for generating exhaust gas, an electric generator driven by the gas turbine engine, a steam generator receiving the exhaust gas to heat water and generate steam, and a duct burner system configured to heat exhaust gas in the steam generator before generating the steam and that comprises a source of hydrogen fuel, a fuel distribution manifold to distribute the hydrogen fuel in a duct of the steam generator, and an igniter to initiate combustion of the hydrogen fuel in the exhaust gas. A method for heating exhaust gas in a steam generator for a combined-cycle power plant comprises directing combustion gas of a gas turbine engine into a duct, introducing hydrogen fuel into the duct, combusting the hydrogen fuel and the combustion gas to generate heated gas, and heating water in the duct with the heated gas to generate steam.

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 H.sub.2 and CO for separate oxy-combustion reactions. The O.sub.2 used in the oxy-combustion reactions is produced by permeating O.sub.2 through ion transport membranes in contact with solar-heated air.