The present disclosure teaches a system and method of generating electricity via a thermal power plant. The system and method includes a fuel heating chamber configured to receive a nano-thermite fuel, an induction assembly configured to inductively heat the fuel in the fuel heating chamber, and an electricity generating subsystem configured to convert heat from the heated nano-thermite fuel into electricity.

The present disclosure teaches a system and method of generating electricity via a thermal power plant. The system and method includes a fuel heating chamber configured to receive a nano-thermite fuel, an induction assembly configured to inductively heat the fuel in the fuel heating chamber, and an electricity generating subsystem configured to convert heat from the heated nano-thermite fuel into electricity.

Waste heat is extracted in two stages from the exhaust (20) of a biomass dryer (14) in a grain alcohol plant (10). A boiler circuit (56) provides a first steam at high pressure. A first energy recovery circuit (36) extracts heat from the exhaust via a non-contact heat exchanger (24) and provides a second, relatively lower pressure steam (78), thereby bypassing a portion of the boiler circuit. Working fluids in the boiler and first energy recovery circuits are maintained within boiler water quality specifications and are intermixed to allow the production of the second steam without a pressure reduction device. A second energy recovery circuit (44) extracts heat from the exhaust downstream of the first energy recovery circuit using a direct contact heat exchanger (38) and provides a non-boiler quality heated fluid (52), which may be a heated liquid or a third steam.

Waste heat is extracted in two stages from the exhaust (20) of a biomass dryer (14) in a grain alcohol plant (10). A boiler circuit (56) provides a first steam at high pressure. A first energy recovery circuit (36) extracts heat from the exhaust via a non-contact heat exchanger (24) and provides a second, relatively lower pressure steam (78), thereby bypassing a portion of the boiler circuit. Working fluids in the boiler and first energy recovery circuits are maintained within boiler water quality specifications and are intermixed to allow the production of the second steam without a pressure reduction device. A second energy recovery circuit (44) extracts heat from the exhaust downstream of the first energy recovery circuit using a direct contact heat exchanger (38) and provides a non-boiler quality heated fluid (52), which may be a heated liquid or a third steam.

A steam injector assembly for handling steam in a subterranean well includes a steam separation system, the steam separation system directing an initial high quality steam to a subterranean formation and directing low quality fluid mix to a heating system. The heating system includes a ceramic-containing member located in a travel path of the low quality fluid mix and an electromagnetic antenna positioned to heat the ceramic-containing member with electromagnetic waves. A relief valve is movable to an open position when an improved high quality steam within a heating chamber of the heating system reaches an injection pressure, wherein in the open position, the relief valve provides a fluid flow path out of the heating chamber.

A steam injector assembly for handling steam in a subterranean well includes a steam separation system, the steam separation system directing an initial high quality steam to a subterranean formation and directing low quality fluid mix to a heating system. The heating system includes a ceramic-containing member located in a travel path of the low quality fluid mix and an electromagnetic antenna positioned to heat the ceramic-containing member with electromagnetic waves. A relief valve is movable to an open position when an improved high quality steam within a heating chamber of the heating system reaches an injection pressure, wherein in the open position, the relief valve provides a fluid flow path out of the heating chamber.

An energy system having a) one or more catalyst sources which store a catalyst; b) one or more water sources which store water; c) one or more heat sources which store a heat storage medium; d) one or more reaction chambers into which the water, the catalyst, and the heat storage medium are introduced, which are configured for an exothermic reaction between the catalyst and the water to take place while in the presence of the heat storage medium, and in which steam is generated from the exothermic reaction; and f) one or more turbines downstream of the one or more reaction chambers which are adapted to be driven by the steam generated within the one or more reaction chambers.

Modern thermal power plants based on classical thermodynamic power cycles suffer from an upper bound efficiency restriction imposed by the Carnot principle. This disclosure teaches how to break away from the classical thermodynamics paradigm in configuring a thermal power plant so that its efficiency will not be restricted by the Carnot principle. The power generation system described herein makes a path for the next generation of low-to-moderate temperature thermal power plants to run at significantly higher efficiencies powered by renewable energy. This disclosure also reveals novel high-performance power schemes with integrated fuel cell technology, driven by a variety of fuels such as hydrogen, ammonia, syngas, methane and natural gas, leading toward low-to-zero emission power generation for the future.

Waste heat is extracted in two stages from the exhaust (20) of a biomass dryer (14) in a grain alcohol plant (10). A boiler circuit (56) provides high pressure steam to a balance of the plant (54). A first energy recovery circuit (36) extracts heat from the exhaust via a non-contact heat exchanger (24) and provides a first relatively lower pressure steam (78) to the balance of the plant, thereby bypassing a portion of the boiler circuit. Working fluids in the boiler and first energy recovery circuits are maintained within boiler water quality specifications and are intermixed to allow the production of the first relatively lower pressure steam without a pressure reduction device. A second energy recovery circuit (44) extracts heat from the exhaust downstream of the first energy recovery circuit using a direct contact heat exchanger (38) and provides a non-boiler quality heated fluid (52) to the balance of the plant.

Waste heat is extracted in two stages from the exhaust (20) of a biomass dryer (14) in a grain alcohol plant (10). A boiler circuit (56) provides high pressure steam to a balance of the plant (54). A first energy recovery circuit (36) extracts heat from the exhaust via a non-contact heat exchanger (24) and provides a first relatively lower pressure steam (78) to the balance of the plant, thereby bypassing a portion of the boiler circuit. Working fluids in the boiler and first energy recovery circuits are maintained within boiler water quality specifications and are intermixed to allow the production of the first relatively lower pressure steam without a pressure reduction device. A second energy recovery circuit (44) extracts heat from the exhaust downstream of the first energy recovery circuit using a direct contact heat exchanger (38) and provides a non-boiler quality heated fluid (52) to the balance of the plant.