Extra heat in a closed cycle power generation system, such as a reversible closed Brayton cycle system, may be dissipated between discharge and charge cycles. An extra cooling heat exchanger may be added on the discharge cycle and disposed between a cold side heat exchanger and a compressor inlet. Additionally or alternatively, a cold thermal storage medium passing through the cold side heat exchanger may be allowed to heat up to a higher temperature during the discharge cycle than is needed on input to the charge cycle and the excess heat then dissipated to the atmosphere.

Systems and techniques are described herein for an insulation system that utilizes a treated gas, such as water vapor, to fill an at least partially transparent cavity that is part of a structure, to provide insulating properties and/or changes in exposure to the sun for a space, proximate to the structure. In some aspects, an insulation system may include a treated gas generation system, which includes at least one of a heating element, a cooling element, or a diffusing element for treating the gas. The system may also include a gas movement system in communication with the gas generation system. The system may further include a gas conduit system in communication with the gas movement system, where the gas movement system causes the treated to be injected into the gas conduit system to change insulation and/or sun exposure characteristics of a space in proximity to the gas conduit system.

A system for generating electricity, heat, and desalinated water having a gas turbine system connected to a first electric generator, a waste heat recovery boiler (WHRB) system, a combined heat and power (CHP) generation system connected to a second electric generator, one or more solar powered energy systems, and a desalination system. The desalination system is connected to the CHP generation system and the WHRB system. The gas turbine system generates electricity and heat, the WHRB system is connected to and uses the exhaust of the gas turbine system to provide heat and steam power to the CHP generation system. The CHP generation system produces and provides electricity and heat to the desalination system, which produces product water, and at least one solar powered energy system provides thermal energy to one or more of the gas turbine system, the WHRB system, the CHP generation system, and the desalination system.

A heat exchanger including a pipe bundle to guide a fluid between first and second pipe connectors, the pipes being distributed in layers of pipes, wherein pipes of each of the layers of pipes each includes two bends, wherein a length of a flow path section is at least 1.7 times greater than lengths of two other flow path sections. A first bend of the two bends is provided between the longer flow path section and a first of the shorter flow path section, and wherein a second of the two bends is provided between the first, shorter flow path section and the other shorter flow path section, and wherein each of the layers of pipes includes two pipe subgroups. The second bend in one of the pipe subgroups in the pipe layer is opposite to the second bend-in the other pipe subgroup of the same pipe layer.

A steam generator system configured to burn hydrogen and oxygen at stoichiometry along with a increased-pressure water and steam. Said steam generator system comprise a hydrogen source, an oxygen source, a nitrogen source, a water source, a steam source, a hydrogen-oxygen handling unit, a cooling unit, a one or more H2-O2 steam generators and a control unit. Said steam generator system is configured to provide said hydrogen source to said hydrogen-oxygen handling unit through an oxygen passage, said oxygen source to said hydrogen-oxygen handling unit through a hydrogen passage, and said nitrogen source to selectively purge said oxygen passage and said hydrogen passage. Said water source provide water to said cooling unit. Said cooling unit is configured to receive said water source and said steam source.

A solar thermochemical processing system is disclosed. The system includes a first unit operation for receiving concentrated solar energy. Heat from the solar energy is used to drive the first unit operation. The first unit operation also receives a first set of reactants and produces a first set of products. A second unit operation receives the first set of products from the first unit operation and produces a second set of products. A third unit operation receives heat from the second unit operation to produce a portion of the first set of reactants.

An apparatus including a boiler configured to receive water, sodium hydroxide, and aluminum. A generator adjacent to the boiler and configured to generate electricity based on heat received from the boiler. A hydrogen capture system coupled with the boiler and configured to capture hydrogen from the boiler. A fuel cell communicatively coupled with the hydrogen capture system and configured to receive at least a portion of the hydrogen from the hydrogen capture system to generate electricity. A transformer electrically coupled with the generator and the fuel cell.

An apparatus including a boiler configured to receive water, sodium hydroxide, and aluminum. A generator adjacent to the boiler and configured to generate electricity based on heat received from the boiler. A hydrogen capture system coupled with the boiler and configured to capture hydrogen from the boiler. A fuel cell communicatively coupled with the hydrogen capture system and configured to receive at least a portion of the hydrogen from the hydrogen capture system to generate electricity. A transformer electrically coupled with the generator and the fuel cell.

A vaporization system includes: a vaporization device that is configured to vaporize a liquid material and that includes an inlet port through which the liquid material is introduced and an outlet port through which vaporized gas generated by vaporizing the liquid material is discharged; at least one first fixing screw with which at least one of the inlet port or the outlet port is screwed and fixed onto a base; at least one pipe member that is configured to communicate with the fixed port and through which the vaporized gas or the liquid material flows; and at least one second fixing screw with which the at least one pipe member is screwed and fixed onto the fixed port with a seal member interposed between the at least one pipe member and the fixed port.

Systems and methods relating to use of external air for inventory control of a closed thermodynamic cycle system or energy storage system, such as a reversible Brayton cycle system, are disclosed. A method may involve, in a closed cycle system operating in a power generation mode, circulating a working fluid may through a closed cycle fluid path. The closed cycle fluid path may include a high pressure leg and a low pressure leg. The method may further involve in response to a demand for increased power generation, compressing and dehumidifying environmental air. And the method may involve injecting the compressed and dehumidified environmental air into the low pressure leg.