A small-scale thermoelectric power generator and combustion apparatus, components thereof, methods for making the same, and applications thereof. The thermoelectric power generator can include a burner including a matrix stabilized combustion chamber comprising a catalytically enhanced, porous flame containment portion. The combustion apparatus can include components connected in a loop configuration including a vaporization chamber; a mixing chamber connected to the vaporization chamber; a combustion chamber connected to the vaporization chamber; and a heat exchanger connected to the combustion chamber. The combustion chamber can include a porous combustion material which can include a unique catalytic material.

A combustion system with surface-less heat energy exchange for efficient heat energy capture and lower pollutant emission, comprising: a first line feeding an oxygen-rich reactive; a second line feeding a hydrogen fuel; a vessel containing feed-water, a combustion enclosure without a bottom wall submersed into the feed water contained in a vessel, the combustion enclosure configured to receive the feed from each of the first and second line and combust a mixture of the two feeds in a pocket formed between an inner top and side walls of the combustion enclosure and a top surface of the feed-water contained in the vessel; and the combustion within the pocket yielding a high temperature and pressure combustion product and by-product directly into the feed-water of the vessel.

Methods and systems for generating power (and optionally heat) from a high value heat source using a plurality of circulating loops comprising a primary heat transfer loop, several power cycle loops and an intermediate heat transfer loop that transfers heat from the high-temperature heat transfer loop to the several power cycle loops. The intermediate heat transfer loop is arranged to eliminate to the extent practical the shell and tube heat exchangers especially those heat exchangers that have a very large pressure difference between the tube side and shell side, to eliminate shell and tube, plate type, double pipe and similar heat exchangers that transfer heat directly from the primary heat transfer loop to the several power cycle loops with very high differential pressures and to maximize the use of heat transfer coils similar in design as are used in a heat recovery steam generator commonly used to transfer heat from gas turbine flue gas to steam or other power cycle fluids as part of a combined cycle power plant.

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 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.

The present invention provides a heat pump apparatus comprising a Rankine cycle and an Carnot cycle part when implemented for cooling. The Rankine cycle comprises an evaporator configured for evaporating by direct evaporation water received from an external water source. An expander receives steam from the evaporator and drives a compressor compressing the fluid of the Carnot cycle. The fluid is thereafter condensed in a condenser and evaporated in an absorber.

A gasifier system that combines the use of dirty fuels with clean fuels such as biomass. The heat created produces steam for the co-generation of mechanical power and electricity. The dirty fuels are converted in a gasifier or a pyrolyzer into various useful products that include syngas, heat, and oils. Syngas that is produced by the dirty fuels normally emits pollutants when combusted that require scrubbing. However, when the syngas is combusted into a biomass gasifier the dirty fuel emissions are scrubbed by being reformed into a much cleaner syngas/producer gas. Heat transferred from the dirty fuels gasifier/pyrolyzer syngas increases the efficiency of the clean fuels gasifier that results in increased amounts of steam for electricity/power production. In lieu of producing steam, the syngas from the clean fuel gasifier can be used to fuel an engine for power production. Other outputs from the clean-fuels gasifier include biochar and ash.

A steam turbine 1 includes a turbine body 11 which includes a rotor 5 which is configured to rotate around an axis Ac, and a casing 6 which covers the rotor 5 to form a flow path through which steam flows in an axis Ac direction, together with the rotor 5, a thermal insulation member 12 which is provided to be in contact with an outer surface of the casing 6 in a high-pressure side region 61 out of the high-pressure side region 61 and a low-pressure side region 62 of the steam in the axis Ac direction of the casing 6, and a soundproof cover 13 which covers the low-pressure side region 62 out of the high-pressure side region 61 and the low-pressure side region 62 via a space between the outer surface of the casing 6 and the soundproof cover 13.

Auxiliary boiler systems, and methods of implementing and/or operating auxiliary boiler systems, are disclosed herein. In one example embodiment, an auxiliary boiler system for use in conjunction with a main steam source includes an auxiliary boiler, a deaerator coupled directly to and integrated with the auxiliary boiler, and a condensate storage tank coupled at least indirectly to the deaerator. Also, in another example embodiment, a method of implementing an auxiliary boiler system for use in conjunction with a main steam source includes setting a condensate storage tank in relation to a first support structure at a first position, and setting an auxiliary boiler at a second position. The method further includes directly coupling a deaerator to the auxiliary boiler so that the deaerator is integrated with the auxiliary boiler, and installing at least one interconnection by which the condensate storage tank is at least indirectly coupled to the deaerator.

Methods and systems for generating power (and optionally heat) from a high value heat source using a plurality of circulating loops comprising a primary heat transfer loop, several power cycle loops and an intermediate heat transfer loop that transfers heat from the high-temperature heat transfer loop to the several power cycle loops. The intermediate heat transfer loop is arranged to eliminate to the extent practical the shell and tube heat exchangers especially those heat exchangers that have a very large pressure difference between the tube side and shell side, to eliminate shell and tube, plate type, double pipe and similar heat exchangers that transfer heat directly from the primary heat transfer loop to the several power cycle loops with very high differential pressures and to maximize the use of heat transfer coils similar in design as are used in a heat recovery steam generator commonly used to transfer heat from gas turbine flue gas to steam or other power cycle fluids as part of a combined cycle power plant.