A chemical plant and operating method therefor; the chemical plant comprises a steam turbine having a shaft, a first pressure turbine stage and a second pressure turbine stage, each being arranged on the shaft and being connected in series in terms of the steam process; steam for driving the steam turbine is obtained from a reactor plant, said reactor plant producing a hydrogen-containing substance from a carbon-containing energy-carrier stream; the steam is heated in an overheating step before being supplied to the second pressure turbine stage; the steam turbine has a third pressure turbine stage which is arranged on the shaft and which is connected between the first pressure turbine stage and the second pressure turbine stage in terms of the steam process; and the steam passes through the overheating step after exiting the third pressure turbine stage.

The present invention proposes methods and apparatus for improving the technology disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,225,538, U.S. Pat. No. 3,067,594, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,871,179, wherein are detailed techniques for creating a unique thermochemical cycle, termed the Bland/Ewing Cycle (B/E Cycle) after the co-inventors, involving molecular expansion and molecular compression. The advantage of the B/E Cycle is best exemplified in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 of U.S. Pat. No. 3,225,538, where P/V and T/S charts indicate the potential for increased power density. This power density is a result of the reduced compression work following exothermic conversion of a single mole of gas relative to the increased expansion work following endothermic conversion of multiple moles of gas. The present invention improves power density and/or overall heat engine thermal efficiency by capturing otherwise-waste heat in the exhaust of a B/E Cycle heat engine.

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.

One embodiment relates to a power plant having a large steam generator, which is equipped with hydrocarbon-fired burners and/or with a gas turbine and which has a water/steam circuit connected thereto, and comprising at least one device for generating a CO.sub.2-rich gas flow, wherein the electrical power output of the electricity-generating part, of the power plant to the electrical grid is subject to power regulation controlled, at the power grid side. Some embodiments relate to a flexible operating method for the power plant that is fired with hydrocarbon-containing fuel, which operating method permits in particular a rapid adaptation of the power plant output to the power demands from the grid.

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.

Heat from a safe high energy density fuel, such as aluminum, is used to generate electrical power. In some applications, the fuel may use seawater as an oxidizer. Additionally, the hybrid power system uses a highly efficient and silent thermoacoustic power converter (TAPC) to convert the thermal energy from the oxidation of aluminum to AC electrical energy. The AC electrical energy is converted to DC energy and stored in a battery. In situations demanding low power, the battery can provide power while the fuel combustion process is suspended.

A heat generating method includes: heating, with a heater, a heat generating element and causing a first heat generating reaction in which the heat generating element generates heat with a first heat generation amount and triggering a second heat generating reaction in which the heat generating element generates heat with a second heat generation amount larger than the first heat generation amount, by imparting a perturbation to an input power to be applied to the heater in a state where the first heat generating reaction is occurring. The heat generating element includes a base made of a hydrogen storage metal, a hydrogen storage alloy, or a proton conductor, and a multilayer film provided on a surface of the base, with a stacked configuration of a first layer and a second layer made of different materials and both having a thickness of less than 1,000 nm.

Heat from a safe high energy density fuel, such as aluminum, is used to generate electrical power. In some applications, the fuel may use seawater as an oxidizer. Additionally, the hybrid power system uses a highly efficient and silent thermoacoustic power converter (TAPC) to convert the thermal energy from the oxidation of aluminum to AC electrical energy. The AC electrical energy is converted to DC energy and stored in a battery. In situations demanding low power, the battery can provide power while the fuel combustion process is suspended.

Systems and methods for providing an integrated carbon sequestration and power generation system are disclosed. The integrated carbon sequestration and power generation system may include: a thermodynamic cycle configured to receive biomass and to output heat and power; and a direct air capture system configured to receive at least some of the heat and the power output from the thermodynamic cycle. Other aspects are described and claimed.

Systems and methods for providing an integrated carbon sequestration and power generation system are disclosed. The integrated carbon sequestration and power generation system may include: a thermodynamic cycle configured to receive biomass and to output heat and power; and a direct air capture system configured to receive at least some of the heat and the power output from the thermodynamic cycle. Other aspects are described and claimed.