The present disclosure provides pumped thermal energy storage systems that can be used to store electrical energy. A pumped thermal energy storage system of the present disclosure can store energy by operating as a heat pump or refrigerator, whereby net work input can be used to transfer heat from the cold side to the hot side. A working fluid of the system is capable of efficient heat exchange with heat storage fluids on a hot side of the system and on a cold side of the system. The system can extract energy by operating as a heat engine transferring heat from the hot side to the cold side, which can result in net work output. Systems of the present disclosure can employ solar heating for improved storage efficiency.

The present disclosure provides pumped thermal energy storage systems that can be used to store electrical energy. A pumped thermal energy storage system of the present disclosure can store energy by operating as a heat pump or refrigerator, whereby net work input can be used to transfer heat from the cold side to the hot side. A working fluid of the system is capable of efficient heat exchange with heat storage fluids on a hot side of the system and on a cold side of the system. The system can extract energy by operating as a heat engine transferring heat from the hot side to the cold side, which can result in net work output. Systems of the present disclosure can employ solar heating for improved storage efficiency.

A modification of a power boiler is disclosed, which comprises water walls enclosing the furnace for heating water and producing steam; a superheater system provided above the furnace for superheating steam; an additional superheater mounted in the furnace for further superheating steam from the superheater system. A modifying method of a power boiler is also disclosed, which comprises steps of mounting an additional superheater on water walls in a furnace; connecting an output of a superheater system to an inlet of the additional superheater; and connecting an outlet of the additional superheater to a turbine for producing power at an improved plant heat rate.

A modification of a power boiler is disclosed, which comprises water walls enclosing the furnace for heating water and producing steam; a superheater system provided above the furnace for superheating steam; an additional superheater mounted in the furnace for further superheating steam from the superheater system. A modifying method of a power boiler is also disclosed, which comprises steps of mounting an additional superheater on water walls in a furnace; connecting an output of a superheater system to an inlet of the additional superheater; and connecting an outlet of the additional superheater to a turbine for producing power at an improved plant heat rate.

A Waste-to-Energy plant comprising: an incineration chamber in which waste is combusted generating flue gas; an economizer heating feedwater using heat from the flue gas; an evaporator producing steam from the heated feedwater using heat from the flue gas; a steam drum receiving heated feedwater from the economizer and supplying heated feedwater, the steam drum receiving steam from the evaporator and supplying steam; and a superheater receiving and heating steam from the steam drum to a superheated steam using heat from the flue gas; the incineration chamber comprising a first PCM-wall and a second PCM-wall each comprising a plurality of pipes and a layer of PCM provided between the pipes and the incineration chamber, the pipes in the first PCM-wall receiving heated feedwater from the steam drum and producing additional steam therein and the pipes of the second PCM-wall additionally heating steam therein using radiant heat from the incineration chamber.

A Waste-to-Energy plant comprising: an incineration chamber in which waste is combusted generating flue gas; an economizer heating feedwater using heat from the flue gas; an evaporator producing steam from the heated feedwater using heat from the flue gas; a steam drum receiving heated feedwater from the economizer and supplying heated feedwater, the steam drum receiving steam from the evaporator and supplying steam; and a superheater receiving and heating steam from the steam drum to a superheated steam using heat from the flue gas; the incineration chamber comprising a first PCM-wall and a second PCM-wall each comprising a plurality of pipes and a layer of PCM provided between the pipes and the incineration chamber, the pipes in the first PCM-wall receiving heated feedwater from the steam drum and producing additional steam therein and the pipes of the second PCM-wall additionally heating steam therein using radiant heat from the incineration chamber.

A system for providing wind-assisted air supply to coal-fired power plants through the use of a wind funnel communicating with an air handler system of a coal-fired boiler is disclosed. The shape, size and orientation of the wind funnel may be controlled in order to optimize the collection of wind and generation of increased air pressure for delivery to the coal-fired boiler system. Increased operating efficiency of coal-fired power plants may be achieved with the wind funnel system.

A Waste-to-Energy plant comprising: an incineration chamber in which waste is combusted generating flue gas; an economizer heating feedwater using heat from the flue gas; an evaporator producing steam from the heated feedwater using heat from the flue gas; a steam drum receiving heated feedwater from the economizer and supplying heated feedwater, the steam drum receiving steam from the evaporator and supplying steam; and a superheater receiving and heating steam from the steam drum to a superheated steam using heat from the flue gas; the incineration chamber comprising a first PCM-wall and a second PCM-wall each comprising a plurality of pipes and a layer of PCM provided between the pipes and the incineration chamber, the pipes in the first PCM-wall receiving heated feedwater from the steam drum and producing additional steam therein and the pipes of the second PCM-wall additionally heating steam therein using radiant heat from the incineration chamber.

A Waste-to-Energy plant comprising: an incineration chamber in which waste is combusted generating flue gas; an economizer heating feedwater using heat from the flue gas; an evaporator producing steam from the heated feedwater using heat from the flue gas; a steam drum receiving heated feedwater from the economizer and supplying heated feedwater, the steam drum receiving steam from the evaporator and supplying steam; and a superheater receiving and heating steam from the steam drum to a superheated steam using heat from the flue gas; the incineration chamber comprising a first PCM-wall and a second PCM-wall each comprising a plurality of pipes and a layer of PCM provided between the pipes and the incineration chamber, the pipes in the first PCM-wall receiving heated feedwater from the steam drum and producing additional steam therein and the pipes of the second PCM-wall additionally heating steam therein using radiant heat from the incineration chamber.

In a gas turbine system including a first gas turbine generator, a heat recovery steam generator and a steam turbine generator heat rejection system, the present invention relates to a method for CO.sub.2 capture from flue gas in said system, said method including: (a) diverting an amount of heat recovery steam generator flue gas from the CO.sub.2 capture plant; and (b) mixing the diverted heat recovery steam generator flue gas with an air stream, forming a combined gas stream, wherein (1) the combined gas stream is fed to a second gas turbine generator; (2) exhaust gas from the second gas turbine generator is mixed with exhaust gas from the first gas turbine generator, forming a combined exhaust gas stream; and (3) the combined exhaust gas stream enters the heat recovery steam generator, with the CO.sub.2 content of the combined exhaust gas stream increased through supplementary firing in the heat recovery steam generator.