An integrated fuel cell and engine combustor assembly includes an engine combustor having a combustion chamber fluidly coupled with a compressor and a turbine. The assembly also includes a fuel cell stack circumferentially extending around the combustion chamber of the combustor. The fuel cell stack includes fuel cells configured to generate electric current. The fuel cell stack is positioned to receive discharged air from the compressor and fuel from a fuel manifold. The fuel cells in the fuel cell stack generate electric current using the discharged air and at least some of the fuel. The fuel cell stack is positioned to radially direct partially oxidized fuel from the fuel cells into the combustion chamber of the combustor. The combustor combusts the partially oxidized fuel into one or more gaseous combustion products that are directed into and drive the downstream turbine.

An integrated fuel cell and engine combustor assembly includes an engine combustor having a combustion chamber fluidly coupled with a compressor and a turbine. The assembly also includes a fuel cell stack circumferentially extending around the combustion chamber of the combustor. The fuel cell stack includes fuel cells configured to generate electric current. The fuel cell stack is positioned to receive discharged air from the compressor and fuel from a fuel manifold. The fuel cells in the fuel cell stack generate electric current using the discharged air and at least some of the fuel. The fuel cell stack is positioned to radially direct partially oxidized fuel from the fuel cells into the combustion chamber of the combustor. The combustor combusts the partially oxidized fuel into one or more gaseous combustion products that are directed into and drive the downstream turbine.

A solar chemically recuperated gas turbine system includes an exhaust-gas reformer, a solar reformer and a gas turbine unit with a combustion chamber. The reaction outlet of the exhaust-gas reformer is connected to the inlet of the solar reformer, the flue gas side inlet of the exhaust-gas reformer is connected to the exhaust-gas outlet of the gas turbine. The solar reformer outlet is connected to the combustion chamber inlet. Combustion gas drives the gas turbine after fuel burns in the combustion chamber, and the exhaust gas enters the exhaust-gas reformer. Fuel and steam are mixed and enter the reaction side of the exhaust-gas reformer through a fuel inlet. A reforming reaction between the fuel and steam under heating of the exhaust gas generates syngas. A further reforming reaction occurs by absorbing concentrated solar energy after the syngas enters the solar reformer, and the reactant is provided to combustion chamber.

A solar chemically recuperated gas turbine system includes an exhaust-gas reformer, a solar reformer and a gas turbine unit with a combustion chamber. The reaction outlet of the exhaust-gas reformer is connected to the inlet of the solar reformer, the flue gas side inlet of the exhaust-gas reformer is connected to the exhaust-gas outlet of the gas turbine. The solar reformer outlet is connected to the combustion chamber inlet. Combustion gas drives the gas turbine after fuel burns in the combustion chamber, and the exhaust gas enters the exhaust-gas reformer. Fuel and steam are mixed and enter the reaction side of the exhaust-gas reformer through a fuel inlet. A reforming reaction between the fuel and steam under heating of the exhaust gas generates syngas. A further reforming reaction occurs by absorbing concentrated solar energy after the syngas enters the solar reformer, and the reactant is provided to combustion chamber.

An aircraft engine is provided. The aircraft engine includes a compressor section having a compressor. A turbine section is downstream of the compressor section. The turbine section includes a turbine having turbine blades arranged in counter rotating stages. The aircraft engine further includes one or more fluid supply lines and a fuel cell assembly fluidly coupled to the one or more fluid supply lines for receiving one or more input fluids. The fuel cell assembly is in fluid communication with the turbine section to provide one or more output products to the turbine section. The aircraft engine further includes a heat exchanger in fluid communication with the turbine downstream of the counter rotating stages of turbine blades to receive exhaust gases from the turbine. The heat exchanger is thermally coupled to the one or more fluid supply lines of the fuel cell assembly.

A method of raising the pressure of a natural gas stream (9) on an oil or gas producing installation (1) comprises using an existing high pressure gas stream (13) at the installation to drive the turbine (12) of a turbo-compressor unit (10). It is common on oil and gas producing installations to require the pressure of a gas stream to be increased by a small amount, e.g. to allow flare gas to be fed to the production gas train thereby avoiding flaring. This system may replace the current practice of using ejectors for this purpose since ejectors are very inefficient. However, it can be advantageous to feed the output of the turbine side (12) of the turbo-compressor (10) to an ejector which can give a small pre-boost to the low pressure natural gas (9) before it enters the compressor side (11) of the turbo-compressor (10). (FIG. 2).

A method of raising the pressure of a natural gas stream (9) on an oil or gas producing installation (1) comprises using an existing high pressure gas stream (13) at the installation to drive the turbine (12) of a turbo-compressor unit (10). It is common on oil and gas producing installations to require the pressure of a gas stream to be increased by a small amount, e.g. to allow flare gas to be fed to the production gas train thereby avoiding flaring. This system may replace the current practice of using ejectors for this purpose since ejectors are very inefficient. However, it can be advantageous to feed the output of the turbine side (12) of the turbo-compressor (10) to an ejector which can give a small pre-boost to the low pressure natural gas (9) before it enters the compressor side (11) of the turbo-compressor (10). (FIG. 2).

In A method of energy storage comprises receiving input energy (1) and using the input energy to compress (2) air or other process gas to produce a compressed process gas. The compressed process gas is stored (8). The compressed process gas is expanded (16) to generate output energy (17). Heat is transferred (5) from the process gas, before the process gas is stored (8) as a compressed process gas, to a hydrogen production process (10). The transferred heat is used in the hydrogen production process (10). The hydrogen may be stored (13) and subsequently used to heat to provide heat prior to, during, or after expanding (16) the compressed gas.

In A method of energy storage comprises receiving input energy (1) and using the input energy to compress (2) air or other process gas to produce a compressed process gas. The compressed process gas is stored (8). The compressed process gas is expanded (16) to generate output energy (17). Heat is transferred (5) from the process gas, before the process gas is stored (8) as a compressed process gas, to a hydrogen production process (10). The transferred heat is used in the hydrogen production process (10). The hydrogen may be stored (13) and subsequently used to heat to provide heat prior to, during, or after expanding (16) the compressed gas.

Methods for producing syngas (e.g., H.sub.2 and CO) include introducing a stream comprising H.sub.2O and CO.sub.2 to a high-temperature co-electrolysis (HTCE) unit. A CO.sub.2 sweep gas is also introduced to the HTCE unit. Both H.sub.2O and CO.sub.2 are reduced in the HTCE unit to form the syngas and to form O.sub.2 that is swept away from the HTCE unit by the CO.sub.2 sweep gas, and the O.sub.2 and CO.sub.2 are then introduced to a combustion device (e.g., a gasifier), which may be configured to generate electrical power, as a result of combusting a carbonaceous fuel in the presence of the O.sub.2 and CO.sub.2. The HTCE unit is powered at least in part by power from an electricity-generating sub-system (e.g., at least one nuclear power plant). Related systems are also disclosed.