Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada as Represented by the Minister of Natural Resources

Bruce Clements

Lijun Wu

Richard Pomalis

Mohammad Sameer Asiri

Robin William Hughes

Marc Alexander Duchesne

Ligang Zheng

Quan Zhuang

Phil Geddis

Brianna Hataley

Ted Herage

Steven Chen

Philip Geddis

Andrew McDonald

Alex Mccready

The present invention discloses a magnetohydrodynamics power system which utilizes low temperature heat source. Variable control of the operation of the system, along with determining configurations for specific cases, are made possible by selecting the refrigerant, liquid metal circuit geometry, and by adjusting the system condensing pressure and/or temperature. Adjustable condensing pressure and/or temperature allows the system to react to changing ambient temperature and maximize power output. Adjusting condensing pressure and/or temperature of the system is made possible with a variable condenser pressure controller. The variable condenser pressure controller allows utilization of the physical properties of the refrigerant over a wide range of condensing temperatures/pressures, including pressures in the vacuum range. Meanwhile rare earth permanent magnets in paired Halbach arrays are used in the magnetohydrodynamics generator to augment the magnetic field, and a series electrode connection is made possible to achieve a high voltage output.

Low temperature magnetohydrodynamics power system

The present invention discloses systems and methods for supplying hot water for primary extraction in the oil sands bitumen extraction process. Direct contact process and method for producing hot water using mature fine tailings are provided by employing a double staged submerge arrangement with a thickener vessel containing a submerged fuel burner and a hot water vessel containing a submerged fuel burner, a flash submerged arrangement with a flash concentrator vessel containing or adjacent to a fuel burner and a hot water vessel containing a submerged fuel burner or a triple cascade arrangement with a flash concentrator vessel, a thickener vessel containing a submerged fuel burner and a hot water vessel containing a submerged fuel burner.

Direct contact process and method for producing hot water using mature fine tailings (MFT)

The present invention discloses a system and method for using a pressurized oxy-fired configuration to conduct metal reduction. The invention discloses a process for production of metal from metal oxide ore through reduction, comprising: (a) feeding a mixture of metal oxide ore, fuel and supply of oxygen into the inlet of a metallization reactor, (b) heating the mixture of metal oxide ore, oxygen and fuel in a primary reduction zone of the metallization reactor at a pressure exceeding ambient pressure to produce a product mixture; and (c) separating the product mixture in a gas separation unit at the bottom or downstream of the metallization reactor.

System and method of high pressure oxy-fired (hiPrOx) flash metallization

A method and apparatus for direct contact steam generation for a variety of industrial processes including heavy oil recovery, power generation and pulp and paper applications. The steam generation system consists of a combustor and steam generator and is constructed to be operable at elevated pressures. The fuel, at least one oxidant and a fluid supply including water are supplied at pressure to the combustor. Flue gas from the combustor is delivered to the direct contact steam generator at pressure, and upon direct contact with water produces a flue gas stream consisting primarily of steam. This product stream can then be cleansed and used for industrial application. The combustor can be operated with low grade fuel and low quality water with high solids and hydrocarbon contents. The apparatus and method reduce the environmental footprint by reducing air emission, concentrating COto enable capture and reducing clean water requirements.

High pressure direct contact oxy-fired steam generator

A system using hybrid Rankine cycles is provided. The system includes a first Rankine cycle system using a first working fluid, the first system producing exergy loss and residual energy from at least one of turbine extraction, turbine condensation and boiler flue gas; and a second Rankine cycle system using a second working fluid to recover the exergy loss and residual energy. The second working fluid comprises a first stream and a second stream, wherein the first stream exchanges heat with the first system via at least one first heat exchanger, and the second stream exchanges heat with the first system via the at least one first heat exchanger and at least one second heat exchanger. A turbine of the first system is configured to allow the first working fluid to exit at a sufficiently high pressure and temperature to provide heat to the second system instead of expanding to a low pressure and temperature and discharging heat to ambient using a condenser.

Hybrid Rankine cycle

A method and apparatus for direct contact steam generation for a variety of industrial processes including heavy oil recovery, power generation and pulp and paper applications. The steam generation system consists of a combustor () and a steam generator () and is constructed to be operable at elevated pressures. The fuel, at least one oxidant and a fluid supply including water are supplied at pressure to the combustor. Flue gas from the combustor () is delivered to the direct contact steam generator () at pressure, and upon direct contact with water, produces a flue gas stream consisting primarily of steam. This product stream can then be cleansed and used for industrial applications. The combustor () can be operated with low grade fuel and low quality water with high solids and hydrocarbon contents. The apparatus and method reduce the environmental footprint by reducing air emission, concentrating COto enable capture and reducing clean water requirements. The removal of solids from the combustor () at its second end () as well as at the second end of the steam generator () as at (), the use of water injection-type steam quality control and a steam feedback inlet () to the combustor () from the steam generator () enhance the efficiency of the apparatus.

A method and system for improving high excess air combustion system efficiency, including induration furnaces, using a re-routing of flue gas within the system by gas recirculation. Flue gas is drawn from hot system zones including zones near the stack, for re-introduction into the process whereby the heat recovery partially replaces fuel input. At least one pre-combustion drying zone, at least one combustion zone, and at least a first cooling zone exist in these furnaces. At least one exhaust gas outlet is provided to each pre-combustion drying and combustion zone. At least part of the gaseous flow from each system zone exhaust outlet is selectively delivered to an overall system exhaust, the remaining flow being selectively delivered via recirculation to cooling zones. Recirculation flow is adjusted to meet required system temperatures and pressures. The method and system provide efficiency improvements, reducing fuel requirements and greenhouse gas emissions.

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Nepean, Canada

Bruce Clements