Solo Energy Corporation

University of California

Tula Technology, Inc.

Green Comfort Systems, Inc.

Solo Enery Corporation

Robert W Dibble

Rajiv K Mongia

George Linton Touchton

Martin L Lagod

Peter D Neuhaus

Steven G Buckley

Adya S Tripathi

Chester Silvestri

Timothy Burke Sennott

Stephen D Heberle

Jyh-Yuan Chen

Bradley Edgar

Miguel Sierra Aznar

Larry N Hargis

The present technology provides embodiments of recirculating noble gas combustion power cycles and systems including engines utilizing these power cycles. Embodiments of the cycles may include a combination of a high intake/exhaust pressure, very late or early intake valve closure, late exhaust valve opening, intake preheating using exhaust gases, sensible heat recovery, direct injection of fuel and/or oxidizer, and a condenser to remove combustion products and dissolved trace contaminant gases. An engine operating on these principles could provide motive force for electrical production, for example at power plants, or for transit, for example for ship engines. An engine operating with the cycles disclosed herein has high thermal efficiency and low cost. For example an argon power cycle using natural gas feedstock and cryogenic oxygen air separation could exceed 60% overall efficiency.

Recirculating noble gas internal combustion power cycle

The present invention relates to a diesel engine control system and methods for substantially operating a diesel engine at stoichiometric fuel to air ratios. The system may include a fuel processor which receives instructions for a desired engine output and current operating conditions. The fuel processor may also generate fueling instructions for the cylinders, including: substantially regulating fuel delivery into to a first group of cylinders at or near stoichiometric fuel levels, and substantially disabling fuel injection into to a second grouping of cylinders. The number of cylinders being fueled, and therefore undergoing a combustion event corresponds to the desired engine output. This may be calculated by dividing the desired output by the power provided by one cylinder operating at substantially stoichiometric fuel levels. The number of cylinders receiving fuel may be varied over a succession of engine revolutions such that the actual average engine power output conforms to the desired output.

System and methods for stoichiometric compression ignition engine control

A dehumidifier system having a dehumidifier section within which liquid desiccant absorbs moisture from air flowing therethrough and a dehumidifier section within which the desiccant is regenerated employs a heat exchanger for maintaining a relatively high temperature differential between the desiccant contained within the dehumidifier and regenerator sections. The desiccant which is conducted to either the dehumidifier section or the regenerator section is separated into multiple streams, and the multiple streams are treated differently from one another before being discharged into preselected segments of the air flow moving through the corresponding one of the dehumidifier section and the regenerator section. A control scheme in the system is capable of altering, and thereby improving, the concentration level of desiccant utilized in the system.

Dehumidifier system

Various forms of energy, such as mechanical, electrical, and/or heat energy are produced by an energy conversion mechanism which includes a spool, the spool including a shaft on which a compressor and turbine are mounted. A generator is operably connected to the energy conversion mechanism for converting mechanical energy thereof into electrical energy. Fuel and air are supplied separately to the compressor. A regenerator type heat exchanger has a cold side for conducting compressed air traveling from an outlet of a compressor to an inlet of the microturbine, a hot side for conducting hot waste gas from the energy conversion mechanism, and a rotary core movable sequentially through the cold and hot sides for absorbing heat in the hot side and giving up heat in the cold side. A catalytic combustor combusts the fuel at a location upstream of the turbine. During start-up, the catalytic combustor is preheated independently of the heat exchanger by an electric heater.

Self-contained energy center for producing mechanical, electrical, and heat energy

An energy producing system includes a compressor side for compressing an air/fuel mixture, and a turbine side for producing mechanical, electrical, and/or heat energy, and driving the compressor side. A catalytic combustor is disposed upstream of the turbine side for combusting a steady state air/fuel mixture during a steady state operation of the apparatus. During start-up of the system, the catalytic combustor is preheated by being supplied with a preheat air/fuel mixture capable of lighting-off therein at ambient temperature, whereby oxidization of the preheat air/fuel mixture in the catalytic combustor produces heat. The preheat air/fuel mixture is produced on-site, preferably in a reformer which burns natural gas in the presence of insufficient oxygen for complete combustion, thereby producing hydrogen and carbon monoxide.

Methods and apparatus for igniting a catalytic converter in a gas turbine system

A gas turbine system includes a compressor side for compressing an air/fuel mixture, and a turbine side for driving the compressor side. A heat exchanger transfers heat from turbine exhaust gases to the air/fuel mixture from the compressor side. A main catalytic combustor is disposed between the heat exchanger and the turbine side for combusting the air/fuel mixture and supplying the resultant products of combustion to the turbine side. The main catalytic combustor has a volume which is sufficient for oxidizing enough fuel to achieve a predetermined turbine inlet temperature, but insufficient for oxidizing all of the fuel. A secondary catalytic combustor is disposed downstream of the turbine side for combusting at least some of the fuel that was not combusted by the main catalytic combustor. The second catalytic combustor typically operates at a lower temperature than the main catalytic combustor. The secondary catalytic combustor may constitute a separate unit, or it may be integrated with the heat exchanger.

Catalytic arrangement for gas turbine combustor

A multi-shaft reheat turbine mechanism includes multiple turbines mounted on respective compressor shafts, and catalytic reactors feeding respective ones of the turbines. Fuel is introduced into a low pressure compressor, whereby there is no need to pressurize the fuel. The compressor side of the mechanism emits a compressed air/fuel flow, portions of which are combusted in respective ones of the catalytic reactors. The air/fuel flow traveling from the compressor side to the turbine side passes through a regenerator in heat exchanging relationship with exhaust gas from a low pressure turbine.

Multi-shaft reheat turbine mechanism for generating power

Self-contained energy center for producing mechanical, electrical, and

Heat is exchanged between high and low temperature gases in a regenerator type of heat exchanger, wherein the high temperature gas is conducted through a high temperature passage formed in a housing, and the low temperature gas is conducted through a low temperature passage formed in the housing. A porous heat transfer core is rotated such that portions of the core pass sequentially through the high and low temperature passages. The high temperature gas traveling in the high temperature passage is caused to flow through, and heat, a portion of the core disposed in the high temperature passage. The low temperature gas traveling in the low temperature passage is caused to flow through, and be heated by, a heated portion of the core disposed in the low temperature passage. A low pressure zone is established in a chamber situated at each location where the core travels from one of the passages to the other. A pressure in the low pressure zone is lower than pressures-in both of the passages, whereby gases tending to leak from one of the passages to the other are drawn into the low pressure zone and are conducted out of the housing.

Regenerator type heat exchanger

An improved process for SNCR of NO.sub.x is provided. The exhaust gases from a combustion source are fed to a reducing reactor. A NO.sub.x reductant is injected into the exhaust to form a mixture. The mixture is then heated by regenerative heating to effect NO.sub.x reduction reactions. The reacted exhaust may then be further heated to remove byproducts, such as N.sub.2 O, and unreacted reductant.

Growing community of inventors

Livermore, CA, United States of America

Robert W Dibble