US3628332A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Nonpolluting constant output electric power plant
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1970-04-16
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Granted: 1971-12-21
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Expires: 1990-04-16
Abstract
Abstract Oxygen is delivered to a gas producer to gasify coal to produce fuel which is then delivered with more oxygen to a boiler furnace to generate steam and to form products of combustion that include water vapor and carbon dioxide. The water vapor is condensed and separated from the carbon dioxide. The steam is conducted to a steam turbine at a rate that enables it to operate the plant at substantially full capacity continuously. The turbine drives an electric generator. During periods of reduced load, surplus power from the plant is used for liquefying some of the separated carbon dioxide. Some of the surplus power also is used for operating air separation apparatus, to which the liquefied carbon dioxide is conducted to aid in producing liquid oxygen in excess of the oxygen requirements of the gas producer and furnace during the reduced load period. The surplus liquid oxygen is stored for use, after warming, in the plant between the periods of reduced load when the air separation apparatus is not operating.
Inventors
- 👤 John J Kelmar
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 12:58
CPC Classifications
F; F01; F01K; F01K25/00; F01K25/08; F01K25/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
220 words
A substantially constant output electric power plant that does not pollute the environment, the plant comprising a gas producer, means for delivering oxygen to the producer to gasify coal therein at a substantially constant rate to produce fuel, a boiler furnace, means for delivering oxygen and said fuel to the furnace for burning therein to produce steam to form products of combustion that include water vapor and CO2, means for condensing water vapor and separating it from the CO2, a steam turbine, means for conducting said steam to the turbine at a rate to enable it to operate the plant at substantially full capacity continuously, an electric generator driven by the turbine, means operated by surplus power from the plant only during periods of reduced load for liquefying some of the separated Co2, air separation apparatus operated by some of said surplus power during only said periods, means for conducting liquefied CO2to said apparatus while it is operating to aid in producing liquid oxygen in excess of the oxygen requirements of the gas producer and furnace during said reduced load periods, means for storing the surplus liquid oxygen for use in the plant between periods of reduced load when said air separation apparatus is not operating, and means for warming the liquid oxygen to gasify it before it is used,
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
220 words
A substantially constant output electric power plant that does not pollute the environment, the plant comprising a gas producer, means for delivering oxygen to the producer to gasify coal therein at a substantially constant rate to produce fuel, a boiler furnace, means for delivering oxygen and said fuel to the furnace for burning therein to produce steam to form products of combustion that include water vapor and CO2, means for condensing water vapor and separating it from the CO2, a steam turbine, means for conducting said steam to the turbine at a rate to enable it to operate the plant at substantially full capacity continuously, an electric generator driven by the turbine, means operated by surplus power from the plant only during periods of reduced load for liquefying some of the separated Co2, air separation apparatus operated by some of said surplus power during only said periods, means for conducting liquefied CO2to said apparatus while it is operating to aid in producing liquid oxygen in excess of the oxygen requirements of the gas producer and furnace during said reduced load periods, means for storing the surplus liquid oxygen for use in the plant between periods of reduced load when said air separation apparatus is not operating, and means for warming the liquid oxygen to gasify it before it is used,
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
32 words
A electric power plant according to claim 1, in which enough of said Co2 is liquefied to produce a surplus, said plant including apparatus for producing solid Co2 from the surplus CO2.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
An electric power plant according to claim 1, including means for delivering some of the CO2 gas to said gas producer.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
A electric power plant according to claim 1, including means for delivering some of said steam to said fuel.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
51 words
A electric power plant according to claim 1, including a condenser for steam leaving the turbine, means for conducting some of the liquid CO2 to said condenser to cool the steam therein, sand means for conducting the condensate from the condenser to said boiler furnace to be converted to steam again.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
52 words
An electric power plant according to claim 1, including means for delivering crushed slag and limestone to said gas producer, a slag crusher, means for delivering slag from the gas producer to said crusher, and means for returning some of the crushed slag from said crusher to said crushed slag delivering means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
46 words
An electric power plant according to claim 1, including an CO2 holding tank connected between said condensing means and CO2 liquefying means, means for conducting CO2 from said air separation apparatus to said tank, and means for conducting CO2 from said tank to the gas producer.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
193 words
The method of economically operating an electric power plant in which an electric generator is driven by a steam turbine, said method comprising utilizing oxygen continuously to gasify coal at a substantially constant rate to produce a gaseous fuel, burning said fuel with oxygen to form products of combustion that include water vapor and CO2 gas and to produce heat, condensing said water vapor and separating it from the CO2, heating water with said heat to produce steam for the turbine at a rate to enable it to operate the plant at a substantially full capacity continuously, using the surplus power from the plant only during periods of reduced load to liquefy some of the separated CO2 and to operate air separation apparatus with the help of the liquefied CO2 in order to produce liquid oxygen in excess of the oxygen requirements of the plant during said reduced load periods, storing the surplus liquid oxygen for use in the plant between periods of reduced load when said air separation apparatus is not operating, and warming the liquid oxygen to gasify it before it is used, whereby the plant does not pollute the environment.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
193 words
The method of economically operating an electric power plant in which an electric generator is driven by a steam turbine, said method comprising utilizing oxygen continuously to gasify coal at a substantially constant rate to produce a gaseous fuel, burning said fuel with oxygen to form products of combustion that include water vapor and CO2 gas and to produce heat, condensing said water vapor and separating it from the CO2, heating water with said heat to produce steam for the turbine at a rate to enable it to operate the plant at a substantially full capacity continuously, using the surplus power from the plant only during periods of reduced load to liquefy some of the separated CO2 and to operate air separation apparatus with the help of the liquefied CO2 in order to produce liquid oxygen in excess of the oxygen requirements of the plant during said reduced load periods, storing the surplus liquid oxygen for use in the plant between periods of reduced load when said air separation apparatus is not operating, and warming the liquid oxygen to gasify it before it is used, whereby the plant does not pollute the environment.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method recited in claim 8, including liquefying enough of said CO2 to produce a surplus, and producing solid CO2 from the surplus CO2.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method recited in claim 8, including continuously mixing some of said CO2 gas with the oxygen used in gasifying the coal.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method recited in claim 8, including mixing some of said steam with said fuel.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method recited in claim 8, including using some of said liquid CO2 for condensing steam leaving the turbine to furnish said water being heated to produce steam.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method recited in claim 8, including adding crushed slag and limestone to thE coal being gasified to thereby produce slag, and drawing off the produced slag and crushing it and returning some of it to the coal being gasified.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-12-20 | 1975-06-21 | 1975-12-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-12-20 | 1979-06-21 | 1979-12-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-12-20 | 1983-06-21 | 1983-12-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |