Abstract In a turbine power plant, fluid hydrocarbon fuel is first cracked with steam under pressure; the cracked compressed gas is then expanded in a gas turbine to perform work and thereafter burned in a boiler to generate steam to drive a steam turbine. The cracked, compressed gas may also be expanded to an intermediate pressure in a gas turbine to perform work, combusted under pressure, the combusted, compressed gas expanded in a second gas turbine to perform work and then fed to a boiler where the heat of the combusted gas is utilized to generate steam to drive a steam turbine. The cracked, compressed gas may also be fully expanded in a gas turbine to perform work and thereafter combusted and a portion of the hot combustion gas therefrom is fed to a boiler to generate steam to drive a steam turbine and the balance is recycled to an externally heated cracker and then to the boiler.
Power plant process comprising: a. cracking a fluid hydrocarbon fuel with steam and/or air under pressure to form a gaseous mixture high in carbon monoxide and hydrogen; b. expanding the cracked compressed gaseous mixture from (a) to an intermediate pressure in a gas turbine to perform work; c. thereafter combusting said gaseous mixture at said intermediate pressure in a combustion chamber; and d. feeding the hot combustion gas from (c) to a second gas turbine and expanding same therein to perform work.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
82 words
Power plant process comprising: a. cracking a fluid hydrocarbon fuel with steam and/or air under pressure to form a gaseous mixture high in carbon monoxide and hydrogen; b. expanding the cracked compressed gaseous mixture from (a) to an intermediate pressure in a gas turbine to perform work; c. thereafter combusting said gaseous mixture at said intermediate pressure in a combustion chamber; and d. feeding the hot combustion gas from (c) to a second gas turbine and expanding same therein to perform work.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
10 words
Process of claim 1 wherein said fuel is catalytically cracked.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
10 words
Process of claim 1 wherein said fuel is thermally cracked.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
Process of claim 1 wherein the expanded combustion gas from said second gas turbine is fed to a boiler to generate steam to drive a steam turbine.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
Process of claim 2 wherein the catalyst is heated by the hot combustion gas from said combustion chamber.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
Process of claim 3 wherein said fuel is thermally cracked with steam and air in the presence of carbon dioxide.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
18 words
Process of claim 2 wherein said fuel is catalytically cracked with steam in the presence of carbon dioxide.