Method and means of generating power from fossil fuels with a combined plasma and liquid-metal MHD cycle

Claim 1

A method of converting the chemical energy of fossil fuel to electrical energy comprising burning the fossil fuel in a combustion chamber to form a gaseous combustion product, adding an electrically conducting seed material, passing the seeded combustion product through a first MHD generator electrical energy, heating a liquid metal by heat exchange with said combustion product, passing an inert gas in heat-exchange contact with said combustion products in said combustion chamber and in said first MHD generator to heat said inert gas and cool the walls of said combustion chamber and first MHD generator, mixing the heated inert gas and liquid metal to form a heated mixture, passing the heated mixture through a second MHD generator to generate electrical energy, separating the heated mixture into spent liquid metal and spent inert gas, and recycling said spent liquid metal and spent inert gas through the aforementioned heat exchange and mixing steps to the second MHD generator.

Claim 2

A method of converting the chemical energy of fossil fuel to electrical energy comprising burning the fossil fuel in a combustion chamber to form a gaseous combustion product, adding an electrically conducting seed material, passing the seeded combustion product through a first MHD generator electrical energy, heating a liquid metal by heat exchange with said combustion product, passing an inert gas in heat-exchange contact with said combustion products in said combustion chamber and in said first MHD generator to heat said inert gas and cool the walls of said combustion chamber and first MHD generator, mixing the heated inert gas and liquid metal to form a heated mixture, passing the heated mixture through a second MHD generator to generate electrical energy, separating the heated mixture into spent liquid metal and spent inert gas, and recycling said spent liquid metal and spent inert gas through the aforementioned heat exchange and mixing steps to the second MHD generator.

Claim 3

A method of converting chemical energy of fossil fuel to electrical and mechanical energy comprising: mixing the fossil fuel with preheated air and a conducting seed of potassium carbonate to form a combustion mixture; burning the combustion mixture in a combustion chamber; passing the burned combustion mixture through a first MHD generator to generate electrical energy; cooling the combustion chamber and the first MHD generator by heat-exchange contact with an inert gas; passing the burned combustion mixture through a diffuser to restore the mixture approximately to atmospheric pressure, leaving a spent combustion mixture; exchanging heat from the spent combustion mixture with air for combustion in a high-temperature air preheater; passing the spent combustion mixture leaving the high-temperature air preheater through a liquid metal-gas heat exchanger; exchanging heat from the spent combustion mixture with air for combustion in a low-temperature air preheater; passing the spent combustion mixture leaving the low-temperature air preheater through a boiler to heat a working fluid; recovering the conducting seed from the spent combustion mixture; exhausting the spent combustion mixture through a stack; mixing the heated inert gas and the heated liquid metal; passing the mixture of heated inert gas and heated liquid metal through a second MHD generator to generate electrical energy; separating the liquid metal and the inert gas; returning the separated liquid metal to the liquid metal-gas heat exchanger; passing the separated inert gas through a gas turbine to recover mechanical energy; passing the effluent inert gas from the gas turbine through a regenerator; removing heat from the effluent inert gas in a reject heat exchanger; compressing the inert gas in a compressor; returning the compressed inert gas through the regenerator to and through the walls of the combustion chamber and first MHD generator; recycling to the step of mixing inert gas with liquid metal; passing the heated working fluid from the boiler through a turbine to recover mechanical energy; cooling the heated working fluid leaving the turbine in a condenser; and pumping the cooled working fluid to return the cooled working fluid under pressure to the boiler.

Claim 4

A method of converting chemical energy of fossil fuel to electrical and mechanical energy comprising: mixing the fossil fuel with preheated air and a conducting seed of potassium carbonate to form a combustion mixture; burning the combustion mixture in a combustion chamber; passing the burned combustion mixture through a first MHD generator to generate electrical energy; cooling the combustion chamber and the first MHD generator by heat-exchange contact with an inert gas; passing the burned combustion mixture through a diffuser to restore the mixture approximately to atmospheric pressure, leaving a spent combustion mixture; exchanging heat from the spent combustion mixture with air for combustion in a high-temperature air preheater; passing the spent combustion mixture leaving the high-temperature air preheater through a liquid metal-gas heat exchanger; exchanging heat from the spent combustion mixture with air for combustion in a low-temperature air preheater; passing the spent combustion mixture leaving the low-temperature air preheater through a boiler to heat a working fluid; recovering the conducting seed from the spent combustion mixture; exhausting the spent combustion mixture through a stack; mixing the heated inert gas and the heated liquid metal; passing the mixture of heated inert gas and heated liquid metal through a second MHD generator to generate electrical energy; separating the liquid metal and the inert gas; returning the separated liquid metal to the liquid metal-gas heat exchanger; passing the separated inert gas through a gas turbine to recover mechanical energy; passing the effluent inert gas from the gas turbine through a regenerator; removing heat from the effluent inert gas in a reject heat exchanger; compressing the inert gas in a compressor; returning the compressed inert gas through the regenerator to and through the walls of the combustion chamber and first MHD generator; recycling to the step of mixing inert gas with liquid metal; passing the heated working fluid from the boiler through a turbine to recover mechanical energy; cooling the heated working fluid leaving the turbine in a condenser; and pumping the cooled working fluid to return the cooled working fluid under pressure to the boiler.