System for and method of producing a beneficiated fuel

Claim 1

A system for producing a beneficiated fuel from a moisture ladened fuel, comprising: combustion turbine means for flowing exhaust gas out of an exhaust outlet at a temperature above ambient; and moisture reduction means connected to the exhaust outlet of said combustion turbine means to receive the flowing exhaust gas from the exhaust outlet of said combustion turbine means for directing the exhaust gas across the moisture ladened fuel such that a portion of the moisture carried by the fuel is removed to produce the beneficiated fuel, said moisture reduction means including drying means disposed to receive the exhaust gas flowing from the combustion turbine for continuously moving the fuel through the received exhaust gas, the drying means including a drum rotary dryer means for moving the fuel in the same direction as the flowing exhaust gas while tumbling the fuel being processed, dust collecting means receiving the exhaust gas from the rotary drum dryer means for removing particulate matter from the exhaust gas after the exhaust gas has moved past the rotary drum dryer means, and fan means receiving the exhaust gas from the dust collecting means for providing a balanced draft system.

Claim 2

A system for producing a beneficiated fuel from a moisture ladened fuel, comprising: combustion turbine means for flowing exhaust gas out of an exhaust outlet at a temperature above ambient; and moisture reduction means connected to the exhaust outlet of said combustion turbine means to receive the flowing exhaust gas from the exhaust outlet of said combustion turbine means for directing the exhaust gas across the moisture ladened fuel such that a portion of the moisture carried by the fuel is removed to produce the beneficiated fuel, said moisture reduction means including drying means disposed to receive the exhaust gas flowing from the combustion turbine for continuously moving the fuel through the received exhaust gas, the drying means including a drum rotary dryer means for moving the fuel in the same direction as the flowing exhaust gas while tumbling the fuel being processed, dust collecting means receiving the exhaust gas from the rotary drum dryer means for removing particulate matter from the exhaust gas after the exhaust gas has moved past the rotary drum dryer means, and fan means receiving the exhaust gas from the dust collecting means for providing a balanced draft system.

Claim 10

A system for producing a beneficiated fuel from a moisture ladened fuel, comprising: combustion turbine means for flowing exhaust gas out of an exhaust outlet at a temperature above ambient, said combustion turbine means receiving fluid fuel for burning during operation; moisture reduction means connected to the exhaust outlet of said combustion turbine means to receive the flowing exhaust gas from the exhaust outlet of said combustion turbine means for directing the exhaust gas across the moisture ladened fuel such that a portion of the moisture carried by the fuel is removed to produce the beneficiated fuel; and steam producing means receiving the beneficiated fuel from said moisture reduction means for producing steam generated by firing the beneficiated fuel.

Claim 11

A system for producing a beneficiated fuel from a moisture ladened fuel, comprising: combustion turbine means for flowing exhaust gas out of an exhaust outlet at a temperature above ambient, said combustion turbine means receiving fluid fuel for burning during operation; moisture reduction means connected to the exhaust outlet of said combustion turbine means to receive the flowing exhaust gas from the exhaust outlet of said combustion turbine means for directing the exhaust gas across the moisture ladened fuel such that a portion of the moisture carried by the fuel is removed to produce the beneficiated fuel; and steam producing means receiving the beneficiated fuel from said moisture reduction means for producing steam generated by firing the beneficiated fuel.

Claim 20

A method of producing a beneficiated fuel from a moisture ladened fuel, comprising: operating a combustion turbine to provide a flow of exhaust gas out of an exhaust outlet at a temperature above ambient; directing the flow of exhaust gas from the combustion turbine across the moisture ladened fuel such that a portion of the moisture carried by the fuel is removed to produce the beneficiated fuel; moving the fuel in the same direction as the flowing exhaust gas; tumbling the fuel being processed while the fuel is being moved in the same direction as the flowing exhaust gas; removing particulate matter from the exhaust gas after the fuel has been moved and tumbled; and providing a balanced draft system by drawing the gas from the exhaust outlet of the combustion turbine and forcing the gas out of the system.

Claim 21

A method of producing a beneficiated fuel from a moisture ladened fuel, comprising: operating a combustion turbine to provide a flow of exhaust gas out of an exhaust outlet at a temperature above ambient; directing the flow of exhaust gas from the combustion turbine across the moisture ladened fuel such that a portion of the moisture carried by the fuel is removed to produce the beneficiated fuel; moving the fuel in the same direction as the flowing exhaust gas; tumbling the fuel being processed while the fuel is being moved in the same direction as the flowing exhaust gas; removing particulate matter from the exhaust gas after the fuel has been moved and tumbled; and providing a balanced draft system by drawing the gas from the exhaust outlet of the combustion turbine and forcing the gas out of the system.

Claim 29

A method of producing a beneficiated fuel from a moisture ladened fuel, comprising: burning a fluid fuel in a combustion turbine to provide a flow of exhaust gas out of an exhaust outlet at a temperature above ambient; directing the flow of exhaust gas from the combustion turbine across the moisture ladened fuel such that a portion of the moisture carried by the fuel is removed to produce the beneficiated fuel; conveying the beneficiated fuel to a steam generator; and firing the beneficiated fuel in the steam generator to produce steam.

Claim 30

A method of producing a beneficiated fuel from a moisture ladened fuel, comprising: burning a fluid fuel in a combustion turbine to provide a flow of exhaust gas out of an exhaust outlet at a temperature above ambient; directing the flow of exhaust gas from the combustion turbine across the moisture ladened fuel such that a portion of the moisture carried by the fuel is removed to produce the beneficiated fuel; conveying the beneficiated fuel to a steam generator; and firing the beneficiated fuel in the steam generator to produce steam.

Claim 39

A system for producing a beneficiated fuel from a moisture ladened fossil fuel, comprising: combustion turbine means for flowing exhaust gas out of an exhaust outlet at a temperature of between 500° F. and 1000° F.; electric generating means connected to said combustion turbine means for generating electricity; moisture reduction means connected to the exhaust outlet of said combustion turbine means to receive the flowing exhaust gas from the exhaust outlet of said combustion turbine means for directing the exhaust gas across the fuel such that a portion of the moisture carried by the fuel is removed to produce the beneficiated fuel, said moisture reduction means including a system outlet and drying means receiving the exhaust gas flowing from the combustion turbine and continuously moving the fuel through the received exhaust gas, the drying means including a drum rotary dryer means for moving the fuel in the same direction as the flowing exhaust gas while tumbling the fuel being processed, said moisture reduction means further including dust collecting means receiving the exhaust gas from the rotary drum dryer means for removing particulate matter from the exhaust gas after the exhaust gas has moved past the rotary drum dryer means, said moisture reduction means further including fan means receiving the exhaust gas from the dust collecting means for providing a balanced draft system, the exhaust gas flowing out of the exhaust outlet of said combustion turbine means having a first pressure, the gas flowing out of a system exhaust having a second pressure, the first and second pressures having a differential of no greater than 10 inches of water, the temperature of the gas exhausting out of the system outlet being between 130° and 250° F., the fuel having from 3 to 20% by weight as water and the beneficiated fuel having a temperature of no more than 200° F.; steam producing means receiving the beneficiated fuel from said moisture reduction means for producing steam generated by firing the beneficiated fuel; and steam utilizing means receiving steam from said steam producing means for utilizing the steam generated from firing the beneficiated fuel.

Claim 40

A system for producing a beneficiated fuel from a moisture ladened fossil fuel, comprising: combustion turbine means for flowing exhaust gas out of an exhaust outlet at a temperature of between 500° F. and 1000° F.; electric generating means connected to said combustion turbine means for generating electricity; moisture reduction means connected to the exhaust outlet of said combustion turbine means to receive the flowing exhaust gas from the exhaust outlet of said combustion turbine means for directing the exhaust gas across the fuel such that a portion of the moisture carried by the fuel is removed to produce the beneficiated fuel, said moisture reduction means including a system outlet and drying means receiving the exhaust gas flowing from the combustion turbine and continuously moving the fuel through the received exhaust gas, the drying means including a drum rotary dryer means for moving the fuel in the same direction as the flowing exhaust gas while tumbling the fuel being processed, said moisture reduction means further including dust collecting means receiving the exhaust gas from the rotary drum dryer means for removing particulate matter from the exhaust gas after the exhaust gas has moved past the rotary drum dryer means, said moisture reduction means further including fan means receiving the exhaust gas from the dust collecting means for providing a balanced draft system, the exhaust gas flowing out of the exhaust outlet of said combustion turbine means having a first pressure, the gas flowing out of a system exhaust having a second pressure, the first and second pressures having a differential of no greater than 10 inches of water, the temperature of the gas exhausting out of the system outlet being between 130° and 250° F., the fuel having from 3 to 20% by weight as water and the beneficiated fuel having a temperature of no more than 200° F.; steam producing means receiving the beneficiated fuel from said moisture reduction means for producing steam generated by firing the beneficiated fuel; and steam utilizing means receiving steam from said steam producing means for utilizing the steam generated from firing the beneficiated fuel.

Claim 41

A method of producing a beneficiated fuel from a moisture ladened fossil fuel, comprising: operating a combustion turbine to provide a flow of exhaust gas out of an exhaust outlet at a temperature of between 500° F. and 1000° F. and to provide gas flowing out of the system at a temperature at the system outlet of between 130° F. and 250° F.; directing the flow of exhaust gas from the combustion turbine across the moisture ladened fuel such that a portion of the moisture carried by the fuel is removed to produce the beneficiated fuel, the flow of exhaust gas being directed across the moisture ladened fuel sufficiently to remove from 3 to 20% by weight as water and produce the beneficiated fuel having a temperature not to exceed 200° F.; moving the fuel in the same direction as the flowing exhaust gas; tumbling the fuel being processed while the fuel is moving in the same direction as the flowing exhaust gas; removing particulate matter from the exhaust gas after the fuel has been moved and tumbled; providing a balanced draft system by drawing the gas from the exhaust outlet of the combustion turbine and forcing the gas out of the system after the particulate matter has been removed, the balanced draft system being regulated with a pressure differential of no greater than 10 inches of water existing between the pressure of the gas flowing out of the exhaust outlet of the combustion turbine and the pressure of the gas flowing out of the system exhaust; generating electrical power by the combustion turbine driving an electrical generator while providing the flow of exhaust gas; conveying the beneficiated fuel to a steam generator; firing the beneficiated fuel in the steam generator to produce steam; directing the steam produced by firing the beneficiated fuel to a steam utilizing device; and utilizing the steam produced by firing the beneficiated fuel.

Claim 42

A method of producing a beneficiated fuel from a moisture ladened fossil fuel, comprising: operating a combustion turbine to provide a flow of exhaust gas out of an exhaust outlet at a temperature of between 500° F. and 1000° F. and to provide gas flowing out of the system at a temperature at the system outlet of between 130° F. and 250° F.; directing the flow of exhaust gas from the combustion turbine across the moisture ladened fuel such that a portion of the moisture carried by the fuel is removed to produce the beneficiated fuel, the flow of exhaust gas being directed across the moisture ladened fuel sufficiently to remove from 3 to 20% by weight as water and produce the beneficiated fuel having a temperature not to exceed 200° F.; moving the fuel in the same direction as the flowing exhaust gas; tumbling the fuel being processed while the fuel is moving in the same direction as the flowing exhaust gas; removing particulate matter from the exhaust gas after the fuel has been moved and tumbled; providing a balanced draft system by drawing the gas from the exhaust outlet of the combustion turbine and forcing the gas out of the system after the particulate matter has been removed, the balanced draft system being regulated with a pressure differential of no greater than 10 inches of water existing between the pressure of the gas flowing out of the exhaust outlet of the combustion turbine and the pressure of the gas flowing out of the system exhaust; generating electrical power by the combustion turbine driving an electrical generator while providing the flow of exhaust gas; conveying the beneficiated fuel to a steam generator; firing the beneficiated fuel in the steam generator to produce steam; directing the steam produced by firing the beneficiated fuel to a steam utilizing device; and utilizing the steam produced by firing the beneficiated fuel.