Hydrothermal Power Plant

Abstract

A super critical water oxidation reactor (SCWOR) serves as an extremely efficient power source in a power plant by coupling the various output streams in thermal communication with multiply staged or cascaded compressor-expanders that are themselves mechanically coupled to a motor or generator. In one embodiment heat from re-circulating liquid brine loop either directly or indirectly preheats the exhaust gases of the SCWOR prior to expansion. In another embodiment the heat of compression is used to preheat the effluent of an expander prior to a subsequent expansion stage. The re-circulating brine loop also preferably preheats expander effluent prior to a subsequent expansion stage.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]The present application is a Continuation-in-part of and claims the benefit of priority to the international patent application of the same titled filed on Apr. 27, 2010, having application serial no. PCT / 2010 / US032608, which is incorporated herein by reference.[0002]The present application also claims the benefit of priority to the US Provisional patent application of the same titled filed on Apr., 28, 2009, having application Ser. No. 61 / 173,498, which is incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND OF INVENTION[0003]The present invention relates to an improved means of electric power generation via the oxidation of various organic materials in a Supercritical Water Oxidation Reactor (SCWOR).[0004]Prior methods of using SCWOR to generate electric power are disclosed in the following U.S. Pat. No. 5,485,728, U.S. Pat. No. 5,000,099 and U.S. Pat. No. 7,640,745, which are incorporated herein by reference.[0005]SCWOR have an inherent utility...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0012]It is still another object of the invention to provide such a plant is capable of accept multiple and diverse fuel sources for the recovery of useful energy with high thermal efficiency.

Problems solved by technology

However, while an SCWOR can also use conventional fuels without creating harmful by-products, other than CO2, the conventional fuels need not be heavily refined and can even be contaminated with water, organic and organo-inter-metallic and metallic compounds.

However, prior to the current invention, SCWOR have had poor efficiencies that have not made commercially viable to produce energy.

Accordingly, the actual implantation of SCWOR designs in the patent literature is scant and largely in academic research laboratories and government end use to date.

These biomasses are sometimes burnt as fuel, but being somewhat wet, are an inefficient and particulate polluting heat source.

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