System for generating energy from fossil fuel

Abstract

A system (10) for generating energy from fossil fuel, including: a combustion engine (32), for converting liquidized fuel (48) to expanding gas (30); a turbine (14), for producing electric energy from the expanding gas (30); a pressure reducer (46), for reducing expansion of the expanding gas (30); and a gas"to"fuel convertor (16), for converting the gas, whose expansion was reduced, to liquidized fuel.

Description

[0001] SYSTEM FOR GENERATING ENERGY FROM FOSSIL

[0002] FUEL

[0003] TECHNICAL FIELD

[0004] The invention relates to the field of carbon capture and utilisation (CCU).

[0005] BACKGROUND

[0006] Carbon capture and utilization (CCU) is the process of capturing carbon dioxide (CO2) to be recycled for further usage.

[0007] Even though carbon dioxide is produced by combustion engines, the combustion engines and the CCU systems are separated one from the other.

[0008] There is a long felt need to combine the combustion engines with the CCU.

[0009] SUMMARY

[0010] A system for generating energy from fossil fuel, including:

[0011] - a combustion engine! and

[0012] - a gas-to-fuel convertor.

[0013] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] Fig. 1 is a block diagram of a system for generating energy from fossil fuel according to one embodiment. Fig. 2 is the block diagram of Fig. 1 including additional elements.

[0015] The drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale.

[0016] DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0017] The invention will be understood from the following detailed description of embodiments of the invention, which are meant to be descriptive and not limiting. For the sake of brevity, some well-known features are not described in detail.

[0018] The reference numbers have been used to point out elements in the embodiments described and illustrated herein, in order to facilitate the understanding of the invention. They are meant to be merely illustrative, and not limiting. Also, the foregoing embodiments of the invention have been described and illustrated in conjunction with systems and methods thereof, which are meant to be merely illustrative, and not limiting.

[0019] Fig. 1 is a block diagram of a system for generating energy from fossil fuel according to one embodiment.

[0020] A system 10 for generating energy from fossil fuel includes a fuel pump 52 for flowing liquidized fuel 48 into a combustion engine 32, for igniting liquidized fuel 48 to turn to expanding CO2 gas 30 having kinetic energy directed onto a turbine 14. Gas 30 flows through a pipe 38 communicating from turbine 14 to a convertor 16, which converts gas 30 to liquidized fuel 48, flowing by fuel pump 52 again into combustion engine 32.

[0021] Convertor 16 may be powered by electric energy produced by turbine 14.

[0022] Thus, in contrast to combustion engine 32 only, system 10 is “green” since combustion engine 32 does not release gas 30 to the environment.

[0023] However, gas 30 as expanding, is less suitable for being converted by gas-to-fuel convertor 16.

[0024] Rather than pipe 38 only for communicating turbine 14 to gas-to-fuel convertor 16, a pressure reducer 46 may be included, for reducing the expansion of gas 30.

[0025] According to one embodiment, pressure reducer 46 includes an expandable cell 44, for temporally expanding for containing the expanding gas 30, and for diminishing its size once gas 30 cools and reduces its volume.

[0026] Fig. 2 is a block diagram of the system of Fig. 1 according to another embodiment.

[0027] According to another embodiment, pressure reducer 46 includes a pipe 39 and a one-way valve 12 for returning expanding gas 30 from the outlet of turbine 14 to the inlet of turbine 14 to repeat the rotation of turbine 14. Gas-to-fuel convertor 16 may rely on enzymes isolated from bacteria to power the chemical reactions which convert CO2 being gas 30, into liquidized fuel 48, by electrolysis.

[0028] Gas-to-fuel convertor 16 may rely on photo- thermochemical flow reactor, using photochemical and thermochemical catalyst.

[0029] Gas-to-fuel convertor 16 may rely on a catalyst to produce methanol, carbon monoxide, water, and hydrocarbon byproduct, and then by reacting methanol and a mixture of said carbon monoxide and unreacted hydrogen to obtain liquid fuel,

[0030] Thus, gas-to-fuel convertor 16 may receive H2O 18A and CH 18B from a chemical separator 19 receiving the CO2 30.

[0031] Fig. 3 is the block diagram of Fig. 1 according to another embodiment.

[0032] According to another embodiment, pressure reducer 46 includes a cylinder 20 including a portion 40A including inlet 50A1 and outlet 50B1; a portion 40B including inlet 50A2 and outlet 50B2; and a piston 24, for occupying one of the portions at a time.

[0033] Turbine 14 rotates a flywheel 28 of a crank shaft 42. Flywheel 28 runs piston 24 back and forth through a crankpin 26.

[0034] Piston 24 has occupied portion 40A, and then moved to portion 40B, being the state of Fig. 2, thus piston 24 has vacuumed portion 40A. The entrance of gas 30 into portion 40A is advantaged in that piston 24 has vacuumed portion 40A.

[0035] At the state of Fig. 2 gas 30 enters portion 40B only, since inlet 50A2 is blocked. Gas 30 exits outlet 50B1 of portion 40A towards gas-to-fuel convertor 16.

[0036] Piston 24 then moves (not shown) to portion 40A, thus piston 24 vacuums portion 40B. Thus, gas 30 then enters portion 40B only, since portion 40A is occupied. Gas 30 exits portion 40B towards gas-to-fuel convertor 16.

[0037] Thus, in one aspect, the invention is directed to a system (10) for generating energy from fossil fuel (48), the system including:

[0038] - a combustion engine (32), for generating kinetic energy and gas (30), from the fossil fuel (48); and

[0039] - a gas-to-fuel convertor (16), for converting the gas (30) to new fossil fuel (48), for being supplied to the combustion engine (32), thereby the combustion engine (32) does not release the gas (30) to an environment.

[0040] The system (10) may further include:

[0041] - a turbine (14) being run by the generated kinetic energy, for powering the gas-to-fuel convertor (16).

[0042] The system (10) may further include: - a pressure reducer (46), for reducing expansion of the expanding gas (30), for supplying thereof to the gas-to- fuel convertor (16).

[0043] The pressure reducer (46) includes a pipe (39) for returning the expanding gas (30) to an inlet of the turbine (14).

[0044] The pressure reducer (46) may include ■

[0045] - a cylinder (20) including two inlets (50Al,50A2) and two outlets (50Bl,50B2); and

[0046] - a piston (24) being slideable within the cylinder (20), for opening one of the two inlets while closing the other, and for opening one of the two outlets while closing the other.

[0047] The pressure reducer (46) may further include a crank shaft (42) for sliding the piston (24) by the turbine (14).

[0048] The piston (24) may be sufficiently large to vacuum the one of the two inlets upon the opening thereof.

[0049] The pressure reducer (46) may include an expandable cell (44), for expanding upon receiving the expanding gas (30), and for diminishing once the gas (30) cools and reduces its volume. In the figures and description herein, the following reference numbers (Reference Signs List) have been mentioned:

[0050] - number 10 denotes the system for generating energy from fossil fuel according to one embodiment of the invention!

[0051] 12: one-way valve!

[0052] 14: turbine powered by expanding gas 30!

[0053] 18A: water (H2O);

[0054] - 18B: CH!

[0055] - chemical separator 19 receiving the CO2 30.

[0056] ■ 20: cylinder!

[0057] ■ 26: crankpin!

[0058] - 28: flywheel!

[0059] ■ 30: expanding CO2 gas produced from combustion!

[0060] - 32: combustion engine!

[0061] ■ 38: pipe communicating gas 30 from turbine 14 to gas-to- fuel convertor 16!

[0062] - 40A,40B: portions of cylinder 20!

[0063] - 42: crankshaft!

[0064] - 44: expandable cell!

[0065] ■ 46: pressure reducer!

[0066] ■ 48: liquidized fuel!

[0067] ■ 50A1: inlet of portion 40A of cylinder 20!

[0068] - 50A2: inlet of portion 40B of cylinder 20!

[0069] - 50B1: outlet of portion 40A of cylinder 20!

[0070] - 50B2: outlet of portion 40B of cylinder 20!

[0071] - 52: fuel pump! The foregoing description and illustrations of the embodiments of the invention have been presented for the purpose of illustration, and are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the above description in any form. Any term that has been defined above and used in the claims, should be interpreted according to this definition.

[0072] The reference numbers in the claims are not a part of the claims, but rather used for facilitating the reading thereof. These reference numbers should not be interpreted as limiting the claims in any form.

Claims

CLAIMSWhat is claimed is:

1. A system (10) for generating energy from fossil fuel (48), the system comprising:- a combustion engine (32), for generating kinetic energy and gas (30), from said fossil fuel (48); and- a gas-to-fuel convertor (16), for converting said gas (30) to new fossil fuel (48), for being supplied to said combustion engine (32), thereby said combustion engine (32) does not release said gas (30) produced thereby to an environment.

2. The system (10) according to claim 1, further comprising:- a turbine (14) being run by said generated kinetic energy, for powering said gas-to-fuel convertor (16).

3. The system (10) according to claim 1, further comprising:- a pressure reducer (46), for reducing expansion of said expanding gas (30), for supplying thereof to said gas-to- fuel convertor (16).

4. The system (10) according to claim 3, wherein said pressure reducer (46) comprises a pipe (39) for returning said expanding gas (30) to an inlet of said turbine (14).

5. The system (10) according to claim 3, wherein said pressure reducer (46) comprises:- a cylinder (20) comprising two inlets (50Al,50A2) and two outlets (50Bl,50B2); and- a piston (24) being slideable within said cylinder (20), for opening one of said two inlets while closing the other, and for opening one of said two outlets while closing the other.

6. The system (10) according to claim 3, wherein said pressure reducer (46) further comprises a crank shaft (42) for sliding said piston (24) by said turbine (14).

7. The system (10) according to claim 3, wherein said piston (24) is sufficiently large to vacuum said one of said two inlets upon said opening thereof.

8. The system (10) according to claim 3, wherein said pressure reducer (46) comprises an expandable cell (44), for expanding upon receiving said expanding gas (30), and for diminishing once said gas (30) cools and reduces its volume.

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