Energy system for production of hydrogen from waste incineration. [incineration of refuse and use of generated heat to produce electricity and power; power is used to electrolyze water]
Waste matter is incinerated utilizing pure oxygen in addition to the oxygen obtainable through ambient air thereby raising the temperature in the incinerator to an amount of the order of 500/sup 0/F greater than the incinerator temperature normally encountered when only ambient air is introduced into the incinerator. The incinerator combustion gases are passed into a waste heat boiler to generate steam for operating a steam turbine incorporating an electric generator. A portion of the electric power developed by the generator is utilized in conjunction with an electrolytic cell structure to perform an electrolysis operation upon water to separate the water into its constituent parts (hydrogen and oxygen). A portion of the hydrogen is utilized in the burner plenum of the waste heat boiler to increase the temperature of the incineration combustion gases. The remaining pure hydrogen resulting from the electrolysis process is available for use as fuel or in the synthesis of hydrocarbons, petrochemicals and alcohols. The oxygen developed from the electrolysis process is pumped back into the incinerator serving as the pure oxygen source. Thus, the incineration of waste is employed to generate useful electric power, at least a portion of which is used to incinerate the waste at higher incineration temperatures not heretofore obtainable, thereby increasing the efficiency of the incinerationoperation and utilizing the heat generated thereby to create both electrical power and to develop pure hydrogen as a by-product thereof for use as fuel or for other purposes. By supercharging the burning of the waste at higher temperatures, stack emission is significantly reduced and a higher temperature for steam generation is produced. 12 claims, 1 drawing figure.
- Assignee:
- New York Testing Labs., Inc.
- Patent Number(s):
- US 3965362
- OSTI ID:
- 7247173
- Resource Relation:
- Patent File Date: Filed date 20 Mar 1974
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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