Method of and system for producing electrical power

Patent · Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1993

OSTI ID:869005

Carabetta, Ralph A ^[1]; Staats, Gary E ^[1]; Cutting, John C ^[2]

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1. Pittsburgh, PA
2. Point Pleasant, NJ

A method and system for converting the chemical energy of methane to electrical energy. Methane is thermally decomposed to hydrogen and carbon in a decomposing unit at a temperature not less than about 1200.degree. K. and at a pressure at least slightly above atmospheric pressure. Carbon and substantially pure oxygen and a cesium or potassium seed material is transmitted to a combustor which is maintained at a pressure of at least about 50 atmospheres to combust the carbon and oxygen and provide an ionized plasma having a temperature not less than about 2800.degree. K. The ionized plasma is accelerated to a velocity not less than about 1000 m/sec and transported through an MHD generator having a magnetic field in the range of from about 4 to about 6 Tesla to generate dc power. The ionized plasma is de-accelerated and passed from the MHD generator in heat exchange relationship with the methane to heat same for decomposition and or reaction, and thereafter any cesium or potassium seed material is recovered and transported to the combustor, and the dc power from the MHD generator is converted to ac power.

• Research Organization: USDOE Pittsburgh Energy Technology Center (PETC), PA (United States)
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 5260640
• OSTI ID: 869005
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

method
producing
electrical
power
converting
chemical
energy
methane
thermally
decomposed
hydrogen
carbon
decomposing
unit
temperature
1200
degree
pressure
slightly
atmospheric
substantially
pure
oxygen
cesium
potassium
seed
material
transmitted
combustor
maintained
50
atmospheres
combust
provide
ionized
plasma
2800
accelerated
velocity
1000
transported
mhd
generator
magnetic
field
range
tesla
generate
dc
de-accelerated
passed
heat
exchange
relationship
decomposition
reaction
thereafter
recovered
converted
potassium seed
producing electrical
pure oxygen
thermally decomposed
chemical energy
dc power
substantially pure
electrical power
electrical energy
heat exchange
magnetic field
atmospheric pressure
exchange relationship
mhd generator
seed material
exchange relation
ionized plasma
thermally decompose
generate dc
decomposing unit
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