DK178834B1

DK178834B1 - A system and method to generate power using dry ice

Info

Publication number: DK178834B1
Application number: DKPA201600161A
Authority: DK
Inventors: Mogens Skou Nielsen
Original assignee: Mogens Skou Nielsen
Priority date: 2016-03-15
Filing date: 2016-03-15
Publication date: 2017-03-06
Also published as: DK201600161A1

Abstract

A power generation system 100 for generating power from dry ice includes an exhaust of an internal combustion engine 101 for releasing exhaust gases. The exhaust gases are filtered and carbon dioxide gas is isolated from the exhaust gases by the filter 102. A compressor 103 in gaseous communication with the filter 102 compresses and cools the carbon dioxide gases fed into the compressor 103. A heater 104 operably connected to the compressor 103 heats the solid carbon dioxide to a temperature above the Leidenfrost point. The heated carbon dioxide drives the turbine 105 to generate a rotary motion. The rotary motion of the turbine 105 drives the generator 106 to generate electrical energy.

Description

A SYSTEM AND METHOD TO GENERATE POWER USING DRY ICE FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to dry ice and more specifically relates to system and method of generating power from dry ice.

BACKGROUND

There are many alternative sources of energy for the generation of electricity, for example, wind turbines, solar panels, hydroelectric dams, etc. Traditionally, most alternative sources of energy have several associated drawbacks, for example, number of wind turbines required, area of land needed for the wind turbines, obstruction of waterways, etc. A power generation system or plant, which can be set up with minimal allocation of resources and having minimal obstacles to natural resources, is required. Additionally, most alternative sources of energy are location specific. For example, wind turbines can be installed profitably only in areas prone to high wind speeds, hydroelectric dams can be generators of power only if reservoirs of water are found in the vicinity. A power generation system or plant, which can operate in any location, is required.

Furthermore, the existing energy sector consumes non-renewable resources, for example, coal, hydrocarbons, etc., and produces hazardous environmental waste. Typically, thermal power plants have efficiencies of about 30-40%. Additionally, they produce huge quantities of CO2 gas, which is harmful to the environment. A power generation system, which is efficient and uses exhaust gases to generate electrical energy, is required.

Moreover, one of the prior art patents, for example, patent number US 5724805A teaches an improved combined cycle power plant that recycles CO2 and emits virtually no pollutants. The above-mentioned patent describes a generation system where a flue gas comprising CO2 and H2O is condensed and separated from the CO2, which is passed to a compressor. The compressed CO2 is fed to a heater in the form of a combuster and the heated CO2 is passed to a turbine driving a generator. However, the prior art does not disclose a way to generate power from the CO2 gases emitted from an internal combustion engine. A system, which generates power from the CO2 gases emitted from an internal combustion engine, is required.

Hence, there is a long felt but unresolved need for a power generation system, which can be set up with minimal allocation of resources. Furthermore, there is a need for a power generation system, which can operate in any location. Moreover, there is a need for a power generation system, which is efficient, and uses exhaust gases to generate electrical energy. Additionally, there is a need for a system, which generates power from the CO2 gases emitted from an internal combustion engine.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further disclosed in the detailed description of the invention. This summary is not intended to identify key or essential inventive concepts of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended for determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.

The power generation system disclosed herein addresses the above-mentioned need for a power generation system, which can be set up with minimal allocation of resources. Furthermore, the power generation system disclosed herein addresses the need for a power generation system, which can operate in any location. Moreover, the power generation system disclosed herein addresses the need for a power generation system, which is efficient, and uses exhaust gases to generate electrical energy. Additionally, the power generation system addresses the need for a system, which generates power from the CO2 gases emitted from an internal combustion engine. The power generation system for generating power from dry ice disclosed herein includes an exhaust of an internal combustion engine for releasing exhaust gases. A filter in gaseous communication with the exhaust of the internal combustion engine receives exhaust gases. The received exhaust gases are filtered and carbon dioxide gas is isolated from the exhaust gases by the filter. A compressor in gaseous communication with the filter compresses and cools carbon dioxide gases fed into the compressor to solid carbon dioxide. A heater operably connected to the compressor heats the solid carbon dioxide to a temperature above the Leidenfrost point. The heated carbon dioxide drives the turbine to generate a rotary motion. The rotary motion of the turbine drives the generator to generate electrical energy.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of the invention, is better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the invention, exemplary constmctions of the invention are shown in the drawings. However, the invention is not limited to the specific methods and stmctures disclosed herein. The description of a method step or a stmcture referenced by a numeral in a drawing is applicable to the description of that method step or stmcture shown by that same numeral in any subsequent drawing herein. FIG. 1 exemplarily illustrates a schematic diagram of a power generation system using dry ice. FIG. 2 exemplarily illustrates a method for generating power using dry ice.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION FIG. 1 exemplarily illustrates a schematic diagram of a power generation system 100 using dry ice. In the method disclosed herein, an internal combustion engine 101 releases exhaust gases during the exhaust stroke of the internal combustion engine 101. The internal combustion engine 101 is, for example, a diesel engine, a petrol engine, etc. Typically, the exhaust gases includes gases in varying compositions, for example, about 60% N2, about 15% CO2, about 12% water vapor, etc. As the exhaust gases from the internal combustion engine 101 comprise various gases, carbon dioxide must be isolated using a filter 102. In an embodiment, the filter 102 is in gaseous communication with an exhaust circuit of a thermal power plant. Thermal power plants produce large amounts of CO2. The exhaust circuit of a thermal power plant feeds huge quantities of exhaust gases, for example, CO2 to the filter 102. The filter 102 isolates the CO2 from the exhaust gases. The isolated CO2 is fed into a compressor 103. The compressor 103 is, for example, a reciprocating compressor, a rotary compressor, a centrifugal compressor, etc. Compressing and simultaneously cooling the CO2 gas results in the formation of dry ice or CO2 in the solid form. At atmospheric pressure, CO2 must be cooled to a temperature of -78.5°C to form dry ice or solid carbon dioxide. By using the compressor 103 to compress CO2, the gaseous CO2 changes to liquid form at a higher temperature. This ensures lesser work to be done by the power generation system 100 to cool the compressed carbon dioxide and produce dry ice.

Once the dry ice is produced, a heater 104 heats the dry ice to a temperature above the Leidenfrost point. The Leidenfrost point refers to the temperature beyond which the Leidenfrost effect exists. The Teidenfrost effect is a physical phenomenon in which a liquid, in near contact with a mass significantly hotter than the liquid's boiling point, produces an insulating vapor layer keeping that liquid from boiling rapidly. Due to this repulsive force, the droplet hovers over the surface rather than making physical contact with it. This is most commonly seen when cooking. Consider the example of a user sprinkling drops of water in a pan to gauge its temperature: if the pan's temperature is at or above the Teidenfrost point, the water skitters across the pan and takes longer to evaporate than in a pan below the temperature of the Teidenfrost point but still above boiling temperature. The effect is also responsible for the ability of liquid nitrogen to skitter across floors. The Teidenfrost point signifies the onset of stable film boiling. It represents the point on the boiling curve where the heat flux is at the minimum and the surface is completely covered by a vapor blanket. Heat transfer from the surface to the liquid occurs by conduction and radiation through the vapor. As the surface temperature is increased, radiation through the vapor film becomes more significant and the heat flux increases with increasing excess temperature.

The heated carbon dioxide drives a turbine 105. The turbine 105 is a turbo machine with at least one moving part called a rotor assembly, which is a shaft or drum with blades attached. Moving fluid, for example, heated carbon dioxide vapor acts on the blades so that they move and impart rotational energy to the rotor. The turbine 105 is operably coupled to the shaft of a generator 106. The expended carbon dioxide vapor is fed back into the compressor 103 to transfer heat and compress the additional carbon dioxide being fed into the compressor 103 from the filter 102. This enables to recycle the carbon dioxide vapors and improves the efficiency of the power generation system 100. FIG. 2 exemplarily illustrates a method for generating power from dry ice. In the method disclosed herein, exhaust gases are received 201 from an exhaust of an internal combustion engine 101. The received exhaust gases are filtered 202 by the filter 102 to isolate carbon dioxide gas from the other components of the exhaust gases. The isolated carbon dioxide gas are cooled and compressed 203 by the compressor 103 to form dry ice. The carbon dioxide gas is compressed and simultaneously cooled to produce dry ice. The dry ice is then heated 204 by a heater 104 to a temperature above the Leidenfrost point and the heated dry ice passes over a turbine 105 and rotates the turbine 105. The turbine 105 is operably coupled to a generator 106. Power is generated 205 by coupling the generator 106 to the rotating turbine 105. The rotary motion of the turbine 105 drives the generator 106 and generates electrical power.

The foregoing examples have been provided merely for the purpose of explanation and are in no way to be construed as limiting of the power generation system 100, disclosed herein. While the power generation system 100 has been described with reference to various embodiments, it is understood that the words, which have been used herein, are words of description and illustration, rather than words of limitation. Further, although the power generation system 100 has been described herein with reference to particular means, materials, and embodiments, the power generation system 100 is not intended to be limited to the particulars disclosed herein; rather, the power generation system 100 extends to all functionally equivalent structures, methods and uses, such as are within the scope of the appended claims. Those skilled in the art, having the benefit of the teachings of this specification, may effect numerous modifications thereto and changes may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the power generation system 100 disclosed herein in their aspects.

Claims

1. A power generation system 100 for generating dry ice power, power generation system 100 consists of: an exhaust for an internal combustion engine 101 or an exhaust circuit for a thermal power plant for releasing exhaust gases; a gaseous filter 102 with the exhaust for combustion engine 101 or exhaust circuit for the thermal power plant for receiving exhaust gases in which the received exhaust gases are filtered and carbon dioxide gas is isolated from the exhaust gases; a gaseous compressor 103 for filter 102, compressor 103 operatively connected to filter 102 for compressing and cooling carbon dioxide gases fed into solid state carbon dioxide compressor 103; a heater 104 operatively connected to compressor 103 for heating the solid carbon dioxide to a temperature above the Leidenfrost point; a turbine 105 having a gaseous connection to the heater 104 to use the heated carbon dioxide to drive turbine 105; and a generator 106 operably coupled to the turbine 105 for transmitting the rotary motion 105 of the turbine, wherein the rotary motion 105 of the turbine drives the generator 106 to generate electrical energy.

The power generation system 100 of claim 1, wherein the compressor 103 is one or more parts of a reciprocating compressor, a rotary compressor, a centrifugal compressor, a screw compressor, and a scroll compressor.

3. A method for generating current by means of dry ice consists of: receiving a plurality of exhaust gases from an exhaust system for an internal combustion engine 101; filtering the received exhaust gases to isolate carbon dioxide gas; compressing and cooling the solid carbon dioxide gas to solid carbon dioxide by means of a compressor 103; heating the solid carbon dioxide to the Leidenfrost point by means of a heater 104, wherein the heated solid carbon dioxide passes through a turbine 105 and rotates the turbine 105; and generating power by coupling a generator 106 to the rotary turbine 105, wherein the turbine rotary motion 105 generates power.

The method of claim 3, wherein the compression of the isolated carbon dioxide gas consists of simultaneously cooling the compressed carbon dioxide gas to form dry ice.

The method of claim 3, wherein the heated dry ice drives turbine 105 and the dry ice changes from a solid to a gaseous state.