US 2012/0234264 A1Published application

Cogeneration power plant

OwnerRobert P. Benzinventor

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Abstract

A cogeneration power plant for producing steam and electricity. A boiler burner receives fuel from a fuel source and a boiler combustion air/exhaust mixture from a boiler combustion air fan. Combustion occurs inside the burner and hot gases are generated which are used to provide heat for the boiler. An internal combustion engine receives fuel and air for combustion. The internal combustion engine drives an electricity generator for the production of electricity. An engine jacket and oil cooler are utilized to provide cooling for the engine. A water circuit is configured to remove heat from the engine jacket and oil cooler. The heated water flows through a water-to-air heat exchanger connected to the water circuit. The water-to-air heat exchanger utilizes the heated water to heat ambient air through the heat exchanger to produce heated boiler combustion air. Engine exhaust from the internal combustion engine combines with the preheated boiler combustion air in a boiler combustion air fan for producing a boiler combustion air/exhaust mixture for the burner. A boiler exhaust duct directs boiler exhaust away from the boiler. A boiler combustion control system automatically monitors the boiler load and the combustion air and engine exhaust mixture oxygen level and temperature. The boiler combustion control system will then appropriately automatically adjust the speed of the boiler combustion air fan to provide a near stoichiometric mixture of fuel and combustion air and engine exhaust mixture so as to provide for a high burner temperature causing the reduction of NOx emissions in the boiler exhaust while maintaining a very high boiler operating efficiency.

Claims4

Dependent claims

1) A cogeneration power plant for producing steam and electricity, comprising:

A. a boiler for producing steam, said boiler operating under variable boiler load,
B. a boiler burner for receiving boiler combustion air and fuel to produce hot gases for said boiler,
C. an internal combustion engine, for receiving fuel and air for combustion, said internal combustion engine comprising:
1. an engine block, and
2. engine oil,
D. an electrical generator driven by said internal combustion energy, said electrical generator for producing electricity,
E. a internal combustion engine exhaust output line for capturing engine exhaust from said internal combustion engine,
F. an engine jacket and oil cooler connected to said internal combustion engine, said engine jacket and oil cooler for cooling said engine block and engine oil,
G. a water circuit for removing heat from said engine jacket and oil cooler,
H. a water-to-air heat exchanger connected to said water circuit, said water-to-air heat exchanger for transferring heat to ambient air to produce heated boiler combustion air,
I. a boiler combustion air fan for receiving said heated boiler combustion air from said water-to-air heat exchanger and said engine exhaust from said internal combustion engine, said boiler combustion air fan for producing boiler combustion air mixture for said boiler burner,
J. a boiler exhaust duct for directing boiler exhaust away from said boiler
K. a boiler combustion control system for automatically monitoring said boiler load and said combustion air and engine exhaust mixture oxygen level and temperature and for adjusting the speed of said boiler combustion air fan accordingly to provide a near stoichiometric mixture so as to provide for a high burner temperature causing the reduction of NOx emissions is said boiler exhaust.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.