# US 2017/0284227 A1 · Method For Generating Energy, In Which An Electropositive Metal Is Atomized And/Or Sprayed And Combusted With A Reaction Gas, And A Device For Carrying Out Said Method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2017/0284227 A1 - Document ID: US20170284227A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/511,270 - Filed: 2015-09-11 - Published: 2017-10-05 - Earliest claimed: 2014-09-24 - Assignees: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft - Applicants: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft - Inventors: Helmut Eckert; Guenter Schmid; Dan Taroata - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170284227A1 ## CPC - F01K 3/188: {using heat from a specified chemical reaction} - F01K 21/04: using mixtures of steam and gas; Plants generating or heating steam by bringing water or steam into direct contact with hot gas ({F01K25/005, F02B47/02 take precedence; injecting water or steam into a as gas turbine plant F02C3/305}; direct-contact steam generators in general F22B) - F01K 23/02: the engine cycles being thermally coupled - F23C 9/00: Combustion apparatus characterised by arrangements for returning combustion products or flue gases to the combustion chamber (fluidised bed combustion apparatus with means for recirculation of particles entrained from the bed F23C10/02; fluidised bed combustion apparatus with devices for removal and partial reintroduction of material from the bed F23C10/26) - F23C 99/00: Subject-matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass - F23J 15/022: {for removing solid particulate material from the gasflow} - F24V 30/00: Apparatus or devices using heat produced by exothermal chemical reactions other than combustion - F23B 2900/00003: Combustion devices specially adapted for burning metal fuels, e.g. Al or Mg - F23J 2217/102: electrostatic - F23J 2217/40: by cyclones - Y02E 20/16: Combined cycle power plant [CCPP], or combined cycle gas turbine [CCGT] - Y02E 20/18: Integrated gasification combined cycle [IGCC], e.g. combined with carbon capture and storage [CCS] - F01K: STEAM ENGINE PLANTS; STEAM ACCUMULATORS; ENGINE PLANTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ENGINES USING SPECIAL WORKING FLUIDS OR CYCLES (gas-turbine or jet-propulsion plants F02; nuclear power plants, engine arrangements therein G21D) - F23C: METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR COMBUSTION USING FLUID FUEL OR SOLID FUEL SUSPENDED IN {A CARRIER GAS OR} AIR (burners F23D) - F23J: REMOVAL OR TREATMENT OF COMBUSTION PRODUCTS OR COMBUSTION RESIDUES; FLUES (combustion apparatus for consuming smoke or fumes, e.g. exhaust gases, F23G7/06) - F24V: COLLECTION, PRODUCTION OR USE OF HEAT NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - F23B: METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR COMBUSTION USING ONLY SOLID FUEL (for combustion of fuels that are solid at room temperatures, but burned in melted form, e.g. candle wax, C11C5/00, F23C, F23D; using solid fuel suspended in air F23C, F23D1/00; using solid fuel suspended in liquids F23C, F23D11/00; using solid fuel together with fluid fuel or with solid fuel suspended in air, simultaneously or alternately, F23C, F23D17/00) - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract The present disclosure relates to a method of generating energy. The teachings thereof may be embodied in a method comprising: atomizing an electropositive metal; combusting the metal with a reaction gas; mixing the resulting combustion products with water, or an aqueous solution, or a suspension of a salt of the metal; separating a resulting mixture into (a) solid and liquid constituents and (b) gaseous constituents; at least partly converting energy from the separated constituents. Mixing the combustion products may include: atomizing liquid or gaseous water; or atomizing or nebulizing an aqueous solution or a suspension of a salt of the electropositive metal, into the reacted mixture. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of generating energy, the method comprising: atomizing or nebulizing an electropositive metal selected from alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, aluminum, zinc, and mixtures, and/or alloys thereof; combusting the electropositive metal with a reaction gas comprising carbon dioxide or water; mixing resulting combustion products with water, or an aqueous solution, or a suspension of a salt of the electropositive metal; separating a resulting mixture into (a) solid and liquid constituents and (b) gaseous constituents; at least partly converting energy from the solid and liquid constituents and the gaseous constituents; wherein the mixing the resulting combustion products with water, or an aqueous solution, or suspension of a salt of the electropositive metal includes: atomizing liquid or gaseous water; or atomizing or nebulizing an aqueous solution or a suspension of a salt of the electropositive metal; into the reacted mixture. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein separating the resulting mixture includes using a cyclone, filter plates, or electrostatic filters. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least partially converting the energy from the solid and liquid constituents includes using at least one heat exchanger. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least partially converting energy from the gaseous constituents to electrical energy includes using at least one turbine and at least one generator. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising combusting electropositive metal with an excess of carbon dioxide and/or water. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method as claimed in claim 5, further comprising separating excess carbon dioxide or excess water from the gaseous constituents after the combustion and recycling the excess to the combustion process. ### Claim 7 An apparatus for generating energy, the apparatus comprising: a first reactor for reacting an electropositive metal with a reaction gas, the electropositive metal selected from the group consisting of: alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, aluminum, zinc, mixtures, and/or alloys thereof; the reaction gas comprises carbon dioxide or water; at least one first atomization unit or nebulization unit for atomizing or nebulizing the electropositive metal into the first reactor; at least one first feed unit to feed the electropositive metal to the at least one first atomization unit or nebulization unit; at least one second feed unit to feed the first reactor with the reaction gas; a second reactor to mix a resulting mixture of reaction gas and electropositive metal with water, or an aqueous solution, or a suspension of a salt of the electropositive metal; at least one second atomization unit or nebulization unit to atomize or nebulize the water, or the aqueous solution, or the suspension of a salt of the electropositive metal into the second reactor; at least one third feed unit to feed the at least one second atomization unit or nebulization unit with the water, or the aqueous solution, or the suspension of a salt of the electropositive metal; a first separation unit to separate the mixture from the second reactor into (a) solid and liquid constituents and (b) gaseous constituents; at least one first unit to at least partly convert the energy from the solid and liquid constituents; and at least one second unit to at least partly convert the energy from the gaseous constituents. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The apparatus as claimed in claim 7, further comprising a second separation unit to separate water or carbon dioxide from the gaseous constituents. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the first separation unit comprises a cyclone, or at least one filter plate, or at least one electrostatic filter. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the at least one first unit comprises at least one heat exchanger. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the at least one second unit includes at least one turbine and at least one generator for generation of electrical energy. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The apparatus as claimed in claim 8, further comprising a recycle unit to feed the water or carbon dioxide from the second separation unit to the second feed unit for reaction gas or to the first reactor. ### Claim 13 (depends on 7) The apparatus as claimed in claim 7, further comprising a return line, a return valve, and at least one fourth feed unit for byproducts including water or H2 or carbon dioxide or CO; wherein the byproducts are at least partly removed from the gaseous constituents via the return valve, are recycled via the return line, and are fed via the at least one fourth feed unit to the first reactor or to the at least one second feed or to the second reactor or to the at least one second atomization unit or nebulization unit or to the at least one third feed unit. ### Claim 14 (depends on 7) The apparatus as claimed in claim 7, further comprising at least one CO2 scrubber. ### Claim 15 (depends on 7) The apparatus as claimed in claim 7, further comprising at least one fifth feed unit for CO or H2 or H2O. ### Claim 16 (depends on 7) The apparatus as claimed in claim 7, further comprising at least one drier. ### Claim 17 (depends on 7) The apparatus as claimed in claim 7, further comprising a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis apparatus.