Air liquification system for combustors or the like

An air liquification system for a pair of combustors or the like, comprising:

• condenser means including air intake means, heat exchanger means for cooling the air to substantially a liquid state, and precooler means between the air intake means and the heat exchanger means;
• first means for conducting the liquid air through the precooler means to act as a regenerative cooling medium therein and thereafter conducting the air to one of the combustors;
• a source of hydrogen in a liquid state;
• second means for conducting the liquid hydrogen to the heat exchanger means whereby the hydrogen acts as the cooling medium therein;
• third means for conducting a portion of the hydrogen from the heat exchanger means to the one combustor, including compressor means for compressing the hydrogen up to a given combustor pressure;
• and
• fourth means for conducting the remainder of the hydrogen from the heat exchanger means to the other of the combustors.

An air liquification process for a pair of combustors or the like, comprising the steps of:

• condensing air to substantially a liquid state with a liquid hydrogen cooling medium;
• conducting the liquid air through a precooler before conducting the air to one of the combustors;
• and
• conducting the hydrogen to the pair of combustors after the hydrogen has been used to condense the air in a manner wherein a portion of the hydrogen is conducted directly to one of the combustors operating at ambient air pressure while the remaining portion of the hydrogen is compressed to a given combustor pressure before being conducted to the other of the combustors.