Overview
Filed on June 20, 2018 and granted on October 8, 2019, this patent protects a technically sophisticated, two‑closed‑loop power plant that couples a Brayton‑style gas turbine loop to a Rankine steam loop using an integrated heat‑exchange and separation architecture. Inventors based in San Antonio, TX and Menlo Park, CA developed an approach that uses electrolytically produced hydrogen and oxygen (with an on‑site electrolyzer and storage) to drive a gas‑turbine combustion stage that produces supercritical steam while avoiding carbon‑based combustion byproducts. Geothermal or enhanced ground water supplies the thermal input and working fluid, and custom heat exchangers and separators route heat and phase‑change streams between the gas and steam loops to maximize recovery and reduce thermal losses. The firm's patent team drafted claims that capture both the apparatus and the method of operation, emphasizing closed‑loop matter conservation, rapid ramping for grid support, and reduced corrosion and emissions compared with open‑air fossil systems.
Key Features
- Dual closed loops (gas and steam) with cross‑loop heat transfer
- On‑site electrolysis of water to generate H2/O2 fuel and storeable energy
- Separator and condenser stages that enable phase control and water recovery
- Fast ramping, VAR support, and potential potable off‑take from cooled geothermal fluid
This disclosure addresses efficiency and emissions challenges in modern power generation and offers a pathway for integrating renewable electricity, hydrogen storage, and geothermal heat into flexible, low‑emission grid resources.
Granted: 2019-10-08
