Method and apparatus for utilizing radiation energy by $g(a) decay in electric power generating system

Abstract

The present invention implements a power generation system in which an improved efficiency of fuel combustion and effective purification of exhaust gas can be attained with the use of radiation energies caused by alpha-decay of a natural radioactive element. Namely, radiation energies and neutrons caused by alpha-decay of the natural radioactive element which emits 0.6 becquerels/g or more of alpha rays are irradiated to a supply fuel and intake air, necessary for combustion in a combustion equipment in a power generation system using a fossil fuel, to transform oxygen contained in the intake air into active oxygen which is to be used in a fuel activator ( 5 ) and air activator ( 2 ) to implement a complete combustion of the mixture of the intake air and supply fuel. Also, a neutron irradiator ( 3 ) is provided to irradiate neutrons also caused by the alpha-decay. A water activator ( 9 ) with an aeration unit is provided to activate water supplied to a steam generator. In addition, an exhaust gas purifier ( 7 ) with an aeration unit is provided to purify the exhaust gas from the combustion equipment.

1 . A method of improving the efficiency of fuel combustion and purifying exhaust gas resulted from the combustion, in a power generation system using a fossil fuel, with the use of radiation energies caused by alpha-decay of a natural radioactive element, wherein the radiation energies and neutrons simultaneously caused by alpha-decay of the natural radioactive element are irradiated to a supply fuel and intake air, necessary for the fuel to be burnt in a combustion equipment of the power generation system, to transform oxygen contained in the intake air into active oxygen which is to be used for activating the supply fuel and intake air for combustion.  
     
     
         2 . A method of improving the efficiency of fuel combustion and purifying exhaust gas resulted from the combustion, in a combustion equipment included in a power generation system, with the use of radiation energies caused by alpha-decay of a natural radioactive element, wherein the radiation energies and neutrons simultaneously caused by alpha-decay of the natural radioactive element are irradiated to a supply water to a steam generator in the combustion equipment to activate the supply water.  
     
     
         3 . A method of improving the efficiency of fuel combustion and purifying exhaust gas resulted from the combustion, in a combustion equipment included in a power generation system, with the use of radiation energies caused by alpha-decay of a natural radioactive element, wherein the radiation energies and neutrons simultaneously caused by alpha-decay of the natural radioactive element are irradiated to exhaust gas discharged from the combustion equipment to purify the supply water.  
     
     
         4 . In a power generation system, an apparatus for improving the efficiency of fuel combustion and purifying exhaust gas resulted from the combustion, in a combustion equipment included in the power generation system, with the use of radiation energies caused by alpha-decay of a natural radioactive element, wherein: 
 ceramic balls formed from a substance containing a natural radioactive element are laid dispersedly on a plurality of mesh-like shelf stages defining a fuel intake passage; and    a fuel activator is provided in a fuel supply system of the combustion equipment to activate the fuel flowing in contact with the ceramic balls.    
     
     
         5 . In a power generation system, an apparatus for improving the efficiency of fuel combustion and purifying exhaust gas resulted from the combustion, in a combustion equipment included in the power generation system, with the use of radiation energies caused by alpha-decay of a natural radioactive element, comprising: 
 an air activator provided in an air supply system of the combustion equipment to activate intake air flowing in contact with ceramic balls formed from a substance containing a natural radioactive element and laid dispersedly on a plurality of mesh-like shelf stages defining a fuel intake passage by mixing the intake air with aeration air supplied from an aeration unit filled with such ceramic balls and blown out from a plurality of split aeration pipes provided on the bottom of the plurality of mesh-like shelves.    
     
     
         6 . In a power generation system, an apparatus for improving the efficiency of fuel combustion and purifying exhaust gas resulted from the combustion, in a combustion equipment included in the power generation system, with the use of radiation energies caused by alpha-decay of a natural radioactive element, comprising: 
 a water activator provided in a water supply system to a boiler of the combustion equipment to activate supply water flowing in contact with ceramic balls formed from a substance containing a natural radioactive element and laid dispersedly on a plurality of mesh-like shelf stages defining a water intake passage by mixing the supply water with aeration air supplied from an aeration unit filled with such ceramic balls and blown out from a plurality of split aeration pipes provided on the bottom of the plurality of mesh-like shelves.    
     
     
         7 . In a power generation system, an apparatus for improving the efficiency of fuel combustion and purifying exhaust gas resulted from the combustion, in a combustion equipment included in the power generation system, with the use of radiation energies caused by alpha-decay of a natural radioactive element, comprising: 
 an exhaust gas purifier provided in an exhaust gas discharge system of the combustion equipment to purify exhaust gas flowing in contact with ceramic balls formed from a substance containing a natural radioactive element and laid dispersedly on a plurality of mesh-like shelf stages defining an exhaust gas intake passage by mixing the exhaust gas with aeration air supplied from an aeration unit filled with such ceramic balls and blown out from a plurality of split aeration pipes provided on the bottom of the plurality of mesh-like shelves.    
     
     
         8 . In a power generation system, an apparatus for improving the efficiency of fuel combustion and purifying exhaust gas resulted from the combustion, in a combustion equipment included in the power generation system, with the use of radiation energies caused by alpha-decay of a natural radioactive element, comprising: 
 an air activator to activate intake air; and    a neutron irradiator provided at the outlet of the air activator to irradiate to a split flow of activated intake air from the outlet of the air activate neutrons emitted from beryllium irradiated with radiation energies caused by alpha-decay of a natural radioactive element in order to further activate the air with the neutrons;    the intake air delivered from the neutron irradiator being recirculated to the inlet of the air activator.    
     
     
         9 . The apparatus according to either  claim 5  or  7 , wherein air from the outlet of the air activator and exhaust gas from the outlet of the exhaust gas purifier are split and recirculated as aeration air to the aeration unit.  
     
     
         10 . The apparatus according to any one of  claims 1  to  9 , wherein the natural radioactive element emits 0.6 becquerels or more of alpha-rays.