Engine generating energy through physical and chemical energy conversions of a compressed gaseous fuel

Abstract

An engine for propelling vehicles on land, in the air and on the water. The engine is able to extract energy from a same fuel twice, including extracting a first amount of energy with a gas turbine and a second amount of energy by burning the fuel in a combustion engine.

1 . A vehicle comprising:
 a. a fuel storage tank;   b. a fluid driven generator fluidically coupling with the fuel storage tank, wherein the fluid driven generator is driven by a pressurized fuel; and   c. a chemical energy converter fluidically coupling with the fluid driven generator; and   d. a boiler to regulate a pressure of the pressurized fuel, wherein the boiler is heated by waste heat from the chemical energy converter or the fluid driven generator.   
     
     
         2 . The vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid driven generator comprises one or more turbines. 
     
     
         3 . The vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid driven generator generates electricity when receiving a fluid flow. 
     
     
         4 . The vehicle of  claim 3 , wherein the fluid flow comprises a gas. 
     
     
         5 . The vehicle of  claim 3 , wherein the fluid flow is driven by a pressure difference. 
     
     
         6 . The vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid driven generator, the chemical energy converter, or a combination thereof provides an energy sufficient to move the vehicle. 
     
     
         7 . The vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the chemical energy converter comprises a combustion engine. 
     
     
         8 . The vehicle of  claim 7 , wherein the combustion engine makes a moving motion of the vehicle by combusting a fuel. 
     
     
         9 . The vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the vehicle comprises a land transportation vehicle. 
     
     
         10 . The vehicle of  claim 9 , wherein the land transportation vehicle comprises a sedan, a pick-up, a SUV, or a hybrid vehicle. 
     
     
         11 . The vehicle of  claim 9 , wherein the land transportation vehicle comprises a truck or a train. 
     
     
         12 . The vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the vehicle comprises a public transportation vehicle. 
     
     
         13 . The vehicle of  claim 12 , wherein the public transportation vehicle comprises a shuttle, a bus, or a light rail train. 
     
     
         14 . The vehicle of  claim 12 , wherein the public transportation vehicle comprises an underground system. 
     
     
         15 . The vehicle of  claim 14 , wherein the underground system comprises a subway. 
     
     
         16 . The vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the vehicle comprises a vehicle on water or under water. 
     
     
         17 . The vehicle of  claim 16 , wherein the vehicle on water or under water comprises a boat, a ferry, a hydrofoil, a catamaran, or a submarine. 
     
     
         18 . The vehicle of  claim 16 , wherein the vehicle is above the ground. 
     
     
         19 . The vehicle of  claim 16 , wherein the vehicle above the ground comprises an airplane or a jet craft. 
     
     
         20 . A system comprising:
 a. a physical energy conversion unit, wherein the physical energy conversion is driven by a pressurized fuel;   b. a chemical energy conversion unit fluidically coupled with the physical energy conversion unit; and   c. a boiler to regulate a pressure of the pressurized fuel, wherein the boiler is heated by waste heat from the chemical energy conversion unit or the physical energy conversion unit.   
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the physical energy conversion unit generates electricity when a fuel passing through the physical energy conversion unit. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the chemical energy conversion unit receives the fuel from the physical energy conversion unit. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the chemical energy conversion unit comprises a combustion engine. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the system is part of a power plant. 
     
     
         25 . A method of powering a vehicle comprising:
 a. generating a first amount of power by passing a pressurized fuel through a turbine generator;   b. generating a second amount of power by combusting the pressurized fuel; and   c. using waste heat from the turbine generator or a combustion engine heating a boiler to regulate a pressure of the pressurized fuel.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising controlling a pressure of the fuel to drive the turbine generator. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising controlling a temperature of the fuel to drive the turbine generator. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the fuel is combusted in a combustion engine. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein a fuel generates the first amount of energy by a physical state conversion and a second amount of energy by a chemical energy conversion. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the vehicle comprises a land transportation vehicle, a water transportation vehicle, an air transportation vehicle, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         31 . The vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the boiler is between the fuel storage tank and the fluid driven generator.