System and method for generating electric energy

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to provide a method and a system for implementing the method so as to alleviate the disadvantages of a reciprocating combustion engine and gas turbine in electric energy production. The invention is based on the idea of arranging a combustion chamber outside a gas turbine and providing compressed air to the combustion chamber in order to carry out a combustion process supplemented with high pressure steam pulses.

1 . An electric generator system having:
 a turbine in connection with a generator and a compressor for converting energy fed to the turbine into electric energy with the generator and for using the energy fed to the turbine to compress air with the compressor,   a combustion chamber outside said turbine, wherein the combustion chamber is arranged to receive compressed air from the compressor and fuel from a fuel tank to initiate a combustion process and output combustion products into the turbine for rotating the rotor of the turbine, the combustion process within the combustion chamber being a cyclic deflagration combustion process, each cycle comprising a compression phase and an expansion phase,   one or more controllable fuel input valves for providing fuel to the combustion chamber,   one or more controllable air input valves for providing compressed air to the combustion chamber,   wherein the combustion chamber comprises an open output which is not controlled by a closing valve.   
     
     
         2 . An electric generator system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein in that the compressor is a first screw compressor and the system further comprises a second screw compressor connected in series with the first screw compressor. 
     
     
         3 . An electric generator system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the system further comprises an air tank for accumulating compressed air from the compressor and for providing the compressed air to the combustion chamber. 
     
     
         4 . An electric generator system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the fuel used in the system is one of the following group: diesel, gasoline, ethanol, natural gas, liquid natural gas and mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide. 
     
     
         5 . An electric generator system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the system comprises a heat recovery unit for preheating the compressed air prior to being introduced into the combustion chamber. 
     
     
         6 . A method for generating electric energy comprising:
 providing an input of compressed air to a combustion chamber,   providing an input of fuel to the combustion chamber,   providing an output of a stream of combustion products and compressed air from the combustion chamber to a turbine for producing power,   operating a generator using the power the turbine produces for generating electric energy,   operating a compressor using the power the turbine produces for compressing air for the combustion chamber,   controlling the fuel and the compressed air inputs to the combustion chamber for running a cyclic deflagration combustion process in the combustion chamber, each cycle comprising a compression phase and an expansion phase, said controlling of the fuel and the compressed air inputs is time-dependent,   wherein the combustion chamber has an open output which is not controlled by a valve.   
     
     
         7 . A method as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein in that the method further comprises:
 extracting heat from the combustion process for producing and heating steam.   
     
     
         8 . A method as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the method comprises a step of controlling an ejector input valve for creating steam or water pulses to an ejector between the combustion chamber and the turbine.