Power plant using brackish water as an energy source

• Main Authors: FRANCIS, PAUL D, FRANCIS, JOSEPH, MLADENOVIC, DEJAN
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 23.12.2015
• Subjects: BLASTING; CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TOTRANSPORTATION; COMBUSTION ENGINES; COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL; ELECTRIC EQUIPMENT OR PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLEDVEHICLES; ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES, IN GENERAL; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; HEATING; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS; INTERNAL-COMBUSTION PISTON ENGINES; LIGHTING; MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; SUPPLYING COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL, WITH COMBUSTIBLEMIXTURES OR CONSTITUENTS THEREOF; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINSTCLIMATE CHANGE; TRANSPORTING; VEHICLES IN GENERAL; WEAPONS

An electrolyzer converts brackish water to hydrogen and oxygen which are utilized in the multiple cylinder IC engine to reduce the amount of diesel utilized in the power plant. This improves emissions and reduces energy cost of operating the engine. Storage tanks for the oxygen and hydrogen are embedded in the diesel fuel tank to provide dual-walled protection for enhanced security and safety in transporting and storing the hydrogen. Possible energy sources for powering the electrolyzer include third rail technology, multiple unit (MU) jumper cables attached to power sources in refueling stations, a solar collector array, and traction motors associated with a dynamic brake system for the vehicle.