Economic characteristics
There are 2 common steam generation plants, "Simple cycle" and "Combined cycle". Both types of technology can be considered "mature".
Simple cycle plants have typical maximum efficiencies of about 40%.
Combined cycle plants have a maximum efficiency of about 60%. It is correspondingly more expensive.
A Recycling Simple cycle plant, immature technology, would have an estimated maximum efficiency of about 70%. Estimated maximum mature technology is about 90%.
A Recycling Simple cycle plant's manufacturing cost is about mid way between that of current "Simple" and "Combined" cycles. Combined with efficiency increase, the cost reduction makes for about double the return on investment, in terms of fuel costs.
A Recycling generator has essentially no heat exhaust, half carbon exhaust relative to current technology.
Recycling can be retrofitted to existing installations, provided there is volume available approximately equal to that of a Simple cycle turbine.
Recycling heat also means the water in the system is largely recycled, instead of exhausted.
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Physical characteristics
About 10 interrelated patents pending are required for steam recycling.
Recycling does not alter the behavior of steam turbines. The amount of energy generated for a given volume and pressure of steam is identical.
Recycling is accomplished between the turbine exhaust and boiler. It does not alter the back pressure on the turbine. About the same volume as the boiler is required for heat exchange. All of the heat from fuel is recyclable, most importantly the heat of vaporization of the liquid into steam.
The same amount of work is done to inject water into the boiler under pressure, but the work can be done by steam instead of electric pumps. The number of moving parts may actually go down, relative to current systems.
Efficiency is only limited by heat exchangers efficiency, and pressure relative to atmospheric pressure. Pressures in excess of 10 atmospheres is sufficient to exceed 90%. The efficiency of heat exchange is largely a question of its size, but it is expected early technology will have room for improvement, achieving similar recovery efficiency with decreasing volumes of heat exchangers over time, until technology is mature.
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