IP Library Granted Patent US 9,458,768
Granted Patent B2
US 9,458,768 · App. 14/142,173 · Granted Oct 4, 2016

Algae-derived fuel/water emulsion

Inventors: William G. Cummings, III (Indianapolis, IN); Enrico Lo Gatto (Indianapolis, IN)
Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation
F02C7/22C10L1/328C10L5/44C10L5/445C10L2200/0469C10L2250/084C10L2270/04Y02E50/10Y02E50/30Y02T50/678
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,458,768
App. No.
14/142,173
Granted
Oct 4, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method including providing a wet algae material having been subjected to a refinement process without a water separation phase; supplying the wet algae material including a water fraction and an algae-grown biofuel to a turbine engine; and operating the turbine engine with the wet algae material where a retained portion of the water fraction is retained in the wet biofuel during a manufacturing process not including a dehydration step and includes an amount sufficient to reduce generation of a quantity of nitrogen oxides, and where the turbine engine can further include a combustor capable of combusting the wet biofuel.

Claims (17)

1. A method comprising:

providing a wet algae material having been subjected to a refinement process without a water separation phase;

supplying a wet biofuel consisting of the wet algae material including a water fraction and an algae-grown biofuel as an emulsion to a gas turbine engine; and

operating the gas turbine engine with the wet biofuel,

wherein operating the gas turbine engine further includes combusting the wet biofuel in a combustor of the gas turbine engine.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing the wet algae material further includes processing an algae-derived biomass to retain a retained portion of the water fraction.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein said processing the algae-derived biomass further includes producing a water/fuel emulsion of the retained portion of the water fraction and the wet algae material.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein said processing the algae-derived biomass further include reducing a generation of a quantity of nitrogen oxides in a combustion process with a determined amount of the retained portion of the water fraction.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein said processing the algae-derived biomass further include reducing an operating temperature in a combustion process with a determined amount of the retained portion of the water fraction.

6. A method comprising:

processing a wet algae material having been subjected to a refinement process without a water separation phase;

providing a wet biofuel including an algae-grown biofuel and the wet algae material having at least a portion of a water phase;

supplying the wet biofuel as an emulsion with a source supply device structured to deliver the wet biofuel to a gas turbine engine; and

operating the gas turbine engine with the wet biofuel, and

wherein said providing the wet biofuel further includes reducing a generation of a quantity of nitrogen oxides in said operating the gas turbine engine with a determined amount of the portion of the water phase, and wherein the operating the gas turbine engine further includes combusting the wet biofuel in a combustor of the gas turbine engine.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the wet biofuel further includes an additive from a group consisting of an antifreeze, a surfactant, an emulsifier, an ion exchange resin, and combinations thereof.

8. The system of claim 6 , wherein the manufacturing process does not include a dehydration step.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 1, 2014
From: CUMMINGS, WILLIAM G., III; LO GATTO, ENRICO
To: ROLLS-ROYCE CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 033862/0777 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 14, 2014
From: CUMMINGS, WILLIAM G., III
To: ROLLS-ROYCE CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 032219/0938 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 61786083 · Mar 14, 2013
Related Publication 20140260304A1 · Sep 18, 2014