Patent ID: 7546732

Claim:
A system for converting potential energy into heat comprising: a tower configured to be oriented vertically when in an operating mode at an intended site of use, the tower further configured to contain a first fluid in a sealable manner therein and to permit the formation of a substantially nitrogen-free combustion chamber at a pressure less than the ambient pressure proximate to the tower at the intended site of use when in the operating mode, the combustion chamber dynamically defined by walls of a first end of the vertically-oriented tower and the top surface of the first fluid contained in the tower during use; a first tower outlet proximate to a second end of the tower, the second end defining the lower portion of the tower when in the operating mode; a first valve in fluid communication with the first tower outlet, the first valve configured to regulate a flow of the first fluid out of the tower; an oxygen source configured to supply a flow of oxygen from the oxygen source to the resulting combustion chamber in the tower when in use through an oxygen inlet in fluid communication with the tower and the oxygen source; an oxygen valve in fluid communication with the oxygen source and the oxygen inlet, the oxygen valve configured to regulate the flow of oxygen out of the oxygen source into the tower through the oxygen inlet; a combustible fuel source configured to supply a flow of fuel comprising hydrogen from the combustible fuel source to the combustion chamber through a fuel inlet in fluid communication with the tower and the combustible fuel source; a fuel valve in fluid communication with the combustible fuel source and the fuel inlet configured to regulate the flow of fuel out of the combustible fuel source into the tower through the fuel inlet; an ignition source positioned proximate to a first end of the tower so that it resides within the combustion chamber and configured to initiate an exothermic reaction between the flow of oxygen and the flow of fuel so as to produce H 2 O when in the operating mode; and a fluid circulating loop for absorbing energy generated in the tower when the tower is in use, the loop comprising: a second fluid contained within the loop for circulation therethrough; a second fluid reservoir configured to contain at least some of the second fluid; a heat exchanger in fluid communication with and downstream of the second fluid reservoir and in thermal communication with the tower, the heat exchanger configured to transfer heat resulting from the reaction in the combustion chamber to the second fluid circulating through the heat exchanger so that at least a portion of the second fluid is vaporized; and a turbine in fluid communication with and downstream of the heat exchanger and configured to generate electricity from the passage therethrough of the vaporized second fluid.