Patent ID: 7770376

Claim:
A power plant for generating electric power comprising: a compressor to compress air at atmospheric pressure to a high pressure; a heat exchanger connected to the compressor such that the compressed air from the compressor passes through the heat exchanger; a first turbine connected to the heat exchanger such that the compressed air passing through the heat exchanger passes into the first turbine for expansion of the compressed air; a first electrical generator rotatably connected to the first turbine; an atmospheric pressure combustor connected to the turbine outlet; the heat exchanger connected to the combustor outlet such that a hot gas flow from the combustor passes through the heat exchanger to transfer heat from the combustion gas to the compressed air; a heat recovery steam generator connected to the hot gas outlet of the heat exchanger to generate steam from the hot gas flow from the heat exchanger; a second turbine connected to the heat recovery steam generator to use the steam to drive the second turbine; a second electrical generator connected to the second turbine to produce electric power; a second heat exchanger connected upstream from the first combustor and connected to the first turbine such that the turbine outlet passes through the second heat exchanger; a third turbine connected to the second heat exchanger such that the outlet of the first turbine is heated in the second heat exchanger and passed into the third turbine; a third electric generator driven by the third turbine to produce electric power; a second low pressure combustor connected to the outlet of the third turbine, the second low pressure combustor connected to the second heat exchanger such that the hot gas flow from the second combustor passes through the second heat exchanger to transfer heat to the compressed air passing into the third turbine; and, the two heat exchangers and two low pressure combustors being connected in series such that the combustion gas passes into the heat recovery steam generator.