Patent ID: 7882692

Claim:
A zero emissions closed Rankine cycle power generation system, comprising in combination: a closed Rankine cycle working fluid recirculation loop including a working fluid heater, a working fluid expander, a working fluid condenser and a working fluid pump; a source of oxidizer, the oxidizer being a majority oxygen; a source of fuel, the fuel being capable of combustion with oxygen to produce elevated temperature products of combustion; a combustor having an oxidizer inlet downstream from said source of oxidizer, a fuel inlet downstream from said source of fuel, said combustor adapted to combust the fuel with the oxygen to produce elevated temperature products of combustion including water and carbon dioxide, and an outlet adapted to discharge the elevated temperature products of combustion from the combustor; a heat exchanger downstream from said combustor outlet, said heat exchanger adapted to transfer heat from said elevated temperature products of combustion to the working fluid of said closed Rankine cycle as at least a portion of said working fluid heater; and wherein said source of fuel includes both hydrocarbon fuel and carbon dioxide, at least a portion of the carbon dioxide in said source of fuel being carbon dioxide formed as a product of combustion of the hydrocarbon fuel with oxygen within said combustor.