Archive
SYNTHETIC FUELS. Latest published applications 2015-2017. Integrated gasification combined cycle
Summary
The integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) technologies convert various fuels, primarily coal, into synthesis gas, which is fed into the gas turbine to generate electricity. In addition, the steam generated after cooling the synthesis gas can be passed to a steam turbine for additional power generation. In this way a combined cycle is implemented, which has significant advantages over conventional coal-fired power plants due to improved energy efficiency and reduced emissions of greenhouse gases and other pollutants. However, the production of synthesis gas significantly increases the capital costs of electricity generation and IGCC units are considerably more complex to operate as well as requiring costly maintenance. The overall costs are additionally increased by the use of expensive CO2 capture and synthesis gas cleaning systems. As a result, IGCC plants, even with the cheapest fossil fuel, coal, are not widespread and most of them are subsidized by special programs. Nevertheless, IGCC technologies are undoubtedly of interest for countries with large coal reserves and shortage of natural gas. The proposed Patent Statistical Bulletin covers recent patent applications on this topic, and gives an overview on various solutions to the aforementioned problems.
The present bulletin reviews patent applications registered by patent offices around the globe in 2015-2017 related to the subject of Integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) technologies in the field of synthetic fuels. General research methodology can be found on the Advanced Energy Technologies website. 301 patent documents from 21 patent offices around the world are represented in the bulletin. In total, 66 applicants from 17 countries and 374 subgroups of the International Patent Classification are mentioned.
Key Highlights
The bulletin contains statistical data on the distribution of patent documents by years, by patent offices and by applicant countries, applicant-related data (residents and non-residents), and data on the most frequently mentioned International Patent Classification divisions (sections, classes, subclasses, groups, and subgroups). The top three patent offices that registered the largest number of patent applications were CNIPA (CN), JPO (JP) and USPTO (US).
Based on the analysis of each of the patent applications, internal characteristics of unified indicators (technical problems, types of inventive solutions, belonging to one or other technological segment) were found, which allowed specific features for each of the indicators for the entire array of documents to be defined, for instance, to define the leading problems or technical solution types that were disclosed by the inventors the most. Document lists are provided for the ten most popular groups of patent documents with identical unified indicators, including their ID numbers and applicant names.
A list of the top 10 applicants by the number of patent documents includes Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems Ltd (JP), General Electric (US), Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (JP), Toshiba Corporation (JP), Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) (KR), Chinook End-Stage Recycling Limited (GB), Huaneng Clean Energy Research Institute (CN), Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction (KR), RV LIZENZ AG (CH), CAS IET Institute of Engineering Thermophysics (CN). Data representing the share in the established intellectual property market, distribution of applications by problems, IPC sections, patent offices and technology indicators is provided in the form of tables and diagrams for them.
The bulletin contains lists of the top 10 prominent documents having the highest bibliographical rating, the most extensive coverage of IPC sections, and those not being part a of patent family.
The conclusive part of the bulletin represents the lists of all of the documents reviewed, arranged by the top 10 groups of patent documents with identical unified indicators and by patent offices with the indication of the ID numbers of the registered patent applications.
Who needs this bulletin?
The data provided in the proposed bulletin is a timely reflection of the transformations that take place in the intellectual property sector of the industrial direction concerned. A thoroughly edited selection of patent documents can become a good complement to your library of available technical solutions. The bulletin is targeted at inventorsау, engineers, researchers, managers and business administrators involved in the development of synthetic fuels production technologies.
