Method for low power non-coking liquid hydrocarbon fuel vaporization and supercritical phase change

A method of delivering a hydrocarbon fuel to a combustion chamber, comprising:

• flowing the hydrocarbon fuel from a hydrocarbon fuel source to at least one of a pressure-reducing device or a heat exchanger, wherein the hydrocarbon fuel is in a liquid phase at a first temperature and a first pressure, and wherein the first temperature of the liquid phase hydrocarbon fuel is less than its intrinsic oxidation temperature or endothermic reaction temperature;
• heating the liquid phase hydrocarbon fuel from the first temperature to a second temperature;
• flowing the liquid phase hydrocarbon fuel through the pressure-reducing device to reduce a pressure of the liquid phase hydrocarbon fuel from the first pressure to a second pressure, wherein the liquid phase hydrocarbon fuel substantially completely vaporizes at the second temperature and the second pressure within a first duration of time without forming carbonaceous contaminants;
• flowing the vaporized hydrocarbon fuel through a compressor to increase the pressure of the vaporized hydrocarbon fuel from the second pressure to a third pressure;
• heating the vaporized hydrocarbon fuel to increase a temperature of the vaporized hydrocarbon fuel from the second temperature to a third temperature, wherein the hydrocarbon fuel is either in a vapor phase at the third pressure and the third temperature or in a supercritical phase at the third pressure and the third temperature;
• and
• flowing the completely vaporized hydrocarbon fuel or supercritical hydrocarbon fuel into the combustion chamber where combustion occurs.

A method of vaporizing a hydrocarbon fuel comprising:

• lowering a pressure of the liquid phase hydrocarbon fuel from a first pressure to a second pressure, wherein the hydrocarbon fuel is in a liquid phase at the first temperature and the first pressure, and wherein the first temperature of the liquid phase hydrocarbon fuel is less than its intrinsic oxidation or endothermic reaction temperature;
• heating the liquid phase hydrocarbon fuel from a first temperature to a second temperature;
• and
• heating the hydrocarbon fuel to a second temperature at the second pressure for a first duration of time to substantially completely vaporize the hydrocarbon fuel, wherein the first duration does not provide sufficient time for the hydrocarbon fuel to substantially thermally oxidize and form carbonaceous contaminants,
• wherein thermal oxidation of the hydrocarbon fuel avoided is not combustion.