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US 11,029,023 B2Granted
System and method for generating flame effect
AssigneeUniversal City Studios LLC
InventorsSteven C. Blum, Benjamin Robert Clark
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Present embodiments are directed to a system and method for generating a flame effect. An embodiment includes a nozzle assembly with an outer nozzle and an inner nozzle. At least a portion of the inner nozzle is nested within at least a portion of the outer nozzle. The system also includes a fuel source with two or more separate types of fuel.
Claims20
A system, comprising:
- a fuel source having a first fuel tank configured to store a first fuel having a first chemical composition and a second fuel tank configured to store a second fuel having a second chemical composition different than the first chemical composition;
- a nested nozzle assembly, comprising:
- an outer nozzle defining an outer flow path;
- and
- an inner nozzle having a wall defining an inner flow path, wherein at least a portion of the inner nozzle is nested within at least an additional portion of the outer nozzle such that the outer flow path of the outer nozzle is defined by an outer surface of the wall of the inner nozzle;
- a burner configured to ignite the first fuel, the second fuel, or both to generate a flame effect downstream from the nested nozzle assembly with respect to a flow of the first fuel, the second fuel, or both;
- at least one actuator operatable to fluidly couple the first fuel tank with the nested nozzle assembly, the second fuel tank with the nested nozzle assembly, or both;
- an automation controller configured to control operation of the at least one actuator;
- and
- at least one input device configured to provide data to the automation controller indicative of one or more environmental factors affecting an aesthetic of the flame effect, wherein the automation controller is configured to control operation of the at least one actuator based on the data.
7 more elements
A system, comprising:
- a nested nozzle assembly configured to generate a flame effect visible from an exterior of the system, wherein the nested nozzle assembly comprises a first nozzle, a second nozzle disposed radially inward from the first nozzle, and a burner positioned proximate to an end of the nested nozzle assembly;
- a fuel source having a first fuel tank configured to store a first fuel comprising a first chemical composition and having a second fuel tank configured to store a second fuel comprising a second chemical composition different than the first chemical composition;
- and
- an automation controller configured to regulate the fuel source or a control valve assembly of the system to control a fluid flow of the first fuel and the second fuel to the nested nozzle assembly based at least in part on an environmental factor surrounding the system that affects an aesthetic of the flame effect, wherein the automation controller is configured to regulate the fuel source or the control valve assembly to fluidly couple the first fuel tank with the first nozzle and the second fuel tank with the second nozzle in response to a first value of the environmental factor surrounding the system that affects the aesthetic of the flame effect, wherein the automation controller is configured to regulate the fuel source or the control valve assembly to fluidly couple the first fuel tank with the second nozzle and the second fuel tank with the first nozzle in response to a second value of the environmental factor surrounding the system that affects the aesthetic of the flame effect, and wherein the automation controller is configured to regulate the burner to ignite the first fuel and the second fuel as the first fuel and the second fuel exit the end of the nested nozzle assembly.
1 more element
A method of operating a nested nozzle system configured to generate a flame effect, the method comprising:
- determining environmental factors around the nested nozzle system that affect an aesthetic of the flame effect;
- determining, via an automation controller, a first type of fuel to route to a first nested nozzle of the nested nozzle system, a second type of fuel to route to a second nested nozzle of the nested nozzle system, a first pressure corresponding to the first type of fuel, and a second pressure corresponding to the second type of fuel based on measurements or values of the environmental factors received by the automation controller, the first type of fuel having a first chemical composition and the second type of fuel having a second chemical composition different than the first chemical composition;
- fluidly coupling a first fuel tank having the first type of fuel with the first nested nozzle of the nested nozzle system and a second fuel tank having the second type of fuel with the second nested nozzle of the nested nozzle system;
- passing the first type of fuel through the first nested nozzle at the first pressure and the second type of fuel through the second nested nozzle at the second pressure;
- and
- passing the first type of fuel and the second type of fuel over a burner such that the first type of fuel and the second type of fuel are ignited by the burner to generate the flame effect visible from an exterior of the nested nozzle system.
3 more elements
A method of operating a nested nozzle system having a first nozzle and a second nozzle disposed radially inward from the first nozzle, the method comprising:
- determining an environmental factor around the nested nozzle system that affects an aesthetic of a flame effect generated by the nested nozzle system;
- fluidly coupling, via an automation controller, a first fuel tank storing a first type of fuel with the first nozzle and a second fuel tank storing a second type of fuel with the second nozzle in response to a first measurement or first value indicative of the environmental factor around the nested nozzle system that affects the aesthetic of the flame effect, wherein the first type of fuel comprises a first chemical composition and the second type of fuel comprises a second chemical composition different than the first material composition;
- passing the first type of fuel through the first nozzle at a first pressure and the second type of fuel through the second nozzle after fluidly coupling the first fuel tank with the first nozzle and the second fuel tank with the second nozzle;
- passing the first type of fuel and the second type of fuel over a burner disposed at ends of the first nozzle and the second nozzle after passing the first type of fuel through the first nozzle and the second type of fuel through the second nozzle such that the first type of fuel and the second type of fuel are ignited by the burner to generate the flame effect visible from an exterior of the nested nozzle system;
- fluidly coupling, via the automation controller, the second fuel tank storing the second type of fuel with the first nozzle and the first fuel tank storing the first type of fuel with the second nozzle in response to a second measurement or second value indicative of the environmental factor around the nested nozzle system that affects the aesthetic of the flame effect;
- passing the second type of fuel through the first nozzle and the first type of fuel through the second nozzle after fluidly coupling the second fuel tank with the first nozzle and the first fuel tank with the second nozzle;
- and
- passing the first type of fuel and the second type of fuel over the burner disposed at the ends of the first nozzle and the second nozzle after passing the second type of fuel through the first nozzle and the first type of fuel through the second nozzle such that the first type of fuel and the second type of fuel are ignited by the burner to generate the flame effect visible from the exterior of the nested nozzle assembly.
5 more elements
A system, comprising:
- an outer housing structure;
- a fluid source having a first fluid tank configured to store a first fluid having a first chemical composition and a second fluid tank configured to store a second fluid having a second chemical composition different than the first chemical composition;
- a nested nozzle assembly having a first nested nozzle, a second nested nozzle disposed radially inward from the first nested nozzle, and a burner, wherein the nested nozzle assembly is configured to flow the first fluid and the second fluid therethrough and over the burner to facilitate generation of a flame effect from an outlet of the nested nozzle assembly, wherein the nested nozzle assembly is positioned at least partially within the outer housing structure such that the nested nozzle assembly is at least partially hidden within the outer housing structure and such that the outlet of the nested nozzle assembly is positioned proximate to an opening in the outer housing structure, wherein the opening in the outer housing structure is configured to expose the flame effect external to the outer housing structure;
- and
- an automation controller configured to receive first data indicative of an environmental factor that affects an aesthetic of the flame effect, to control the fluid source or a control valve assembly of the system to direct the first fluid into the first nested nozzle and the second fluid into the second nested nozzle in response to the first data, to receive second data indicative of the environmental factor that affects the aesthetic of the flame effect, and to control the fluid source or the control valve assembly of the system to direct the first fluid into the second nested nozzle and the second fluid into the first nested nozzle in response to the second data.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.