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US 12,098,843 B2Granted
Steam hammer pump and electrical power facility
OwnerJohn M. Freemaninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A pump uses the steam hammer effect to pump water from a reservoir into a control volume. Steam is injected into a water conduit extending between a liquid water reservoir and the control volume forms a liquid steam interface. Steam within the conduit condenses on the interface creating a region of partial vacuum. Water accelerates into the region of partial vacuum and is vented into the control volume, flow being controlled by a valve.
Claims34
A pump for injecting liquid water into a control volume, said pump comprising:
- a liquid water reservoir;
- a water conduit providing fluid communication between said liquid water reservoir and said control volume;
- an exhaust valve positioned within said water conduit for controlling flow of said liquid water from said liquid water reservoir into said control volume;
- a steam reservoir;
- a steam conduit providing fluid communication between said steam reservoir and said water conduit;
- a steam injector valve positioned in said steam conduit for controlling flow of said steam from said steam reservoir into said water conduit;
- wherein
- opening said steam injector valve injects steam into said water conduit, said steam condensing on a water-steam interface thereby creating a partial vacuum within said water conduit, said liquid water from said liquid water reservoir accelerating into said partial vacuum creating a pressure and momentum pulse within said water conduit, said exhaust valve opening permitting a burst of said liquid water to be injected into said control volume.
5 more elements
A method of injecting liquid water into a control volume, said method comprising:
- injecting steam into a conduit in fluid communication with said control volume, said conduit containing said liquid;
- condensing said steam at a steam-water interface within said conduit thereby creating a partial vacuum region within said conduit;
- accelerating said liquid water into said partial vacuum region thereby creating a pressure and momentum pulse within said conduit;
- and
- venting said liquid water into said control volume, said liquid water being propelled by said pressure and momentum pulse.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.