Oscillating combustor
AssigneeClearsign Combustion Corporation
InventorsROBERTO RUIZ, JOSEPH COLANNINO, IGOR A. KRICHTAFOVITCH, CHRISTOPHER A. WIKLOF
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An oscillating combustor may support a time-sequenced combustion reaction having rich and lean phases. The rich and lean phases may be determined according to a flame position relative to a diverging fuel jet. The flame location may be modulated responsive to an interaction between applying a constant voltage or charge rate to a fuel stream or flame, and modulating continuity between a conductive or semiconductive flame holder and an activation voltage.
Claims48
An oscillating combustor, comprising:
- a fuel nozzle configured to emit an expanding area fuel jet;
- a first flame holder disposed distally along the fuel jet;
- a second flame holder disposed proximally along the fuel jet;
- an ionizer configured to apply a charge to the fuel jet or a flame supported by the fuel jet;
- and
- a continuity modulator operatively coupled to the second flame holder and configured to modulate continuity between the second flame holder and an activation voltage.
A method for supporting an oscillating combustion reaction, comprising:
- outputting a fuel jet;
- supporting a combustion reaction with the fuel jet;
- applying a voltage or charge to the fuel jet or the combustion reaction;
- providing a first flame holder disposed distally along the fuel jet;
- providing an electrically conductive or semiconductive second flame holder disposed proximally along the fuel jet;
- and
- modulating electrical continuity between an activation voltage and the electrically conductive or semiconductive second flame holder;
- wherein modulating the electrical continuity includes periodically making electrical continuity between the activation voltage and the second flame holder to cause the combustion reaction to be held by the second flame holder and periodically breaking the electrical continuity between the activation voltage and the second flame holder to cause the combustion reaction to be held by the first flame holder.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.