Aluminium combustion for heat generation

A method for generation of heat for use in a heat consumer in a heat generating arrangement comprising a heating arrangement, a reactor and a combustion chamber, the method comprises:

• providing aluminium to the heating arrangement;
• providing superheated steam having a heating arrangement temperature into the heating arrangement by means of a pump;
• melting the aluminium into liquid aluminium by heating the heating arrangement with the superheated steam having the heating arrangement temperature;
• atomizing the liquid aluminium with the superheated steam exiting the heating arrangement in an atomizing arrangement arranged on the heating arrangement;
• reacting the liquid atomized aluminium with the superheated steam exiting the heating arrangement to produce aluminium oxide, hydrogen and heat, thereby increasing the temperature of the superheated steam in the reactor that is not consumed by the reaction with the liquid atomized aluminium and/or an inert gas to a reactor temperature;
• separating the aluminium oxide from the superheated steam and hydrogen and either;
• transporting the superheated steam and/or the inert gas having the reactor temperature and hydrogen to the combustion chamber which is in direct connection to the heat consumer;
• providing oxygen or air to the combustion chamber from an external oxygen source, an external air supply or from the atmosphere,
• spontaneously combusting hydrogen inside the combustion chamber to increase the temperature of the superheated steam to a heat consumer temperature;
• exchanging heat between the superheated steam having the heat consumer temperature with a heat exchange medium within the heat consumer lowering the temperature of the superheated steam leaving the combustion chamber, to the heating arrangement temperature,
• transporting superheated steam having the heating arrangement temperature from the combustion chamber to the heating arrangement, or
• transporting the hydrogen to a combustion chamber arranged in direct connection to the heat consumer,
• providing oxygen or air to the combustion chamber from an external oxygen source, an external air supply or from the atmosphere,
• combusting the hydrogen inside the combustion chamber to provide high temperature exhausts to the heat consumer, and
• adding superheated steam to the heat generating arrangement continuously.

A system comprising a heat generating arrangement, an aluminium source and a first amount of superheated steam, wherein the heat generating arrangement comprises:

• a heating arrangement arranged to receive aluminium from the aluminium source and superheated steam, wherein the heating arrangement is arranged to be heated by superheated steam having a heating arrangement temperature and arranged to melt the aluminium inside the heating arrangement to form liquid aluminium,
• an atomizing arrangement arranged at an outer end of the heating arrangement arranged to atomize the liquid aluminium at the outer end of the heating arrangement by using superheated steam exiting the heating arrangement as atomizer;
• a reactor connected to the outer end of the heating arrangement in which the liquid atomized aluminium is arranged to react with the superheated steam exiting the heating arrangement to produce aluminium oxide, hydrogen and heat, thereby increasing the temperature of superheated steam that is not consumed by the reaction with the liquid atomized aluminium in the reactor and/or an inert gas to a reactor temperature;
• a combustion chamber connected to the reactor and to the heating arrangement arranged to receive superheated steam having the reactor temperature and hydrogen, wherein oxygen or air is provided to the combustion chamber from an external oxygen source, an external air supply or from the atmosphere,
• wherein a heat consumer is arranged in direction connection to the combustion chamber, where the hydrogen is spontaneously combusted inside the combustion chamber either to increase the temperature of the superheated steam to a heat consumer temperature, the superheated steam exchanging heat with a heat exchange medium within a heat consumer arranged in direct connection to the combustion, lowering the temperature of the superheated steam to the heating arrangement temperature, where superheated steam having the heating arrangement temperature leaving the combustion chamber is transported to the heating arrangement by means of a pump connected to the combustion chamber and the heating arrangement, or to provide high temperature exhausts to the heat consumer.

A heating arrangement for melting of a metals and/or alloys, comprising:

• at least one gas inlet, arranged to receive a superheated gas,
• a gas compartment connected to the at least one gas inlet,
• a melting chamber arranged to receive solid metal or alloy at one end of the melting chamber, the melting chamber being arranged in thermal connection with the gas compartment such that heat exchange between the superheated gas melts the metal or alloy,
• an atomizing arrangement connected to a second end of the melting section, arranged to atomize the melted metal or alloy using the superheated gas as atomizer.