US 4,063,414 AGranted

Method and apparatus for producing high energy gaseous fluid substantially not containing physiologically harmful substances

OwnerNaoyasu Sata, Kensaku Imaichi +1inventors

InventorsNaoyasu Sata, Kensaku Imaichi, Tatsuzo Hirose

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Abstract

A method and apparatus for producing a high energy fluid of high temperature and pressure substantially not containing physiologically harmful substances, such as nitrogen oxides NO.sub.x and carbon monoxide CO, by combusting a fluid-type or a fine powder-type fuel. Volume-controlled fuel is introduced together with volume-controlled pure oxygen through a nozzle into a closed pressure-tight container from its bottom and the mixture thereof is ignited therein for substantially complete combustion to provide an up-going jet flame of high temperature. Volume-controlled stream of de-aired water is forced into this container from its top toward the flame for heat exchange with the heat from the jet flame to produce steam of high temperature and pressure and to simultaneously lower the temperature of the combustion gas. The high energy gaseous fluid of high temperature and pressure which is a mixture consisting of the combustion gas of the fuel-oxygen and the steam is jetted to the outside of the system via a pressure-control valve provided locally through the container, to be used as the motive power of a heat engine.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A method for producing high temperature, high pressure and high energy gaseous fluid for use as the actuator fluid in a heat engine, comprising the steps of:

providing a closed pressure-tight container which defines therein a closed space insulated from ambient temperature, said space including inlet and discharge zones adjacent the opposite ends of said chamber, and a hollow tubular guide positioned within said space in spaced relationship from the walls of said chamber and extending between the inlet and discharge zones;
introducing a nongaseous flowable hydrocarbon fuel and pure oxygen into said inlet zone and combusting them together to form a flame and resulting in a high temperature conbustion gas which is formed substantially of steam and carbon dioxide;
directing the high temperature combustion gas from the inlet zone through the tubular guide toward the discharge zone so that the high temperature combustion gas is confined to flow substantially solely within the tubular guide as it flows from the inlet zone to the discharge zone;
introducing substantially air-free water into said chamber at a location which is positioned externally of said tubular guide and spaced a substantial distance from said inlet zone;
causing the water introduced at said location to flow generally toward said inlet zone while maintaining said water separated from the combustion gas which is flowing away from said inlet zone due to said tubular guide being positioned therebetween;
effecting heat transfer from the combustion gas flowing within said tubular guide through said tubular guide to the water which is flowing exteriorly thereof to cause generation of steam within said closed space in surrounding relationship to said tubular guide;
mixing the combustion gas and the steam to form a high temperature, high pressure mixed gaseous fluid at said discharge zone;
and
discharging the high temperature, high pressure gaseous fluid from said discharge zone through a pressure-controlled valve to permit utilization of this gaseous fluid as the motive power energy source of a heat engine.

6 more elements

An apparatus for producing a high temperature, high pressure and high energy gaseous fluid for use as the actuator fluid of a heat engine, comprising:

a closed pressure-tight container defining therein a closed space which is insulated from ambient atmosphere, said container defining inlet and discharge zones within said space adjacent the opposite ends of said container;
an elongated tubular guide means positioned within said container and extending longitudinally thereof, said tubular guide means having the opposite ends thereof communicating with said inlet and discharge zones, said tubular guide means being spaced inwardly from said container so that said closed space includes an annular portion disposed exteriorly of and surrounding said tubular guide means;
means for supplying a flowable fuel and pure oxygen into said inlet zone at a controlled rate;
means for igniting the fuel supplied into said inlet zone to carry out substantially complete combustion of said fuel with said pure oxygen to form a combustion flame which is directed axially into said tubular guide means and which thereby produces a high temperature combustion gas which flows axially through said tubular guide means toward said discharge zone;
means for supplying substantially air-free water into the annular portion of said space and for causing the water to come into direct external contact with said guide means, whereby said water is converted into steam due to the heat transferred from said combustion gas through said guide means;
the discharge zone of said space being in open communication with the discharge end of said tubular guide means and said annular portion to permit mixing of said combustion gas and said steam to produce a high temperature, high pressure and high energy gaseous fluid;
and
means for permitting discharge of the gaseous fluid from said discharge zone so that said gaseous fluid can be supplied to a heat engine for use as the actuator fluid thereof.

5 more elements

An apparatus for producing a high temperature, high pressure and high energy gaseous fluid, consisting essentially of:

a closed, upright, elongated, generally cylindrical, pressure vessel;
a combustion burner extending vertically through the lower end of said vessel and substantially coaxial therewith, means for supplying a flowable fuel to said burner and means for supplying pure oxygen to said burner whereby to burn said fuel to form an elongated jet flame directed substantially vertically upwardly along the longitudinal axis of said vessel toward the upper end thereof;
an outlet conduit extending from the upper end of said vessel substantially coaxial with said burner and a pressure-responsive control valve in said outlet conduit for discharging high energy gaseous fluid from said vessel when the pressure thereof exceeds a preselected value;
an elongated straight tube which is open at its opposite ends and which has a closed side wall, said tube being disposed within said vessel and being substantially coaxial with said burner and said outlet conduit, said tube extending from a location located close to but vertically spaced upwardly from said burner to a location located close to but spaced vertically downwardly from said outlet conduit, said tube being effective to confine said jet flame emanating from said burner and to direct it upwardly toward said outlet conduit;
a continuous, helical flight welded along its inner edge to the exterior surface of said tube and extending along said tube from a position adjacent the upper end thereof to a position adjacent the lower end thereof, the radially outer edge of said flight being radially spaced from the interior wall of said vessel to define an open zone therebetween, and means for supplying substantially air-free water onto the upper surface of said flight at the upper end thereof whereby said water flows downwardly along said flight and is transformed into steam by heat transfer from said jet flame and simultaneously the temperature of said jet flame is reduced as it rises in said tube so that said steam and the combustion gases from said jet flame form said high energy gaseous fluid.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.