Method for the recovery of hydrocarbons

A method of generating steam comprising:

• (a) introducing a fuel and at least a first volume of a combustion supporting gas into a mixing chamber having its downstream end in open communication with an elongated combustion chamber;
• (b) creating a first toroidal vortex of said fuel and at least said first volume of said combustion supporting gas, in a volume at least equal to the stoichiometric volume necessary for combustion of all said fuel, said first vortex having its center adjacent the center of said elongated combustion chamber and rotating in one of a clockwise or counterclockwise direction to produce a body of said fuel and said combustion supporting gas moving from the inlet end of said combustion chamber toward the outlet end of said combustion chamber;
• (c) creating a second toroidal vortex of a second volume of combustion supporting gas between said first toroidal vortex and the inner wall of said combustion chamber and rotating in the other of the clockwise or counterclockwise direction to produce an annular body of said second volume of combustion supporting gas moving from the inlet end of said combustion chamber toward the outlet end of said combustion chamber;
• (d) burning said fuel in the presence of said combustion supporting gas to produce a flame moving from said inlet end of said combustion chamber toward said outlet end of said combustion chamber and a flue gas substantially free of unburned fuel at said outlet end of said combustion chamber;
• (e) maintaining said first and second toroidal vortices in said combustion chamber for a residence time sufficient for said first and second toroidal vortices to naturally collapse and the flow of fluids in said combustion chamber to assume a uniform flow velocity across said combustion chamber and moving toward the outlet end of said combustion chamber;
• and
• (f) introducing water into said flue gas adjacent the outlet end of said combustion chamber to produce a mixture of said flue gas and said water and vaporize a major portion of said water to produce a mixture of said flue gas and steam.