Method and apparatus for producing multivortex fluid flow

A method for vortex mixing and atomization of a fuel using air and a plurality of closely spaced adjacent vortices comprising the steps of;

• providing a plurality of adjacent plates, a first one of said plurality of adjacent plates having a first series of small closely spaced adjacent perforations extending therethrough which are interconnected tangentially by a first series of grooves to cause air to rotate in the same direction in adjacent perforations, and a second one of said plurality of adjacent plates having a second series of intersecting grooves and passageways, said second series of passageways and said first series of perforations having concentric centers and said second series of grooves intersecting said second series of passageways to direct a fuel into the center of said first series of perforations;
• introducing air at a uniform flow rate through said first series of grooves to divide the air flow into a plurality of streams directed tangentially into said first series of perforations thereby forming a plurality of small vortices all rotating in the same direction at a predetermined vortex speed which are discharged from said first series of perforations in closely spaced relation with the outer periphery of adjacent vortices moving in opposite directions;
• and
• introducing a fuel through said second series of grooves and passageways to direct said fuel into the center of each of said vortices of air at a predetermined rate relative thereto such that the vortex speed of said vortices of air causes atomization and mixing of said fuel therewith to produce a combustible fuel/air mixture and discharge of the combustible fuel/air mixture from said first series of perforations in said vortices;
• and
• after discharge, the friction between the fuel/air mixture at the outer peripheries of adjacent vortices moving in opposite directions converting rotational kinetic energy into turbulence and violently mixing said fuel/air mixtures by the induced turbulence.

A method for vortex atomization and precipitation of a fluid using at least two fluids and a plurality of closely spaced adjacent vortices comprising the steps of;

• providing a plurality of adjacent plates, a first one of said plurality of adjacent plates having a first series of small closely spaced adjacent perforations extending therethrough which are interconnected tangentially by a first series of grooves to cause a first fluid to rotate in opposite directions in adjacent perforations, and a second one of said plurality of adjacent plates having a second series of intersecting grooves and passageways, said second series of passageways and said first series of perforations having concentric centers and said second series of grooves intersecting said second series of passageways to direct a second fluid into the center of said first series of perforations;
• introducing a first fluid at a uniform flow rate through said first series of grooves to divide the fluid flow of said first fluid into a plurality of streams directed tangentially into said first series of perforations thereby forming a plurality of small sets of adjacent vortices rotating in opposite directions at a predetermined vortex speed which are discharged from said first series of perforations in closely spaced relation with the outer periphery of sets of adjacent vortices moving in the same directions;
• and
• introducing a second fluid through said second series of grooves and passageways to direct said second fluid into the center of each of said vortices at a predetermined rate relative to the vortex speed of said vortices such that the vortex speed of said vortices causes atomization of said second fluid into particles and discharge of the particles from said first series of perforations in said vortices;
• and
• after discharge, the particles at the outer peripheries of sets of adjacent vortices moving in the same direction causing said vortices to roll upon one another with minimal friction whereby said particles precipitate to the outer peripheries of each of said vortices due to centrifugal force and are removed from said vortices due to gravity.

A method for vortex atomization and ignition of a fuel using air and at least one other fluid and a plurality of closely spaced adjacent vortices comprising the steps of;

• providing a plurality of adjacent plates, a first one of said plurality of adjacent plates having a first series of small closely spaced adjacent perforations extending therethrough which are interconnected tangentially by a first series of grooves to cause air to rotate in opposite directions in adjacent perforations, a second one of said plurality of adjacent plates having a second series of intersecting grooves and passageways, said second series of passageways and said first series of perforations having concentric centers and said second series of grooves intersecting said second series of passageways to direct a fuel into the center of said first series of perforations, a third one of said plurality of adjacent plates having a third series of grooves and passageways interconnected with said first series of perforations to direct a third fluid into the peripheries of said first series of perforations, and said plurality of adjacent plates formed of alternately adjacent electrically non-conductive and electrically conductive plates;
• introducing air at a uniform flow rate through said first series of grooves to divide the flow of air into a plurality of streams directed tangentially into said first series of perforations thereby forming a plurality of small sets of adjacent vortices rotating in opposite directions at a predetermined vortex speed which are discharged from said first series of perforations in closely spaced relation with the outer periphery of sets of adjacent vortices moving in the same directions;
• introducing a fuel through said second series of grooves and passageways into the center of each of said vortices of air at a predetermined rate relative to the vortex speed of said vortices of air such that the vortex speed of said vortices of air causes atomization and mixing of said fuel therewith to produce a combustible fuel/air mixture and discharge of the combustible fuel/air mixture from said first series of perforations in said vortices;
• as said vortices are being discharged, applying a voltage differential across said electrically conductive plates of sufficient magnitude to cause sparking and ignition of said combustible fuel/air mixture in each of said sets of adjacent vortices;
• after ignition and burning of said combustible fuel/air mixture, introducing a third fluid through said third series of grooves and passageways into the periphery of each of said vortices at a predetermined rate relative to the vortex speed of the vortices of the burned fuel/air mixture to cause atomization of said third fluid to cause precipitation of unburned fuel particulates and removal of noxious gases from said vortices;
• and
• after discharge, the unburned fuel particulates and noxious gases at the outer peripheries of sets of adjacent vortices moving in the same direction causes said vortices to roll upon one another with minimal friction whereby said unburned fuel particulates precipitate to the outer peripheries of each of said vortices due to centrifugal force and are removed from said vortices due to gravity.

A method for vortex atomization and ignition of a coal fuel using air and at least one other fluid and a plurality of closely spaced adjacent vortices comprising the steps of;

• providing a plurality of adjacent plates, a first one of said plurality of adjacent plates having a first series of small closely spaced adjacent perforations extending therethrough which are interconnected tangentially by a first series of grooves to cause air to rotate in opposite directions in adjacent perforations, a second one of said plurality of adjacent plates having a second series of intersecting grooves and passageways, said second series of said passageways and said first series of perforations having concentric centers and said second series of grooves intersecting said second series of passageways to direct a fuel into the center of said first series of perforations, a third one of said plurality of adjacent plates having a third series of grooves and passageways interconnected with said first series of perforations to direct a third fluid into the peripheries of said first series of perforations, and said plurality of adjacent plates formed of alternately adjacent electrically non-conductive and electrically conductive plates;
• introducing air at a uniform flow rate through said first series of grooves to divide the flow of air into streams directed tangentially into said first series of perforations thereby forming a plurality of small sets of adjacent vortices rotating in opposite directions at a predetermined vortex speed which are discharged from said first series of perforations in closely spaced relation with the outer peripheries of sets of adjacent vortices moving in the same direction;
• and
• introducing pulverized coal through said second series of grooves and passageways into the center of each of said vortices of air at a predetermined rate relative thereto such that that the vortex speed of said vortices of air causes mixing of said air and said pulverized coal to produce a combustible coal/air mixture and discharge of the combustible coal/air mixture from said first series of perforations in said vortices;
• as said vortices are being discharged, applying a voltage differential across said electrically conductive plates of sufficient magnitude to cause sparking and ignition of said vortices of combustible coal/air mixture and reduction of said coal/air mixture to vortices of ash and noxious gases including nitrogen oxide and sulfur dioxide;
• after reducing said coal/air mixture to ash and noxious gases, introducing ammonia through said third series of grooves and passageways into each of said vortices of ash and gases at a predetermined rate relative to the vortex speed thereof to suppress formation of nitrogen oxide and convert the sulfur dioxide gas into ammonia sulfate particles;
• and
• after discharge, the outer peripheries of sets of adjacent vortices moving in the same direction causes said vortices to roll upon one another with minimal friction whereby said ash and ammonia sulfate particles precipitate to the outer peripheries of each of said vortices and are removed from said vortices by gravity.

A method for vortex atomization and precipitation of a fluid using at least two fluids and concentric vortices comprising the steps of;

• providing a plurality of adjacent plates, a first one of said plurality of adjacent plates having a first tubular portion, a second one of said plurality of adjacent plates having a second tubular portion concentric with said first tubular portion defining a first annulus therebetween, a third one of said plurality of adjacent plates having a circular opening therethrough concentric with and surrounding said second tubular portion defining a second annulus therebetween, said first annulus interconnected tangentially by a first series of grooves in said second one of said plurality of adjacent plates, said second annulus interconnected tangentially by a second series of grooves in said third one of said plurality of adjacent plates, and said plurality of adjacent plates formed of alternately adjacent electrically non-conductive and electrically conductive plates oriented substantially transverse to the flow direction of a first fluid;
• directing a first fluid axially through the center of said first tubular portion at a uniform flow rate;
• directing a second fluid through said first series of grooves tangentially into said first annulus at a predetermined rate relative to the flow rate of said first fluid to form said first fluid into an inner vortex rotating in a first direction at a sufficient vortex speed to atomize said first fluid into droplets;
• applying a voltage differential across said electrically conductive plates to induce an electrostatic surface charge in said first and second fluids which remains after atomization such that uncharged droplets are caused to cluster around charged droplets;
• and
• directing a third fluid through said second series of grooves tangentially into said second annulus to convert the fluid flow of said third fluid into an outer counter rotating vortex coaxial with said inner vortex and rotating in a second direction opposite the direction of said inner vortex at a predetermined vortex speed such that the vortex speed of said inner vortex causes atomization of said first and second fluid into droplets and the uncharged droplets are caused to cluster around charged droplets, and said outer vortex prevents said droplets from contacting each said circular wall.