System, apparatus and method for combustion of metals and other fuels

A system for combustion of a metal fuel, comprising:

• a combustion apparatus comprising a combustor having a combustion chamber in which a metal fuel is combusted, the combustor including:
• a closed end portion having a metal fuel inlet extending therethrough to receive the metal fuel,
• an open end portion having an open end defining a combustion chamber exhaust through which combusted metal fuel exits,
• an inner tubular member having an inner tubular member main body substantially extending between the closed end portion and the open end portion to form the combustion chamber in which the combustion of the metal fuel occurs, the inner tubular member main body having a plurality of apertures extending therethrough each defining a cooling fluid outlet positioned to allow the cooling fluid to enter the combustion chamber to thereby enhance inner tubular member cooling and oxidation of the metal fuel,
• an outer tubular member substantially surrounding the inner tubular member to substantially enclose the inner tubular member, and having an outer tubular member main body extending between the closed end portion and the open end portion to form a cooling fluid annulus between the inner tubular member main body and the outer tubular member main body, the outer tubular member also having an aperture extending therethrough to define a cooling fluid inlet to receive the cooling fluid, and
• an igniter located at least partially within the inner tubular member and positioned to ignite the metal fuel in the combustion chamber adjacent the metal fuel inlet in the closed end portion of the combustor;
• and
• a fuel supply apparatus positioned to communicate the metal fuel to the metal fuel inlet of the combustor, the fuel supply apparatus including:
• a metal fuel charge holder assembly including a metal fuel charge holder body axially bounded on either end to substantially enclose the metal fuel charge holder body to thereby contain a metal fuel charge, a carrier gas inlet positioned to receive a carrier gas which carries the particles of metal fuel ground from the metal fuel charge to the metal fuel inlet of the combustor, a carrier gas outlet positioned to receive the carrier gas and particles of metal fuel carried by the carrier gas, and a pair of oppositely positioned end flanges, a first end flange of the pair of oppositely positioned end flanges closing a first end of a tubular shaped portion of the metal fuel charge holder body adjacent a grinder of a grinder assembly, and a second end flange of the pair of oppositely positioned end flanges closing a second end of the tubular shaped portion of the metal fuel charge holder body adjacent a metal fuel feed assembly, the metal fuel charge holder assembly further including at least one seal positioned in contact with the first end flange to sealingly engage an outer periphery of a portion of the grinder assembly so that the carrier gas and the particles of ground metal fuel do not communicate to a grinder motor through the first end of the tubular portion of the metal fuel charge holder body, and at least one seal positioned in contact with the second flange to sealingly engage an outer periphery of the piston rod so that the carrier gas and the particles of ground metal fuel do not exit the metal fuel charge holder assembly through the second end of the tubular portion of the metal fuel charge holder body,
• the grinder assembly including the grinder, a rotatable grinder shaft connected to the grinder, and the grinder motor positioned to rotate the grinder shaft, the grinder positioned to rotatably grind an end of the metal fuel charge to generate the particles of metal fuel to be conveyed to the combustion chamber through the carrier gas outlet;
• and comprising a mill fixedly secured to the grinder shaft to rotate therewith, the mill having a blade positioned thereon for engaging the metal fuel charge as the mill rotates, the grinder shaft extending from the mill through the first end flange of the metal fuel charge holder assembly to connect to the grinder motor, and
• the metal fuel feed assembly including a piston located within the metal fuel charge holder assembly, a linear piston rod engaging the piston, a feed motor to selectively feed portions of the metal fuel charge into the grinder, and a drive train connected between the feed motor and the piston rod and including a feed shaft positioned to engage a portion of the piston rod extending from the piston through the second end flange and connected to a gear that translates rotational movement associated with the feed motor to linear movement of the piston so that when the feed motor is operating;
• the feed motor actuates the piston rod and piston to bias the metal fuel charge toward the grinder.

A system for combustion of a metal fuel, comprising:

• a combustion apparatus comprising a combustor having a combustion chamber in which a metal fuel is combusted, the combustor including:
• a closed end portion having a metal fuel inlet extending therethrough to receive the metal fuel,
• an open end portion having an open end defining a combustion chamber exhaust through which combusted metal fuel exits,
• an inner tubular member having an inner tubular member main body substantially extending between the closed end portion and the open end portion to form the combustion chamber in which the combustion of the metal fuel occurs, the inner tubular member main body having a plurality of apertures extending therethrough each defining a cooling fluid outlet positioned to allow the cooling fluid to enter the combustion chamber to thereby enhance inner tubular member cooling and oxidation of the metal fuel,
• an outer tubular member substantially surrounding the inner tubular member to substantially enclose the inner tubular member, and having an outer tubular member main body extending between the closed end portion and the open end portion to form a cooling fluid annulus between the inner tubular member main body and the outer tubular member main body, the outer tubular member also having an aperture extending therethrough to define a cooling fluid inlet to receive the cooling fluid, and
• an igniter located at least partially within the inner tubular member and positioned to ignite the metal fuel in the combustion chamber adjacent the metal fuel inlet in the closed end portion of the combustor;
• and
• a fuel supply apparatus positioned to communicate the metal fuel to the metal fuel inlet of the combustor, the fuel supply apparatus including:
• a metal fuel charge holder assembly including a metal fuel charge holder body axially bounded on either end to substantially enclose the metal fuel charge holder body to thereby contain a metal fuel charge, a carrier gas inlet positioned to receive a carrier gas which carries the particles of metal fuel ground from the metal fuel charge to the metal fuel inlet of the combustor, a carrier gas outlet positioned to receive the carrier gas and particles of metal fuel carried by the carrier gas, a first end flange positioned to close a first end of a tubular portion of the metal fuel charge holder body adjacent a metal fuel feed assembly, a second end drive shaft support at least partially closing a second end of the tubular portion of the metal fuel charge holder body adjacent a grinder of a grinder assembly and positioned to support a rotatable grinder shaft, and at least one seal positioned in contact with the first end flange to sealingly engage a portion of the grinder assembly so that the carrier gas and the particles of ground metal fuel do not exit the metal fuel charge holder assembly through the first end of the tubular portion of the metal fuel charge holder body;
• and
• the grinder assembly including the grinder, the rotatable grinder shall connected to the grinder, and a grinder motor positioned to rotate the grinder shaft, the grinder positioned to rotatably grind an end of the metal fuel charge to generate the particles of metal fuel to be conveyed to the combustion chamber through the carrier gas outlet and comprising a mill fixedly secured to the grinder shaft to rotate therewith, the mill having a blade positioned thereon for engaging the metal fuel charge as the mill rotates, the grinder shaft extending from the mill through the piston rod and through the first end flange to operatively connect to the grinder motor;
• and
• the metal fuel feed assembly including a piston located within the metal fuel charge holder assembly, a linear piston rod engaging the piston, a feed motor to selectively feed portions of the metal fuel charge into the grinder, and a drive train connected between the feed motor and the piston rod and including a feed shaft positioned to engage a portion of the piston rod and connected to a gear that translates rotational movement associated with the feed motor to linear movement of the piston so that when the feed motor is operating, the feed motor actuates the piston rod and piston to bias the metal fuel charge toward the grinder.