Gradual oxidation below flameout temperature
AssigneeEner-Core Power, Inc.
InventorBoris A. Maslov
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Described herein are embodiments of systems and methods for oxidizing gases. In some embodiments, a reaction chamber is configured to receive a fuel gas and maintain the gas at a temperature within the reaction chamber that is above an autoignition temperature of the gas. The reaction chamber may also be configured to maintain a reaction temperature within the reaction chamber below a flameout temperature. In some embodiments, heat and product gases from the oxidation process can be used, for example, to drive a turbine, reciprocating engine, and injected back into the reaction chamber.
Claims25
An oxidizer for oxidizing fuel, comprising:
- a reaction chamber having (i) one or more inlets that are configured to direct at least one gas of a fuel, oxidant, or diluent, into the reaction chamber and (ii) one or more outlets that are configured to direct reaction products from the reaction chamber;
- a regulator that is configured to maintain a temperature of one or more of the at least one gas, at or before the one or more inlets, to be below an autoignition temperature of a resulting mixture within the reaction chamber that comprises the at least one gas of fuel, oxidants, or diluents;
- and
- a heat exchanger, positioned within the reaction chamber, configured to heat the incoming resulting mixture at or near the one or more inlets, such that a temperature of the resulting mixture inside the reaction chamber is increased above the autoignition temperature;
- a heat extractor that removes heat from the reaction chamber after the mixture inside the reaction chamber is increased above the autoignition temperature;
- and
- a controller, comprising:
- a detection module that detects when a reaction temperature within the reaction chamber exceeds a flameout temperature of the mixture;
- and
- a correction module that outputs instructions, based on the detection module, to the heat extractor to increase a removal of heat from the reaction chamber to maintain an adiabatic temperature within the reaction chamber below the flameout temperature of the mixture and a maximum reaction temperature within the reaction chamber below the flameout temperature of the mixture.
An oxidizer for oxidizing fuel, comprising:
- a reaction chamber having (i) an inlet that is configured to direct at least one gas of fuel, oxidants, or diluents, into the reaction chamber and (ii) an outlet that is configured to direct reaction products from the reaction chamber;
- means for maintaining a temperature of the incoming gas, at or before the inlet, to below an autoignition temperature of a resulting mixture within the reaction chamber that comprises the at least one gas of fuel, oxidants, or diluents;
- a heat exchanger, positioned within the reaction chamber, configured to heat the incoming resulting mixture at or near the inlet, such that a temperature of the resulting mixture inside the reaction chamber is increased above the autoignition temperature;
- and
- a controller, comprising:
- a detection module that detects when a reaction temperature within the reaction chamber exceeds a flameout temperature of the mixture;
- and
- a correction module that outputs instructions, based on the detection module, to the heat extractor to increase a removal of heat from the reaction chamber to maintain an adiabatic temperature within the reaction chamber below the flameout temperature of the mixture and a maximum reaction temperature within the reaction chamber below the flameout temperature of the mixture.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.