Method and apparatus for conditioning liquid hydrocarbon fuels

A method for conditioning a liquid fuel comprising the steps of:

• spraying the liquid fuel into a cylindrical vaporization chamber through a plurality of nozzles mounted on a sidewall of the chamber and in fluid communication with the chamber such that the liquid fuel does not impinge on any wall of the chamber;
• supplying a heated diluent gas to the vaporization chamber through at least one diluent gas port in fluid communication with the chamber;
• receiving a conditioned vaporized fuel gas from at least one exit port in fluid communication with the chamber, the conditioned vaporized fuel gas comprising a mixture of the diluent gas and a vaporized form of the liquid fuel, the conditioned vaporized fuel gas having an oxygen content below the limiting oxygen index and a lower dew point than that of the vaporized form of the liquid fuel in the absence of the diluent gas;
• and
• maintaining the conditioned vaporized fuel above the dew point until the conditioned vaporized fuel is combusted in a combustor in fluid communication with the exit port.

A fuel conditioning unit comprising:

• a cylindrical vaporization chamber, the cylindrical vaporization chamber comprising a sidewall and an end wall;
• a plurality of nozzles mounted along the sidewall and in fluid communication with a liquid fuel supply, the nozzles being oriented toward a central axis of the vaporization chamber and configured to spray liquid fuel radially inward into the chamber;
• at least one diluent gas port in fluid communication with the chamber, the diluent gas port being in fluid communication with a supply of heated diluent gas, the diluent gas port being configured to introduce the diluent gas into the chamber;
• at least one exit port in fluid communication with the chamber, the exit port providing a path for vaporized liquid fuel to exit the chamber;
• and
• a combustor in fluid communication with the exit port;
• wherein the fuel conditioning unit is configured such that the mixture remains at a temperature above the dew point for the mixture until it is combusted in the combustor;
• and
• wherein the heated diluent gas supplies a least a portion of the heat required for vaporization of the liquid fuel, and wherein a mixture of the diluent gas and vaporized liquid fuel has an oxygen content below the limiting oxygen index and has a lower dew point than that of the liquid fuel in the absence of the diluent gas.

A method for conditioning a liquid fuel comprising the steps of:

• spraying the liquid fuel into a cylindrical vaporization chamber through a plurality of nozzles mounted on a sidewall of the chamber and in fluid communication with the chamber such that the liquid fuel does not impinge on any wall of the chamber, each of the plurality of nozzles bring oriented toward a central axis of the vaporization chamber;
• supplying a heated diluent gas to the vaporization chamber through at least one diluent gas port in fluid communication with the chamber;
• and
• receiving a conditioned vaporized fuel gas from at least one exit port in fluid communication with the chamber, the conditioned vaporized fuel gas comprising a mixture of the diluent gas and a vaporized form of the liquid fuel, the conditioned vaporized fuel gas having an oxygen content below the limiting oxygen index and a lower dew point than that of the vaporized form of the liquid fuel in the absence of the diluent gas.