Reversed dual throughflow of air for primary reactors of cyclic char burning engines and gasifiers

• US 5,410,990 A
• Filed: 04/08/1994
• Issued: 05/02/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Joseph C. Firey
• Original Assignee: Joseph C. Firey
• Inventors: Firey, Joseph C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kamen, Noah P.
• Application Number:
  US08/224,723
• Time in Patent Office: 389 Days
• Field of Search: 123/1 R, 123/3, 123/23, 60/39.12, 60/464
• US Class Current: 123/3
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 43/08 Plants characterised by the engines using gaseous fuel generated in the plant from solid fuel, e.g. wood
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/30 Use of alternative fuels, e.g. biofuels

Abstract

By suitable use of product gas reservoirs together with expansion air reservoirs, a throughflow of reactant air through the rapid reaction zone of the primary reactor of a cyclic char burning piston engine is created, not only during compression but also during expansion. This throughflow direction of air during expansion is opposite to that during compression. A larger and more stable primary reaction zone is created by this reversed dual throughflow.

Claims

1. In a cyclic char burning power reactor comprising:

at least one combined means for compressing and expanding gases, each said combined means comprising;

an internal combustion engine mechanism comprising a variable volume chamber for compressing and expanding gases, and drive means for driving said internal combustion engine ,mechanism and for varying the volume of said chamber through repeated cycles, each cycle comprising a compression time interval followed by an expansion time interval, each said combined means for compressing and expanding further comprising, intake means for admitting reactant gases into said variable volume chamber prior to each said compression time interval, exhaust means for removing reacted gases from said variable volume chamber after each said expansion time interval;

each said combined means for compressing and expanding being connected to a separate primary reaction chamber, within a pressure vessel container, each said primary reaction chamber comprising;

a refuel end with a refuel mechanism means for supplying fresh char fuel particles into said refuel end, an ash collection end, a char fuel direction of motion from said refuel end toward said ash removal end, each said primary reaction chamber further comprising, a char fuel preheat zone positioned toward said refuel end of said primary reaction chamber, an ash collection zone positioned toward said ash collection end of said primary reaction chamber, and a rapid reaction zone positioned between said char fuel preheat zone and said ash collection zone, each said primary reaction chamber further comprising at least one means for removing ashes;

said char burning power reactor being connected to a source of supply of reactant gas containing appreciable oxygen gas for each said intake means for admitting reactant gases into said variable volume chamber;

said char burning power reactor further comprising;

means for preheating said char fuel within said primary reaction chamber to that temperature at which said char fuel reacts rapidly with oxygen in adjacent compressed reactant gases when said char burning power reactor is being started;

means for cranking said internal combustion engine mechanism when said char burning power reactor is being started;

an improvement comprising adding to each said primary reaction chamber;

a product gas reservoir comprising a product gas reservoir gas flow opening;

an expansion reactant gas reservoir comprising an expansion reactant gas reservoir gas flow opening;

said primary reaction chamber comprising two separate gas flow openings, a refuel end gas flow opening and an ash collection end gas flow opening;

a first fixed open gas flow Connecting means for connecting between said variable volume chamber of said internal combustion engine mechanism and one of said two separate gas flow openings of said primary reaction chamber;

a first changeable gas flow connecting means for connecting between said expansion reactant gas reservoir gas flow opening and that one of said two separate gas flow openings of said primary reaction chamber to which said first fixed open gas flow connecting means from said variable volume chamber is connected, said first changeable gas flow connecting means comprising first drive means for opening and closing said first changeable gas flow connecting means while said cyclic char burning power reactor is running;

a second changeable gas flow connecting means for connecting between said expansion reactant gas reservoir gas flow opening and that other one of said two separate gas flow openings of said primary reaction chamber to which said first fixed open gas flow connecting means from said variable volume chamber is not connected, said second changeable gas flow connecting means comprising second drive means for opening and closing said second changeable gas flow connecting means while said cyclic char burning power reactor is running;

a second fixed open gas flow connecting means between said product gas reservoir gas flow opening and that other one of said two separate gas flow openings of said primary reaction chamber to which said first fixed open gas flow connecting means is not connected;

control means for controlling the opening and closing of said changeable gas flow connections, operative upon said means for opening and closing said changeable gas flow connections, and actuated by said internal combustion engine mechanism of said cyclic char burning power reactor;

so that during all compression time intervals;

said first changeable gas flow connecting means is open and said second changeable gas flow connecting means is closed; and

so that during all expansion time intervals;

said first changeable gas flow connecting means is closed and said second changeable gas flow connecting means is open.

2. In a cyclic char burning power reactor as described in claim 1:

wherein said first fixed open gas flow connecting means is connected to said refuel end gas flow opening of said primary reaction chamber.

3. In a cyclic char burning power reactor as described in claim 1:

wherein said first fixed open gas flow connecting means is connected to said ash collection end gas flow opening of said primary reaction chamber.

4. In a cyclic char burning power reactor as described in claim 1 and further comprising:

separator means for separating solid and liquid particles from gases flowing therethrough;

said separator means being placed between said variable volume chamber of said internal combustion engine mechanism and said first fixed open gas flow connecting means to said primary reaction chamber;

said separator means comprising ash removal means for removing separated and collected solid and liquid particles from said separator means.

5. In a cyclic char burning power reactor as described in claim 1 and further comprising:

a source of steam;

steam admission means for adding steam from said steam source into said reactant gas containing appreciable oxygen gas flowing through said first fixed open gas flow connecting means between said variable volume chamber and one of said two separate gas flow openings of said primary reaction chamber, during all compression time intervals, so that steam is added into reactant gases flowing into said primary reaction chamber and into said expansion reactant gas reservoir.

6. In a cyclic char burning power reactor comprising:

at least one combined means for compressing and expanding gases, each said combined means comprising;

an internal combustion engine mechanism comprising a variable volume chamber for compressing and expanding gases, and drive means for driving said internal combustion engine mechanism and for varying the volume of said chamber through repeated cycles, each cycle comprising a compression time interval followed by an expansion time interval, each said combined means for compressing and expanding further comprising, intake means for admitting reactant gases into said variable volume chamber prior to each said compression time interval, exhaust means for removing reacted gases from said variable volume chamber after each said expansion time interval;

each said combined means for compressing and expanding being connected to a separate primary reaction chamber, within a pressure vessel container, each said primary reaction chamber comprising;

a refuel end with a refuel mechanism means for supplying fresh char fuel particles into said refuel end, an ash collection end, a char fuel direction of motion from said refuel end toward said ash removal end, each said primary reaction chamber further comprising, a char fuel preheat zone positioned toward said refuel end of said primary reaction chamber, an ash collection zone positioned toward said ash collection end of said primary reaction chamber, and a rapid reaction zone positioned between said char fuel preheat zone and said ash collection zone, each said primary reaction chamber further comprising at least one means for removing ashes;

said char burning power reactor being connected to a source of supply of reactant gas containing appreciable oxygen gas for each said intake means for admitting reactant Bases into said variable volume chamber;

said char burning power reactor further comprising;

means for preheating said char fuel within said primary reaction chamber to that temperature at which said char fuel reacts rapidly with oxygen in adjacent compressed reactant gases when said char burning power reactor is being started;

means for cranking said internal combustion engine mechanism when said char burning power reactor is being started;

an improvement comprising adding to each said primary reaction chamber;

a product gas reservoir comprising a product gas reservoir gas flow opening;

an expansion reactant gas reservoir comprising an expansion reactant gas reservoir gas flow opening;

said primary reaction chamber comprising two separate gas flow openings, a refuel end gas flow opening and an ash collection end gas flow opening;

a first fixed open gas flow connecting means for connecting between said variable volume chamber of said internal combustion engine mechanism and one of said two separate gas flow openings of said primary reaction chamber;

A first changeable gas flow connection means for connecting between said expansion reactant gas reservoir gas flow opening and that one of said two separate gas flow openings of said primary reaction chamber to which said first fixed open gas flow connecting means from said variable volume chamber is connected, said first changeable gas flow connecting means comprising first drive means for opening and closing said first changeable gas flow connecting means while said cyclic char burning power reactor is running;

a second changeable gas flow connecting means for connecting between said expansion reactant gas reservoir gas flow opening and that other one of said two separate gas flow openings of said primary reaction chamber to which said first fixed open gas flow connecting means from said variable volume chamber is not connected, said second changeable gas flow connecting means comprising second drive means for opening and closing said second changeable gas flow connecting means while said cyclic char burning power reactor is running;

a third changeable gas flow connecting means for connecting between said product gas reservoir gas flow opening and that one of said two separate gas flow openings of said primary reaction chamber to which said first fixed open gas flow connecting means from said variable volume chamber is connected, said third changeable gas flow connecting means comprising third drive means for opening and closing said third changeable gas flow connecting means while said cyclic char burning power reactor is running;

a fourth changeable gas flow connecting means for connecting between said product gas reservoir gas flow opening and that other one of said two separate gas flow openings of said primary reaction chamber to which said first fixed open gas flow connecting means from said variable volume chamber is not connected, said fourth changeable gas flow connecting means comprising fourth drive means for opening and closing said fourth changeable gas flow connecting means while said cyclic char burning power reactor is running;

control means for controlling the opening and closing of said changeable gas flow connections, operative upon said means for opening and closing said changeable gas flow connections, and actuated by said internal combustion engine mechanism of said cyclic char burning power reactor;

so that during all compression time intervals;

said first changeable gas flow connecting means and said fourth changeable gas flow connecting means are open, and said second changeable gas flow connecting means and said third changeable gas flow connecting means are closed; and

so that during all expansion time intervals;

said first changeable gas flow connecting means and said fourth changeable gas flow connecting means are closed, and said second changeable gas flow connecting means and said third changeable gas flow connecting means are open.

7. In a cyclic char burning power reactor as described in claim 6:

wherein said first fixed open gas flow connecting means is connected to said refuel end gas flow opening of said primary reaction chamber.

8. In a cyclic char burning power reactor as described in claim 6:

wherein said first fixed open gas flow connecting means is connected to said ash collection end gas flow opening of said primary reaction chamber.

9. In a cyclic char burning power reactor as described in claim 6 and further comprising:

separator means for separating solid and liquid particles from gases flowing therethrough;

said separator means being placed between said variable volume chamber of said internal combustion engine mechanism and said first fixed open gas flow connecting means to said primary reaction chamber;

said separator means comprising ash removal means for removing separated and collected solid and liquid particles from said separator means.

10. In a cyclic char burning power reactor as described in claim 6 and further comprising:

a source of steam;

steam admission means for adding steam from said steam source into said reactant gas containing appreciable oxygen gas flowing through said first fixed open gas flow connecting means between said variable volume chamber and one of said wo separate gas flow openings of said primary reaction chamber, during all compression time intervals, so that steam is added into reactant gases flowing into said primary reaction chamber and into said expansion reactant gas reservoir.