Fuel pretreater apparatus and method
DCFirst Claim
1. A pretreater apparatus for pretreating fuel to provide a suitable fuel for combustion in fuel burning apparatus, the apparatus having a fuel intake system and an exhaust system, the improvement comprising:
- a volatilization chamber for volatilizating said fuel in said volatilization chamber;
a heated reactor tube through which the volatilized fuel flows;
a reactor rod mounted in the reactor tube around which the volatilized fuel flows as it flows through the reactor tube, the space between the reactor rod and the reactor tube through which the volatilized fuel flows forming a reaction zone; and
inlet means for directing said reacted fuel into the intake system of the fuel burning apparatus.
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Abstract
A novel fuel pretreater apparatus and method for pretreating an alternate fuel to render it usable as the fuel source for fuel burning equipment such as internal combustion engines, furnaces, boilers, and turbines, includes a volatilization chamber into which the alternate fuel is received. An exhaust plenum may enclose the volatilization chamber so that thermal energy supplied by exhaust from the fuel burning equipment can be used to help volatilize the alternate fuel. A bypass stream of exhaust may be diverted through the alternate fuel in the volatilization chamber to help in volatilizing the alternate fuel and help carry the volatilized fuel through a heated reactor prior to its being introduced into the fuel burning equipment. The reactor is preferably interposed in the exhaust conduit and is formed by a reactor tube having a reactor rod mounted coaxially therein in spaced relationship. The exhaust passing through the exhaust conduit provides thermal energy to the reactor to pretreat the alternate fuel.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A pretreater apparatus for pretreating fuel to provide a suitable fuel for combustion in fuel burning apparatus, the apparatus having a fuel intake system and an exhaust system, the improvement comprising:
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a volatilization chamber for volatilizating said fuel in said volatilization chamber; a heated reactor tube through which the volatilized fuel flows; a reactor rod mounted in the reactor tube around which the volatilized fuel flows as it flows through the reactor tube, the space between the reactor rod and the reactor tube through which the volatilized fuel flows forming a reaction zone; and inlet means for directing said reacted fuel into the intake system of the fuel burning apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A pretreater apparatus for pretreating an alternate fuel to provide a suitable fuel for an internal combustion engine, the internal combustion engine having a fuel intake system and an exhaust system, the improvement comprising:
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an exhaust conduit having a first end and a second end, said first end being connected in fluid communication with the exhaust system of the internal combustion engine to receive exhaust from the internal combustion engine; an exhaust plenum at said second end of said exhaust conduit; a volatilization chamber interposed in said exhaust plenum, said volatilization chamber receiving thermal energy from an exhaust passing through said exhaust plenum; an alternate fuel in said volatilization chamber; volatilization means for volatilizating said alternate fuel in said volatilization chamber; exhaust bypass means for diverting a portion of said exhaust from said exhaust conduit through said alternate fuel; removal means for removing said volatilized alternate fuel from said volatilization chamber; a reactor tube mounted in said exhaust conduit through which the volatilized alternate fuel flows; a reactor rod mounted in the reactor tube around which the volatilized alternate fuel flows as it flows through the reactor tube, the space between the reactor rod and the reactor tube through which the volatilized alternate fuel flows forming a reaction zone; and inlet means for directing said reacted fuel into the intake system of the internal combustion engine. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for pretreating an alternate fuel to make it usable in fuel burning equipment comprising the steps of:
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selecting an alternate fuel; placing said alternate fuel in a volatilization chamber; volatilizing said alternate fuel; pretreating said volatilized alternate fuel by passing said volatilized alternate fuel through a reactor tube with a reactor rod mounted therein to form a reaction zone between the reactor rod and the reactor tube, said reactor tube being heated to produce a pretreated alternate fuel; and directing said pretreated alternate fuel into the internal combustion engine. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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Specification