System and method for power production using a hybrid helical detonation device

• US 8,127,533 B2
• Filed: 09/02/2009
• Issued: 03/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Board of Regents of the University of Texas System (University of Texas System)
• Original Assignee: Board of Regents of the University of Texas System (University of Texas System)
• Inventors: Lu, Frank K., Panicker, Philip K., Wilson, Donald R., Li, Jiun-Ming
• Primary Examiner(s): Gartenberg, Ehud
• Assistant Examiner(s): SUNG, GERALD LUTHER
• Application Number:
  US12/552,425
• Publication Number:
  US 20090322102A1
• Time in Patent Office: 916 Days
• Field of Search: 602/47, 60/393.8, 60/397.6, 607/72, 607/83
• US Class Current: 60/247
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 5/12 the combustion chambers having inlet or outlet valves, e.g. Holzwarth gas-turbine plants
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2250/25 helical
• CPC Class Codes: F23R 7/00 Intermittent or explosive combustion chambers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 20/14 Combined heat and power generation [CHP]

Abstract

The system and method described herein uses a hybrid pulsed detonation engine (PDE) system to drive a turbine that powers an electric generator. The combustion chamber of the PDE is shaped in a helical form, so that the external length of the section is reduced, while maintaining the distance for acceleration to detonation. This allows the achievement of deflagration to detonation transition without the help of turbulence enhancing obstacles, while keeping the overall size of the detonation tube small. The PDE output can be scaled by: increasing the cross sectional area of the detonation chamber; increasing the number of detonation tubes; and increasing the frequency of operation of the PDE. The replacement of conventional deflagrative internal combustion engines, including gas turbines and reciprocating engines, with pulsed detonation engines for electric power generation, may provide fuel savings and have a lower environmental impact.

Claims

1. An electric power generating system comprising:

a pulsed detonation engine comprising a plurality of hybrid helical detonation tubes, which receive fuel and air and provide combustion exhaust;

a turbine which receives the combustion exhaust and provides rotational energy;

a generator which receives torque from the turbine and generates electric power; and

a digital controller configured (a) to determine a number of the plurality of hybrid helical detonation tubes that are active, (b) to adjust the number of the plurality of hybrid helical detonation tubes that are active in response to power demands, and (c) to take any of the plurality of hybrid helical detonation tubes offline for maintenance, while maintaining operation of the pulsed detonation engine.

2. The system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a plenum which combines the combustion exhaust from the plurality of hybrid helical detonation tubes before feeding the combustion exhaust to the turbine.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein

the turbine comprises at least two turbine stages, each subsequent stage drive by exhaust from a previous stage.

4. The system according to claim 3, further comprising:

a single stage axial fan which is driven by one of the at least two turbine stages.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein

the turbine comprises an axial turbine.

6. The system according to claim 3, wherein,

each turbine stage drives a generator which produces electric power.

7. The system according to claim 5, wherein:

the axial turbine has two or more sections, each section having two or more stages.

8. The system according to claim 3, further comprising:

a gearing and transmission system to transfer torque from a first turbine stage to a compressor, and to transfer torque from a second turbine stage to the generator.

9. The system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a single stage axial fan, which supplies air to cool the plurality of hybrid helical detonation tubes.

10. The system according to claim 4, wherein:

the single stage axial fan supplies air for combustion within the plurality of hybrid helical detonation tubes.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein:

a diameter of each of the plurality of hybrid helical detonation tubes is larger than a cell-size of a received fuel and air mixture.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein:

the received fuel is gaseous, liquid, or derived from a solid fuel by gasification.

13. The system according to claim 1, wherein:

the fuel consists of any of propane, methane, natural gas, acetylene, kerosene, and diesel.

14. The system according to claim 2, further comprising:

transducers in the pulsed detonation engine, the plenum, and the turbine providing active measurement of system parameters and enabling control of the system in consideration of the active measurement.

15. The system according to claim 1, further comprising

a fuel injection system comprising electric solenoid injectors, which are compatible with digital computerized control, enabling frequency and volume of fuel injected adjustment.

16. The system according to claim 1,

wherein a portion of at least one of the plurality of hybrid helical detonation tubes corresponding to a predicted deflagration-to-detonation transition location in the at least one of the plurality of hybrid helical detonation tubes is reinforced.

17. The system according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of hybrid helical detonation tubes has an upstream end, the system further comprising:

one or more sidewall injectors for injecting fuel and air into at least one of the plurality of hybrid helical detonation tubes at one or more positions along the at least one of the plurality of hybrid helical detonation tubes other than the upstream ends thereof.

18. A method of generating electric power using an electric power generating system, wherein the system comprises:

a pulsed detonation engine comprising a plurality of hybrid helical detonation tubes, which receive fuel and air and provide combustion exhaust;

a turbine which receives the combustion exhaust and provides rotational energy;

a generator which receives torque from the turbine and generates electric power; and

a digital controller configured (a) to determine a number of the plurality of hybrid helical detonation tubes that are active, (b) to adjust the number of the plurality of hybrid helical detonation tubes that are active in response to power demands, and (c) to take any of the plurality of hybrid helical detonation tubes offline for maintenance, while maintaining operation of the pulsed detonation engine, and wherein the method comprises;

injecting fuel and air into the pulsed detonation engine;

combusting the fuel and air in at least one of the plurality of hybrid helical detonation tubes of the pulsed detonation engine so as to produce combustion exhaust, and outputting the combustion exhaust to the turbine;

converting the combustion exhaust to torque in the turbine;

driving the generator stage using the torque from the turbine; and

outputting electric power from the generator.

19. The method according to claim 18, the method further comprising:

diverting heat generated from at least one of the plurality of hybrid detonation tubes to a fuel cell.

20. The method according to claim 18, the method further comprising:

diverting heat generated from at least one of the plurality of hybrid helical detonation tubes to a steam generator system.

21. The method according to claim 18, the method further comprising:

scaling the electric power output by varying a number of the plurality of hybrid helical detonation tubes that are used for combustion.

22. The method according to claim 18, the method further comprising:

scaling the electric power output by varying a combustion frequency in at least one of the plurality of hybrid helical detonation tubes.

23. The method according to claim 18, the method comprising:

a method of operating the pulsed detonation engine comprising;

filling the at least one of the plurality of hybrid helical detonation tubes with fuel and air during a filling phase;

causing the fuel and air to detonate during a detonating phase, wherein a detonation wave traverses at least a portion of the length of the at least one of the plurality of hybrid helical detonation tubes;

exhausting high pressure gas during a blow down phase, wherein the high pressure gas is exhausted creating thrust;

and purging the at least one of the plurality of hybrid helical detonation tubes with air before a next filling phase.

24. The method according to claim 18, further comprising:

utilizing computerized valve controls to determine a number of the plurality of hybrid helical detonation tubes that are active;

adjusting the number of the plurality of hybrid helical detonation tubes that are active in response to power demands; and

taking any of the plurality of hybrid helical detonation tubes offline for maintenance, while maintaining operation of the pulsed detonation engine.