Oxidizing fuel in multiple operating modes
First Claim
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1. A fuel oxidizer system comprising:
- a compressor that has a mixture inlet and a compressed mixture outlet and is configured to compress an air and fuel mixture between the mixture inlet and the compressed mixture outlet;
a reaction chamber configured to receive a compressed mixture from the compressed mixture outlet and oxidize at least a portion of the fuel of the compressed mixture to produce an oxidation product;
a turbine;
a first valve system, comprising a first valve disposed along a first flow path and a second valve disposed along a second flow path, configured to receive fuel from a fuel source and direct the fuel to the reaction chamber (i) by directing the fuel to the mixture inlet of the compressor via the first valve, in a first mode, and (ii) by directing the fuel to bypass the compressor via the second valve, in a second mode; and
a second valve system configured to receive the oxidation product from the reaction chamber and direct the oxidation product (i) to the turbine via a third flow path, in the first mode, and (ii) to an exhaust path, bypassing the turbine via a fourth flow path, in the second mode.
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Abstract
A fuel oxidizer system is operated in a first operating mode. In the first operating mode, a mixture that includes fuel from a fuel source is compressed in a compressor of the fuel oxidizer system; the fuel of the compressed mixture is oxidized in a reaction chamber of the fuel oxidizer system; and the oxidized fuel is expanded to generate rotational kinetic energy. The fuel oxidizer system is operated in a second operating mode. In the second operating mode, fuel from the fuel source is directed to bypass the compressor, and the fuel that bypassed the compressor is oxidized in the reaction chamber.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A fuel oxidizer system comprising:
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a compressor that has a mixture inlet and a compressed mixture outlet and is configured to compress an air and fuel mixture between the mixture inlet and the compressed mixture outlet; a reaction chamber configured to receive a compressed mixture from the compressed mixture outlet and oxidize at least a portion of the fuel of the compressed mixture to produce an oxidation product; a turbine; a first valve system, comprising a first valve disposed along a first flow path and a second valve disposed along a second flow path, configured to receive fuel from a fuel source and direct the fuel to the reaction chamber (i) by directing the fuel to the mixture inlet of the compressor via the first valve, in a first mode, and (ii) by directing the fuel to bypass the compressor via the second valve, in a second mode; and a second valve system configured to receive the oxidation product from the reaction chamber and direct the oxidation product (i) to the turbine via a third flow path, in the first mode, and (ii) to an exhaust path, bypassing the turbine via a fourth flow path, in the second mode. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification