Processing fuel and water
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method comprising:
- evaporating a liquid comprising water and fuel to form a gas comprising evaporated fuel and steam;
communicating the water into a reaction chamber that is pressurized above an ambient pressure about an exterior of the reaction chamber; and
oxidizing the gas with air in the pressurized reaction chamber while maintaining a maximum temperature in the reaction chamber below a temperature that causes formation of nitrogen oxides.
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Abstract
Fuel is oxidized with air in a pressurized reaction chamber containing water. Water, fuel, or both may be communicated into the reaction chamber in a gaseous state, a liquid state, or both. For example, a liquid mixture that includes the water and/or the fuel can be evaporated to form a gas mixture, and the gas mixture can be communicated into the reaction chamber. Additionally or alternatively, the liquid mixture that includes the water and/or the fuel can be communicated into the reaction chamber and evaporated in the reaction chamber. The water and the fuel may be communicated into the reaction chamber separately or in combination.
288 Citations
52 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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evaporating a liquid comprising water and fuel to form a gas comprising evaporated fuel and steam; communicating the water into a reaction chamber that is pressurized above an ambient pressure about an exterior of the reaction chamber; and oxidizing the gas with air in the pressurized reaction chamber while maintaining a maximum temperature in the reaction chamber below a temperature that causes formation of nitrogen oxides. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A system comprising:
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an evaporator that evaporates a liquid comprising water and fuel in a liquid state to form a gas comprising the water and the fuel in a gaseous state, the evaporator comprising; an evaporator inlet arranged to receive the liquid; an evaporator outlet arranged to communicate the gas from the evaporator; and a reaction chamber comprising a reaction chamber inlet in fluid communication with the evaporator outlet to receive the gas, the reaction chamber configured to oxidize fuel with air while containing the air and the gas at a pressure above an ambient pressure about the reaction chamber and while maintaining a maximum temperature in the reaction chamber below a temperature that causes formation of nitrogen oxides. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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19. An oxidation reaction chamber comprising:
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a first inlet arranged to communicate a liquid fuel mixture comprising water and fuel into an interior volume of the reaction chamber; a second inlet arranged to communicate a gas fuel mixture comprising air and fuel into the interior volume, the reaction chamber adapted to oxidize the liquid fuel mixture with the liquid fuel mixture in the interior volume while maintaining a maximum temperature in the reaction chamber below a temperature that causes formation of nitrogen oxides; and an outlet arranged to communicate an output gas from the interior volume, the output gas comprising the water and an oxidation product gas generated by oxidizing the fuel in the interior volume. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22)
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23. A gradual oxidation system comprising:
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a fluid inlet; a compressor that receives and compresses a gas, comprising a first fuel mixture, from the fluid inlet; an injector that introduces a second fuel mixture into the gas, the second fuel mixture comprising a liquid having a mixture of fuel and water, wherein the water comprises between 20% and 90% of the second fuel mixture by volume; and a gradual oxidation chamber that receives the gas from the compressor and that maintains a flameless oxidation process of the gas within the chamber without a catalyst. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A gradual oxidation system comprising:
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a fluid inlet; a compressor that receives and compresses fluid, comprising a fuel mixture, from the fluid inlet; an evaporator that evaporates a liquid comprising liquid fuel and water to form a gas comprising gaseous fuel and steam; an injector that introduces the gas into the fluid after the fluid is compressed by the compressor; a gradual oxidation chamber that receives the fluid from the compressor and that maintains a flameless oxidation process of the fluid within the chamber without a catalyst; and a turbine that receives the heated and compressed fluid from the gradual oxidation chamber and expands the fluid. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A method of gradually oxidizing a fuel mixture, the method comprising:
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aspirating air into a gradual oxidation system via a fluid inlet; mixing the air with fuel to form a first fuel mixture; compressing the first fuel mixture; injecting a second fuel mixture, comprising a liquid fuel and water, into the system to combine the second fuel mixture with the first fuel mixture; gradually oxidizing the first and second fuel mixtures in a gradual oxidation chamber that maintains a flameless oxidation process of a fluid, comprising the first and second fuel mixtures, without a catalyst; directing heated and compressed fluid from the gradual oxidation chamber to a turbine; and expanding the fluid with the turbine. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42)
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43. A method of gradually oxidizing a fuel mixture, the method comprising:
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aspirating air into a gradual oxidation system via a fluid inlet; mixing the air with fuel to form a first fuel mixture; compressing the fuel mixture; injecting a second fuel mixture into the system to combine the second fuel mixture with the first fuel mixture, the second fuel mixture comprising a liquid having a mixture of fuel and water, wherein water comprises between 20% and 90% of the second fuel mixture by volume; and gradually oxidizing the first and second fuel mixtures in a gradual oxidation chamber that maintains a flameless oxidation process of the fluid without a catalyst. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
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Specification