Gradual oxidation and multiple flow paths

• US 9,328,660 B2
• Filed: 03/09/2012
• Issued: 05/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ReductoNox Corp.
• Original Assignee: Ener-Core Power, Inc. (Ener-Core, Inc.)
• Inventors: Maslov, Boris A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sutherland, Steven
• Application Number:
  US13/417,132
• Publication Number:
  US 20130232983A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,516 Days
• Field of Search: 60/391.82, 607/74, 607/22, 607/23, 607/33, 607/77, 60/395, 60/392.81, 607/91, 431/7, 431/268, 431/5, 431/2, 431/11, 431/12, 422/168, 422/173
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 3/20 using a special fuel, oxidant, or dilution fluid to generate the combustion products
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/10 by means of regenerative heat-exchangers
• CPC Class Codes: F23C 2202/10 Premixing fluegas with fuel and combustion air
• CPC Class Codes: F23C 2900/99001 Cold flame combustion or flameless oxidation processes
• CPC Class Codes: F23C 9/08 for reducing temperature in combustion chamber, e.g. for protecting walls of combustion chamber
• CPC Class Codes: F23C 99/00 Subject-matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: F23C 99/006 Flameless combustion stabilised within a bed of porous heat-resistant material F23C13/00 takes precedence; gas burners with radiant combustion on a porous surface F23D14/16
• CPC Class Codes: F23G 2206/203 with a power/heat generating installation
• CPC Class Codes: F23G 5/46 Recuperation of heat
• CPC Class Codes: F23G 7/065 using gaseous or liquid fuel
• CPC Class Codes: F23K 2900/05004 Mixing two or more fluid fuels
• CPC Class Codes: F23L 2900/07002 Injecting inert gas, other than steam or evaporated water, into the combustion chambers
• CPC Class Codes: F23M 2900/05004 Special materials for walls or lining
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 1/022 using electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 1/082 using electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2225/16 burner temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 5/003 using detectors sensitive to combustion gas properties F23N5/02, F23N5/18 - F23N5/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 5/022 using electronic means F23N5/04 - F23N5/14 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F23R 2900/00002 Gas turbine combustors adapted for fuels having low heating value [LHV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 20/12 Heat utilisation in combustion or incineration of waste
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 20/34 : Indirect CO2mitigation, i.e. by acting on non CO2directly related matters of the process, e.g. pre-heating or heat recovery
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 : Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

Described herein are embodiments of systems and methods for oxidizing gases. In some embodiments, a reaction chamber is configured to receive a fuel gas and maintain the gas at a temperature within the reaction chamber that is above an autoignition temperature of the gas. The reaction chamber may also be configured to maintain a reaction temperature within the reaction chamber below a flameout temperature. In some embodiments, heat and product gases from the oxidation process can be used, for example, to drive a turbine, reciprocating engine, and injected back into the reaction chamber.

Claims

1. A method of oxidization, comprising:

heating a first gas mixture to at least an autoignition temperature of the first gas mixture, the first gas mixture comprising an oxidant mixed with determined ranges of a low-energy-content (LEC) fuel gas and a high-energy-content (HEC) fuel gas;

injecting, after the heating, a second gas mixture of the LEC fuel gas and the HEC fuel gas, wherein the rate of injection of the LEC and HEC fuel gases into the second gas mixture is selected to produce substantially the same ratio as the ratio of LEC fuel and HEC fuel gases in the first gas mixture;

mixing the second gas mixture with the first gas mixture that has been heated, at a rate to produce a third gas mixture that is substantially homogeneous in a time less than an ignition delay time for the second gas mixture while allowing the third gas mixture to auto-ignite; and

maintaining the temperature of the third gas mixture below a flameout temperature while the third gas mixture that has auto-ignited oxidizes.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first gas mixture is raised to at least the autoignition temperature by a heat exchanger.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the heat exchanger is positioned within a reaction chamber that maintains oxidation of the third gas mixture without a catalyst.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first gas mixture is raised to at least the autoignition temperature within a reaction chamber that maintains oxidation of the third gas mixture without a catalyst.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the reaction chamber maintains oxidation of the third gas mixture beneath a flameout temperature of the third gas mixture.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising expanding gas with a turbine or a piston engine that receives product gas from the reaction chamber.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the first gas mixture comprises at least one of hydrogen, methane, ethane, ethylene, natural gas, propane, propylene, propadiene, n-butane, iso-butane, butylene-1, butadiene, iso-pentane, n-pentane, acetylene, hexane, and carbon monoxide.