Direct combustion steam generator

• US 20070202452A1
• Filed: 01/09/2007
• Published: 08/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Direct Combustion Technologies
• Original Assignee: Hydroflame Technologies LLC (Hydroflame Production LLC)
• Inventors: Rao, Dandina
• Granted Patent: US 7,780,152 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 431/354
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/2406 Steam assisted gravity drainage [SAGD]
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/2408 SAGD in combination with other methods
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 6/04 Gas-turbine plants providing heated or pressurised working fluid for other apparatus, e.g. without mechanical power output F02C6/18 takes precedence ; for a fluidised-bed combustor F02C3/205
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 6/18 using the waste heat of gas-turbine plants outside the plants themselves, e.g. gas-turbine power heat plants using waste heat as source of energy for refrigeration plants F25B27/02; using the waste heat of a gasturbine for steam generation or in a steam cycle see F01K23/10
• CPC Class Codes: F23C 2202/40 Inducing local whirls around flame
• CPC Class Codes: F23C 3/006 the chamber being arranged for cyclonic combustion for waste F23G5/32
• CPC Class Codes: F23C 9/006 the recirculation taking place in the combustion chamber
• CPC Class Codes: F23D 14/20 Non-premix gas burners, i.e. in which gaseous fuel is mixed with combustion air on arrival at the combustion zone F23D14/38 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F23D 14/24 at least one of the fluids being submitted to a swirling motion
• CPC Class Codes: F23D 14/32 using a mixture of gaseous fuel and pure oxygen or oxygen-enriched air F23D14/38 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F23D 91/04 for heating liquids, e.g. for vaporising or concentrating

Abstract

A method and apparatus for generating steam by heating water with a flame is provided. The water is introduced into a vortex sustaining container and flows through the container in a spiraling manner creating a liquid vortex with an open axial core. The flame effects heat transfer and is the product of the ignition of fuel mixed with a tangentially swirling oxygen containing gas.

Claims

1. An apparatus for generating steam by heating water with a flame comprising:

a. a vortex container with first and second ends, having an axial core and having;

i. a liquid inlet mounted to the wall of said container with said liquid inlet being adapted to tangentially inject water into the container and create a spiraling flow of water therein;

ii. a vortex sustaining inner surface adapted to receive the water injected from said inlet, said surface defining a vortex chamber which is axially aligned within said container;

b. an outlet at the second end of said container along its axis being adapted to receive a flow of gas exiting from said vortex chamber; and

c. a swirl burner mounted at the first end of the container, from which a flame maybe deployed within said vortex chamber, and with the burner comprising an axial hole for supplying fuel and at least one tangential inlet hole for supplying an oxygen containing gas to a combustion zone where ignition of the fuel/gas mixture occurs.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the size of the apparatus is sufficient to fit within a borehole.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus further comprises a heat transfer zone connected to the outlet at the end of the vortex container, with the heat transfer zone comprising converging and diverging sections connected in the middle by a throat.

4. A system for generating steam, comprising the apparatus of claim 1 connected by a conduit for the flow of gas from the apparatus to a turbine to help drive the turbine.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the turbine is further connected to compressors.

7. The process of claim 3, wherein the oxygen containing gas is enriched air.

8. The process of claim 3, wherein the oxygen containing gas comprises primarily oxygen.

9. The process of claim 3, wherein a flame temperature exceeding 4,000°

F. is achieved upon combustion.

6. A process of generating steam by heating water directly with a flame, comprising the steps of:

a. continuously injecting water through an inlet means into a hollow container and forming along the interior surface of said container a continuous inertially rotating liquid vortex flow of spiraling water, and with this spiraling water creating a liquid free core within said container;

b. passing a gas through said vortex core, whereby said gas contacts the inner surface of said liquid along said vortex core, and with the gas being a combustion product which originates from an ignited mixture of fuel and an oxygen containing gas which tangentially swirls around the fuel.

10. The process of claim 6, wherein the gas that passes through the vortex core then passes into a heat transfer zone containing a converging section, wherein volocities of the gas and any liquid increase, and a diverging section, with the converging and diverging sections being connected in the middle by a throat, with the throat causing a pressure drop and with the pressure drop being partially recovered in the diverging zone.

11. The process of claim 10, wherein the pressure drop recovered in the diverging section is up to 90%.

12. The process of claim 10, wherein a mist of water is created and then entrained in the gas stream at the throat.

13. The process of claim 6, wherein the gas that passes through the vortex core is passed to a turbine to help drive the turbine.

14. The process of claim 13, wherein the turbine is further connected to compressors.