COUPLED THERMOCHEMICAL REACTORS AND ENGINES, AND ASSOCIATED SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20110220040A1
• Filed: 02/14/2011
• Published: 09/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Advanced Green Innovations, LLC
• Original Assignee: McAlister Technologies, LLC
• Inventors: McAlister, Roy Edward
• Granted Patent: US 9,188,086 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 123/3
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2240/22 a condensation chamber
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 5/02 the devices using heat
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 2075/125 Direct injection in the combustion chamber for spark ignition engines, i.e. not in pre-combustion chamber
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 21/0206 Non-hydrocarbon fuels, e.g. hydrogen, ammonia or carbon monoxide
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 21/0227 Means to treat or clean gaseous fuels or fuel systems, e.g. removal of tar, cracking, reforming or enriching
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 25/03 into the cylinder or the pre-combustion chamber
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 25/12 the apparatus having means for generating such gases using rays and simultaneously generating ozone F02M27/06
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 27/02 by catalysts
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 51/0671 the armature having an elongated valve body attached thereto
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 57/06 the devices being sparking plugs
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/30 Use of alternative fuels, e.g. biofuels

Abstract

Coupled thermal chemical reactors and engines, and associated systems and methods. A system in accordance with a particular embodiment includes a reactor vessel having a reaction zone, a hydrogen donor source coupled in fluid communication with the reaction zone, and an engine having a combustion region. The system can further include a transfer passage coupled between the combustion region and the reaction zone to transfer a reactant and/or radiate energy to the reaction zone. The system can further include a product passage coupled between the reaction zone and the combustion region of the engine to deliver to the combustion region at least a portion of a constituent removed from the reaction zone.

Claims

1. A chemical reactor system, comprising:

a reactor vessel having a reaction zone;

a hydrogen donor source coupled in fluid communication with the reaction zone of the reactor vessel;

an engine having a combustion region;

a transfer passage coupled between the combustion region and the reaction zone to transfer at least one of (a) a reactant and (b) radiant energy to the reaction zone; and

a product passage coupled between the reaction zone and the combustion region of the engine to deliver to the combustion region at least a portion of a constituent removed from the reaction zone.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a steam source coupled in fluid communication with the reaction zone.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a transmissive surface positioned between the reaction zone and an interior region of the transfer passage, the transmissive surface being transmissive to at least one of the reactant and the radiant energy.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a separator operably coupled between the reaction zone and the combustion region of the engine to separate constituents removed from the reaction zone.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a heater positioned in thermal communication with the reactor vessel to heat a reactant in the vessel.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising insulation positioned to at least restrict heat transfer away from the engine, other than via the transfer passage.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the insulation is positioned around a cylinder of the engine.

8. A method for operating an engine and a chemical reactor, comprising:

directing a hydrogen donor into a reaction zone of a reactor vessel;

combusting a fuel for an engine to produce power and combustion products;

directing the combustion products through a transfer passage coupled between the engine and the reaction zone to transfer at least one of (a) a reactant and (b) radiant energy to the reaction zone;

dissociating the hydrogen donor into dissociation products in the reaction zone;

from the dissociation products, providing;

(a) a non-hydrogen-based structural building block; and

(b) a hydrogen-based fuel; and

directing a constituent removed from the reaction zone to the engine.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein directing a hydrogen donor includes directing methane.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein directing a constituent removed from the reaction zone includes directing a portion of at least one of the non-hydrogen-based structural building block and the hydrogen-based fuel to the engine.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein combusting the fuel includes combusting fuel in an internal combustion engine.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein combusting the fuel includes combusting a fuel having a chemical composition the same as a chemical composition of the hydrogen donor.

13. The method of claim 8 wherein directing the combustion products includes directing steam and radiant energy into the reaction zone, and wherein the method further comprises directing an additional portion of steam into the reaction zone.

14. The method of claim 8 wherein directing the constituent includes directing the hydrogen-based fuel to the engine for combustion, and wherein the method further comprises:

directing water withdrawn from the reaction zone to the engine for cooling; and

automatically controlling rates at which the hydrogen-based fuel and the water enter the engine to vary differently.

15. The method of claim 8, further comprising providing heat to the reaction zone from a renewable energy source.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein providing heat includes providing heat obtained from regenerative braking.

17. The method of claim 8 wherein providing heat includes providing heat obtained from solar energy.

18. The method of claim 8, further comprising at least restricting heat transfer away from the engine by thermal pathways other than the combustion products, via insulation provided at the engine.

19. A method for operating an engine and a chemical reactor, comprising:

directing methane into a reaction zone of a reactor vessel;

combusting a hydrocarbon fuel in an internal combustion engine to produce power and combustion products, the combustion products including water and radiant energy;

directing the combustion products through a transfer passage coupled between the engine and the reaction zone to transfer to the reaction zone (a) a first portion of the water in the form of steam, and (b) radiant energy;

dissociating the methane to produce hydrogen and carbon monoxide in the reaction zone;

removing the hydrogen, carbon monoxide and water from the reaction zone;

separating at least a portion of the water from the hydrogen and carbon monoxide;

directing a portion of the hydrogen and carbon monoxide to the internal combustion engine for combustion; and

directing at least some of the water separated from the hydrogen and carbon monoxide to the internal combustion engine to cool the internal combustion engine.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

withdrawing a portion of the combustion products upstream of the reaction zone;

providing the portion of combustion products and a portion of hydrogen to a turbocharger; and

producing additional power at the turbocharger.

21. (canceled)