Apparatus and method

Abstract

An apparatus comprising an energy cell 100 configured to supply electrical energy to a liquid in the energy cell to heat the liquid by generating one or more bubbles of plasma therein. The apparatus c

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:an energy cell configured to apply electrical energy to liquid in the energy cell to heat the liquid by generating one or more bubbles of plasma therein; anda controller configured to obtain an indication of at least one operational parameter of the energy cell;wherein the controller is configured to control an amount of bubbles provided in the liquid supplied to the energy cell based on the obtained indication.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to increase the amount of bubbles provided to increase cell output and / or to decrease the amount of bubbles provided to decrease cell output.

3. The apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the controller is configured to provide bubbles in the liquid supplied to the energy cell in the event that the energy cell is operating in a start up mode of operation.

4. The apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the bubbles comprise any oxygen bearing gas.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the gas comprises CO2 and / or NO2.

6. The apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein a smallervolume of bubbles is providedin the liquid supplied to the cell when operating in a normal mode of operation as compared to a start up mode of operation.

7. The apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the controller is configured to reduce or inhibit the provision of bubbles in the liquid supplied to the energy cell in the event that the cell is operating in a normal mode of operation, as compared to when operating in a start up mode of operation.

8. The apparatus of any preceding claim, further comprising a means for providing gaseous bubbles within the liquid supplied to the energy cell.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said means is configured to be operated such that liquid supplied to the cell has at least a threshold amount of bubbles therein.

10. The apparatus of any preceding claim, further comprising a liquid supply system configured to supply the liquid to the energy cell, and wherein the controller is configured to control operation of the liquid supply system to control the supply of liquid and the supply of bubbles within that liquid to the energy cell.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the liquid supply system comprises a bubble generating machine configured to generate bubbles within the liquid to be supplied to the energy cell.

12. The apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the controller is configured to receive an indication of at least one operational parameter of the energy cell and to provide bubbles in the liquid supplied to the cell in the event that the at least one operational parameter does not satisfy a threshold criterion.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the operational parameter comprises at least one of a temperature and / or a pressure.

14. The apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein providing bubbles in the liquid supplied to the cell comprises blowing a gas into said liquid.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the gas is blown into the liquid upstream of the energy cell and / or into the cell itself.

16. The apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein providing bubbles in the liquid comprises actively adding gaseous bubbles to an existing liquid and / or using a liquid with additional bubbles already included.

17. The apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the apparatus is operable to selectively apply different liquids to the cell.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the apparatus is configured to utilise a first liquid and a second liquid, wherein the first liquid is more gassified than the second liquid; and wherein the controller is configured to selectively use an increased amount of the first liquid when an increased amount of bubbles is to be used.

19. The apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the controller is configured to increasethe flow rate for the supply of liquid to the energy cell once the cell operation has transitioned into a normal mode of operation.

20. The apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the obtained indication comprises an indication of a variation in an electrical signal applied to an electrode of the cell.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the controller is configured to provide bubbles in the liquid supplied to the cell in the event that said variation is below a first threshold amount.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, said providing bubbles comprises maintaining or increasing the provision of bubbles within the liquid supplied to the cell.

23. A method of controlling operation of an energy cell, wherein the energy cell is configured to apply electrical energy to liquid in the energy cell to heat the liquid by generating one or more bubbles of plasma therein, and wherein the method comprises:obtaining an indication of at least one operational parameter of the energy cell; and controlling an amount of bubbles provided in the liquid supplied to the energy cell based on said obtained indication.

24. A method of operating an energy cell, the method comprising:supplying a liquid to the energy cell;applying electrical energy to the liquid in the energy cell to heat said liquid by generating one or more bubbles of plasma therein;obtaining an indication of at least one operational parameter of the energy cell; and controlling an amount of bubbles provided in the liquid supplied to the energy cell based on said obtained indication.

25. A computer program product comprising computer program instructions configured to program a controller to control operation of an apparatus to implement the method of claims 23 or 24.

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