High efficiency low pollution hybrid Brayton cycle combustor

Abstract

A power generating system is described which operates at high pressure and utilizes a working fluid consisting of a mixture of compressed non-flammable air components, fuel combustion products and steam. The working fluid exiting the power generating system is substantially free of NOx and CO.Working fluid is provided at constant pressure and temperature. Combustion air is supplied by one or more stages of compression. Fuel is injected at pressure as needed. At least about 40% of the oxygen in the compressed air is consumed when the fuel is burned. Inert liquid is injected at high pressure to produce working an inert mass of high specific heat diluent vapor for use for internal cooling of the combustion chamber.The use of non-flammable liquid injection inhibits the formation of pollutants, increases the efficiency and available horsepower from the system, and reduces specific fuel consumption. Control systems allow the independent control of the quantity, temperature and pressure of the air, fuel and non-flammable liquid introduced in the combustion chamber allowing control of the maximum temperature and average temperature within the combustion temperature as well as the temperature of the exhaust from the combustion chamber.

Description

[0001]This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 08 / 232,047 filed Apr. 26, 1994 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,743,080 which is the U.S. National Stage of PCT / US93 / 10280 filed Oct. 27, 1993 and a continuation-in-patent of Ser. No. 07 / 967,289, U.S. Pat. No. 5,617,719 filed Oct. 27, 1992 all of which are incorporated by reference.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention is directed to a vapor-air steam engine which operates at high pressure and utilizes a working fluid consisting of a mixture of fuel combustion products and steam with a minimal amount of excess compressed air. The invention is further directed to processes for producing electrical energy, usable shaft horsepower and / or large quantities of steam in a fuel burning system at high efficiency and low specific fuel consumption, while generating insignificant amounts of environmental pollutants (NOx, CO, particulates, unburned fuel). The invention is still further directed to the production of pota...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0018]It is also an object of this invention to completely control the temperature of combustion within a combustor through the employment of the latent heat of vaporization of water without the necessity to mechanically compress excess (dilution) air for cooling.

[0042]The use of this new cycle results in increased horsepower at a lower rpm, slow idle, fast acceleration and combustion of up to 95% of the compressed air at low rpm.

Problems solved by technology

In these devices, temperature control is usually the result of feeding large quantities of excess compressed air.

Each of these prior engines has encountered difficulties which limit their general adoption as a power source for the operation of prime movers.

Among these difficulties have been the inability of such an engine to meet sudden demand and / or to maintain a constant working temperature or pressure as may be required for efficient operation of such an engine.

Furthermore, control of such engines has been inefficient, and the ability of the gas generator to maintain itself in standby condition has been wholly inadequate.

In all practical applied engine configurations the requirement for cooling the confining walls of the work cylinders has resulted in loss of efficiency and a number of other disadvantages previously inherent in internal combustion engines.

Images