Hydrogen Oxygen Combustion Steam Generation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for generating steam by burning hydrogen and oxygen face challenges such as impurity in water vapor, high adiabatic flame temperature leading to dissociation, and material and component stress, as well as difficulties in introducing water into the combustion chamber.

Innovation Solution

Introducing liquid water into the preheating and combustion zone with oxygen in a stoichiometric ratio, reducing the adiabatic flame temperature to prevent dissociation and allowing for the generation of high-purity superheated steam, with additional water vapor control and cooling mechanisms to manage temperature and thermal loads.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If water is introduced into the combustion chamber in known methods, then additional water vapor is generated, but the adiabatic flame temperature becomes too high causing dissociation of water vapor back into hydrogen and oxygen

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewater vapor quantityVSAvoidadiabatic flame temperature
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

Liquid water is introduced into the preheating zone before the combustion zone, where it is preheated by the hot gas flow before entering the combustion region. This preliminary heating allows the water to evaporate and mix with the combustion products at a lower temperature, preventing dissociation while still generating additional water vapor.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The combustion chamber is divided into distinct functional zones: a preheating zone where liquid water is introduced and heated, and a combustion zone where hydrogen and oxygen burn. This spatial segmentation allows water to be added without exposing it to the high temperatures that cause dissociation, while still achieving high water vapor production.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Quantity of substance

If water is introduced into the combustion chamber, then water vapor is generated, but chain termination reactions occur reducing flame temperature and process stability

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewater vaporVSAvoidcombustion process stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Water is introduced in the preheating zone before the combustion zone, allowing it to be preheated and partially evaporated before mixing with the combustion products. This timing prevents water from interfering with the flame propagation and chemical kinetics in the combustion zone, avoiding chain termination reactions while still achieving high water vapor generation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Productivity

If the adiabatic flame temperature is high, then water vapor is generated efficiently, but dissociation occurs producing impure steam with hydrogen and oxygen

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewater vapor generation efficiencyVSAvoidwater vapor purity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The combustion chamber is segmented into a preheating zone and a combustion zone. Liquid water is introduced in the preheating zone where it is heated by the hot gas flow, then evaporates and mixes with combustion products in the combustion zone at lower temperatures. This spatial separation ensures high water vapor generation without dissociation, producing high-purity steam.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Water is preheated in the preheating zone before entering the combustion zone, allowing efficient evaporation at lower temperatures. This preliminary heating action enables high water vapor generation without exposing the water to temperatures that would cause dissociation and impurity formation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

4Power

If the adiabatic flame temperature is high, then combustion is efficient, but complex cooling measures are required for the combustion chamber walls

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecombustion efficiencyVSAvoidcooling system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The combustion chamber is divided into a preheating zone with water injection and a combustion zone. This segmentation allows the water to cool the preheating zone walls through evaporation, reducing thermal load on the combustion chamber walls and simplifying cooling requirements while maintaining combustion efficiency in the separate combustion zone.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This method produces high-purity superheated steam at lower temperatures, reducing thermal stress on components and enabling direct placement of ignition devices and sensors, while ensuring trouble-free process management and efficient steam temperature control.

Implementation Method 1

hydrogen and oxygen are burned in a combustion chamber with the addition of liquid water

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCombustion: Combustion

Implementation Method 2

The hydrogen and the oxygen are expediently supplied in a stoichiometric quantity ratio in the combustion process

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectExothermic reaction: Exothermic Reaction

Implementation Method 3

introducing water outside the actual combustion zone and evaporating it there in order to generate additional water vapor

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectEvaporation: Evaporation

Implementation Method 4

water is heated in the wall of the hot-gas reaction chamber and in which the heated water is injected into the hot reaction gases

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat transfer: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 5

a part of the water vapor generated during combustion dissociating back into hydrogen and oxygen outside the hydrogen-oxygen flame

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal dissociation: Thermolysis

Data Source

PatentEP2912374B1Method for producing steam
Publication Date: 2016.11.30 THYSSENKRUPP MARINE SYST GMBH
  • EP2912374B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2912374B1 patent drawingFigure 3~5

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for generating water vapour, in which method hydrogen and oxygen are combusted in a combustion chamber while adding water, and the water is piped into the combustion chamber in liquid form in a combined volume flow together with the oxygen.