The invention relates to a method and to a plant for chemical looping oxidation-reduction combustion (CLC) of a gaseous hydrocarbon feed, for example natural gas essentially containing methane. According to the invention, catalytic reforming of the feed is performed within the reduction zone where combustion of the feed is conducted on contact with an oxidation-reduction active mass in form of particles. The reforming catalyst comes in form of untransported fluidized particles within the reduction zone. The catalyst thus confined in the reduction zone does not circulate in the CLC loop.

A gas pipe ignitor for igniting a non-premixed air and fuel mixture includes a housing having an axially interior space along its length, a supply end segment, a flame end segment axially spaced from the supply end segment, and a flexible segment spaced between the supply end segment and the flame end segment. A fuel supply conduit extends axially within the housing, and the fuel supply conduit is operatively flexible with the flexible segment. An ignition conduit extends axially within the housing, and the ignition conduit is operatively flexible with the flexible segment. A detector conduit extends axially within the housing, and the detector conduit is operatively flexible with the flexible segment. An air supply conduit is operatively connected to the housing at the supply end segment and provides combustion air within the interior space.

A gas pipe ignitor for igniting a non-premixed air and fuel mixture includes a housing having an axially interior space along its length, a supply end segment, a flame end segment axially spaced from the supply end segment, and a flexible segment spaced between the supply end segment and the flame end segment. A fuel supply conduit extends axially within the housing, and the fuel supply conduit is operatively flexible with the flexible segment. An ignition conduit extends axially within the housing, and the ignition conduit is operatively flexible with the flexible segment. A detector conduit extends axially within the housing, and the detector conduit is operatively flexible with the flexible segment. An air supply conduit is operatively connected to the housing at the supply end segment and provides combustion air within the interior space.

An improved chemical looping combustion (CLC) process and system includes a hopper containing oxygen carrier particles, e.g., metal oxides, that are gravity fed at a controlled rate of flow from the hopper into (a) a generally vertical downflow reactor where they are mixed with all of the hydrocarbon fuel feed to the system and (b) into one or more standpipes that are in communication with a plurality of staged fluidized reactor beds, the amount of the oxygen carrier particles introduced into the system being stoichiometrically predetermined to produce a syngas mixture of H.sub.2 and CO.sub.2; or to complete combustion of the fuel to CO.sub.2 and water vapor, thereby permitting capture of a majority of the CO.sub.2 produced in an essentially pure form.

Devices and methods are disclosed for charging fuel molecules in a delivery conduit. The devices are monopole charging devices having at least three individual magnets. A one piece orienting mount having insert formations equal in number to the number of magnets and spaced a selected distance from each other receives and holds the magnets, and is secured around the delivery conduit. The mount holds the magnets in an orientation with a common pole of each contacting the conduit and the opposite pole of each spaced from and facing away from the conduit.

Systems and methods for shaping and energizing fluids to generate luminous fluid sculptures are disclosed herein. The disclosed methods comprise one or more steps of sculpting one or more fluids into a pattern or shape using one or more forces selected from the group consisting of mechanically generated turbulence, controlled movement through a shaped chamber, application of a magnetic field, vibration, and gravity to generate one or more sculpted fluids, and one or more steps of energizing the fluids using one or more sources of nonvisible energy selected from the group consisting of chemicals, heat, electrical current, and nonvisible electromagnetic radiation so that the fluids emit visible light. The color of the visible light emitted may be controlled by modulating various color-control factors. The methods comprise at least two non-simultaneous steps, where the non-simultaneous steps may be any combination of sculpting and energizing steps, to generate dynamic luminous fluid sculptures.

Systems and methods for shaping and energizing fluids to generate luminous fluid sculptures are disclosed herein. The disclosed methods comprise one or more steps of sculpting one or more fluids into a pattern or shape using one or more forces selected from the group consisting of mechanically generated turbulence, controlled movement through a shaped chamber, application of a magnetic field, vibration, and gravity to generate one or more sculpted fluids, and one or more steps of energizing the fluids using one or more sources of nonvisible energy selected from the group consisting of chemicals, heat, electrical current, and nonvisible electromagnetic radiation so that the fluids emit visible light. The color of the visible light emitted may be controlled by modulating various color-control factors. The methods comprise at least two non-simultaneous steps, where the non-simultaneous steps may be any combination of sculpting and energizing steps, to generate dynamic luminous fluid sculptures.

In a petroleum residuum burning boiler including: a high-temperature reduction combustion chamber to which petroleum residuum fuel and primary combustion air are supplied and in which combustion is performed at a temperature of 1,300° C. or more and an air ratio of less than one; and a low-temperature oxidation combustion chamber which is connected to the high-temperature reduction combustion chamber and in which combustion is performed at a temperature of less than 1,300° C. and an air ratio of one or more, an assist gas is supplied to the high-temperature reduction combustion chamber, and unburned carbon of a combustion gas of the petroleum residuum fuel is gasified by a water gas reaction by using steam, generated by combustion of the assist gas, as a gasifying agent.

In a petroleum residuum burning boiler including: a high-temperature reduction combustion chamber to which petroleum residuum fuel and primary combustion air are supplied and in which combustion is performed at a temperature of 1,300° C. or more and an air ratio of less than one; and a low-temperature oxidation combustion chamber which is connected to the high-temperature reduction combustion chamber and in which combustion is performed at a temperature of less than 1,300° C. and an air ratio of one or more, an assist gas is supplied to the high-temperature reduction combustion chamber, and unburned carbon of a combustion gas of the petroleum residuum fuel is gasified by a water gas reaction by using steam, generated by combustion of the assist gas, as a gasifying agent.

A burner characterized by being equipped with: a fuel supply nozzle to which a mixed flow of a solid fuel and a solid fuel transport gas is supplied; a flow passage that is arranged on the outside of the fuel supply nozzle and that supplies combustion air separated from the mixed flow; and ammonia supply nozzles which are capable of supplying ammonia on the downstream side of the outlet of the fuel supply nozzle toward a reduction region in which oxygen in the transport gas has been consumed due to ignition of the fuel and the progress of combustion, resulting in a low oxygen concentration. Thus, it is possible to provide a burner capable of burning a mixture of a solid fuel and ammonia, and a combustion device equipped with this burner.