Method and mobile apparatus for improving in-situ combustion of a combustible material lying on nominally planar surface

Abstract

A method and apparatus, for improving the control and the efficiency of in-situ combustion (i.e. burning of oil spills atop bodies of water) of combustible waste materials on land or sea to cleanup such waste, that is also less complex than similar apparatuses, whereby the apparatus traverses over a surface containing combustible material, allowing for vortex flow incineration of the material to occur inside a combustion chamber, aided by a vortical flow of air which is controlled for greater combustion efficiency. Compared with current methods and apparatuses to cleanup similar waste, the present method requires minimal moving parts, is mobile, is low cost, is easy to construct, enables high-quality combustion, burns faster and more complete, produces low emissions, incinerates waste material on land and water, and mitigates the creation of combustion residue which thereby mitigates the adverse effects of such combustion residue that smothers ocean life.

Claims

1. An apparatus for improving in-situ combustion of a combustible material lying on a nominally planar surface, comprising: (a) a cylindrical central combustion chamber having a chamber inlet and chamber outlet at opposed axial ends of the combustion chamber; (b) an insulated stack tower that extends vertically from the combustion chamber, axially opposed to the chamber inlet, with an open exhaust end; (c) said chamber inlet comprising an air inlet; (d) said air inlet comprising a plurality of chamber air inlets made of an azimuthal array of vertical vanes circumferentially placed around a base of the combustion chamber, to direct air in a vortical rotating manner into the combustion chamber; (e) said vanes supported vertically from the base of the combustion chamber at a converging angle, measured from a tangent line to the circumferential wall of the combustion chamber; (f) said vanes pivotally supported to adjust the converging angle; (g) a conduit means providing ignition fuel to the combustion chamber; (h) said chamber air inlets to supply air necessary for combustion of said fuel; (i) a gas flow passage for air, fuel, and combustion gas to flow through said combustion chamber and through the stack tower from the chamber inlet to the stack tower open exhaust end; (j) said insulated stack tower comprises an internal wall, and an external wall; (k) an insulation means for providing insulation of the stack tower, having insulating qualities greater than the sum of the insulation qualities of the individual portions of the internal and external wall of the stack tower; (l) an ignition means for the combustion of said ignition fuel; (m) a level control means to change the height of said vanes above the planar surface.

2. An apparatus for improving in-situ combustion of a combustible material lying on a nominally planar surface, comprising: (a) a cylindrical central combustion chamber having a chamber inlet and chamber outlet at opposed axial ends of the combustion chamber; (b) an insulated stack tower that extends vertically from the combustion chamber, axially opposed to the chamber inlet, with an open exhaust end; (c) said chamber inlet comprising an air inlet; (d) said air inlet comprising a plurality of chamber air inlets made of an azimuthal array of vertical vanes circumferentially placed around a base of the combustion chamber, to direct air in a vortical rotating manner into the combustion chamber; (e) said vanes supported vertically from the base of the combustion chamber at a converging angle, measured from a tangent line to the circumferential wall of the combustion chamber; (f) said vanes pivotally supported to adjust the converging angle; (g) a conduit means providing ignition fuel to the combustion chamber; (h) said chamber air inlets to supply air necessary for combustion of said fuel; (i) a gas flow passage for air, fuel, and combustion gas to flow through said combustion chamber and through the stack tower from the chamber inlet to the stack tower open exhaust end; (j) said insulated stack tower comprises an internal wall, and an external wall; (k) an insulation means for providing insulation of the stack tower, having insulating qualities greater than the sum of the insulation qualities of the individual portions of the internal and external wall of the stack tower; (l) an ignition means for the combustion of said ignition fuel; (m) a cylindrical ballast fixedly attached to the base of the apparatus with the end of the ballast opposite said base of the combustion chamber interfacing with the nominally planar surface; (n) said ballast comprising a nozzle at an external boundary of the ballast at a position axially opposed to the nominally planar surface for air to cross the external boundary of the ballast; (o) said ballast further comprising a nozzle controller means controllably engaged to the nozzle, to control an amount of the air crossing the external boundary of the ballast; (p) said ballast further comprising a ballast pressure gauge means to measure pressure of air inside the ballast; (q) said ballast further comprising an orifice hole at the external boundary of the ballast axially opposed to said nozzle, for water to cross the external boundary of the ballast; (r) said ballast pressure gauge means cooperating with the nozzle controller means to provide control data to the nozzle controller means.

3. The apparatus for improving in-situ combustion of a combustible material lying on a nominally planar surface as set forth in claim 1, wherein said converging angle is between 30 and 60 degrees, measured from a tangent line to the circumferential wall of the combustion chamber.

4. The apparatus for improving in-situ combustion of a combustible material lying on a nominally planar surface as set forth in claim 2, wherein said converging angle is between 30 and 60 degrees, measured from a tangent line to the circumferential wall of the combustion chamber.

5. The apparatus for improving in-situ combustion of a combustible material lying on a nominally planar surface as set forth in claim 1, further comprising vertical pipes circumferentially placed around the combustion chamber, internal to the air inlet, forming a bluff body to separate an air inlet air flow.

6. The apparatus for improving in-situ combustion of a combustible material lying on a nominally planar surface as set forth in claim 2, further comprising vertical pipes circumferentially placed around the combustion chamber, internal to the air inlet, forming a bluff body to separate an air inlet air flow.

7. A method for improving in-situ combustion of a combustible material lying on a nominally planar surface, by improving the efficiency of combustion within a mobile combustion chamber, including the step of (a) providing a mobile apparatus for improving in-situ combustion of a combustible material lying on a nominally planar surface comprising (1) a cylindrical central combustion chamber having a chamber inlet and chamber outlet at opposed axial ends of the combustion chamber; (2) an insulated stack tower that extends vertically from the combustion chamber, axially opposed to the chamber inlet, with an open exhaust end; (3) said chamber inlet comprising an air inlet; (4) said air inlet comprising a plurality of chamber air inlets made of an azimuthal array of vertical vanes circumferentially placed around a base of the combustion chamber, to direct air in a vortical rotating manner into the combustion chamber; (5) said vanes supported vertically from the base of the combustion chamber at a converging angle, measured from a tangent line to the circumferential wall of the combustion chamber; (6) said vanes pivotally supported to adjust the converging angle; (7) a conduit means providing ignition fuel to the combustion chamber; (8) said chamber air inlets to supply air necessary for combustion of said fuel; (9) a gas flow passage for air, fuel, and combustion gas to flow through said combustion chamber and through the stack tower from the chamber inlet to the stack tower open exhaust end; (10) said insulated stack tower comprises an internal wall, and an external wall; (11) an insulation means for providing insulation of the stack tower, having insulating qualities greater than the sum of the insulation qualities of the individual portions of the internal and external wall of the stack tower; (12) an ignition means for the combustion of said ignition fuel; (13) a level control means to change the height of the said vanes above the planar surface.

8. The method as set forth in claim 7, further comprising the step of controlling the height of the vanes above the planar surface with a cylindrical ballast fixedly attached to the base of the apparatus with the end of the ballast opposite said base of the combustion chamber interfacing with the nominally planar surface, comprising (a) a nozzle at an external boundary of the ballast at a position axially opposed to the nominally planar surface for air to cross the external boundary of the ballast, (b) a nozzle controller means controllably engaged to the nozzle, to control an amount of the air crossing the external boundary of the ballast, (c) a ballast pressure gauge means to measure pressure of air inside the ballast, (d) an orifice hole at the external boundary of the ballast axially opposed to said nozzle, for water to cross the external boundary of the ballast, (e) the ballast pressure gauge means cooperating with the nozzle controller means to provide control data to the nozzle controller means.

9. The method as set forth in claim 7, further comprising a converging angle between 30 and 60 degrees, measured from a tangent line to the circumferential wall of the combustion chamber.

10. The method as set forth in claim 7, further comprising the steps of (a) providing an apparatus wherein said converging angle is between 30 and 60 degrees, measured from a tangent line to the circumferential wall of the combustion chamber; (b) controlling the height of the vanes above the planar surface with a cylindrical ballast fixedly attached to the base of the apparatus with the end of the ballast opposite said base of the combustion chamber interfacing with the nominally planar surface, comprising (1) a nozzle at an external boundary of the ballast at a position axially opposed to the nominally planar surface for air to cross the external boundary of the ballast, (2) a nozzle controller means controllably engaged to the nozzle, to control an amount of the air crossing the external boundary of the ballast, (3) a ballast pressure gauge means to measure pressure of air inside the ballast, (4) an orifice hole at the external boundary of the ballast axially opposed to said nozzle, for water to cross the external boundary of the ballast, (5) the ballast pressure gauge means cooperating with the nozzle controller means to provide control data to the nozzle controller means.

11. The method as set forth in claim 7, further comprising vertical pipes circumferentially placed around the combustion chamber, internal to the air inlet, forming a bluff body to separate an air inlet air flow.

12. The method as set forth in claim 7, further comprising the steps of (a) providing an apparatus comprising vertical pipes circumferentially placed around the combustion chamber, internal to the air inlet, forming a bluff body to separate an air inlet air flow; (b) controlling the height of the vanes above the planar surface with a cylindrical ballast fixedly attached to the base of the apparatus with the end of the ballast opposite said base of the combustion chamber interfacing with the nominally planar surface, comprising (1) a nozzle at an external boundary of the ballast at a position axially opposed to the nominally planar surface for air to cross the external boundary of the ballast, (2) a nozzle controller means controllably engaged to the nozzle, to control an amount of the air crossing the external boundary of the ballast, (3) a ballast pressure gauge means to measure pressure of air inside the ballast, (4) an orifice hole at the external boundary of the ballast axially opposed to said nozzle, for water to cross the external boundary of the ballast, (5) the ballast pressure gauge means cooperating with the nozzle controller means to provide control data to the nozzle controller means.

Description

DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a perspective plan view of the apparatus.

(2) The presently preferred embodiment of the apparatus herein to increase combustion efficiency of combustible material on a nominally planar surface, through air intake control, according to the invention is shown in FIG. 1.

(3) FIG. 2 is a perspective side view of the apparatus.

(4) FIG. 3 is a perspective bottom view of the apparatus.

(5) FIG. 4 is a portion of a view of FIG. 3 enlarged for magnification purposes.

(6) FIG. 5 is a perspective bottom view of an embodiment of the apparatus with a bluff body.

(7) FIG. 6 is a portion of a view of FIG. 5 enlarged for magnification purposes.

(8) FIG. 7 is a perspective plan view of an embodiment of apparatus with a bluff body

(9) FIG. 8 is a longitudinal section view of the apparatus.

(10) FIG. 9 is a longitudinal section view of the ballast tank.

(11) FIG. 10 is a top view of the apparatus.

DRAWING REFERENCE NUMERALS

(12) 11 apparatus

(13) 12 chamber air inlet

(14) 13 vertical vanes

(15) 14 interface of apparatus and nominally planar surface

(16) 15 nominally planar surface

(17) 16 combustion chamber

(18) 17 cylindrical wall of combustion chamber

(19) 18 conduit means

(20) 19 ignition means

(21) 20 apparatus with a bluff body

(22) 21 vertical pipes forming bluff body

(23) 22 internal wall of the insulated stack

(24) 23 external wall of the insulated stack

(25) 24 insulation means

(26) 25 axial midline of the combustion chamber

(27) 26 preferred spacing of 15 degrees between each vertical pipe forming bluff body

(28) 27 base of the combustion chamber

(29) 28 top of the combustion chamber

(30) 31 cylindrical ballast

(31) 32 nozzle

(32) 33 air into ballast

(33) 34 pressure gauge means

(34) 35 orifice hole for water to pass into and out of the bottom of cylindrical ballast

(35) 36 air out of ballast

(36) 37 air pressure inside the ballast

(37) 38 ocean water level

(38) 39 upward/counterforce against downward force on the ballast by the apparatus

(39) 40 downward force on the ballast by the apparatus

(40) 41 height of apparatus above the planar surface

(41) 42 water into the ballast

(42) 43 water out of the ballast

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

(43) A method and mobile apparatus to increase the efficiency and cleanliness of in-situ combustion of combustible material on a nominally planar surface, through the cost-effective control of air into a cylindrical combustion chamber, driven by a natural draft of tangential air flow, that creates a spiral of air flow within the chamber, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, will now be described with reference to FIGS. 1-9.

(44) Referring now to FIG. 1 of the drawings, a perspective plan view of the apparatus 11, the apparatus 11 will receive the air through its chamber air inlet 12 that passes through an azimuthal array of vertical vanes 13 at the interface 14 of the apparatus 11 and nominally planar surface 15, so that the air may enter the combustion chamber 16 with a spin radial along the cylindrical wall of the combustion chamber 17. The combustion chamber 16 will receive some ignition fuel through multiple conduit means 18 for a pilot light or other ignition means 19. Exhaust flue gas will travel out the apparatus 11 past the internal wall of the insulated stack 22.

(45) Referring now to FIG. 2 of the drawings, a perspective side view of the apparatus, the apparatus 11 will receive air through its chamber air inlet 12 that passes through an azimuthal array of vertical vanes 13 at the interface 14 of the apparatus and nominally plan surface 15, so that the air may enter the combustion chamber 16. After combustion, exhaust flue gas will travel out the apparatus 11 past the internal wall of the insulated stack 22.

(46) Referring now to FIG. 3 of the drawings, a perspective plan bottom view of the apparatus 11, the apparatus 11 will receive the air through its chamber air inlet 12 that passes through an azimuthal array of vertical vanes 13 under the base of the apparatus 27, so that the air may enter the combustion chamber 16 with a spin radial along the cylindrical wall 17 of the chamber 16. The combustion chamber will receive some ignition fuel through multiple conduit means 18 for a pilot light or other ignition means 19. After combustion, exhaust flue gas will travel out the apparatus 11 past the internal wall of the insulated stack 22.

(47) Referring now to FIG. 4 of the drawings, a portion of a view of FIG. 3 enlarged for magnification purposes, the apparatus 11 will receive the air through its chamber air inlet 12 that passes through an azimuthal array of vertical vanes 13 under the base of the combustion chamber 27, so that the air may enter the combustion chamber 16 with a spin radial along the cylindrical wall 17 of the chamber 16. The combustion chamber will receive some ignition fuel through multiple conduit means 18 for a pilot light or other ignition means 19. After combustion, exhaust flue gas will travel out the apparatus 11 past the internal wall of the insulated stack 22.

(48) Referring now to FIG. 5, a perspective bottom view of an embodiment of apparatus with bluff body 20, the apparatus 11 will receive air through its chamber air inlet 12 that passes through an azimuthal array of vertical vanes 13 under the base of the combustion chamber 27, and be impeded by a plurality of vertical pipes 21, collectively defined as a “bluff body”, before entering the combustion chamber 16. The combustion chamber will receive some ignition fuel through multiple conduit means 18 for a pilot light or other ignition means 19. After combustion, exhaust flue gas will travel out the top of apparatus 11 past the internal wall of the insulated stack 22.

(49) Referring now to FIG. 6, a portion of a view of FIG. 5 enlarged for magnification purposes, the apparatus with a bluff body 20 will receive air through its chamber air inlet 12 that passes through an azimuthal array of vertical vanes 13 under the base of the combustion chamber 27, so that the air may enter the apparatus 11 and be impeded by a plurality of vertical pipes 21, collectively defined as a “bluff body”, before entering the combustion chamber 16. The combustion chamber will receive some ignition fuel through multiple conduit means 18 for a pilot light or other ignition means 19. After combustion, exhaust flue gas will travel out the top of the apparatus 11 past the internal wall of the insulated stack 22.

(50) Referring now to FIG. 7, a perspective plan view of an embodiment of the apparatus with a bluff body, the apparatus with a bluff body 20 will receive air through its chamber air inlet 12 that passes through an azimuthal array of vertical vanes 13, so that the air may enter the apparatus 11 and be impeded by a plurality of vertical pipes 21, alongside a conduit means 18, collectively defined as a “bluff body”, before entering the combustion chamber 16. The combustion chamber will receive some ignition fuel through multiple conduit means 18 for a pilot light or other ignition means 19. After combustion, exhaust flue gas will travel out the top of the apparatus 11 past the internal wall of the insulated stack 22.

(51) Referring now to FIG. 8 of the drawings, a longitudinal section of the apparatus, the apparatus 11 will receive air through its chamber air inlet 12 that passes into the combustion chamber 16 under the base of the combustion chamber 27 through the cylindrical wall of the combustion chamber 17. After combustion, exhaust flue gas will travel out the top of the apparatus 11 past the internal wall of the insulated stack 22.

(52) Referring now to FIG. 9 of the drawings, a longitudinal section view of the ballast tank 31 which controls the height 41 of the apparatus above the planar surface 15, is uniformly positioned at the base of the combustion chamber 27 at the interface 14 of the apparatus and the nominally planar surface 15 which can be the ocean water level 38 during the cleanup of an oil-spill, shows the nozzle 32 at the top of the ballast 31 that admits air 33 into the ballast 31 and releases air out of the ballast 36, and a pressure gauge means 34 to provide feedback control data for the air pressure 37 inside the ballast 31, and an orifice hole 35 where water will pass into 42 and out of 43 the bottom of the cylindrical ballast 31.

(53) Also referring to FIG. 9 of the drawings, a longitudinal section view of the cylindrical ballast 31 shows the forces acting on the ballast 31, where the air pressure inside the ballast 37 provides a counterforce 39 against the downward force 40 on the ballast 31 by the apparatus 11.

(54) Referring now to FIG. 10 of the drawings, a top view of the apparatus with a bluff body 20 shows a plurality of vertical pipes forming a “bluff body” 21, alongside a conduit means 18, where the vertical pipes forming a “bluff body” 21 will preferably be spaced evenly apart at a preferred spacing 26 of fifteen degrees from the axial midline of the combustion chamber 25. The apparatus with a bluff body 20 will receive air through its chamber air inlet 12 that passes through an azimuthal array of vertical vanes 13, so that the air may enter the apparatus 11 and be impeded by a plurality of vertical pipes 21, before entering the combustion, chamber 16.

(55) While other modifications of this invention and variations of the method and apparatus that may be employed within the scope of the invention have not been described, the invention is intended to include all such as may be embraced within this patent application.