Method and apparatus for combustion

Abstract

A combustor for providing homogeneous combustion of liquid fuels includes an essentially tube shaped combustion body, including a combustion chamber having a plurality of reaction zones, one of which is an injection zone, the others being combustion zones for staged homogeneous combustion of evaporated fuel and air. A swirler, including a base and swirler elements, is configured to operate at a swirl number between 0.6-2.5 in combination with a flow constriction plate whose size is such that the ratio of the open diameter (De) of the constriction to the diameter (D) of the combustion body is <0.7 and the constrictor plate is placed at a distance (L1) from the base of the swirler base so that L1/De>1. A primary mixing plate is placed downstream from the constriction plate at a distance (L2) so that the ratio L2/L1<1 to allow maximum mixing of the homogeneous combustion.

Claims

1. A tube shaped combustion apparatus for providing a homogeneous combustion of liquid fuels, comprising: a combustion chamber (1) having plural reaction zones (A, B, C), one of said reaction zones being a mixing and evaporation zone (A), other ones of said plural reaction zones being zones (B, C) for staged homogeneous combustion of evaporated fuel and air, a constrictor plate (3) that separates the mixing and evaporation zone (A) from the zones (B, C) for staged homogeneous combustion of evaporated fuel and air, the constrictor plate (3) having a constriction with an open diameter (De), the constriction being a truncated cone (9) that protrudes from said constrictor plate (3) towards said nozzle (10) and into the mixing and evaporation reaction zone (A); a primary mixing plate (7) that separates each of the zones (B, C) for staged homogeneous combustion of evaporated fuel and air from each other; a high pressure nozzle (10) adapted to inject the fuel into the mixing and evaporation zone (A) and to mix the fuel with air which in operation is continuously introduced axially to the mixing and evaporation zone (A); a radial swirler (2), comprising a swirler base (4a) and swirler elements provided as blades protruding inwards in the first reaction zone (A) at an angle and disposed along a circle concentric with the periphery of the swirler base (4a) for mixing fuel and air configured to operate at a swirl number between 0.6-2.5 in combination with the flow constriction plate (3) where the size of the constriction is such that the ratio of the open diameter (De) of the constriction to the diameter (D) of the tube shaped combustion apparatus (1) is <0.7, and the constrictor plate (3) is placed at a distance L1 from the swirler base (4a) so that L1/De>1, the primary mixing plate (7) being placed downstream from the constriction plate (3) at a distance (L2) from the constriction plate (3) so that the ratio L2/L1<1 to allow for maximum mixing in the homogeneous combustion process; and a secondary mixing plate (8) placed downstream of the primary mixing plate (7) within one of the zones (B, C) for staged homogeneous combustion of evaporated fuel and air, the secondary mixing plate (8) increasing homogenization, thereby reducing a total length of the reactor.

2. The combustion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said mixing and evaporation zone (A) is configured to inject both diesel fuel and gasoline.

3. The combustion apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a catalyst to operate the homogeneous combustion process under partial or complete catalytic conditions.

4. A method of combustion, comprising: providing the tube shaped combustion apparatus of claim 1; injecting liquid fuel into a first reaction zone (A) of a combustion chamber (1), at a pressure in a range of 3-20 bars of over pressure; mixing the fuel with air that is continuously introduced axially to the first reaction zone (A) (1) by a swirler (2) that produces a swirl strength in the range of 0.6-2.5; igniting the produced fuel/air mixture during start-up of the combustor with an ignition device that initially produces a conventional diffusion flame; and forcing the combustion mixture diffusion flame after initial swirl mixing through a radial constriction (3) in the combustion chamber (1).

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein, the combustion chamber is a tube-shaped combustion chamber having a tube diameter, and the following equations are satisfied: De/D<0.7, where De is an open diameter of the radial constriction (3) and D is the tube diameter, and L1/De>1, where L1 is a distance between a base (4a) of the swirler (2) and the constriction plate (3), and De is the open diameter of the radial constriction (3).

6. A tube shaped combustion apparatus for providing a homogeneous combustion of liquid fuels in a homogeneous combustion process, comprising: a tubular combustion chamber (1) having a first reaction zone (A), a second reaction zone (B), and a third reaction zone (C), each of the first, second, and third reaction zones being tubular reaction zones having a tube diameter (D), the first reaction zone (A) being a fuel mixing and evaporation zone (A), the second and third reaction zones (B, C) each being zones for staged homogeneous combustion of evaporated fuel and air, the first reaction zone (A) being located upstream of the second reaction zone (B), and the second reaction zone (B) being located upstream of the third reaction zone (C); a constrictor plate (3) that separates the first reaction zone (A) from the second reaction zone (B), the constrictor plate (3) having a constriction with an open diameter (De) in a form of a truncated cone (9) that protrudes from said constrictor plate (3) towards said nozzle (10) and into the first reaction zone (A); a primary perforated mixing plate (7) that separates the second reaction zone (B) from the third reaction zone (C); a secondary perforated mixing plate (8) placed within the third reaction zone (C) for increasing total mixing of the homogeneous combustion process; a high pressure nozzle (10) adapted to inject fuel into the first reaction zone (A); and a radial swirler (2) for mixing fuel and air, the radial swirler (2) comprising a swirler base (4a) and swirler blades attached to swirler base (4a) and protruding inwards into the first reaction zone (A) at an angle and disposed along a circle concentric with a periphery of the swirler base (4a), wherein the radial swirler (2) is configured to operate at a swirl number between 0.6-2.5 in combination with the flow constriction plate (3) where a ratio of the open diameter (De) of the constriction to the tube diameter (D) is <0.7, and the constrictor plate (3) is placed at a distance L1 from the swirler base (4a) so that L1/De>1, the primary mixing plate (7) being placed downstream from the constriction plate (3) at a distance (L2) from the constriction plate (3) so that a ratio L2/L1<1 allows for maximum mixing in the homogeneous combustion process.

7. The combustion apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising a catalyst to operate the homogeneous combustion process under catalytic conditions.

8. The combustion apparatus according to claim 6, wherein, the radial swirler (2) further comprises a swirler nozzle (6), and the swirler blades are circular segments arranged concentrically around the swirler nozzle (6).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

(1) The invention will be described with reference to the attached drawings, in which

(2) FIG. 1 schematically illustrates an apparatus;

(3) FIG. 2a shows a radial swirler type;

(4) FIG. 2b shows an axial swirler type; and

(5) FIG. 3 shows an alternative constriction plate.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(6) In one embodiment the combustion reactor 1, shown in FIG. 1, comprises a plurality, suitably three reaction zones A, B and C, in which A is the injection zone where mixing and evaporation takes place, where the fuel is injected into the combustion chamber, mixed with air while undergoing gas phase evaporation. Zone A is separated from zone B by a flow constriction plate 3 designed for recirculation of hot combustion products into the injection zone A. Zone B and C are homogeneous combustion zones separated by a mixing device 7 for staged homogeneous combustion of evaporated fuel and air.

(7) The constrictor plate 3 is suitably provided with a convex cone 9, to improve the recirculation of the combustion products into the injection zone A.

(8) In operation, the liquid fuel is injected into zone A of the combustion chamber 1, by means of a high pressure nozzle 10 that operates in the region of 3-20 bars of over pressure where the fuel is mixed with air that is continuously introduced axially to the combustion chamber 1 by a swirler 2, which may be of the radial or axial type, as shown in FIGS. 2a and 2b, that produces a swirl strength in the range of 0.6-2.5. Thereby, a swirler 2, comprises a swirler base 4a, and swirler elements 4b, 4c.

(9) In the radial type the swirler elements 4b are provided as blades protruding inwards in the combustion chamber at an angle and disposed along a circle concentric with the periphery of the swirler base 4a. In the axial type the swirler elements 4c are provided as blades which are located within an inlet portion before entry into the combustion chamber.

(10) The produced fuel/air mixture is during start-up of the combustor ignited with a conventional ignition device such as, but not limited to, a glow plug or spark plug that initially produces a conventional diffusion flame. The combustion mixture diffusion flame is after initial swirl mixing forced through a radial constriction 3 where the ratio of the open diameter of the radial constriction D.sub.e to the tube diameter D is less than 0.7 D.sub.e/D<0.7 and the distance L1 between the base 4a of the swirler 2 and the constriction plate 3, is such so that ratio of the distance L1 and the constriction open diameter D.sub.e is greater than 1 L1/de>1.

(11) The radial swirler 2 shown in FIG. 2a comprises a swirler bas plate member 4a with baffle like elements 2a arranged concentrically around a nozzle 6 at a location between the nozzle and the periphery P of the swirler 2. These baffles 2a are made by punching or cutting out portions in the swirler plate 4a corresponding to circular segments, leaving one portion of the segments attached or integral with the plate 2. This creates foldable flaps that can be bent upwards such they project at an angle from the plane of the swirler base plate 4a.

(12) FIG. 2b shows an axial swirler 2having a base plate 4a and deflecting elements 2b arranged concentrically around a nozzle 6.

(13) There are numerous possible configurations of means for redirecting the air flow and apart from the one described one could envisage making the apertures themselves such that the bore forms an angle.

(14) By introducing the constriction 3 described above, a negative flow zone is created at the center 5 of the combustion reactor 1 between zone A and B which enables the recirculation of hot combustion products to the fuel injection zone, providing a means for evaporating the fuel in the resulting hot gas mixture. By evaporating the fuel directly the residence time of the fuel in the reactor zone A is decreased and the as a result the combustion is lifted from directly above the nozzle 6 to the constriction plate 3 where a now completely pre-mixed gas phase combustion takes place, as the fuel is completely evaporated in the hot gas phase that is created from the recirculation of the hot combustion gases to the injection zone of the reactor zone A.

(15) Additionally a primary mixing plate 7 is placed at a distance L2 from the constriction plate 3 to further increase the mixing of the combustion products and to reduce the risks of hotspot formation. The mixing plate 7 is placed at the distance L2 from the constriction plate 3 so that L2/L1<1.

(16) In some cases a secondary mixing plate 8 can be added to the combustor 1 in order to reduce the total length L4 of the combustor 1, by further increasing the total mixing of the homogeneous combustion process. Mixing plate 8 can also be replaced by a catalyst to convert the combustor to a catalytic combustor for an optimal emission combustor.