US20030192319A1 — Catalytic combustor and method for substantially …

Claim 1

Independent Claim 117 words

1 . A combustion system for use in a turbine which combusts a fuel in the presence of air, which substantially eliminates nitrous oxide emissions, comprising: a heat exchanger including: a catalyst pathway extending along a first axis; a cooling pathway extending along a second axis; wherein said catalyst pathway is in thermal contact with said cooling pathway; wherein the air is adapted to first flow through said cooling pathway and then through said catalyst pathway; a catalyst, disposed within said catalyst pathway, adapted to combust the fuel with the air; and wherein the air is adapted to first flow past said catalyst pathway and through said cooling pathway, thereby receiving thermal energy from said catalyst pathway.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 117 words

1 . A combustion system for use in a turbine which combusts a fuel in the presence of air, which substantially eliminates nitrous oxide emissions, comprising: a heat exchanger including: a catalyst pathway extending along a first axis; a cooling pathway extending along a second axis; wherein said catalyst pathway is in thermal contact with said cooling pathway; wherein the air is adapted to first flow through said cooling pathway and then through said catalyst pathway; a catalyst, disposed within said catalyst pathway, adapted to combust the fuel with the air; and wherein the air is adapted to first flow past said catalyst pathway and through said cooling pathway, thereby receiving thermal energy from said catalyst pathway.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 102 words

2 . The combustion system of claim 1 , wherein said catalyst pathway comprises a plurality of catalyst members, which form a plurality of catalyst columns each spaced apart transversally to said first axis and which define a plurality of channels adapted for allowing the air to flow therethrough; wherein said cooling pathway comprises a plurality of cooling tubes, which form a plurality of cooling tube columns each spaced apart transversally to said second axis; and wherein said cooling tubes extend substantially adjacent said catalyst members along said second axis for at least a portion of the length of said catalyst members.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 49 words

3 . The combustion system of claim 2 , wherein said catalyst members, said cooling tubes, and said channels define a flow path for the air such that the air is able to receive thermal energy from the catalyst members by flowing through said channels and said cooling tubes.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 22 words

4 . The combustion system of claim 1 , wherein said thermal energy allows the fuel to be combusted with said catalyst.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 27 words

5 . The combustion system of claim 1 , wherein said catalyst comprises a material able to combust a fuel in the air below about 1500° C.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 88 words

6 . The combustion system of claim 1 , further comprising: a heat exchange area; a pre-mix area for mixing a first portion of the fuel with the air; a main injector area comprising at least one injector for said catalyst members; wherein a second portion of the fuel is mixed with the air with said main injector; and wherein said main injector is adapted to mix the second portion of fuel with the air such that the temperature throughout the area of the injector is substantially equal.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 23 words

7 . The combustion system of claim 1 , further comprising fins adapted to direct the flow of air around said catalyst tube.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 25 words

8 . The combustion system of claim 1 , wherein said cooling pathway includes a cooling fin and said catalyst pathway includes a catalyst fin.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 32 words

9 . The combustion system of claim 1 , wherein said first axis and said second axis are parallel for at least a portion of said catalyst pathway and said cooling pathway.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 109 words

10 . A turbine, comprising: a compressor adapted to produce compressed atmospheric air; a combustion system for mixing and combusting a fuel injected into the compressed atmospheric air to produce expanding gases; a turbine which is powered by the expanding gases: wherein said combustion system comprises: a first fuel supply to supply fuel to the compressed atmospheric air; a heat exchanger comprising a catalyst section including a catalyst disposed within said catalyst section, wherein the compressed air and the fuel flow through said catalyst section; and a second fuel supply to supply fuel to the compressed atmospheric air after the compressed atmospheric air has passed through said catalyst section.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 109 words

10 . A turbine, comprising: a compressor adapted to produce compressed atmospheric air; a combustion system for mixing and combusting a fuel injected into the compressed atmospheric air to produce expanding gases; a turbine which is powered by the expanding gases: wherein said combustion system comprises: a first fuel supply to supply fuel to the compressed atmospheric air; a heat exchanger comprising a catalyst section including a catalyst disposed within said catalyst section, wherein the compressed air and the fuel flow through said catalyst section; and a second fuel supply to supply fuel to the compressed atmospheric air after the compressed atmospheric air has passed through said catalyst section.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 104 words

11 . The turbine of claim 10 , wherein said catalyst section comprises a plurality of said catalyst members each extending along a first axis; wherein said heat exchanger further includes a plurality of cooling tubes each extending along a second axis generally parallel to said first axis for at least a selected length; wherein said catalyst members are arranged to form a plurality of columns spaced transversally to said first axis and defining a plurality of channels; and wherein said cooling tubes are arranged in a plurality of columns and extend a distance along said catalyst members and generally perpendicular to said channels.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 52 words

12 . The turbine of claim 11 , wherein said catalyst members, said cooling tubes and said channels define a flow path for the compressed atmospheric air such that the compressed atmospheric air is adapted to receive thermal energy from said catalyst members by flowing through said channels and said cooling tubes.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 39 words

13 . The turbine of claim 11 , wherein thermal energy is transferred to the compressed atmospheric air as it flows through said heat exchanger such that the fuel from the first fuel supply is combusted via said catalyst.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 91 words

14 . The turbine of claim 11 , further comprising: a heat exchange area; a pre-mix area for mixing a first portion of the fuel with the air; a main injector area comprising at least one injector for said catalyst tube; wherein a second portion of the fuel is mixed with the compressed atmospheric air in said main injector; and wherein said main injector is adapted to mix the second portion of fuel with the compressed atmospheric air such that the temperature throughout the area of the injector is substantially equal.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 16 words

15 . The turbine of claim 10 , wherein said catalyst section comprises a catalyst fin.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 102 words

16 . For a turbine, a method of combusting a fuel in the presence of atmospheric air while substantially eliminating the emission of nitrous oxide compounds, the method comprising: providing a heat exchanger comprising a plurality of pathways; disposing a catalyst in at least a sub-plurality of said pathways; forming a first fuel-air mixture by mixing a first portion of the fuel and the air; producing a auto-ignition air stream by combusting the first fuel-air mixture by contacting the first fuel-air mixture with the catalyst; and heating the air by transferring a portion of thermal energy from the pathways to the air.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 102 words

16 . For a turbine, a method of combusting a fuel in the presence of atmospheric air while substantially eliminating the emission of nitrous oxide compounds, the method comprising: providing a heat exchanger comprising a plurality of pathways; disposing a catalyst in at least a sub-plurality of said pathways; forming a first fuel-air mixture by mixing a first portion of the fuel and the air; producing a auto-ignition air stream by combusting the first fuel-air mixture by contacting the first fuel-air mixture with the catalyst; and heating the air by transferring a portion of thermal energy from the pathways to the air.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 58 words

17 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising: forming a second fuel-air mixture by adding a second portion of fuel to the auto-ignition air stream; and producing an expanding gas by combusting said second fuel-air mixture, said expanding gas occurring when the fuel in the second fuel-air mixture reaches the temperature of the auto-ignition air stream.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 17 words

18 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising powering a turbine with said expanding gas.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 24 words

19 . The method of claim 16 , wherein said first fuel-air mixture has an equivalence ratio of between about 0.10 and about 0.30.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 24 words

20 . The method of claim 17 , wherein said second fuel-air mixture has an equivalence ratio of between about 0.40 and about 0.60.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 27 words

21 . The method of claim 16 , wherein said auto-ignition air stream has a temperature between about 760° C. (1400° F.) and 871° C. (1600° F.).

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 35 words

22 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the step of heating the air comprises transferring a portion of the thermal energy produced in the pathways when the catalyst forms the auto-ignition air stream.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 111 words

23 . A combustion system for use in a gas powered turbine which combusts a fuel in the presence of air while substantially eliminating nitrous oxide emissions, comprising: a pre-heater to heat a volume of an oxidizer to form a volume of high energy oxidizer; an injector member to inject a fuel, including a high temperature, into said volume of high energy oxidizer; an injector port, defined by said injector member, to provide the fuel to said volume of high energy oxidizer before a substantial portion of the fuel combusts; and wherein substantially all the fuel provided through said injector port reaches its said high temperature at substantially the same time.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 111 words

23 . A combustion system for use in a gas powered turbine which combusts a fuel in the presence of air while substantially eliminating nitrous oxide emissions, comprising: a pre-heater to heat a volume of an oxidizer to form a volume of high energy oxidizer; an injector member to inject a fuel, including a high temperature, into said volume of high energy oxidizer; an injector port, defined by said injector member, to provide the fuel to said volume of high energy oxidizer before a substantial portion of the fuel combusts; and wherein substantially all the fuel provided through said injector port reaches its said high temperature at substantially the same time.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 40 words

24 . The combustion system of claim 23 , wherein said pre-heater includes: a catalyst pathway having a catalyst disposed therein; a cooling pathway; and wherein said catalyst pathway and said cooling pathway extend substantially parallel for a selected distance.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 101 words

25 . The combustion system of claim 24 , wherein said catalyst pathway comprises a plurality of catalyst members, that form a plurality of catalyst columns each spaced apart transversally to said first axis and which define a plurality of channels adapted for allowing the oxidizer to flow therethrough; wherein said cooling pathway comprises a plurality of cooling tubes that form a plurality of cooling columns each spaced apart transversally to said second axis; and wherein said cooling columns extend substantially adjacent said catalyst columns along said second axis for at least a portion of the length of said catalyst columns.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 69 words

26 . The combustion system of claim 23 , further comprising: at least a first and a second of said injector ports; a first fuel stream produced by said first injector port; and a second fuel stream produced by said second injector port; wherein said first fuel stream and said second fuel stream impinge into one another to form a fuel plume prior to intersect the high energy air.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 29 words

27 . The combustion system of claim 26 , wherein said first fuel stream and said second fuel stream intersect at an angle between about 20° and about 150°.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 44 words

28 . The combustion system of claim 26 , further comprising: a fuel path formed in said injector member such that the first fuel stream and the second fuel stream provided by said first and second injector ports intersect to produce said fuel plume.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 33 words

29 . The combustion system of claim 23 , wherein said injector port is substantially rectangular in shape such that a fuel stream is flattened as said fuel stream exits said injector port.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 168 words

30 . A gas powered turbine, comprising: a compressor to produce compressed atmospheric air to provide an oxidizer for the gas powered turbine; a combustion system for mixing and combusting a fuel injected into the compressed atmospheric air to produce an expanding gas; a turbine fan which is powered by the expanding gases: wherein said combustion system comprises: a pre-heat area; a first fuel line to supply a first portion of fuel to the compressed atmospheric air which is combusted in the pre-heat area to heat the compressed atmospheric air to a hypergolic temperature so as to produce hypergolic air; a second fuel line to supply a second portion of fuel to the hypergolic air; an injector system to provide said second portion of fuel to said hypergolic air before any substantial portion of said second portion of fuel combusts; and wherein substantially all of said second portion of fuel combusts at substantially the same time such that the gas powered turbine emits substantially no nitrous oxide compounds.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 168 words

30 . A gas powered turbine, comprising: a compressor to produce compressed atmospheric air to provide an oxidizer for the gas powered turbine; a combustion system for mixing and combusting a fuel injected into the compressed atmospheric air to produce an expanding gas; a turbine fan which is powered by the expanding gases: wherein said combustion system comprises: a pre-heat area; a first fuel line to supply a first portion of fuel to the compressed atmospheric air which is combusted in the pre-heat area to heat the compressed atmospheric air to a hypergolic temperature so as to produce hypergolic air; a second fuel line to supply a second portion of fuel to the hypergolic air; an injector system to provide said second portion of fuel to said hypergolic air before any substantial portion of said second portion of fuel combusts; and wherein substantially all of said second portion of fuel combusts at substantially the same time such that the gas powered turbine emits substantially no nitrous oxide compounds.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 46 words

31 . The turbine of claim 30 , further comprising: the air before the air enters the pre-heat area; a main injector plate comprising at least a first and a second of said injectors; and a combustion area wherein said second supply of fuel is combusted.

Claim 37

Dependent Claim 55 words

32 . The turbine of claim 31 , further comprising: a first fuel stream produced by said first injector port; and a second fuel stream produced by said second injector port; wherein said first fuel stream and said second fuel stream impinge into one another forming a fuel plume prior to intersecting the hypergolic air.

Claim 38

Dependent Claim 93 words

33 . A method of combusting a fuel for a gas powered turbine in the presence of atmospheric air while substantially eliminating the emission of nitrous oxide compounds, the method comprising: producing an auto-ignition air stream wherein a fuel homogeneously combusts spontaneously upon reaching the temperature of said auto-ignition air stream; providing a first portion of the fuel to said auto-ignition air stream; and mixing said first portion of fuel with said auto-ignition air stream before substantially any of said first portion of fuel combusts to substantially eliminate emission of nitrous oxide compounds.

Claim 39

Dependent Claim 93 words

33 . A method of combusting a fuel for a gas powered turbine in the presence of atmospheric air while substantially eliminating the emission of nitrous oxide compounds, the method comprising: producing an auto-ignition air stream wherein a fuel homogeneously combusts spontaneously upon reaching the temperature of said auto-ignition air stream; providing a first portion of the fuel to said auto-ignition air stream; and mixing said first portion of fuel with said auto-ignition air stream before substantially any of said first portion of fuel combusts to substantially eliminate emission of nitrous oxide compounds.

Claim 40

Dependent Claim 48 words

34 . The method of claim 33 , further comprising: producing an expanding gas by combusting said first portion of fuel in said auto-ignition air-stream, said expanding gas occurring when said portion of fuel in said auto-ignition air-stream combusts upon reaching the temperature of the auto-ignition air stream.

Claim 41

Dependent Claim 17 words

35 . The method of claim 34 , further comprising powering a turbine with said expanding gas.

Claim 42

Dependent Claim 27 words

36 . The method of claim 33 , wherein said auto-ignition air stream has a temperature between about 760° C. (1400° F.) and 871° C. (1600° F.).

Claim 43

Dependent Claim 32 words

37 . The method of claim 33 , wherein mixing said first portion of fuel further comprises: impinging a first fuel stream upon a second fuel stream to form a fuel plume.

Claim 44

Dependent Claim 29 words

38 . The method of claim 37 , wherein impinging said first fuel stream upon said second fuel stream occurs at an angle between about 20° and about 150°.

Claim 45

Dependent Claim 32 words

39 . The method of claim 38 , further comprising: forming said first fuel stream and said second fuel stream as substantially flat streams before allowing said streams to impinge one another.

Claim 46

Dependent Claim 28 words

40 . The method of claim 33 , wherein mixing said first portion of fuel further comprises providing a substantially flat fuel stream to said auto-ignition air stream.

Claim 47

Dependent Claim 62 words

41 . The method of claim 33 , wherein producing an auto-ignition air-stream further comprises: forming a fuel-air mixture by mixing a second portion of fuel with a volume of air; and combusting said second portion of fuel in said volume of air, wherein combusting said second portion of fuel increases the temperature of said volume of air to an auto-ignition temperature.

Catalytic combustor and method for substantially eliminating nitrous oxide emissions

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