Electrogasdynamic converter with resistive channel

Claim 2

In a method for effecting a conversion of the energy of a gaseous stream into electrical energy, including ionizing the stream in an upstream portion of a bounded flow path to provide charges therein, neutralizing the charges at a downstream portion of the flow path and establishing an axial charge-repelling field in the flow path over an intermediate portion between the upstream and downstream portions, thereby to generate high electrical potentials, the step of: establishing adjacent the flow path boundary in the intermediate portion, and over substantially the full axial extent of the intermediate portion, a high resistance path operative to conduct charges electrically contacting the flow path boundary to the upstream portion so as to allow the buildup of high charge potentials within the intermediate portion while preventing dielectric breakdown of the gaseous stream or flow path boundary; and forming in the stream a quantity of liquid pArticles of suitable viscosity to become charge in the stream and produce a thin liquid film at the flow path boundary.

Claim 3

A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising the step of providing a secondary flow boundary downstream of the neutralization of charges to carry the stream containing excess liquid particles.

Claim 4

A method according to claim 2, in which the secondary flow boundary has a length exceeding the length of said intermediate section to render the resistance of any liquid film formed therein substantially greater than the film resistance in the intermediate section.

Claim 5

A method according to claim 1, in which the liquid particles are formed by injecting into the stream the vapor of a condensable liquid.

Claim 6

A method according to claim 4, in which the condensable liquid is alcohol.

Claim 7

A method according to claim 4, in which the film is formed by mixing with the gaseous flow a proportion of the vaporous substance sufficient to stabilize the rate at which charges are conducted by the resistive film and to eliminate dielectric breakdown within the gaseous stream.

Claim 8

A method according to claim 1, in which the thin liquid film is formed over substantially the entire peripheral extend of the flow path boundary.

Claim 9

In apparatus for converting the energy of a gaseous stream into electrical energy, including a flow channel for the stream, ionizing electrode means in an upstream section of the channel to establish an electrical discharge field productive of mobile charges in the stream and a collector electrode spaced from the ionizing electrode means in the direction of flow of the stream for neutralizing charges carried by the stream in the flow path region adjacent thereto, thereby to develop an electrical potential: means for establishing at the flow path boundary of the channel a high resistance path for the conduction away of at least some of the charges carried by the gaseous stream and driven to such boundary, the high resistance path extending over an intermediate section of the channel between the collector electrode and the ionizing electrode means, thereby to allow the buildup of high charge potentials in the intermediate section while simultaneously enabling a controlled rate of discharge for electrical charges at the boundary of the gaseous stream and preventing dielectric breakdown of the gaseous stream or the flow path boundary, said high resistance path having a thin film of conducting resistance liquid material providing a flow path boundary in said intermediate section.

Claim 10

In apparatus for converting the energy of a gaseous stream into electrical energy, including a flow channel for the stream, ionizing electrode means in an upstream section of the channel to establish an electrical discharge field productive of mobile charges in the stream and a collector electrode spaced from the ionizing electrode means in the direction of flow of the stream for neutralizing charges carried by the stream in the flow path region adjacent thereto, thereby to develop an electrical potential: means for establishing at the flow path boundary of the channel a high resistance path for the conduction away of at least some of the charges carried by the gaseous stream and driven to such boundary, the high resistance path extending over an intermediate section of the channel between the collector electrode and the ionizing electrode means, thereby to allow the buildup of high charge potentials in the intermediate section while simultaneously enabling a controlled rate of discharge for electrical charges at the boundary of the gaseous stream and preventing dielectric breakdown of the gaseous stream or the flow path boundary, said high resistance path having a thin film of conducting resistance liquid material providing a flow path boundary in said intermediate section.

Claim 11

Apparatus as defined in claim 8 further comprising: means for dispersing in the stream, at a position upstream of the ionizing electrode means, liquid particles of a substance to be deposited at the flow path boundary to form said resistive film.

Claim 12

In combination with apparatus according to claim 9, a source of the liquid substance, said substance having a dielectric strength exceeding 3 X 106 volts per meter.

Claim 13

The combination of claim 10, in which said substance has a conductance in the range between and including about 10 6 ohms per meter and 10 3 ohms per meter.

Claim 14

The combination of claim 10, in which said substance is selected from the group consisting of alcohol, carbon tetrachloride, acetone, Freon 22 and a mixture with water of any of the preceding substances.

Claim 15

Apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising: conduit means downstream of said collector electrode to carry the stream and excess liquid particles from the channel.

Claim 16

Apparatus according to claim 13, in which the conduit means has a length exceeding the axial distance of the flow channel between the collector and ionizing electrode means.

Claim 17

Apparatus as defined in claim 14, in which the conduit means has a length, in feet, at least equal to one-twentieth of the potential, in kilovolts, at the collector.

Claim 18

In apparatus for converting the energy of a gaseous stream into electrical energy, including a flow channel for the stream, ionizing electrode means in an upstream section of the channel to establish an electrical discharge field productive of mobile charges in the stream and a collector electrode spaced from the ionizing electrode means in the direction of flow of the stream for neutralizing charges carried by the stream in the flow path region adjacent thereto, thereby to develop an electrical potential: means for dispersing in the stream, at a position upstream of the ionizing electrode means, liquid particles of a substance to be deposited at the flow path boundary to form a high resistance film extending over an intermediate section of the channel between the collector electrode and the ionizing electrode means; and conduit means downstream of said collector electrode and surrounding the flow channel to define therewith an annular flow path to direct the stream in a direction counter to the direction of flow in the flow channel and operative to carry the stream and excess liquid particles therefrom.

Claim 19

In apparatus for converting the energy of a gaseous stream into electrical energy, including a flow channel for the stream, ionizing electrode means in an upstream section of the channel to establish an electrical discharge field productive of mobile charges in the stream and a collector electrode spaced from the ionizing electrode means in the direction of flow of the stream for neutralizing charges carried by the stream in the flow path region adjacent thereto, thereby to develop an electrical potential: means for dispersing in the stream, at a position upstream of the ionizing electrode means, liquid particles of a substance to be deposited at the flow path boundary to form a high resistance film extending over an intermediate section of the channel between the collector electrode and the ionizing electrode means; and conduit means downstream of said collector electrode and surrounding the flow channel to define therewith an annular flow path to direct the stream in a direction counter to the direction of flow in the flow channel and operative to carry the stream and excess liquid particles therefrom.

Claim 20

In apparatus for converting the energy of a gaseous stream into electrical energy, including a flow channel for the stream, ionizing electrode means in an upstream section of the channel to establish an electrical discharge field productive of mobile charges in the stream and a collector electrode spaced from the ionizing electrode means in the direction of flow of the stream for neutralizing charges carried by the stream in the flow path region adjacent thereto, thereby to develop an electrical potential: means for dispersing in the stream, at a position upstream of the ionizing electrode means, liquid particles of a substance to be deposited at the flow path boundary to form a high resistance film extending over an intermediate section of the channel between the collector electrode and the ionizing electrode means; and ionizing electrode means; and conduit means downstream of said collector electrode providing a series of mutually spaced secondary flow tubes disposed about the outside of and extending in a direction generally parallel to the axis of flow channel to carry the stream and excess liquid particles therefrom.

Claim 21

In apparatus for converting the energy of a gaseous stream into electrical energy, including a flow channel for the stream, ionizing electrode means in an upstream section of the channel to establish an electrical discharge field productive of mobile charges in the stream and a collector electrode spaced from the ionizing electrode means in the direction of flow of the stream for neutralizing charges carried by the stream in the flow path region adjacent thereto, thereby to develop an electrical potential: means for dispersing in the stream, at a position upstream of the ionizing electrode means, liquid particles of a substance to be deposited at the flow path boundary to form a high resistance film extending over an intermediate section of the channel between the collector electrode and the ionizing electrode means; and ionizing electrode means; and conduit means downstream of said collector electrode providing a series of mutually spaced secondary flow tubes disposed about the outside of and extending in a direction generally parallel to the axis of flow channel to carry the stream and excess liquid particles therefrom.

Claim 22

In apparatus for converting the energy of a gaseous stream into electrical energy, including a flow channel for the stream, ionizing electrode means in an upstream section of the channel to establish in electrical discharge field productive of mobile charges in the stream and a collector electrode spaced from the ionizing electrode means in the direction of flow of the stream for neutralizing charges carried by the stream in the flow path region adjacent thereto, thereby to develop an electrical potential: means for dispersing in the stream, at a position upstream of the ionizing electrode means, liquid particles of a substance to be deposited at the flow path boundary to form a high resistance film extending over an intermediate section of the channel between the collector electrode and the ionizing electrode means; and annular conduit means positioned coaxially downstream of the collector electrode and flow channel to carry the stream and excess liquid particles therefrom.

Claim 23

In apparatus for converting the energy of a gaseous stream into electrical energy, including a flow channel for the stream, ionizing electrode means in an upstream section of the channel to establish in electrical discharge field productive of mobile charges in the stream and a collector electrode spaced from the ionizing electrode means in the direction of flow of the stream for neutralizing charges carried by the stream in the flow path region adjacent thereto, thereby to develop an electrical potential: means for dispersing in the stream, at a position upstream of the ionizing electrode means, liquid particles of a substance to be deposited at the flow path boundary to form a high resistance film extending over an intermediate section of the channel between the collector electrode and the ionizing electrode means; and annular conduit means positioned coaxially downstream of the collector electrode and flow channel to carry the stream and excess liquid particles therefrom.

Claim 24

Apparatus as defined in claim 18, in which: the annular conduit means has a cavity at the center thereof for receiving an electrical load device, the apparatus further comprising conductor means extending internally of the apparatus between the collector electrode and the cavity interior to provide a terminal connection to the load device.

Claim 25

In apparatus for converting the energy of a gaseous stream into electrical energy, including a flow channel for the stream, ionizing electrode means in an upstream section of the channel to establish an electrical discharge field productive of mobile charges in the stream and a collector electrode spaced from the ionizing electrode means in the direction of flow of the stream for neutralizing charges carried by the stream in the Flow path region adjacent thereto, thereby to develop an electrical potential: means for dispersing in the stream, at a position upstream of the ionizing electrode means, liquid particles of a substance to be deposited at the flow path boundary to form a high resistance film extending over an intermediate section of the channel between the collector electrode and the ionizing electrode means; and conduit means downstream of said collector electrode having a length exceeding the axial distance of the flow channel between the collector and ionizing electrode means and helically surrounding the flow channel to carry the stream and excess liquid particles therefrom.

Claim 26

In apparatus for converting the energy of a gaseous stream into electrical energy, including a flow channel for the stream, ionizing electrode means in an upstream section of the channel to establish an electrical discharge field productive of mobile charges in the stream and a collector electrode spaced from the ionizing electrode means in the direction of flow of the stream for neutralizing charges carried by the stream in the Flow path region adjacent thereto, thereby to develop an electrical potential: means for dispersing in the stream, at a position upstream of the ionizing electrode means, liquid particles of a substance to be deposited at the flow path boundary to form a high resistance film extending over an intermediate section of the channel between the collector electrode and the ionizing electrode means; and conduit means downstream of said collector electrode having a length exceeding the axial distance of the flow channel between the collector and ionizing electrode means and helically surrounding the flow channel to carry the stream and excess liquid particles therefrom.

Claim 27

In apparatus for converting the energy of a gaseous stream into electrical energy, including a flow channel for the stream, ionizing electrode means in an upstream section of the channel to establish an electrical discharge field productive of mobile charges in the stream and a collector electrode spaced from the ionizing electrode means in the direction of flow of the stream for neutralizing charges carried by the stream in the flow path region adjacent thereto, thereby to develop an electrical potential: means for establishing at the flow path boundary of the channel a high resistance path for the conduction away of at least some of the charges carried by the gaseous stream and driven to such boundary, the high resistance path extending over an intermediate section of the channel between the collector electrode and the ionizing electrode means, thereby to allow the buildup of high charge potentials in the intermediate section while simultaneously enabling a controlled rate of discharge for electrical charges at the boundary of the gaseous stream and preventing dielectric breakdown of the gaseous stream or the flow path boundary, said flow channel is constructed from a dielectric material and the resistive path means includes a series of conductive elements mutually spaced in the direction of flow by a dielectric portion of the flow channel and having a portion electrically exposed to the stream and flush with the interior of the flow channel, the elements extending through the flow channel to provide respective terminals at the outside thereof, and a conductive high impedance element having a continuous, thin resistive film on the outside of the flow channel connected between each of successive ones of the terminals.

Claim 28

In apparatus for converting the energy of a gaseous stream into electrical energy, including a flow channel for the stream, ionizing electrode means in an upstream section of the channel to establish an electrical discharge field productive of mobile charges in the stream and a collector electrode spaced from the ionizing electrode means in the direction of flow of the stream for neutralizing charges carried by the stream in the flow path region adjacent thereto, thereby to develop an electrical potential: means for establishing at the flow path boundary of the channel a high resistance path for the conduction away of at least some of the charges carried by the gaseous stream and driven to such boundary, the high resistance path extending over an intermediate section of the channel between the collector electrode and the ionizing electrode means, thereby to allow the buildup of high charge potentials in the intermediate section while simultaneously enabling a controlled rate of discharge for electrical charges at the boundary of the gaseous stream and preventing dielectric breakdown of the gaseous stream or the flow path boundary, said flow channel is constructed from a dielectric material and the resistive path means includes a series of conductive elements mutually spaced in the direction of flow by a dielectric portion of the flow channel and having a portion electrically exposed to the stream and flush with the interior of the flow channel, the elements extending through the flow channel to provide respective terminals at the outside thereof, and a conductive high impedance element having a continuous, thin resistive film on the outside of the flow channel connected between each of successive ones of the terminals.