Atomization of liquid fuels

Claim 2

The liquid fuel atomizing method for producing fine fuel particles in furnace buner sprays comprising the steps of mixing a relatively small quantity of first liquid and a relatively large quantity of second liquid fuel, forming a plurality of first liquid droplets in a second liquid matrix, heating the liquids under pressure to a range of temperatures above a temperature at which the first liquid boils and vaporizes upon being rapidly released to the lower pressure, flowing heat from the second liquid fuel to the first liquid to continue vaporization while releasing the fluids to a lower pressure, thereby flashing the first fluid and thereby shattering and forming minute particles of the second fluid.

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of emulsifyinG the liquids before the heating step.

Claim 4

The method of claim 2 wherein the emulsifying step comprises pumping the liquids in a gear pump.

Claim 5

The method of claim 3 wherein the emulsifying step further comprises recirculating the liquids around the gear pump.

Claim 6

The method of claim 1 wherein the first liquid is water and the second liquid is fuel oil and further comprising the initial steps of separately pumping fuel oil and water, controlling the pressure of the fuel oil, sensing the flow of oil, controlling flow of water in a predetermined ratio to the flow of fuel oil, combining the flows, and emulsifying the fuel oil and water.

Claim 7

The method of claim 5 in which the emulsifying comprises forming water droplets in an oil matrix.

Claim 8

The method of claim 6 in which the controlling flow comprises controlling flow in a ratio of about ten percent water and about ninety percent oil.

Claim 9

Apparatus for use in the method of claim 1 comprising separate first relatively small and second relatively large respectively pressurizing means for mixing the liquids, heating means connected to the mixing means for heating the mixed fluids to above a temperature at which the first liquid flashes upon being released to a lower pressure, and release means for releasing the liquids to the lower pressure, while transferring heat from the second liquid fuel to the first liquid for continuing vaporization of the first liquid, thereby flashing the first liquid and thereby shattering and forming minute particles of the second liquid.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 8 comprising first and second pressurizing means, first and second output lines connected respectively to the pressurizing means, a pressure control connected to the first output line, valve connected to the second output line and connected to the flow controller for varying flow in the second output line in accordance with a predetermined ratio of flow in the first output line, and emulsifier connected to the first and second output lines for forming an emulsion of the first and second liquids, a heater connected to the emulsifier for heating the emulsion, a heat controller connected to the heater for controlling the heater temperature at a level above which one of the liquids vaporizes at atmospheric pressure, and wherein the release means comprises a nozzle connected to the heater for releasing the emulsion to atmospheric pressure.