Nanoparticle dispersing system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016245181-A1
Application number	US-201514627266-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 20, 2015
Priority date	Feb 20, 2015
Publication date	Aug 25, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system for dispersing a catalyst in a fuel includes a first reservoir containing the fuel, and a second reservoir including an agitator and containing a quantity of the catalyst suspended in the fuel. The system also includes a first conduit extending from the first reservoir, a second conduit extending from the second reservoir, and a mixing nozzle connected to the first conduit and the second conduit. The mixing nozzle includes a first meter positioned within the first conduit, a second meter positioned within the second conduit, a valve positioned upstream from the second meter within the second conduit, a junction in flow communication with the first conduit and the second conduit, a mixer downstream from the junction, a sensor positioned between the mixer and an outlet; and a controller connected to the valve and the first and second meters, the controller receiving feedback from the sensor.

First claim

1 . A system for dispersing a catalyst in a fuel, the system comprising:
a first reservoir containing the fuel; a second reservoir including an agitator and containing a quantity of the catalyst suspended in the fuel; a first conduit extending from the first reservoir; a second conduit extending from the second reservoir; and a mixing nozzle connected to the first conduit and the second conduit, the mixing nozzle comprising:
a first meter positioned within the first conduit;
a second meter positioned within the second conduit;
a valve positioned upstream from the second meter within the second conduit;
a junction in flow communication with the first conduit and the second conduit;
a mixer downstream from the junction;
a sensor positioned between the mixer and an outlet; and
a controller connected to the valve and the first and second meters, the controller receiving feedback from the sensor.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the fuel comprises fuel for an aircraft.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the catalyst comprises a nanoparticle between about 50 and about 1,000 nm in size.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the catalyst comprises a transition metal compound.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the mixing nozzle comprises a handle and a lever for manually releasing the fuel from the mixing nozzle.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the mixer is a swirl mixer.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a light-scattering sensor.

8 . A method for dispersing a catalyst in a fuel, the method comprising:
storing the fuel in a first reservoir; suspending the catalyst in the fuel in a second reservoir; delivering a first flow from the first reservoir and a second flow from the second reservoir to a mixing nozzle; mixing the first flow and the second flow within the mixing nozzle; sensing a quantity of the catalyst in the mixing nozzle after the first flow and the second flow have been mixed; and regulating the first flow and the second flow within the mixing nozzle based on the quantity of catalyst sensed.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein suspending the catalyst in the fuel comprises agitating the fuel.

10 . The method of claim 8 , wherein sensing the quantity of the catalyst comprises detecting light scatter after the first flow and the second flow have been mixed.

11 . The method of claim 8 , wherein regulating the first flow and the second flow comprises monitoring the first flow with a first meter positioned in the first conduit and monitoring the second flow with a second meter positioned in the second conduit.

12 . An on-board system for dispersing a catalyst, the system comprising:
a reservoir containing an untreated fuel; a conduit extending from the reservoir to an outlet; a flow regulator positioned within the conduit; a catalyst device positioned within the conduit downstream from the flow regulator, wherein the catalyst device is replaceable; a mixer positioned within the conduit downstream from the catalyst device; a sensor positioned within the conduit downstream from the mixer and upstream from the outlet; and a controller connected to the flow regulator, the controller receiving feedback from the sensor.

13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the untreated fuel comprises fuel for an aircraft.

14 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the on-board catalyst device comprises a nanoparticle bed.

15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the nanoparticle bed is replaceable or refillable via an access door in the conduit.

16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the on-board catalyst device comprises a nanoparticle catalyst on a surface of a three-dimensional matrix.

17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the three-dimensional matrix is additively manufactured.

18 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the three-dimensional matrix is replaceable.

Assignees

• United Technologies Corp

Inventors

• Butcher Evan
• Dardas Zissis A
• Twelves Jr Wendell V
• Kironn Lexia

Classifications

• F02C7/222 Primary

  Fuel flow conduits, e.g. manifolds · CPC title

• F02C7/232

  Fuel valves {(control of fuel supply by means of fuel metering valves F02C9/263)}; Draining valves or systems (valves in general F16K) · CPC title

• B01F15/0217

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• F05D2220/32

  in gas turbines · CPC title

• B64F1/28 Primary

  Liquid-handling installations specially adapted for fuelling stationary aircraft · CPC title