Energy Generation By Igniting Flames Of An Electropositive Metal By Plasmatizing The Reaction Gas

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017311432-A1
Application number	US-201515511253-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 16, 2014
Priority date	Sep 24, 2014
Publication date	Oct 26, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to generating energy. The teachings thereof may be embodied in methods for burning a reaction gas with an electropositive metal. An method for generating energy may include: supplying a reaction gas and an electropositive metal separately to at least one nozzle; wherein the electropositive metal is selected from alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, aluminum, zinc, mixtures, and/or alloys thereof; burning the reaction gas with the electropositive metal; and coverting the reaction gas before or during burning at least temporarily into a plasma.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for generating energy, the method comprising:
Supplying a reaction gas and an electropositive metal separately to at least one nozzle; wherein the electropositive metal is selected from alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, aluminum, zinc, mixtures, and/or alloys thereof; burning the reaction gas with the electropositive metal; and coverting
the reaction gas before or during burning, at least temporarily into a plasma.

2 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising generating the plasma within the at least one nozzle with a high-voltage discharge in the range from 4 to 100 kV where the nozzle serves as an electrode.

3 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:
supplying an atomizing gas to the at least one nozzle; and atomizing the electropositive metal with the atomizing gas.

4 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising liquefying or atomizing the electropositive metal before supply into the at least one nozzle.

5 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , where, by placement of a contact, the electropositive metal serves as electrode during plasma generation.

6 . An apparatus for generating energy by burning a reaction gas with an electropositive metal, the apparatus comprising:
at least one nozzle to atomize a mixture of the electropositive metal and the reaction gas; a first supply to supply the electropositive metal to the at least one nozzle;
a second supply to supply the reaction gas to the at least one nozzle;
an ignition device on or in the at least one nozzle to convert the reaction gas within the at least one nozzle at least temporarily into a plasma.

7 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 6 , further comprising a third supply to supply an atomizing gas to the at least one nozzle.

8 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 6 , wherein one or more of the first supply or the second supply or the third supply opens out in the at least one nozzle.

9 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the at least one nozzle comprises a single-fluid nozzle or a two-fluid nozzle.

10 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 6 , further comprising a melting device or a comminuting device to melt or to comminute the electropositive metal upstream of or in the first supply.

11 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the at least one nozzle comprises a metal nozzle or a reaction gas nozzle or an atomizing gas nozzle;
wherein: the first supply means opens out in the metal nozzle; or the second supply opens out in the reaction gas nozzle; or the third supply opens out in the atomizing gas nozzle.

12 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 11 , wherein:
the first supply is disposed coaxially within the second supply; the second supply opens out into the reaction gas nozzle; and the first supply supplies the electropositive metal within the at least one nozzle.

13 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the ignition device comprises a high-voltage ignition device having a high-voltage source with a voltage in the range from 4 to 100 kV, the high-voltage source connected to two electrodes, wherein:
i) the first supply or the electropositive metal itself, and the second supply; or ii) the first supply or the electropositive metal itself, and the third supply; or iii) the second supply and the third supply; are each designed as one electrode and
the shortest distance between the respective electrodes is formed within the at least one nozzle.

14 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the electropositive metal comprises an electrode and wherein, after the supply by the first supply, the electropositive metal passes as a coherent metal body or as a dense cloud of metal particles into the at least one nozzle, and
the ignition device comprises the at least one nozzle and the electropositive metal.

Assignees

• Siemens Ag

Inventors

• Eckert Helmut
• Kellermann Renate Elena
• Maleika Marek
• Ruehrig Manfred
• Schmid Guenter
• Taroata Dan

Classifications

• H05H1/42 Primary

  with provisions for introducing materials into the plasma, e.g. powder or liquid {(arc stabilising or constricting arrangements H05H1/3405; coaxial protecting fluids H05H1/341)} · CPC title

• H05H1/34 Primary

  Details, e.g. electrodes, nozzles · CPC title

• H05H1/48 Primary

  using an arc (H05H1/26 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F02P9/007

  by supplementary electrical discharge in the pre-ionised electrode interspace of the sparking plug, e.g. plasma jet ignition · CPC title

• H05H1/26 Primary

  Plasma torches · CPC title