Method and apparatus for enhancing flame radiation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9209654-B2
Application number	US-201213729159-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 28, 2012
Priority date	Dec 30, 2011
Publication date	Dec 8, 2015
Grant date	Dec 8, 2015

Abstract

An apparatus for enhancing flame radiation includes a flame charging system and an electrically isolated electrode. A time-varying voltage is applied to the flame charging system and the flame charging system imparts a corresponding time-varying charge or time-varying voltage onto the flame. The flame responds to the time-varying charge or voltage by increasing its luminosity.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for radiating energy from a hydrocarbon flame, comprising:
a flame charging system configured to impart a time-varying electrical charge or voltage onto a hydrocarbon gas flame; and
an electrically isolated conductor proximate the flame.

2. The system for radiating energy from a hydrocarbon flame of claim 1 , wherein the flame charging system includes an energization electrode having at least intermittent contact with the flame and configured to receive a time-varying voltage.

3. The system for radiating energy from a hydrocarbon flame of claim 2 , wherein the time-varying voltage is selected to cause the flame charging system to impart the corresponding time-varying electrical charge or voltage onto the flame.

4. The system for radiating energy from a hydrocarbon flame of claim 1 , wherein the flame charging system includes a charge-ejecting electrode disposed proximate to the flame; and
wherein the charge-ejecting electrode is configured to receive a time-varying voltage and to eject a corresponding time-varying electrical charge toward the flame.

5. The system for radiating energy from a hydrocarbon flame of claim 4 , wherein the charge-ejecting electrode includes a corona electrode.

6. The system for radiating energy from a hydrocarbon flame of claim 4 , wherein the charge-ejecting electrode includes a sharp electrode.

7. The system for radiating energy from a hydrocarbon flame of claim 1 , wherein the flame charging system includes an ionizer configured to receive a time-varying voltage and provide a fluid medium carrying corresponding time-varying electrical charges to or in proximity to the flame.

8. The system for radiating energy from a hydrocarbon flame of claim 7 , wherein the ionizer is configured to impart the time-varying electrical charges onto a fuel.

9. The system for radiating energy from a hydrocarbon flame of claim 7 , wherein the ionizer is configured to impart the time-varying electrical charges onto combustion air.

10. The system for radiating energy from a hydrocarbon flame of claim 7 , wherein the ionizer is configured to impart the time-varying electrical charges onto one or more types of charge carriers and to deliver the one or more types of charge carriers to the combustion reaction.

11. The system for radiating energy from a hydrocarbon flame of claim 1 , wherein, upon receipt of the time-varying charge, the flame changes in appearance from being substantially transparent to being bright yellow.

12. The system for radiating energy from a hydrocarbon flame of claim 1 , wherein the electrically isolated conductor is arranged to be in electrical communication with the time-varying charge imparted onto the hydrocarbon gas flame.

13. The system for radiating energy from a hydrocarbon flame of claim 12 , wherein the electrically isolated conductor is arranged in a capacitive relationship with the time-varying charge imparted onto the flame.

14. The system for radiating energy from a hydrocarbon flame of claim 13 , wherein the time-varying voltage is selected to cause an electrical waveform phase-varying capacitive energy storage between the flame and the electrically isolated conductor.

15. The system for radiating energy from a hydrocarbon flame of claim 14 , wherein the electrically isolated conductor is arranged in an inductive relationship with the time-varying charge imparted onto the flame.

16. The system for radiating energy from a hydrocarbon flame of claim 15 , wherein the time-varying voltage is selected to cause an electrical waveform phase-varying inductive energy storage between the flame and the electrically isolated conductor.

17. The system for radiating energy from a hydrocarbon flame of claim 1 , wherein the time-varying voltage is selected to cause an electrical waveform phase-varying electrical energy interchange between the flame and the electrically isolated conductor.

18. The system for radiating energy from a hydrocarbon flame of claim 1 , wherein the time-varying voltage is selected to cause a time-varying local transition state concentration or charge balance in the flame.

19. The system for radiating energy from a hydrocarbon flame of claim 1 , wherein the time-varying voltage is selected to cause an increase of an incandescing soot fraction of the flame.

20. The system for radiating energy from a hydrocarbon flame of claim 1 , wherein a phase-varying electrical energy interchange or a phase-varying local transition state concentration or charge balance corresponds to a decrease in an average flame temperature.

21. The system for radiating energy from a hydrocarbon flame of claim 20 , wherein the phase-varying electrical energy interchange or a phase-varying local transition state concentration or charge balance corresponds to an increase in the formation of carbon molecules or carbon-containing agglomerations in the flame; and
wherein the carbon molecules or carbon-containing agglomerations in the flame increase the emissivity of the flame.

22. The system for radiating energy from a hydrocarbon flame of claim 1 , wherein the flame charging system is arranged to be in substantially continuous contact with the flame when the flame is burning.

23. The system for radiating energy from a hydrocarbon flame of claim 1 , wherein the time-varying voltage and a geometry of the flame charging system are selected to substantially prevent formation of an electrical arc.

24. The system for radiating energy from a hydrocarbon flame of claim 1 , wherein the electrically isolated conductor includes a ring or ring segment at least partially surrounding the flame.

25. The system for radiating energy from a hydrocarbon flame of claim 1 , wherein the electrically isolated conductor is in at least intermittent contact with the flame.

26. The system for radiating energy from a hydrocarbon flame of claim 1 , wherein the electrically isolated conductor is arranged substantially coaxial to the flame.

27. The system for radiating energy from a hydrocarbon flame of claim 1 , further comprising:
a flame holder configured to anchor the flame.

28. The system for radiating energy from a hydrocarbon flame of claim 27 , wherein the flame holder is electrically isolated or an electrical insulator.

29. The system for radiating energy from a hydrocarbon flame of claim 27 , further comprising:
a hydrocarbon gas fuel source including a nozzle or hole configured to stream the hydrocarbon gas past the flame holder.

30. The system for radiating energy from a hydrocarbon flame of claim 29 , wherein the hydrocarbon gas fuel source includes an electrically insulating pipe or hose configured to electrically isolate the nozzle or hole from a relative ground.

31. The system for radiating energy from a hydrocarbon flame of claim 1 , wherein the hydrocarbon fuel includes a gaseous hydrocarbon fuel.

32. The system for radiating energy from a hydrocarbon flame of claim 31 , wherein the hydrocarbon fuel includes one to three atoms per molecule.

33. The system for radiating energy from a hydrocarbon flame of claim 1 , further comprising:
a surface configured to receive radiant energy from the flame.

34. The system for radiating energy from a hydrocarbon flame of claim 1 , further comprising:
an industrial

Assignees

• Clearsign Comb Corp

Inventors

• Colannino Joseph
• Prevo Tracy A
• Krichtafovitch Igor A
• Wiklof Christopher A

Classifications

• F23D14/00

  Burners for combustion of a gas, e.g. of a gas stored under pressure as a liquid · CPC title

• H02J17/00 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic

• F23C99/001 Primary

  Applying electric means or magnetism to combustion (for combustion engines F02B51/04, F02M27/04) · CPC title

• F23D14/151

  with radiation intensifying means other than screens or perforated plates · CPC title

• F23G2202/701

  Electrical fields · CPC title