Electrically-driven particulate agglomeration in a combustion system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9289780-B2
Application number	US-201313849770-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 25, 2013
Priority date	Mar 27, 2012
Publication date	Mar 22, 2016
Grant date	Mar 22, 2016

Abstract

Technologies are presented for applying electrical energy to a combustion reaction to produce agglomerated combustion particulates. For example, a system may include: one or more electrodes configured to apply electrical energy to a combustion reaction; a combustion zone configured to support the combustion reaction of a fuel at a fuel source; and an electrical power source operatively coupled to the one or more electrodes and configured to apply electrical energy to the combustion reaction. The combustion reaction is controlled to produce a distribution of agglomerated combustion particulates characterized by an increase in at least one of an average particulate diameter or an average particulate mass.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
a combustion zone configured to be operatively coupled to a fuel source and to support a flame supported by a fuel from the fuel source;
a first electrode and a second electrode, each configured to apply electrical energy to the flame;
an electrical power source that is:
operatively coupled to the first electrode and to the second electrode, and
configured to drive an electrical circuit formed by the first electrode, the flame, and the second electrode and to apply electrical energy to the flame sufficient to cause agglomeration of combustion particulates produced by the flame, and to form thereby agglomerated combustion particulates; and

a controller and a sensor operatively coupled to the controller,
the controller being operatively coupled to the electrical power source,
the controller being configured to receive a sensor value from the sensor and automatically control the electrical power source to apply the electrical energy at least in part responsive to the sensor value;
wherein at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode is in at least intermittent electrical contact with the flame to form an electrical current circuit; and
wherein the sensor is configured to produce the sensor value corresponding to one or more of: an average particulate diameter of the agglomerated combustion particulates; an average particulate mass of the agglomerated combustion particulates; a density of distribution of the agglomerated combustion particulates; an electromagnetic scattering value; an electromagnetic absorption value; or an electromagnetic emission value.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second electrode includes a housing defining lateral boundaries of the combustion zone.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electrical power source is configured to apply electrical energy to the flame sufficient to produce agglomerated combustion particulates having an increased average particulate mass, as compared to an average particulate mass of combustion particulates produced by the flame in the absence of the electrical energy.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electrical power source is configured to apply electrical energy to the flame sufficient to produce agglomerated combustion particulates having an average particulate diameter at least about 50% greater than an average particulate diameter of combustion particulates produced by the flame in the absence of the electrical energy.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electrical power source is configured to apply electrical energy to the flame sufficient to produce agglomerated combustion particulates having an average particulate diameter in a range between about 1 micrometer and about 1 millimeter.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electrical power source is configured to apply electrical energy to the flame sufficient to produce agglomerated combustion particulates having an average particulate mass at least about 50% greater than an average particulate mass of combustion particulates produced by the flame in the absence of the electrical energy.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electrical power source is configured to apply electrical energy to the flame sufficient to produce agglomerated combustion particulates having an average particulate mass in a range of between about 0.1 microgram and about 1 milligram.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to automatically control the electrical power source via machine executable instructions.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is configured to produce the sensor value corresponding to one or more of: a fuel flow rate; a temperature; an oxygen level; a voltage; a charge; a capacitance; and a current.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electrical power source is configured to apply the electrical energy to the flame by delivering any of a charge, a voltage, or an electric field.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electrical power source is configured to apply the electrical energy to the flame as a static electrical signal.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the electrical power source is configured to apply the electrical energy to the flame in a voltage range between about +50,000 kilovolts and about −50,000 kilovolts.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electrical power source is configured to apply electrical energy to the flame as a time-varying electrical signal.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the time-varying electrical signal includes a periodic component.

15. The system of claim 13 , wherein the time-varying electrical signal includes a periodic component having a frequency in a range between about 1 Hertz and about 10,000 Hertz.

16. The system of claim 13 , wherein the time-varying electrical signal includes a periodic component having a frequency in a range of between about 50 Hertz and about 1000 Hertz.

17. The system of claim 13 , wherein the time-varying electrical signal includes a periodic component having a frequency in a range of between about 200 Hertz and about 300 Hertz.

18. The system of claim 13 , wherein the time-varying electrical signal includes an alternating current component.

19. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electrical power source is configured to apply electrical energy to the flame via the first electrode and the second electrode with a time-varying electrical signal in a range between about 1 Hertz and about 1200 Hertz.

20. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electrical power source is configured to apply electrical energy to the flame via the first electrode and the second electrode with a voltage in a range between about +15,000 volts and about −15,000 volts.

21. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first electrode, the second electrode, the electrical power source, and the flame together form a circuit;
wherein the electrical power source is configured to electrically drive the circuit; and
wherein the flame functions in the circuit at least intermittently as one or more of a resistor, a capacitor, or an inductor.

22. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a particulate separation device configured to collect a portion of the agglomerated combustion particulates.

23. The system of claim 22 , wherein the particulate separation device includes one or more of: a filter, a baghouse, a cyclone separator, a baffle separator, a wet scrubber, or an electrostatic precipitator.

24. The system of claim 1 , further comprising direct contact of the first electrode and/or the second electrode and the flame.

25. A method, comprising:
supporting a flame by contacting a fuel and an oxidant in a combustion zone;
producing combustion particulates by reacting the fuel and the oxidant in the flame; and
producing agglomerated combustion particulates by applying electrical energy to the flame sufficient to cause agglomeration of the combustion particulates produced by the flame;
forming an electrical current circuit by putting a first electrode and a second electrode into at least intermittent electrical contact with the flame;
sensing a sensor value corresponding to one or more of: an average particulate diameter of the agglomerated combustion particulates; an average particulate mass of the agglomerated combustion particulates; a density of distribution of the agglomerated combustion particulates; an electromagnetic scattering value; an electromagneti

Assignees

• Clearsign Comb Corp

Inventors

• Goodson David B

Classifications

• B03C3/68 Primary

  Control systems therefor {(electricity supply or control systems for cleaning the electrodes B03C3/746, B03C3/763)} · CPC title

• F23C99/001

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

• B03C2201/30

  for use in or with vehicles · CPC title

• B03C3/0175

  Amassing particles by electric fields, e.g. agglomeration · CPC title

• F23B2900/00006

  Means for applying electricity to flame, e.g. an electric field · CPC title