Inertial electrode and system configured for electrodynamic interaction with a voltage-biased flame

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9377195-B2
Application number	US-201213731223-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 31, 2012
Priority date	Mar 1, 2012
Publication date	Jun 28, 2016
Grant date	Jun 28, 2016

Abstract

A combustion system includes a subsystem for electrically biasing or charging a flame and a virtual electrode launcher configured to launch a virtual electrode in proximity to the flame or combustion gas produced by the flame.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A burner system, comprising:
a burner configured to support a flame;
a first depletion electrode configured to at least intermittently contact the flame or a combustion gas stream produced by the flame and configured to at least intermittently or periodically attract charged particles having a second sign to create at least a portion of the flame or the combustion gas stream produced by the flame having a majority of charged particles having a first sign; and
at least one inertial electrode launcher configured to launch an inertial electrode in proximity to the flame or the combustion gas stream produced by the flame, the inertial electrode including charged particles, including particles selected to accept a charge, or carrying a voltage, the charged particles, charge accepting particles, or voltage being selected to interact with the charged particles having the first sign carried by the flame or the combustion gas stream produced by the flame, wherein the inertial electrode includes non-fuel charged particles.

2. The burner system of claim 1 , wherein the first depletion electrode is integrated with the burner.

3. The burner system of claim 1 , wherein the first depletion electrode is separate from the burner.

4. The burner system of claim 1 , wherein the inertial electrode includes charged particles selected to attract the charged particles having the first sign.

5. The burner system of claim 1 , wherein the inertial electrode includes charged particles selected to repel the charged particles having the first sign.

6. The burner system of claim 1 , wherein the inertial electrode launcher is configured to impart momentum onto the inertial electrode; and
wherein the charged particles having the first sign carried by the flame or the combustion gas stream are selected to respond to the momentum carried by the inertial electrode.

7. The burner system of claim 1 , further comprising:
an electrode driver configured to control and operate one or more function or operation performed by each of the first depletion electrode and the inertial electrode launcher.

8. The burner system of claim 7 , wherein the electrode driver is configured to periodically or intermittently change the second sign of the charged particles attracted by the first depletion electrode and the first sign of the charged particles carried by the flame or the combustion gas stream.

9. The burner system of claim 7 , wherein the electrode driver is configured to periodically or intermittently change a sign of the charged particles carried by the inertial electrode.

10. The burner system of claim 1 , wherein the first and second signs are opposite of each other.

11. The burner system of claim 7 , wherein the inertial electrode launcher comprises:
an inertial electrode burner configured to at least intermittently or periodically support a flame inertial electrode; and
a second depletion electrode configured to attract from the flame inertial electrode charges having a fourth sign to create a majority of charged particles having a third sign in the flame inertial electrode.

12. The burner system of claim 11 , wherein:
the electrode driver is further configured to control at least one of the sign or a concentration of the charged particles in the flame inertial electrode.

13. The burner system of claim 11 , further comprising:
a valve configured to control a flow of fuel to the flame inertial electrode burner;
wherein the electrode driver is further configured to control the valve.

14. The burner system of claim 13 , further comprising:
an igniter or pilot configured to ignite the flame inertial electrode when the valve is opened.

15. The burner system of claim 11 , further comprising:
an electrical insulator or air gap configured to electrically isolate the flame inertial electrode from ground or from another voltage.

16. A burner system, comprising:
a burner configured to support a flame;
a first depletion electrode configured to at least intermittently contact the flame or a combustion gas stream produced by the flame and configured to at least intermittently or periodically attract charged particles having a second sign to create at least a portion of the flame or the combustion gas stream produced by the flame having a majority of charged particles having a first sign;
at least one inertial electrode launcher configured to launch an inertial electrode in proximity to the flame or the combustion gas stream produced by the flame, the inertial electrode including charged particles, including particles selected to accept a charge, or carrying a voltage, the charged particles, charge accepting particles, or voltage being selected to interact with the charged particles having the first sign carried by the flame or the combustion gas stream produced by the flame; and
an electrode driver configured to control and operate one or more function or operation performed by each of the first depletion electrode and the inertial electrode launcher;
wherein the inertial electrode launcher further comprises:
a body defining a vaporization well; and
a first and second electrodes, operatively coupled to an electrode driver configured to apply a high voltage to a vaporizing material at least temporarily confined by the vaporization well to vaporize the vaporizing material and to produce an inertial electrode including vapor, aerosol, or vapor and aerosol of the vaporizing material carrying charged particles;
wherein the electrode driver is further configured to apply the high voltage with a voltage bias having a same sign as a sign of charge carried by a majority of the charged particles.

17. The burner system of claim 16 , further comprising:
a fluid flow passage configured to admit the vaporizing material into the vaporization well.

18. The burner system of claim 17 , further comprising:
a valve or actuator configured to enable a flow of the vaporizing material through the fluid flow passage into the vaporization well.

19. The burner system of claim 18 , wherein the valve or actuator is operatively coupled to the electrode driver.

20. The burner system of claim 16 , further comprising:
a nozzle configured to determine a direction of travel of the vapor, aerosol, or vapor and aerosol of the vaporizing material forming the inertial electrode.

21. The burner system of claim 20 , further comprising:
an actuator operatively coupled to the electrode driver configured to align the nozzle to an intended direction of travel of the vapor, aerosol, or vapor and aerosol of the liquid forming the inertial electrode.

22. The burner system of claim 16 , wherein the vaporizing material includes a liquid.

23. The burner system of claim 22 , wherein the liquid includes a dissolved solute.

24. The burner system of claim 16 , wherein the vaporizing material includes a gel.

25. The burner system of claim 16 , wherein the vaporizing material includes a slurry.

26. The burner system of claim 25 , wherein the slurry includes a liquid and an undissolved phase configured to be carried by the liquid when the liquid is vaporized.

27. The burner system of claim 26 , wherein the undissolved phase includes carbon.

28. The burner system of claim 7 , wherein the inertial electrode launcher comprises:
a body defining an orifice from which solid particles are projected to a location pr

Assignees

• Clearsign Comb Corp

Inventors

• Goodson David B
• Prevo Tracy A
• Colannino Joseph
• Breidenthal Robert E
• Wiklof Christopher A

Classifications

• F23D14/84

  Flame spreading or otherwise shaping (F23D14/70 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F23L7/00 Primary

  Supplying non-combustible liquids or gases, other than air, to the fire, e.g. oxygen, steam · CPC title

• F23C99/001

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

• F23D21/00

  Mechanical Engineering · mapped topic