U.S. patent application number 13/027318 was filed with the patent office on 2012-08-16 for pulse detonation combustor heat exchanger.
This patent application is currently assigned to GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY. Invention is credited to David Michael Chapin, Robert Warren Taylor, Tian Xuan Zhang.
Application Number | 20120204814 13/027318 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 45896639 |
Filed Date | 2012-08-16 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120204814 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Zhang; Tian Xuan ; et
al. |
August 16, 2012 |
Pulse Detonation Combustor Heat Exchanger
Abstract
The present application provides a pulse detonation combustor
heat exchanger. The pulse detonation combustor heat exchanger may
include one or more pulse detonation combustors creating combustion
gases therein, one or more inner pathways positioned about the
pulse detonation combustors, and a working medium flowing in the
inner pathways so as to exchange heat with the combustion gases in
the pulse detonation combustors.
Inventors: |
Zhang; Tian Xuan; (Raytown,
MO) ; Chapin; David Michael; (Raytown, MO) ;
Taylor; Robert Warren; (Ponte Vedra Beach, FL) |
Assignee: |
GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
Schnectady
NY
|
Family ID: |
45896639 |
Appl. No.: |
13/027318 |
Filed: |
February 15, 2011 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
122/24 ;
431/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F23C 2900/03009
20130101; F22B 9/08 20130101; F23C 15/00 20130101; F23C 3/002
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
122/24 ;
431/1 |
International
Class: |
F22B 31/00 20060101
F22B031/00; F23C 15/00 20060101 F23C015/00 |
Claims
1. A pulse detonation combustor heat exchanger, comprising: one or
more pulse detonation combustors; the one or more pulse detonation
combustors creating combustion gases therein; one or more inner
pathways positioned about the one or more pulse detonation
combustors; and a working medium flowing in the one or more inner
pathways so as to exchange heat with the combustion gases in the
one or more pulse detonation combustors.
2. The pulse detonation combustor heat exchanger of claim 1,
wherein the one or more pulse detonation combustors comprise a
combustion tube defining a combustion zone.
3. The pulse detonation combustor heat exchanger of claim 1,
wherein the one or more pulse detonation combustors comprise an air
inlet, a fuel inlet, and an igniter.
4. The pulse detonation combustor heat exchanger of claim I,
further comprising an outer chamber surrounding the one or more
pulse detonation combustors and the one or more inner pathways.
5. The pulse detonation combustor heat exchanger of claim 4,
wherein the outer chamber comprises a cold inlet and a hot outlet
in communication with the one or more inner pathways.
6. The pulse detonation combustor heat exchanger of claim 1,
wherein the one or more inner pathways comprise one or more inner
chambers.
7. The pulse detonation combustor heat exchanger of aim 1, wherein
the one or more inner pathways comprise a plurality of headers.
8. The pulse detonation combustor heat exchanger of claim 1,
wherein the one or more inner pathways comprise a plurality of
tubes,
9. The pulse detonation combustor heat exchanger of claim 1,
wherein the one or more pulse detonation combustors and the one or
more inner pathways comprise a co-flow orientation, a counter-flow
orientation, or a cross-flow orientation.
10. The pulse detonation combustor heat exchanger of claim 1,
further comprising a preheater.
11. The pulse detonation combustor heat exchanger of claim 1,
further comprising an economizer.
12. A pulse detonation combustor boiler, comprising: one or more
pulse detonation combustors; the one or more pulse detonation
combustors creating combustion gases therein; a plurality of boiler
tubes positioned. about the one or more pulse detonation
combustors; and a working medium flowing in the plurality of boiler
tubes so as to exchange heat with the combustion gases in the one
or more pulse detonation combustors.
13. The pulse detonation combustor boiler of claim 12, further
comprising an outer chamber surrounding the one or more pulse
detonation combustors and the plurality of boiler tubes.
14. The pulse detonation combustor boiler of claim 12, further
comprising a plurality of headers in communication with the
plurality of boiler tubes.
15. The pulse detonation combustor boiler of claim 12, wherein the
one or more pulse detonation combustors and the plurality of boiler
tubes comprise a co-flow orientation, a counter-flow orientation,
or a cross-flow orientation.
16. The pulse detonation combustor boiler of claim 12, further
comprising an economizer.
17. The pulse detonation combustor boiler of claim 12, wherein the
one or more pulse detonation combustors comprise a combustion tube
defining a combustion zone.
18. The pulse detonation combustor boiler of claim 12, wherein the
one or more pulse detonation combustors comprise an air inlet, a
fuel inlet, and an igniter.
19. A pulse detonation combustor heat exchanger, comprising: an
outer chamber; one or more pulse detonation combustors positioned
within the outer chamber; the one or more pulse detonation
combustors creating combustion gases therein; one or more inner
chambers positioned within the outer chamber; and a working medium
flowing in the one or more inner chambers so as to exchange heat
with the combustion gases in the one or more pulse detonation
combustors.
20. The pulse detonation combustor heat exchanger of claim 19,
wherein the one or more pulse detonation combustors and the one or
more inner chambers comprise a co-flow orientation, a counter-flow
orientation, or a cross-flow orientation.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present application relates generally to pulse
detonation combustors and systems and more particularly relates to
the use of pulse detonation combustors for highly efficient heat
exchangers such as boilers and the like.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Known pulse detonation combustors generally operate with a
detonation process having a pressure rise as compared to
conventional engines operating with a constant pressure
deflagration. Specifically, air and fuel are mixed within a pulse
detonation combustion chamber and ignited to produce a combustion
pressure wave. The combustion pressure wave transitions into a
detonation wave followed by combustion gases that produce heat and
thrust. As such, pulse detonation combustors have the potential to
operate at higher thermodynamic efficiencies than generally may be
achieved with conventional deflagration based engines.
[0003] Recent developments in pulse detonation combustors have
focused on practical applications such as generating additional
thrust/propulsion for aircraft engines and improving the overall
performance in ground based power generation systems. Pulse
detonation combustors also have been used as a means for highly
efficient boiler cleaning and the like.
[0004] Industrial boilers operate by using a heat source to create
steam from water or another type of working medium. The steam may
be used to drive a turbine or another type of a load. The heat
source may be a combustor that burns a fuel-air mixture therein.
Heat may be transferred to the working medium from the combustor
via a heat exchanger. The efficiency of the boiler or other type of
heat exchanger is based in part on the heat transfer rate to the
working medium. In general, heat transfer rates for boilers and
similar devices tend to be much higher for turbulent flows as
compared to laminar flows.
[0005] There is thus a desire to adapt the highly efficient pulse
detonation combustors for use in heat exchangers such as boilers
and the like. The use of such a pulse detonation combustor should
provide a higher heat transfer rate, with less fuel consumption,
and while being more compact in size as compared to conventional
boilers and the like.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The present application thus provides a pulse detonation
combustor heat exchanger. The pulse detonation combustor heat
exchanger may include one or more pulse detonation combustors
creating combustion gases therein, one or more inner pathways
positioned about the pulse detonation combustors, and a working
medium flowing in the inner pathways so as to exchange heat with
the combustion gases in the pulse detonation combustors.
[0007] The present application further provides a pulse detonation
combustor boiler. The pulse detonation boiler may include one or
more pulse detonation combustors creating combustion gases therein,
a number of boiler tubes positioned about the pulse detonation
combustors, and a working medium flowing in the boiler tubes so as
to exchange heat with the combustion gases in the pulse detonation
combustors.
[0008] The present application further provides a pulse detonation
combustor heat exchanger. The pulse detonation combustor heat
exchanger may include an outer chamber, one or more pulse
detonation combustors positioned within the outer chamber creating
combustion gases therein, one or more inner chambers positioned
within the outer chamber, and a working medium flowing in the inner
chambers so as to exchange heat with the combustion gases in the
pulse detonation combustors.
[0009] These and other features and advantages of the present
application will become apparent to one of ordinary skill in the
art upon review of the following detailed description when taken in
conjunction with the several drawings and the appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a known pulse detonation
combustor.
[0011] FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a pulse detonation combustor
heat exchanger as may be described herein.
[0012] FIG. 3 is a side plan view of the pulse detonation combustor
heat exchanger of FIG. 2.
[0013] FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a pulse detonation combustor
boiler as may be described herein.
[0014] FIG. 5 is a side plan view of the pulse detonation combustor
boiler of 4.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0015] As used herein, the term "pulse detonation combustor" refers
to a device or a system that produces both a pressure rise and a
velocity increase from the detonation or quasi-detonation of a fuel
and an oxidizer. The pulse detonation combustor may be operated in
a repeating mode to produce multiple detonations or
quasi-detonations within the device. A "detonation" may be a
supersonic combustion in which a shock wave is coupled to a
combustion zone. The shock may be sustained by the energy release
from the combustion zone so as to result in combustion products at
a higher pressure than the combustion reactants. A
"quasi-detonation" may be a supersonic turbulent combustion process
that produces a pressure rise and a velocity increase higher than
the pressure rise and the velocity increase produced by a sub-sonic
deflagration wave, i.e., detonation and fast flames. For
simplicity, the terms "detonation" or "detonation wave" as used
herein will include both detonations and quasi-detonations.
[0016] Exemplary pulse detonation combustors, some of which will be
discussed in further detail below, include an ignition device for
igniting a combustion of a fuel/oxidizer mixture and a detonation
chamber in which pressure wave fronts initiated by the combustion
coalesce to produce a detonation wave. Each detonation or
quasi-detonation may be initiated either by an external ignition
source, such as a spark discharge, laser pulse, heat source, or
plasma igniter, or by gas dynamic processes such as shock focusing,
auto-ignition, or an existing detonation wave from another source
(cross-fire ignition). The detonation chamber geometry may allow
the pressure increase behind the detonation wave to drive the
detonation wave and also to blow the combustion products themselves
out an exhaust of the pulse detonation combustor. Other components
and other configurations may be used herein.
[0017] Various combustion chamber geometries may support detonation
formation, including round chambers, tubes, resonating cavities,
reflection regions, and annular chambers, Such combustion chamber
designs may be of constant or varying cross-section, both in area
and shape. Exemplary combustion chambers include cylindrical tubes
and tubes having polygonal cross-sections, such as, for example,
hexagonal tubes. As used herein, "downstream" refers to a direction
of flow of at least one of the fuel or the oxidizer.
[0018] Referring now to the drawings, in which like numbers refer
to like elements throughout the several views, FIG. 1 shows a
generalized example of a pulse detonation combustor 10 as may be
described and used herein. The pulse detonation combustor 10 may
extend from an air inlet 15 and one or more fuel inlets 20 at a
head end to an exit nozzle 25 at an opposed downstream end. A
combustion tube 30 may extend from the head end to the exit nozzle
25 at the downstream end. The combustion tube 30 defines a
combustion zone 35 therein. Other components and other
configurations may be used herein for detonation and/or
quasi-detonation.
[0019] The air inlet 15 may be connected to a source of pressurized
air such as a. compressor. The pressurized air may be used to flu
and purge the combustion zone 35 and also may serve as an oxidizer
for the combustion of the fuel. The air inlet 15 may be in
communication with a center body 40. The center body 40 may extend
towards the combustion zone 35. The center body 40 may have any
size, shape, or configuration. Likewise, the fuel inlet 20 may be
connected to a supply fuel that may be burned within the combustion
zone 35. The fuel may be injected into the combustion zone 35 so as
to mix with the airflow.
[0020] An ignition device 45 may be positioned downstream of the
air inlet 15 and the fuel inlet 20. The ignition device 45 may be
connected to a. controller so as to operate the ignition device 45
at desired times and sequences as well as providing feedbacks
signals to monitor overall operations. As described above, any type
of ignition device 45 may be used herein. The fuel and the air may
be ignited by the ignition device 45 into a combustion flow so as
to produce the resultant detonation waves. Other components and
other configurations may be used herein. Any type of pulse
detonation combustor 10 may be used herein.
[0021] FIGS. 2 and 3 show a pulse detonation combustor heat
exchanger 100 as may be described herein. The pulse detonation
combustor heat exchanger 100 may include a number of pulse
detonation combustors 110 positioned therein. As described above,
each pulse detonation combustor 110 includes a combustion tube 120
that defines a combustion zone 130 therein. Each pulse detonation
combustor 110 also includes an air inlet 140, a fuel inlet 150, and
an igniter 160, Other components and other configurations may be
used herein. The air and the fuel are ignited by the igniter 160 to
create a. flow of combustion gases 170 within the combustion zone
130 of each combustion tube 120.
[0022] The pulse detonation combustion heat exchanger 100 includes
an outer chamber 180. The pulse detonation combustors 110 are
positioned within the outer chamber 180, The pulse detonation
combustor heat exchanger 100 also includes one or more inner
pathways 190 extending through the outer chamber 180. The one or
more inner pathways 190 may be one or more chambers 195, a series
of tubes, and similar types of transport structures, The inner
pathway 190 may extend from a cold inlet 200 to a hot outlet 210.
The inner pathway 190 may be positioned about a. pair of headers
220, A preheater 230 also may be used about the cold inlet 200. The
inner pathway 190 may be positioned about the combustion tubes 120
of the pulse detonation combustors 110. The positioning may be in a
cross-flow orientation, a co-flow orientation, a counter-flow
orientation, or any desired flow orientation. A working medium 240
may flow through the inner pathway 190. The working medium 240 may
be any type of gas or liquid that absorbs heat therein.
[0023] In use, the pulse detonation combustors 110 generate the hot
combustion gases 170 within the combustion zone 130 of each
combustion tube 120. Likewise, the working medium 240 enters the
outer chamber 180 via the cold inlet 200. The working medium 240
exchanges the heat with and is warmed by the combustion gases 170.
The now hot working medium 240 then passes through the hot outlet
210 for useful work in a turbine or other type of harvesting
device. The combustion gases 170 also may be vented for use
downstream for preheaters, super heaters, economizers, and the
like. The inner pathway 190 also may be used as a blockage device
for heat transfer therewith.
[0024] The generation of the combustion gases 170 thus increases
the heat transfer rate from the combustion tubes 120 to the working
medium 240. The detonation conditions produce shock waves that
scour away the protective layer of inactive gas or particles on the
tube walls so as to increase the rate of heat transfer. The use of
the pulse detonation combustors 1.10 also should reduce fouling of
the inner pathway 190. The pulse detonation combustors 110 also
have less unburned fuel so as to reduce overall. emissions.
[0025] FIGS. 4 and 5 show an alternative embodiment of the pulse
detonation combustor heat exchanger 100. In this example, a pulse
detonation combustor boiler 250 is shown. As above, the pulse
detonation combustor boiler 250 includes a number of the pulse
detonation combustors 110. Each pulse detonation combustor 110
includes the combustion tube 120 so as to define the combustion
zone 130, Each pulse detonation combustor 110 also includes the air
inlet 140, the fuel inlet 150, and the igniter 160 so as to produce
the flow of combustion gases 170.
[0026] The pulse detonation combustor boiler 250 also includes a
number of boiler tubes 260 in communication with a pair of headers
270. An economizer 280 or other type of heat exchanger may be
positioned downstream of the boiler tubes 260. A number of the
combustion tubes 120 may be positioned in one direction with a
further number of the combustion tubes 120 positioned in an
opposing direction. The boiler tubes 260 may be positioned in a
cross-flow orientation. Any type of flow orientation may be used
herein.
[0027] In use, the pulse detonation combustors 110 create the flow
of hot combustion gases 170 within the combustion zone 130 of each
combustion tube 120 about the boiler tubes 260 and the economizer
280 to downstream. Heat thus is exchanged with the cold working
medium 240 from the economizer 280 through the connection tubes to
the bottom water header 270 and then through the boiler tubes 260
to the top steam header 270. The now hot working medium 240 or
steam then may flow from the top header 270 to the next station for
useful work via a turbine or other type of harvesting device. The
combustion gases 170 likewise may be vented for downstream use
after the economizer 280. Other components and other configurations
may be used herein.
[0028] It should be apparent that the foregoing relates only to
certain embodiments of the present application and that numerous
changes and modifications may be made herein by one of ordinary
skill in the art without departing from the general spirit and
scope of the invention as defined by the following claims and the
equivalents thereof.
* * * * *