Tornadic fuel processor

Abstract

A method of effecting burning is described wherein combustible materials are introduced into a vortex having a high pressure periphery and a lower pressure center, or are caused to form such a vortex and there is provided further fluid to provide for the combustion of this material, and the mixture is ignited whilst in the vortex. A variation of this is method of effecting burning which includes the step of introducing as a burnable mixture, a mixture into a vortex of a type having an outer periphery with a higher pressure than its pressure at a center of the vortex. The methods are useful for generating heat, steam or disposal of wastes.

1 . A method of effecting burning of combustible materials which method includes the steps of causing the combustible materials to be entrained as a vortex which is of a type having a higher pressure periphery and a lower pressure center, then effecting passage of such a vortex through a downstream passageway where the vortex is caused to enter into a chamber which has a larger cross-sectional area and is then caused to enter thereafter a passageway that is again smaller than the said larger cross sectional area, effecting ignition of the combustible materials the forgoing all being arranged such that any ongoing burning is constrained to be only within the chamber.  
     
     
         2 . A method of effecting burning as in  claim 1  further characterized in that the said forgoing are also all arranged that the outer temperature of outermost sides of the vortex burning in the chamber is approximately ambient.  
     
     
         3 . A method of effecting burning which includes the step of introducing a burnable mixture, into a vortex of a type having an outer periphery with a higher pressure than its pressure at a center of the vortex.  
     
     
         4 . A method of effecting burning of  claim 2  wherein the burnable mixture includes a combustible material and fluid.  
     
     
         5 . A method of effecting burning of any one of  claims 1  to  3  wherein there is a continuous supply of combustible materials and of further fluid.  
     
     
         6 . A method of effecting burning of any one of  claims 1  to  4  wherein the combustible materials and/or further fluid are in a gaseous state.  
     
     
         7 . A method of effecting burning of  claim 5  wherein the combustible materials includes propane or hydrogen gas.  
     
     
         8 . A method of effecting burning of  claim 5  wherein the further fluid is air.  
     
     
         9 . A method of generating heat that uses the method of effecting burning of any one of  claims 1  to  7 .  
     
     
         10 . A method of processing waste that incorporated a method of effecting burning of any one of  claims 1  to  7 .  
     
     
         11 . A method of processing waste materials wherein the waste materials are used as or supplement the combustible material feed used in the method of  claims 1  to  9 .  
     
     
         12 . A method of generating steam wherein water is introduced into the vortex used in the method of any one of  claims 1  to  9 .  
     
     
         13 . A continuous feed burner apparatus wherein in use a continuous feed of a burnable mixture is introduced into a vortex having a high-pressure periphery and a lower pressure center.  
     
     
         14 . A heating apparatus having a vortex-forming chamber having an arrangement of apertures effect a vortex of a type having a pressure at the center which is lower than the pressure at the periphery.  
     
     
         15 . An apparatus of  claim 12  or  13  having a chamber with a downstream outlet passageway and at least one inlet aperture which is directed substantially at a right angle to a central axis of an inner cylindrical shape of the chamber in which one end is closed and the other end opens into a combustion area and wherein an inlet aperture is directed so it is other than directly aligned to interact the said central axis.  
     
     
         16 . An apparatus of  claim 14  having a downstream outlet has a cross-section that changes from a first cross-sectional area to a second somewhat larger cross-sectional area over a relatively short distance and thereafter defines a larger chamber having itself a further outlet downstream.  
     
     
         17 . An apparatus of  claim 14  including a heat transfer element for transferring some of the heat from the combustion of the burnable mixture to an inlet location.  
     
     
         18 . An apparatus of  claim 16  wherein proximal to the inlet location there is an appropriate catalyst for permitting a thermocatalytic reaction will take place prior to introduction of the burnable mixture into the vortex.  
     
     
         19 . An apparatus for burning of combustible fluids where the apparatus includes means to effect a vortex of a type where the inner part of the vortex has a higher pressure than the outer side of the vortex, and where there is a burning chamber with an inlet to receive combustible fluids with an imparted vortex and an outlet from the burning chamber such that the burning is confined to be only within the chamber.