Rich catalytic clean burn for liquid fuel with fuel stabilization unit

Abstract

A fuel stabilization system removes dissolved oxygen from a liquid fuel to allow vaporization of the liquid fuel without the undesirable production of insoluble materials and byproducts. The vaporized fuel is then mixed with oxidizers and reformed in the catalytic reactor. The resulting vaporized fuel provides for moderately low temperature sustained combustion with reduced emission of undesirable byproducts.

1 . A method of operating a fuel transformation system for preparing liquid fuel for a combustion device comprising the steps of: 
 a) removing dissolved oxygen from a liquid fuel at a first temperature with a deoxygenation device;    b) heating the liquid fuel to a second temperature greater that the first temperature to vaporize at least a portion of the fuel;    c) mixing the vaporized fuel with an oxidizer; and    d) reforming the vaporized fuel oxidizer mixture in a catalytic reactor.    
   
   
       2 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , including the step of mixing additional oxidizer after the vaporized fuel has reformed in the catalytic reactor.  
   
   
       3 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said step a) comprises flowing liquid fuel adjacent an oxygen permeable membrane, and generating an oxygen partial pressure differential across said permeable membrane for drawing dissolved oxygen from the liquid fuel.  
   
   
       4 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said first temperature is below a temperature that generates appreciable insoluble material produced by interactions between the fuel and the dissolved oxygen.  
   
   
       5 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said second temperature is above a temperature that generates appreciable insoluble material produced by interactions between the fuel and the dissolved oxygen.  
   
   
       6 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , including the step of burning the vaporized fuel oxidizer mixture within a combustor at a moderately low temperature.  
   
   
       7 . The method as recited in  claim 6 , wherein said moderately low temperature comprises a temperature between 2000 and 3000 degrees F.  
   
   
       8 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , including bypassing a portion of liquid fuel around the fuel transforming system, and another portion of the liquid fuel through the fuel transforming system.  
   
   
       9 . The method as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the portion of liquid fuel bypassed around the fuel transforming system is received directly into the combustion device.  
   
   
       10 . The method as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the portion of liquid fuel bypassed around the fuel transforming system is received directly into a post-mixing device.  
   
   
       11 . A system for conditioning liquid fuel for a combustion device, said system comprising: 
 at least one fuel deoxygenator for removing dissolved oxygen from a liquid fuel;    a heating device for vaporizing at least a portion of the liquid fuel;    a mixing device for adding oxidizer to vaporized fuel; and    a catalytic reactor for reforming fuel after mixing with the oxidizer.    
   
   
       12 . The system as recited in  claim 11 , including a second mixing device for adding additional oxidizer after being reformed within said catalytic reactor.  
   
   
       13 . The system as recited in  claim 11 , wherein said fuel deoxygenator receives liquid fuel at a first temperature below a temperature that generates the formation of undesirable insoluble materials.  
   
   
       14 . The system as recited in  claim 13 , wherein said heating device heats the fuel to a second temperature greater than said first temperature.  
   
   
       15 . The system as recited in  claim 11 , wherein said liquid fuel flows through said deoxygenator and adjacent an oxygen permeable membrane.  
   
   
       16 . The system as recited in  claim 15 , including an oxygen pressure differential across said oxygen permeable membrane for drawing dissolved oxygen from fuel flowing adjacent said permeable membrane.  
   
   
       17 . The system as recited in  claim 11 , wherein said combustion device comprises a combustor for a gas turbine engine.  
   
   
       18 . The system as recited in  claim 11 , including a bypass for routing a portion of fuel around at least one of the fuel deoxygenator, the heating device, the mixing device and the catalytic reactor.