Fuel preheating system

Abstract

The present invention provides fuel saving systems. Fuel consumption can be reduced by 5% to 40% or more by pre-combustion heating the fuels. The heat exhaust of a combustion chamber can be used to heat a heat transfer fluid, which exchanges heat with the incoming fuel stream.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for combusting fuel, comprising:
 (a) a pressure reducing station that reduces the pressure of a fuel directed into said pressure reducing station;   (b) a heating chamber separate from, downstream of, and fluidically connected to the pressure reducing station, wherein said heating chamber is configured to receive said fuel from said pressure reducing station and heat said fuel with the aid of electrical energy; and   (c) a combustion chamber fluidically connected to said heating chamber, wherein said combustion chamber is configured and arranged to receive said fuel heated in said heating chamber and to combust said fuel therein.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a heat exchange element, wherein said heat exchange element is configured and arranged to transfer heat to the heating chamber. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein said system is constructed and arranged such that heat is generated with the aid of said electrical energy and is transferred to said heating chamber using a heat transfer fluid. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein said heating chamber comprises:
 (a) an inlet and an outlet for said heat transfer fluid;   (b) a pipe constructed and arranged to transport said heat transfer fluid from said inlet to said outlet; and   (c) a fuel flow pipe constructed and arranged to allow heat exchange between said fuel and said heat transfer fluid.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein said fuel flow pipe is circumscribed in whole or part by said pipe. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein said heat transfer fluid comprises a gas phase heat transfer fluid. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein said gas phase heat transfer fluid comprises air, hydrogen, inert gases, helium, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, sulfur hexafluoride, steam or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein said heat transfer fluid comprises a liquid phase heat transfer fluid. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein said liquid phase heat transfer fluid comprises water, highly pure deionized water, heavy water, antifreeze, ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, or propylene glycol, betaine, polyalkylene glycol, oil, a paraffin oil of formula C 12 H 26 —C 16 H 34 , napthenic oil, aromatic oil, mineral oil, castor oil, silicone oil, fluorocarbon oil, transformer oil, nanofluids or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said system is configured and arranged such that a portion of said fuel is not preheated before entering said combustion chamber. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said fuel comprises gasoline, jet fuel, natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), liquefied natural gas (LNG), compressed natural gas (CNG), naphtha, propane, diesel, heating oil, kerosene, fuel oil, distillate fuel oil, diesel fuel oil, light fuel oil, residual fuel oil, heavy fuel oil, gasoil, bunker fuel, alcohol fuel, E85, ethanol fuel, ethanol fuel mixtures, biodiesel, biogas, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein, in said pressure reducing station, a liquid fuel is vaporized to a gaseous fuel. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said system is configured and arranged to be retrofitted to a preexisting fuel burning system. 
     
     
         14 . A method for combusting fuel, comprising:
 (a) directing a fuel into a pressure reducing station, wherein said pressure reducing station reduces the pressure of said fuel;   (b) directing the fuel from the pressure reducing station to a heating chamber separate from, downstream of, and fluidically connected to said pressure reducing station, wherein said heating chamber heats said fuel; and   (c) directing said fuel from said heating chamber to a combustion chamber, wherein said fuel is combusted in said combustion chamber.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein heat generated from said combustion is transferred to said heating chamber to heat said fuel. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein, in said pressure reducing station, a liquid fuel is vaporized to a gaseous fuel. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said heating chamber heats said fuel with the aid of electrical energy. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said fuel is combusted in said combustion chamber using combustion air. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein at least a portion of said combustion air is preheated before entering said combustion chamber. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said combustion air is fed into said combustion chamber separate from said fuel. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said fuel is not mixed with combustion air prior to exiting said heating chamber. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein a fuel savings provided by said method is at least 5%. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said fuel comprises gasoline, jet fuel, natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), liquefied natural gas (LNG), compressed natural gas (CNG), naphtha, propane, diesel, heating oil, kerosene, fuel oil, distillate fuel oil, diesel fuel oil, light fuel oil, residual fuel oil, heavy fuel oil, gasoil, bunker fuel, alcohol fuel, E85, ethanol fuel, ethanol fuel mixtures, biodiesel, biogas, or a combination thereof.