Increasing the efficiency of combustion processes

Abstract

The invention provides a method of increasing the efficiency of a combustion process by adding bentonite to the flame, fireball or burner region combustion zone of the combustion process. Also provided is a combustion chamber that includes a bentonite feed system and a fuel additive composition of a bentonite such as sodium bentonite having a particle size range that may be employed in the method of the present invention.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of increasing the efficiency of a combustion process comprising the step of adding bentonite to the flame, fireball or burner region combustion zone during combustion of a fuel. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fuel and the bentonite are added separately in the combustion process. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the bentonite is a sodium bentonite. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the bentonite is crystalline and swellable in water. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the bentonite is colloidal. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the bentonite comprises SiO 2  in an amount of from about 51% to 78% by weight. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the bentonite further comprises Al 2 O 3  from about 13% to 27% by weight. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the bentonite comprises a particle size between 50 mesh and 350 mesh. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the bentonite comprises a base/acid (B/A) ratio of between about 0.08 and 0.12. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the bentonite is added for a period greater than one week. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the bentonite is added continuously for a period greater than one month.