System and sacrificial electrode for applying electricity to a combustion reaction

Abstract

A sacrificial electrode and sacrificial electrode feeder are configured to apply electricity to a combustion reaction. The electricity can be applied as a voltage, charge, and/or electric field. The sacrificial electrode may be consumed by the combustion reaction. The sacrificial electrode can optionally include a reactant or catalyst selected to interact with the combustion reaction.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for applying electricity to a combustion reaction, comprising:
 an electrode feeder configured to feed a sacrificial electrode proximate to a combustion reaction; and   a power supply configured to apply a voltage or a voltage waveform to the sacrificial electrode.   
     
     
         2 . The system for applying electricity to the combustion reaction of  claim 1 , further comprising a burner configured to support the combustion reaction. 
     
     
         3 . The system for applying electricity to the combustion reaction of  claim 1 , further comprising the sacrificial electrode. 
     
     
         4 . The system for applying electricity to the combustion reaction of  claim 3 , wherein the sacrificial electrode includes a carbon rod. 
     
     
         5 . The system for applying electricity to the combustion reaction of  claim 3 , wherein the sacrificial electrode includes one or more of tungsten, steel, nickel, or cobalt. 
     
     
         6 . The system for applying electricity to the combustion reaction of  claim 3 , wherein the sacrificial electrode includes a conductive ceramic. 
     
     
         7 . The system for applying electricity to the combustion reaction of  claim 3 , wherein the sacrificial electrode includes a reactant selected to react in or catalyze a reaction in the combustion reaction. 
     
     
         8 . The system for applying electricity to the combustion reaction of  claim 3 , wherein the sacrificial electrode includes a sacrificial charge electrode configured to apply a voltage or charge to the combustion reaction. 
     
     
         9 . The system for applying electricity to the combustion reaction of  claim 8 , wherein the sacrificial charge electrode is controlled by an electrode feed controller to be in at least intermittent contact with the combustion reaction. 
     
     
         10 . The system for applying electricity to the combustion reaction of  claim 3 , wherein the sacrificial electrode includes a sacrificial field electrode configured to apply an electric field to the combustion reaction. 
     
     
         11 . The system for applying electricity to the combustion reaction of  claim 1 , further comprising an electrode feed controller configured to control at least one of a timing or a rate of electrode feeding by the electrode feeder. 
     
     
         12 . The system for applying electricity to the combustion reaction of  claim 1 , wherein the electrode feeder includes an electrode metering or driving mechanism configured to control at least one of a timing or a rate of electrode feeding. 
     
     
         13 . The system for applying electricity to the combustion reaction of  claim 12 , further comprising a sacrificial electrode supply apparatus configured to provide one or more of the sacrificial electrodes to the electrode metering or driving mechanism. 
     
     
         14 . The system for applying electricity to the combustion reaction of  claim 12 , further comprising an electrode transfer mechanism configured to transfer one or more of the sacrificial electrodes from a sacrificial electrode supply apparatus to the electrode metering or driving mechanism. 
     
     
         15 . The system for applying electricity to the combustion reaction of  claim 1 , wherein the electrode feeder further comprises a sacrificial electrode supply apparatus. 
     
     
         16 . The system for applying electricity to the combustion reaction of  claim 15 , wherein the sacrificial electrode supply apparatus includes a hopper for holding one or more of the sacrificial electrodes. 
     
     
         17 . The system for applying electricity to the combustion reaction of  claim 1 , wherein the sacrificial electrode includes a wire. 
     
     
         18 . The system for applying electricity to the combustion reaction of  claim 17 , wherein the wire includes one or more of tungsten, steel, nickel, or cobalt. 
     
     
         19 . The system for applying electricity to the combustion reaction of  claim 17 , wherein the wire includes a metal tension member inside a sacrificial layer. 
     
     
         20 . The system for applying electricity to the combustion reaction of  claim 17 , wherein the wire comprises a sacrificial layer including carbon. 
     
     
         21 . The system for applying electricity to the combustion reaction of  claim 17 , wherein the wire comprises a reactant selected to react in the combustion reaction. 
     
     
         22 . The system for applying electricity to the combustion reaction of  claim 17 , wherein the sacrificial electrode supply apparatus includes an unwind reel configured to unwind the wire. 
     
     
         23 . The system for applying electricity to the combustion reaction of  claim 17 , wherein the electrode metering or driving mechanism includes a rewind reel configured to rewind the wire. 
     
     
         24 . A method for using a sacrificial electrode to apply electricity to a combustion reaction, comprising:
 feeding a sacrificial electrode proximate to a combustion reaction;   energizing the sacrificial electrode with one or more voltages; and   inducing a response to the energization in the combustion reaction.   
     
     
         25 . The method for using the sacrificial electrode to apply electricity to the combustion reaction of  claim 24 , wherein energizing the sacrificial electrode includes applying a time-varying voltage to the sacrificial electrode. 
     
     
         26 . The method for using the sacrificial electrode to apply electricity to the combustion reaction of  claim 25 , wherein applying the time-varying voltage to the sacrificial electrode includes applying an alternating current (AC) voltage. 
     
     
         27 . The method for using the sacrificial electrode to apply electricity to the combustion reaction of  claim 25 , wherein applying the time-varying voltage to the sacrificial electrode includes applying a sinusoidal waveform, a square waveform, a sawtooth waveform, a triangular waveform, a truncated triangular waveform, an exponential waveform, a logarithmic waveform, or a time-varying direct current (DC) waveform. 
     
     
         28 . The method for using the sacrificial electrode to apply electricity to the combustion reaction of  claim 25 , wherein applying a time-varying voltage to the sacrificial electrode includes applying a periodic voltage between ±8000 volts and ±100,000 volts. 
     
     
         29 . The method for using the sacrificial electrode to apply electricity to the combustion reaction of  claim 25 , wherein applying the time-varying voltage to the sacrificial electrode includes applying a periodic voltage at a frequency between 50 Hz. and 1000 Hz. 
     
     
         30 . The method for using the sacrificial electrode to apply electricity to the combustion reaction of  claim 24 , wherein feeding the sacrificial electrode proximate to the combustion reaction includes feeding the sacrificial electrode to act as a charge electrode to apply the voltage or a majority charge to the combustion reaction. 
     
     
         31 . The method for using the sacrificial electrode to apply electricity to the combustion reaction of  claim 30 , wherein feeding the sacrificial electrode to act as the charge electrode includes feeding the sacrificial electrode such that a surface of the sacrificial electrode is at least intermittently in contact with a surface of a flame. 
     
     
         32 . The method for using the sacrificial electrode to apply electricity to the combustion reaction of  claim 30 , wherein feeding the sacrificial electrode to act as the charge electrode includes feeding the sacrificial electrode such that a surface of the sacrificial electrode is immersed in the combustion reaction. 
     
     
         33 . The method for using the sacrificial electrode to apply electricity to the combustion reaction of  claim 24 , wherein feeding the sacrificial electrode proximate to the combustion reaction includes feeding the sacrificial electrode to act as a field electrode to apply the electric field to the combustion reaction. 
     
     
         34 . The method for using the sacrificial electrode to apply electricity to the combustion reaction of  claim 33 , wherein feeding the sacrificial electrode to act as the field electrode includes feeding the sacrificial electrode such that a surface of the sacrificial electrode is maintained at a desired distance from the combustion reaction. 
     
     
         35 . The method for using the sacrificial electrode to apply electricity to the combustion reaction of  claim 24 , wherein feeding the sacrificial electrode proximate to the combustion reaction includes feeding the sacrificial electrode to cause a reaction in the combustion reaction with a reactive sacrificial electrode material or to catalyze a reaction in the combustion reaction with a catalyst sacrificial electrode material. 
     
     
         36 . The method for using the sacrificial electrode to apply electricity to the combustion reaction of  claim 35 , wherein feeding the sacrificial electrode to cause the reaction in the combustion reaction includes feeding the sacrificial electrode to maintain a reactant surface area of the reactive sacrificial electrode material in contact with the combustion reaction. 
     
     
         37 . The method for using the sacrificial electrode to apply electricity to the combustion reaction of  claim 35 , wherein feeding the sacrificial electrode to cause the reaction in the combustion reaction includes feeding the sacrificial electrode configured to include urea or a salt thereof, an ammine complex, or an ammonium salt. 
     
     
         38 . The method for using the sacrificial electrode to apply electricity to the combustion reaction of  claim 35 , wherein feeding the sacrificial electrode to cause the reaction in the combustion reaction includes feeding the sacrificial electrode to cause a chemical reduction of nitrogen atoms in a nitrogen oxide (NOx) species to molecular nitrogen (N 2 ). 
     
     
         39 . The method for using the sacrificial electrode to apply electricity to the combustion reaction of  claim 24 , wherein feeding the sacrificial electrode proximate to the combustion reaction includes feeding the sacrificial electrode configured to include a sacrificial electrode bar. 
     
     
         40 . The method for using the sacrificial electrode to apply electricity to the combustion reaction of  claim 24 , wherein feeding the sacrificial electrode proximate to the combustion reaction includes feeding the sacrificial electrode configured to include a sacrificial electrode wire. 
     
     
         41 . The method for using the sacrificial electrode to apply electricity to the combustion reaction of  claim 24 , wherein inducing a response to the energization in the combustion reaction includes one or more of controlling emission of one or more combustion products, inducing a rate of reaction, inducing an extent of reaction, inducing a combustion reaction shape, inducing a combustion reaction emissivity, inducing enhanced flame stability, or inducing a heat transfer. 
     
     
         42 . The method for using the sacrificial electrode to apply electricity to the combustion reaction of  claim 24 , further comprising receiving the sacrificial electrode into an electrode feeder prior to feeding the sacrificial electrode proximate to the combustion reaction. 
     
     
         43 . The method for using the sacrificial electrode to apply electricity to the combustion reaction of  claim 24 , further comprising loading the sacrificial electrode into an electrode feeder prior to feeding the sacrificial electrode proximate to the combustion reaction. 
     
     
         44 . The method for using the sacrificial electrode to apply electricity to the combustion reaction of  claim 24 , further comprising preparing the sacrificial electrode. 
     
     
         45 . The method for using the sacrificial electrode to apply electricity to the combustion reaction of  claim 44 , wherein preparing the sacrificial electrode is performed by a sacrificial electrode vendor. 
     
     
         46 . A sacrificial electrode, comprising:
 a bar or a wire including a structural component, a conductive component, or a combination of the structural component and the conductive component, the structural component being configured to withstand an elevated temperature, corrosion, or erosion upon exposure to a combustion reaction; and   one or more features configured for feeding the sacrificial electrode using an electrode feeder.   
     
     
         47 . The sacrificial electrode of  claim 46 , wherein the sacrificial electrode includes the bar. 
     
     
         48 . The sacrificial electrode of  claim 47 , wherein the one or more features includes one or more of a flattened side, a diameter, a length, a taper, a notch, or an electrical lug. 
     
     
         49 . The sacrificial electrode of  claim 47 , wherein the one or more features includes one or more fiducial marks configured to provide positioning or movement information to a sensor included in or operatively coupled to the electrode feeder. 
     
     
         50 . The sacrificial electrode of  claim 47 , wherein the structural component includes one or more of tungsten, steel, nickel, or cobalt. 
     
     
         51 . The sacrificial electrode of  claim 47 , wherein the combination of the structural component and the conductive component includes one or more of tungsten, steel, nickel, or cobalt. 
     
     
         52 . The sacrificial electrode of  claim 47 , wherein the conductive component includes carbon. 
     
     
         53 . The sacrificial electrode of  claim 47 , wherein the structural and conductive component includes a conductive ceramic. 
     
     
         54 . The sacrificial electrode of  claim 46 , wherein the sacrificial electrode includes the wire. 
     
     
         55 . The sacrificial electrode of  claim 54 , wherein the one or more features includes an unwind reel configured for mounting on an unwind apparatus of the electrode feeder. 
     
     
         56 . The sacrificial electrode of  claim 54 , wherein the one or more features includes one or more fiducial marks configured to provide positioning or movement information to a sensor included in or operatively coupled to the electrode feeder. 
     
     
         57 . The sacrificial electrode of  claim 54 , wherein the structural component comprises wire including one or more of tungsten, steel, nickel, or cobalt. 
     
     
         58 . The sacrificial electrode of  claim 54 , wherein the wire includes a metal tension member inside a sacrificial layer. 
     
     
         59 . The sacrificial electrode of  claim 54 , wherein the conductive component includes a sacrificial layer including carbon. 
     
     
         60 . The sacrificial electrode of  claim 46 , further comprising a reactive component configured to react upon exposure to the combustion reaction. 
     
     
         61 . The sacrificial electrode of  claim 46 , further comprising a catalyst component configured to catalyze the combustion reaction. 
     
     
         62 . The sacrificial electrode of  claim 46 , further comprising a catalyst component configured to catalyze one or more particular combustion reaction pathway.