Crude Oil Spray Combustor

Abstract

The disclosure describes a combustor suitable for burning emulsified crude oil and seawater, a flow-blurring atomizer positioned at first end configured for introducing atomized crude oil spray into an interior of the combustor. A shroud or combustion duct surrounds a portion of a burning plume of atomized crude oil. The shroud is connected to a base at the first end and is open at the opposite second end. Dilution holes extend through the base and/or the shroud, allow the aspiration and entrainment of air into the plume, and assist in the flame anchoring and propagation, and reduce the amount of soot produced by burning the emulsified oil. At least one ignition port directs an ignition flame or plasma toward the atomized crude oil spray. One or more abrupt expansions at the nozzle or at the shroud sidewalls form toroidal recirculation zones surrounding the atomized crude oil spray.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent of the United States is: 
     
         1 . A combustor suitable for burning emulsified crude oil and seawater or other liquid fuel, comprising:
 a base at a first end;   a flow blurring atomizer positioned at the first end configured for introducing atomized crude oil spray into an interior of the combustor;   a shroud configured to surround a portion of a burning plume of atomized crude oil, the shroud connected to the base at the first end, the shroud being open at an opposite second end,   at least one of the shroud or the base having a plurality of dilution holes therethrough for introducing diluent air; and   a port configured to direct an ignition flame or plasma toward the atomized crude oil spray.   
     
     
         2 . The combustor according to  claim 1 , wherein the shroud has a cylindrical cross section. 
     
     
         3 . The combustor according to  claim 1 , wherein the shroud is shaped as a truncated cone with a smaller end of the truncated cone connected to the base. 
     
     
         4 . The combustor according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one port is a plurality of ports arranged symmetrically in the base surrounding the atomizer. 
     
     
         5 . The combustor according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one port includes a plurality of ports arranged in the shroud. 
     
     
         6 . The combustor according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one port is a plurality of ports arranged in the base and a plurality of ports arranged in the shroud. 
     
     
         7 . The combustor according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of dilution holes therethrough for introducing diluent air include holes of at least two different diameters, with larger holes positioned farther from the base and smaller holes positioned closer to the base. 
     
     
         8 . The combustor according to  claim 7 , wherein the plurality of dilution holes therethrough includes holes through the base surrounding the atomizer. 
     
     
         9 . The combustor according to  claim 1 , wherein the flow-blurring atomizer has a liquid feed tube with an exit end, a nozzle spaced apart from the exit end of the liquid feed tube, the nozzle being tapered outward with a smallest diameter end of the nozzle facing the liquid feed tube and a larger diameter end of the nozzle facing the inside of the combustor. 
     
     
         10 . The combustor according to  claim 9 , wherein the smallest diameter end of the nozzle has a diameter approximately equal to the inner diameter of the exit end of the liquid flow tube.