Charged ion flows for combustion control

Abstract

Technologies are provided for employing an ion flow to control a combustion reaction. A combustion reaction is supported at a burner or fuel source. One or more electrical signals are applied to an ionizer to generate an ion flow having a first polarity. The ion flow is introduced to the combustion reaction or a reactant at a first location, imparting a corresponding charge to the combustion reaction. The first location is at least intermittently upstream with respect to a reaction front of the combustion reaction. One or more of the electrical signals are applied to a first electrode at a second location downstream of the first location, which provokes a response by the combustion reaction according to the applied charge. The combustion reaction is controlled by selection of the one or more electrical signals.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A combustion system, comprising:
 a burner positioned within a combustion volume and configured to support a combustion reaction;   a charging mechanism positioned outside the combustion volume and configured to produce a flow of charged particles; and   a delivery device configured to receive the flow of charged particles from the charging mechanism and introduce the flow of charged particles to a combustion reaction supported by the burner.   
     
     
         2 . The combustion system of  claim 1 , comprising a first electrode positioned within the combustion volume, configured to apply electrical energy to the combustion reaction. 
     
     
         3 . The combustion system of  claim 2 , comprising a second electrode positioned within the combustion volume upstream, relative to the first electrode and configured to apply electrical energy to the combustion reaction. 
     
     
         4 . The combustion system of  claim 1 , wherein the charging mechanism includes an ionizer. 
     
     
         5 . The combustion system of  claim 1 , wherein the delivery device is configured to introduce the charged particles to the combustion reaction at a location that is downstream from a nozzle terminus of the burner. 
     
     
         6 . The combustion system of  claim 1 , wherein the delivery device is configured to introduce the charged particles to a component of the combustion reaction at a location that is upstream from a nozzle terminus of the burner. 
     
     
         7 . The combustion system of  claim 1 , comprising a controller configured to control a polarity and/or quantity of charged particles produced by the charging mechanism. 
     
     
         8 . The combustion system of  claim 7 , wherein the charging mechanism is configured to produce a flow of charged particles including a plurality of sub-flows of charged particles, the controller being configured to control a polarity and/or quantity of charged particles of each of the plurality of sub-flows of charged particles. 
     
     
         9 . The combustion system of  claim 8 , wherein the charging mechanism includes a plurality of ionizers. 
     
     
         10 . The combustion system of  claim 8 , wherein the delivery device is configured to receive the plurality of sub-flows of charged particles and to introduce each of the sub-flows to the combustion reaction at a respective location relative to the combustion reaction. 
     
     
         11 . The combustion system of  claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to control the charging mechanism to produce a first one of the plurality of sub-flows of charged particles having charged particles of a first polarity, and to produce a second one of the plurality of sub-flows of charged particles having particles of a second polarity, opposite the first polarity. 
     
     
         12 . The combustion system of  claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to control the charging mechanism to produce a first one of the plurality of sub-flows of charged particles having a first quantity of charged particles, and to produce a second one of the plurality of sub-flows of charged particles having a second quantity of charged particles, different from the first quantity. 
     
     
         13 . The combustion system of  claim 8 , wherein the burner includes a plurality of nozzles, each configured to support a respective combustion reaction. 
     
     
         14 . The combustion system of  claim 13 , wherein the delivery device is configured to receive the plurality of sub-flows of charged particles and to introduce a respective first one of the plurality of sub-flows to a combustion reaction supported by each of the plurality of nozzles. 
     
     
         15 . The combustion system of  claim 14 , wherein the delivery device is configured to introduce a respective second one of the plurality of sub-flows to the combustion reaction supported by each of the plurality of nozzles. 
     
     
         16 . The combustion system of  claim 15 , wherein the controller is configured to control the charging mechanism to produce particles of each of the first ones of the plurality of sub-flows of charged particles having a first polarity, and to produce particles of each of the second ones of the plurality of sub-flows of charged particles having a second polarity, opposite the first polarity. 
     
     
         17 . The combustion system of  claim 15 , wherein the controller is configured to control the charging mechanism to produce each of the first ones of the plurality of sub-flows of charged particles to have a first quantity of charged particles, and to produce each of the second ones of the plurality of sub-flows of charged particles to have a second quantity of charged particles, the second quantity being different than the first quantity. 
     
     
         18 . A method for controlling a combustion reaction, comprising:
 supporting a combustion reaction within a combustion volume;   producing a flow of charged particles at a location outside the combustion volume; and   applying a charge to the combustion reaction by introducing the flow of charged particles to the combustion reaction.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the producing a flow of charged particles includes producing a flow of ions. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the introducing the flow of charged particles to the combustion reaction includes introducing the flow of charged particles to a component of the combustion at a location that is upstream from a nozzle terminus of a burner supporting the combustion reaction. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the introducing the flow of charged particles to the combustion reaction includes introducing the flow of charged particles to the combustion at a location that is downstream from a nozzle terminus of a burner supporting the combustion reaction. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 18 , comprising controlling an aspect of the combustion reaction by applying electrical energy to the combustion reaction at a location that is downstream from the nozzle terminus, and selecting aspects of the electrical energy to compel a response according to the charge applied. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein selecting aspects of the electrical energy includes selecting the aspects of the electrical energy from among a group including voltage, polarity, AC frequency, waveform, and DC offset voltage. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the producing a flow of charged includes producing a plurality of sub-flows of charged particles. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the introducing the flow of charged particles to the combustion reaction includes introducing each of the plurality of sub-flows to the combustion reaction at a respective location relative to the combustion reaction. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the producing a plurality of sub-flows of charged particles includes producing a first one of the plurality of sub-flows of charged particles having charged particles of a first polarity, and producing a second one of the plurality of sub-flows of charged particles having particles of a second polarity, opposite the first polarity. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the producing a plurality of sub-flows of charged particles includes producing a first one of the plurality of sub-flows of charged particles having a first quantity of charged particles, producing a second one of the plurality of sub-flows of charged particles having a second quantity of charged particles, different from the first quantity. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the supporting a combustion reaction includes supporting a plurality of combustion reactions within the combustion volume. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the introducing the flow of charged particles to the combustion reaction includes introducing a respective first one of the plurality of sub-flows to each of the plurality of combustion reactions. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the introducing the flow of charged particles to the combustion reaction includes introducing a respective second one of the plurality of sub-flows to each of the plurality of combustion reactions. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the producing a flow of charged particles includes producing particles of each of the first ones of the plurality of sub-flows of charged particles with a first polarity, and producing particles of each of the second ones of the plurality of sub-flows of charged particles with a second polarity, opposite the first polarity. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the producing a flow of charged particles includes producing each of the first ones of the plurality of sub-flows of charged particles to have a first quantity of charged particles, and producing each of the second ones of the plurality of sub-flows of charged particles to have a second quantity of charged particles, the second quantity being different than the first quantity.