Combustor Systems

Abstract

An engine heater system for heating a diesel engine of a vehicle. The engine heater system including a gas turbine. A heat exchanger communicatively coupled to an exhaust of the gas turbine. An electric generator including connection members to couple to a battery of the vehicle, and a shaft rotatably attached between the gas turbine and the electric generator. The heat exchanger utilizes the exhaust of the gas turbine to keep the diesel engine of the vehicle within a desired temperature range, and the electric generator charges the battery when the gas turbine rotates the shaft.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A combustor system comprising:
 a toroidal-shaped combustion zone having an outside perimeter opposite a central hole;   an airflow channel interfacing with the outside perimeter of the toroidal-shaped combustion zone for delivering air to the toroidal-shaped combustion zone;   a shaft, at least a portion of the shaft extending into the central hole of the toroidal-shaped combustion zone; and   an atomizer component fixed to the portion of the shaft, the atomizer component for atomizing a liquid fuel into the toroidal-shaped combustion zone when the shaft is rotated.   
     
     
         2 . The combustor system of  claim 1 , further comprising a tube having an end arranged proximate to the atomizer component for introducing the liquid fuel to the atomizer component. 
     
     
         3 . The combustor system of  claim 2 , wherein the tube has an inside diameter of about 0.09 inch, and the liquid fuel is pressurized, inside of the tube, at about 30 pounds per square inch (psi) for introducing the liquid fuel to the atomizer component. 
     
     
         4 . The combustor system of  claim 1 , wherein the atomizer component comprises:
 a plate fixed to the portion of the shaft and extending transversely to a longitudinal axis of the shaft,   a wall extending from a perimeter of the plate, the wall having a height varying curvilinearly along the perimeter of the plate, and   wherein when the shaft is rotated and the liquid fuel is introduced to the plate of the atomizer component, the varying height of the wall causes the liquid fuel to atomize away from the atomizer component.   
     
     
         5 . The combustor system of  claim 1 , further comprising a gas turbine communicatively coupled to the toroidal-shaped combustion zone. 
     
     
         6 . The combustor system of  claim 5 , wherein the portion of the shaft extending into the central hole of the toroidal-shaped combustion zone is a first portion of the shaft, and
 wherein a second portion of the shaft is attached to the gas turbine.   
     
     
         7 . The combustor system of  claim 5 , further comprising a heat exchanger communicatively coupled to an exhaust of the gas turbine. 
     
     
         8 . The combustor system of  claim 1 , wherein when the shaft is rotated, the shaft rotates at about 6000 revolutions per minute (rpm). 
     
     
         9 . A combustor system comprising:
 a toroidal-shaped combustion zone having an outside perimeter opposite a central hole;   a shaft, at least a portion of the shaft extending into the central hole of the toroidal-shaped combustion zone; and   an atomizer component fixed to the portion of the shaft, the atomizer component for atomizing a liquid fuel into the toroidal-shaped combustion zone when the shaft is rotated.   
     
     
         10 . The combustor system of  claim 9 , further comprising a tube having an end arranged proximate to the atomizer component for introducing the liquid fuel to the atomizer component. 
     
     
         11 . The combustor system of  claim 10 , wherein the tube has an inside diameter of about 0.09 inch, and the liquid fuel is pressurized, inside of the tube, at about 30 pounds per square inch (psi) for introducing the liquid fuel to the atomizer component. 
     
     
         12 . The combustor system of  claim 9 , wherein the atomizer component comprises:
 a plate fixed to the portion of the shaft and extending transversely to a longitudinal axis of the shaft,   a wall extending from a perimeter of the plate, the wall having a height varying curvilinearly along the perimeter of the plate, and   wherein when the shaft is rotated and the liquid fuel is introduced to the plate of the atomizer component, the varying height of the wall causes the liquid fuel to atomize away from the atomizer component.   
     
     
         13 . The combustor system of  claim 9 , further comprising a gas turbine communicatively coupled to the toroidal-shaped combustion zone. 
     
     
         14 . The combustor system of  claim 13 , wherein the portion of the shaft extending into the central hole of the toroidal-shaped combustion zone is a first portion of the shaft, and
 wherein a second portion of the shaft is attached to the gas turbine.   
     
     
         15 . The combustor system of  claim 9 , wherein when the shaft is rotated, the shaft rotates at about 6000 revolutions per minute (rpm). 
     
     
         16 . A combustor system comprising:
 a toroidal-shaped combustion zone having an outside perimeter opposite a central hole;   an airflow channel interfacing with the outside perimeter of the toroidal-shaped combustion zone for delivering air to the toroidal-shaped combustion zone; and   an atomizer component arranged with the toroidal-shaped combustion zone, the atomizer component for atomizing a liquid fuel into the toroidal-shaped combustion zone.   
     
     
         17 . The combustor system of  claim 16 , further comprising a tube having an end arranged proximate to the atomizer component for introducing the liquid fuel to the atomizer component. 
     
     
         18 . The combustor system of  claim 17 , wherein the tube has an inside diameter of about 0.09 inch, and the liquid fuel is pressurized, inside of the tube, at about 30 pounds per square inch (psi) for intruding the liquid fuel to the atomizer component. 
     
     
         19 . The combustor system of  claim 16 , wherein the atomizer component comprises:
 a plate and a wall extending from a perimeter of the plate, the wall having a height varying curvilinearly along the perimeter of the plate, and   wherein when the atomizer component is rotated and the liquid fuel is introduced to the plate of the atomizer component, the varying height of the wall causes the liquid fuel to atomize into the toroidal-shaped combustion zone.   
     
     
         20 . The combustor system of  claim 19 , wherein the varying height of the wall causes the atomized liquid fuel to have a wide droplet area having a width of about 0.15 inches. 
     
     
         21 . The combustor system of  claim 16 , wherein the atomizer component is fixable to at least a portion of the shaft, and
 wherein when the shaft is rotated and the liquid fuel is introduced to the atomizer component, the liquid fuel is atomized into the toroidal-shaped combustion zone.