Heating device, heating apparatus and apparatus for providing a flow of gaseous hydrogen

Abstract

A heating device comprises a device input and a device output, a conduit for conducting a flow of fluid from the device input to the device output, a hydrogen-burning torch arranged to heat the flow of fluid between the device input and the device output by flame-heating, and a spark ignitor arranged to light the torch. The heating device may be used to heat a flow of supercritical hydrogen derived from a store of liquid hydrogen to provide a flow of gaseous hydrogen. The device may be used in a fuel delivery system for a hydrogen-burning gas turbine engine, providing a weight saving compared to a hydrogen fuel delivery system having a fuel pre-heater which includes a heat-exchanger.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A heating device for heating a flow of fluid, the heating device having a device input and a device output and further comprising
 (i) a conduit for conducting a flow of fluid from the device input to the device output,   (ii) a hydrogen-burning torch arranged to heat the flow of fluid between the device input and the device output by flame-heating; and   (iii) an ignitor arranged to light the torch.   
     
     
         2 . A heating device according to  claim 1  wherein the conduit is straight between the device input and the device output defining a fluid conduction direction with unit vector a, the hydrogen-burning torch is arranged to produce a flame extending from the hydrogen-burning torch in a direction with unit vector b, wherein 0<a.b<1. 
     
     
         3 . A heating device according to  claim 2  wherein the conduit has a conduit wall, a first longitudinal portion of the conduit wall including the device input and a second longitudinal portion of the conduit wall being adjacent the first and mounting the hydrogen-burning torch, and wherein the second longitudinal portion has an internal transverse dimension with respect to a central longitudinal plane through the device greater than that of the first portion and the hydrogen-burning torch is arranged to produce a flame from a lateral position with respect to the plane, the lateral position being between lateral positions corresponding to the first and second dimensions. 
     
     
         4 . A heating device according to  claim 3  wherein the conduit wall comprises a third longitudinal portion adjacent the second longitudinal portion and having an internal surface parallel to the unit vector b. 
     
     
         5 . A heating device according to  claim 1  comprising first and second hydrogen-burning torches each being disposed at a common longitudinal position between the device input and the device output and on a respective lateral side of a central longitudinal plane through the heating device. 
     
     
         6 . A heating device according to  claim 5  wherein the first and second hydrogen-burning torches constitute a first pair of hydrogen-burning torches and wherein the heating apparatus further comprises a second pair of hydrogen-burning torches, each pair of hydrogen-burning torches being disposed at a respective longitudinal position between the device input and the device output. 
     
     
         7 . Heating apparatus for heating a flow of fluid, the heating apparatus comprising an apparatus input, an apparatus output, a heating device according to  claim 1  and supply means arranged to provide the or each hydrogen-burning torch of the heating device with a respective flow of hydrogen and a respective flow of oxygen, and wherein the heating apparatus is arranged to provide an input flow of fluid which is applied to the apparatus input to the device input of the heating device and to provide a flow of heated fluid from the device output of the heating device to the apparatus output. 
     
     
         8 . Heating apparatus according to  claim 7  wherein the heating apparatus comprises an output line arranged to convey heated fluid from the device output of the heating device to the apparatus output and a vent line coupled to the output line, the heating apparatus being configurable to allow air to be vented from the heating apparatus via the vent line. 
     
     
         9 . Heating apparatus according to  claim 7  wherein the supply means is arranged to provide the or each hydrogen-burning torch of the heating device with a respective flow of hydrogen and a respective flow of oxygen in a stoichiometric or hydrogen-rich ratio. 
     
     
         10 . Heating apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the heating apparatus is arranged to:
 (i) provide a first portion of an input flow of hydrogen applied to the apparatus input to the device input of the heating device; and   (ii) provide a second portion of the input flow to the hydrogen-burning torch, or as the case may be, either
 (a) provide a respective second portion of the input flow of hydrogen to each hydrogen-burning torch, or 
 (b) divide a second portion of the input flow of hydrogen to provide each hydrogen-burning torch with a respective flow of hydrogen. 
   
     
     
         11 . Heating apparatus according to  claim 10  wherein the heating apparatus further comprises heating means arranged to heat the or each second portion of the input flow. 
     
     
         12 . Apparatus for delivering a flow of gaseous hydrogen, the apparatus comprising heating apparatus according to  claim 7  and a heat-exchanger having a first fluid path from a first input to a first output and a second fluid path from a second input to a second output, the first and second fluid paths being in mutual thermal communication, the apparatus being arranged to receive an input flow of hydrogen at an input thereof and to provide first and second portions of the input flow to the apparatus input of the heating apparatus and to the first input of the heat-exchanger respectively, and wherein:
 (i) the heating apparatus is arranged to provide a flow of hydrogen from the apparatus output thereof to the first input of the heat-exchanger; 
 (ii) the apparatus is arranged to provide hydrogen output from the first output of the heat-exchanger to an output of the apparatus; and 
 (iii) the apparatus is arranged to receive a flow of air at an air input thereof and provide at least a portion of the flow of air to the second input of the heat-exchanger, the heat-exchanger being arranged to output at least the portion of the flow of air at the second output of the heat-exchanger. 
 
     
     
         13 . Apparatus according to  claim 12  wherein the apparatus is arranged to provide a portion of a flow of air received at the air input to one or more hydrogen-burning torches of the heating device of the heating apparatus. 
     
     
         14 . Apparatus for providing a flow of gaseous hydrogen, the apparatus comprising heating apparatus according to  claim 7  and a heat-exchanger having a first fluid path from a first input to a first output and a second fluid path from a second input to a second output, the first and second fluid paths being in mutual thermal communication, the apparatus further comprising a closed water circuit including the first fluid path of the heat-exchanger, the heating apparatus and a water pump and in which circuit the first output of the heat exchanger is coupled to the apparatus input of the heating apparatus and the apparatus output of the heating apparatus is coupled to the first input of the heat-exchanger, the apparatus being arranged to receive an input flow of hydrogen at an input of the apparatus, convey the input flow to the second input of the heat-exchanger and convey an output flow of hydrogen from the second output of the heat-exchanger to an output of the apparatus. 
     
     
         15 . Apparatus according to  claim 14  wherein the apparatus is arranged to either:
 (a) provide respective portions of an input flow of hydrogen received at the input of the apparatus to each hydrogen-burning torch of the heating device of the heating apparatus; or 
 (b) divide a portion of an input flow of hydrogen received at the input of the apparatus to provide each hydrogen-burning torch with a respective flow of hydrogen.