Vapor engine and vapor introduction system

Abstract

A vapor engine a top manifold having a top chamber and comprising one or more heaters arranged to heat the top chamber; a bottom manifold sealable to the top manifold, the bottom manifold comprising a one or more fluid receiving chambers and one or more heaters arranged to heat fluid present in the one or more fluid receiving chambers; a screen disposed between the top and bottom manifolds and having an opening arrangement such that as vapor flows from the bottom manifold through the screen a laminar flow of vapor is generated; at least one vapor-generating fluid pipe extending through the bottom manifold in fluid communication with at least a portion of the one or more fluid receiving chambers; the at least one fluid pipe comprising a plurality of apertures for releasing fluid into the one or more chambers; and a vapor outlet in fluid communication with the top manifold.

1 . A vapor engine, comprising:
 a top manifold having a top chamber and comprising one or more heaters arranged to heat the top chamber;   a bottom manifold sealable to the top manifold, the bottom manifold comprising a one or more fluid receiving chambers and one or more heaters arranged to heat fluid present in the one or more fluid receiving chambers;   a screen disposed between the top and bottom manifolds and having an opening arrangement such that as vapor flows from the bottom manifold through the screen a laminar flow of vapor is generated;   at least one vapor-generating fluid pipe extending through the bottom manifold in fluid communication with at least a portion of the one or more fluid receiving chambers; the at least one fluid pipe comprising a plurality of apertures for releasing fluid into the one or more chambers; and   a vapor outlet in fluid communication with the top manifold;   wherein:   the one or more heaters of the top manifold and the bottom manifold are separately controllable.   
     
     
         2 . The vapor engine of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom manifold comprises a plurality of projections that extend into an interior volume of the bottom manifold to define a plurality of fluid receiving chambers, and the at least one vapor-generating fluid pipe extends through at least a portion of the bottom manifold and comprises an aperture arranged in fluid communication with respective ones of the plurality of fluid receiving chambers arranged in the portion of the bottom manifold in which the at least one vapor-generating fluid pipe extends. 
     
     
         3 . The vapor engine of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one gas pipe extending through the bottom manifold in fluid communication with at least a portion of the one or more fluid receiving chambers. 
     
     
         4 . The vapor engine of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one gas pipe extends through ½ of the one or more fluid receiving chambers and the at least one vapor-generating fluid pipe extends through the other ½ of the one or more fluid receiving chambers. 
     
     
         5 . The vapor engine of  claim 1 , further comprising a pump for pumping vapor-generating fluid into the vapor engine 
     
     
         6 . The vapor engine of  claim 5 , wherein the pump is a peristaltic pump. 
     
     
         7 . The vapor engine of  claim 1 , wherein the vapor-generating fluid is water or H 2 O 2 . 
     
     
         8 . The vapor engine of  claim 7 , wherein the water is inhalant grade water. 
     
     
         9 . The vapor engine of  claim 1 , wherein the vapor outlet is arranged at one end of the top manifold. 
     
     
         10 . The vapor engine of  claim 1 , wherein the vapor outlet is arranged at an opposite end of the vapor engine from the at least one vapor-generating fluid pipe. 
     
     
         11 . The vapor engine of any  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the one or more fluid receiving chambers disposed on opposite halves of the bottom manifold are fluidly coupled. 
     
     
         12 . The vapor engine of  claim 1 , wherein a portion of the one or more fluid receiving chambers disposed on opposite halves of the bottom manifold are not fluidly couple to each other and are separated by a fastener for sealing together the top and bottom manifolds. 
     
     
         13 . The vapor engine of  claim 1 , comprising one or more inlet ports in fluid communication with at least a portion of the one or more fluid receiving chambers. 
     
     
         14 . The vapor engine of  claim 13 , wherein a gas pipe is arranged in one or more of the one or more inlet ports for introducing a gas into the portion of the one or more fluid receiving chambers. 
     
     
         15 . The vapor engine of  claim 13 , wherein an additive pipe is arranged in one or more of the one or more inlet ports for introducing an additive into the portion of the one or more fluid receiving chambers. 
     
     
         16 . The vapor engine of  claim 15 , wherein the additive comprises a flavoring. 
     
     
         17 . The vapor engine of  claim 15 , wherein the additive comprises one or more terpenes. 
     
     
         18 . A method for generating vapor using the vapor engine of  claim 1 , comprising:
 heating the bottom manifold to a bottom temperature equal to or greater than a boiling point temperature of the vapor-generating fluid;   heating the top manifold to a top temperature sufficient to maintain the vapor in vapor form;   flowing the vapor-generating fluid into the one or more fluid receiving chambers of the bottom manifold through the at least one vapor-generating fluid pipe, wherein, in the one or more fluid receiving chambers, the vapor-generating fluid is heated to generate a vapor, the vapor rises through the screen into the top chamber of the top manifold;   removing vapor from the top chamber through the vapor outlet.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising flowing a gas into the one or more fluid receiving chambers through at least one gas pipe having a plurality of apertures arranged in fluid communication with the one or more fluid receiving chambers to release the gas into the chambers, wherein the gas mixes with the vapor within the vapor engine and a gas/vapor mixture is removed from the top chamber through the vapor outlet. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the at least one vapor-fluid generating pipe is in fluid communication with ½ of the one or more fluid receiving chambers and the at least one gas pipe is in fluid communication with the remaining ½ of the one or more fluid receiving chambers, wherein gas flowed into the remaining ½ of the one or more fluid receiving chambers exits the bottom manifold and mixes with the vapor when exiting the bottom manifold and/or in the top chamber. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the at least one vapor-fluid generating pipe and the at least one gas pipe are in fluid communication with the same ones of the one or more fluid receiving chamber such that vapor is generated within the one or more fluid receiving chambers and mixes with the gas introduced into the same ones of the one or more fluid receiving chambers such that a mixed vapor/gas exits the bottom manifold. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the vapor-generating fluid is water or H 2 O 2 . 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the water is inhalant grade. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the vapor-generating fluid is water and the gas is nitrogen. 
     
     
         25 . A vapor introduction system comprising:
 a vapor engine of  claim 1  in fluid communication with a mixing unit, wherein the mixing unit comprises:
 an inlet for receiving vapor from the vapor engine; 
 an inlet for receiving inert gas from an inert gas source; 
 an internal volume in fluid communication with the inlet for receiving vapor and the inlet for receiving inert gas, wherein the inert gas and vapor are adapted to mix in the internal volume; and 
 an outlet for delivering the mixture of inert gas and vapor out of the internal volume. 
   
     
     
         26 . The vapor introduction system of  claim 25 , wherein the mixing unit further comprises an inlet for receiving one or more additives. 
     
     
         27 . The vapor engine of  claim 26 , wherein the additive comprises flavoring. 
     
     
         28 . The vapor engine of  claim 26 , wherein the additive comprises terpenes.