METHOD, APPARATUS, AND COMPUTER-READABLE MEDIA FOR VORTEX ARC REACTOR
Vortex arc reactor apparatus and method provide a nozzle with converging, throat, and diverging portions. Input structure inputs a reactant and an oxidant into the converging portion. Ignition structure ignites the input reactant and oxidant. A vortex-creating structure creates a vortex of the ignited reactant and oxidant in the converging portion. The input structure, the vortex-creating structure, and the nozzle converging and throat portions are configured to provide a throat-portion-vortex of ignited reactant and oxidant that has an angular velocity which provides (i) negatively-charged particles in an exterior portion of the throat-portion-vortex, (ii) positively-charged particles in an interior portion of the throat-portion-vortex, and (iii) at least one arcing reaction between the positively-charged particles and the negatively-charged particles, to form syngas and at least one aromatic liquid in the nozzle diverging portion. Gas/liquid separation structure is preferably configured to separate the formed syngas from the at least one aromatic liquid.
1 . Apparatus for producing a syngas and at least one aromatic liquid, comprising:
a nozzle having a converging portion, a throat portion, and a diverging portion;
input structure configured to input a reactant and an oxidant into the converging portion of the nozzle;
ignition structure configured to ignite the input reactant and oxidant;
vortex-creating structure configured to create a vortex of the ignited reactant and the oxidant in the converging portion of the nozzle; and
the input structure, the vortex-creating structure, and the nozzle converging and throat portions being configured to provide a throat-portion-vortex of ignited reactant and oxidant that has an angular velocity which provides (i) negatively-charged particles in an exterior portion of the throat-portion-vortex, (ii) positively-charged particles in an interior portion of the throat-portion-vortex, and (iii) at least one reaction between the positively-charged particles and the negatively-charged particles, to form syngas and the at least one aromatic liquid in the nozzle diverging portion.
2 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising output structure, disposed downstream from the nozzle diverging portion, and configured to output the formed syngas and at least one aromatic liquid.
3 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
gas/liquid separation structure, downstream from the nozzle diverging portion and configured to separate the formed syngas from the at least one aromatic liquid;
a syn gas output; and
an aromatic liquid output.
4 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the input structure, the vortex-creating structure, and the nozzle converging and throat portions are configured to cause at least one reaction which includes arcing.
5 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the vortex-creating structure comprises a fixed mechanism disposed in the input structure.
6 . The apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the fixed mechanism comprises a multi-bladed structure.
7 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the vortex-creating structure comprises an induction mechanism disposed in the nozzle converging portion.
8 . The apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the induction mechanism comprises a grooved frusto-conical mechanism.
9 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the vortex-creating structure, and the nozzle converging and throat portions are configured to increase the angular velocity of the ignited reactant and oxidant in the throat-portion-vortex.
10 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the vortex-creating structure, and the nozzle converging and throat portions are configured to form, in the throat-portion-vortex, at least (i) an outer layer, (ii) a separation layer, and (iii) an inner layer.
11 . A method for producing a syngas and at least one aromatic liquid, comprising:
disposing a nozzle having a converging portion, a throat portion, and a diverging portion;
inputting a reactant and an oxidant into the converging portion of the nozzle through an input section;
igniting the input reactant and oxidant;
creating a vortex of the ignited reactant and the oxidant in the converging portion of the nozzle with a vortex-creating structure; and
disposing the input structure, the vortex-creating structure, and the nozzle converging and throat portions so as to provide a throat-portion-vortex of ignited reactant and oxidant that has an angular velocity which provides (i) negatively-charged particles in an exterior portion of the throat-portion-vortex, (ii) positively-charged particles in an interior portion of the throat-portion-vortex, and (iii) at least one reaction between the positively-charged particles and the negatively-charged particles, to form the syngas and the at least one aromatic liquid in the nozzle diverging portion.
12 . The method according to claim 11 , further comprising disposing output structure downstream from the nozzle diverging portion, and configured to output the formed syngas and at least one aromatic liquid.
13 . The method according to claim 11 , further comprising:
separating the formed syngas from the at least one aromatic liquid;
outputting the syn gas; and
outputting the at least one aromatic liquid.
14 . The method according to claim 11 , further comprising causing at least one reaction in the nozzle throat portion that includes arcing.
15 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein disposing the vortex-creating structure includes disposing a fixed mechanism disposed in the input structure.
16 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein disposing the vortex-creating structure includes disposing an induction mechanism disposed in the nozzle converging portion.
17 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein the vortex-creating structure, and the nozzle converging and throat portions are disposed so as to increase the angular velocity of the ignited reactant and oxidant in the throat-portion-vortex.
18 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein the vortex-creating structure, and the nozzle converging and throat portions are disposed so as to form, in the throat-portion-vortex, at least (i) an outer layer, (ii) a separation layer, and (iii) an inner layer.
19 . The method according to claim 11 , further comprising controlling the inputting of the reactant and the oxidant using at least one processor.
20 . At least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium which stores one or more computer programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions, which when executed by one or more processors perform a method for producing a syngas and at least one aromatic liquid using structure having: (i) a nozzle having a converging portion, a throat portion, and a diverging portion; (ii) a vortex-creating structure disposed in or near the nozzle; (iii) input structure for inputting a reactant and an oxidant into the converging portion of the nozzle through an input section; (iv) an igniter for igniting the input reactant and oxidant;
the method comprising:
controlling the input structure and the igniter so as to:
create a vortex of the ignited reactant and the oxidant in the converging portion of the nozzle; and
create a throat-portion-vortex of ignited reactant and oxidant that has an angular velocity which provides (i) negatively-charged particles in an exterior portion of the throat-portion-vortex, (ii) positively-charged particles in an interior portion of the throat-portion-vortex, and (iii) at least one reaction between the positively-charged particles and the negatively-charged particles, to form the syngas and the at least one aromatic liquid in the nozzle diverging portion.