Pulse combustion heat exchanger system and method
A pulse combustion heat exchanger having a longitudinal axis is configured to accept oxidant and fuel and output a cooled combustion stream. The pulse combustion heat exchanger includes an oxidant inlet section that accepts oxidant, a fuel inlet section that accepts fuel, a mixing section that mixes oxidant with fuel, a combustion section that receives the oxidant and fuel and produces a pulsating combustion stream, and a heat transfer section configured to receive the pulsating combustion stream, the heat transfer section includes one or more resonance conduits. Coolant is employed at a plurality of longitudinally spaced-apart transition sections to remove heat.
1. A pulse combustion heat exchanger ( 1000 ) that is configured to accept oxidant ( 1 A 1 ) and fuel ( 1 A 2 ) and output a cooled combustion stream ( 1 A 5 ), including:
(a) an oxidant inlet section ( 100 ) that is configured to accept oxidant ( 1 A 1 );
(b) a fuel inlet section ( 200 ) that is configured to accept fuel ( 1 A 2 );
(c) a mixing section ( 300 ) including one or more aerovalves (A, A′, A″) that are configured to accept and mix oxidant ( 1 A 1 ) from the oxidant inlet section ( 100 ) with fuel ( 1 A 2 ) from the fuel inlet section ( 200 ) to create an oxidant and fuel mixture ( 1 A 3 );
(d) a combustion section ( 400 ) configured to receive and combust the oxidant and fuel mixture ( 1 A 3 ) from the mixing section ( 300 ) to produce a pulsating combustion stream ( 1 A 4 );
(e) a heat transfer section ( 500 ) configured to receive the combustion stream ( 1 A 4 ) from the combustion section ( 400 ), the heat transfer section ( 500 ) including one or more resonance conduits ( 502 , 502 A, 502 B, 502 C, 502 D, 502 E) that are configured to transfer heat from the combustion stream ( 1 A 4 ) to an energy sink (V 108 ), wherein combustion of the oxidant and fuel mixture ( 1 A 3 ) may continue to take place within the heat transfer section ( 500 );
(f) a first transition section ( 450 ) positioned between the combustion section ( 400 ) and the heat transfer section ( 500 ), the first transition section ( 450 ) comprising a first coolant path configured to receive a first coolant ( 451 );
(g) a second transition section ( 650 ) connected to the heat transfer section ( 500 ) and configured to receive the combustion stream ( 1 A 4 ) from the heat transfer section ( 500 ) and output a cooled combustion stream ( 1 A 5 ), the second transition section ( 650 ) comprising a second coolant path configured to receive a second coolant ( 651 ); and
(h) a decoupler section ( 600 ) connected to the second transition section ( 650 ) and configured to accept the cooled combustion stream ( 1 A 5 ) from the second transition section ( 650 ) and output the cooled combustion stream ( 1 A 5 ) via a combustion stream outlet ( 606 ).
2. The pulse combustion heat exchanger ( 1000 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the first transition section ( 450 ) comprises:
a first pair of parallel tubesheets ( 403 , 457 ) defining a first interior space ( 450 - 1 ) therebetween;
a first coolant inlet ( 452 ) in fluid communication with the first interior space ( 450 - 1 ) and configured to receive the first coolant ( 451 ); and
a first coolant outlet ( 454 ) in fluid communication with the first interior space ( 450 - 1 ); wherein:
the first coolant inlet ( 452 ), the first interior space ( 450 - 1 ) and the first coolant outlet ( 454 ) together define the first coolant path through the first transition section ( 450 ).
3. The pulse combustion heat exchanger ( 1000 ) according to claim 2 , wherein the second transition section ( 650 ) comprises:
a second pair of parallel tubesheets ( 603 , 657 ) defining a second interior space ( 650 - 1 ) therebetween;
a second coolant inlet ( 652 ) in fluid communication with the second interior space ( 650 - 1 ) that is configured to receive the second coolant ( 652 ); and
a second coolant outlet ( 654 ) in fluid communication with the second interior space ( 650 - 1 ); wherein:
the second coolant inlet ( 652 ), the second interior space ( 650 - 1 ) and the second coolant outlet ( 654 ) together define the second coolant path through the second transition section ( 450 ).
4. The pulse combustion heat exchanger ( 1000 ) according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a third transition section ( 350 ) positioned between the mixing section ( 300 ) and the combustion section ( 400 ) that is provided with a third coolant ( 351 ).
5. The pulse combustion heat exchanger ( 1000 ) according to claim 4 , wherein the third transition section ( 350 ) comprises:
a third pair of parallel tubesheets ( 357 , 205 ) defining a third interior space ( 350 - 1 ) therebetween;
a third coolant inlet ( 352 ) in fluid communication with the third interior space ( 350 - 1 ) that is configured to receive the third coolant ( 351 ); and
a third coolant outlet ( 354 ), in fluid communication with the third interior space ( 350 - 1 ); wherein:
the third coolant inlet ( 352 ), the third interior space ( 350 - 1 ) and the third coolant outlet ( 354 ) together define a third coolant path through the third transition section ( 350 ).
6. The pulse combustion heat exchanger ( 1000 ) according to claim 1 , further comprising:
at least one ignitor ( 410 , 410 A, 410 B) is in fluid communication with the combustion section ( 400 ); and
an ignitor input ( 412 ) configured to introduce an ignitor mixture ( 1 A 6 ) to the ignitor ( 410 ), the ignitor input ( 412 ) being in fluid communication with an ignitor oxidant supply and an ignitor fuel supply.
7. The pulse combustion heat exchanger ( 1000 ) according to claim 6 , further comprising:
a plurality of ignitors ( 410 A, 410 B) in fluid communication with the combustion section ( 400 ).
8. The pulse combustion heat exchanger ( 1000 ) according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a vessel (V 100 ) having an interior (V 102 ) defined by at least one side wall (V 104 ); and
a heat transfer medium (V 106 ) occupying the vessel's interior (V 102 ) and configured to accept heat from the heat transfer section ( 500 ) and serve as an energy sink (V 108 ).
9. The pulse combustion heat exchanger ( 1000 ) according to claim 1 , wherein:
the first transition section ( 450 ) is provided with a first coolant inlet ( 452 ) and a first coolant outlet ( 454 );
the second transition section ( 650 ) is provided with a second coolant inlet ( 652 ) and a second coolant outlet ( 654 );
the heat exchanger further comprises a coolant recycling drum ( 800 ) having a drum outlet ( 812 ) in fluid communication with the first and second coolant inlets ( 452 , 652 ) and further having drum inlet ( 822 ) in fluid communication with the first and second coolant outlets ( 454 , 654 ); and
a recycling pump ( 810 ) is interposed between the drum outlet ( 812 ) and the first and second coolant inlets ( 452 , 652 ), the recycling pump ( 810 ) configured to supply coolant ( 815 ) under pressure to the first and second coolant inlets ( 452 , 652 ).
10. The pulse combustion heat exchanger ( 1000 ) according to claim 9 , further comprising:
a first restriction orifice (RO 1 ) positioned between the recycling pump ( 810 ) and the first coolant inlet ( 452 ); and
a second restriction orifice (RO 2 ) positioned in between the recycling pump ( 810 ) and the second coolant inlet ( 652 ).
11. The pulse combustion heat exchanger ( 1000 ) according to claim 9 , further comprising:
a third transition section ( 350 ) between the mixing section ( 300 ) and the combustion section ( 400 ), the third transition section ( 350 ) having a third coolant inlet ( 352 ) and a third coolant outlet ( 354 ); wherein:
the drum outlet ( 812 ) is in fluid communication with the third coolant inlet ( 352 ) and the drum inlet ( 822 ) is in fluid communication with the third coolant outlet ( 354 ); and
the recycling pump ( 810 ) is interposed between the drum outlet ( 812 ) and the third coolant inlet ( 352 ), the recycling pump ( 810 ) configured to supply coolant ( 815 ) under pressure to the third coolant inlet ( 352 ).
12. The pulse combustion heat exchanger ( 1000 ) according to claim 11 , further comprising:
a first restriction orifice (RO 1 ) positioned between the recycling pump ( 810 ) and the first coolant inlet ( 452 );
a second restriction orifice (RO 2 ) positioned in between the recycling pump ( 810 ) and the second coolant inlet ( 652 ); and
a third restriction orifice (RO 3 ) positioned between the coolant recycling drum ( 800 ) and the third coolant inlet ( 352 ).
13. The pulse combustion heat exchanger ( 1000 ) according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a third transition section ( 350 ) between the mixing section ( 300 ) and the combustion section ( 400 ), the third transition section ( 350 ) having a third coolant inlet ( 352 ) and a third coolant outlet ( 354 );
a coolant recycling drum ( 800 ) having a drum outlet ( 812 ) in fluid communication with the third coolant inlet ( 352 ) and further having drum inlet ( 822 ) in fluid communication with the third coolant outlet ( 354 ); and
a recycling pump ( 810 ) interposed between the drum outlet ( 812 ) and the third coolant inlet ( 352 ), the recycling pump ( 810 ) configured to supply coolant ( 815 ) under pressure to the third coolant inlets ( 352 ).
14. The pulse combustion heat exchanger ( 1000 ) according to claim 13 , further comprising:
a third restriction orifice (RO 3 ) positioned between the coolant recycling drum ( 800 ) and the third coolant inlet ( 352 ).
15. The pulse combustion heat exchanger ( 1000 ) according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a plurality of fuel injectors ( 370 A, 370 B) location in the fuel inlet section ( 200 ), each fuel injector including a fuel injector conduit ( 372 A, 372 B) connected to a fuel injector distributor ( 374 A, 374 B), wherein:
the fuel injector conduit ( 372 A, 372 B) is configured to accept said fuel ( 1 A 2 ), and
fuel injector distributor ( 374 A, 374 B) is configured to transfer the fuel ( 1 A 2 ) from the fuel injector conduit ( 372 A, 372 B) into the mixing section ( 300 ).
16. The pulse combustion heat exchanger ( 1000 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the mixing section comprises:
at least one metal aerovalve (A), having an aerovalve longitudinal axis (X 1 ), an outer surface (S) with an outer diameter (D 0 ), an interior (A-IN), a rear end ( 1 E 1 ) having a rearwardly facing rear surface ( 1 E 1 S), a forward end ( 2 E 1 ) having a forwardly facing forward surface ( 2 E 1 S), and a total aerovalve length (L) defined between the rear and forward ends ( 1 E 1 , 2 E 1 ) along the aerovalve longitudinal axis (X 1 ).