초록 ▼

Disclosed is a catalytic combustor and systems for the boilerless stoichiometric production of a working fluid such as steam from a fuel-mixture comprised of a carbonaceous fuel and a diluent such as water mixed in a thermally self-extinguishing mass ratio. Production of the steam is by a controlled

Disclosed is a catalytic combustor and systems for the boilerless stoichiometric production of a working fluid such as steam from a fuel-mixture comprised of a carbonaceous fuel and a diluent such as water mixed in a thermally self-extinguishing mass ratio. Production of the steam is by a controlled substantially stoichiometric process utilizing a combustor to provide steam over a wide range of heat release rates, temperatures and pressures for steam flooding an oil bearing formation. Even though formation characteristics change during a steam flooding operation, output steam of the combustor may be kept at a constant heat release rate by dividing the total amount of water passing through combustor between a first portion which is included in the fuel-mixture and a second portion which is injected into the heated products of combustion. In this way, the space velocity of the fluid stream passing through the combustor catalyst may be kept within operational limits of the catalyst while maintaining stoichiometric combustion. When necessary, preheating of at least one of the components of the mixture burned in the catalyst is provided by a portion of the heat of combustion.

대표청구항 ▼

A combustor including means for catalytically combusting a fuel admixture of a non-combustible diluent and a carbonaceous fuel intimately mixed in a thermally self-extinguishing mass ratio so such combustion directly heats said diluent to produce a heated fluid, means for providing relative quantiti

A combustor including means for catalytically combusting a fuel admixture of a non-combustible diluent and a carbonaceous fuel intimately mixed in a thermally self-extinguishing mass ratio so such combustion directly heats said diluent to produce a heated fluid, means for providing relative quantities of said carbonaceous fuel and an oxidant for such combustion, said means for catalytically combusting comprising a housing with an inlet chamber toward one end thereof and a discharge chamber toward the other end thereof, a catalyst supported within said housing between said chambers, means for mixing said admixture and said oxidant in said inlet chamber to form an inlet mixture preparatory to flow through said catalyst, a post-combustion injector for spraying a non-combustible cooling fluid with a high heat capacity into said heated fluid for cooling purpose, a cooling fluid control, a temperature sensor for said heated fluid for detecting the temperature thereof prior to injection of said cooling fluid, control means connected between said sensor and said flow control for transmitting a control signal to said control-fluid flow control to cause said flow control to adjust the flow of said cooling fluid into said discharge chamber for lowering the temperature of said working fluid to a selected temperature, and a post-injection temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of said heated fluid after injection of said cooling fluid, said control means being connected with said latter sensor and including a computer for comparing said post-injection temperature to said selected temperature and transmitting an appropriate signal to said cooling fluid flow control to adjust the flow of said cooling fluid to cool said working fluid to said selected temperature.