초록 ▼

The invention provides a scheme for combusting a hydrocarbon fuel to generate and extract enhanced translational energy. In the scheme, hydrocarbon fuel is nanopartitioned into nanometric fuel regions each having a diameter less than about 1000 angstroms; and either before or after the nanopartition

The invention provides a scheme for combusting a hydrocarbon fuel to generate and extract enhanced translational energy. In the scheme, hydrocarbon fuel is nanopartitioned into nanometric fuel regions each having a diameter less than about 1000 angstroms; and either before or after the nanopartitioning, the fuel is introduced into a combustion chamber. In the combustion chamber, a shock wave excitation of at least about 50,000 psi and with an excitation rise time of less than about 100 nanoseconds is applied to the fuel. A fuel partitioned into such nanometric quantum confinement regions enables a quantum mechanical condition in which translational energy modes of the fuel are amplified, whereby the average energy of the translational energy mode levels is higher than it would be for a macro-sized, unpartitioned fuel. Combustion of such a nanopartitioned fuel provides enhanced translational energy extraction by way of, e.g., a reciprocating piston because only the translational energy mode of combustion products appreciably contributes to momentum exchange with the piston. The shock wave excitation provided by the invention, as applied to combustion of any fuel, and preferably to a nanopartitioned fuel, enhances translational energy extraction and exchange during combustion by enhancing translational energy mode amplification in the fuel and by enhancing transfer of an appreciable amount of energy from that translational mode to the piston before the combusted fuel re-equilibrates the translational energy into other energy modes.

대표청구항 ▼

[ We claim:] [1.] A method for combusting a hydrocarbon fuel to enhance combustion energy extraction and combustion efficiency, comprising the steps of:partitioning the hydrocarbon fuel into nanometric fuel regions having an average spatial dimension less than about 200 angstroms by combining the hy

[ We claim:] [1.] A method for combusting a hydrocarbon fuel to enhance combustion energy extraction and combustion efficiency, comprising the steps of:partitioning the hydrocarbon fuel into nanometric fuel regions having an average spatial dimension less than about 200 angstroms by combining the hydrocarbon fuel with a liquid comprising water, maintaining the combination in a vessel at a pressure about the critical pressure of water and at a temperature about the critical temperature of water, and emitting the combination from the vessel through an orifice;introducing the nanopartitioned hydrocarbon fuel into a combustion chamber; andinitiating combustion of the fuel.