Scalable power generation using a pulsed detonation engine
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
F02C-005/02
F02C-005/00
F02C-005/12
F02C-007/22
출원번호
US-0746863
(2003-12-24)
등록번호
US-7340903
(2008-03-11)
발명자
/ 주소
Lu,Frank K.
Wilson,Donald R.
출원인 / 주소
Board of Regents, The University of Texas System
대리인 / 주소
Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
3인용 특허 :
7
초록▼
A scalable power generator is described. A scalable, portable pulsed detonation engine is coupled to a turbine which drives a generator and using commonly available fuels, electric energy is provided. Additional embodiments incorporate a mechanical compressor at the intake of the pulsed detonation
A scalable power generator is described. A scalable, portable pulsed detonation engine is coupled to a turbine which drives a generator and using commonly available fuels, electric energy is provided. Additional embodiments incorporate a mechanical compressor at the intake of the pulsed detonation engine which is driven by a second turbine, the second turbine drives a shaft that powers the mechanical compressor. Other enhancements to the invention and additional embodiments are described.
대표청구항▼
What is claimed is: 1. A power generating apparatus comprising: a source of compressed air having an air intake and outputting compressed air; a pulsed detonation tube section receiving the compressed air, and having an exhaust output; a fuel input valve to provide cyclical fuel bursts into the pul
What is claimed is: 1. A power generating apparatus comprising: a source of compressed air having an air intake and outputting compressed air; a pulsed detonation tube section receiving the compressed air, and having an exhaust output; a fuel input valve to provide cyclical fuel bursts into the pulsed detonation tube section; an air intake valve to provide the compressed air cyclically into the pulse detonation tube section, a common driving means to operate the fuel input valve and the air intake valve, the common driving means being a belt or a chain; an igniter for providing into said pulsed detonation tube section a high energy cyclical ignition pulse which is synchronized to said fuel valve bursts, the fuel being combusted in response to the ignition pulse and producing a high velocity pressure wave; a turbine coupled to the exhaust of said pulsed detonation tube section which is turned by the energy of said pressure wave and having an output; and a generator coupled to the output of said turbine and generating electrical power as a result of the force provided by said turbine due to the pressure wave. 2. The generator set forth in claim 1, wherein the velocity of said pressure wave approximately equals the Chapman-Jouguet velocity, and a pulsed detonation wave is created. 3. The generator as set forth in claim 1, wherein the igniter and the fuel valve are operated to produce cyclical ignitions which have a frequency greater than 60 Hz. 4. The generator of claim 1, wherein the frequency of the ignition and fuel valve cycles is greater than 20 Hz. 5. The generator of claim 1, wherein said source of compressed air further comprises: a mechanical compressor having an output coupled to the air intake, the compressor being coupled to a shaft for causing the compressor to rotate and thereby creating compressed air at its output; and a second turbine having its input at the output of the pulsed detonation tube, and having an output coupled to the input of the first turbine, and being coupled to rotate said shaft and drive said compressor in response to the force of said pressure wave. 6. The generator of claim 5 wherein said compressor outputs a pressure of at least about 1.3 atmospheres. 7. The generator of claim 1 and further comprising a valve receiving an oxidizer which is supplied to said pulsed detonation tube in cyclical bursts that are synchronized to said fuel intake bursts. 8. The generator of claim 7 wherein said oxidizer is oxygen. 9. The generator of claim 1 wherein said fuel is one selected from the group of compounds consisting of butane and its compounds, methane and its compounds and propane and its compounds. 10. The generator of claim 1 wherein said fuel is hydrogen. 11. The generator of claim 1, wherein said pulsed detonation tube further comprises: a plurality of parallel detonation tubes, each having a fuel intake valve for receiving fuel, and each having a high energy ignitor, and each having an output; and a plenum at the output of said parallel detonation tubes, for receiving the pressure waves from each of said parallel detonation tubes, and having an output directed to the first turbine. 12. The generator of claim 1 and further comprising a coil forming a Shchelkin spiral positioned within said detonation tube adjacent said igniter for enhancing the deflagration to detonation transition within said detonation tube. 13. The generator of claim 1 wherein said igniter further comprises a triggered spark gap device within said detonation tube. 14. A pulsed detonation power generator comprising: a pulsed detonation chamber having an intake end and an exhaust end and having sidewalls along its length; an air intake port coupled to the intake of said pulsed detonation chamber; an air intake valve for receiving compressed air and for selectively supplying it into said air intake port; a plurality of fuel injection ports located adjacent one another in a first sidewall of said pulsed detonation chamber; a fuel supply valve for receiving fuel and selectively supplying to said plurality of fuel injection ports; a plurality of oxidizer injection ports located adjacent one another in a second sidewall of said pulsed detonation chamber; an oxidizer supply valve for receiving said oxidizer and selectively supplying it to said plurality of oxidizer ports; an ignitor for causing cyclical detonation of a mixture of fuel, air and oxidizer within said pulsed detonation chamber; a compressor for supplying compressed air to said air intake valve; and a turbine coupled to said exhaust end for receiving the energy from said pulsed detonation chamber and driving a generator to produce electrical power. 15. The pulsed detonation generator of claim 14, and further comprising a drive belt for operating the air intake valve, the fuel supply valve, and the oxidizer supply valve and being driven by a drive pulley. 16. The pulsed detonation generator of claim 15 and further comprising: a second turbine coupled between the exhaust end of said pulsed detonation chamber and said turbine, said second turbine for operating a driveshaft which is used to power said compressor and said drive pulley, the remaining energy from said exhaust end being directed to said turbine for generating electrical power. 17. An electrical power generating apparatus, comprising: a first turbine outputting electrical power in response to a hot exhaust flow input; a compressor rotating about an axis, for outputting compressed air in response to a rotating driveshaft; a second turbine for rotating the driveshaft in response to a hot exhaust flow at its input and outputting the remaining hot exhaust; a plenum for receiving a plurality of hot exhaust streams and mixing them together, for outputting hot exhaust to said second turbine; a plurality of pulsed detonation engines arranged adjacent one another to receive the compressed air from said compressor and having hot exhaust outputs coupled to the input of said plenum, each pulsed detonation engine further comprising: a pulsed detonation chamber having an intake end and an exhaust end and having sidewalls along its length; an air intake port coupled to the intake of said pulsed detonation chamber; an air intake valve for receiving compressed air and for selectively supplying it into said air intake port; a plurality of fuel injection ports located adjacent one another in a first sidewall of said pulsed detonation chamber; a fuel supply valve for receiving fuel and selectively supplying to said plurality of fuel injection ports; a plurality of oxidizer injection ports located adjacent one another in a second sidewall of said pulsed detonation chamber; an oxidizer supply valve for receiving said oxidizer and selectively supplying it to said plurality of oxidizer ports; an igniter for causing cyclical detonation of a mixture of fuel, air and oxidizer within said pulsed detonation chamber; a control circuitry for causing detonations in said plurality of pulsed detonation engines to occur in a phased fashion, to produce a continuous exhaust flow into said plenum, which produces a continuous hot exhaust output to drive said first and second turbines. 18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said plurality of pulsed detonation engines are arranged in a circular fashion around said driveshaft. 19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said plurality of pulsed detonation engines each further comprise a water jacket for circulating water around said pulsed detonation engines and thereby cooling said pulsed detonation engines. 20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein each of said pulsed detonation engines further comprises a valve drive system for operating the air intake, fuel supply and oxidizer supply valves. 21. A method for generating electrical power, comprising the steps of: providing a supply of compressed air; providing a pulsed detonation chamber coupled for receiving the compressed air at an air intake; providing a fuel supply valve for receiving fuel and supplying it into said pulsed detonation chamber in a controlled manner; providing an oxygen supply valve for receiving oxygen and supplying into said pulsed detonation chamber in a controlled manner; a common drive means for operating at least the fuel supply valve and the oxidizer supply valve, and being driven by a drive pulley; providing an ignitor for causing detonation of said fuel, air, and oxygen mixture in said pulsed detonation chamber in a cyclical manner at a first frequency; providing a turbine and generator coupled to the exhaust from said pulsed detonation engine and producing electrical power in response to the exhaust from said pulsed detonation engine; and operating said pulsed detonation engine to create an exhaust flow into said turbine to produce electrical power. 22. The method of claim 21 wherein said first frequency is greater than 20 Hz. 23. The method of claim 22 wherein said first frequency is greater than 60 Hz. 24. A pulsed detonation engine, comprising: a source of compressed air having an air intake and outputting compressed air; a pulsed detonation tube section receiving the compressed air, and having an exhaust output; a fuel input valve to provide cyclical fuel bursts into the pulsed detonation tube section; an igniter for providing into said pulsed detonation tube section a high energy cyclical ignition pulse in excess of 10 Joules of energy which is synchronized to said fuel valve bursts, the fuel being combusted in response to the ignition pulse and producing a high velocity pressure wave; a coil forming a Shchelkin spiral positioned within said pulsed detonation tube adjacent said igniter for enhancing the deflagration to detonation transition within said pulsed detonation tube; whereby in response to fuel being input into the pulsed detonation tube and repeatedly ignited by cyclic pulses from said igniter, a pulsed detonation is achieved which produces a pressure wave within said pulsed detonation tube having a velocity that is at least the Chapman-Jouquet velocity. 25. The pulsed detonation engine of claim 24, wherein the source of compressed air comprises: a mechanical compressor having an output coupled to the air intake, the compressor being coupled to a shaft for causing the compressor to rotate and thereby creating compressed air at its output; and a turbine having its input at the output of the pulsed detonation tube, and having an output exhaust, and being coupled to rotate said shaft and drive said compressor in response to the force of said pressure wave. 26. The pulsed detonation engine as set forth in claim 24, wherein the igniter and the fuel valve are operated to produce cyclical ignitions which have a frequency greater than 60 Hz. 27. The pulsed detonation engine of claim 24, wherein the frequency of the ignition and fuel valve cycles is greater than 20 Hz. 28. The generator of claim 24 wherein said compressor outputs a pressure of at least about 1.3 atmospheres. 29. The pulsed detonation engine of claim 24 and further comprising a valve receiving an oxidizer which is supplied to said pulsed detonation tube in cyclical bursts that are synchronized to said fuel intake bursts. 30. The pulsed detonation engine of generator of claim 29 wherein said oxidizer is oxygen. 31. The pulsed detonation engine of claim 30 wherein said fuel is one selected from the group of compounds consisting of butane and its compounds, methane and its compounds and propane and its compounds. 32. The pulsed detonation engine of claim 24 wherein said fuel is hydrogen. 33. The pulsed detonation engine of claim 24 wherein said pulsed detonation engine further comprises: an oxidizer supply valve for receiving said oxidizer and selectively supplying it to said pulsed detonation tube section; and an air intake valve for receiving said compressed air and selectively supplying it to said pulsed detonation tube section. 34. The pulsed detonation engine of claim 33 wherein said fuel intake valve; said oxidizer supply valve; and said air intake valve are mechanical rotary valves. 35. The pulsed detonation engine of claim 33 wherein said mechanical rotary valves are coupled to a common driving means. 36. The pulsed detonation engine of claim 35 wherein said common driving means is a belt. 37. The pulsed detonation engine of claim 35 wherein said common driving means is a chain. 38. The pulsed detonatoin engine of claim 37 wherein at least one of said fuel intake valves; oxidizer valve and said air intake valve is a solenoid valve. 39. The pulsed detonation engine of claim 33 wherein said oxidizer supplied by said oxidizer supply valve is oxygen. 40. The pulsed detonation engine of claim 33 wherein each of said fuel, air intake and oxidizer supply valves are solenoid valves coupled to a control means for operating said valves. 41. A pulsed detonation engine, comprising: a pulsed detonation chamber having an intake end and an exhaust end and having sidewalls along its length; an air intake port coupled to the intake of said pulsed detonation chamber; an air intake valve for receiving compressed air and for selectively supplying it into said air intake port; a plurality of fuel injection ports located adjacent one another in a first sidewall of said pulsed detonation chamber; a fuel supply valve for receiving fuel and selectively supplying to said plurality of fuel injection ports; a plurality of oxidizer injection ports located adjacent one another in a second sidewall of said pulsed detonation chamber; an oxidizer supply valve for receiving said oxidizer and selectively supplying it to said plurality of oxidizer ports; an ignitor for causing cyclical detonation of a mixture of fuel, air and oxidizer within said pulsed detonation chamber; a compressor for supplying compressed air to said air intake valve; and a turbine coupled to said exhaust end for receiving the energy from said pulsed detonation chamber and driving a rotary shaft coupled to and powering said compressor. 42. The pulsed detonation engine of claim 41, and further comprising a drive belt for operating the air intake valve, the fuel supply valve, and the oxidizer supply valve and being driven by a drive pulley. 43. An apparatus for pulsed detonation, comprising: a compressor rotating about an axis, for outputting compressed air in response to a rotating driveshaft; a turbine for rotating the driveshaft in response to a hot exhaust flow at its input and outputting the remaining hot exhaust; a plenum for receiving a plurality of hot exhaust streams and mixing them together, for outputting hot exhaust to said second turbine; a plurality of pulsed detonation engines arranged adjacent one another to receive the compressed air from said compressor and having hot exhaust outputs coupled to the input of said plenum, each pulsed detonation engine further comprising: a pulsed detonation chamber having an intake end and an exhaust end and having sidewalls along its length; an air intake port coupled to the intake of said pulsed detonation chamber; an air intake valve for receiving compressed air and for selectively supplying it into said air intake port; a plurality of fuel injection ports located adjacent one another in a first sidewall of said pulsed detonation chamber; a fuel supply valve for receiving fuel and selectively supplying to said plurality of fuel injection ports; a plurality of oxidizer injection ports located adjacent one another in a second sidewall of said pulsed detonation chamber; an oxidizer supply valve for receiving said oxidizer and selectively supplying it to said plurality of oxidizer ports; an igniter for causing cyclical detonation of a mixture of fuel, air and oxidizer within said pulsed detonation chamber; a control circuitry for causing detonations in said plurality of pulsed detonation engines to occur in a phased fashion, to produce a continuous exhaust flow into said plenum, which produces a continuous hot exhaust output to drive said turbine.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (7)
Bussing,Thomas R. A., Detonative cleaning apparatus.
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