IPC분류정보
| 국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
| 국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
| 출원번호 |
US-0732646
(2003-12-11)
|
| 등록번호 |
US-8502064
(2013-08-06)
|
|
발명자
/ 주소 |
|
| 출원인 / 주소 |
|
| 대리인 / 주소 |
Roberts Mlotkowski Safran & Cole, P.C.
|
| 인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
0 인용 특허 :
65 |
초록
▼
A hybrid system for generating electrical power. The hybrid system includes a photovoltaic array for collecting and converting solar radiation into electrical power, an apparatus for producing power from a source of liquid fuel, the apparatus including at least one capillary flow passage, the at lea
A hybrid system for generating electrical power. The hybrid system includes a photovoltaic array for collecting and converting solar radiation into electrical power, an apparatus for producing power from a source of liquid fuel, the apparatus including at least one capillary flow passage, the at least one capillary flow passage having an inlet end and an outlet end, the inlet end in fluid communication with the source of liquid fuel, a heat source arranged along the at least one capillary flow passage, the heat source operable to heat the liquid fuel in the at least one capillary flow passage to a level sufficient to change at least a portion thereof from a liquid state to a vapor state and deliver a stream of substantially vaporized fuel from the outlet end of the at least one capillary flow passage, a combustion chamber in communication with the outlet end of the at least one capillary flow passage and a conversion device operable to convert heat released by combustion in the combustion chamber into electrical power, and a storage device electrically connected to the photovoltaic array and the conversion device for storing the electrical power produced by the photovoltaic array and the conversion device.
대표청구항
▼
1. A hybrid system for generating electrical power comprising: (a) a photovoltaic array for collecting and converting solar radiation into electrical power;(b) an apparatus for producing power from a source of liquid fuel, the apparatus comprising (i) at least one capillary flow passage defined by a
1. A hybrid system for generating electrical power comprising: (a) a photovoltaic array for collecting and converting solar radiation into electrical power;(b) an apparatus for producing power from a source of liquid fuel, the apparatus comprising (i) at least one capillary flow passage defined by a metal capillary tube having an inner diameter of from 0.1 to 1 mm, said at least one capillary flow passage having an inlet end and an outlet end, said inlet end in fluid communication with the source of liquid fuel; (ii) an electrical resistance heat source arranged along said at least one capillary flow passage, said heat source operable to heat the liquid fuel in said at least one capillary flow passage to a level sufficient to change from a liquid state to a vapor state and deliver a stream of substantially vaporized fuel from said outlet end of said at least one capillary flow passage; (iii) means for cleaning deposits formed within said at least one capillary flow passage during operation of the apparatus, said means for cleaning deposits operable for placing said at least one capillary flow passage in fluid communication with a solvent, enabling in-situ cleaning of said capillary flow passage when the solvent is introduced into said at least one capillary flow passage, wherein the solvent comprises liquid fuel from the liquid fuel source and wherein the heat source is phased-out during cleaning of said capillary flow passage; (iv) a combustion chamber in communication with said outlet end of said at least one capillary flow passage, said combustion chamber configured to allow exhaust gases to preheat inlet air to reduce the energy required to combust the vaporized fuel; (v) swirl vanes for causing inlet air to swirl in the combustion chamber; and (vi) a conversion device operable to convert heat released by combustion in said combustion chamber into electrical power, said conversion device outputs up to 5000 watts of electrical power and comprises a Stirling engine with linear alternator for the production of electrical power;(c) a storage device electrically connected to said photovoltaic array and said conversion device for storing the electrical power produced by said photovoltaic array and said conversion device;(d) a controller for controlling said heat source to vaporize the liquid fuel to a level effective to reduce ignition energy requirement to a minimum of about 0.8 mJ; and(e) a piezo-electric ignition device for providing a spark energy in the range of about 5 to 7 mJ;wherein at least a portion of said at least one capillary flow passage is arranged to be heated by the combusted fuel such that the fuel in said at least one capillary flow passage is vaporized;wherein the electrical resistance heater is only used for an initial start-up period and heat from combusted fuel is used to vaporize the liquid fuel thereafter; andwherein the photovoltaic array is sized to provide about 90% of delivered electricity at about 300 to 800 hours of engine operation annually. 2. The hybrid system of claim 1, wherein said heat source comprises a resistance-heating element. 3. The hybrid system of claim 1, further comprising a fluid control valve, which controls the flow of liquid fuel from the liquid fuel source. 4. The hybrid system of claim 3, wherein said at least one capillary flow passage comprises at least one capillary tube. 5. The hybrid system of claim 4, wherein said heat source comprises a section of said capillary tube heated by passing an electrical current therethrough. 6. The hybrid system of claim 1, wherein said combustion chamber includes an igniter operable to ignite the vaporized fuel. 7. The hybrid system of claim 1, further comprising a fuel source, said fuel source capable of delivering pressurized liquid fuel to said at least one capillary flow passage at a pressure of 100 psig or less. 8. The hybrid system of claim 1, wherein said heat source enables the stream of substantially vaporized fuel that mixes with a gas upon exiting said outlet end of said at least one capillary flow passage to form an aerosol having a particle size distribution, a fraction of which is 25 μm or less. 9. The hybrid system of claim 1, further comprising a heat exchanger which includes an exhaust duct through which a portion of the exhaust gases exhausted from said combustion chamber are circulated and an air passage through which air is circulated, said heat exchanger preheating the air in said air passage by transferring heat from the exhaust gases in said exhaust duct to the air. 10. The hybrid system of claim 1, further comprising an air blower, said air blower supplying air under pressure to said combustion chamber to enable the pressurized air to mix with the vaporized fuel in a desired air-to-fuel ratio effective to combust the air-fuel mixture. 11. The hybrid system of claim 1, wherein the fuel source includes a fuel pump and a regulation valve, said regulation valve supplying the liquid fuel to the capillary flow passage at a desired flow rate. 12. A method of generating electrical power, comprising; (a) converting solar radiation into electrical power through the use of a photovoltaic array;(b) supplying liquid fuel to at least one capillary flow passage;(c) causing a stream of substantially vaporized fuel to pass through an outlet of the at least one capillary flow passage defined by a metal capillary tube having an inner diameter of from 0.1 to 1 mm by heating the liquid fuel in the at least one capillary flow passage to vaporize the liquid fuel to a level effective to reduce ignition energy requirement to a minimum of about 0.8 mJ;(d) causing inlet air to swirl in a combustion chamber; the combustion chamber configured to allow exhaust gases to preheat the inlet air to reduce the energy required to combust the vaporized fuel;(e) igniting the vaporized fuel to initiate combustion through the use of a piezo-electric ignition device for providing a spark energy in the range of about 5 to 7 mJ;(f) combusting the vaporized fuel in the combustion chamber;(g) converting heat produced by combustion of the vaporized fuel in the combustion chamber into electrical power using a conversion device the conversion device outputs up to 5000 watts of electrical power and comprises a Stirling engine with linear alternator for the production of electrical power;(h) storing electrical power generated in steps (a) and (g) in a storage device; and(i) cleaning periodically deposits formed within the at least one capillary flow passage during operation,wherein said periodic cleaning step comprises (i) phasing-out said heating of the at least one capillary flow passage, and (ii) supplying a solvent to the at least one capillary flow passage, whereby deposits formed in the at least one capillary flow passage are removed,wherein the liquid fuel is heated by an electrical resistance heater and liquid fuel in a portion of the capillary flow passage is heated with heat produced by the combusted fuel;wherein the electrical resistance heater is only used for an initial start-up period and the heat from the combusted fuel is used to vaporize the liquid fuel thereafter; andwherein the photovoltaic array is sized to provide about 90% of delivered electricity at about 300 to 800 hours of engine operation annually. 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one capillary flow passage includes at least one capillary tube and the heat source comprises a resistance heating element or section of the capillary tube heated by passing an electrical current therethrough, the method further including flowing the liquid fuel through the capillary tube and vaporizing the liquid fuel by heating the tube. 14. The method of claim 12, wherein the combustion chamber includes an igniter arranged to ignite the vaporized fuel, the method including igniting the vaporized fuel with the igniter. 15. The method of claim 12, wherein the fuel supply delivers pressurized liquid fuel to the at least one capillary flow passage, the method including delivering pressurized hydrocarbon fuel, oxygenated fuel or mixtures thereof, at a pressure of 100 psig or less to the at least one capillary flow passage. 16. The method of claim 12, wherein the stream of vaporized fuel mixes with air and forms a precombustion aerosol in the combustion chamber prior to start up of combustion, the method including forming the precombustion aerosol having a particle size distribution, a fraction of which is 25 μm or less prior to igniting the vaporized fuel to initiate combustion. 17. The method of claim 2, further comprising preheating air in a heat exchanger which includes an exhaust duct through which exhaust gases removed from the combustion chamber are circulated and an air passage through which air is circulated, the heat exchanger preheating the air in the air passage by transferring heat from the exhaust gases in the exhaust duct to the air. 18. The method of claim 12, further comprising supplying air under pressure to the combustion chamber such that the pressurized air mixes with the vaporized fuel in a desired air-to-fuel ratio suitable for combustion of the air-fuel mixture. 19. The method of claim 12, further comprising preheating the liquid fuel with a heat exchanger which includes an exhaust duct through which exhaust gases removed from the combustion chamber are circulated and a fuel passage through which the liquid fuel is circulated, the heat exchanger preheating the liquid fuel in the fuel passage by transferring heat from the exhaust gases in the exhaust duct to the liquid fuel. 20. The method of claim 12, wherein the solvent includes liquid fuel from the liquid fuel source.
※ AI-Helper는 부적절한 답변을 할 수 있습니다.