Claims
- 1. A combustion device, comprising:
a) a combustion chamber having an extinguishing section, an ignition section, and a combustion section intermediate the extinguishing section and the igniter section; b) an igniter operatively coupled to the combustion chamber at the ignition section; c) a first supply system and a second supply system, operatively coupled to the combustion chamber at the extinguishing section, the first supply system configured to supply fuel to the combustion chamber, the second supply system configured to supply an oxidizer to the combustion chamber, the fuel and oxidizer being configured to combine and form a combustible mixture; d) the combustion chamber being configured to provide for the combustible mixture to fill the combustion chamber from the extinguishing section toward the ignition section and to be ignited by the igniter adjacent the ignition section, combustion proceeding through the combustion section from the ignition section toward the extinguishing section and then extinguishing; and e) at least one energy extraction device, operatively coupled to the combustion chamber, and configured to extract energy from combustion of the combustible mixture.
- 2. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein combustion proceeds through the combustion section from the ignition section toward the extinguishing section at a supersonic combustion rate.
- 3. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein an inside surface of the combustion chamber includes surface irregularities to promote turbulent flow of the combustible material through the combustion chamber to thereby increase a combustion rate of the combustible material.
- 4. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the at least one energy extraction device is operatively coupled to a side of the combustion chamber.
- 5. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the at least one energy extraction device is operatively coupled to an end of the combustion chamber proximate the ignition section of the combustion chamber.
- 6. A device in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a plurality of combustion chambers, and wherein the at least one energy extraction device is operatively coupled to the plurality of combustion chambers and is configured to extract energy from combustion of the combustible mixture in the plurality of combustion chambers.
- 7. A device in accordance with claim 6, further comprising a combustion control system, operatively coupled to the plurality of combustion chambers, to selectively operate each of the plurality of combustion chambers.
- 8. A device in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a plurality of energy release ports, formed in a side of the combustion chamber, configured to direct the energy from combustion of the combustible mixture to the at least one energy extraction device.
- 9. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the energy extraction device includes a piston, operatively coupled to the combustion chamber, configured to be driven by energy from combustion of the combustible mixture.
- 10. A device in accordance with claim 9, wherein the piston is operatively coupled to a power device, the power device being selected from the group consisting of an electric generator, a fluid pump, a hydraulic pump, a pneumatic pump, and a mechanical transducer.
- 11. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the energy extraction device is selected from the group consisting of a turbine, a thrust nozzle and a pressure chamber.
- 12. A device in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a flow restriction device, operatively coupled to the combustion chamber, and configured to restrict a rate at which the fuel and oxidizer enter the combustion chamber.
- 13. A device in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:
a) a third supply system, operatively coupled to the combustion chamber, configured to introduce into the combustion chamber a buffer material; and b) the combustion chamber being configured to provide for the combustible mixture and the buffer material to simultaneously fill the chamber in a stratified condition.
- 14. A device in accordance with claim 13, further comprising an annular inlet port, operatively coupled intermediate the third supply system and the combustion chamber, configured to fill the combustion chamber with the buffer material in an annular path adjacent an inside diameter of the combustion chamber.
- 15. A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein a ratio of a length of the combustion chamber to an inside diameter of the combustion chamber is greater than 5:1.
- 16. A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein a length of the combustion chamber is less than 15 cm.
- 17. A method of extracting energy, comprising the steps of:
a) filling from an inlet section at least one combustion tube with a combustible mixture; b) igniting the combustible mixture with an igniter displaced along a length of the combustion tube from the inlet section at an ignition section of the tube, combustion proceeding through the tube away from the ignition section; and c) extracting energy from combustion of the combustible mixture with at least one energy extraction device.
- 18. A method in accordance with claim 17, wherein the step of combusting the combustible material includes combusting the combustible material at a supersonic combustion rate.
- 19. A method in accordance with claim 17, wherein the step of extracting energy from combustion of the combustible mixture includes extracting energy from a side of the combustion tube.
- 20. A method in accordance with claim 17, wherein the step of extracting energy from combustion of the combustible material includes extracting energy from an end of the combustion tube.
- 21. A method in accordance with claim 17, wherein the steps of filling at least one combustion tube with a combustible mixture and igniting the combustible mixture include selectively filling and igniting a plurality of combustion tubes.
- 22. A method in accordance with claim 17, wherein the step of extracting energy from combustion of the combustible material includes extracting energy with a piston.
- 23. A method in accordance with claim 22, further comprising the step of converting energy extracted by the piston into an alternate form, the alternate form being selected from the group consisting of electricity, fluid power and mechanical power.
- 24. A method in accordance with claim 17, wherein the step of extracting energy from combustion of the combustible material includes extracting energy with a secondary power output, the secondary power output being selected from the group consisting of a turbine, a thrust nozzle, and a pressure chamber.
- 25. A method in accordance with claim 17, further comprising the step of restricting a rate of flow of the combustible mixture into the combustion tube with a flow-restricting device.
- 26. A method in accordance with claim 17, further comprising the step of simultaneously filling the combustion tube with a buffer material and the combustible mixture in a stratified condition.
- 27. A combustion device, comprising:
a) an elongate combustion tube having:
i) an inlet section including an inlet for combustible material; and ii) an ignition section, including an igniter displaced along a length of the tube from the inlet section to ignite the combustible material; and b) at least one energy extraction device, operatively coupled to the combustion tube, configured to extract energy from combustion of the combustible mixture.
- 28. A device in accordance with claim 27, wherein the combustion tube is configured to be filled with the combustible material from the inlet section toward the ignition section, combustion proceeding through the combustion tube away from the ignition section.
- 29. A device in accordance with claim 27, further comprising a first supply system and a second supply system each operatively coupled to the combustion tube adjacent the inlet section, the first supply system configured to supply fuel to the combustion chamber, the second supply system configured to supply an oxidizer to the combustion chamber, the fuel and oxidizer configured to combine and form the combustible mixture.
- 30. A device in accordance with claim 27, wherein combustion proceeds through the combustion tube away from the ignition section at a supersonic combustion rate.
- 31. A device in accordance with claim 27, wherein an inside surface of the combustion tube includes surface irregularities to promote turbulent flow of the combustible material through the combustion tube to thereby increase a combustion rate of the combustible material.
- 32. A device in accordance with claim 27, wherein the at least one energy extraction device is operatively coupled to a side of the combustion tube.
- 33. A device in accordance with claim 27, wherein the at least one energy extraction device is operatively coupled to an end of the combustion tube.
- 34. A device in accordance with claim 27, further comprising a plurality of combustion tubes, and wherein the at least one energy extraction device is operatively coupled to the plurality of combustion tubes and is configured to extract energy from combustion of the combustible mixture in the plurality of combustion tubes.
- 35. A device in accordance with claim 34, further comprising a combustion control system, operatively coupled to the plurality of combustion tubes, to selectively operate each of the plurality of combustion tubes.
- 36. A device in accordance with claim 27, further comprising a plurality of energy release ports, formed in a side of the combustion tube, configured to direct the energy from combustion of the combustible mixture to the at least one energy extraction device.
- 37. A device in accordance with claim 27, wherein the energy extraction device includes a piston, operatively coupled to the combustion tube, configured to be driven by energy from combustion of the combustible mixture.
- 38. A device in accordance with claim 37, wherein the piston is operatively coupled to a power device, the power device being selected from the group consisting of an electric generator, a fluid pump, a hydraulic pump, a pneumatic pump, and a mechanical transducer.
- 39. A device in accordance with claim 27, wherein the energy extraction device is selected from the group consisting of a turbine, a thrust nozzle, and a pressure chamber.
- 40. A device in accordance with claim 27, further comprising a flow restriction device, operatively coupled to the combustion tube, configured to restrict a rate at which the fuel and oxidizer enter the combustion tube.
- 41. A device in accordance with claim 27, further comprising:
a) a third supply system, operatively coupled to the combustion tube, configured to introduce into the combustion tube a buffer material; and b) the combustion tube being configured to provide for the combustible mixture and the buffer material to simultaneously fill the tube in a stratified condition.
- 42. A device in accordance with claim 41, further comprising an annular inlet port operatively coupled intermediate the third supply system and the combustion tube, the annular inlet port configured to fill the combustion tube with the buffer material in an annular path adjacent an inside diameter of the combustion tube.
- 43. A device in accordance with claim 27 wherein a ratio of a length of the combustion tube to an inside diameter of the combustion tube is greater than 5:1.
- 44. A device in accordance with claim 27 wherein a length of the combustion tube is less than 15 cm.
- 45. A combustion device, comprising:
a) an elongate combustion tube having an inlet section and an ignition section displaced along a length of the tube from the inlet section, the combustion tube being configured to receive and combust a combustible material; b) an igniter, operatively coupled to the combustion tube at the ignition section, to ignite the combustible material; c) a primary energy extraction device, operatively coupled to the combustion tube, driven by combustion of the combustible material to extract a greater amount of energy over a longer period of time; and d) a secondary energy extraction device, operatively coupled to the combustion tube, driven by combustion of the combustible material to extract a lesser amount of energy over a shorter period of time, as compared to the primary energy extraction device.
- 46. A device in accordance with claim 45, wherein combustion proceeds through the combustion tube away from the ignition section at a supersonic combustion rate.
- 47. A device in accordance with claim 45, wherein an inside surface of the combustion tube includes surface irregularities to promote turbulent flow of the combustible material through the combustion tube to thereby increase a combustion rate of the combustible material.
- 48. A device in accordance with claim 45, wherein the secondary energy extraction device includes a piston, operatively coupled to the combustion tube, configured to be driven by energy from combustion of the combustible mixture.
- 49. A device in accordance with claim 48, wherein the piston is operatively coupled to a power device, the power device being selected from the group consisting of an electric generator, a fluid pump, a hydraulic pump, a pneumatic pump, and a mechanical transducer.
- 50. A device in accordance with claim 45, wherein the secondary energy extraction device is selected from the group consisting of a turbine, a thrust nozzle, and a pressure chamber.
- 51. A device in accordance with claim 45 wherein the length of the combustion tube is a cylinder of an internal combustion engine.
Parent Case Info
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/439,473, filed Nov. 12, 1999, and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/303,053, filed Jul. 5, 2001.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60303053 |
Jul 2001 |
US |
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09439473 |
Nov 1999 |
US |
Child |
10128988 |
Apr 2002 |
US |