Vapor fuel combustion system

Abstract

A vaporized fuel system comprising a mixing chamber, a gaseous fuel component for combining with a liquid fuel component in the mixing chamber. The gaseous fuel component mixes with the liquid fuel component to form a combustible fuel mixture which is thereafter ignited and consumed. An ample supply of additional air, e.g., oxygen, is added to the combustible fuel mixture, during combustion, to ensure substantially complete combustion and consumption of substantially of at least the liquid fuel component.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic drawing showing the basic components for the improved fuel combustion system according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic drawing showing a mixing chamber of the fuel combustion system in greater detail;

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic drawing of a second embodiment of the improved fuel combustion system according to the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic drawing of the second embodiment of the improved fuel combustion system incorporated into a heating system; and

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic drawing of a spray nozzle of the second embodiment of the improved fuel combustion system.

Claims

1. A mixed vaporized fuel system comprising: a liquid fuel storage source for supplying a desired quantity of a liquid fuel;a pressurized gas source for supplying a pressurized gas for mixing with the liquid fuel,a mixing chamber coupled to both the liquid fuel storage source, via a liquid fuel supply conduit, and the pressurized gas source, via a pressurized gas supply conduit, and the mixing chamber facilitating mixing of the liquid fuel with the pressurized gas and formation of a combustion fuel mixture;a spray nozzle, communicating with the mixing chamber, for spraying the combustion fuel mixture in substantially vapor form into a combustion zone;an igniter, located in the combustion zone, for igniting the combustion fuel mixture sprayed by the spray nozzle; anda fan for providing additional ambient air to the combustion zone mix with the combustion fuel mixture and facilitate substantially complete combustion of the combustion fuel mixture.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the liquid fuel supply conduit has a flow valve for regulating a flow rate of the liquid fuel component from the liquid fuel storage source to the mixing chamber.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the pressurized gas supply conduit has a flow valve for regulating a flow rate of the pressurized gas from the pressurized gas source to the mixing chamber.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein an opening of the spray nozzle is between 0.01 and 0.05 inches.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein during operation of the system, the mixing chamber operates at a pressure of between 3 and 8 psi.

6. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a flame shroud essentially extending along and encasing the combustion zone to space the ignited combustion fuel mixture from a housing of the system.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein the liquid fuel supply flow valve communicates with a control system which automatically adjusts the flow of the liquid fuel from the liquid fuel supply storage through the liquid fuel supply conduit to the mixing chamber.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the liquid fuel supply conduit has a flow valve for regulating a flow rate of the liquid fuel component from the liquid fuel storage source to the mixing chamber, and liquid fuel supply flow valve communicates with a control system which automatically adjusts the flow of the liquid fuel from the liquid fuel supply storage through the liquid fuel supply conduit to the mixing chamber; and the pressurized gas supply conduit has a flow valve for regulating a flow rate of the pressurized gas from the pressurized gas source to the mixing chamber, and the pressurized gas flow valve communicates with the control system which automatically adjusts the flow of the pressurized gas from the pressurized gas source through the pressurized gas supply conduit to the mixing chamber.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the fan provides the additional ambient air to the combustion zone at a flow rate of between 5 feet per second to about 100 feet per second.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the mixing chamber is maintained at a pressure of between 3 and 8 psi and an opening of the spray nozzle is between about 0.01 and 0.05 inches so that the liquid fuel component of the combustion fuel mixture is essentially atomized immediately upon the combustion fuel mixture being sprayed into the combustion zone.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein the liquid fuel supply conduit has a flow valve for regulating a flow rate of the liquid fuel component from the liquid fuel storage source to the mixing chamber; the pressurized gas supply conduit has a flow valve for regulating a flow rate of the pressurized gas from the pressurized gas source to the mixing chamber;during operation of the system, the mixing chamber operates at a pressure of between 3 and 8 psi; andthe fan provides the additional ambient air to the combustion zone at a flow rate of between 5 feet per second to about 100 feet per second.

12. A mixed vaporized fuel system comprising: a mixing chamber for facilitating mixing of a gaseous fuel component and a liquid fuel component to form a vaporized fuel component;a gaseous fuel component storage source for storing a desired quantity of the gaseous fuel component, and the gaseous fuel component storage source being coupled to the mixing chamber;a liquid fuel component storage source for storing a desired quantity of the liquid fuel component, and the liquid fuel storage source being connected to the mixing chamber for supplying the liquid fuel component thereto; anda supply conduit for supplying a composite fuel mixture of the vaporized fuel component and air from the mixing chamber to a burner for combustion.

13. The system according to claim 12, further comprising a vacuum pump coupled to the supply conduit for withdrawing the vaporized fuel component and the air from the mixing chamber, once adequately mixed, and supplying the composite fuel mixture as fuel for the burner.

14. The system according to claim 12, wherein a gaseous fuel supply line includes a regulator for regulating a flow rate of the gaseous fuel component from the gaseous fuel component storage source to the mixing chamber.

15. The system according to claim 12, wherein an electronic valve is located in a gaseous supply conduit for interrupting the flow of the gaseous fuel component from the gaseous fuel component storage source to the mixing chamber.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein an electronic valve is located in a liquid fuel supply conduit for interrupting the flow of the liquid fuel component from the liquid fuel component storage source to the mixing chamber.

17. The system according to claim 16, wherein the mixing chamber has a high level sensor and a low level sensor and the high and low level sensors communicate with the electronic valve located in the liquid fuel supply conduit for maintaining a level of the liquid fuel component within the mixing chamber between the high and the low level sensors.

18. The system according to claim 13, wherein a member is located within the mixing chamber to facilitate adequate mixing of the vaporized fuel component with the air prior to the composite fuel mixture being withdrawn by the vacuum pump and supplied to the burner.

19. The system according to claim 16, wherein a control unit communicates with the electronic valve located in the gaseous supply conduit, the electronic valve located in the liquid fuel supply conduit and a vacuum pump coupled to the supply conduit for respectively controlling a flow of the gaseous fuel component from the gaseous fuel component storage source to the mixing chamber, a flow of the liquid fuel component from the liquid fuel component storage source to the mixing chamber and a flow of the vaporized fuel component, mixed with the air, from the mixing chamber to a burner.

20. A method of providing heat, the method comprising the steps of: supplying a liquid fuel component to a mixing chamber;supplying a pressurized gaseous fuel component to the mixing chamber;mixing the liquid fuel component and the pressurized gaseous fuel component within the mixing chamber to form a pressurized composite fuel mixture;discharging the pressurized composite fuel mixture, via an aperture of a nozzle, such that the pressurized composite fuel mixture is substantially atomized as the pressurized composite fuel mixture is discharged from the nozzle;supplying additional air to mix with the pressurized composite fuel mixture and facilitate combustion;combusting the pressurized composite fuel mixture and the additional air; andgenerating heat, for heating a building, from the combusted pressurized composite fuel mixture and the additional air.