ERC Incorporated (Huntsville, AL) has developed an apparatus and nanomaterials for distributed ignition of fuels by lights sources. A combustion fuel and an ignition mixture are combined where the ignition mixture comprises ignition agents and fuel and where ignition agents can be nano-metallic particles in combination with single-walled carbon nano-tubes (SWCNTs). The combination of ignition mixture and combustion fuel in the presence of oxygen are exposed to light causing heating of the ignition agents and combustion of the fuel within which the ignition agents are interspersed. A system for igniting fuels using the method is also disclosed by inventors Behrouz Chehroudi, Ghanshyam L. Vaghjiani and Andrew David Ketsdever in U.S. Patent 7,665,985.
Many industrial processes that utilize chemical reactions in their applications often require an initiation stimulus to start the conversion of the chemicals. The process that initiates the combustion of fuels is commonly referred to as ignition. It is a critical systems component for most combustion processes especially in mobile or stationary power producing machines. For example, improper ignition during the firing of a rocket engine during lift-off can lead to a catastrophic engine failure and possible loss of the spacecraft and human life. Also, the ignition characteristics in a gasoline-fueled automotive engine can strongly affect the fuel's initial burn rate, the chamber's combustion efficiency and the exhaust stream's emission profile.
Although many ignition methods exist, by far the most popular one is the spark igniter. It requires high energy inputs via high voltage circuitry and often heavy components, and by its nature is a single-point stimulus method. In other words, the ignition initially occurs at the point where the igniter is located and it is hoped that the flame will spread from there throughout the volume in which combustion is desired
Although many ignition methods exist, by far the most popular one is the spark igniter. It requires high energy inputs via high voltage circuitry and often heavy components, and by its nature is a single-point stimulus method. In other words, the ignition initially occurs at the point where the igniter is located and it is hoped that the flame will spread from there throughout the volume in which combustion is desired
ERC achieves distributed ignition with certain ignition agents, i.e., micro- or nano-structured materials such as nano-metallic particles including single-walled carbon nano-tubes (SWCNTs,) which are fluidized with either the fuel or the oxidizer or mixtures thereof and flash ignited.
ERC’s nanomaterial method of distributed ignition comprises the steps of obtaining an ignition mixture where the ignition mixture is ignition agents and a fuel, combining the ignition mixture with a combustion fuel, where the ignition agents are well distributed throughout the combustion mixture, and exposing the ignition agents interspersed within the combustion fuel to light radiation in the presence of oxygen.
The ignition agents are a combination of nano-metallic particles and SWCNTs. The source of the light radiation is one of a flash device, for example a camera flash, a light-emitting diode, a laser diode or the like. The combustion fuel is one of a solid fuel, a gaseous fuel and a liquid fuel.
A system for using the method includes a combustion chamber, first ducting coupled thereto for porting combustion fuel therein, second ducting coupled to the combustion chamber for porting an ignition mixture therein, where the ignition mixture is ignition agents and at least one of a first fuel, and a light source radiating light into the combustion chamber in the presence of the ignition mixture and the combustion fuel.
ERC’s nanomaterial method of distributed ignition comprises the steps of obtaining an ignition mixture where the ignition mixture is ignition agents and a fuel, combining the ignition mixture with a combustion fuel, where the ignition agents are well distributed throughout the combustion mixture, and exposing the ignition agents interspersed within the combustion fuel to light radiation in the presence of oxygen.
The ignition agents are a combination of nano-metallic particles and SWCNTs. The source of the light radiation is one of a flash device, for example a camera flash, a light-emitting diode, a laser diode or the like. The combustion fuel is one of a solid fuel, a gaseous fuel and a liquid fuel.
A system for using the method includes a combustion chamber, first ducting coupled thereto for porting combustion fuel therein, second ducting coupled to the combustion chamber for porting an ignition mixture therein, where the ignition mixture is ignition agents and at least one of a first fuel, and a light source radiating light into the combustion chamber in the presence of the ignition mixture and the combustion fuel.
A solid fuel rocket engine could be adapted to use nanomaterial ignition agents where a fluidized mixture could be introduced to the solid fuel within the combustion chamber and exposed to light radiation, thereby initiating distributed ignition of the solid fuel. At the same time, ignition agents could be mixed within the solid fuel, in a manner similar to the well-known use of aluminum particles, to enhance, and/or control the fuel's burn rate.
FIG. 2 is a representation of rocket engine using light activated nanomaterial fuel ignition.
FIG. 3 is a representation of an internal combustion using light activated nanomaterial fuel ignition.
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