Oxyhydrogen Pulse and Rotary Detonation Combustion Pump

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/989,838, entitled “Oxyhydrogen Pulse and Rotary Detonation Combustion Pump,” filed Aug. 10, 2020, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/884,589, entitled “Hydrogen Pulse Detonation Combustion Pump” by Vance Turner, filed Aug. 8, 2019, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

This application generally relates to vacuum and pressure pumps and the various applications of such pumps. More specifically, this application relates to the use of detonation combustions, some of which can be centered on the relationship of hydrogen, oxygen, and water to generate high pressures and vacuums within a short period and harnessing the shockwave, implosion, matter state changes, and high thermal energies created with the aim of improving the efficiency of such pumps.

Pumps are generally well known in the field and have been used in a variety of different applications today including automotive, commercial and industrial applications, and many others. Pumps, including vacuum pumps, have been used in a variety of industries including the production and manufacture of composite materials, electronic components such as integrated circuits and printed circuit boards as well as a variety of many other industries. In some applications, the use of vacuum pumps and being able to maintain vacuum can be essential to the operation at hand. Furthermore, it can mean the difference between producing high quality products and those with defects. Additionally, in a variety of applications pumps can serve as life sustaining devices and thus it is essential that they are reliable, predictable, and durable in the use and function thereof.

Traditional pumps, including vacuum pumps, which are typically used in industry rely on a multitude of mechanical components to generate the vacuum and/or pressure necessary for the desired use. For example, a vacuum cleaner may use an electric motor to move the air molecules from one area to another in order to generate a partial vacuum. Systems such as these typically involve some type of positive displacement system to move the air molecules around in order to generate vacuum. Many such systems have large motors that produce vast amounts of noise and can take time to reach the vacuum desired for operation. For example, some systems may take five or more minutes to generate the necessary vacuum to operate. The increased size of motors as well as the greater time required can lead to higher energy costs for many users.

Many embodiments are directed to a combustion pump that is capable of producing work by operating on the principle of producing a pulse detonation combustion which performs work by expansion of a gas. Further work can be done by atmospheric compression and/or condensation of the expanded gas.

Numerous embodiments are directed to a combustion chamber with an exterior portion and an interior portion wherein the interior portion forms an internal space. The combustion chamber is outfitted with a fluid inlet and outlet valve assembly that is in fluid communication with the interior portion of the combustion chamber having a portion thereof connected to the exterior portion of the combustion chamber, wherein the inlet valve assembly receives a predetermined amount of fluid to be placed in the internal portion of the combustion chamber. Additionally, the combustion chamber is outfitted with a gas inlet valve assembly in fluid communication with the interior portion of the combustion chamber and connected to the exterior portion and configured to transfer a combustible gas into the internal portion of the combustion chamber, and an ignition source connected to the exterior portion of the combustion chamber and exposed to the interior portion of the combustion chamber.

In other embodiments, the pulse detonation pump has a fluid outlet valve assembly, wherein the fluid outlet valve assembly is in fluid communication with the interior portion of the combustion chamber whereby the pressure on the portion of the amount of fluid drives the fluid through the fluid outlet assembly into a fluid management system.

In still other embodiments, the fluid management system is one or more pipes connected to the outlet valve assembly.

In yet other embodiments, the one or more pipes are connected to a storage reservoir.

In still yet other embodiments, the detonation of the combustible gas further generates a vacuum within the combustion chamber such that an additional amount of fluid can be drawn into the combustion chamber through the fluid inlet assembly by the difference in pressure between the vacuum state and atmospheric pressure.

In other embodiments, the fluid inlet assembly further comprises a fluid valve configured to open and close during one or more points of a combustion cycle within the combustion chamber.

In still other embodiments, the gas inlet assembly further comprises a gas valve configured to open and close during one or more points of a combustion cycle within the combustion chamber.

In yet other embodiments, the pulse detonation pump has an exhaust port.

In still yet other embodiments, the ignitor assembly has a first portion that generates an ignition and a second portion that houses the generated ignition and wherein the first portion is not exposed to the interior of the combustion chamber and the second portion is disposed within the combustion chamber and exposed to the combustible gases.

In other embodiments, the pulse detonation pump has a view port connected to the external portion of the combustion chamber and extending through to the internal portion of the combustion chamber such that the interior can be viewed and inspected from the exterior of the combustion chamber.

In still other embodiments, the pulse detonation pump has at least one sensor disposed on the interior of the combustion chamber.

In yet other embodiments, the sensor is configured to measure the amount of combustible gas within the combustion chamber.

In still yet other embodiments, the pulse detonation pump has a control system electronically connected to the fluid inlet assembly, the gas inlet assembly, and the ignitor assembly wherein the control system can monitor and control the detonation of the combustible gases as well as the flow of fluid and combustible gas within the combustion chamber.

In other embodiments, the fluid is selected from a group consisting of water, hydrogen, oxygen, and mercury.

In still other embodiments, the combustible gas is a mixture of hydrogen and oxygen.

In yet other embodiments, the mixture ratio of hydrogen to oxygen is 2 to 1.

In still yet other embodiments, the ignitor is selected from a group consisting of a spark plug, laser, and an electrically heated wire.

Other embodiments include a process of generating vacuum where a combustible gas is received into a combustion chamber. The combustible gas is subsequently ignited in the chamber thereby generating a pressure forcing any fluid within the combustion chamber out of an exit valve such that the pressure inside the combustion chamber is lower than the pressure outside the combustion chamber.

Other embodiments include a process of pumping a fluid using the following steps:

In yet other embodiments, the combustible gas is a combination of hydrogen and oxygen.

Other embodiments include a rotary detonation pump with a housing that has a continuous side wall forming a chamber between an inner portion of the side wall. The rotary detonation pump also has a primary fluid gallery concentrically disposed within the chamber such that a gap between the continuous sidewall and the primary fluid gallery is formed thereby creating a concentrically located opening and wherein the opening is configured to receive a mixture of combustible gas through an inlet. The gas can be ignited by an ignitor disposed between the inlet and the concentrically located opening where in the ignitor operates to ignite the combustible gas within the concentrically located opening forming a combustion chamber. Additionally, a fluid inlet can be connected to the chamber and the primary fluid gallery by at least one channel, wherein a combustion within the combustion chamber operates to generate vacuum thereby drawing fluid into the pump from atmospheric pressure.

Additional embodiments and features are set forth in part in the description that follows, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the specification or may be learned by the practice of the disclosure. A further understanding of the nature and advantages of the present disclosure may be realized by reference to the remaining portions of the specification and the drawings, which forms a part of this disclosure.

Turning now to the drawings, a pulse detonation combustion pump is described herein. In many embodiments, the pulse detonation pump can include a combustion chamber that receives a supply of combustible gases through an inlet valve. In various embodiments, the pulse detonation pump may have an exit valve connected to the combustion chamber such that an exhaust or a fluid may exit the combustion chamber. In various embodiments the exit valve can be connected to a fluid management system such as piping to direct the flow of the exit fluid or exhaust into any number of additional systems such as energy management systems and/or fluid storage systems. Numerous embodiments, have a fluid inlet valve connected to the combustion chamber to allow for a fluid such as water to be drawn into the combustion chamber during the combustion cycle. Other embodiments, may be configured with an ignition source that is connected to the combustion chamber, more specifically the internal cavity of the combustion chamber, such that it can ignite the gases within the chamber. In accordance with many embodiments the pulse detonation combustion pump is configured to operate in a cyclic fashion. For example, in many embodiments a primer phase will operate to inject the combustion gas into the combustion chamber through the gas inlet valve. Subsequently, the gas can be ignited causing a detonation within the chamber by which any contents within the chamber can be expelled or moved out of the chamber through the fluid exit valve. This can be either gases, liquids, or both. The detonation, in many embodiments can result in a condensation of the combusted gases which can subsequently generate a vacuum within the chamber that can act to draw additional combustible gases and additional fluids into the chamber. The fluids that are used within the chamber and ultimately used for work, can vary depending on the overall desired function and purpose of the pump. For example, some embodiments may utilize liquid water. Other embodiments may use liquid mercury or any other type of fluid that is not reactive with the combustible gas mixture or any component of the pump. Accordingly, it can be appreciated that the structure of the pump can be made of any type of material or combination of materials that is suitable for the intended use of the pulse detonation pump.

There are varieties of vacuum pumps that can be found to create vacuum for a variety of uses. Some such uses may include providing vacuum during a curing cycle in an oven or providing vacuum for the manufacture of multiple components including but not limited to electronic components such as circuit boards and integrated circuits. A traditional vacuum pump operates by altering the pressure in a sealed volume to create at least a partial vacuum. This is typically done by removing the gas molecules within the sealed volume, thus leaving behind a partial vacuum.

As previously described, these traditional systems are made of multiple mechanical components such as rotating fan blades that are connected to a motor system that operates to spin the fan. Mechanical systems are often limited in the strength of the components of which they are made. For example, many such mechanical systems are only designed to operate for a certain number of cycles before failure. Furthermore, such mechanical systems often take time to generate sufficient vacuum and are often noisy. Additionally, in order to generate industrial scales of vacuum some systems tend to be correspondingly large resulting in costly facility and maintenance costs.

Some systems, such as the Humphrey pump, incorporate the idea of reducing the number of moving parts in a pump to generate efficient pumping capabilities through the use of a combustion effect. Some of such examples are illustrated in a variety of patents including but not limited to U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,271,712, 1,272,269, and 1,084,340 to Humphrey. Each of the disclosed Humphrey pumps operated on an open system where one or more components were open to the atmosphere and exposed to the surrounding environment. Additionally, the Humphrey pump lacked the ability to generate suction which required the pump to be located below the fluid source. Furthermore, the Humphrey pump was often large and relatively inconvenient.

In contrast to many present day pumps, embodiments described herein illustrate a pulse detonation pump with relatively few moving mechanical components and capable of generating pressure as well as vacuum that can be applied in a number of different applications. The reduction in moving components can provide several desirable characteristics of an effective pump including, but not limited to, lower maintenance costs, noise reduction, and improved operating efficiency. For example, some embodiments are capable of generating high levels of pressure and vacuum in a matter of milliseconds whereas traditional pumps would take several minutes to obtain comparable levels.

As described above, various embodiments of the pulse detonation pump can be configured in a number of ways to generate work. For example,, illustrate embodiments of a pulse detonation pump configured to create work.illustrate top and side views of pumpwith a combustion chamber. The combustion chambercan have numerous connected elements as described above such as a gas inlet valve, a fluid inlet valveas well as an exit or extraction valve. The combustion chambercan also be configured with an ignition source. In numerous embodiments, the gas inlet valve assemblycan be configured to allow the flow of combustible gases (not shown) into the combustion chambersuch that the combustible gases would be in contact with the ignition source. In accordance with many embodiments, the combustible gases may be introduced into the chamber in a number of ways. For example, the combustible gases can be supplied by an external tank or supply source (not shown) and distributed into the top or bottom portion of the combustion chamber. In some embodiments, the gas inlet valve assemblymay have a supply tubedisposed within the tank such that the gases can be distributed to the bottom portion of the tank. One can appreciate that the length of the tube can vary depending on the desired point at which gases would be distributed into the tank. In some embodiments, the combustible gases may be a mixture of two or more gases that are designed to combust when in contact with an ignition source. For example, many embodiments may combine a mixture of hydrogen and oxygen gases in a desired ratio in order to produce the detonation pulse required to move or expel fluids from the chamber. It can be appreciated that any number of valves can be used as the fluid and gas inlet and outlet valves. Some embodiments may use mass flow controllers with totalizers.

The combustible gases serve as a key element in generating the necessary conditions to create the vacuum and pressure that is generally desirable for use in accordance with many embodiments. The nature of hydrogen gas is generally combustible and when combined in the appropriate stoichiometric ratio to produce HO, a hydrogen oxygen mixture is capable of producing a shockwave that can be hypersonic. Thus, such a reaction is capable of generating pressures far greater than those of current pumps.

In order to produce vacuum, the pump operates on the premise that a combustion of hydrogen and oxygen in certain stoichiometric ratios produces superheated steam as the only product. The large gas volume increase thus produced by the detonation can be allowed to expel the fluids from the combustion chamber. At the end of the expulsion only superheated steam would remain in the combustion chamber and the outlet would then be closed. The superheated steam will then be cooled by the walls of the combustion chamber and the pressure inside will drop to the vapor pressure of water at the combustion chamber temperature. For example at 29° C. the vapor pressure of HO is 0.58 psia. Furthermore, the combustion of hydrogen and oxygen in the presence of water can improve the function of the pump. For example, when the gases are detonated by reacting with the ignition sourcethe reaction can produce a hypersonic shock wave of nearly Mach 4.5 with a potential temperature of 2800° C. nearly instantaneously. Liquid water can be introduced within the combustion chamber and act to absorb the generated heat resulting in a phase change of the water to superheated steam. As is well known, steam can serve as a mechanism to generate work. In various embodiments, the superheated steam can expand up to 2000 times its initial volume when it was liquid water and contribute to the pressure generated from the detonation to expel fluid from the chamber through the exit valveand, in some embodiments, along a fluid management systemsuch as pipes. Various embodiments may utilize additional membranes to isolate the water in the combustion chamber. Such embodiments are still capable of producing the desired vacuum while realizing time and energy savings over traditional pumps.

As previously discussed, many embodiments incorporate an inlet flow valve assemblyand an outlet flow valve assemblywhere each of the inlet and outlet flow valve assemblies may control the flow of a fluid into and out of the combustion chamber. In accordance with numerous embodiments, the fluid is designed to flow into and out of the chamberduring the process of generating vacuum and pressure within the system thereby creating a pump that can control the flow of a fluid. In some embodiments, the gas stream or gas source may come from an alternate or external source such as one or more tanks configured to combine the gases through the gas inlet valveor the gases may be pre-combined. In some embodiments, the pumpmay be configured to directly generate the supply gases through electrolysis. Accordingly, some embodiments may be configured to generate the combustible gas concentrations from the water flow itself rather than an external source.

It can be appreciated that the combustion of the gases within the combustion chambercan be done in a number of ways. The ignition sourcecan be any number of suitable devices capable of causing the combustion of the gases within the chamber. For example, some embodiments may utilize a spark generator such as a spark plug connected to some type of electric source. Other embodiments may utilize a laser ignitor or a heated wire ignitor. In numerous embodiments, the gas introduction point can be used to dry the ignitorin order to produce a more reliable ignition with each cycle. In accordance with various embodiments, the combustion chambermay be configured with a pre-ignition chamber (not shown) such that the actual ignition sourcecan be isolated from the potentially damaging moisture in the chamber.

As illustrated inmany embodiments of the pumpmay have an exhaust portconnected to the combustion chamber. The exhaust port may be configured to allow the remnants of the combusted gas to escape the combustion chamber without causing excessive pressure build up within the chamber. In some embodiments, the exhaust portmay be connected to the top portion of the chamber or may be positioned at any reasonable location such that it can allow the most efficient release of unwanted exhaust.

Illustrated inmany embodiments may include a view port. A typical combustion process is generally capable of producing some type of light or plasma illumination. Such illumination may aid in the evaluation of the combustion process. Additionally, the view portmay be used to evaluate the status of the internal components of the combustion chamber to help improve overall maintenance and longevity of the pump. Numerous embodiments may also include any number of sensorspositioned such that they can monitor pressure, velocity, temperature, water level, and any other internal conditions of the combustion chamberduring the functioning of the pump. It can be appreciated that any number of sensors at different locations within and external to the combustion chamberfor monitoring the process may be installed. Additionally, some embodiments may utilize a variety of different types of sensors to enable the most accurate control of the fluids entering and exiting the chamber. For example, some embodiments may use mass flow controllers and/or accumulators to measure the gas charge in the combustion chamber.

Turning now to, other embodiments of the pump are illustrated. A feature of many of the embodiments is not only the functionality and reliability of the pump but the portability of some embodiments. For example,illustrates a top view of a pumpthat is stationed on a mobile cart. The cartin accordance with some embodiments may be outfitted with several wheelssuch that the pump may be moved from one location to another. Such embodiments illustrate the scalability of the pump for a variety of applications. For example, the pump may be used as a refrigerant cooling pump. Additionally, the mobility of the pump may allow the pump to serve as a vacuum type tool or pressure tool in a variety of applications such as applying vacuum during an elevated temperature cure cycle.

As can be appreciated, many embodiments of the pump can operate in a cyclic fashion as do many traditional pumps. However, as has been discussed throughout, the method of operation of numerous embodiments is fundamentally different from pumps currently belonging to the state of the art. Accordingly,illustrates a pulse detonation pump cycle in various phases in accordance with embodiments.illustrates an embodiment of a pumpthat is primedin order to obtain the desired operational vacuum. The cycle is then commenced by allowing fluid into the combustion chamber. Then oxyhydrogen gas is introduced into the chamber. The oxyhydrogen gas is ignited. The detonation of the oxyhydrogen gas produces a hypersonic shockwave that ejects the fluid from the combustion chamber. The ejection of the fluid results in a reduction of the pressure inside the combustion chamber to well below atmospheric pressure. For example, demonstrations of the apparatus have shown this ejection and subsequent reduction of pressure occurs in less than one second. The cycle is repeated by returning to. Furthermore, many embodiments, as discussed above result in a portion of the fluid being heated to superheated steam further capable of producing work to help move fluid out of the chamber.

illustrates a process flow diagram of a combustion cycle in accordance with numerous embodiments. For example, the combustion chamber can be primedwith an initial gas load that can subsequently be detonatedto purge the chamber. Once the initial priming (and) has been completed and proper vacuum has been determined and reached, the pump cycle can begin. This cycle consists of the following: open water inlet and fill combustion chamber, open gas inlet and set gas charge, detonate, expel fluid from combustion chamber, verify operational results, repeat cycle or end process.

Many embodiments are directed to a pump that operates on the premise of the combustion of a mixture of hydrogen gas with oxygen gas that upon combustion, generates a hypersonic pulse detonation shockwave which results in the near instantaneous transfer of energy to water acting as a flexible piston. In numerous embodiments, the combustion reaction is also capable of producing high temperature, high pressure superheated steam. The subsequent implosion of the gas component along with the condensation of the superheated steam can subsequently generate a vacuum within the chamber that is much lower than the external ambient pressure. The pressure differential between the shockwave, high pressure superheated steam, the condensed fluid, and the ambient external pressure allows for many embodiments to produce work. In some embodiments the work may be illustrated as a pressurizing pump, while other embodiments may translate the work in the form of a vacuum pump. The capabilities of numerous embodiments discussed herein can be illustrated by the graphs inwhich show actual pressure-time plots resulting from multiple detonations in the apparatus depicted in.shows two detonations plotted on the same graph so the differences in the pressure results from the detonations can be clearly seen. The initial conditions in the apparatus only differed in the amount of oxyhydrogen utilized. The detonation illustrated inhad 1.3 grams of oxyhydrogen whereas the detonation illustrated in, with the larger range, had 2.2 grams of oxyhydrogen. The 40 liter combustion chamber in each case contained 22 liters of water and 18 liters of air. The temperature was 22° C. and the atmospheric pressure was 14.4 psia. For 1.3 grams of oxyhydrogen,shows that the pressure increases to a maximum of 17.2 psia in 0.29 seconds returning to atmospheric pressure 0.40 seconds later. The pressure decreases asymptotically to a limit of 5.00 psia reaching 50% of the limiting low pressure by 3.45 seconds. For 2.2 grams of oxyhydrogen,shows the that the pressure increases to a maximum of 45.3 psia in 0.095 seconds returning to atmospheric pressure 0.14 seconds later. The pressure decreases asymptotically to a limit of 4.38 psia reaching 50% of the limiting low pressure by 2.65 seconds. The faster and more complete expulsion of the fluid in the combustion chamber by the larger charge of oxyhydrogen shows the utility of this approach.

As previously described, the embodiments of the pump can be used in a variety of different applications. Some embodiments may include, but not be limited to, generating vacuum (as previously described), refrigeration or air conditioning, cooling water, distilling water, pumping water or other fluids, geological fracturing, providing a cooling mechanism for nuclear reactors, and/or use as a rotary detonation engine. Additionally, many embodiments may include the use of two or more pumps to operate independently, in tandem cells, synchronously and asynchronously to perform the desired functions of the overall system.

Some embodiments may include a method for using the pump in a manner that could perform geological fracturing. For example, in some embodiments, the pump may be sized to provide any working pressure the system is designed to contain. This may be done with the gases set at standard atmosphere or under compression. Accordingly, embodiments of a pump could incorporate multiple cells that can be programmed to support the hypersonic shockwave to serve this purpose. Embodiments of the pump could be fitted to the well cap rather than to standby truck beds as is currently standard operating procedure. This allows for higher pressures and improved blow out safety.

Other embodiments of the pump may be designed to transport or pump water to any number of locations for any number of uses. For example,illustrates a pulse detonation pump systemin accordance with embodiments described herein configured to pump water. The pumpmay be used in conjunction with pipingthat is in fluid communication with an aquifer. Accordingly, the detonation cycle of the pump and subsequent generation of vacuum can act to draw water from the aquiferinto the pump and subsequently into an external tank. Accordingly, the detonation cycle of the pump provides the desired pressure and velocity to feed a venturi style pump below the water line of aquiferand raise it into the external tank. In accordance with various embodiments, the pump systemmay also have external power sourcesas well as electronic control unitselectronically connected to the power source, where the electronic control units can operate to control the amount of gases put into the combustion chamber as well as the subsequent ignition of the gases. Additionally, many embodiments may utilize the control unitto alter or adjust the flow of both liquid and gas based on the changing environmental conditions such as air pressure and/or water levels. Furthermore, some embodiments may incorporate an electrolysis control system embedded within the control unit that, in accordance with embodiments, can act to generate additional combustible gases from the supplied water. Although various embodiments may operate to extract fluid, such as water, in some embodiments the pumpcan be used to extract steam from a well to have its state changed back to liquid. It can be appreciated that many such pump applications can be modified with larger or smaller diameter pipes based on the overall desired nature and/or pressures if needed from the pump. Although electrical power requirements may be supplied by a number of methods, in numerous embodiments, the pump may be designed to utilize telluric current in order to accomplish electrolysis.

further illustrates the use of a pulse detonation pump within a steam production cycle/system. For example, the steam systemmay be configured with a pulse detonation pump, in accordance with embodiments described herein where the pumpis connected to a steam recompressor. The steam recompressoris configured to repressurize the steam and direct it back into a boilervia a repressurized steam linesuch that the boiler can be “topped off” for reuse. Additionally the pulse detonation pumpcan be connected to a vacuum dumpby a high vacuum linethat can be used as a moderator to the cycleand is cycled in and out of the circuit. Various embodiments may also include a turbineto depressurize the steam inputfrom the boiler. In some embodiments, the boilercan be connected to and feed a hydrogen sourcewhich can be used to generate and supplythe gases for the pulse detonation pump. Accordingly, it can be appreciated that embodiments of the pulse detonation pumpcan be configured to generate steam and be applied to various steam systems in order to generate work such as moving a turbine engine for generating electricity.

Other applications of the pumps and pump cells in accordance with many embodiments may be used to generate vacuum for a variety of applications. For example, the pumps may be configured to distill water. The vacuum levels allow for the low-pressure flash distillation of any substance such as seawater and/or sewage from which distilled water needs to be extracted. Flash distillation and fluid transport can both be achieved within the same energy footprint. Some embodiments of the pump may incorporate multiple cells or pumps that operate to produce flash distillation of water. An example may be where one pump is positioned at a water source such as the sea. The first pump may be used to generate steam during the combustion process. The steam may then be supplied to a second pump that repressurizes the steam generating water that may be pumped to some alternate location.

As previously mentioned some embodiments of the pump may be used in various types of HVAC systems. The vacuum and pressure generated can be directly utilized in vacuum refrigeration and other steam ejector based systems.

In accordance with many embodiments, the pump may be used to perform metallic atomization for the production of metal powders of finer size and a more uniform shape than is currently achievable. These metal powders can be used in applications like permanent magnets with strong magnetic field alignments. Atomization, typically occurs by a gravity fed molten metal passing through an orifice and exposing the molten metal to differing high pressure high velocity streams of air, oil, or water producing turbulence, thus atomizing the metallic particles into the desired fineness. For example,illustrate air and water atomization processes in accordance with known methods in the art. The desired goal is to produce particles of a uniform fineness and sphericity. One issue commonly seen with such known methods is that the finer the desired particulate the more likely the particles cool prematurely and form random shapes resulting in an undesirable product.