CH631006A5 - Energy converter - Google Patents

Description

The invention is therefore based on the object of finding a device by means of which energy can be converted without using fossil fuels. Furthermore, a complete cleaning of the combustion products should be possible so that no pollutants harmful to the atmosphere or the environment are released.

These objects are achieved by an energy converter which is characterized by a reactor chamber with feed lines for the controlled supply of chlorine and hydrogen, means for introducing electromagnetic radiation into the reactor chamber in order to expand and ionize chlorine and hydrogen, and means for the controlled supply of oxygen into the reactor chamber to cause chlorine and hydrogen to exotherm to hydrogen chloride in the presence of oxygen.

The invention is explained in more detail below on the basis of exemplary embodiments illustrated in the drawings. Show it:

Fig. 1 is a schematic sectional view of an embodiment of a reactor chamber

2 shows a representation corresponding to FIG. 1 of another embodiment of the reactor chamber,

3 shows a cross section through a reactor chamber which serves as a steam generator,

4 shows a cross section through a reactor chamber for driving a turbine,

5 shows a schematic illustration of another embodiment of a reactor chamber for driving a turbine,

Fig. 6 is a partial cross section through a reactor chamber for driving a piston machine, and

Fig. 7 is a simplified cross section of a reactor chamber for driving a piston machine with one cycle.

In the various illustrations of the drawings, the same parts are designated with the same reference numbers.

The reactor chamber has a housing 11 which e.g. consists of reinforced concrete or other materials that can absorb high pressures. The housing is divided into a reaction chamber 13 and a combustion chamber 15 by a wall 17. Fuel or reaction components are fed to the reactor chamber 13 via pipes 19 and 21. In the preferred embodiment, chlorine is supplied via pipe 19 and hydrogen via pipe 21 in a controlled amount to the reaction chamber.

In one embodiment of the invention, electromagnetic radiation in the form of sun rays is concentrated and amplified by an azimuth-controlled parabolic reflector system of known design. The solar radiation is directed by a parabolic reflector 23 which follows the sun through an azimuth drive 25. The parabolic reflector concentrates the sun rays on a focal point reflector 27, which reflects the concentrated solar beam via a reflector 29 through a solar sight glass 31. The amplified solar radiation is directed downward through the sight glass 31 onto the surface of a conical reflector valve 33, which distributes it over the surface of the reactor walls. It goes without saying that the reflector 33 can have a flat or convex shape if desired. It is particularly important that the radiation is distributed in the reaction chamber 13 in order to achieve an optimal effect.

As already mentioned, molecular chlorine and water gas is released into the chamber 13 via pipes 19 and 21. When the chlorine in the chamber is exposed to radiation, it expands and atomic chlorine is formed. Chlorine and hydrogen in the chamber 13 become hydrogen chloride with one another, at least in part, with strong heat development

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connected. This results in a strong pressure increase in the chamber 13. Hydrogen, chlorine and hydrogen chloride are forced through the valve opening 35, which is delimited by the conical reflector 33 and the partition 17.

The gas enters the combustion chamber 15. The 5 combustion chamber continues to be supplied with 37 atmospheric oxygen through numerous openings. Hydrogen and oxygen combine in the presence of atmospheric oxygen with controlled explosive intensity, and there is a strong development of heat and pressure in the chamber 15 with the formation of hydrogen chloride gas. The explosive pressure and heat thus formed can be used to generate steam, to drive a turbine and / or a piston, as will be described in more detail below. The gases under high pressure are discharged from the chamber 15 15 via openings 39 or passed on in a special way, as will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5.

As can be seen from FIG. 1, the conical reflector 33 is fixedly connected 20 to a reciprocating holder 41 and is spring-loaded in order to be able to close the opening 35. However, if the pressure in the chamber 13 rises above a predetermined strength, the opening 35 opens in that the conical reflector 33 is pressed downward against the spring force. Conversely, when a controlled explosion occurs in the combustion chamber 15, the conical reflector is operated upwards so that it closes the opening 35. This pulsating expansion and the combustion process take place again and again when chlorine and hydrogen molecules are split into atomic hydrogen and atomic chlorine and then 30 are connected to one another in the combustion chamber 15 to form hydrogen chloride.

The conical reflector 33 can also be fixed, so that the passage 35 is always open. The reflector 33 can also be controlled by a cam, so that the 35 passage 35 is opened at predetermined times.

2 shows another embodiment of the solar reactor combustion chamber. The housing is made of a metallic material, similar to a machine with internal combustion for driving a vehicle or other 40 applications. To reduce corrosion, the inner walls of the housing can be made of an impermeable carbon material, such as KT® silicon carbide from «Carborundum Corporation», which has good resistance to temperature changes. Instead of using solar energy to split molecular chlorine into atomic chlorine, light, e.g. from a photographic projection lamp 44 or other high intensity light source. In this exemplary embodiment, the light source is arranged in a chamber 45, which is provided with reflecting walls, so that the light from the source 44 is directed downward through the solar sight glass 31 into the reaction chamber 13. The construction of the solar reactor combustion chamber is otherwise comparable to the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 1. 55

3 shows an exemplary embodiment of a solar reactor combustion chamber for the generation of steam. The combustion chamber is basically designed in accordance with the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 1, but carbon-containing blocks 51 are arranged along at least two inner walls of the combustion chamber, e.g. made of KT® silicon carbide from Carborundum Corporation. The blocks have relatively large side surfaces 53 and a relatively small dimension in depth, and each block is fixedly attached to a side wall of the housing 11 of the combustion chamber 65 15. Such a block can be made of various materials that are impermeable, e.g. the material mentioned or graphite or carbon material. Such a

Block can be used at operating temperatures of up to 1650 ° C in an oxidizing atmosphere and has a thermal conductivity of more than 86.8 kcal / hm ° C. In addition, KT® silicon carbide is impermeable and has a good resistance to temperature changes. It can also contain liquids or gas at pressures greater than 143 kg / cm2.

As the illustration shows, 51 lattice-shaped channels 30 are arranged in each block. The medium flowing through the channels is thus exposed to a maximum of the thermal energy that has been absorbed by the carbon block.

When operating the reactor, a liquid or vapor, e.g. Water or steam, passed into the channels 30 at the inlet 55. The medium flows upwards through the blocks 51 and out again through the outlet 57. During this flow, heat is transferred from the combustion chamber 15 to the carbon blocks 51 by heat conduction, convection and radiation. The energy is sufficiently absorbed by the carbon blocks and converted into thermal energy, which is then dissipated through the medium flowing through the channels 30. As the medium heats up, it expands, rises in temperature and increases in speed. As the medium flows up the channels 30, it absorbs more of the latent heat absorbed in the carbon blocks and continues to expand until it has a desired heating and pressure level and then flows out through the outlet 57. The medium flowing out at high temperature can be used to drive turbines or other mechanisms. During this process, the exhaust gases flow out of the combustion chamber 5 through the outlet opening 39.

Fig. 4 shows another embodiment of a solar reactor for driving a turbine. In this exemplary embodiment, at least one reactor combustion housing 11 is fastened to a turbine 61. The turbine has a prechamber 63, a rotor 65 which is arranged on a shaft 67 and a turbine housing 69 which encloses an annular arrangement 71 which guides the hot exhaust gases from the combustion chamber 15 to the turbine blades 65. When the plant is operating, atmospheric oxygen enters prechamber 65 through an annular inlet 73 and flows into combustion chamber 15 of reactor combustion system 11 to control the formation of hydrogen chloride. The hot expanding effluent products are discharged through the bottom of the chamber 15 into the ring arrangement 71 which is enclosed by the housing 69. The hot gases then flow radially inward to the turbine rotor 65 so that it is driven. The exhaust gases then flow through an outlet channel 75 into a laundry chamber 30. In this laundry chamber, hydrogen chloride is dissolved by water, so that hydrochloric acid forms, which falls into the container 24 at the bottom of the laundry chamber. The remaining gases flow to the atmosphere. Sodium hydroxide is supplied to the container 24 via a line 38 ', so that it is converted into water and sodium chloride. The water and the sodium chloride are fed to the chlorine-sodium hydroxide electrolytic cell 50. The chlorine formed in the electrolysis cell and the hydrogen are fed to the chamber 13 via the lines 19 and 21. This results in a continuous cycle of sodium and hydrogen, so that a significant reduction in fuel costs compared to processes using fossil fuels is achieved. In addition, the substances released into the atmosphere are predominantly water and elements that can be found in the atmosphere. Although only one combustion chamber of the reactor is shown in the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 4, it goes without saying that numerous such chambers can be provided on the outside of the turbine housing 69 in order to

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to achieve a more even supply of the combustion chamber exhaust gases to the turbine

In the example according to Fig. 5, the housing 11 is formed from metallic material, e.g. is common in turbine construction. In this example, the turbine serves as a mobile drive. To reduce corrosion of the inside walls of the reactor, these can be lined with an impermeable carbon material. The reaction elements hydrogen and chlorine are fed to the reactor housing 11 via lines 21 and 19. The hydrogen and oxygen can be supplied from storage tanks, not shown, or can be generated continuously. Oxygen, preferably in atmospheric form, is supplied to chamber 15 'via line 38 to control the reaction of hydrogen with chlorine. In this embodiment, the light from a light source 44 of high intensity is used instead of solar energy to maintain the reaction in the reactor chamber 15 '. As already described, the high-intensity light is directed into the chamber 15 'and hits the conical reflector 33 there. The light is thereby distributed onto the walls of the reactor chamber 15' in order to form atomic chlorine. The chlorine combines with the hydrogen in the chamber 15 ', so that hydrogen chloride is produced. The hydrogen chloride thus formed has a high temperature and pressure level and is passed into the outflow chamber 30 via the turbine blades of the turbine 61. The drive energy of the turbine 61 is drawn off via a mechanism 42, which can be used to move a vehicle, and the drive of a generator 48. The energy released by the generator 48 is used to charge a battery 50, which supplies the direct current for the electrolytic cell 14 delivers. In the effluent chamber 30, water is distributed through tubes 28 to convert hydrogen chloride to hydrochloric acid. This hydrochloric acid is led away from the outflow chamber 30 into a container 24. The connection to hydrochloric acid creates a partial vacuum in the outflow chamber 30, which leads to an increased pressure drop for driving the turbine.

In a preferred embodiment, sodium hydroxide is supplied from a chlorine-sodium hydroxide electrolysis cell 14 to the container 24 via a line 38 '. The hydrochloric acid is mixed with sodium hydroxide to form water and sodium chloride. The water with the sodium chloride is fed from the container 24 to the chlorine-sodium hydroxide cell via a line 46. The water and sodium chloride are converted into fuel and / or reaction components, hydrogen, chlorine and sodium hydroxide. This process runs continuously. The energy emitted by the generator serves to maintain the electrolysis in the electrolysis cell.

The illustration in FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary embodiment for driving a piston machine. The housing 11 of the reactor combustion chamber is fixedly connected to the machine housing 81, the outlet opening of the combustion chamber 15 leading into a chamber 83 which is delimited by the machine block 85, the piston 87 and the cylinder head 88. Atmospheric oxygen is fed into the chamber 83 via a distribution line 89 and an inlet valve 91. This oxygen mixes with the atomic chlorine and hydrogen which flow down into the chamber 15 and the chamber 83 to experience a large expansion in accordance with a controlled explosion reaction. The combustion products are discharged from the chamber 83 via an outlet valve 93 to an exhaust manifold 95. Every time oxygen flows into the chamber 83 there is an explosion which drives the piston 87 down. During the subsequent upward movement of the piston, a conical reflector valve 33 is moved upward, so that the inlet opening 35 is closed.

At the same time, the closing body of the exhaust valve 93 is lowered so that the exhaust gas can flow out to the exhaust manifold 95. The piston 97 is then moved upward again so that the conical reflector valve 33 can open and atomic chlorine and hydrogen flow downward into the combustion chamber 15 and the chamber 83. At the same time, oxygen is supplied to chamber 83 via inlet valve 91 to control the exothermic reaction of hydrogen with chlorine. The piston then moves down so that a cylinder is completed.

The illustration in FIG. 7 schematically illustrates an internal combustion engine with one cycle. The piston 80 delimits a combustion chamber 13 'into which a controlled amount of chlorine and hydrogen and atmospheric oxygen are fed via lines 19, 21 and 37. The resulting controlled explosion drives the piston 80 down until the head surface 82 of the piston passes through the outlet port 84 of the cylinder formed by the housing 11. The reaction gas, hydrogen chloride and air pass through the openings into a laundry chamber, not shown, which is similar to that described with reference to FIG. 6. The piston then returns to a top dead center, and before it reaches this dead center, chlorine and hydrogen are fed to the chamber 13. When the piston has reached top dead center, the light source 44 is energized in synchronism with the movement of the piston so that hydrogen and chlorine combine exothermically and thus drive the piston 80 downward.

It goes without saying that the solar reactor according to the present invention can also be used to drive a Wankel engine or piston machines with two or four cylinders. The exemplary embodiments according to FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate the use of a solar reactor for piston machines in order to drive these machines effectively and economically.

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Claims (7)

631 006 1. Energy converter, characterized by a reactor chamber (13, 15, 13 ') with feed lines (19, 21) for the controlled supply of chlorine and hydrogen, means (23, 25, 27, 31) for the introduction of electromagnetic radiation into the reactor - 5 chamber to expand and ionize chlorine and hydrogen and means (37,38,73) for the controlled supply of oxygen to the reactor chamber to cause chlorine and hydrogen to exotherm to hydrogen chloride in the presence of oxygen. 10th 2. Energy converter according to claim 1, characterized in that the reactor chamber is divided into a reaction chamber (13) and a combustion chamber (15) which are connected to one another by a valve device (33), the means (23, 25, 27, 31) ) for the introduction of electromagnetic radiation, direct the electromagnetic radiation into the reaction chamber and this is provided with the feed lines (19, 21) for the controlled supply of chlorine and hydrogen, and the means (37) for the controlled supply of oxygen in the combustion chamber (15) open. 20th 2nd PATENT CLAIMS 3. Energy converter according to claim 2, characterized in that the combustion chamber has a block (51) consisting of impermeable silicon carbide with a radiation-absorbing side surface (53) and a depth relative to it, wherein in the block a flowable 25 ges medium conductive channel (30) is provided in the form of a grid. 4. Energy converter according to claim 3, characterized in that the silicon carbide block in an oxidizing atmosphere is temperature resistant up to 1650 ° C and its thermal conductivity is more than 87 kcal / hm ° C. 5. Energy converter according to claim 2, characterized by a turbine (61, Fig. 4) and means for connecting the combustion chamber (15) to the turbine, so that the resulting 35 hydrogen chloride drives the rotor (65) of the turbine. 6. Energy converter according to claim 2, characterized by a machine housing (81, Fig. 6) on which the reactor chamber (13) and the combustion chamber (15) are arranged, which forms a cylinder (83) in which a reciprocating 40 piston (87) is guided, which can be driven by the hydrogen chloride formed under high pressure and high temperature, and means (95) for the discharge of the hydrogen chloride and the oxygen. 7. Energy converter according to claim 6, characterized by 45 means (23, 27) for concentrating the electromagnetic radiation, means (29, 31) for introducing the concentrated radiation into the reaction chamber (13) and means (33) for distributing the radiation in the reaction chamber. In the process of converting fossil fuels to mechanical or chemical energy, two types of combustion processes are known, i.e. with external and internal combustion. In the case of external combustion, the fuel is usually burned in an open combustion chamber, producing a flame which is obtained from atmospheric oxygen. In the case of internal combustion, a fuel with a certain amount of oxygen or other oxidizing agent is fed into a closed combustion chamber. There they are ignited so that there is a sudden combustion or explosion in the chamber. Both the internal and external combustion are usually maintained by an open flame or an electric arc. It is typical for both processes that the efficiency of the energy conversion is low. In addition, harmful emissions are generated by both processes. Ultimately, these processes are dependent on a limited and increasingly expensive supply of such fuels.