| Apparatus for igniting combustible mediums -> Monitor Keywords |
|
|
 
Apparatus for igniting combustible mediumsRelated Patent Categories: Combustion, Frictional, Chemical Or Percussive Type Igniter, CatalyticApparatus for igniting combustible mediums description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070042306, Apparatus for igniting combustible mediums. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application claims priority from and incorporates herein U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/509,813 filed Oct. 10, 2003. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] The present invention relates to ignition systems, particularly catalytic ignition systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to apparatuses employing such ignition systems that can be used in remote environments to ignite a combustible mixture, e.g., a hydrocarbon/oxygen gas containing mixture. [0004] 2. Description of Prior Art [0005] Ignition systems for igniting a combustible mixture at a remote location are used in a variety of applications. By way of example, such ignition systems can be used to ignite combustible mixtures issuing from flare stacks in refineries, chemical plants, etc. A prime example of the use of an ignition system in a remote environment is their use in igniting burners disposed in earth boreholes drilled into a subterranean formation. Generally, the subterranean formation is one that contains a hydrocarbonaceous material e.g., coal, shale, tar sands, oil, etc. For example, it has been proposed to drill one or more boreholes into a coal formation and then, by the generation of heat in the borehole, gasify the coal in the formation to result in the in situ generation of synthesis gas. United States Patent Application Publications U.S. 2003/0173081 ('081 Publication) and US 2003/0141065, both of which are incorporated herein by reference, describe methods and systems for the production of hydrocarbons, hydrogen and/or other products from various hydrocarbon-containing formations. In the '081 Publication, there is described the in situ conversion of hydrocarbons to produce more valuable hydrocarbons, hydrogen and/or novel product streams from underground oil containing formations. In the process proposed in the '081 Publication, one or more heat sources is installed into a subterranean, hydrocarbon (oil) containing formation to heat the formation, one of the goals being to raise the temperature in the formation above the pyrolyzation temperature of the hydrocarbons in the formation. The '081 Publication describes numerous embodiments and systems for supplying heat, preferably at pyrolysis temperatures, to the oil containing formation to vaporize and/or pyrolyze the oil and convert at least a portion of the oil to more valuable and more easily recoverable hydrocarbons, the produced more valuable hydrocarbons being recovered from the subterranean formation. [0006] While a number of electrical heating elements have been proposed to heat subterranean formations, they all suffer from the inherent problems of requiring hard wiring to the surface as well as being expensive and lacking efficiency. To overcome some of these difficulties, it has been proposed to combust a fuel, the combustion gases being used as the heat source. In this regard, it has been proposed that the combustion may take place in the formation in a well, and/or near or at the surface. For example, the combustion in the formation may be in the form of a fire-flood. An oxidizer may be pumped into the formation. The oxidizer may be ignited to advance a fire front towards the production well. [0007] Flameless combustors may be used to combust the fuel within the well. Flameless combustors are demonstrated, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,255,742, 5,404,952, 5,862,858, 5,899,269, and 6,269,882, all of which are incorporated herein by reference. Most of these flameless combustors operate by preheating a fuel and combusting it to a temperature above an auto ignition temperature of the mixture. The fuel and combustion air are then mixed in the heating zone to combust. In the heating zone, the flameless combustor, and a catalyst surface may be provided to lower the auto ignition temperature of the fuel and air mixture. [0008] It clearly would be desirable to have an ignition source or system which could be positioned in the wellbore, e.g. in a tubing having an ID as small as 3'' positioned in the wellbore, and which, without the use of electrical igniters or heaters, and without any preheating of a fuel and oxygen containing mixture, could ignite a fuel/oxygen gas containing mixture, the combustion gases from the fuel being used to heat an airstream being pumped into the tubing, the combined heated air and combustion gases then being used to heat the formation to the desired temperature e.g. the vaporization and/or pyrolysis temperature of at least a portion of the hydrocarbons in the formation. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0009] In one preferred embodiment, the present invention can include an ignition system which can be positioned in a relatively small diameter tubing e.g. a 3'' I.D. tubing, which is disposable in an earth borehole and which will ignite a combustible fuel e.g. a mixture of a hydrocarbon and an oxidizing gas, e.g., air, without the use of electrical heaters, preheating of gases, etc. [0010] In another preferred embodiment, the present invention can employ a composition of matter which, when exposed to a first gas/oxygen containing gas (oxidizer) mixture, results in an exothermic reaction causing the temperature of the composition of the matter to be elevated above the auto ignition temperature of the first gas with consequent ignition of the first gas/oxidizer mixture to produce a pilot flame. The resulting pilot flame can be propagated into (1) a burner ignition zone to ignite a fuel mixture supplied to suitable burner(s), or (2) or near the opening in a flare stack from which is issuing a combustible medium to ignite the combustible mediums. [0011] In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, there can be employed a series of ignition systems as described above in conjunction with a series of burners which can be spaced axially along the inside of a burner tubing positioned in an earth borehole so as to provide a multiplicity of heat generating sources along the length of the tubing. The hot combustion gases flowing towards the bottom of the tubing disposed in the wellbore can then exit the bottom of the tubing and flow up the annulus between the burner tubing and a second concentrically disposed tubular, e.g., casing, surrounding the burner tubing. Alternatively, the hot combustion gases can flow into the annulus between the burner tubing and the formation in the case of an open, uncased borehole. Additionally, air from the surface can be pumped down through the burner tubing, the air being heated by the combustion gases and/or the flame from the burners. [0012] Yet another preferred aspect of the present invention can include an igniter/burner module wherein an igniter system, as described above, is mounted, on, in or in sufficiently close proximity to a burner that is supplied with a combustible fuel. The burner may take the form of one or more nozzles, jets or openings in a burner block or housing, the burner being supplied with a combustible fuel mixture, the igniter system being positioned sufficiently close to at least one nozzle so that it will ignite the combustible fuel mixture issuing from the nozzle and subsequently all other nozzles. [0013] Still a further preferred aspect of the present invention can include an apparatus for igniting a combustible medium issuing from an opening in a flare stack, the apparatus including an igniter assembly having a support, a catalytic material carried by the support, the catalytic material comprising a substance which reacts with a hydrogen containing gas in the presence of an oxidizing gas to produce an exothermic reaction and preferably a temperature sufficient to cause auto ignition of the hydrogen, a source of the hydrogen-containing gas and a source of the oxidizing gas. There is a mount for positioning the igniter assembly adjacent the opening in the flare stack from which the combustible medium is issuing. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0014] FIG. 1 is an elevational, sectional view of one embodiment of an igniter assembly used in the apparatus of the present invention. [0015] FIG. 2 is an elevational, sectional view of another embodiment of the igniter assembly used in the apparatus of the present invention. [0016] FIG. 3 is an elevational, sectional view of another embodiment of the igniter assembly used in the apparatus of the present invention. [0017] FIG. 4 is an elevational view, partly in section of another embodiment of the igniter assembly used in the apparatus of the present invention. [0018] FIG. 5 is an elevational view of an igniter assembly in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention used with a flare stack. [0019] FIG. 6 is an elevational view of another embodiment of the igniter assembly of the present invention used with a flare stack. [0020] FIG. 7 is an elevational view of another embodiment of the igniter assembly of the present invention used with a flare stack. Continue reading about Apparatus for igniting combustible mediums... Full patent description for Apparatus for igniting combustible mediums Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Apparatus for igniting combustible mediums patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Apparatus for igniting combustible mediums or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Battery powered cigarette lighter and process for using the same Next Patent Application: Premix burner arrangement for operating a combustion chamber and method for operating a combustion chamber Industry Class: Combustion ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Apparatus for igniting combustible mediums patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 0.17162 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Daimler Chrysler , DirecTV , Exxonmobil Chemical Company , Goodyear , Intel , Kyocera Wireless , 174 |
 * Protect your Inventions * US Patent Office filing 
PATENT INFO |
|
