Laser controlled flame stabilization
Abstract
A method and apparatus is provided for initiating and stabilizing fuel combustion in applications such as gas turbine electrical power generating engines and jet turbine engines where it is desired to burn lean fuel/air mixtures which produce lower amounts of NO.sub.x. A laser induced spark is propagated at a distance from the fuel nozzle with the laser ignitor being remotely located from the high temperature environment of the combustion chamber. A laser initiating spark generated by focusing high peak power laser light to a sufficiently tight laser spot within the fuel to cause the ionization of air and fuel into a plasma is unobtrusive to the flow dynamics of the combustion chamber of a fuel injector, thereby facilitating whatever advantage can be taken of flow dynamics in the design of the fuel injector.
- Inventors:
-
- Los Alamos, NM
- Huntsville, AL
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 874052
- Patent Number(s):
- 6302682
- Assignee:
- The Regents of the University of California (Los Alamos, NM)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
F - MECHANICAL ENGINEERING F02 - COMBUSTION ENGINES F02P - IGNITION, OTHER THAN COMPRESSION IGNITION, FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES
F - MECHANICAL ENGINEERING F23 - COMBUSTION APPARATUS F23C - METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR COMBUSTION USING FLUID FUEL OR SOLID FUEL SUSPENDED IN {A CARRIER GAS OR} AIR
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-36
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- laser; controlled; flame; stabilization; method; apparatus; provided; initiating; stabilizing; fuel; combustion; applications; gas; turbine; electrical; power; generating; engines; jet; burn; lean; fuelair; mixtures; produce; amounts; nosubx; induced; spark; propagated; distance; nozzle; ignitor; remotely; located; temperature; environment; chamber; generated; focusing; peak; light; sufficiently; tight; spot; ionization; air; plasma; unobtrusive; flow; dynamics; injector; facilitating; whatever; advantage; design; combustion chamber; gas turbine; laser light; electrical power; turbine engine; laser induced; lean fuel; fuel combustion; /431/
Citation Formats
Early, James W, and Thomas, Matthew E. Laser controlled flame stabilization. United States: N. p., 2001.
Web.
Early, James W, & Thomas, Matthew E. Laser controlled flame stabilization. United States.
Early, James W, and Thomas, Matthew E. Mon .
"Laser controlled flame stabilization". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/874052.
@article{osti_874052,
title = {Laser controlled flame stabilization},
author = {Early, James W and Thomas, Matthew E},
abstractNote = {A method and apparatus is provided for initiating and stabilizing fuel combustion in applications such as gas turbine electrical power generating engines and jet turbine engines where it is desired to burn lean fuel/air mixtures which produce lower amounts of NO.sub.x. A laser induced spark is propagated at a distance from the fuel nozzle with the laser ignitor being remotely located from the high temperature environment of the combustion chamber. A laser initiating spark generated by focusing high peak power laser light to a sufficiently tight laser spot within the fuel to cause the ionization of air and fuel into a plasma is unobtrusive to the flow dynamics of the combustion chamber of a fuel injector, thereby facilitating whatever advantage can be taken of flow dynamics in the design of the fuel injector.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2001},
month = {Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2001}
}