Controlling jet momentum in process streams

Abstract

A gaseous process stream that can be directed into a workspace or toward a workpiece is formed by feeding fuel, oxidant and process material into a thermal nozzle. The fuel combusts in the thermal nozzle with the oxidant and with combustible components, if any, of the process material, to form the gaseous process stream which is emitted from the thermal nozzle at high and controllable velocity and momentum.

1 . A method of generating a gaseous process stream and providing it through an outlet at a controllable velocity and momentum, comprising
 (A) providing a chamber that has a fuel inlet connected to a source of fuel, an oxidant inlet that is connected to a source of oxidant, a process material inlet that is connected to a source of process material which feeds said process material into said chamber at a first temperature, and an outlet through which gas can pass from the chamber,   (B) determining the velocity and momentum that the gaseous process stream is to have as it passes from the chamber through said outlet,   (C) determining the temperature that the gaseous process stream is to have as it passes from the chamber through said outlet in order to have said velocity and momentum,   (D) determining the amounts of fuel and oxidant that must be combusted in the chamber to generate sufficient heat of combustion to raise the temperature of said process material from said first temperature to the temperature determined in step (C), and   (E) feeding the amounts of fuel and oxidant determined in step (D) into said chamber, feeding said process material into said chamber, and combusting said fuel with said oxidant and with combustible components, if any, in said process material to form said gaseous process stream, and passing said gaseous process stream through said outlet at the temperature determined in step (C).   
   
   
       2 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the process material comprises gas. 
   
   
       3 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the process material comprises liquid. 
   
   
       4 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the process material comprises solid. 
   
   
       5 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the process material comprises combustible matter. 
   
   
       6 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the process material comprises oxygen. 
   
   
       7 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein said gaseous process stream comprises oxygen. 
   
   
       8 . A method of generating a gaseous process stream and providing it through an outlet at a controllable velocity and momentum, comprising
 (A) providing a chamber that has a fuel inlet connected to a source of fuel, an oxidant inlet that is connected to a source of oxidant, a process material inlet that is connected to a source of process material which provides said process material into said chamber at a first temperature, and an outlet through which gas can pass from the chamber,   (B) determining the velocity and momentum that the gaseous process stream is to have as it passes from the chamber through said outlet,   (C) determining the temperature that the gaseous process stream is to have as it passes from the chamber through said outlet in order to have said velocity and momentum,   (D) determining the amounts of fuel and oxidant that must be combusted in the chamber to generate sufficient heat of combustion to raise the temperature of said process material from said first temperature to the temperature determined in step (C),   (E) feeding the amounts of fuel and oxidant determined in step (D) into said chamber, feeding said process material into said chamber, and combusting said fuel with said oxidant and with combustible components, if any, in said process material to form said gaseous process stream, and passing said gaseous process stream through said outlet, and   (F) controlling the velocity and the momentum of said gaseous process stream as it passes through said outlet by controlling the amounts of fuel and oxidant fed into said chamber in step (E) and combusted therein.   
   
   
       9 . A method according to  claim 8  wherein the process material comprises gas. 
   
   
       10 . A method according to  claim 8  wherein the process material comprises liquid. 
   
   
       11 . A method according to  claim 8  wherein the process material comprises solid. 
   
   
       12 . A method according to  claim 8  wherein the process material comprises combustible matter. 
   
   
       13 . A method according to  claim 8  wherein the process material comprises oxygen. 
   
   
       14 . A method according to  claim 8  wherein said gaseous process stream comprises oxygen. 
   
   
       15 . A method of operating an apparatus, comprising
 (A) providing apparatus that comprises a device which emits a first gaseous process stream into a workspace or toward a workpiece,   (B) emitting a first gaseous process stream from said device into said workspace or toward said workpiece;   (C) providing a chamber that has a fuel inlet connected to a source of fuel, an oxidant inlet that is connected to a source of oxidant, a process material inlet that is connected to a source of process material, and an outlet through which a second gaseous process stream can pass from the chamber into said workspace or toward said workpiece;   (D) feeding fuel and oxidant into said chamber, feeding said process material into said chamber, and combusting said fuel and oxidant with combustible components, if any, in said process material to form said second gaseous process stream, and passing said second gaseous process stream through said outlet into said workspace or toward said workpiece,   
     wherein said second process stream intersects said first gaseous process stream. 
   
   
       16 . A method according to  claim 15  wherein the process material comprises gas. 
   
   
       17 . A method according to  claim 15  wherein the process material comprises liquid. 
   
   
       18 . A method according to  claim 15  wherein the process material comprises solid. 
   
   
       19 . A method according to  claim 15  wherein the process material comprises combustible matter. 
   
   
       20 . A method according to  claim 15  wherein the process material comprises oxygen. 
   
   
       21 . A method according to  claim 15  wherein said gaseous process stream comprises oxygen. 
   
   
       22 . A method according to  claim 15  wherein said gaseous process stream passes through said outlet into a workspace. 
   
   
       23 . A method according to  claim 22  wherein said workspace is a process heater. 
   
   
       24 . A method according to  claim 15  wherein said gaseous process stream passes through said outlet toward a workpiece. 
   
   
       25 . A method according to  claim 24  wherein said workpiece is a slab of metal. 
   
   
       26 . A method according to  claim 24  wherein said workpiece is a body of liquid. 
   
   
       27 . A method of modifying an apparatus, comprising
 (A) providing apparatus that comprises a device which emits a first gaseous process stream into a workspace or toward a workpiece;   (B) adding to said apparatus a chamber that has a fuel inlet connected to a source of fuel, an oxidant inlet that is connected to a source of oxidant, a process material inlet that is connected to a source of process material, and an outlet through which a second gaseous process stream can pass from the chamber into said workspace or toward said workpiece;   (C) feeding fuel and oxidant into said chamber, feeding said process material into said chamber, and combusting said fuel with said oxidant and with combustible components, if any, in said process material to form said second gaseous process stream, and passing said second gaseous process stream through said outlet into said workspace or toward said workpiece.   
   
   
       28 . A method according to  claim 27  wherein the process material comprises gas. 
   
   
       29 . A method according to  claim 27  wherein the process material comprises liquid. 
   
   
       30 . A method according to  claim 27  wherein the process material comprises solid. 
   
   
       31 . A method according to  claim 27  wherein the process material comprises combustible matter. 
   
   
       32 . A method according to  claim 27  wherein the process material comprises oxygen. 
   
   
       33 . A method according to  claim 27  wherein said gaseous process stream comprises oxygen. 
   
   
       34 . A method according to  claim 27  wherein said gaseous process stream passes through said outlet into a workspace. 
   
   
       35 . A method according to  claim 34  wherein said workspace is a process heater. 
   
   
       36 . A method according to  claim 27  wherein said gaseous process stream passes through said outlet toward a workpiece. 
   
   
       37 . A method according to  claim 36  wherein said workpiece is a slab of metal. 
   
   
       38 . A method according to  claim 37  wherein said workpiece is a body of liquid. 
   
   
       39 . A method of modifying an apparatus, comprising
 (A) providing apparatus that comprises a device which emits a first gaseous process stream into a workspace or toward a workpiece;   (B) adding to said apparatus a chamber that has a fuel inlet connected to a source of fuel, an oxidant inlet that is connected to a source of oxidant, a process material inlet that is connected to a source of process material, and an outlet through which a second gaseous process fluid can pass from the chamber into said workspace or toward said workpiece;   (C) determining the velocity and momentum that said second process stream is to have as it passes from the chamber through said outlet,   (D) determining the temperature that said second process stream is to have as it passes from the chamber through said outlet in order to have said velocity and momentum,   (E) determining the amounts of fuel and oxidant that must be combusted in the chamber to generate sufficient heat of combustion to raise the temperature of said second process stream to the temperature determined in step (D),   (F) feeding the amounts of fuel and oxidant determined in step (E) into said chamber, feeding said process material into said chamber, and combusting said fuel with said oxidant and with combustible components, if any, in said process material to form said second process stream, and passing said second process stream through said outlet into said workspace or toward said workpiece.   
   
   
       40 . A method according to  claim 39  wherein the process material comprises gas. 
   
   
       41 . A method according to  claim 39  wherein the process material comprises liquid. 
   
   
       42 . A method according to  claim 39  wherein the process material comprises solid. 
   
   
       43 . A method according to  claim 39  wherein the process material comprises combustible matter. 
   
   
       44 . A method according to  claim 39  wherein the process material comprises oxygen. 
   
   
       45 . A method according to  claim 39  wherein said gaseous process stream comprises oxygen. 
   
   
       46 . A method according to  claim 39  wherein said gaseous process stream passes through said outlet into a workspace. 
   
   
       47 . A method according to  claim 46  wherein said workspace is a process heater. 
   
   
       48 . A method according to  claim 39  wherein said gaseous process stream passes through said outlet toward a workpiece. 
   
   
       49 . A method according to  claim 48  wherein said workpiece is a slab of metal. 
   
   
       50 . A method according to  claim 48  wherein said workpiece is a body of liquid.