System and Method for Superadiabatic Counterflow Reactor

Abstract

The present disclosure may disclose a system and method for superadiabatic counterflow reactors. The system may include a first channel configured to communicate gas in a first direction, a second channel formed adjacent the first channel and configured to communicate gas in a second direction, the second direction substantially opposite the first direction, and the first channel having a first heat source positioned such that gas flowing through the first channel preheats gas in the second channel and the second channel having a second heat source positioned such that gas flowing through the second channel preheats gas in the first channel.

1 - 21 . (canceled) 
   
   
       22 . A burner for reacting mixtures comprising a fuel and an oxidizer, the burner comprising:
 a first channel configured to communicate a first mixture in a first direction with a first combustion zone defining a first channel upstream portion and a first channel downstream portion; and   a second channel formed adjacent the first channel and configured to communicate a second mixture in a second direction with a second combustion zone defining a second channel upstream portion and a second channel downstream portion, wherein the second direction is substantially opposite the first direction,   wherein the first channel downstream portion is configured to preheat the second channel upstream portion and the second channel downstream portion is configured to preheat the first channel upstream portion.   
   
   
       23 . The burner of  claim 22 , wherein the first channel and the second channel each comprise an inert material. 
   
   
       24 . The burner of  claim 22 , wherein the first channel further comprises a porous media disposed therein. 
   
   
       25 . The burner of  claim 22 , wherein the second channel further comprises a porous media disposed therein. 
   
   
       26 . The burner of  claim 22 , wherein the first channel and the second channel are each configured to generate superadiabatic temperatures therein. 
   
   
       27 . The burner of  claim 22 , wherein the first channel comprises a first width and a first length and the second channel comprises a second width and a second length, the first width substantially equal to the second width and the first length substantially equal to the second length. 
   
   
       28 . The burner of  claim 27  comprising a ratio between the first length and the first width between approximately 25 and approximately 50. 
   
   
       29 . The burner of  claim 22  further comprising:
 a plurality of first channels;   a plurality of second channels, each second channel formed adjacent to one or more of the plurality of first channel; and   each first channel having a first heat source positioned such that gas flowing through the first channel preheats gas in the adjacent one or more second channels and each second channel having a second heat source positioned such that gas flowing through the second channel preheats gas in the one or more adjacent first channels.   
   
   
       30 . The burner of  claim 29 , wherein each first channel is formed laterally adjacent to one or more of the plurality of second channels. 
   
   
       31 . A method for reacting mixtures comprising a fuel and an oxidizer, the method comprising:
 communicating in a first direction a first mixture in a first channel with a first combustion zone defining a first channel upstream portion and a first channel downstream portion;   communicating in a second direction a second mixture in a second channel with a second combustion zone defining a second channel upstream portion and a second channel downstream portion, wherein the second channel is adjacent to the first channel and the second direction is substantially opposite the first direction;   preheating the first channel upstream portion with the second channel downstream portion; and   preheating the second channel upstream portion with the first channel downstream portion.   
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 31  further comprising performing all of the steps simultaneously. 
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the first channel and second channel comprise an inert material. 
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 31  further comprising communicating the fuel and oxidizer mixture in the first channel and the second channel, wherein the first channel and second channel include a porous media in each respective channel. 
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 31  further comprising combusting the first mixture and/or the second mixture at superadiabatic temperatures. 
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 31  further comprising communicating the mixture in the first channel and the mixture in the second channel, wherein the first channel and the second channel have a substantially equal width and the first channel and the second channel have a substantially equal length. 
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 36  wherein a ratio between the width and the length of the first and second channel is between approximately 25 and approximately 50. 
   
   
       38 . A method of making a combustion reactor comprising:
 providing a plurality of first channels to communicate a first gas in a first direction with a first combustion zone defining a first channel upstream portion and a first channel downstream portion; and   providing a plurality of second channels, each second channel positioned adjacent to one or more of the plurality of first channels and configured to communicate a second gas in a second direction with a second combustion zone defining a second channel upstream portion and a second channel downstream portion,   wherein at least one first channel downstream portion is operable to transfer heat to at least one of the second channel upstream portions and at least one second channel downstream portion is operable to transfer heat to at least one of the first channel upstream portions.   
   
   
       39 . The method of  claim 38  further comprising providing each of the plurality of first channels laterally adjacent one or of the plurality of second channels and providing each of the plurality of second channels laterally adjacent one or more of the plurality of first channels. 
   
   
       40 . The method of  claim 38  further comprising providing a plurality of first and second channels, wherein the plurality of first channels and the plurality of second channels all have a substantially equal width and all have a substantially equal length. 
   
   
       41 . The method of  claim 40  wherein a ratio between the width and the length of each channel of the plurality of first and second channels is between approximately 25 and approximately 50. 
   
   
       42 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein at least one of the first channels is configured to generate superadiabatic temperatures therein. 
   
   
       43 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein at least one of the second channels is configured to generate superadiabatic temperatures therein. 
   
   
       44 . A system for reacting mixtures comprising a fuel and an oxidizer, the system comprising:
 a first means for communicating a first mixture in a first direction;   a second means for communicating a second mixture in a second direction, the second direction substantially opposite the first direction;   a means for preheating the first mixture in the first channel before it reacts; and   a means for preheating the second mixture in the second channel before it reacts.