Secondary Burning of Gases from the Combustion of Fossil Fuels

Abstract

A system for reducing pollutants from the burning of a fossil fuel includes a pressure vessel containing in its interior a feedstock (e.g., methanol) and at least one set of electrodes. An electric arc is formed between the electrodes and the feedstock is exposed to a plasma of the electric arc thereby converting at least some of the feedstock into a gas. There are controls for the electric arc and a way to collect the gas. The gas is mixed with flue gases from burning of fossil fuels and secondarily burned (the mixture of flue gases and the gas in combination are ignited), thereby reducing the amount of pollutants.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for reducing pollutants from the burning of a fossil fuel, the system comprising:
 a pressure vessel containing in its interior a feedstock and at least one set of electrodes;   an electric arc formed between the electrodes;   means for exposing the feedstock to a plasma of the electric arc thereby converting at least some of the feedstock into the gas;   means for controlling the electric arc;   means for collecting the gas;   means for mixing the gas with flue gases from burning of fossil fuels;   means for secondarily burning the mixture of flue gases and the gas, thereby reducing the amount of pollutants.   
     
     
         2 . The system for reducing pollutants from the burning of a fossil fuel of  claim 1 , wherein the feedstock is alcohol based. 
     
     
         3 . The system for reducing pollutants from the burning of a fossil fuel of  claim 1 , wherein the feedstock is methanol. 
     
     
         4 . The system for reducing pollutants from the burning of a fossil fuel of  claim 3 , wherein exhaust gases from the means for secondarily burning contain less carbon monoxide, less nitrous oxide, and less Sulphur dioxide that the flue gases from burning of the fossil fuels. 
     
     
         5 . The system for reducing pollutants from the burning of a fossil fuel of  claim 4 , wherein the exhaust gases from the means for secondarily burning contain at least 90% less carbon monoxide, at least 30% less nitrous oxide, and at least 20% less Sulphur dioxide that the flue gases from burning of the fossil fuels. 
     
     
         6 . The system for reducing pollutants from the burning of a fossil fuel of  claim 3 , wherein exhaust gases from the means for secondarily burning contain more oxygen than the flue gases from burning of the fossil fuels. 
     
     
         7 . The system for reducing pollutants from the burning of a fossil fuel of  claim 3 , wherein exhaust gases from the means for secondarily burning contain at least 50% more oxygen than the flue gases from burning of the fossil fuels. 
     
     
         8 . A method for secondary burning of flue gases, the flue gases produced by burning of a fossil fuel, the method comprising:
 forming an arc between a set of electrodes within a pressure vessel, the arc formed in a feedstock within the vessel;   exposing the feedstock to a plasma of the arc thereby converting at least some of the feedstock into a gas;   mixing the gas with flue gases produced from burning of fossil fuels;   igniting the gas and the flue gases.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the feedstock is alcohol based. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the feedstock is methanol. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the step of igniting is performed in a secondary burn chamber. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein new flue gases from the secondary burn chamber have less pollutants than the flue gases produced from burning of the fossil fuels. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the new flue gases from the secondary burn chamber contain less carbon monoxide, less nitrous oxide, and less Sulphur dioxide that the flue gases produced from burning of the fossil fuels. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the new flue gases from the secondary burn chamber contain at least 90% less carbon monoxide, at least 30% less nitrous oxide, and at least 20% less Sulphur dioxide that the flue gases produced from burning of the fossil fuels. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the new flue gases from the secondary burn chamber contain more oxygen than the flue gases produced from burning of the fossil fuels. 
     
     
         16 . A method for reducing pollution that comes from burning of a fossil fuel, the method comprising:
 creating a gas by forming an arc between a set of electrodes submerged in methanol within a pressure vessel;   mixing the gas with flue gases produced from burning of coal;   igniting the gas and the flue gases, thereby forming a new flue gas, the new flue gas having less pollutants than the flue gas.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the step of igniting is performed in a secondary burn chamber that is sealed from outside air. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the new flue gases are released into the atmosphere from a chimney interfaced to the secondary burn chamber. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the new flue gases contain less carbon monoxide, less nitrous oxide, and less Sulphur dioxide that the flue gases produced from burning of the coal. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the new flue gases contain at least 90% less carbon monoxide, at least 30% less nitrous oxide, and at least 20% less Sulphur dioxide that the flue gases produced from burning of the coal.