Method For The Combustion Of An Alloy Of An Electropositive Metal

Abstract

A method is provided for the combustion of an alloy of an electropositive metal using a fuel gas, wherein the electropositive metal may be selected from alkaline-, alkaline earth metals, aluminium and zinc, as well as mixtures thereof, and the alloy of the electropositive metal may inlcude at least two electropositive metals. According to the method, the alloy of the electropositive metal is combusted using the fuel gas.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A process, comprising:
 providing an alloy of an electropositive metal selected from the group consisting of alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, aluminum, zinc, and mixtures thereof,   wherein the alloy of the electropositive metal comprises at least two electropositive metals, and   combusting the alloy of the electropositive metal with fuel gas.   
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the alloy of the electropositive metal is combusted in liquid form. 
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the combustion is performed at a temperature above the melting point of salts formed in the reaction of the alloy of the electropositive metal and the fuel gas. 
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 1 , comprising:
 guiding the alloy of the electropositive metal, in liquid form, into a pore burner, and   guiding the fuel gas to an outer surfaces of the pore burner and combusting the fuel gas with the alloy of the electropositive metal.   
     
     
         5 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the alloy of the electropositive metal, in liquid form, is atomized and combusted with the fuel gas. 
     
     
         6 . The process of  claim 1 , comprising using a cyclone to separate reaction products of the reaction of the alloy of the electropositive metal and the fuel gas. 
     
     
         7 . The process of  claim 1 , comprising using reaction products of the combustion of the reaction of the alloy of the electropositive metal and the fuel gas to generate energy using at least one of an expander turbine, a steam turbine, a heat exchanger, or a boiler. 
     
     
         8 . An apparatus for combustion of an alloy of an electropositive metal selected from the group consisting of alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, aluminum, zinc, and mixtures thereof with fuel gas, wherein the alloy of the electropositive metal includes at least two electropositive metals, the apparatus comprising:
 a pore burner or a unit for atomizing the alloy of the electropositive metal,   a metal allow feed unit configured to supply the alloy of the electropositive metal, in liquid form, to an interior of the pore burner or the unit for atomizing the alloy,   a fuel gas feed unit configured to supply fuel gas to the pore burner.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the fuel gas feed unit is configured to guide at least a portion of the fuel gas to a surface of the pore burner. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the pore burner is configured such that reaction products that form from the combustion are separated from the surface of the pore burner by gravity. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the pore burner or the unit for atomizing the alloy of the electropositive metal is formed from a material selected from the group consisting of iron, chromium, nickel, niobium, tantalum, molybdenum, tungsten, zircalloy, alloys of these metals, stainless steel, and chromium-nickel steel. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , further comprising a separating unit for products of the combustion of the electropositive metal, wherein the separating unit comprises a cyclone having a perforated plate. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , further comprising at least one of an expander turbine, a steam turbine, a heat exchanger, or a boiler. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , further comprising a heating apparatus configured to liquefy the alloy of the electropositive metal prior to the alloy being supplied to the interior of the pore burner.