Method, apparatus, and computer-readable media for vortex arc reactor

Abstract

Vortex arc reactor apparatus and method provide a nozzle with converging, throat, and diverging portions. Input structure inputs a reactant and an oxidant into the converging portion. Ignition structure ignites the input reactant and oxidant. A vortex-creating structure creates a vortex of the ignited reactant and oxidant in the converging portion. The input structure, the vortex-creating structure, and the nozzle converging and throat portions are configured to provide a throat-portion-vortex of ignited reactant and oxidant that has an angular velocity which provides (i) negatively-charged particles in an exterior portion of the throat-portion-vortex, (ii) positively-charged particles in an interior portion of the throat-portion-vortex, and (iii) at least one arcing reaction between the positively-charged particles and the negatively-charged particles, to form syngas and at least one aromatic liquid in the nozzle diverging portion. Gas/liquid separation structure is preferably configured to separate the formed syngas from the at least one aromatic liquid.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for producing a syngas and at least one aromatic liquid, comprising:
 a nozzle comprising an input section, a converging portion, a throat portion, and a diverging portion, wherein the input section is configured to receive a reactant and an oxidant;   an igniter disposed in the input section of the nozzle, wherein the ignitor is configured to ignite a mixture of the reactant and the oxidant to combust or partially combust the mixture of the reactant and the oxidant; and   a gas flow rotator disposed in the input section or the converging portion of the nozzle, wherein the gas flow rotator is configured to receive the combusted or partially combusted mixture and to create a vortex of the combusted or partially combusted mixture in the converging portion of the nozzle, wherein the gas flow rotator comprises a disc-shaped plate that is spatially fixed and comprises one or more openings and one or more flanges that are bent at an angle from a disc-shaped surface of the disc-shaped plate to create the vortex of the combusted or partially combusted mixture, and wherein the disc-shaped surface is oriented to face a flow of the supplied combusted or partially combusted mixture,   wherein the throat portion of the nozzle is configured to receive the vortex of the combusted or partially combusted mixture and to induce at least one reaction to form the syngas and the at least one aromatic liquid.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the throat portion of the nozzle is further configured to induce (i) negatively-charged particles in an exterior portion of the vortex in the throat portion, (ii) positively-charged particles in an interior portion of the vortex in the throat portion, and (iii) at least one reaction between the positively-charged particles and the negatively-charged particles, to form the syngas and the at least one aromatic liquid in the diverging portion of the nozzle. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the nozzle further comprises an output section downstream from the diverging portion of the nozzle to output the syngas and the at least one aromatic liquid from the nozzle. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a gas/liquid separator configured to receive the syngas and the at least one aromatic liquid from the nozzle, and to separate the syngas from the at least one aromatic liquid. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4  further comprising at least one blower or compressor coupled to the gas/liquid separator to drive an output of the syngas from the gas/liquid separator. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a reactant supplier configured to supply the reactant to the input section of the nozzle; and 
 an oxidant supplier configured to supply the oxidant to the input section of the nozzle. 
 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the throat portion of the nozzle is configured to induce the at least one reaction comprising arcing. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the gas flow rotator and the converging and throat portions of the nozzle are configured to increase an angular speed of the vortex of the combusted or partially combusted mixture. 
     
     
         9 . An apparatus for producing a syngas and at least one aromatic liquid, comprising:
 a nozzle comprising an input section, a converging portion, a throat portion, and a diverging portion, wherein the input section is configured to receive a reactant and an oxidant;   an igniter disposed in the input section of the nozzle, wherein the ignitor is configured to ignite a mixture of the reactant and the oxidant to combust or partially combust the mixture of the reactant and the oxidant; and   a gas flow rotator disposed in the converging portion of the nozzle, wherein the gas flow rotator is configured to receive the combusted or partially combusted mixture and to create a vortex of the combusted or partially combusted mixture in the converging portion of the nozzle, wherein the gas flow rotator has a conical and/or frusto-conical shape having a broader end toward the input section and a narrower end toward the throat portion, and wherein the gas flow rotator comprises helical grooves proceeding from the broader end toward the narrower end,   wherein the throat portion of the nozzle is configured to receive the vortex of the combusted or partially combusted mixture and to induce at least one reaction to form the syngas and the at least one aromatic liquid.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein the throat portion of the nozzle is further configured to induce (i) negatively-charged particles in an exterior portion of the vortex in the throat portion, (ii) positively-charged particles in an interior portion of the vortex in the throat portion, and (iii) at least one reaction between the positively-charged particles and the negatively-charged particles, to form the syngas and the at least one aromatic liquid in the diverging portion of the nozzle. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein the nozzle further comprises an output section downstream from the diverging portion of the nozzle to output the syngas and the at least one aromatic liquid from the nozzle. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 9  further comprising a gas/liquid separator configured to receive the syngas and the at least one aromatic liquid from the nozzle, and to separate the syngas from the at least one aromatic liquid. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12  further comprising at least one blower or compressor coupled to the gas/liquid separator to drive an output of the syngas from the gas/liquid separator. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 9  further comprising:
 a reactant supplier configured to supply the reactant to the input section of the nozzle; and 
 an oxidant supplier configured to supply the oxidant to the input section of the nozzle. 
 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein the throat portion of the nozzle is configured to induce the at least one reaction comprising arcing. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein the gas flow rotator and the converging and throat portions of the nozzle are configured to increase an angular speed of the vortex of the combusted or partially combusted mixture.