Patent ID: 8920639
Filing Date: 2014-12-30
Classification: C10L,Y02E,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A process for improved combustion of fuels, comprising: a) providing fuel solids having a maximum diameter of 3 inches or less; b) providing steam at a temperature of at least 350° F. and at a velocity of at least 1340 ft/s; c) optionally providing a combustion catalyst; d) optionally providing a hard grit; e) directing the steam from a plurality of nozzles within an interior chamber defined by a housing to form a shear field and vortexes; f) entraining the fuel solids within the steam that forms the shear field and vortexes; g) circulating the fuel solids, catalyst if present, and if present the hard grit in the shear field and vortexes until the fuel solids are comminuted to particles having a maximum diameter of 40 microns or less; h) venting spent steam from the shear field and vortexes into a flammable liquid fuel medium whereby the comminuted particles are captured in a semi-dehydrated state as a suspension in the liquid medium, wherein all but 0.05-7.0 mass % water by weight relative to the fuel particles is removed by: wherein the comminuted, semi-dehydrated fuel particles have ambiphilic surfaces; and i) burning the comminuted ambiphilic particles in a flame whereby the liquid fuel medium is simultaneously also burned.