Abstract:
Novel carbide supercells for dry acetylene generation are disclosed herein, along with methods of use and internal combustion engines incorporating the carbide supercells. A carbide supercell according to one embodiment includes an outer shell defining an interior gas chamber and a rotating basket positioned in the gas chamber. The basket defines a plurality of holes and is configured to contain at least one calcium carbide rock. An injector is adjacent the basket for spraying a liquid into the basket, and a controller is in data communication with the injector for actuating the injector. A chamber outlet is adjacent an upper end of the gas chamber.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   The present application claims benefit of priority to provisional U.S. Patent Application No. 60/815,742, filed Jun. 22, 2006 and titled “Carbide Supercell For Dry Acetylene Generation And An Internal Combustion Engine Using The Same”, which is incorporated herein by reference. 

   BACKGROUND 
   As disclosed in my earlier patents, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,076,487; 6,287,351; 6,575,147; and 7,093,567; and my allowed patent application, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/532,118, acetylene may be used to power internal combustion engines. As noted in those references, acetylene may provide many benefits, including environmental benefits and supply benefits. 
   Acetylene is traditionally produced from calcium carbide and water by submerging calcium carbide into large volumes of water, which creates a slurry byproduct that is generally unusable without additional processing and that is not environmentally friendly. The current invention relates generally to improved acetylene production. 
   SUMMARY 
   Novel carbide supercells for dry acetylene generation are disclosed herein, along with methods of use and internal combustion engines incorporating the carbide supercells. A carbide supercell according to one embodiment includes an outer shell defining an interior gas chamber and a rotating basket positioned in the gas chamber. The basket defines a plurality of holes and is configured to contain at least one calcium carbide rock. An injector is adjacent the basket for spraying a liquid into the basket, and a controller is in data communication with the injector for actuating the injector. A chamber outlet is adjacent an upper end of the gas chamber. 
   A method of producing acetylene according to an embodiment includes the steps: (a) providing a carbide supercell that has an outer shell defining an interior gas chamber, a rotating basket positioned in the gas chamber (the basket defines a plurality of holes and is configured to contain at least one calcium carbide rock), an injector adjacent the basket for spraying a liquid including water into the basket, a controller in data communication with the injector for actuating the injector, a chamber outlet adjacent an upper end of the gas chamber, and means for cooling a gas; (b) providing at least one calcium carbide rock in the basket; (c) rotating the basket; (d) having the injector spray the liquid into the basket to create a chemical reaction resulting in the production of acetylene gas and calcium hydroxide dust; (e) passing the calcium hydroxide dust through the basket holes to deposit substantially dry calcium hydroxide dust below the basket in the gas chamber; (f) passing the acetylene gas through the chamber outlet; and (g) cooling the acetylene gas using the means for cooling. 
   An internal combustion engine according to an embodiment includes a supercell and a cylinder having a fuel input device and an exhaust valve. A controller is in data communication with the fuel input device and the exhaust valve. A piston and a spark plug are located within the cylinder. The supercell has an outer shell defining an interior gas chamber, a rotating basket positioned in the gas chamber, an injector adjacent the basket for spraying a liquid into the basket, a chamber outlet adjacent an upper end of the gas chamber, and means for cooling gaseous acetylene. The basket defines a plurality of holes, and the chamber outlet is in communication with the fuel input device. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
       FIG. 1  is a front view of a carbide supercell according to an embodiment disclosed herein. 
       FIG. 2  is a sectional side view of a carbide supercell according to an embodiment disclosed herein. 
       FIG. 3  is a sectional side view of a carbide supercell according to an embodiment disclosed herein. 
       FIG. 4  is a sectional side view of a carbide supercell according to an embodiment disclosed herein. 
       FIG. 5  is a sectional side view of a carbide supercell according to an embodiment disclosed herein. 
       FIG. 6   a  is a partial perspective view of a side of a carbide supercell according to an embodiment disclosed herein. 
       FIG. 6   b  is a partial perspective view of a side of a carbide supercell according to an embodiment disclosed herein. 
       FIG. 7  is a schematic representation of a fluid system for use with a carbide supercell according to an embodiment disclosed herein. 
       FIG. 8  is a schematic representation of an internal combustion engine utilizing the carbide supercell of  FIG. 2 , according to an embodiment disclosed herein. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     FIG. 1  is a front view of a carbide supercell  100 . As discussed below, the carbide supercell  100  may be used with an internal combustion (I.C.) engine that is designed or modified to be at least partially powered from acetylene, the supercell  100  may provide acetylene to a storage tank or another device that uses or stores acetylene, or the supercell  100  may be otherwise used as appropriate. It should be understood that the appearance of the carbide supercell  100  may be changed in many respects, including shape and size, and that the principles of operation described herein are of primary importance. The carbide supercell  100  is shown to have an outer shell  102 , a door  104  coupled to the outer shell  102 , a rotating basket  106  inside the outer shell  102 , a plurality of instruments  108  atop the outer shell  102 , and outlet tubing (or “feed tubing”)  110 . Each of these elements are described below. 
     FIG. 2  is a sectional side view of a carbide supercell  200  similar to that shown in  FIG. 1 . The outer shell  102  defines an interior gas chamber  204 , and the rotating basket  106  is positioned inside the gas chamber  204 . The basket  106  may define an open interior region  207  and include a plurality of holes  208  (e.g., holes having ½ inch diameter, ⅛ inch diameter, 1/16 inch diameter, or another diameter). The basket  106  may be mounted at an angle by a shaft  209 , as shown; it is currently preferred that the basket  106  is mounted from about 45 degrees to about 65 degrees from the horizon, though other angles (including but not limited to zero degrees) may also be appropriate. The angle of the basket  106  may prevent the basket&#39;s contents from falling from the basket  106  during rotation. To rotate the basket  106 , the shaft  209  is powered by a motor  210 , power output from the internal combustion engine, and/or another power source. Gearing  211  is schematically shown to connect the motor  210  to the shaft  209 , though belts or other appropriate devices may alternately be used. The basket  106  may either remain in constant motion when the supercell  100  is in use, or the basket  106  may be rotated intermittently. 
   An injector  212  may be adjacent the basket  106 , and as shown in  FIG. 2 , the injector  212  may be positioned to spray a liquid (i.e., water or a water-alcohol mixture) into the basket&#39;s open interior region  207 . The injector  212  is in data communication with a controller  215  and a pump  213 ; the controller  215  controls the frequency and/or amount of spray by the injector  212 . As discussed below, if the supercell  100  is used with an internal combustion engine, the controller  215  may be the same controller that the engine uses for fuel injection, though this is not required. 
   The supercell  100  shown in  FIG. 2  has a chamber outlet  214  located at an upper end  204   a  of the interior gas chamber  204 , and tubing  216  extends from the chamber outlet  214  to a water or water-alcohol jacket  217  that at least partially surrounds the chamber  204 . The fluid level of the water or water-alcohol jacket  217  is represented by numerals  217   a , though it should be appreciated that the fluid level could be different and can fluctuate. While the jacket  217  is referred to herein as a “water jacket” or a “water-alcohol jacket”, it should be appreciated that other substances may also be used. 
   A supercell outlet  218  may be in communication with the tubing  216  (as shown in FIG.  2 ,) or with the jacket  217  if the tubing does not extend from the chamber outlet  214  to the supercell outlet  218 , as will be discussed in relation to  FIG. 3 . Feed tubing  110  may connect the supercell outlet  218  to a fuel intake of an internal combustion engine, for example. The feed tubing  110  may alternately connect the supercell outlet  218  to an acetylene storage tank or another device that uses or stores acetylene. The liquid in the jacket  217  may be in communication with the injector  212  so that the injector  212  sprays liquid from the water or water-alcohol jacket  217 . By limiting the number of liquid reservoirs, the overall weight of the supercell  100  may be minimized; depending on the application, weight may or may not be an important consideration. While the drawings show the pump  213  in communication with the liquid in the jacket  217 , this is not required in all embodiments. Further, the chamber outlet  214  may serve as the supercell outlet  218  and the jacket  217  may be eliminated if cooling the acetylene inside the supercell is not a concern. 
   A dust collection pan  222  may be located at a lower lend  204   b  of the interior gas chamber  204 . The dust collection pan  222  (and the interior gas chamber  204 ) may be accessible through the door  104  of the outer shell  102 . The basket  106  may be operatively coupled to the door  104  so that removal of the basket  106  is facilitated for cleaning, for example. It should be appreciated, however, that the basket  106  may alternately be permanently coupled to the shell  102  and that the injector  212 , for example, may be coupled to the door  104 . 
   In use, calcium carbide rocks may be positioned in the open interior region  207  of the basket  106  (e.g., manually by removing the door  104 , or by using an automated mechanical input system such as an auger as discussed below). The motor  210  may turn the shaft  209  to rotate the basket  106 , and the rotation of the basket  106  may tumble the calcium carbide rocks, performing a scaling (cleaning) function on the calcium carbide rocks. The controller  215  may actuate the injector  212  to spray the liquid into the basket&#39;s open interior region  207  and on the calcium carbide rocks, causing a chemical reaction and the production of acetylene. The scaling of the calcium carbide rocks produces a dust that may pass through the holes  208  in the basket  106  and fall onto the dust collection pan  222 . The dust may be collected for use in the agricultural industry, for example, and though not shown, a mechanical device such as an auger may remove the calcium oxide dust from the pan  222  and the chamber  204 . Multiple baskets  106  with holes  208  may be nested inside one another to suspend the dust longer and obtain an increased acetylene production. 
   The acetylene produced in the chemical reaction may pass out the chamber outlet  214 , through the tubing  216 , and out the supercell outlet  218 . The acetylene may be cooled by passing through the water or water-alcohol jacket  217  in the tubing  216 , and using a tubing  216  that has low insulative properties may help in cooling the acetylene. The jacket  217  may additionally or alternately cool the chamber  204 , as maintaining a cool temperature in the chamber  204  may speed up acetylene production and keep acetylene in the chamber  204  from decomposing. 
   As discussed above, the injector  212  may spray liquid from the jacket  217 . If the jacket  217  includes a water-alcohol mixture, the alcohol would not contribute to the chemical reaction and the production of acetylene. The alcohol could provide various benefits, however. For example, the alcohol could act as an antifreeze and keep the supercell from freezing in cold weather. The alcohol could also mix with the produced acetylene and travel out the chamber outlet  214 , through the tubing  216 , and out the supercell outlet  218 ; as noted in some of my earlier patents listed above, it may be advantageous to power an internal combustion engine with an acetylene/alcohol mixture. 
   While it should be appreciated that supercells  200  of different capacities may be appropriate for different uses, it may be particularly advantageous to utilize an array of supercells  200  assembled in parallel. Such an array may allow maintenance to be performed on one supercell  200  without a severe loss of acetylene production. 
   Though not shown in  FIG. 2 , the instruments  108  shown in  FIG. 1  could be used to provide various data about the supercell  200 . For example, the instruments  108  could provide temperature of the acetylene exiting the supercell outlet  218 , temperature of the jacket  217 , temperature in the chamber  204 , pressure in the chamber  204 , fluid level of the jacket  217 , volume of acetylene exiting the supercell outlet  218 , and/or other data. 
   A supercell  200  has been constructed and tested with positive results. The supercell outlet  110  was connected to a fuel intake of an internal combustion engine, and the controller  215  was the same controller that the internal combustion engine used for fuel injection. As such, the supercell  200  generated only the amount of acetylene required by the engine at idle or under various loads. The calcium hydroxide dust produced from the chemical reaction and the scaling process was suitable for use (e.g., in the agricultural field) directly from the supercell  200 . 
     FIG. 3  is a sectional side view of a carbide supercell  300  similar to that shown in  FIG. 2 . The difference between the carbide supercell  300  and that shown in  FIG. 2  is the path of travel from the chamber outlet  214  to the supercell outlet  218 . In the supercell  300 , the tubing  216  does not extend from the chamber outlet  214  to the supercell outlet  218 . Instead, the tubing  216  ends in the jacket  217 . This configuration may provide better cooling for the acetylene exiting the chamber outlet  214  and may allow additional alcohol to exit the supercell outlet  218  along with the acetylene (if the jacket  217  includes alcohol). Additionally, the jacket  217  may act as a backflash arrestor to protect the contents of the gas chamber  204 . While the tubing  216  is shown ending before the pump  213 , it should be appreciated that the tubing could end at various points inside the jacket  217 . Walls  310 ,  312  are shown in  FIG. 3  to keep the acetylene from exiting the supercell outlet  218  without first passing through the jacket  217 . Placement of the walls  310 ,  312  can of course be varied. 
     FIG. 4  is a sectional side view of a carbide supercell  400  similar to that shown in  FIG. 2 . The difference between the carbide supercell  400  and that shown in  FIG. 2  is that the supercell  400  includes an auger  410  which may be incorporated into any of the supercells disclosed herein. The auger  410  is positioned inside the basket  106  to agitate or stir the contents of the basket  106  (i.e., calcium carbide rocks) and may be various sizes and shapes. The auger  410  may be coupled to a shaft  412  which is powered by the motor  210 , power from the internal combustion engine, and/or another power source. Along with the gearing  211 , gearing  411  is schematically shown to connect the motor  210  to the shaft  412 , though belts or other appropriate devices may alternately be used. The shaft  410  may rotate in a direction opposite that of the shaft  209  to better agitate the contents of the basket  106 . While the auger shaft  412  is shown to be below the shaft  209 , it may be inside the shaft  209  to facilitate complete rotation of both the basket  106  and the auger  410 . Though not specifically shown in the drawings, the auger  410  may extend outside the chamber  204  or to a supply location within the chamber  204  and supply the basket  106  with calcium carbide rocks. Such a configuration could minimize the frequency of which the door  104  is removed from the shell  102 . 
     FIG. 5  is a sectional side view of a carbide supercell  500  similar to that shown in  FIG. 2 . The difference between the carbide supercell  500  and that shown in  FIG. 2  is that the supercell  500  includes basket brushes  510  which may be incorporated into any of the supercells disclosed herein. The basket brushes  510  are positioned adjacent the basket  106  to dislodge dust from the holes to allow the dust to pass through the holes  208  in the basket  106  and fall onto the dust collection pan  222 . Though the brushes  510  are shown upwardly and outwardly adjacent the basket  106 , they may be positioned in alternate configurations, including inside the basket  106 . To keep from causing an explosion in the chamber  204 , the brushes  510  may need to be constructed of a non-static and non-sparking material. 
     FIG. 6   a  is a partial perspective view of a side of a carbide supercell  600   a  similar to that shown in  FIG. 2 . The supercell  600   a  has a radiator  610  incorporated therein for maintaining cooler temperatures in the chamber  204  and/or the jacket  217 . The radiator  610  may utilize R-134a, liquified propane, or any other appropriate refrigerant or radiator fluid and works in a traditional manner. A fan  612  pushes air through the radiator to cool the radiator fluid passing into and coming from the supercell  600   a . The radiator  610  may be incorporated into any of the supercells disclosed herein. 
     FIG. 6   b  is a partial perspective view of a side of a carbide supercell  600   b  similar to that shown in  FIG. 2 . The supercell  600   b  has a plurality of heat sinks  620  for dissipating heat from the supercell  600   b  and maintaining cooler temperatures in the chamber  204  and/or the jacket  217 . Multiple fans  622  push air across the heat sinks  620  to cool the heat sinks  620 . The heat sinks  620  may be incorporated into any of the supercells disclosed herein, and although the heat sinks  620  are depicted as being large, smaller heat fans may have better heat dissipation characteristics. 
     FIG. 7  is a schematic representation of a fluid system  700  for use with any of the supercells disclosed herein. The fluid system  700  includes the water or water-alcohol jacket  217 , the pump  213 , the injector  212 , and a radiator device  710 . As noted above, the pump  213  may pump liquid from the jacket  217  to the injector  212 . The radiator device  710  has been added in  FIG. 7  to ensure that the jacket  217  is cool enough to cool the acetylene inside and outside the chamber  204  as discussed above. Reasons for cooling the acetylene can be found above, as well as in my previous patents. 
   The radiator device  710  includes a pump  712  and an external radiator  714 . The external radiator  714  may use traditional fans and heat fins and/or may utilize an underground reservoir or cool underground air (typically between sixty and sixty-two degrees Fahrenheit), depending on the application of the supercell. The radiator device  710  may also ensure that the fluid level in the jacket  217  is appropriate. To do this, the radiator device  710  may include a fluid-level sensor and a reservoir of fluid to introduce into the jacket  217  if needed. 
     FIG. 8  is a schematic representation of an internal combustion engine  800  utilizing the carbide supercell  200  discussed above, though any of the supercells disclosed above could be used. The engine has a cylinder  810  with a fuel input device  812  (e.g., an intake valve or a fuel injector) and an exhaust valve  814 . A piston  816  and a spark plug  818  may be located within the cylinder  810 , and a controller (not shown) may be in data communication with the fuel input device  812 , the exhaust valve  814 , and the spark plug  818  to control the operation of those components. The controller may optionally be the same as the controller  215 . The feed tubing  110  provides the acetylene or acetylene/alcohol mixture produced by the supercell  200  as discussed above to the fuel input device  812  for introduction into the cylinder  810  and ignition by the spark plug  818 . Ignition causes the piston  816  to move in the cylinder  810  (rotating a crankshaft  830 ), and the spent fuel is exhausted by opening the exhaust valve  814 . Additional discussion of I.C. engines capable of utilizing acetylene can be found in my previous patents and applications noted above, and the information contained therein is incorporated herein by reference. It should be understood that the engine  800  could utilize ignition methods that do not require a spark plug  818 , and that such other ignition methods are also contemplated herein. 
   Those skilled in the art appreciate that variations from the specified embodiments disclosed above are contemplated herein. The description should not be restricted to the above embodiments or the accompanying figures, but should be measured by the following claims.