Patent ID: 8920639

Claim:
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: A) removing steam and condensed water by direct evaporation from the comminuted particles, or B) cooling or heating the steam or particles until the temperature of the steam is at a level that provides a desired level or particle hydration after evaporation of the steam when venting is complete, or C) removing essentially all of the water from the combined particles and then rehydrating them by means of liquid water or a humid gaseous medium; 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.