Patent ID: 7739968

Claim:
A metal combustion device, comprising: a central chamber; a side wall surrounding the central chamber, the distance between at least a portion of said side wall and said central chamber increasing from the periphery with respect to radial distance; a working fluid inlet means to receive a combustible working fluid; a working fluid outlet means positioned adjacent said working fluid inlet means to discharge combusted working fluid; a cooling fluid inlet means to receive cooling fluid through an annulus between said side wall and said central chamber; a cooling fluid outlet means to discharge said cooling fluid from said annulus between said side wall and said central chamber and mix it with said combustible working fluid to produce a combustible fuel mixture; a fuel ignition means to ignite said combustible fuel mixture to produce said heated working fluid; a metal fuel charge holder assembly positioned to hold and store the metal fuel charge; a mechanical grinder positioned within the metal fuel charge holder assembly and comprising face mill including a plurality of blades which turn on a rotating shaft to pulverize said metal fuel charge positioned within said metal fuel charge holder assembly when the metal fuel charge is placed in direct contact with said mechanical grinder to thereby generate a combustible metal fuel from said metal fuel charge within said metal fuel charge holder assembly; and a metal fuel charge positioner within said metal fuel charge holder assembly and positioned to hold said metal fuel charge in direct contact with said mechanical grinder.