Micro-combustion power system with metal foam heat exchanger
First Claim
1. A micro-combustion power system device comprising:
- a housing defining a flow path volume,said flow path volume comprising a pre-heating volume having a pre-heating heat exchange structure disposed therein,a combustion volume comprising combustion means,a post-combustion volume having a post-combustion heat exchange structure disposed therein,a thermoelectric generator means having a first surface and a second surface,said first surface in thermal communication with said combustion volume and said second surface in thermal communication with a heat pipe structure and a heat radiation means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A micro-combustion power system is disclosed. In a first embodiment, the invention is comprised of a housing that further comprises two flow path volumes, each having generally opposing flow path directions and each generally having opposing configurations.
Each flow path volume comprises a pre-heating volume having at least one pre-heating heat exchange structure. Each flow path volume further comprises a combustion volume having a combustion means or structure such as a catalytic material disposed therein Further, each flow path volume comprise a post-combustion volume having at least one post-combustion heat exchange structure.
One or more thermoelectric generator means is in thermal communication with at least one of the combustion volumes whereby thermal energy generated by an air/fuel catalytic reaction in the combustion volume is transferred to the thermoelectric generator to convert same to electrical energy for use by an external circuit.
In a second embodiment, a micro-combustion power system device is disclosed comprising a housing defining a flow path volume wherein the flow path volume comprises a pre-heating volume having a pre-heating heat exchange structure disposed therein. The embodiment further comprises a combustion volume with combustion means and a post-combustion volume having a post-combustion heat exchange structure disposed therein. Further, the embodiment comprises a thermoelectric generator means with its first surface in thermal communication with the combustion volume and its second surface in thermal communication with heat radiator means such as a reticulated metal foam heat exchange structure.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A micro-combustion power system device comprising:
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a housing defining a flow path volume, said flow path volume comprising a pre-heating volume having a pre-heating heat exchange structure disposed therein, a combustion volume comprising combustion means, a post-combustion volume having a post-combustion heat exchange structure disposed therein, a thermoelectric generator means having a first surface and a second surface, said first surface in thermal communication with said combustion volume and said second surface in thermal communication with a heat pipe structure and a heat radiation means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification