Catalytic combustors keeping contained medium warm in response to hydrostatic valve
First Claim
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1. A system for keeping a medium (9) in a container (10) warm, comprising:
- a container (10) having a heatable surface (11) through which heat may be conducted into a medium (9) within the container; and
a supply (28) of hydrogen;
characterized by;
a first valve operable to be closed unless the time period of a related timer has expired after said first valve has been armed to become open;
a second valve (25) having a temperature responsive member (26) disposed in proximity with said container and responsive to either (i) the temperature of the container or (ii) the ambient temperature surrounding the container, said second valve operable to open in response to said temperature responsive member being below a first temperature and to close in response to said temperature responsive member being above a second temperature, said second temperature being not lower than said first temperature, said valves serially connected to said supply to provide, when said valves are both open, a source (24) of hydrogen for combustion to heat said heatable surface; and
a hydrogen/oxygen catalytic combustor (13) selected from(a) an ejector combustor (13a) comprising—
a heating surface (36), through which heat is to be conducted to a heat utilizing apparatus;
an ejector (32) having an outlet, a primary inlet (31) in fluid communication with said source of hydrogen, and a secondary inlet (33) in fluid communication with air;
and a hydrogen/oxygen combustion catalyst (34) disposed between said ejector outlet and said heating surface; and
(b) a diffusion combustor (13b) comprising;
a hydrogen/oxygen combustion catalyst (38) having first and second sides;
a heating surface (12), through which heat is to be conducted to a heat utilizing apparatus, separated from said first side of said catalyst by a first space (39);
a hydrogen conduit (43) for conducting hydrogen from said source to said first space; and
a diffusion control device (40) disposed in air and separated from said second side of said catalyst by a second space (41);
said heatable surface in contact with one of said heating surfaces, whereby hydrogen passing through said valves is catalytically combusted to heat the medium within said container.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Water in a fuel cell accumulator is kept above freezing by a hydrogen/oxygen catalytic combustor fed hydrogen through a mechanical thermostatic valve in thermal communication with the container and connected to a hydrogen supply. The system includes an ejector hydrogen/oxygen combustor and a diffusion hydrogen/oxygen combustor for warming a medium within a container such as water in the accumulator of a fuel cell in response to a mechanic hydrostatic valve which conducts hydrogen to a combustor responsive to the temperature of the container.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A system for keeping a medium (9) in a container (10) warm, comprising:
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a container (10) having a heatable surface (11) through which heat may be conducted into a medium (9) within the container; and a supply (28) of hydrogen; characterized by; a first valve operable to be closed unless the time period of a related timer has expired after said first valve has been armed to become open; a second valve (25) having a temperature responsive member (26) disposed in proximity with said container and responsive to either (i) the temperature of the container or (ii) the ambient temperature surrounding the container, said second valve operable to open in response to said temperature responsive member being below a first temperature and to close in response to said temperature responsive member being above a second temperature, said second temperature being not lower than said first temperature, said valves serially connected to said supply to provide, when said valves are both open, a source (24) of hydrogen for combustion to heat said heatable surface; and a hydrogen/oxygen catalytic combustor (13) selected from (a) an ejector combustor (13a) comprising— a heating surface (36), through which heat is to be conducted to a heat utilizing apparatus; an ejector (32) having an outlet, a primary inlet (31) in fluid communication with said source of hydrogen, and a secondary inlet (33) in fluid communication with air; and a hydrogen/oxygen combustion catalyst (34) disposed between said ejector outlet and said heating surface; and (b) a diffusion combustor (13b) comprising; a hydrogen/oxygen combustion catalyst (38) having first and second sides; a heating surface (12), through which heat is to be conducted to a heat utilizing apparatus, separated from said first side of said catalyst by a first space (39); a hydrogen conduit (43) for conducting hydrogen from said source to said first space; and a diffusion control device (40) disposed in air and separated from said second side of said catalyst by a second space (41); said heatable surface in contact with one of said heating surfaces, whereby hydrogen passing through said valves is catalytically combusted to heat the medium within said container. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A temperature-responsive hydrogen source for a keep-warm system, comprising:
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a container (10) having a heatable surface (11) through which heat may be conducted into said container; and a supply (28) of hydrogen; characterized by; a valve (25) having a temperature responsive member (26) in proximity with said container and responsive to either (i) the temperature of the container or (ii) the ambient temperature surrounding the container, said valve operable to open in response to said temperature responsive member being below a first temperature and to close in response to said temperature responsive member being above a second temperature, said second temperature being not lower than said first temperature, said valve connected to said supply to provide, when said valve is open, a source (24) of hydrogen for combustion to heat said heatable surface. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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9. A hydrogen/oxygen catalytic combustor (13a) characterized by:
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a heating surface (36), through which heat is to be conducted to a heat utilizing apparatus (10); an ejector (32) having an outlet, a primary inlet (31) in fluid communication with a source (24) of hydrogen, and a secondary inlet (33) in fluid communication with air; and a hydrogen/oxygen combustion catalyst (34) disposed between said ejector outlet and said heating surface.
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10. A hydrogen/oxygen catalytic combustor (13b), characterized by:
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a hydrogen/oxygen combustion catalyst (38) having first and second sides; a hydrogen conduit (43) for conducting hydrogen from a source (24) to said first side; and a diffusion control device (40) disposed in air and separated from said second side of said catalyst by a second space (41). - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification