Catalytic microcombustors for compact power or heat generation
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A device for producing heat or power comprising:
- a catalytic microcombustor having a reaction chamber formed by one or more walls that define a channel as a catalytic zone;
a fuel inlet tube communicating with said chamber at a first location;
an exit tube communicating with said chamber at a second location remote from said first location;
at least two thermal spreaders conductively mounted to the one or more walls of the reaction chamber external to said chamber said thermal spreaders adapted to increase thermal uniformity in said reaction chamber as compared to an identical said reaction chamber without said thermal spreaders; and
two spaced catalytic inserts disposed on the one or more walls of said reaction chamber with said channel between them, each of said catalytic inserts comprising a catalyst.
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Abstract
The present invention comprises a device which utilizes catalytic microcombustion for the production of heat or power and which exhibits a low pressure drop and has a high catalytic surface area. The catalytic microcombustor includes catalyst inserts in the reaction chamber separated by a sub millimeter distance. Thermal spreaders ensure temperature uniformity and maximum thermal efficiency. A mixing zone is prior to the combustion zone. Thermally conductive and/or insulating inserts are in the vicinity of the reaction zone.
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Citations
35 Claims
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1. A device for producing heat or power comprising:
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a catalytic microcombustor having a reaction chamber formed by one or more walls that define a channel as a catalytic zone; a fuel inlet tube communicating with said chamber at a first location; an exit tube communicating with said chamber at a second location remote from said first location; at least two thermal spreaders conductively mounted to the one or more walls of the reaction chamber external to said chamber said thermal spreaders adapted to increase thermal uniformity in said reaction chamber as compared to an identical said reaction chamber without said thermal spreaders; and two spaced catalytic inserts disposed on the one or more walls of said reaction chamber with said channel between them, each of said catalytic inserts comprising a catalyst. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A device for producing heat or power comprising,
a catalytic microcombustor having a reaction chamber formed by one or more walls that define a channel as a catalytic zone; -
a fuel inlet tube communicating with said chamber at a first location; an exit tube communicating with said chamber at a second location remote from said first location; at least one thermal spreader conductively connected to the reaction chamber a said thermal spreader adapted to increase thermal uniformity in said reaction chamber as compared to an identical said reaction chamber without said thermal spreader; and two spaced catalytic inserts disposed on the one, or more walls of said reaction chamber with said channel between them, each of said catalytic inserts comprising a catalyst and having a ratio of catalytic surface area to geometric surface area greater than 100 m2/m2.
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15. A method of producing heat or power, the method comprising:
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(a) providing a catalytic microcombustor having a reaction chamber formed by one or more walls that define a channel as a catalytic zone; a fuel inlet tube communicating with said chamber at a first location; an exit tube communicating with said chamber at a second location remote from said first location; at least two thermal spreaders conductively mounted to the one or more walls of the reaction chamber external to said chamber said thermal spreaders adapted to increase thermal uniformity in said reaction chamber as compared to an identical said reaction chamber without said thermal spreaders; and two spaced catalytic inserts disposed on the one or more walls of said reaction chamber with said channel between them, each of said catalytic inserts comprising a catalyst; and (b) feeding a fuel through an inlet tube into the reaction chamber of the catalytic microcombustor. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A device for producing heat or power comprising:
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a catalytic microcombustor having a reaction chamber formed by one or more walls that define a channel as a catalytic zone; a fuel inlet tube communicating with said chamber at a first location; an exit tube communicating with said chamber at a second location remote from said first location; a mixing zone prior to the reaction chamber for mixing of reactants; at least one thermal spreader conductively connected to the reaction chamber said thermal spreader adapted to increase thermal uniformity in said reaction chamber as compared to an identical said reaction chamber without said thermal spreader; and two spaced catalytic inserts disposed on the one or more walls of said reaction chamber with said channel between them, each of said catalytic inserts comprising a catalyst selected from the group consisting of;
platinum or rhodium.
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34. A device for producing heat or power comprising:
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a catalytic microcombustor having a reaction chamber formed by one or more walls that define a channel as a catalytic zone; a fuel inlet tube communicating with said chamber at a first location; an exit tube communicating with said chamber at a second location remote from said first location; at least one thermal spreader conductively connected to the reaction chamber said thermal spreader adapted to increase thermal uniformity in said reaction chamber as compared to an identical said reaction chamber without said thermal spreader; and two spaced catalytic inserts disposed on the one or more walls of said reaction chamber with said channel between them, each of said catalytic inserts comprising a catalyst and an anodized aluminum nanoporous substrate for supporting the catalyst.
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35. A device for producing heat or power comprising:
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a catalytic microcombustor having a reaction chamber formed by one or more walls that define a channel as a catalytic zone; a fuel inlet tube communicating with said chamber at a first location; an exit tube communicating with said chamber at a second location remote from said first location; two thermal spreaders conductively mounted to the walls of the reaction chamber external to the reaction chamber said thermal spreaders adapted to increase thermal uniformity in said reaction chamber as compared to an identical said reaction chamber without said thermal spreaders; and two catalytic inserts mounted to the walls of the reaction chamber internal to the reaction chamber, said catalytic inserts comprising a catalyst, with said channel disposed between said catalytic inserts, wherein the two thermal spreaders and the two catalytic inserts all have a same length and width.
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Specification