Micro-combustion power system with dual path counter-flow system

• US 8,614,392 B1
• Filed: 09/04/2009
• Issued: 12/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Irvine Sensors Corp., PFG Ip, LLC
• Original Assignee: Irvine Sensors Corp.
• Inventors: Hsu, Ying, Sapir, Itzhak, Ronney, Paul, Snyder, G. Jeffrey
• Primary Examiner(s): Michener, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): Slawski, Magali P
• Application Number:
  US12/584,460
• Time in Patent Office: 1,572 Days
• Field of Search: 136/217, 136/230, 123/543, 123/545
• US Class Current: 136/217
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 10/13 characterised by the heat-exchanging means at the junction
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 10/17 characterised by the structure or configuration of the cell or thermocouple forming the device

Abstract

A micro-combustion power system is disclosed. 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.

A novel element of the invention relates to the opposing configuration and opposing flow path directions of the respective flow path volumes. The pre-heating heat exchange structure in the first flow path volume and the opposing post-combustion heat exchange structure are comprised of a shared, thermally conductive structure and material. In this embodiment, waste heat from the exhaust gas in the post-combustion chamber is thermally transferred to the opposing pre-heating volume to heat the air/fuel mixture therein to a suitable pre-combustion temperature to take advantage of waste heat while better managing thermal/cooling issues of the device during operation.

Claims

1. A combustion power system device comprising:

a housing comprising a first flow path volume and a second flow path volume wherein each of said flow path volumes comprises, (a) a pre-heating volume comprising a pre-heating heat exchange structure, (b) a combustion volume comprising combustion means comprising a finned element plated with a catalytic material, (c) a post-combustion heat exchange volume comprising a post-combustion heat exchange structure, wherein the post-combustion heat exchange structure and the pre-heating heat exchange structure are comprised of at least one shared thermally conductive elongate structure having a portion thereof disposed in the first flow path volume and a portion thereof disposed in the second flow path volume that is configured to transfer post-combustion thermal energy from one of the post-combustion heat exchange structures to one of the pre-heating heat exchange volumes, (d) at least one thermoelectric generator means and,

air pressurization means configured to direct an air/fuel mixture through the first flow path volume in a first direction and to direct an air/fuel mixture through the second flow path volume in a second direction opposing the first direction.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said air/fuel mixture comprises a liquid hydrocarbon.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein said air/fuel mixture comprises a fuel selected from the group consisting of JP-8, gasoline, kerosene, butane, hydrogen and propane.

4. The device of claim 1 further comprised of a capillary force vaporizer.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein said combustion means is comprised of a platinum material.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein said thermoelectric generating means is comprised of a lead telluride material.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein said thermoelectric generating means is comprised of a bismuth telluride material.

8. The device of claim 1 wherein said thermoelectric generating means is comprised of a lead telluride material and a bismuth telluride material.