US3881962A — Thermoelectric generator including catalytic burn…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 187 words

A THERMOELECTRIC GENERATOR COMPRISING, BURNER MEANS FOR COMBUSTING A FUEL IN THE PRESENCE OF OXYGEN, A BOILER INCLUDING A CYLINDRICAL JACKET CONTAINING A FLUID TO BE HEATED AND BEING DISPOSED ABOUT A HOLLOW CENTER AREA FOR ACCOMMODATING SAID BURNER MEANS FOR HEATING OF THE FLUID THEREBY, A PLURALITY OF THERMOELECTRIC DEVICES FOR CONVERTING THERMAL TO ELECTRICAL ENERGY, A PLURALITY OF CONDUIT MEANS FOR CHANNELING THE HEATED FLUID FROM SAID JACKET INTO THERMAL PROXIMITY OF SAID DEVICES AND RETURNING SAID FLUID TO SAID JACKET, AND HEAT ABSORBING MEANS DISPOSED IN THERMAL CONTACT WIHT SAID CONDUIT MEANS FOR CONDUCTING HEAT THEREFROM TO SAID DEVICES, SAID CYLINDRICAL JACKET INCLUDING AN INNER CHAMBER EXTENDING ABOUT SAID CENTER AREA FOR HEATING OF SAID FLUID WITHIN THE INNER CHAMBER, AN OUTER CHAMBER EXTENDING ABOUT THE INNER CHAMBER IN OMMUNICATION THEREWITH, SAID CONDUIT MEANS INCLUDING A SERIES OF LOOPS INDIVIDUAL TO THE SEVERAL THERMOELECTRIC DEVICES AND EXTENDING GENERALLY RADIALLY FROM SAID JACKET, AND SAID BURNER MEANS INCLUDING A CATALYTIC REACTOR EXTENDING WITHIN SAID CENTER AREA OF SAID BOILER AND INCORPORATING AN OUTER REACTION SURFACE DISPOSED TO COMPLETE COMBUSTION IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO SAID JACKET.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 187 words

A THERMOELECTRIC GENERATOR COMPRISING, BURNER MEANS FOR COMBUSTING A FUEL IN THE PRESENCE OF OXYGEN, A BOILER INCLUDING A CYLINDRICAL JACKET CONTAINING A FLUID TO BE HEATED AND BEING DISPOSED ABOUT A HOLLOW CENTER AREA FOR ACCOMMODATING SAID BURNER MEANS FOR HEATING OF THE FLUID THEREBY, A PLURALITY OF THERMOELECTRIC DEVICES FOR CONVERTING THERMAL TO ELECTRICAL ENERGY, A PLURALITY OF CONDUIT MEANS FOR CHANNELING THE HEATED FLUID FROM SAID JACKET INTO THERMAL PROXIMITY OF SAID DEVICES AND RETURNING SAID FLUID TO SAID JACKET, AND HEAT ABSORBING MEANS DISPOSED IN THERMAL CONTACT WIHT SAID CONDUIT MEANS FOR CONDUCTING HEAT THEREFROM TO SAID DEVICES, SAID CYLINDRICAL JACKET INCLUDING AN INNER CHAMBER EXTENDING ABOUT SAID CENTER AREA FOR HEATING OF SAID FLUID WITHIN THE INNER CHAMBER, AN OUTER CHAMBER EXTENDING ABOUT THE INNER CHAMBER IN OMMUNICATION THEREWITH, SAID CONDUIT MEANS INCLUDING A SERIES OF LOOPS INDIVIDUAL TO THE SEVERAL THERMOELECTRIC DEVICES AND EXTENDING GENERALLY RADIALLY FROM SAID JACKET, AND SAID BURNER MEANS INCLUDING A CATALYTIC REACTOR EXTENDING WITHIN SAID CENTER AREA OF SAID BOILER AND INCORPORATING AN OUTER REACTION SURFACE DISPOSED TO COMPLETE COMBUSTION IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO SAID JACKET.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 25 words

A thermoelectric generator as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said loops is removably connected to said boiler independently of the remaining loops.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 38 words

A thermoelectric generator as set forth in claim 1 wherein said center area extends the length of and opens upon the opposite ends of the boiler defining a flue for hot products of combustion emanating from said source.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 178 words

A THERMOELECTRIC GENERATOR COMPRISING, A GENERALLY CYLINDRICAL INNER WALL DEFINING A COMBUSTION CHAMBER, AN OUTER WALL SURROUNDING SAID INNER WALL AND FORMING WITH SAID INNER WALL AN ANNULUS SURROUNDING SAID COMBUSTION CHAMBER, SAID ANNULUS HAVING A CLOSED LOWER END AND CONTAINING A QUANTITY OF VAPORIZABLE HEAT TRANSFER FLUID THEREIN, A PLURALITY OF PIPES EXTENDING FROM THE UPPER END OF SAID ANNULUS AND ARRANGED TO CONDUCT VAPOR OF SAID HEAT TRANSFER FLUID UPWARDLY FROM SAID ANNULUS, A PLURALITY OF CONDENSERS, EACH IN COMMUNICATION WITH A RESPECTIVE ONE OF SAID PIPES AT THE END THEREOF OPPOSITE SAID ANNULUS, EACH OF SAID CONDENSERS HAVING A HEAT EXCHANGE SURFACE TO CAUSE CONDENSATION OF SAID VAPORIZABLE HEAT TRANSFER FLUID WITH SAID CONDENSED FLUID RETURNING DOWNWARDLY TO SAID ANNULUS VIA SAID PIPES, A PLURALITY OF THERMOELECTRIC DEVICES, EACH SAID THERMOELECTRIC DEVICE BEING IN CONTACT WITH A SEPARATE ONE OF SAID CONDENSERS FOR RECEIVING HEAT THEREFROM, A PLURALITY OF VENT PIPES EXTENDING FFROM SAID CONDENSERS, AND PRESSURE RELIEF MEANS COUPLED TO SAID VENT PIPES FOR RELEIVING INTERNAL PRESSURE WHEN SUCH PRESSURE EXCEEDS A PREDETERMINED LEVEL.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 178 words

A THERMOELECTRIC GENERATOR COMPRISING, A GENERALLY CYLINDRICAL INNER WALL DEFINING A COMBUSTION CHAMBER, AN OUTER WALL SURROUNDING SAID INNER WALL AND FORMING WITH SAID INNER WALL AN ANNULUS SURROUNDING SAID COMBUSTION CHAMBER, SAID ANNULUS HAVING A CLOSED LOWER END AND CONTAINING A QUANTITY OF VAPORIZABLE HEAT TRANSFER FLUID THEREIN, A PLURALITY OF PIPES EXTENDING FROM THE UPPER END OF SAID ANNULUS AND ARRANGED TO CONDUCT VAPOR OF SAID HEAT TRANSFER FLUID UPWARDLY FROM SAID ANNULUS, A PLURALITY OF CONDENSERS, EACH IN COMMUNICATION WITH A RESPECTIVE ONE OF SAID PIPES AT THE END THEREOF OPPOSITE SAID ANNULUS, EACH OF SAID CONDENSERS HAVING A HEAT EXCHANGE SURFACE TO CAUSE CONDENSATION OF SAID VAPORIZABLE HEAT TRANSFER FLUID WITH SAID CONDENSED FLUID RETURNING DOWNWARDLY TO SAID ANNULUS VIA SAID PIPES, A PLURALITY OF THERMOELECTRIC DEVICES, EACH SAID THERMOELECTRIC DEVICE BEING IN CONTACT WITH A SEPARATE ONE OF SAID CONDENSERS FOR RECEIVING HEAT THEREFROM, A PLURALITY OF VENT PIPES EXTENDING FFROM SAID CONDENSERS, AND PRESSURE RELIEF MEANS COUPLED TO SAID VENT PIPES FOR RELEIVING INTERNAL PRESSURE WHEN SUCH PRESSURE EXCEEDS A PREDETERMINED LEVEL.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 35 words

A thermoelectric generator as set forth in claim 4, wherein said vent pipes connect with a common header and a single vent pipe connects with said header for relieving excess internal pressure in the system.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 25 words

A thermoelectric generator as set forth in claim 4, wherein each of said condensers includes a plurality of pins extending inwardly from one wall thereof.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 29 words

A thermoelectric generator as set forth in claim 6, wherein each of said thermoelectric devices are connected in heat exchange relationship with a plurality of outwardly extending cooling fins.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 57 words

A thermoelectric generator as set forth in claim 7, wherein a catalytic heater is located within said combustion chamber, said catalytic heater having a cylindrical wall in which combustion is initiated, said cylindrical wall being pervious to the passage of combustion gases and being disposed in close proximity to said cylindrical wall which defines the combustion chamber.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1978-05-05	1978-11-04	1979-05-06	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1982-05-05	1982-11-04	1983-05-06	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1986-05-05	1986-11-04	1987-05-06	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Thermoelectric generator including catalytic burner and cylindrical jacket containing heat exchange fluid

Abstract

Inventors

Bibliographic Details

Claims Analysis

References Cited (Backward Citations)

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Assigned Categories & Tags

Assign Category Tag