US5356487A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Thermally amplified and stimulated emission radiator fiber matrix burner
Assignee: Quantum Group Inc
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Filing: 1992-03-27
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Granted: 1994-10-18
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Expires: 2012-03-27
Abstract
Abstract A combustion device for producing predetermined radiation spectral output and heat for a variety of applications including lighting, cooking, heating water, electric power generation, and providing inexpensive photons to enhance chemical and physical reactions. A process for the preparation of a porous ceramic burner is described which comprises drawing a solution which contains metal oxide fibers onto a burner skeleton by use of a vacuum to form a base fiber layer. The base fiber layer is dried, after which an additional metal oxide fiber layer, the outer fiber layer, is added over the base fiber layer. In another embodiment of the invention, an intermediate fiber layer is placed over the base layer, prior to the addition of the outer fiber layer. The porous ceramic burners prepared in accordance with the present invention comprise a base fiber layer having a low emissivity in the range of the aluminum oxide, gallium oxide, thorium oxide, yttrium oxide, erbium oxide and zirconium oxide, and an outer fiber layer which is thermally stimulated to emit radiation of a specific wavelength above a threshold temperature wherein the burner produces from about 30,000 to about 3,000,000 watts/m 2 and less than 20 ppm of NOx. An intermediate fiber layer is used to bond the outer fiber layer to the base fiber layer where desired.
Inventors
- 👤 Mark K. Goldstein
- 👤 Jeffrey R. LaBar
- 👤 John C. Bass
- 👤 Boyd S. Conklin
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 09:35
CPC Classifications
F; F23; F23N; F23N5/00; F23N5/02; F23N5/08; F23N5/082; F23N1/00; F23N1/02; F23N1/022; H; H02; H02S; H02S10/00; H02S10/30; F23M; F23M2900/00; F23M2900/13003; F23N2227/00; F23N2227/28; F23N2227/30; F23N2227/38; F23N2227/42; F23N2231/00; F23N2231/02; F23N2231/18; F23N2235/00; F23N2235/12; F23N2235/14; F23N2235/18; F23N2235/24; F23N2239/00; F23N2239/04; F23N5/003; F23N5/006; F24; F24F; F24F2203/00; F24F2203/10; F24F2203/1032; F24F2203/1052; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E10/00; Y02E10/50
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 31
Claim 1
Independent Claim
107 words
A thermophotovoltaic device comprising: a porous ceramic burner comprising: a base fiber layer which is porous allowing combustion gas and air to pass through it, selected from the group consisting of silicon dioxide, aluminum oxide, gallium oxide, thorium oxide, yttrium oxide, erbium oxide, zirconium oxide, or other metal oxides or mixed metal oxides, borides, nitrides, carbides, and silicides; an outer fiber layer which is thermally stimulated to emit radiation of specific wavelengths above a threshold temperature; a photovoltaic collector matched to the emitter for selectively absorbing radiation in the same wavelength band as emitted by the emitter; and a means to remove heat from the photovoltaic collector.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
107 words
A thermophotovoltaic device comprising: a porous ceramic burner comprising: a base fiber layer which is porous allowing combustion gas and air to pass through it, selected from the group consisting of silicon dioxide, aluminum oxide, gallium oxide, thorium oxide, yttrium oxide, erbium oxide, zirconium oxide, or other metal oxides or mixed metal oxides, borides, nitrides, carbides, and silicides; an outer fiber layer which is thermally stimulated to emit radiation of specific wavelengths above a threshold temperature; a photovoltaic collector matched to the emitter for selectively absorbing radiation in the same wavelength band as emitted by the emitter; and a means to remove heat from the photovoltaic collector.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
69 words
A device as recited in claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the fibers of the base fiber layer or the outer fiber layer are manufactured by a relic process, comprising a denitration step to form at least one metal oxide selected from the group consisting of silicon dioxide, aluminum oxide, gallium oxide, thorium oxide, yttrium oxide, erbium oxide, zirconium oxide, holmium oxide, ytterbium oxide, and chromium oxide.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
33 words
The device recited in claim 1 wherein the outer layer fibers are impregnated with metal oxides selected from the group consisting of thorium oxide, holmium oxide, ytterbium oxide, thulium oxide, and cerium oxide.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
The device recited in claim 1 further comprising an intermediate fiber layer between the base fiber layer and the outer fiber layer to bond the outer fiber layer to the base fiber layer.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
41 words
The device recited in claim 4 wherein the intermediate layer fibers are impregnated with metal oxides selected from the group consisting of yttrium oxide, uranium oxide, thorium oxide, ytterbium oxide, gallium oxide, erbium oxide, holmium oxide, zirconium oxide, and chromium oxide.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
57 words
A central firing symmetrically designed porous ceramic burner comprising: a base fiber layer of fibers selected from the group consisting of oxides, carbides, nitrides or mixed oxides, a surface fiber layer which is thermally stimulated to emit radiation of a specific wavelength above a threshold temperature wherein the burner produces about 30,000 to 3,000,000 watts/m 2 .
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
57 words
A central firing symmetrically designed porous ceramic burner comprising: a base fiber layer of fibers selected from the group consisting of oxides, carbides, nitrides or mixed oxides, a surface fiber layer which is thermally stimulated to emit radiation of a specific wavelength above a threshold temperature wherein the burner produces about 30,000 to 3,000,000 watts/m 2 .
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
A device as claimed in claim 6 in which the design of the burner is cylindrical with the surface combustion zone focused on a central target zone.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
14 words
A device as in claim 6 which also produces less than 20 ppm NOx.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
55 words
The porous ceramic burner recited in claim 6 wherein the surface layer fibers are doped with metal oxides selected from the group consisting of chromium oxide, cobalt oxide, cerium oxide, erbium oxide, zirconium oxide, holmium oxide, ytterbium oxide, and any other metal oxide which produces inner electron shell transitions when heated to a predetermined temperature.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
45 words
The porous ceramic burner recited in claim 6 wherein the surface layer fibers are doped with metal oxides selected from the group consisting of thorium oxide, holmium oxide ytterbium oxide, thulium oxide, cerium oxide, and other metal oxides that emit a characteristic wavelength upon heating.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
35 words
The porous ceramic burner recited in claim 6 further comprising an intermediate fiber layer between the base fiber layer and the surface fiber layer to bond the surface fiber layer to the base fiber layer.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
104 words
A central fired cylindrical fiber matrix burner designed to emit radiation comprising: an outer distribution shell in which an air-fuel mixture is passed from an outer structural shell to an inner porous structural shell; a fiber matrix attached to the inside of the inner structural shell for supporting a combustion zone in which combustion takes place on the surface of the fiber matrix; and wherein combustion products are focused on a central heat exchanger allowing conduction and convection heating from the combustion products to the heat exchanger, and further comprising heat exchanger material for absorbing radiation produced by the central fired cylindrical fiber matrix.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
104 words
A central fired cylindrical fiber matrix burner designed to emit radiation comprising: an outer distribution shell in which an air-fuel mixture is passed from an outer structural shell to an inner porous structural shell; a fiber matrix attached to the inside of the inner structural shell for supporting a combustion zone in which combustion takes place on the surface of the fiber matrix; and wherein combustion products are focused on a central heat exchanger allowing conduction and convection heating from the combustion products to the heat exchanger, and further comprising heat exchanger material for absorbing radiation produced by the central fired cylindrical fiber matrix.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
35 words
A water tube type boiler comprising a burner as claimed in claim 12 further comprising a tube containing water, the tube being near the center of the cylindrical burner and heated by radiation and combustion.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
55 words
A cogeneration device comprising a burner as claimed in claim 12 further comprising photovoltaic cells and a transparent tube near the center of the cylindrical burner for protecting the photovoltaic cells from the combustion products by diverting exhaust products and allowing radiant energy to pass through the tube to provide energy to the photovoltaic cells.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
22 words
A cogeneration device as claimed in 14 further comprising a recuperator to provide higher temperature combustion air thereby increasing the combustion temperature.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
13 words
A cogeneration device as claimed in 15 further comprising a low NOx catalyst.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
36 words
A selective emitting radiation device comprising a burner as claimed in claim 12 further comprising ceramics which emit selected bands of radiation to provide photons to a target area in the central zone of the device.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
18 words
A selective emitting device as claimed in claim 17 further comprising a photovoltaic system to provide electric power.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
48 words
A cogeneration device which produces electric power and heat comprising a device as claimed in claim 12 further comprising: an oxygen enrichment means to heat the fibers; and a photovoltaic cell system mounted on the heat exchanger in the central zone of the cylindrical central firing radiant burner.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
48 words
A cogeneration device as claimed in 12 further comprising separate fuel air chambers, provided to keep the fuel and air separated until combustion in the desired zone of the emitting fiber occurs and means to preheat the air to above the autoignition point of the fuel air mixture.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
77 words
A combustion device including a porous ceramic burner comprising: a base fiber layer which is porous for allowing combustion gas and air to pass through the burner; an outer porous fiber layer adhered to the base fiber layer including at least one element which is thermally stimulated to emit radiation of specific wavelengths above a threshold temperature; and means for introducing fuel and air through the base fiber layer for combustion adjacent to the outer fiber layer.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
77 words
A combustion device including a porous ceramic burner comprising: a base fiber layer which is porous for allowing combustion gas and air to pass through the burner; an outer porous fiber layer adhered to the base fiber layer including at least one element which is thermally stimulated to emit radiation of specific wavelengths above a threshold temperature; and means for introducing fuel and air through the base fiber layer for combustion adjacent to the outer fiber layer.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
37 words
A device as recited in claim 21 wherein the base fiber layer is formed of fibers selected from the group consisting of silicon dioxide, aluminum oxide, gallium oxide, thorium oxide, yttrium oxide, erbium oxide, and zirconium oxide.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
33 words
The device recited in claim 21 wherein the outer layer fibers are impregnated with metal oxides selected from the group consisting of thorium oxide, holmium oxide, ytterbium oxide, thulium oxide, and cerium oxide.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
33 words
The device recited in claim 21 further comprising an intermediate fiber layer between the base fiber layer and the outer fiber layer for bonding the outer fiber layer to the base fiber layer.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
43 words
The device recited in claim 24 wherein the intermediate layer fibers are impregnated with at least one metal oxide selected from the group consisting of yttrium oxide, uranium oxide, thorium oxide, ytterbium oxide, gallium oxide, erbium oxide, holmium oxide, zirconium oxide, chromium oxide.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
55 words
The porous ceramic burner recited in claim 21 wherein the outer layer fibers are doped with metal oxides selected from the group consisting of chromium oxide, cobalt oxide, cerium oxide, erbium oxide, zirconium oxide, holmium oxide, ytterbium oxide, and any other metal oxide which produces inner electron shell transitions when heated to a predetermined temperature.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
30 words
A device as claimed in claim 21 in which the burner is a hollow cylinder with the outer fiber layer being formed on the inside surface of the hollow cylinder.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1997-10-17 | 1998-04-18 | 1998-10-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2001-10-17 | 2002-04-18 | 2002-10-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2005-10-17 | 2006-04-18 | 2006-10-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |