Claims
- 1. A method of catalytic combustion comprising:
electrospraying a fuel into a gas having an oxidant; evaporating the electrosprayed fuel; mixing the evaporated fuel with the gas to create a mixture; and catalytically combusting the mixture.
- 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the fuel is a hydrocarbon.
- 3. The method of claim 2 wherein the gas is air.
- 4. The method of claim 1 wherein in the step of catalytically combusting the mixture, the mixture is catalytically combusted within a catalytic bed having catalyst supported on a screen substrate.
- 5. The method of claim 4 wherein the screen substrate is made from a material that is electrically conductive.
- 6. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of catalytically combusting the mixture produces a flammable exhaust gas.
- 7. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of catalytically combusting the mixture produces a nonflammable exhaust gas.
- 8. A catalytic burner comprising;
a housing defining a mixture flow conduit; an electrosprayer having at least one nozzle, the at least one nozzle positioned within the mixture flow conduit; and a catalyst positioned within the mixture flow conduit.
- 9. The catalytic burner of claim 8 wherein the housing defines a port having an exit into the mixture flow conduit and a valve is disposed within the port.
- 10. The catalytic burner of claim 9 wherein the exit has a portion upstream of the at least one nozzle.
- 11. The catalytic burner of claim 8 further including a substrate on which the catalyst is supported, the substrate being made from an electrically conductive material, and the electrosprayer has electrodes one of which is the substrate.
- 12. The catalytic burner of claim 11 further including a c-shaped ring into which the support is placed.
- 13. An electric power generation system comprising:
a catalytic burner including a housing defining a mixture flow conduit and a port having an exit into the mixture flow conduit, an electrosprayer having at least one nozzle positioned within the mixture flow conduit, and a catalyst positioned within the mixture flow conduit, and a thermal to electrical energy conversion module positioned downstream of the catalyst.
- 14. The electric power generation system of claim 13 further including a substrate on which the catalyst is supported, the substrate being made from an electrically conductive material, and the electrosprayer has electrodes one of which is the substrate.
- 15. The electric power generation system of claim 13 further including a pump discharging into a gas inlet flow conduit wherein the gas inlet flow conduit is in downstream fluid communication with the mixture flow conduit via the port.
- 16. The electric power generation system of claim 15 wherein the mixture flow conduit is in downstream fluid communication with the gas inlet flow conduit.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO OTHER APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/368,120 entitled “A Clean and Efficient Combustor based on Coupling of Electrosprays and Catalytic Grids” dated Mar. 27, 2002, the disclosure of which is incorporated in its entirety herein by reference.
Government Interests
[0002] This invention was developed under a contract with the Department of the Army, DARPA, Contract No. DAAD19-01-1-0664. The government may have certain rights herein.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60368120 |
Mar 2002 |
US |