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US 10,309,646 B2Granted
Membrane catalytic heater
AssigneeGht Global Heating Technologies AG
InventorsRobert G. Hockaday, Patrick S. Turner, Zachary R. Bradford, Marc D. DeJohn, Carlos J. Navas, Heathcliff L. Vaz
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A portable catalytic combustion heater, wherein fuel vapor (11) and air (10) are supplied to a catalyst (6) which promotes the flameless combustion of fuel and releases that. The fuel is supplied as a liquid, passes through a selectively permeable membrane (8) such that fuel vapor exits the membrane and is fed to the catalyst (6). Additional features include porous supports and means of enhancing and diminishing the catalytic rate of combustion and controlling the heat output.
Claims33
A heat-generating device comprising
- a. a fuel source;
- b. a fuel delivery connected to the fuel source;
- c. a catalyst dispersed over a porous substrate;
- wherein the catalyst is in diffusive contact with an oxidizing gas;
- d. a first molecular selectively permeable membrane for selective molecular delivery of fuel by diffusion from the fuel source to the catalyst, wherein the first molecular selectively permeable membrane only allows gasses and fuel vapors to diffuse through the membrane to the catalyst;
- e. one or more heat exchangers configured for transferring heat from the catalytic reaction site to the fuel or the oxidizing gas or both;
- f. a second selectively permeable membrane, wherein the second selectively permeable membrane is fuel and oxidizer permeable and regulates delivery of oxidizing gas to the catalyst, wherein the oxidizing gas moves to the catalyst through the second selectively permeable membrane by diffusion;
- and
- g. wherein the device further comprising an upper temperature limit setting on a thermal output caused by boiling the fuel.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.