Back to results
US 10,352,571 B2Granted
Catalytic ignition system
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsJonathan Dwight Berry, Gregory Scott Means
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A catalytic ignition system includes a gas fuel supply and a catalytic igniter that is in fluid communication with the gas fuel supply. The catalytic igniter comprises a metallic shell, a catalyst disposed within the metallic shell and a fuel tube that is oriented so as to direct a flow of gas fuel from the gas fuel supply across the catalyst and towards a downstream end of the metallic shell.
Claims20
A catalytic ignition system, comprising:
- a gas fuel supply;
- and
- a catalytic igniter comprising a fuel tube in fluid communication with the gas fuel supply;
- a catalyst panel having a planar surface and including one or more voids defined along the planar surface of the catalyst panel;
- and
- a metallic shell comprising a first planar segment and a second planar segment, the first planar segment and the second planar segment being disposed on opposite sides of the catalyst panel;
- wherein at least one of the first planar segment and the second planar segment of the metallic shell comprises a plurality of mesh openings;
- wherein the fuel tube is oriented to direct a flow of gas fuel from the gas fuel supply from an upstream end of the metallic shell, across the catalyst panel and the plurality of mesh openings, and towards a downstream end of the metallic shell, whereby a fuel rich region, a mixed region, and a lean region are formed over the catalyst panel;
- wherein the gas fuel and the catalyst panel react with ambient air to cause auto-ignition of the flow of gas fuel;
- and
- wherein the one or more voids are defined on a side of the catalyst panel that is in direct fluid communication with the flow of gas fuel.
8 more elements
A combustion system, comprising:
- a combustor including a fuel nozzle in fluid communication with a fuel supply and a combustion zone defined downstream from the fuel nozzle;
- and
- a catalytic ignition system, the catalytic ignition system comprising:
- a gas fuel supply;
- and
- one or more catalytic igniters in fluid communication with the gas fuel supply and disposed within the combustor proximate to the combustion zone, each catalytic igniter comprising:
- a metallic shell having a first planar segment and a second planar segment disposed opposite the first planar segment;
- a catalyst panel disposed between the first planar segment and the second planar segment of the metallic shell, the catalyst panel having a planar surface and including one or more voids defined along the planar surface of the catalyst panel;
- and
- a fuel tube in fluid communication with the gas fuel supply;
- wherein at least one of the first planar segment and the second planar segment of the metallic shell comprises a plurality of mesh openings;
- wherein the fuel tube is oriented to direct a flow of gas fuel from the gas fuel supply across the catalyst panel and the plurality of mesh openings towards the combustion zone, whereby a fuel rich region, a mixed region and a lean region are formed over the catalyst panel;
- wherein the flow of gas fuel and the catalyst panel react with ambient air within the combustor to cause auto-ignition of the flow of gas fuel;
- and
- wherein the one or more voids are defined on a side of the catalyst panel that is in direct fluid communication with the flow of gas fuel.
12 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.