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US 5,932,885 AGranted
Thermophotovoltaic electric generator
AssigneeMcDermott Technology, Inc.
InventorsCrispin L. DeBellis, Mark V. Scotto, John D. Malloy, III, Stephen W. Scoles, Donald L. Hindman, Jeffrey A. Rogers
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A thermally integrated burner/emitter/recuperator (BER) for a thermophotovoltaic (TPV) electric generator achieves improved energy efficiency using either liquid or gaseous fuels. A mixed ceramic and metallic alloy heat exchanger, together with a high temperature emitter, achieves increased energy density in a compact and lightweight assembly.
Claims20
A thermally integrated burner/emitter/recuperator (BER) for a thermophotovoltaic (TPV) electric generator, comprising:
- radiant combustion chamber means having an inlet for admission of air and fuel and an outlet for exhaust of hot combustion products;
- burner means for providing air and liquid fuel to the inlet of the radiant combustion chamber means for combustion therein;
- counterflow recuperator means, located adjacent to the burner means, for preheating the air with the hot combustion products exhausted from the radiant combustion chamber means;
- parallel flow fuel vaporizer/recuperator means located within the counterflow recuperator means, for vaporizing the fuel with the preheated combustion air prior to providing same to the burner means;
- and
- emitter means for radiating photons when heated by the radiant combustion chamber means and the hot combustion products, the emitter means surrounding and cooperating with the radiant combustion chamber means and the counterflow recuperator means so as to convey the hot combustion products along a wall of the emitter to heat it as the hot combustion products are conveyed from the outlet of the radiant combustion chamber means to the counterflow recuperator means.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.