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AssigneeJX Crystals Inc.
InventorsJohn E. Samaras, Lewis M. Fraas
Estimating the term…
A hydrocarbon thermophotovoltaic (TPV)electric generator insert has applications as a replacement burner to retrofit existing appliances. The retrofitted appliance is thus upgraded to either a cogeneration or self-powered unit. The design of the TPV burner insert is independent of the appliance to be retrofitted except for external adapters and can be easily retrofitted to any appliance design requiring a hydrocarbon burner. The burner uses fully premixed air and fuel near stoichiometry to attain a short duration, high intensity burn through optically dense porous ceramic emitters. The emitters attain temperatures between 1300° and 1500° C. The infrared radiation is collected by low bandgap photovoltaic cells with optical response at least out to a wavelength of 1.7 micrometers such as GaSb cells to produce DC power. The circuit cooling system uses fans or circulating water for cooling.
A replacement burner thermophotovoltaic generator insert apparatus for use in an existing or newly designed appliances comprising a hydrocarbon burner having a combustion chamber for generating a flame, with the burner having a fuel inlet being removably connectable to a fuel supply, at least one emitter positioned with respect to the flame for emitting infrared radiation when heated by the flame, at least one receiver spaced from the at least one emitter for receiving the infrared radiation and for converting the infrared radiation to electric power, each receiver further comprising a circuit having an inner surface facing the emitter and an outer surface, and thermophotovoltaic cells connected to the inner surface of the circuit, optical elements mounted on each receiver for directing the infrared radiation emitted by the emitter towards the thermophotovoltaic cells, a heat shield positioned between the at least one emitter and the at least one receiver, and a cooling assembly positioned proximate the outer surface of the circuit of the at least one receiver for removing heat from the receiver and for allowing operation to be independent from a design of the appliance.
A method for thermophotovoltaic power generation comprising providing an assembly having a mixing plenum, an expansion chamber connected to the mixing plenum, a combustion chamber connected to the expansion chamber, an emitter positioned in the combustion chamber, a receiver spaced from the emitter, a heat shield positioned between the receiver and the emitter, and a cooling system connected to the receiver, delivering fuel and air to the premix tube, premixing the fuel and the air in the premix tube at high velocities to create a fuel/air mixture, expanding the fuel/air mixture in the expansion chamber to create a highly flammable and cold mix, delivering the mix at high velocities to the combustion chamber, initiating combustion of the mix in the combustion chamber, passing combustion gases through the emitter to heat the emitter, emitting radiation from the heated emitter, passing the emitted radiation through the heat shield, directing the infrared radiation towards thermophotovoltaic cells of the receiver, collecting the directed infrared radiation in the cells, generating electric power in the receiver and cooling the receiver.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.