Catalytic burner apparatus for Stirling Engine

An external combustion engine having a piston undergoing reciprocating linear motion within an expansion cylinder containing a working fluid, heated by conduction through a heater head, wherein the improvement comprises employing a catalytic reactor for generating heat and transferring the heat of combustion via conduction to the heater head, the catalytic reactor comprising:

• a) a combustor into which is internally secured a heater head of the external combustion engine, the combustor comprising a combustion chamber for mixing a fuel with an oxidant;
• b) a first inlet means for feeding a fuel into the combustion chamber;
• c) a second inlet means for feeding an oxidant into the combustion chamber;
• d) a combustion catalyst secured in direct contact with the heater head, the combustion catalyst comprising an ultra-short-channel-length metal substrate;
• e) an ignition means for lighting off the combustion catalyst and thus initiating flameless combustion of the fuel with the oxidant;
• and
• f) one or more outlet means for exhausting combustion gases.

A method of generating heat and transferring the heat via conduction to a heater head of an external combustion engine, the method comprising:

• 1) providing a catalytic reactor comprising:
• a) a combustor into which is internally secured a heater head of the external combustion engine, the combustor comprising a combustion chamber for mixing a fuel with an oxidant;
• b) a first inlet means for feeding a fuel into the combustion chamber;
• c) a second inlet means for feeding an oxidant into the combustion chamber;
• d) a combustion catalyst secured in direct contact with the heater head, the combustion catalyst comprising an ultra-short-channel-length metal substrate;
• e) an ignition means for lighting off the combustion catalyst and thus initiating flameless combustion of the fuel with the oxidant;
• and
• f) one or more outlet means for exhausting combustion gases;
• 2) feeding a fuel through the first inlet means into the combustion chamber;
• 3) feeding an oxidant through the second inlet means into the combustion chamber;
• 4) in the combustion chamber, contacting the fuel and oxidant with a combustion catalyst, the combustion catalyst comprising an ultra-short channel length metal substrate;
• 5) lighting-off the combustion catalyst and thus initiating flameless combustion of the fuel with the oxidant thereby generating heat of combustion, the heat being transferred substantially conductively from the combustion catalyst to the heater head;
• and
• 6) exhausting combustion gases through the one or more outlet means.