초록 ▼

A catalytic combustor burns a fuel-air mixture which is not preheated. The combustor includes a strip or strips of metal which define a plurality of alternating wide and narrow channels. The channels contain corrugated strips which maintain the spacing of the channels. A catalyst coating is deposite

A catalytic combustor burns a fuel-air mixture which is not preheated. The combustor includes a strip or strips of metal which define a plurality of alternating wide and narrow channels. The channels contain corrugated strips which maintain the spacing of the channels. A catalyst coating is deposited only in the wider channels, the narrower channels remaining un-catalyzed. The strip or strips can be heated resistively to start the combustion. Once the combustion is started, the electric current is stopped, and the combustion continues. The combustor is useful in a home heating appliance such as a gas furnace. In another embodiment, in which the combustor is used in a high-temperature environment such as in a gas turbine, the catalyst can be deposited in the small channels only, so as to limit the amount of catalytic combustion.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method of operating a catalytic combustor having a plurality of catalyzed channels and a plurality of uncatalyzed channels, the method comprising the steps of:a) selecting a cross-sectional area of the catalyzed channels and a cross-sectional area of the uncatalyzed channels, such that a ratio

1. A method of operating a catalytic combustor having a plurality of catalyzed channels and a plurality of uncatalyzed channels, the method comprising the steps of:a) selecting a cross-sectional area of the catalyzed channels and a cross-sectional area of the uncatalyzed channels, such that a ratio of the cross-sectional area of the catalyzed channels to the cross-sectional area of the uncatalyzed channels is large enough to support continuous catalytic combustion without preheat and small enough to prevent deactivation of catalyst by excessive heat of combustion, and b) passing a combustion gas through the entire combustor having said ratio, without continuous preheating of the combustion gas.