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 Title: |
US5512109:
Generator with thermophotovoltaic cells and hydrocarbon burner
[ Derwent Title ]
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| Country: |
US United States of America
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| Inventor: |
Fraas, Lewis M.; Issaquah, WA
Seal, Michael R.; Bellingham, WA
West, Edward M.; Bellingham, WA
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| Assignee: |
JX Crystals, Inc., Issaquah, WA
other patents from JX CRYSTALS, INC. (708258) (approx. 24)
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| Published / Filed: |
1996-04-30
/ 1995-02-24
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| Application Number: |
US1995000393919
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| IPC Code: |
Advanced:
H01L 31/04;
H01L 31/052;
Core:
more...
IPC-7:
H01L 31/058;
H02N 6/00;
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| ECLA Code: |
H01L31/04B; H01L31/052B;
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| U.S. Class: |
Current:
136/253;
Original:
136/253;
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| Field of Search: |
136/253
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| Priority Number: |
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| Abstract: |
Electric power generator has linear arrays of thermophotovoltaic cells spaced outwardly from a tubular IR emitter. Hot combustion products flow downward from a combustion zone between a central pillar and the IR emitter, and then upward between the emitter and a tubular IR transparent window. The cell arrays are spaced outward from a convection barrier tube and a short pass filter. A burner assembly at the top of the pillar has an alternating arrangement of accelerating air channels with large openings to the air supply and slowing mixing channels with small openings to the air supply. Radial fuel channels connect the central fuel supply with the peripheral mixing channels. Release of accelerated air creates turbulence in the combustion zone where the air and fuel further mix and are ignited. A cavity in the pillar supplies liquid fuels which are atomized by ultrasonic energy from a central rod. The atomized liquids are released through small holes into the combustion zone. Exhaust gases preheat the air supply which is in an upward tubular extension of the IR emitter.
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| Attorney, Agent or Firm: |
Wray, James Creighton ;
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| Primary / Asst. Examiners: |
Weisstuch, Aaron;
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| INPADOC Legal Status: |
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Family Legal Status Report
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| Parent Case: |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This is a continuation-in-part of patent application Ser. No. 08/260,910 filed Jun. 15, 1994, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,439,532, which was a continuation-in-part of patent application Ser. No. 08/047,477 filed Apr. 19, 1993, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,383,976, and a continuation-in-part of patent application Ser. No. 07/906,452 filed Jun. 30, 1992, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,312,521. These earlier applications and their listed references are incorporated herein by reference.
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| Family: |
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First Claim:
Show all 16 claims |
I claim:
1. A generator comprising thermophotovoltaic cells in an array, an IR generator positioned within the thermophotovoltaic cells array, the IR generator having a tubular IR emitter spaced outward from a central pillar and forming therebetween a first down passage for hot combustion gases, an IR transparent window tube surrounding the IR emitter forming therebetween an up passage for the hot combustion gases which heat the IR emitter, a fuel supply tube, an air supply surrounding the fuel tube, a hydrocarbon burner assembly positioned above the pillar in the air supply tube for generating the hot combustion gases, the burner assembly further comprising air channels for directing air to a combustion zone below the burner assembly and mixing channels connected to the fuel supply and to the air supply for mixing fuel and air and supplying a fuel-air mixture to the combustion zone, and an igniter in the combustion zone for combusting the fuel-air mixture and creating the hot combustion gases for heating the IR emitter.
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| Background / Summary: |
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| Drawing Descriptions: |
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| Description: |
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| Forward References: |
Show 25 U.S. patent(s) that reference this one
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| Foreign References: |
None
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| Other Abstract Info: |
DERABS C95-138814
DERABS C95-283003
DERABS G94-159035
DERABS G95-074547
DERABS G95-146716
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| Other References: |
Fraas, "Heat Exchanger Design . . . ", Wiley-Interscience Publicaiton, pp. 365-382 (USA 1989).
Fraas, "Characteristics of Heat Sources", Engineering Evaluation of Energy Systems, pp. 96-125 McGraw-Hill (USA 1982).
Pelka, "Natural Gas-Fired Thermophotovoltaic System", Proceedings of the 32nd Int'l Power Sources, pp. 110-123 (USA 1986).
Morgan, "Radioisotope Thermal Photovoltaic Application . . . ", NASA Sprat Conference, pp. 349-358 (USA 1989).
Doellner, "Aircraft Photovoltaic Power-Generating System", PhD Thesis University of Arizona (USA 1991) (Appendix `A`).
Fraas, "Design & Development Tests . . . "USAEC Report Conf-651026, (USA 1965), pp. 716-736.
Tester, "Comparative Performance Characteristics . . . ", American Society of Mechanical Engineers, pp. 1-3 (USA 1974).
Fraas, "Effects of Directed and Kinetic Energy Weapons on Spacecraft", Oak Ridge Nat'l Laboratory, pp. 1-76 (USA 1986).
Fraas, "Summary of the Research & Development Effort . . . ", Oak Ridge Nat'l Laboratories, pp. 1--33 (USA 1977).
Howe, "The Characteristics of Atmospheric-Type Burners When used With Natural Gas", Transactions of the A.S.M.E., pp. 673-677 (USA 1940).
Fraas, "Magneto-Hydrodynamic Systems", Engineering Evaluation of Energy Systems, pp. 437-461, McGraw-Hill, Inc., 1982, pp. 437-461.
Day et al., "Application of the GaSb Solar Cell in Isotope-Heated Power Systems", 21st IEEE Photovol. Spec. Conf. Kissimmee, pp. 1320-1325 FL 1990.
Kittl et al., "Design Analysis of TPV-Generator System", Proc. 25th Annual Power Sources Conf., pp. 106-110 (USA 1972).
Woolf, "Optimum Efficiency of Single & Multiple Bandgap Cells . . . ", Solar Cells, 19, pp. 19-20 (USA 1986-1987).
(20 pages)
Cited by 11 patents
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