Classifications

• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F23—COMBUSTION APPARATUS; COMBUSTION PROCESSES
  • F23C—METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR COMBUSTION USING FLUID FUEL OR SOLID FUEL SUSPENDED IN  A CARRIER GAS OR AIR 
  • F23C13/00—Apparatus in which combustion takes place in the presence of catalytic material
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F23—COMBUSTION APPARATUS; COMBUSTION PROCESSES
  • F23C—METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR COMBUSTION USING FLUID FUEL OR SOLID FUEL SUSPENDED IN  A CARRIER GAS OR AIR 
  • F23C13/00—Apparatus in which combustion takes place in the presence of catalytic material
  • F23C13/08—Apparatus in which combustion takes place in the presence of catalytic material characterised by the catalytic material
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
  • F24H—FLUID HEATERS, e.g. WATER OR AIR HEATERS, HAVING HEAT-GENERATING MEANS, e.g. HEAT PUMPS, IN GENERAL
  • F24H1/00—Water heaters, e.g. boilers, continuous-flow heaters or water-storage heaters
  • F24H1/22—Water heaters other than continuous-flow or water-storage heaters, e.g. water heaters for central heating
  • F24H1/24—Water heaters other than continuous-flow or water-storage heaters, e.g. water heaters for central heating with water mantle surrounding the combustion chamber or chambers
  • F24H1/26—Water heaters other than continuous-flow or water-storage heaters, e.g. water heaters for central heating with water mantle surrounding the combustion chamber or chambers the water mantle forming an integral body
  • F24H1/28—Water heaters other than continuous-flow or water-storage heaters, e.g. water heaters for central heating with water mantle surrounding the combustion chamber or chambers the water mantle forming an integral body including one or more furnace or fire tubes
  • F24H1/285—Water heaters other than continuous-flow or water-storage heaters, e.g. water heaters for central heating with water mantle surrounding the combustion chamber or chambers the water mantle forming an integral body including one or more furnace or fire tubes with the fire tubes arranged alongside the combustion chamber
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F23—COMBUSTION APPARATUS; COMBUSTION PROCESSES
  • F23C—METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR COMBUSTION USING FLUID FUEL OR SOLID FUEL SUSPENDED IN  A CARRIER GAS OR AIR 
  • F23C2900/00—Special features of, or arrangements for combustion apparatus using fluid fuels or solid fuels suspended in air; Combustion processes therefor
  • F23C2900/99001—Cold flame combustion or flameless oxidation processes
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
  • Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
  • Y02E20/00—Combustion technologies with mitigation potential
  • Y02E20/34—Indirect CO2mitigation, i.e. by acting on non CO2directly related matters of the process, e.g. pre-heating or heat recovery

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a method and a burner for burning hydrogen, according to the features of claims 1 and 10.
• the invention relates moreover to a water heating system using said burner or combustor and, more specifically, operating on a stored hydrogen supply, and on autonomously made hydrogen, according to the features of claims 17 and 18.
• Hydrogen is broadly used in fuel cells as a fuel for generating electric power. Said fuel cells have low output voltages, for example from 0.3 to IV, and, for providing higher voltages, a plurality of fuel cells are series coupled.
• the electric power provided by said fuel cells is used in different applications, for example for driving motor vehicles by electric motors. Thus, it should be apparent that the use of electric power from fuel cells for heating water would not be economically advantageous.
• Is likewise known to make hydrogen by electrolysis, the made hydrogen being stored at a high pressure (10 - 200 bars) in storing tanks or bottles.
• the present inventor has set out to provide an economically advantageous method for using hydrogen for operating heating system and sanitary hot water.
• the aim of the present invention is to provide such a method and burner for directly burning an air-hydrogen mixture for generating heat, for example for heating a fluid, such as water, in a manner which can be easily controlled and in very high safety conditions, thereby allowing to use them for heating houses.
• a main object of the present invention is to provide a hot water producing system, containing a burner of the above mentioned type, as well as a like system for autonomously providing and storing hydrogen.
• the above mentioned aim in its aspect related to a method and burner for burning hydrogen, is achieved, according to the present invention, by a method and burner or combustor having the features stated respectively in claims 1 and 10.
• Said aim, in the aspect thereof related to a hot water system, for example for providing hot water for heating houses and providing sanitary water, by burning hydrogen, which can be produced and stored in situ, is achieved, according to the invention, by hydrogen burning systems having respectively the features of claims 17 and 18.
• the method and burner for burning/oxidating hydrogen by the inventive systems provide a lot of different and important advantages. With respect to the method and burner they can be operated under absolutely safe conditions, with a very high efficiency and an easy adjustment. In fact, hydrogen is supplied to the burner with a very low pressure of the order of about 20 millibars, as it would be conventional in a methane delivery system.
• a further advantage of the burner according to the present invention is that said burner has a very small size, and being adapted, for example, for heating civil buildings, thereby allowing the burner to be also easily installed in kitchens, or other small rooms, apartments or houses.
• the inventive system for supplying low pressure hydrogen and water to be heated and stored for heating and sanitary systems can be made without any problems and by using conventional components, i.e. easily commercially available elements. With respect to the implementation of the inventive system, comprising an autonomous generation of hydrogen, a plurality of advantages are likewise obtained.
• an electric power generating stage using renewable sources allows to generate electric power at a very low cost, and for an alternating succession of electric power making periods and periods in which no electric power is generated.
• the thus generated electric power in particular, is advantageously used for autonomously making hydrogen by electrolysis.
• the electric power supply continuity can be advantageously assured by buffer battery assemblies, both the elctrolysis apparatus and said buffer batteries being known per se. According to an important aspect of the present invention, by the above mentioned system, it is accordingly possible to make hydrogen at any time, independently from the operation of the hot water using system, the heating system or the sanitary system.
• hydrogen can be made and stored before its use, for example during the year before the domestic heating season.
• the made hydrogen is stored in storing tanks in a hydride form.
• metals allowing to operate at about an atmospheric pressure and environmental temperature, such as titanium, iron, manganese, nickel, chrome and the like and alloys thereof are selected. Under these conditions, the made hydrogen can be stored at a low pressure, advantageously without any dangers, in storing tanks which can be also installed immediately near the houses or inside the latter.
• Figure 1 shows a burner or combustor for burning hydrogen by a method according to the invention
• Figure 2 shows a hot water system, comprising a burner as shown in figure 1
• Figures 3 is a block diagram of an autonomous system, also allowing to provide and store hydrogen, for providing hot water for heating and sanitary systems.
• FIG. 1 The burner or combustor according to the invention, for burning, that is oxidating, hydrogen in an air-hydrogen mixture, has been generally indicated by the reference number 1.
• Said burner comprises a vessel 2 defining, in the shown embodiment, an inner combustion/oxidating chamber 3, holding catalyzers 4, and an annular outer thermal exchange chamber 6, holding a tube nest 7, for conveying exhausted gases therethrough.
• the tube sheet 7 comprises tube sectors 7A which are mutually coupled, on a side, through an annular chamber 15 and, on the other side, through a further chamber 17.
• the reference numbers 9 and 11 respectively show the inlet and outlet of the cooling water circuit, i.e. of the water to be heated, which has been only partially shown.
• the reference number 8 shows the exhausted gas outlet, and the reference number 10 shows a condensate material outlet.
• a fan 13 is provided, for supplying air for forming, in a mixing chamber 14, the air- hydrogen burning or combustion mixture, the hydrogen coming from the hydrogen inlet 16 through the hydrogen supply circuit 19 which has been schematically illustrated.
• the air-hydrogen combustible mixture will enter the combustion chamber 3, as schematically shown by the arrows, and hydrogen is supplied to the low pressure burner 1, for example, at a pressure of 20 millibars, and being burnt or oxidated, by causing it to react with the catalyzers 4, without flame and at a low temperature, for example from 200 to 450°C. Good results have been achieved by using as catalyzers palladium and platinum.
• the flow rates of said fan 13, hydrogen and cooling water can be advantageously varied and controlled by apparatus well known per se and not further herein disclosed.
• the burner or combustor 1 operates as follows: In the mixing chamber 14 the air-hydrogen mixture is formed with a ratio less than 4% (start of the exploding range) for example 3.5% and being supplied to the burning or combustion chamber 3 in which, upon contacting the catalyzer 4, the hydrogen combustion/oxidation at a low temperature, for example in a 200- 450°C range and without forming flames is performed.
• the burnt gases which are substantially constituted by combustion air and do not include oxides or polluting compounds, pass through the tube nest 7 and are collected in an annular chamber 18, therefrom they are discharged as schematically shown at 8.
• the cooling water enters the inlet 9, passes through the thermal exchange chamber 6, and being heated by contact with the hot tube nest 7, and then exits the outlet fitting 11 in the form of hot water, i.e. the target or desired product.
• the thus generated hot or warm water can be used in different applications, for example for supplying heating systems, sanitary water generating systems, and so on, for use in houses and the like.
• the hydrogen combustion/oxidation can be simply interrupted or switched off by shutting off the air-hydrogen mixture supply.
• FIG 2 illustrates in a more detailed manner the hydrogen supply circuit 19 and the cooling water or water to be heated supply circuit 21, associated with the burner 1 shown in figure 1.
• the reference number 22 shows, for example, an adjusting flow meter, 23 a gauge for displaying the hydrogen pressure, 24 a shut-off solenoid valve, 26 a flow-rate measurement device, and 27 a further gauge for displaying the pressure in the mixing chamber 14, including an injector 29 for supplying to the combustion chamber 3 the air- hydrogen mixture.
• Said circuit 19 is supplied with hydrogen at a low pressure, for example from 1 to 5 bars, said hydrogen pressure being reduced, for example, to 20 millibars, by a not shown pressure reducing unit, arranged before the burner inlet.
• the circuit 21 for supplying cooling water, to be heated comprises, for example a recirculation pump 31 at its burner 1 inlet side, and a hot water accumulator 32, at the water outlet.
• the reference number 33 shows a calorie counter and 34 an expansion tank.
• a thermometer 36 and an exhausted gas manifold 37, having an outlet 38 leading to a hydrogen analyzer, not shown, can be provided.
• a buffer battery stage 42 for continuously supplying, at any desired time, electric power
• stage 43 for generating hydrogen by electrolysis which can be supplied with electric power from the stages 41 or 42,
• an accumulator stage 44 for accumulating the generated hydrogen, preferably at a low pressure and being accumulated by forming hydrides
• combustion or oxidation stage 45 for burning or oxidating hydrogen including, for example, the burner or combustor according to the invention shown in figure 1, and
• FIG. 1 shows moreover a stage 47 for using the generated heat comprising, for example, domestic and industrial heating systems, sanitary hot water generating systems, greenhouse heating systems, de-salting systems, industrial process fluid heating systems and so on.
• said aeolic generators, photovoltaic panels, and buffer batteries and electrolysis apparatus for generating hydrogen are components individually known per se, thereby they can be freely chosen by one skilled in the art.
• hydrogen can then be derived, it is per se well known that some metals, in particular titanium, iron, manganese, nickel, chrome alloys, react with hydrogen to form hydrides according to the following reversible reaction: M + H 2 ⁇ ⁇ MH 2 . According to this reversible reaction, and proceeding to the right, i.e. the hydride formation region, the reaction will slightly exothermal. On the contrary, as hydrogen is released, i.e. to the left, the reaction is likewise endothermal.
• the metals used in said hydride forming reactions can be advantageously selected to operate at about atmospheric pressure and environment temperature.
• the following metals or alloys thereof i.e., titanium, iron, manganese, nickel and chrome would be suitable, without limiting the scope of the invention.
• hydrogen is supplied with a supplying pressure slightly larger than atmospheric pressure, the reaction occurring from the left to the right.
• the cooling can be carried out by a simple air ventilation, and, during this reaction, the pressure will be held at a constant value, whereas said pressure will increase at the end of the reaction.
• it is provided to store hydrogen at low pressure from 1 to 5 bars, preferably about 2 bars, the burner hydrogen supplying pressure being further reduced to a smaller value, preferably about 20 millibars.
• inventive autonomously hydrolitically generated hydrogen from renewable electric power available in alternating year to be accumulated in batteries, as well as said hydride generated hydrogen advantageously allow to operate in fully independent manner from the electric net and, accordingly, the inventive systems can be advantageously also installed in insulated regions without electric supplies and on aircraft, vessels, sea platforms and so on.
• the invention operates at a low pressure, dangers related to hydrogen accumulation at a high pressure are consequently obviated, and the low pressure hydrogen accumulating tank of the invention can be advantageously installed immediately near houses or industrial buildings, or inside the latter.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Thermal Sciences (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

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Family Applications (1)

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Cited By (14)

Citations (7)

• 2003
  • 2003-09-11 IT IT001741A patent/ITMI20031741A1/it unknown
• 2004
  • 2004-09-10 WO PCT/EP2004/010146 patent/WO2005024301A1/en active Application Filing

Patent Citations (7)

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