Catalytic burner for combustion of liquid fuels

Abstract

Flameless catalytic burner systems made of zeolites that have a higher working temperature and greater flow rate than existing flameless catalytic burners have been developed. The burner systems comprise wicks that are capable of wicking low vapor pressure fuels.

1 . A catalytic burner system comprising: 
 a burner comprising at least one molecular sieve, wherein said burner comprises an upper portion and a lower portion;    a catalyst, wherein said catalyst is dispersed within the upper portion of the burner;    a wick, wherein said wick comprises an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion of the wick being connected to the lower portion of the burner; and,    a reservoir, wherein said reservoir houses a liquid fuel that is contacted by the lower portion of the wick.    
   
   
       2 . The burner system of  claim 1 , wherein the wick is removably connected to the burner.  
   
   
       3 . The burner system of  claim 1 , wherein the wick is permanently connected to the burner.  
   
   
       4 . The burner system of  claim 1 , wherein the concentration of the dispersed catalyst decreases in a gradient from the surface to the interior of the burner.  
   
   
       5 . The burner system of  claim 1 , wherein said catalyst is a Group VIII metal.  
   
   
       6 . The burner system of  claim 1 , wherein the catalyst is a metal selected from the group consisting of gold, manganese, cerium, cobalt, copper, lanthanum, platinum, palladium and rhodium.  
   
   
       7 . The burner system of  claim 1 , wherein said burner comprises a binder that forms a rigid structure when heated.  
   
   
       8 . The burner system of  claim 7 , wherein the binder is selected from the group consisting of bentonite, hectorite, laponite, montmorillonite, ball clay, kaolin, palygorskite (attapulgite), barasym SSM-100(synthetic mica-montmorillonite), ripidolite, rectorite, optigel SH (synthetic hectorite), illite, nontronite, illite-smectite, sepiolite, beidellite, cookeite, or generally any type of clay, borosilicate glass, aluminosilicate glass and glass fibers.  
   
   
       9 . The burner system of  claim 1 , wherein said burner comprises a thermal conductor that facilitates the transfer of heat through the burner.  
   
   
       10 . The burner system of  claim 9 , wherein the thermal conductor is selected from the group consisting of boron nitride, steel, stainless steel, transition metals, carbon nanofibers, carbon nanotubes and diamond.  
   
   
       11 . The burner system of  claim 1 , wherein said burner comprises a combustion additive that enhances the combustion of the liquid fuel.  
   
   
       12 . The burner system of  claim 1 , wherein said molecule sieve is a zeolite.  
   
   
       13 . The burner system of  claim 12 , wherein said zeolite has a Si/Al ratio of greater than 60.  
   
   
       14 . The burner system of  claim 1 , wherein said wick is made of a porous material.  
   
   
       15 . The burner system of  claim 14 , wherein said porous material is a zeolite.  
   
   
       16 . The burner system of  claim 1 , wherein said wick is a woven cloth wick.  
   
   
       17 . A method for combusting a liquid fuel comprising, 
 providing a burner comprising at least one molecular sieve, wherein said burner has a first, upper portion and a second, lower portion;    providing a wick that is connected to the lower portion of the burner;    providing a catalyst that is dispersed within the upper portion of the burner;    providing a reservoir that contain liquid fuel;    contacting the wick with the liquid fuel;    transmitting the fuel from the reservoir to the burner through the wick; and,    igniting the catalyst with an ignition source.    
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the catalyst is dispersed in a concentration gradient that decreases from the surface of the burner to the interior of the burner.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said catalyst is a Group VIII metal.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the catalyst is a metal selected from the group consisting of gold, manganese, cerium, cobalt, copper, lanthanum, platinum, palladium and rhodium.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the burner comprises a binder that forms a rigid structure when heated.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said burner comprises a thermal conductor that facilitates the transfer of heat through the burner.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said burner comprises a combustion additive that enhances the combustion of the liquid fuel.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said molecule sieve is a zeolite.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein said zeolite has a Si/Al ratio of greater than 60.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said wick is made of a porous material.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein said porous material is a zeolite.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said wick is a woven cloth wick.