Abstract: A high excess air burner includes a housing including a generally tubular body enclosing an air chamber, a nozzle located in the air chamber and spaced radially inwardly of the generally tubular body, a fuel inlet configured to supply a variable volumetric flow rate of fuel, an air inlet configured to supply air to the air chamber, a first combustion cavity having a first inlet opening communicating with the fuel inlet for receiving the variable volumetric flow rate of fuel, a second combustion cavity having a second inlet opening communicating with the first combustion cavity for receiving the first fuel-air mixture, and a third combustion cavity having a third inlet opening communicating with the second combustion cavity for receiving the second fuel-air mixture. The burner including one or more components (e.g., nozzle, rear cover) to improve flame characteristics, such as flame stability or consistency, and/or one or more components or features to improve flame detection capability.

Abstract: Various disclosed embodiments include thermionic energy converters with a thermal concentrating hot shell and emitters for thermionic energy converters. In some embodiments, an illustrative thermionic energy converter includes: an emitter electrode; a hot shell configured to concentrate heat flow toward the emitter electrode; a collector electrode; and a cold shell that is thermally isolated from the hot shell.

Abstract: Various disclosed embodiments include combined heating and power modules and combined heat and power devices. In an illustrative embodiment, a combined heat and power device includes a heating system including: at least one burner; at least one igniter configured to ignite the at least one burner; a fluid motivator assembly including an electrically powered prime mover; and a heat exchanger fluidly couplable to the fluid motivator assembly. At least one alkali metal thermal-to-electricity converter (AMTEC) has a high pressure zone and a low pressure zone, the high pressure zone being thermally couplable to the at least one burner, the low pressure zone being thermally couplable to the heat exchanger.

Abstract: Various disclosed embodiments include combined heating and power modules and combined heat and power devices. In an illustrative embodiment, a combined heat and power device includes a heating system including: at least one burner; at least one igniter configured to ignite the at least one burner; a fluid motivator assembly including an electrically powered prime mover; and a heat exchanger fluidly couplable to the fluid motivator assembly. At least one alkali metal thermal-to-electricity converter (AMTEC) has a high pressure zone and a low pressure zone, the high pressure zone being thermally couplable to the at least one burner, the low pressure zone being thermally couplable to the heat exchanger.

Abstract: Various disclosed embodiments include combined heating and power modules and combined heat and power devices. In an illustrative embodiment, a combined heat and power device includes a heating system including: at least one burner; at least one igniter configured to ignite the at least one burner; a fluid motivator assembly including an electrically powered prime mover; and a heat exchanger fluidly couplable to the fluid motivator assembly. At least one thermophotovoltaic converter has a photon emitter and at least one photovoltaic cell, the photon emitter being thermally couplable to the at least one burner, the at least one photovoltaic cell being thermally couplable to the heat exchanger.

Abstract: Various disclosed embodiments include combined heating and power modules and combined heat and power devices. In an illustrative embodiment, a combined heat and power device includes a heating system including: at least one burner; at least one igniter configured to ignite the at least one burner; a fluid motivator assembly including an electrically powered prime mover; and a heat exchanger fluidly couplable to the fluid motivator assembly. At least one thermophotovoltaic converter has a photon emitter and at least one photovoltaic cell, the photon emitter being thermally couplable to the at least one burner, the at least one photovoltaic cell being thermally couplable to the heat exchanger.

Abstract: Various disclosed embodiments include thermionic energy converters with a thermal concentrating hot shell and emitters for thermionic energy converters. In some embodiments, an illustrative thermionic energy converter includes: an emitter electrode; a hot shell configured to concentrate heat flow toward the emitter electrode; a collector electrode; and a cold shell that is thermally isolated from the hot shell.

Abstract: Various disclosed embodiments include combined heating and power modules and combined heat and power devices. In an illustrative embodiment, a combined heat and power device includes a heating system including: at least one burner; at least one igniter configured to ignite the at least one burner; a fluid motivator assembly including an electrically powered prime mover; and a heat exchanger fluidly couplable to the fluid motivator assembly. At least one thermionic energy converter has a hot shell and a cold shell, the hot shell being thermally couplable to the at least one burner, the cold shell being thermally couplable to the heat exchanger.

Abstract: Various disclosed embodiments include combined heating and power modules and combined heat and power devices. In an illustrative embodiment, a combined heat and power device includes a heating system including: at least one burner; at least one igniter configured to ignite the at least one burner; a fluid motivator assembly including an electrically powered prime mover; and a heat exchanger fluidly couplable to the fluid motivator assembly. At least one thermionic energy converter has a hot shell and a cold shell, the hot shell being thermally couplable to the at least one burner, the cold shell being thermally couplable to the heat exchanger.

Abstract: Disclosed embodiments include cathodes with conformal cathode surfaces, vacuum electronic devices with cathodes with conformal cathode surfaces, and methods of manufacturing the same. In a non-limiting embodiment, a cathode for a vacuum electronic device includes: a substrate having a predetermined shape; and electron emissive material disposed on at least one portion of at least one surface of the substrate, a shape of the electron emissive material conforming to the predetermined shape of the substrate.

Abstract: A thermoelectric generating unit includes a hot-side heat exchanger (HHX) including one or more discrete channels and substantially flat first and second cold-side plates. A first plurality of thermoelectric devices are between the first cold-side plate and a first side of the HHX; and a second plurality of thermoelectric devices can be between the second cold-side plate and a second side of the HHX. Fasteners can extend between the first and second cold-side plates at locations outside of the HHX channel(s). The fasteners can be disposed within gaps between the thermoelectric devices of the first plurality and within gaps between the thermoelectric devices of the second plurality. The fasteners can compress the first plurality of thermoelectric devices between the first cold-side plate and the first side of the HHX and can compress the second plurality of thermoelectric devices between the second cold-side plate and the second side of the HHX.

Abstract: A thermoelectric generator includes a tapered inlet manifold including first and second non-parallel sides; first and second pluralities of outlet manifolds; and thermoelectric generating units (TGUs) each including a hot-side heat exchanger (HHX) with inlet and outlet; a cold-side heat exchanger (CHX); and thermoelectric devices arranged between the HHX and CHX. The inlets of some of the HHXs receive exhaust gas from the first side of the tapered inlet manifold and the outlets of those HHXs are coupled to outlet manifolds of the first plurality of outlet manifolds. The inlets of other of the HHXs receive exhaust gas from the second side of the tapered inlet manifold and the outlets of those HHXs are coupled to outlet manifolds of the second plurality of outlet manifolds. The thermoelectric devices can generate electricity responsive to a temperature differential between the exhaust gas and the CHXs.

Abstract: A counterflow fuel injection nozzle for injecting fuel is disclosed. The nozzle includes a nozzle wall having an interior surface that defines a nozzle interior, the interior for receiving a fuel therein. The nozzle further has a fuel passageway formed in the nozzle wall for distributing the fuel from the interior to a location exterior of the nozzle, the fuel distributed to the exterior location in a fuel flow injection direction. An airstream is provided in a prevailing air flow direction in the location exterior of the nozzle. At least one vector component of the fuel flow injection direction opposes at least one vector component of the prevailing air flow direction. In this manner, by distributing fuel into an air flow at a counterflow angle, improved control of mixing of the fuel in the air is achieved. The counterflow nozzle may be included as part of a new burner or as a retrofit to existing burners in order to incorporate counterflow mixing.

Abstract: A counterflow fuel injection nozzle for injecting fuel is disclosed. The nozzle includes a nozzle wall having an interior surface that defines a nozzle interior, the interior for receiving a fuel therein. The nozzle further has a fuel passageway formed in the nozzle wall for distributing the fuel from the interior to a location exterior of the nozzle, the fuel distributed to the exterior location in a fuel flow injection direction. An airstream is provided in a prevailing air flow direction in the location exterior of the nozzle. At least one vector component of the fuel flow injection direction opposes at least one vector component of the prevailing air flow direction. In this manner, by distributing fuel into an air flow at a counterflow angle, improved control of mixing of the fuel in the air is achieved. The counterflow nozzle may be included as part of a new burner or as a retrofit to existing burners in order to incorporate counterflow mixing.

Abstract: An integral industrial burner package has been described. The burner housing includes a blower housing integral to the burner housing for housing a blower motor and fan. Burner components are mounted on the blower housing and are cooled by blower inlet air flowing over the components. The blower output air flows through a collection chamber integral to the housing and into an air conduit formed within the burner housing. A fuel conduit is provided within the air conduit and is connected to a nozzle internal to a combustion chamber where the fuel and air is mixed and ignited.

Abstract: An air heating burner having improved CO emissions across a broad range of heat inputs. The burner incorporates wings which cover portions of mixing plates associated with low to medium-low fire. The wings reduce air flow velocity to eliminate quenching during such conditions, thereby increasing combustion temperature and reducing CO emissions. The wings also form pre-heat chambers which further increase combustion temperature. The burner produces a substantially consistent level of CO emissions across the range of inputs, regardless of the pressure drop across the burner.

Abstract: An air heating burner having improved CO emissions across a broad range of heat inputs. The burner incorporates wings which cover portions of mixing plates associated with low to medium-low fire. The wings reduce air flow velocity to eliminate quenching during such conditions, thereby increasing combustion temperature and reducing CO emissions. The wings also form pre-heat chambers which further increase combustion temperature. The burner produces a substantially consistent level of CO emissions across the range of inputs, regardless of the pressure drop across the burner.