Abstract: A catalytic burner has a nozzle for forming a jet of combustible gas extending along a jet axis, a catalyst body supported offset from and immediately adjacent the axis heatable to an activation temperature at which it supports catalytic combustion, and a device like a piezoelectric crystal for igniting the jet and thereby forming at the axis a flame that heats the body. The flame is quenched after it has heated the body to its activation temperature.

Abstract: A reservoir for a gaseous combustible stored as a liquid has a substantially closed container having a side wall, an upper wall, and a bottom wall, the upper wall is formed with an outlet port. A porous mass generally fills the container and is saturated with a body of the combustible in liquid condition. A dip tube has an upper end joined to the upper wall at the outlet and a lower end formed with at least one orifice of such small size that a meniscus/interface is formed between the liquid and gaseous phases at the orifice. The tube is formed with a crosswise web at its lower end and the orifice is above this web on a side of the tube. Furthermore the container is generally cylindrical and centered on an axis, the outlet and tube is coaxial with the container.

Abstract: An apparatus which is heated by a gasified liquid fuel has between the liquid fuel reservoir and a burner, a flow regulator/evaporator consisting of two porous masses separated by a recondensation chamber, the valve for cutting off the combustion being provided between the burner and the downstream mass. Liquid fuel can accumulate in the recondensation chamber so that, for startup of the system, there is an increased flow of fuel through the downstream porous mass to the burner to allow rapid heat up of the heat-distributing member. After the initial heating period the flow to the burner is determined by the porosity characteristics of both masses in series.