BURNER SYSTEM AND METHOD OF OPERATION

Abstract

A burner system, preferably including input plumbing, a combustion region, and an exhaust section. In some embodiments, the burner system can include, be attached to, be configured to couple with, and/or be otherwise associated with a thermionic energy converter (TEC). A method of burner system operation, preferably including operating the burner system in a combustion mode and optionally including operating a TEC.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 63/663,602, filed on 24 Jun. 2024, and is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18/086,082, filed 21 Dec. 2022, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 63/292,263, filed on 21 Dec. 2021, and of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 63/434,260, filed on 21 Dec. 2022, each of which is incorporated in its entirety by this reference.

STATEMENT OF GOVERNMENT SUPPORT

This invention was made with government support under Contract Number W911NF-18-C-0057 awarded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and Contract Numbers W911QX-20-P-0017, W91CRB-20-P-0007, W91CRB-21-C-0032, and W911QX-22-C-0011 awarded by the U.S. Army. The government has certain rights in the invention.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates generally to the heating field, and more specifically to a new and useful burner system and method of operation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1A is a schematic representation of an embodiment of a burner system.

FIG. 1B is a schematic representation of an example of the burner system.

FIG. 1C is a schematic representation of the example of the burner system arranged in proximity to a heat reception element.

FIG. 1D is a schematic representation of a second example of the burner system.

FIG. 1E is a schematic representation of the second example of the burner system arranged in proximity to a heat reception element.

FIG. 2A is a schematic representation of an embodiment of the burner system delivering heat to a thermionic energy converter.

FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional perspective view of a specific example of the burner system delivering heat to a thermionic energy converter.

FIG. 2C is a schematic representation of a second embodiment of the burner system delivering heat to a thermionic energy converter.

FIGS. 2D-2F are schematic representations of a first, second and third variation, respectively, of the burner system delivering heat to a thermionic energy converter.

FIG. 3A is a trimetric view of a first specific example of a portion of the burner system.

FIG. 3B is a top view of the first specific example.

FIG. 3C is a side view of the first specific example.

FIG. 3D is a cross-sectional side view of the first specific example.

FIGS. 4A-4B are perspective views of a second and third specific example, respectively, of a portion of the burner system.

FIG. 5A is a trimetric view of a fourth specific example of a portion of the burner system.

FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional trimetric detail view of a portion of the fourth specific example.

FIG. 5C is a trimetric view of a specific example of a variation of a portion of the burner system.

FIG. 6 is a trimetric view of a fifth specific example of a portion of the burner system.

FIG. 7 is a trimetric view of a sixth specific example of a portion of the burner system.

FIG. 8A is a top view of a seventh specific example of a portion of the burner system.

FIG. 8B is a side view of the seventh specific example.

FIG. 8C is a cross-sectional isometric view of the seventh specific example.

FIG. 9A is a top view of an eighth specific example of a portion of the burner system.

FIG. 9B is a side view of the eighth specific example.

FIGS. 10A-10B are a top view and a side view, respectively, of a ninth specific example of a portion of the burner system.

FIGS. 10C-10D are a top view and a side view, respectively, of a tenth specific example of a portion of the burner system.

FIGS. 10E-10F are a top view and a side view, respectively, of an eleventh specific example of a portion of the burner system.

FIGS. 10G-10H are a top view and a side view, respectively, of a twelfth specific example of a portion of the burner system.

FIGS. 11A-11F are top views of various specific examples of arrangements of fluid conveyance structures of the burner system.

FIG. 12A is a schematic representation of an embodiment of a method of burner system operation.

FIG. 12B is a schematic representation of an example of a portion of the method.

FIGS. 13A-13C are schematic representations of a first, second, and third example, respectively, of heat exchange elements of the burner system.

FIGS. 14A-14B are a top view and a side view, respectively, of a thirteenth specific example of a portion of the burner system.

FIGS. 14C-14D are a top view and a side view, respectively, of a fourteenth specific example of a portion of the burner system.

FIGS. 14E-14F are a top view and a side view, respectively, of an fifteenth specific example of a portion of the burner system.

FIGS. 14G-14H are a top view and a side view, respectively, of a sixteenth specific example of a portion of the burner system.

FIGS. 15A-15C are isometric cross-sectional views of various specific examples of the burner system.

FIGS. 16A-16E are isometric cross-sectional views of various specific examples of the burner system.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following description of the preferred embodiments of the invention is not intended to limit the invention to these preferred embodiments, but rather to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use this invention.

1. Overview

A burner system 10 preferably includes input plumbing 100, a combustion region 200, and an exhaust section 300 (e.g., as shown in FIGS. 1A-1B and/or 1D). In some embodiments, the burner system 10 can include, be attached to, be configured to couple with, and/or be otherwise associated with a thermionic energy converter (TEC). In such embodiments, the burner system is preferably configured to deliver heat to an emitter (and/or any other suitable elements) of the TEC.

For example, the burner system can be arranged within a heating cavity of the TEC (e.g., as shown by way of examples in FIGS. 2A-2D), such as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/883,762, filed 26 May 2020 and titled “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR THERMIONIC ENERGY CONVERSION”, which is herein incorporated in its entirety by this reference; in a specific example, the burners can be arranged and/or configured such as described regarding the ‘power input 12’ of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/883,762. Additionally or alternatively, the burner system can be arranged adjacent to a heat reception element of the TEC (e.g., adjacent to a surface of the TEC that defines a heat reception region, such as a heat reception region bounding the heat reception element, a heat reception region defined by a surface of the heat reception element, etc.), such as shown by way of examples in FIGS. 2E-2F, and/or integrated with the TEC in any other suitable manner.

However, the burner system 10 can additionally or alternatively include any other suitable elements in any suitable arrangement.

A method 20 of burner system operation preferably includes operating the burner system in a combustion mode S210 (e.g., in which the burner system combusts fuel and air, and delivers some or all of the resulting heat to a heat reception region, such as a region of a TEC). The method 20 can optionally include adjusting between different combustion modes (e.g., involving different fuel flow rates, fuel-air ratios, temperatures, etc.), transitioning between the combustion mode(s) and an inactive mode (e.g., in which no or substantially no combustion occurs), switching between different fuels and/or fuel sources, and/or any other suitable elements. In some examples, the method 20 can optionally include performing one or more preheating operations (e.g., using one or more preheating elements such as hot surface igniters, spark igniters, any other suitable electrical heat-generation elements, and/or any other suitable preheating elements); such preheating operations can function, for example, to preheat portions of the burner system (e.g., burner, supporting tubes, etc.), such as to elevate such portions from a low or ambient temperature up to a temperature that can support facile ignition of the burner. Further, the method 20 can optionally include operating a TEC S220.

The method 20 is preferably performed using the burner system 10 described herein. However, the method 20 can additionally or alternatively be performed using any other suitable system.

2. Benefits

Variants of the technology can optionally confer one or more benefits.

First, some variants of the technology can efficiently deliver heat to a heat reception element (e.g., of a thermionic energy converter). In particular, some such variants of the technology can efficiently deliver heat axially and/or substantially axially (e.g., along a long axis defined by a burner system), such as preferentially delivering heat axially rather than radially and/or substantially radially (e.g., radially outward from the long axis defined by the burner system). This can, for example, facilitate heating of a thermionic energy converter having a geometry such as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/866,381, filed 15 Jul. 2022 and titled “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR THERMIONIC ENERGY CONVERSION”, which is herein incorporated in its entirety by this reference (e.g., heating the emitter of such a thermionic energy converter to reach and/or maintain temperature within a desired operation temperature range).

Second, some variants of the technology can enable one or more desirable burner characteristics. Such characteristics can include, in examples: high heat recuperation and/or efficiency, low pressure drop, fast startup and/or shutdown (e.g., having minimal transients associated therewith), system longevity, low emissions generation (e.g., low emissions of greenhouse gasses), and/or any other suitable characteristics.

However, variants of the technology can additionally or alternatively confer any other suitable benefits.

3. Burner System

The burner system 10 preferably includes a recuperating burner (e.g., self-recuperative burner). Accordingly, hot exhaust from the burner preferably transfers heat (e.g., as it flows downstream from the combustion region 200 via an exhaust path defined by the exhaust section 300) to the input fluids to be combusted (e.g., air and/or fuel), more preferably as these input fluids flow through the input plumbing 100 before reaching the combustion region 200.

The burner is preferably operable across a range of temperatures and/or input fluid delivery rates (e.g., fuel flow rates). Further, the burner is preferably operable to turn on and/or off (and/or to transition between operation modes associated with such different temperatures and/or input fluid delivery rates) rapidly, easily, and/or with minimal transient behavior during these transition(s). In some examples, these characteristics can enable and/or facilitate progression through a TEC startup process (e.g., in which the burner provides some or all of the input heat for this startup process).

In some embodiments, the burner can be operable to combust a variety of different fuels (e.g., gaseous and/or liquid fuels, such as natural gas, kerosene, JP-8, etc.), such as combusting different fuels alone and/or in combination.

The burner system preferably includes a small-scale burner, such as a burner producing on the order of hundreds of watts of power (e.g., approximately 100, 150, 200, 300, 450, 1000, 100-200, 200-450, and/or 450-1000 W, etc.) or less (e.g., 10, 20, 35, 50, 75, less than 10, 10-20, 20-45, and/or 45-100 W, etc.), rather than producing several kilowatts or more. For example, the burner system can produce approximately 200 W. In typical systems, it may be difficult to realize such a small-scale burner (especially one which operates at high temperatures, such as greater than 1000, 1100, 1200, 1300, 1400, and/or 1500° C., etc.), due to potentially challenging limitations such as reduced flame volume (and the resulting adiabatic flame temperature). Herein, we describe embodiments of a burner system that can overcome some or all of these challenges.

However, the burner system can additionally or alternatively produce several kilowatts or more (e.g., 1.5, 2, 3, 4.5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 45, 100, 1-2, 2-4.5, 4.5-10, 10-20, 20-45, 45-100, or more than 100 kW, etc.).

Although referred to herein as ‘air’, a person of skill in the art will recognize that the burner system can additionally or alternatively be configured to burn fuel in the presence of any other suitable oxygen-containing fluid (e.g., substantially pure oxygen) and/or any other suitable oxidant. Accordingly, a person of skill in the art will recognize that, as used herein, ‘air’ is not intended to be limited specifically to atmospheric gasses, but rather, in some embodiments, it can additionally or alternatively represent one or more other oxygen-containing fluids and/or oxidants.

The fluids to be combusted (e.g., air and/or fuel) are preferably pre-mixed when supplied by the input plumbing (e.g., as an approximately stoichiometric mixture, as a fuel-lean or fuel-rich mixture, etc.), such as wherein the fluids are mixed within the input plumbing and/or upstream of the input plumbing. However, the fluids can alternately be provided separately (e.g., provided via separate air and fuel input structures, such as wherein the air and fuel mix within the combustion region), can be partially-premixed, such as wherein a mixture of air and fuel can be provided separately from an additional supply of air and/or fuel (and/or of a second mixture of air and fuel, having a different air/fuel ratio than the first mixture), to be mixed downstream (e.g., in the combustion region), and/or can be provided in any other suitable manner. In one example of a partially-premixed burner system, a first air/fuel mixture is a lean mixture (having a higher air/fuel ratio than the stoichiometric mix) and is provided (e.g., to the combustion region) via a first set of one or more input plumbing elements, and a second air/fuel mixture is a rich mixture (having a lower air/fuel ratio than the stoichiometric mix) and is provided (e.g., to the combustion region) via a second set of one or more input plumbing elements (e.g., separate from the first set).

As described above, the burner system preferably includes input plumbing 100 and/or and exhaust section 300. However, the term “plumbing” is not intended to limit the input plumbing 100 to any particular structure; rather, the input plumbing may have any suitable structure operable to transport one or more fluids (e.g., to the combustion region). Similarly, the absence of the term “plumbing” is not intended to limit the exhaust section 300 to any particular structure; rather the exhaust section may have any suitable structure operable to convey exhaust fluids away from the combustion region (e.g., the exhaust section may, in some examples, define, in part or in whole, one or more plumbing elements configured to transport exhaust fluids).

Further, in some embodiments, the functions of the input plumbing 100 and exhaust section 300 may be swapped (e.g., as shown by way of example in FIGS. 1D-1E, wherein the input plumbing and exhaust section, along with the corresponding functionalities, are swapped relative to FIGS. 1B-1C). Accordingly, for example, in variations of the burner system embodiments described herein, the element(s) described as the exhaust section 300 may instead function as input plumbing (e.g., delivering air and/or fuel to the combustion region), and/or the element(s) described as the input plumbing 100 may instead function as exhaust section(s) (e.g., transporting exhaust away from the combustion region). In some such variations, it may be desirable to alter the cross-sectional areas of these elements, such that the total cross-sectional area of the elements that function to transport exhaust away from the combustion region is greater than the total cross-sectional area of the elements that function to deliver air and/or fuel to the combustion region (e.g., thereby accounting for thermal expansion of gasses exiting the combustion region). However, the elements can additionally or alternatively have any other suitable functionalities and/or configurations.

Further, in some examples (e.g., in which the fluids to be combusted are provided unmixed or partially-premixed), the burner system may include three or more elements having distinct fluid-conveyance functionalities (e.g., in contrast with including only two such elements, such as an input plumbing and an exhaust section), such as conveying a first input fluid, a second input fluid, and exhaust, respectively (optionally, along with additional. Analogous to the discussion above regarding swapping the functions of the input plumbing 100 and exhaust section 300, the three (or more) distinct functions may similarly be allocated between these three or more elements in any suitable manner.

Accordingly, where the description herein refers to “input plumbing” or “exhaust section”, such description may analogously be applied to any suitable fluid conveyance elements (e.g., a first and second fluid conveyance elements, wherein one fluid conveyance element is configured to function as the input plumbing, such as to deliver premixed fluids for combustion, and the other fluid conveyance element is configured to function as the exhaust section; a first, second, and third fluid conveyance elements, wherein two fluid conveyance elements are configured to function as the input plumbing, such as each to deliver unmixed or partially-premixed fluids for combustion, and the remaining fluid conveyance element is configured to function as the exhaust section; more than three fluid conveyance elements; etc.).

3.1 Input Plumbing

The input plumbing 100 preferably functions to deliver air and/or fuel to the combustion region. These fluids to be combusted are preferably pre-heated before reaching the combustion region, such as by receiving heat from the exhaust as it flows downstream from the combustion region 200 via an exhaust path defined by the exhaust section 300.

The input plumbing preferably assists in holding the flame within the combustion region 200, such as by preventing autoignition within the input plumbing and/or flashback (e.g., from the combustion region) into the input plumbing, and/or by otherwise maintaining the flame at and/or near the heat reception element.

The input plumbing 100 preferably includes (e.g., is made of) one or more materials capable of tolerating high temperatures (e.g., temperatures arising from heat generated within the combustion region and/or delivered into the input plumbing from the exhaust). For example, the input plumbing can include one or more metals, ceramics (e.g., alumina, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, zirconia, sapphire, silica, etc.), and/or any other suitable materials.

The input plumbing preferably includes one or more fluid conveyance structures (FCSs) 101. The FCSs can include one or more pipes, tubes, channels, and/or any other suitable structures for conveying the fluids to be combusted into the combustion region (and/or for conveying exhaust away from the combustion region). Each FCS preferably leads from an inlet 110 (e.g., from which air and/or fuel is received) to an outlet 120 (e.g., at which the air and/or fuel are provided to the combustion region 200), such as shown by way of examples in FIGS. 3A-3D, 4A-4B, 5A-5B, 6, 7, 8A-8C, and/or 9A-9B; however, some or all FCSs can additionally or alternatively lead from an exhaust inlet 320 (e.g., at which exhaust is received from the combustion region) to an exhaust outlet 330 (e.g., at which exhaust leaves the exhaust section), such as shown by way of examples in FIGS. 14A-14H, 15A-15C, and/or 16A-16E.

The input plumbing 100 (e.g., one or more FCSs 101 thereof) can optionally include one or more flow restrictors 130. The flow restrictors can function to prevent combustion outside the combustion region (e.g., prevent combustion within the FCSs and/or other elements of the input plumbing), such as by preventing autoignition within and/or flashback into the input plumbing. Additionally or alternatively (e.g., in examples in which the fluids to be combusted are not pre-mixed or are partially pre-mixed), the flow restrictors can function to promote mixing (e.g., within the combustion region) of the fluids to be combusted (e.g., by inducing turbulence in the fluids).

For efficient burner operation, the input plumbing 100 preferably facilitates efficient flow of the fluids to be combusted, as a pressure drop in the input plumbing corresponds directly to a loss of system efficiency (e.g., due to the power required to supply input fluids, such as air, while sustaining this pressure drop). Accordingly, the overall input plumbing (e.g., the FCSs thereof) are preferably wide enough to enable efficient flow. As such, the flow restrictors preferably restrict flow substantially only in the region in which they are needed to prevent premature combustion, including portions of the input plumbing that are at elevated temperatures (e.g., sufficiently high to allow autoignition) and/or in close proximity to the combustion engine (e.g., close enough to enable flashback into the input plumbing). However, the flow restrictors can additionally or alternatively restrict flow throughout the entire length of an FCS or in any other suitable regions thereof.

In a first embodiment, the flow restrictor 130 narrows the flow cross-section of the FCS (and/or otherwise impedes flow through the FCS). In a specific example, in which an FCS includes a 1/16″ outer diameter tube with 0.010″ walls, the flow restrictor can decrease the cross-sectional area in a region of the tube by approximately 50%, thereby preventing autoignition and flashback within this portion of the tube.

In a first example, the cross-section is narrowed by tapering down the tube width, such as by increasing the tube wall thickness (e.g., as shown in FIG. 3D). However, this increased wall thickness can impede heat transfer from the exhaust into the input fluids, thereby reducing burner efficiency. Additionally or alternatively, the tube width could be tapered by necking down the tube (e.g., while keeping the wall thickness substantially constant).

In a second example, the flow restrictor can include a barrier within the tube (e.g., a wire or other obstacle inserted into and/or attached within the tube at the outlet end). In a third example, the flow restrictor can include one or more structures (e.g., arranged at and/or near the outlet) that define one or more tortuous and/or circuitous flow paths for fluids passing through them, which can include structures such as described below regarding the second embodiment and/or can include any other suitable structures.

However, the cross-section can additionally or alternatively be narrowed in any other suitable manner.

In a second embodiment, the flow restrictor is configured to induce turbulence at and/or near the outlet. For example, this can be achieved by arranging one or more structures that define one or more tortuous and/or circuitous flow paths for fluids passing through them at and/or near the outlet. These structures can include porous structures and/or any other suitable structures defining tortuous and/or circuitous paths. In examples, the porous structure could be a mesh (e.g., metal mesh) or foam (e.g., silicon carbide foam). The input plumbing can include a separate flow restrictor (e.g., porous structure) for each FCS (or a subset thereof) or can include one or more flow restrictors (e.g., porous structures) shared by multiple FCSs (e.g., shared by the entire input plumbing).

Such turbulence (e.g., arising from this turbulence-inducing flow restrictor, from any other suitable turbulence-inducing elements, etc.) can additionally or alternatively enhance heat transfer to the heat reception element (e.g., element arranged across the combustion region from the FCS outlets). Further, in examples in which the air and fuel are provided separately (e.g., via separate FCSs), such as examples in which the air and fuel are not premixed or only partially premixed, such turbulence (e.g., arising from this turbulence-inducing flow restrictor, from any other suitable turbulence-inducing elements, etc.) can additionally or alternatively be beneficial in promoting air/fuel mixing (e.g., within the combustion region).

However, the input plumbing (the FCSs thereof) can additionally or alternatively include any other suitable flow restrictors 130 in any suitable arrangement.

The input plumbing can optionally include one or more wicks. A wick is preferably included in embodiments of the burner configured to operate using liquid fuel (e.g., kerosene, JP-8, etc.), such as flex fuel burners configured to use any of a variety of fuels. In such embodiments, the wick can function to introduce and facilitate vaporization of the liquid fuel (e.g., within the input plumbing). In some examples, the wick leads from a liquid fuel source (e.g., fuel reservoir, fuel input tube, etc.) into the input plumbing upstream of the combustion region, whereas in other examples, the wick may exist only along a portion of that length, such as only within the input plumbing (e.g., wherein the liquid fuel source is delivered to the wick via one or more tubes, such as tubes through with the liquid fuel source can be pumped, wherein the system can optionally include one or more pumps to perform such pumping). The wick is preferably arranged within the input plumbing close enough to the combustion region that the temperature in the vicinity of the wick is high enough to vaporize the fuel, but far enough away from the combustion region that the temperature is sufficiently low to avoid liquid fuel coking and/or other undesired degradation (additionally or alternatively, burner materials that contact the fuel can be selected to avoid such coking and/or other undesired degradation). For example, the wick can be arranged upstream of, but close to, the FCSs (e.g., in an input manifold, at a position within a single input tube that branches into multiple FCSs downstream of the position). Alternatively, the wick can be arranged within one or more FCSs or have any other suitable arrangement. In some examples, the wick can be supported by one or more support structures. In some examples, the wick can include and/or be thermally coupled to one or more heating elements (e.g., electrical heating elements, such as nichrome wire and/or other resistive elements) and/or heat exchange elements (e.g., configured to deliver heat to the wick from other elements of the burner system and/or the fluids within it, such as hot gasses). Such heating elements can optionally function to preheat the wick (e.g., using one or more electrical heating elements) prior to burner operation (e.g., fuel combustion), to increase and/or maintain wick temperature (e.g., using one or more heat exchange elements) during burner operation (e.g., fuel combustion), and/or to maintain the wick above a threshold temperature during burner shutdown (e.g., using one or more electrical heating elements and/or heat exchange elements); such use can, in some examples, prevent and/or reduce coking during burner system startup, operation, and/or shutdown, and/or can have any other suitable function. In some examples, the wick can include (e.g., be made of) materials such as: steels (e.g., stainless steels), silicon carbide, silicon nitride, fused silica or fiberglass, and the like; however, the wick can additionally or alternatively include any other suitable materials. In some examples, the wick may not be maintained at a uniform or substantially uniform temperature, but rather may have a substantially varying temperature along its length (e.g., such that different volatile compounds are driven off the wick at different locations along its length).

Embodiments that include a wick are preferably configured to supply premixed air and fuel via the input plumbing (e.g., wherein air supplied through the input plumbing mixes with vaporized fuel at or near the wick). However, such embodiments can additionally or alternatively be configured in a diffusion flame configuration (e.g., in which air and fuel are supplied to the combustion region separately, in which a partially-premixed mixture of air and fuel are supplied together and supplemented by a separate supply of air and/or fuel to be mixed in the combustion region, etc.) and/or in any other suitable configuration.

The input plumbing can optionally define an ignitor housing (e.g., running parallel to the one or more FCSs), such as shown by way of examples in FIGS. 5A-5B and 6). The ignitor housing can contain an ignitor operable to ignite the input fluids, and/or can have any other suitable function.

In some embodiments, the input plumbing can include one or more heat exchange elements (e.g., baffles; protrusive elements such as fins, pins, and/or dowels; etc.). For example, the input plumbing can include one or more heat exchange elements having characteristics such as described below regarding heat exchange elements of the exhaust section (and/or having any other suitable characteristics). For example, the input plumbing can include one or more protrusive elements protruding into the FCS(s), such as shown by way of examples in FIGS. 7 and/or 8A-8C.

In some embodiments, the input plumbing 100 (and/or the FCSs 101 thereof) defines a long axis and a consistent (or substantially consistent) cross-section along the long axis (or along a subset thereof, such as along a first portion of the input plumbing), such as shown by way of examples in FIGS. 3A-3D, 5A-5B, 6, 7, 8A-8C, and/or 9A-9B; such a consistent (or substantially consistent) cross-section can enable fabrication of the input plumbing by extrusion (e.g., extrusion of a green body, before firing the green body to produce a hard ceramic body). In variations of these embodiments, the input plumbing may include multiple portions having different (e.g., substantially different) cross-sections from each other. For example, each such portion (or a subset thereof) could define a different consistent (or substantially consistent) cross-section (e.g., along the long axis, along different axes, etc.); in one example, a first portion can be associated with the majority of the length of the FCSs 101, and a second portion can be associated with the flow restrictors 130 near their end. In some examples of these variations, each such portion (or some of these portions) could be fabricated, such as fabricated separately from each other by extrusion, and then the different portions could be assembled (e.g., assembled into a unitary body such as a unitary green body that is assembled prior to firing into a unitary hard ceramic body, bonded together by adhesives and/or other materials, held together by mechanical means such as by fasteners, placed together without bonding such as held in place by friction and/or gravity, etc.). Additionally or alternatively, additive manufacturing processes (e.g., 3D printing, such as 3D printing of a green body) and/or subtractive manufacturing processes (e.g., machining, such as machining of a metal body and/or a fired ceramic body) may be used to fabricate and/or alter some or all of these portions (e.g., altering an extrusion via one or more additive and/or subtractive manufacturing processes). For example, the input plumbing can include two portions fabricated from a single extrusion, wherein the first portion is defined by a section of the extrusion as-extruded, and the second portion is fabricated from another section of the extrusion by one or more additive and/or subtractive manufacturing processes (e.g., depositing additional material by 3D printing to define one or more flow restrictors, removing material by machining to increase tube diameters such that the unmachined section of the extrusion defines one or more flow restrictors, etc.).

In some embodiments, the input plumbing 100 (and/or the FCSs 101 thereof) can include (e.g., be made of) mixed materials, such as having two or more portions that include distinct materials from each other. In one such embodiment, the input plumbing includes a first portion arranged in and/or near (e.g., adjacent to) the combustion zone, and a second portion arranged upstream of the first portion. In this embodiment, the first portion (e.g., which, during system operation, may experience the highest temperatures of any portion of the input plumbing) preferably includes (e.g., is made of) one or more ceramic materials, whereas the second portion (e.g., which, during system operation, may experience lower temperatures than the first portion) may include (e.g., be made of) one or more metal materials (e.g., high-temperature or refractory metals, such as Inconel, Kovar, etc.), such as shown by way of example in FIGS. 9A-9B. In such an embodiment, the materials of the different portions preferably exhibit some thermal expansion matching (e.g., having similar coefficients of thermal expansion). Some such embodiments may be fabricated, for example, by fabricating the portions separately and then joining them (e.g., by brazing, such as using a high-temperature braze that can tolerate the temperatures it will experience during system operation; by tacking; by mechanical means, such as press-fit and/or fasteners; etc.); however, these embodiments may additionally or alternatively be fabricated in any other suitable manner.

In some embodiments, it may be preferable for the FCSs to define an increasing cross-sectional area for input gas flow along their length, wherein the cross-sectional area increases in the downstream direction (e.g., wherein the cross-section area increases for each FCS, wherein the total cross-sectional area from all FCSs increases, etc.). Such increasing area can allow for gas expansion within the FCSs due to heating. Although the optimal ratio of cross-sectional areas between the input and output may be approximately 1:1.3, practical devices may use a larger ratio (e.g., between 1:1.3 and 1:2, between 1:2 and 1:2.4, between 1:2.4 and 1:3, greater than 1:3, etc.); however, larger ratios may reduce heat exchange efficiency and/or flow velocity, and so smaller ratios may be preferable as practical (e.g., wherein the device preferably defines a ratio that is close to the smallest practical ratio, given operational constraints and performance considerations). However, the FCSs can additionally or alternatively define any other suitable gas expansion features and/or characteristics (or may define no such features and/or characteristics).

In some embodiments, it may be preferable to reduce or minimize radial differences in temperature within the FCSs (e.g., for a given cross-sectional plane normal to a long axis defined by the burner, minimizing differences in temperature between portions of the FCSs at and/or close to the long axis versus portions of the FCSs that are farther radially outward from the long axis). For example, it may be preferable to reduce or minimize such radial temperature variations in the hottest regions of the FCSs (e.g., at or near the outlet and/or combustion region), as this can allow the FCSs to reach sufficiently high temperatures (e.g., to facilitate heat transfer, combustion, etc.) in these regions while also avoiding overheating of the FCSs in these regions. A uniform planar array of FCSs would typically experience hotter temperatures near the center than at the outer edges of the array, as the FCSs near the outer edges will typically radiate significant amounts of heat away from the burner, whereas radiation from FCSs near the center may be blocked (e.g., absorbed, reflected, etc.) by other FCSs (e.g., FCSs near the edge), and those FCSs will typically radiate heat (e.g., similar amounts of heat) back toward the FCSs near the center. In examples (e.g., as shown in FIGS. 11A-11F, in which each FCS is represented by a separate dot), such radial temperature uniformity can be achieved by reducing FCS density near the long axis (e.g., reducing the total heat generated near the long axis), ensuring lines of sight beyond the burner from the FCSs (e.g., including FCSs near the long axis), and/or in any other suitable manner. Further, in some examples, these radiatively-coupled elements (e.g., FCSs, sidewalls, etc.), or any suitable subsets and/or portions thereof, preferably exhibit high emissivity. This can include high emissivity for all wavelengths, for wavelengths most strongly involved in radiative coupling of and/or heat transfer between the elements (e.g., wavelength ranges associated with preferentially radiating heat to the heat reception region and/or electron emitter in some regions based on the spectral emissivity properties at the relevant temperatures, and/or preferentially radiating heat from the heat reception region and/or electron emitter in other regions at lower temperatures), for wavelengths at and around a spectral peak of thermal radiation during system operation such as the blackbody peak and/or the peak for the emissivity of the elements in question, etc.). High emissivity can include emissivity equal or close to unity (e.g., greater than a threshold value such as 0.5, 0.6, 0.7, 0.8, 0.9, etc.) and/or mutual emissivity between the elements greater than a threshold value (e.g., greater than 0.25, 0.35, 0.4, 0.45, 0.5, 0.55, 0.6, 0.7, etc.), but alternatively can be any other suitable emissivity. Such high emissivity can, in some examples, function to enhance radiative heat transfer between the elements, which may reduce radial temperature variations.

In some variations, the input plumbing is arranged outward of (e.g., surrounds) the exhaust section, such as by defining a shell (e.g., cylindrical shell) that surrounds the exhaust section (e.g., as shown by way of examples in FIGS. 15A-15C and/or 16A-16E). In some examples of such variations, the input plumbing includes one or more inlet regions (e.g., that surround the exhaust outlet) configured to deliver input fluid(s) into the interior of the input plumbing defined by the shell. In a first such example, the inlet region defines a circular manifold surrounding the exhaust outlet, wherein the circular manifold defines one or more holes configured to deliver input fluids to the interior of the input plumbing defined by the shell (e.g., as shown in FIGS. 15A-15B and/or 16B-16E). In a second such example, the inlet region defines a spiraling (e.g., helical) path around the exhaust outlet (e.g., includes one or more pipes, each defining such a path), wherein the path exits into the interior of the input plumbing defined by the shell (e.g., as shown in FIGS. 15C and/or 16A). However, the input plumbing of such variations can additionally or alternatively include any other suitable elements and/or define any other suitable paths and/or structures.

However, the input plumbing can additionally or alternatively include any other suitable elements in any suitable arrangement.

3.2 Combustion Region

The combustion region 200 preferably functions as a region in which combustion of air and fuel (e.g., the air and fuel delivered by the input plumbing 100) can occur. The combustion region is preferably arranged at and/or near the outlet(s) 120 of the input plumbing (and/or arranged at and/or near the inlet(s) of the exhaust section). The combustion region is preferably bounded by a heat reception element, wherein the combustion region is configured to deliver heat to this heat reception element. The heat reception element is preferably substantially planar and preferably arranged opposing the outlets 120 across the combustion region (e.g., as shown in FIGS. 1C and/or 1E).

The combustion region can include some or all of a gap defined between the input plumbing and the heat reception element. Additionally or alternatively, it may be preferable for combustion to occur within an exit region of the input plumbing (e.g., in addition to and/or instead of occurring downstream of the input plumbing, such as within the gap described above), wherein the exit region is a region of the input plumbing adjacent to the downstream exit of the input plumbing (e.g., oriented toward the heat reception element). For example, combustion within the exit region can function to heat exit region structures (e.g., portions of tubes, such as downstream tube ends), which can then radiatively heat the heat reception element (and/or any other suitable elements). In such embodiments, the input plumbing preferably assists in holding the flame within the exit region and/or the region downstream of the exit region (e.g., the gap), such as by preventing autoignition within the input plumbing upstream of the exit region and/or flashback (e.g., from the exit region and/or region downstream of it) farther into the input plumbing past the exit region, and/or by otherwise maintaining the flame at and/or near the heat reception element. In some examples of these embodiments, the input plumbing can include a constricted region (e.g., operable to prevent autoignition and/or flashback, such as described below in more detail) upstream of the exit region, and/or can widen at the exit region (e.g., thereby promoting combustion within the exit region). However, the exit region can additionally or alternatively have any other suitable characteristics (or the input plumbing can alternatively include no such region).

In embodiments in which the burner system is configured to heat a TEC, the heat reception element is preferably thermally coupled to the electron emitter of the TEC. In such embodiments, the burner system preferably delivers most of the heat it generates toward the electron emitter of the TEC, such as to a region (e.g., substantially planar region such as a disk) thermally coupled to the TEC electron emitter. More preferably, heat is delivered to that region (e.g., disk) with high uniformity, which can enable substantially uniform heating of the TEC electron emitter; additionally or alternatively, the heat reception element can enable high lateral thermal conduction (e.g., wherein the heat reception element includes a thick, high thermal conductivity material), which can function to efficiently distribute heat laterally, thereby increasing the uniformity of TEC emitter heating.

In one such embodiment, in which the TEC is configured such as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/883,762, filed 26 May 2020 and titled “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR THERMIONIC ENERGY CONVERSION”, which is herein incorporated in its entirety by this reference, the heat reception element can include one or more elements such as described regarding the ‘flame-reception region’ of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/883,762.

The heat reception element is preferably maintained at an elevated temperature during operation of the burner system (e.g., substantially equal to or greater than the temperature of other elements of the burner, such as elements within the input plumbing), which can facilitate flame holding in the combustion region. For example, in embodiments in which the burner system is configured to heat a TEC (e.g., to heat the electron emitter thereof), the heat reception element can be maintained at a temperature sufficient for efficient TEC emitter operation (e.g., greater than or equal to a threshold temperature, such as 600, 700, 800, 900, 1000, 1100, 1200, 1300, 1400, 1500, 600-700, 700-800, 800-900, 900-1000, 1000-1100, 1100-1200, 1200-1300, 1300-1400, and/or 1400-1500° C., etc.). Further, the heat reception element preferably remains at a low enough temperature to avoid or minimize undesirable effects, such as generation of significant amounts of nitrous oxides; for example, the heat reception element can be maintained below a maximum temperature (e.g., 2500, 2000, 1800, 1600, 1500, 1400, 1300, 1200, 2500-1750, 1750-1500, 1500-1400, 1400-1300, and/or 1300-1200° C., etc.). However, the heat reception element can additionally or alternatively be maintained at any other suitable temperature(s).

The combustion region is preferably maintained within a temperature range that enables efficient combustion while avoiding or minimizing undesirable effects. At undesirably low temperatures, combustion may be incomplete, and thus may be less efficient and/or may generate significant amounts of carbon monoxide. At undesirably high temperatures, combustion may result in generation of significant amounts of nitrous oxides. Accordingly, the combustion region is preferably maintained in between these temperature ranges (e.g., to enable substantially-complete combustion, and thus keep CO production low, while also keeping NOx production low), such as in the range 800-1600° C. (e.g., 1100-1400° C.). However, the combustion region can additionally or alternatively have any other suitable temperature during burner operation.

However, the combustion region 200 can additionally or alternatively have any other suitable characteristics.

3.3 Exhaust Section

The exhaust section 300 preferably functions to evacuate combustion products from the combustion region 200 and to pre-heat the input fluids (e.g., air and/or fuel) to be combusted. The exhaust section preferably defines an exhaust path that leads downstream from the combustion region. The exhaust path preferably contacts (e.g., surrounds) the input plumbing or is otherwise thermally coupled to the input plumbing, such as via one or more heat exchangers.

In some embodiments, the exhaust section can include one or more FCSs 301 (e.g., analogous to the FCSs 101 describe above regarding the input plumbing). In some such examples, the exhaust section can include one or more FCSs 301 operable to transport exhaust from an exhaust inlet 320 to an exhaust outlet 330 (e.g., as shown in FIG. 5C). Optionally, some or all of the FCSs 301 may include and/or be associated with one or more flow restrictors (e.g., wherein the one or more flow restrictors function to restrict fluid exiting the combustion region, such as in a manner analogous to that described above regarding the flow restrictors 130 of the input plumbing).

The exhaust section can include one or more heat exchange elements 310. The heat exchange elements can function to facilitate heat transfer from the exhaust to the input fluids, such as by conducting heat into the input plumbing and/or directing exhaust flow in a manner configured to enhance convective heating of the input plumbing. Further, the input plumbing and/or any other suitable elements of the system can additionally or alternatively include one or more heat exchange elements 310.

In a first embodiment, the heat exchange elements include one or more protrusive elements 310a (e.g., fins, pins, dowels, etc.). The protrusive elements can function to facilitate heat conduction between the exhaust and the input fluids. The protrusive elements preferably include one or more thermally conductive materials (e.g., metals). The protrusive elements preferably protrude outward from the input plumbing (e.g., from one or more FCSs thereof, from an input plumbing housing containing and/or defining one or more of the FCSs, etc.), such as shown by way of examples in FIGS. 5A-5B, 6, 7, 8A-8C, and/or 10A-10H); analogously, in examples in which the input plumbing is arranged outward from (e.g., surrounds) the exhaust section, the protrusive elements preferably protrude outward from the exhaust section into the input plumbing (e.g., as shown in FIGS. 5C, 14A-14H, and/or 16A-16E). Additionally or alternatively, the protrusive elements can protrude inward from an outer boundary of the burner (e.g., inner shell of a TEC), such as shown by way of example in FIG. 16D, which depicts a plurality of protrusive elements protruding inward from the outer boundary (e.g., TEC inner shell) into (and/or above) the combustion region; in a variation of this example, these protrusive elements are thermally and/or mechanically connected to the boundary between the exhaust section and input plumbing (e.g., to the protrusive elements protruding outward therefrom). However, the protrusive elements can additionally or alternatively protrude into a region within the input plumbing (e.g., region containing the input fluids), such as shown by way of examples in FIGS. 7, 8A-8C, and/or 10E-10H; analogously, in examples in which the input plumbing is arranged outward from (e.g., surrounds) the exhaust section, the protrusive elements preferably protrude inward into the exhaust section (e.g., as shown in FIGS. 14E-14H and/or 16A-16E). In some embodiments, it can be beneficial to include heat exchange structures (such as, but not necessarily limited to, fins, pins, dowels, and/or other protrusive elements) both within the exhaust section and the input plumbing in a manner that achieves low thermal conductance mismatch between the two regions (e.g., the thermal conductance is well-matched across a boundary between the input plumbing and the exhaust section).

In some examples of this embodiment, the heat exchange elements (e.g., protrusive elements) and/or associated portions of the burner system may include one or more characteristics that enable mechanical robustness under the conditions (e.g., thermal conditions) associated with system operation. In examples, such characteristics can include one or more of: minimizing and/or avoiding stress concentrators, such as by including rounded notches and/or not including notches; minimizing material thicknesses, which can enable increased amounts of thermal expansion without mechanical damage; minimizing overall burner size; including one or more support structures, such as rings, cylinders, and/or other connections between portions of the different protrusive elements at or near their radial extrema; and/or replacing protrusive structures with lower-dimensionality features (e.g., replacing a fin with an array of pins or dowels). In one variation, the system can include a plurality of burners such as described regarding this embodiment (e.g., a cluster or array of multiple such burners); in some such examples, using multiple such burners can enable the use of smaller burners (while achieving similar heat delivery performance), which can improve mechanical robustness. In some examples of this variation, the plurality of burners may be connected to each other (e.g., mechanically, thermally, etc.), such as by one or more fins and/or other protrusive structures that extend between different burners of the plurality (e.g., as shown by way of examples in FIGS. 10A-10H and/or 14A-14H); alternatively, some or all such connections could alternatively be omitted, and/or the burners can additionally or alternatively be connected in any other suitable manner. However, examples of this embodiment can additionally or alternatively include any other suitable heat-robustness characteristics (or can include no such characteristics).

In a second embodiment, the heat exchange elements can include one or more baffles 310b. The baffles can function to direct exhaust flow around the FCSs and are preferably used in embodiments in which the input plumbing includes multiple FCSs. In such embodiments, the burner system can include one or more baffles configured to direct exhaust flow toward particular FCSs. These baffles can additionally or alternatively function to mechanically support and/or connect the FCSs (e.g., to one another).

In one example of this embodiment, the FCSs define a cluster of tubes (e.g., substantially parallel tubes). In this example, the burner system includes one or more conical baffles that taper from a wide opening down to a narrower cross-section (e.g., directed toward the middle of the FCS cluster) along the downstream direction of the exhaust (e.g., as shown by way of example in FIGS. 3A-3D). The conical baffle is preferably open on both the wide end (e.g., does not include a cone base) and the narrow end (e.g., truncates at an opening, rather than tapering all the way to a point), wherein exhaust can flow through these openings. Thus, these conical baffles can function to direct exhaust inward from the perimeter of the FCS cluster (e.g., toward the center of the cluster). Further, the baffle(s) can optionally function to mechanically connect and/or support the FCSs.

In a variation of this example, the burner system includes one or more substantially planar baffles (e.g., in addition to or in place of the conical baffle(s)). For example, the baffle(s) can define a ‘grid’-like and/or ‘honeycomb’-like structure, wherein the FCSs are arranged within the openings of this structure (e.g., as shown in FIG. 4B). The baffle(s) preferably define an opening in their interior (e.g., at or near the middle of the baffle and/or of the FCS cluster), through which exhaust can flow. Thus, these baffles can also function to direct exhaust inward from the perimeter of the FCS cluster (e.g., toward the center of the cluster) and/or to mechanically connect and/or support the FCSs (e.g., in manners analogous to those of the conical baffles).

In some examples, the heat exchange elements can define numerous contact surfaces for heat exchange from high-temperature fluids to lower-temperature fluids, such as defining a plurality of adjacent flow regions with alternating contents (e.g., alternating between high-temperature exhaust and lower-temperature input fluids). In a first example, the heat exchange elements can define nested (e.g., concentric) fluid transport shells (e.g., having annular cross-sections) with alternating contents (e.g., as shown in FIG. 13A). In a second example, the heat exchange elements can include a linear array of separators that separate fluid transport regions (e.g., having rectangular cross-sections) with alternating contents (e.g., as shown in FIG. 13B). In a third example, the heat exchange elements can define a two-dimensional array (e.g., square or rectangular array) of separate fluid transport regions (e.g., having square, rectangular, circular, and/or any other suitable cross-sections) with alternating contents (e.g., as shown in FIG. 13C). In a fourth example, the heat exchange elements can define one or more gyroids and/or gyroid-like surfaces, which partition its interior into two or more volumes with alternating contents. However, the heat exchange elements can additionally or alternatively define any other suitable arrangements of fluid transport regions and/or heat exchange surfaces therebetween.

Further, the exhaust section can additionally or alternatively include any other suitable baffles, protrusive elements, and/or other heat exchange elements.

The exhaust section (additionally or alternatively, the input plumbing and/or any other suitable elements of the burner system) preferably includes an outer boundary (e.g., wherein the exhaust section is defined within the outer boundary, and other elements of the system, such as the input plumbing, are preferably contained within the outer boundary; alternatively, wherein the input plumbing is defined within the outer boundary, and other elements of the system, such as the exhaust section, are preferably contained within the outer boundary), such as a boundary defined by a shell (e.g., as shown in FIGS. 1C, 2A, and/or 2B). In some embodiments, this outer boundary can be defined by a portion of another system coupled to the burner system (e.g., a system configured to be heated by the burner). For example, in embodiments in which the burner system is configured to heat a TEC (e.g., to heat the electron emitter thereof), the outer boundary of the system can be defined by the TEC (e.g., by a portion of the TEC thermally and/or electrically connected to the electron emitter). In a specific example, the burner system is integrated with the TEC such as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/883,762, filed 26 May 2020 and titled “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR THERMIONIC ENERGY CONVERSION”, which is herein incorporated in its entirety by this reference (e.g., wherein the outer boundary is defined by the ‘inner shell 120’ described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/883,762).

Such integration can facilitate heat transfer from the burner (e.g., from the combustion region, from the exhaust, etc.) to the TEC (e.g., to the electron emitter and/or elements thermally coupled to the electron emitter). In some variants, this integration can include one or more heat exchange elements 310 of the burner system (e.g., enabling conductive heating of the TEC by the burner, instead of or in addition to convective and/or radiative heating). Such integration can include elements configured to heat the heat reception element (e.g., broad face or other element arranged opposing the input plumbing outlet across the combustion region, preferably proximal to the electron emitter) and/or one or more sidewalls (e.g., tube, such as a cylindrical tube, surrounding the burner, such as arranged radially outward from the input plumbing). In some examples, the gap (e.g., axial gap) between the heat reception element and the burner (e.g., the FCS outlets thereof) can be minimized (e.g., given certain operational parameters and tolerances, such as thermal expansion allowances, parallelism and/or concentricity tolerances, combustion-related requirements and/or performance considerations such as flame-holding requirements and/or considerations, etc.) and/or otherwise maintained at a small value (e.g., relative to the overall dimensions of the system and/or the components thereof), as such small axial gap sizing can help promote heat transfer from the burner to the heat reception element; in some such examples, in which a small axial gap reduces flame-holding performance (e.g., promotes undesired flashback and/or autoignition), burner operation can optionally be altered to compensate and/or otherwise improve flame-holding performance (e.g., using a non-stoichiometric mixture of fuel and oxygen to prevent and/or reduce undesired flashback and/or autoignition). Additionally or alternatively, some or all of the heat exchange elements (e.g., protrusive elements 310a) may thermally (e.g., and/or mechanically) connect different portions of the burner, such as connecting an inner portion of the burner (e.g., separating the input plumbing from the exhaust section) to an outer portion of the burner (e.g., the inner shell of the TEC); for example, one or more portions of the burner arranged close to, bounding, and/or within the combustion region can be thermally coupled to the TEC (e.g., the inner shell thereof; region thereof at, near, and/or otherwise thermally coupled to the heat reception element; etc.) by one or more such heat exchange elements (e.g., as shown by way of examples in FIGS. 2D, 2F, 15B, 16C, and/or 16E). In examples, such elements can function to increase heat flow to the TEC (e.g., to the emitter thereof), decrease burner temperature (e.g., thereby reducing premature and/or unwanted combustion, such as outside of the combustion region), and/or perform any other suitable functions.

In some examples, it may be preferable to prioritize heat transfer toward the TEC and/or heat reception element (e.g., heat transfer along a direction from the FCS outlets toward the heat reception element). However, it may additionally or alternatively be beneficial to promote heat transfer to the sidewalls and/or any other suitable elements thermally coupled to the electron emitter; for example, although heat transferred from the burner toward the TEC and/or heat reception element may be the most effective at heating the electron emitter, heat transferred from the burner to the sidewalls can also indirectly promote heating of the electron emitter (e.g., by raising the temperature of the sidewalls and/or reducing the difference in temperature between the sidewalls and the heat reception element and/or the TEC, thereby reducing heat flux away from the heat reception element and/or TEC to the sidewalls). In some examples, the gap (e.g., radial gap) between the sidewalls and the outer portion of the burner can be minimized (e.g., given certain operational parameters and tolerances, such as thermal expansion allowances, parallelism and/or concentricity tolerances, etc.) and/or otherwise maintained at a small value (e.g., relative to the overall dimensions of the system and/or the components thereof), as such small radial gap sizing can help promote heat transfer from the burner to the sidewalls. Additionally or alternatively, the burner system can include one or more thermally-conductive elements that thermally couple the burner and the sidewalls (e.g., by directly connecting the burner to the sidewalls using one or more thermal conductors); for example the burner can be mechanically bonded to one or more sidewalls (e.g., by a thermally-conductive bonding material), or the burner and sidewalls can be of unitary construction (e.g., fabricated together as a unitary piece, such as via additive manufacturing processes).

However, in alternate embodiments, the outer boundary can be defined by a standalone portion of the burner (e.g., wherein the burner defines a standalone unit, such as a system configured to operate by itself, assuming provision of appropriate input fluids and exhaust handling), and/or can be defined in any other suitable manner.

3.4 Exemplary Embodiments

In a first embodiment of the burner system, the input plumbing (additionally or alternatively, the exhaust section) includes a plurality of wedge-shaped FCSs (e.g., as shown in FIGS. 5A-5B). In this example, the input plumbing can include a single large cylindrical tube and a plurality of walls extending inward from this tube to define the FCSs. The input plumbing can optionally include a central cylindrical tube (e.g., at which these walls meet), which can function as an ignitor housing (e.g., containing one or more ignitors operable to ignite the input fluids, such as one or more spark ignitors and/or hot surface ignitors) and/or have any other suitable function (e.g., function as an FCS configured to supply air, fuel, and/or a mixture thereof). In this example, the burner system can include a plurality of protrusive elements 310a (e.g., fins) extending radially outward from the input plumbing, which can function to enhance heat transfer from the exhaust fluid to the input fluids. In examples, the fins can include straight fins (e.g., extending substantially parallel to the FCSs), helical fins, twisting fins, undulating fins, and/or fins of any other suitable shapes.

In a first variation of this embodiment, the input plumbing and exhaust section are switched, wherein the input plumbing is arranged surrounding the exhaust section, and the exhaust section defines a plurality of wedge-shaped FCSs.

In a second variation of this embodiment, the fins directed radially inward do not meet to define a plurality of FCSs, but rather remain separate such that the central portion of the burner system is not separated into different FCSs (e.g., as show in FIGS. 16A-16E), wherein this central portion is preferably configured to transport either input fluids or exhaust.

In a second embodiment of the burner system, the input plumbing includes a plurality of tubes (FCSs) arranged in a cluster, such as substantially parallel tubes that, in some examples, may substantially define a regular array (e.g., 2-dimensional array, such as a hexagonal array or rectangular array). Each of these tubes preferably narrows near its outlet 120, thereby defining a flow restrictor 130. In a variation of this embodiment, the input plumbing and exhaust section are switched, wherein the input plumbing is arranged surrounding the exhaust section, and the exhaust section includes a plurality of tubes (e.g., as shown by way of examples in FIGS. 14A-14H).

In some examples of this embodiment (and/or variations thereof), the tubes are arranged such that radial differences in temperature are reduced (e.g., as described above in more detail), such as shown by way of specific examples in FIGS. 11A-11F. For example, the tubes may be arranged such that all or substantially all tubes have one or more lines of sight out of the burner (e.g., as shown by way of examples in FIGS. 11B-11C), and/or the tubes may be arranged with lower tube density near the center of the cluster (e.g., as shown by way of examples in FIGS. 11D-11F).

The tubes are preferably mechanically connected to each other (e.g., directly connected to each other, each connected to a shared base, connected in any other suitable manner). In some examples of this embodiment, the tubes can be mechanically connected by one or more baffles 310b. Such baffles can include baffles configured to direct exhaust flow inward (e.g., from and/or near the FCS cluster exterior to its interior, such as toward its center; farther inward from an intermediate depth within the FCS cluster; etc.), outward (e.g., toward the FCS cluster exterior from its interior, such as from or near its center; outward from an intermediate depth within the FCS cluster; etc.), laterally (e.g., directing exhaust from one side of the cluster toward the other), circumferentially, and/or in any other suitable directions. In examples, the baffles can include annular baffles (e.g., configured to direct exhaust both inward and outward from an intermediate depth within the FCS cluster), helical baffles, twisting baffles, undulating baffles, and/or any other suitable baffles.

In a first specific example, the burner system includes a conical baffle (e.g., a single conical baffle, such as shown by way of example in FIGS. 3A-3D). In this specific example, the baffle narrows along the downstream direction of the exhaust path (e.g., is at its widest near the input plumbing outlets). The baffle is preferably open on both the wide and narrow ends, which can function to direct the exhaust fluids from the outer FCSs toward the inner FCSs as it travels along the exhaust path (or, in variations in which the exhaust is contained within the FCSs, direct the input fluids from the outer FCSs toward the inner FCSs as they travel through the input plumbing).

In a second specific example, the burner system includes a substantially planar baffle (e.g., a single substantially planar baffle, such as shown by way of example, in FIG. 4B). The planar baffle preferably defines a broad face, which is substantially normal to the FCS fluid flow direction (e.g., to a long axis defined by an FCS tube). The baffle can optionally include an opening (e.g., at or near the center of the baffle), which can facilitate exhaust flow from one side of the baffle to the other along the exhaust path.

In alternate variations, the burner system can include multiple baffles. In some such variations, the baffles can function to impart one or more lateral (e.g., radial, circumferential, etc.) velocity components to the exhaust flow (e.g., flow component in one or more directions normal to the axial direction, such as cross-flow directed toward, away from, and/or circumferential to the long axis and/or the overall exhaust flow direction), and can additionally or alternatively function to create exhaust counter-flow conditions (e.g., flow component in an axial direction opposing the overall exhaust flow direction, such as counter-flow directed back toward the combustion region). For example, the system can include a repeating pattern (or any other suitable arrangement) of baffles of different shapes proceeding along the direction of exhaust flow. In a specific example, the system includes a first baffle configured to direct exhaust from a first side of the cluster toward a second side, then a second baffle configured to direct exhaust from the second side toward the first side, then a third baffle configured to direct exhaust from the first side toward the second side, and so on. However, the burner system can additionally or alternatively include any other suitable baffle(s).

Although described herein as ‘baffles’, a person of skill in the art will recognize that the burner system can additionally or alternatively include structures that mechanically support and/or connect other elements of the system (and/or have any other suitable functions) but that do not substantially function to redirect exhaust flow within the system. Such structures can have any suitable characteristics such as described herein regarding the baffles (and/or can additionally or alternatively have any other suitable characteristics).

In a variation of this embodiment, the burner system includes a plurality of protrusive elements 310a (e.g., fins), such as fins extending radially outward from the cluster of tubes (e.g., as shown in FIG. 6). For example, the burner system can include these radial fins rather than including a baffle 310b (e.g., conical or planar baffle). In examples, the fins can include straight fins (e.g., extending substantially parallel to the FCSs), helical fins, twisting fins, undulating fins, and/or fins of any other suitable shapes.

In some variations, the system can include both one or more protrusive elements and one or more baffles, and/or can include any other suitable heat exchange elements.

Some or all of the heat exchange elements (and/or any other suitable elements of the system), such as the baffles and/or protrusive elements, are preferably configured to aid in matching of fluid flow speeds between the exhaust section and the input plumbing (e.g., configured to ensure that the exhaust flow rate is substantially equal to the input fluid flow rate, such as within a threshold difference such as 2%, 5%, 10%, 20%, 50%, 1-3%, 3-10%, 10-30%, 30-100%, less than 1%, and/or greater than 100%, etc.). Such flow rate matching can enhance heat transfer between the fluids (from the hot exhaust to the colder input fluids).

Some or all of the heat exchange elements preferably exhibit rough surface characteristics (e.g., ‘as finished’ material surfaces), which can function to enhance thermal exchange. However, the heat exchange elements can additionally or alternatively have any other suitable characteristics.

However, the burner system 10 can additionally or alternatively include any other suitable elements in any suitable arrangement.

4. Method

As described above, the method 20 of burner system operation preferably includes operating the burner system in a combustion mode S210 (e.g., in which the burner system combusts fuel and air, and delivers some or all of the resulting heat to a heat reception region, such as a region of a TEC), such as shown by way of example in FIG. 12A. The method 20 can optionally include adjusting between different combustion modes (e.g., involving different fuel flow rates, fuel-air ratios, temperatures, etc.), transitioning between the combustion mode(s) and an inactive mode (e.g., in which no or substantially no combustion occurs), switching between different fuels and/or fuel sources, and/or any other suitable elements. The method for thermionic energy generation preferably functions to heat the TEC, more preferably heating the TEC such that the TEC generates an electrical output (e.g., provide electrical power to an external load).

Accordingly, the method 20 can optionally include (e.g., in response to and/or as a result of operating the burner system in the combustion mode) operating a TEC S220, such as using heat delivered to the TEC to drive an electric load and/or otherwise provide an electrical power output. For example, operating the burner system in the combustion mode can heat the electron emitter of the TEC, thereby causing it to emit electrons across a gap, to be absorbed by an electron collector held at a different potential than the electron emitter. However, the method can additionally or alternatively include any other suitable elements.

Operating the TEC S220 preferably includes receiving power (e.g., receiving heat, preferably from the burner), emitting electrons, and receiving the emitted electrons, and can optionally include convectively transferring heat and/or any other suitable elements (e.g., as shown in FIG. 12B). The method is preferably performed using the system 10 for thermionic energy generation described above, but can additionally or alternatively be performed using any other suitable system(s). In some examples, S220 can include one or more elements such as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/866,381, filed 15 Jul. 2022 and titled “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR THERMIONIC ENERGY CONVERSION”, and/or in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/993,195, filed 23 Nov. 2022 and titled “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR WORK FUNCTION REDUCTION AND THERMIONIC ENERGY CONVERSION”, each of which is herein incorporated in its entirety by this reference (e.g., as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/866,381 regarding the ‘method 20’ and/or as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/993,195 regarding the ‘method 300’). However, S220 can additionally or alternatively include any other suitable elements.

The FIGURES illustrate the architecture, functionality and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods and computer program products according to preferred embodiments, example configurations, and variations thereof. In this regard, each block in the flowchart or block diagrams may represent a module, segment, step, or portion of code, which comprises one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical function(s). It should also be noted that, in some alternative implementations, the functions noted in the block can occur out of the order noted in the FIGURES. For example, two blocks shown in succession may, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality involved. It will also be noted that each block of the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, can be implemented by special purpose hardware-based systems that perform the specified functions or acts, or combinations of special purpose hardware and computer instructions.

As a person skilled in the art will recognize from the previous detailed description and from the figures and claims, modifications and changes can be made to the preferred embodiments of the invention without departing from the scope of this invention defined in the following claims.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a first fluid conveyance element defining a first port, a second port, and a long axis extending from the first port to the second port, the first fluid conveyance element configured to convey a first fluid, the first fluid conveyance element comprising a fluid conveyance structure (FCS), the FCS extending between the first port and the second port and defining an FCS interior configured to convey the first fluid between the first and second ports along an FCS path;

a heat reception element arranged along the long axis, wherein the second port is arranged between the first port and the heat reception element, the burner system defining a combustion region between the second port and the heat reception element, the combustion region fluidly coupled to the FCS interior via the second port;

a second fluid conveyance element defining a second element interior fluidly coupled to the combustion region, the second element interior defining a second path, the second fluid conveyance element configured to convey a second fluid along the second path, the second fluid conveyance element thermally coupled to the FCS;

a first plurality of protrusive structures that protrude outward from the first fluid conveyance element into the second element interior, wherein the first plurality of protrusive structures are configured to thermally couple the first fluid conveyance element to the second fluid; and

a second plurality of protrusive structures that protrude inward from first fluid conveyance element into the FCS interior, wherein the second plurality of protrusive structures are configured to thermally couple the first fluid to the first fluid conveyance element, such that the first and second pluralities of protrusive structures cooperatively thermally couple the first fluid to the second fluid.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the FCS interior defines a first cross-sectional area for fluid flow, the first cross-sectional area defined on a first plane normal to the first FCS path, the first plane arranged between the first port and the second port;

the first fluid conveyance element further comprises a flow restrictor fluidly coupled to the FCS interior, the flow restrictor defining a second cross-sectional area for fluid flow, the second cross-sectional area defined on a second plane normal to the first FCS path, wherein the first cross-sectional area is greater than the second cross-sectional area and the second cross-sectional area is greater than zero, wherein the second plane is arranged between the first plane and the second port; and

the combustion region is fluidly coupled to the FCS interior via the flow restrictor.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the first fluid conveyance element further comprises a plurality of FCSs, the plurality comprising the FCS;

each FCS of the plurality extends from the first port to the second port; and

each FCS of the plurality defines a respective FCS interior configured to convey the first fluid between the first and second ports along a respective FCS path.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the first plurality of protrusive structures comprises:

a first protrusive structure that protrudes outward from the FCS; and

a second protrusive structure that protrudes outward from a second FCS of the plurality of FCSs, second protrusive structure mechanically connected to the first protrusive structure.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein:

each FCS of the plurality is arranged substantially parallel to the long axis;

the plurality of FCSs define an FCS density, defined as the number of FCSs within a unit area, that varies as a function of radial distance from the long axis, wherein: the plurality of FCSs define a maximum radial distance equal to the greatest distance between the long axis and any FCS of the plurality; and the FCS density increases with increasing radial distance between zero and the maximum radial density.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the first fluid comprises fuel and an oxidant;

the second fluid comprises combustion exhaust;

the first port is an inlet; and

the second port is an outlet.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the second fluid conveyance element encircles the first fluid conveyance element.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the first fluid comprises combustion exhaust;

the second fluid comprises fuel and an oxidant;

the first port is an outlet; and

the second port is an inlet.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the second fluid conveyance element encircles the first fluid conveyance element.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein:

at least one of the first fluid or the second fluid comprises combustion exhaust;

at least one of the first fluid or the second fluid comprises fuel and an oxidant;

the system further comprises a third fluid conveyance element configured to convey a third fluid to the combustion region, the third fluid comprising at least one of the fuel or the oxidant.

11. A system comprising: wherein:

a thermionic energy converter (TEC) comprising: a heat reception element; a surface adjacent to and mechanically connected to the heat reception element; and an electron emitter thermally coupled to the heat reception element;

a first fluid conveyance element defining a first port, a second port, and a long axis extending from the first port to the second port, wherein: the first fluid conveyance element is configured to convey a first fluid; the first fluid conveyance element comprises a fluid conveyance structure (FCS), the FCS extending between the first port and the second port and defining an FCS interior configured to convey the first fluid between the first and second ports along an FCS path; and the burner system defines a combustion region between the second port and the heat reception element; and

a second fluid conveyance element defining a second element interior fluidly coupled to the combustion region, the second element interior defining a second path, the second fluid conveyance element configured to convey a second fluid along the second path, the second fluid conveyance element thermally coupled to the FCS;

the heat reception element is arranged along the long axis;

the second port is arranged between the first port and the heat reception element; and

the combustion region is fluidly coupled to the FCS interior via the second port.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising a set of one or more protrusive structures that mechanically and thermally connect the first fluid conveyance element to the surface.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein a first protrusive structure of the set is mechanically connected to the FCS, thereby thermally connecting the FCS to the surface.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein:

the TEC further comprises a shell comprising the heat reception element and the surface, the shell defining a heating cavity bounded by the heat reception element and the surface; and

the combustion region is arranged within the heating cavity and bounded by the shell.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising a set of one or more protrusive structures that mechanically and thermally connect the first fluid conveyance element to the shell.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein a first protrusive structure of the set is mechanically connected to the FCS, thereby thermally connecting the FCS to the shell.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein:

the first fluid conveyance element further comprises a second FCS, the second FCS extending between the first port and the second port and defining a second FCS interior configured to convey the first fluid between the first and second ports along a second FCS path;

a second protrusive of the set is mechanically connected to the second FCS, thereby thermally connecting the second FCS to the shell; and

the system further comprises a third protrusive structure that mechanically connects the FCS to the second FCS.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein:

the second fluid conveyance element surrounds the first fluid conveyance element;

the first fluid conveyance element comprises a wall that fluidly separates the FCS interior from the second element interior; and

a first protrusive structure of the set mechanically and thermally connects the wall to the shell.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein:

the first fluid comprises fuel and an oxidant;

the second fluid comprises combustion exhaust;

the first port is an inlet; and

the second port is an outlet.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein:

the first fluid comprises combustion exhaust;

the second fluid comprises fuel and an oxidant;

the first port is an outlet; and

the second port is an inlet.