Burner and burner system

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a burner (2), comprising: - a chamber (21) defining a space to accommodate combustion; - an air supply (22) to the chamber to supply air; - an energy carrier supply (6) to the chamber to supply an energy carrier from a group at least comprising hydrogen or biogas; - a solid or semi-solid substance supply (23) to the chamber to supply a renewable and combustible material from a group at least comprising metal and / or metalloid and / or alloy powder and / or iron powder and / or sewage sludge; and - a discharge (24) to expel combustion product and an exhaust (24) to discharge residual gas. Further, the present disclosure relates to a system comprising such a burner and related methods.

Description

[0001] BURNER AND BURNER SYSTEM

[0002] FIELD

[0003] The present disclosure relates to the field of burners and burner systems.

[0004] BACKGROUND

[0005] Burners and burner systems and possibly also methods in general are known, in particular for combusting.

[0006] In particular, but not exclusively, embodiments according to the present disclosure could be used widely in many sectors, including but not restricted to residential, commercial, portable heat and power, and food processing and other potentially relevant enterprises.

[0007] SUMMARY

[0008] The system according to the present disclosure provides improvements over the prior art. In order to achieve this goal, a burner according to the present disclosure comprises:

[0009] - a chamber defining a space to accommodate combustion;

[0010] - an air supply to the chamber to supply air;

[0011] - an energy carrier supply to the chamber to supply an energy carrier from a group at least comprising hydrogen or biogas;

[0012] - a solid or semi-solid substance supply to the chamber to supply a renewable and combustible material from a group at least comprising metal and / or metalloid and / or alloy powder and / or iron powder and / or sewage sludge; and

[0013] - a discharge to expel combustion product and an exhaust to discharge residual gas.

[0014] Thus the burner has multiple supplies of combustible materials and / or gasses.

[0015] Additionally, the burner may be configured to generate a self-sustaining flame for each or one of the energy carrier and the solid or semi-solid substance independently of each other. Then, the burner may further be configured to generate a self-sustaining flame for each or one of the energy carrier and the semi-solid substance for at least a minute. Additionally or alternatively, the burner may be configured to generate a self-sustaining flame for each or one of the energy carrier and the semisolid substance at a nominal capacity of the burner of at least IkW, preferably at least 3 kW and more preferably at least 5kW independently of each other.

[0016] Additionally or alternatively, the discharge and the exhaust are combined.

[0017] Additionally or alternatively, the burner may comprise a cooling chamber connected to at least one of the discharge and the exhaust.

[0018] Additionally or alternatively, the burner may comprise a water cooling circuit associated with at least the chamber. In an embodiment having a cooling chamber and a water cooling circuit, wherein the water cooling circuit may be associated with both the chamber and the cooling chamber.

[0019] In an embodiment comprising at least the water cooling circuit, the water cooling circuit may comprises a high pressure outlet, that is at least connectable or connected to an energy generator. Additionally or alternatively, the water cooling circuit may be connected or connectable to a water reservoir associated with a building.

[0020] Additionally or alternatively, the burner may comprise air supply is configured to generate a swirling flow in at least the chamber.

[0021] Additionally or alternatively, the air supply is configured to generate a swirling flow in at least the cooling chamber.

[0022] Additionally or alternatively, the air supply and the solid or semi-solid substance supply are combined.

[0023] Additionally or alternatively, the burner may further comprise at least one collector configured to collect at least combusted substance.

[0024] In an embodiment having the cooling chamber as well as the collector, the collector may be connected to the cooling chamber.

[0025] In an embodiment having the collector, the collector may comprise at least one a cyclone. Additionally or alternatively, the collector may comprise a plurality of receptacles. Further, additionally or alternatively, the collector may comprise a filter.

[0026] In addition to the scope of the burner, the present disclosure also relates to a system in which such a burner is incorporated. Such a system comprises the burner as defined above, and an energy carrier source connected to the energy carrier supply.

[0027] Additionally, the energy carrier source may comprise a hydrogen generator. Then, the hydrogen generator may be configured to generate hydrogen out of aluminum or iron. More in detail, the hydrogen generator may be configured to generate hydrogen out of aluminum scraps or iron powder and water from a water supply. Additionally or alternatively, the hydrogen generator may be connected via an outlet to the energy carrier supply of the burner to supply hydrogen as the energy carrier and steam to the chamber of the burner. The hydrogen generator may generates aluminum oxide or iron oxide, discharged via an outlet as a by-product.

[0028] In an embodiment of the system having at least the energy carrier source connected to the energy carrier supply, the burner may comprise a water cooling circuit, wherein the system further comprises an energy generator, connected to a high pressure heated water output of the water cooling circuit. Then, the energy generator may comprises a turbine.

[0029] In a further embodiment, the energy generator may comprise a low pressure heated water output forming at least a part of the water supply for the hydrogen generator.

[0030] In a further embodiment, the system may comprise a water reservoir connected to either or both of the water supply of the hydrogen generator or a water supply of the water cooling circuit of the burner. Then, the water reservoir may comprise a pump for supply of pressurized water to the hydrogen generator or the water cooling circuit.

[0031] In an embodiment, the system may be incorporated in a building.

[0032] In yet another embodiment, the energy generator may comprise a power outlet connected to a power circuit of the building.

[0033] In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, a burner process is provided, comprising

[0034] - providing a chamber defining a space to accommodate combustion;

[0035] - supplying air to the chamber;

[0036] - supplying to the chamber an energy carrier from a group at least comprising hydrogen or biogas;

[0037] - supplying to the chamber a solid or semi-solid substance comprising a renewable and combustible material from a group at least comprising metal and / or metalloid and / or alloy powder and / or iron powder and / or sewage sludge;

[0038] - generating a self-sustaining flame for the energy carrier and / or the solid or semi-solid substance independently of each other; and

[0039] - expelling combustion product and discharging residual gas from the chamber.

[0040] Further, generating a self-sustaining flame for the energy carrier and / or the solid or semi-solid substance may comprise burning each or one of the energy carrier and the solid or semi-solid substance for at least a minute independently of each other.

[0041] Additionally or alternatively, generating a self-sustaining flame for the energy carrier and / or the solid or semi-solid substance may comprise burning each or one of the energy carrier and the solid or semi-solid substance at a nominal capacity of the burner of at least 1 kW, preferably at least 3 kW and more preferably at least 5 kW independently of each other.

[0042] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0043] In the appended drawing, embodiments of systems and components thereof are shown in nonlimiting embodiments, wherein the same or similar elements, components and functional aspects may be designated throughout the drawing with the same or similar reference signs and wherein:

[0044] FIG. 1 exhibits a system in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure;

[0045] FIG. 1A exhibits a top view of a burner in the system of FIG. 1; and

[0046] FIG. 2 - 7 exhibit further details of the burner according to the present disclosure.

[0047] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0048] In below described embodiment of the present disclosure, a system, burner and possibly also a process or process are proposed to co-produce hot water, high-pressure steam, and electricity using co-buming of in-situ produced hydrogen but not limited to hydrogen including other types of green alternative fuels (with zero- or net zero carbon footprint) like ammonia and biogases with metal or metalloid (e.g., the iron or other combustible metals such as Mg, Al, Mn, or metalloids like silicon (Si)) powder process for residential and industrial applications defined objectives for the technology which is related to its environmental impact to produce zero-carbon dioxide emission thermal systems. To do so, the present disclosure uses a simplified, affordable, and compact burner capable of managing both strategies of individual or co-buming hydrogen gas (without hydrogen purity matter) or other above mentioned green alternative fuels with metal or metalloid powders. In the present disclosure it is proposed to optionally produce hydrogen in situ using cracking ammonia or a reaction of Aluminium (beverage-can scraps) or iron powders with pressurized water (> 10 bar). This significantly extends the flexibility of such zero-emission systems to operate using a wide range of renewable sources, some of which may be available as waste at home (e.g., beverage cans) or chemical plants and farms (e.g., big farms may partially produce ammonia). Furthermore, electricity may be produced using for instance a steam turbine 7 to generate electricity. Thanks to the design of the system, it is easy to scale the system capacity down or up according to prevailing needs.

[0049] Furthermore, thanks to the doubled-layered design of the heat exchanger located downstream and also the main combustor, fouling of the heat exchangers and the need to regularly clean them in currently available metal-fired burners will not be the case anymore because of the lack of direct contact between the combustion products and the solid surface of the exchangers.

[0050] A further advantage of the dual fuel burners according to the present disclosure is that a different type of a flame is created due to co-buming of different types of fuels together. For example, the radiation heat transfer characteristics due to the combined flame are improved, which makes these types of burners more suitable of being used in different processes and applications. Further, the dual fuel burning process of the present disclosure produces little or no soot being produced.

[0051] Major industrial or residential application burners are designed to work with either hydrogen or other green alternative gaseous fuels or metal powders to generate heat and / or power. To the best available knowledge of the creators of the present disclosure, there is no clear evidence of any design to co-bum gaseous (hydrogen or other green alternative gaseous fuels) and solid fuels (metal powder) in the same burner to produce a self-sustaining flame of both fuel types independently of each other.

[0052] In relation to optional generating hydrogen in situ, it is noted that using an aluminum-water reaction to produce hydrogen is a well-known technique. However, no prior publication could be found relevant to the proposed idea of co-buming hydrogen or other green alternative gaseous fuels with metal or metalloid powders for heating and power purposes as combined heat and power (CHP) generation.

[0053] In the present disclosure, metals or metalloids are burnt, combusted or oxidized concurrently. It is noted here, that numerous combinations are possible: only solid or semi-solid fuel is burned, only gaseous fuel is burned, both fuels are burned concurrently and for the same time period, or both fuels are burned concurrently but over different time periods, such as where the burning of one type of fuel is discontinued while the other continues to bum. This is different from using a gaseous combustible to ignite the solid or semi-solid combustible, but as soon as the solid combustible is ignited, discontinuing the flow, or using one combustible to support the flame of another combustible. In the present disclosure, the burner is designed such that both fuels are capable of being burned concurrently or in an alternating manner for more than a minute each. Where one of the fuels is used for ignition, it is typically turned off after about 10 seconds, and where one of the fuels is used to support the burning of another fuel, neither is capable of burning independently. Further, in such cases neither of the flames is self-sustaining. In contrast, in the embodiments of the present disclosure, the burner may be configured to produce a self-sustaining flame (e.g., burning for more than a minute) using each of the fuels independently and each fuel should provide the nominal capacity in terms of the above mentioned power in 1, 3, or 5 or more kW of the burner on its own.

[0054] Executing this operation while also reacting hydrogen or other green alternative gaseous fuels and air (21% 02 + 79% N2), this produces heat and metal or metalloid oxides. During combustion, the co-buming of green alternative gaseous fuels (here, hydrogen) with metal or metalloid powders generates massive heat, which can be used to generate electricity and hot water and air. Also, the produced thermal energy can be used for heating purposes, for example for heating of building 13, and the produced metal or metalloid oxides may be recycled using green hydrogen later on. In present disclosure, required amounts of hydrogen can be generated in situ using the reaction of water with aluminum scraps or thermal cracking ammonia. Both these processes produce significant amounts of hydrogen, where for example 1kg of Ammonia generates about 177 grams of hydrogen, and one kilogram of aluminium scrap (about 63 cans of 500 ml beverage) produces about 148 gr of hydrogen, respectively. Moreover, we compress the high-purity hydrogen gas inside its water-aluminum reactor, to execute the reaction at high water pressure. Then, the hydrogen is fed to burner 2, where it bums individually or in combination with metal or metalloid powders to boost thermal energy production capacity.

[0055] Novel aspects of the present disclosure are inter aha (which may be reflected in or form part of the appended claims or may be susceptible to separate protection):

[0056] Co-firing hydrogen or other alternative gaseous green fuels and metal or metalloid powder approach to generate combined heat and electricity independent of accessing fuel feeding lines.

[0057] Co-production of hot water / steam, electricity, and metal or metalloid oxides.

[0058] Fouling of the inner wall of the main burner and the heat exchangers and the need to regularly clean them in currently available metal-fired burners will not be the case anymore because of the lack of direct contact between the combustion products and the solid surface of the exchangers and also using periphery distributed micro-jets.

[0059] Potentially, applications with respect to metal energy carrier technology could benefit from the present disclosure. Also, applications regarding manufacturing renewable and industrial boilers and stationary or portable micro combined heat and power (micro-CHP) systems (< 50 kW) could benefit from the concept. Indeed, the proposed concept with a potential emission level of ZERO would be a good choice for all the aforementioned companies active in thermal energy systems, specifically those focused on implementing renewables and sustainable energy carriers. Also, this concept may provide end users with cheaper energy carrier costs by marketing its by-products, benefiting carbon-free or emission-free footprint taxes

[0060] FIG. 1 shows a burner 2 in a system 1 in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. Therein, system 1 comprises burner 2 in combination with energy carrier source 3 connected to energy carrier supply 6 of burner 2. Energy carrier source 3 comprises a hydrogen generator 4, but could comprise any convenient or beneficial source, for example of biogas.

[0061] Burner 2 comprises chamber 21 defining a space to accommodate combustion. Air supply 22 feeds air to chamber 21. At the same time, energy carrier supply 6 is connected to chamber 21 to supply an energy carrier, here in particular hydrogen. Solid or semi-solid substance supply 23 is connected to chamber 21 to supply a renewable and combustible material, such as iron powder, but may supply any metal and / or metalloid and / or alloy powder and / or iron powder and / or sewage sludge. Further, burner 2 comprises discharge 24 to expel combustion product. At the same time discharge 24 forms an exhaust for residual gas to exit chamber 21.

[0062] Hydrogen generator 4 in the embodiment of FIG. 1 may be configured to generate hydrogen out of aluminium from scrap beverage cans and water from a water supply. Other sources for supplying or generating hydrogen may be used, such as bottled storage or any hydrogen generator to extract hydrogen from water or the like.

[0063] Here, hydrogen generator 4 is connected via an outlet to energy carrier supply 6 of burner 2 to supply hydrogen as the energy carrier and steam to the chamber of the burner 2.

[0064] It is noted here that hydrogen generator 4 also generates aluminium oxide, if scrap or waste cans are provided thereto for generating hydrogen.

[0065] Such aluminium oxide may be discharged via outlet 5 as a by-product, which may be usefully deployed in another process or system according to the present disclosure, but such a system or process is per se outside of the scope of the present disclosure, even though generating the aluminium oxide may be part of the possibilities of the present disclosure.

[0066] Burner 2 comprises a water cooling circuit, that will be elaborated on herein after. However, it is noted here that in this embodiment, system 1 further comprises energy generator, which may be connected to high pressure heated water output 8 of the water cooling circuit. In such an embodiment, the energy generator may comprises turbine 7. Electrical energy from the energy generator in general or turbine 7 in particular can be used effectively and beneficially in - for example -building 13.

[0067] Because turbine 7 lowers both pressure and temperature of heated water from the water cooling circuit of burner 2, the energy generator or turbine 7 may comprise low pressure heated water output 9 feeding water to hydrogen generator 4. System 1 further comprises water reservoir 10, that may be connected to either or both of the water supply of hydrogen generator 4 or a water supply of the water cooling circuit of burner 2. In this embodiment, water reservoir 10 may comprise pump 11 for supply of pressurized water to the hydrogen generator or the water cooling circuit. Water reservoir 10 may be fded with waste water from building 13.

[0068] System 1 may be incorporated in building 13. Water reservoir 10 may be associated with building 13. Electricity from the generator in general or turbine 7 in particular may be supplied to building 13, for which the energy generator may comprises power outlet 12 connected to a power circuit of the building.

[0069] As indicated above, burner 2 comprises chamber 21, air supply 22 and energy carrier supply 6. Air supply 6 provides air, which is, in the case of ambient air, a mixture of nitrogen and oxygen, normally in concentrations of up to 21% oxygen and 79% nitrogen. Energy carrier supply 6 provides hydrogen or an alternative, such as biogas, to the interior of chamber 21.

[0070] In the present embodiment, iron powder may be provided via supply 23 into the interior of chamber 21, as an embodiment of a solid or semi-solid substance. The substance is combustible, and may be a renewable material. However, other materials may be provided instead of or in addition to iron powder, such as a metal and / or a metalloid and / or alloy powder and / or iron powder and / or sewage sludge, or the like.

[0071] Chamber 21 has discharge 24 to expel combustion product. At the same time, and discharge 24 forms an exhaust to discharge residual gas. Later-on, residual gas and combustion product may be separated. However, burner 2 further comprises cooling chamber 25 connected to at least one of discharge 24 also forming and the gas exhaust.

[0072] Burner 2 further comprises a water cooling circuit associated with at least chamber 21. However, in the shown embodiment, the water cooling circuit is associated with both chamber 21 and cooling chamber 25. The water cooling system may be integrated into walls of chamber 21 and cooling chamber 25. Arrows indicated in the insides of walls of chamber 21 and of chamber 25 indicate a direction of flow of cooling water, through burner 2.

[0073] As shown in FIG.2, exhibiting a wall 30 of cooling chamber 25, a double wall may be provided for enhanced heat transfer from cooling chamber 25 into the cooling water. A similar wall construction may be used for chamber 21.

[0074] Between elements of double wall 3 a cavity is formed with transverse plates 31 or bulkheads, having passages 32 formed therein. The passages 32 are staggered or (mis)aligned to optimize or even lengthen a duration in which cooling water is in double wall 30 to optimize heat absorption into the cooling water meandering through the passages 32 to progress through the double wall 30 in the general direction of the arrows in FIG. 1 and 2.

[0075] Further, the cooling circuit may be provided with cooling water from reservoir 10 that is associated with building 13, using pump 11. An alternative / additional pump 11 may provide water from reservoir 10 to hydrogen generator 4. Pump 11 as an embodiment of a part of the water cooling circuit provides pressurized cooling water to the water cooling circuit of burner 2. Upon passing through burner 2, cooling water is heated and still pressurized, so that it may be provided beneficially to the generator in general or turbine 7 in particular, via high pressure outlet 8, for generating electrical energy.

[0076] Burner 2 or system 1 may further comprise at least one collector 26 to collect at least combusted substance. If burner 2 comprises cooling chamber 25, collector 26 may be connected to cooling chamber 25. In the shown embodiment, discharge 24 expels combustion product and hot residual gasses into cooling chamber 25 and onward into collector 26. If the combustible material is iron powder, the expelled combustion product comprises Iron oxide powder. If another metal or metalloid is used, then the combustion product may comprise metal oxide (MOx). Further, in the shown embodiment, collector 26 comprises three receptacles for accumulating combustion product. The first and second receptacles may accumulate combustion product through deposition. A third component of collector 26 is cyclone 27. More receptacles of collector 26 may comprises cyclones, which are well suited to separate residual gas from combustion product, since combustion product will most often have the form of particles. Also, residual gas may be expelled into the atmosphere via filter 28, and - if the process in combustion chamber 21 involves oxidation of e.g. iron powder - most of the residual gas will comprise nitrogen. However, the nitrogen may be captured and used, as it will be more pure nitrogen, than ambient air, since much of the oxygen in ambient air will have been spent on the oxidation, burning or combustion process in chamber 21. To remove or capture valuable combustion product particles, filter 28 may be used to clean the residual gas before being expelled into the atmosphere or being captured.

[0077] In FIG. 1A in top view along arrow 1A in FIG. 1, and in FIG. 3, FIG. 4 and FIG.5 top plate 33 to close an upper side of wall 30 of burner 2 is shown. Top plate 33 comprises central insert port 34 for introducing concurrently iron oxide from solid or semi-solid substance supply 23, and hydrogen from energy carrier supply 6. Air from air supply 22 is fed to nozzles 35 oriented tangentially for generating a swirling air flow motion in chamber 21, along arrows 36. Around the periphery of top plate 33 and surrounding insert port 34, jet passages 37 are arranged, that may be supplied also with ambient air from air supply 22, to strengthen the swirling air flow in chamber 21, in addition to swirling air flow from tangentially oriented nozzles 35.

[0078] As shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 3, FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, discharge 24 of chamber 21 transits into cooling chamber 25, with a cone or downstream tapering or converging shape, that widens into cooling chamber 25 to induce a venturi effect

[0079] Like the embodiment above of chamber 21, jet passages 38 may be deployed in cooling chamber 25. These may comprise obliquely and downward oriented jet passages 38 in or through connector ring(s) 39 connecting chamber 21 and cooling chamber 25, where jet passages 38 may be supplied with cooling water or air from air supply 22, to generate a swirling water or air flow along inner side walls of cooling chamber 25.

[0080] In general,jet passages 37 and jet passages 38 may be micro sized jet passages, and may be supplied with air or water, to impart or strengthen a swirling motion to or of an air flow from nozzles 35. Also in the chamber 21, such flows may serve to prevent combustion product from being deposited onto inner walls of chamber 21, but also from walls of cooling chamber 25.

[0081] In the present disclosure of specific, non-limiting embodiments, as shown in Figure 1, burner 2 comprises separate chambers 21, 25, in particular an upper combustion chamber and a heat exchanger bottom chamber. Chamber 21 is mainly responsible for a combustion process. However, lower lying cooling chamber 25 may have double wall 30 shown n FIG.2, and is accountable for maximizing heat transfer from the exhaust gases and flying buming / hot particles to the water or other heat transfer medium being guided through wall 30. This heat transfer function is enhanced by using several stages of perforated discs (FIG.2) installed as a staggered form with an angle of (3607number of discs). Maximizing the absorbed heat by water significantly improves the thermal efficiency and compactness of burner 2 and thus of system 1. As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG.3, the main burner chamber 21 includes four sections:

[0082] Metal powder and hydrogen gas injector at central insert port 34 is connected to energy carrier supply 6 to supply an energy carrier such as hydrogen and to solid or semi-solid substance supply 23 for introducing for example iron powder.

[0083] Swirling air nozzles 35 are installed in a form to generate swirling flow around the central powder insert port 34 and the gaseous fuel burner shown in FIG. 4 and 5. There, eight injectors or nozzles 35 are shown in FIG. 1A, FIG.4 and FIG.5 but the disclosure is not limited to this particular number of nozzles 35. The number of nozzles 35 may depend on design circumstances including available space, desired turbulence level, and the required level of homogeneity inside the burner

[0084] Around atop of chamber 21, in top plate 33, distributed micro-jets prevent sedimentation of flying burning particles on the wall of chamber 21 (FIGs, 4 and 5).

[0085] Bottom preheat distributed micro-jets 38 (FIG. 6 and FIG. 7) may be provided to prevent sedimentation on the converging cone, rather than a swirling flow inside cooling chamber 25. The process starts by feeding swirling air, hydrogen (or Biogas or another energy carrier), or / and metal powder (MP) (and / or Sewage Sludge) into the burner. According to the present disclosure, which is not limited to hydrogen gas co-firing, it is possible to produce the required hydrogen for co-buming in situ by reacting aluminum scraps with water in a reactor working at pressures above 50 bar. Otherwise, hydrogen may be provided from bottled gas or through thermal cracking of ammonia using hot water or steam that may even be obtained from chamber 21 and the cooling circuit or any other kind of available supply of hydrogen gas.

[0086] It’s noted that one kg of ammonia can be dissociated into about 177 grams of hydrogen, and one kilogram of aluminium scrap (about 63 cans of 500 ml beverage) may be used to produce about 148 grams of hydrogen. Once a flame is established inside chamber 21 of burner 2, the wall of chamber 21 of burner 2 will heat up rapidly. This wall may also function as a heat exchanger to transfer generated heat to the cooling medium (water) flowing upwards from the bottom, even also through wall 30 of colling chamber 25. To prevent sedimentation of swirling, flying, and burning particles on inner surfaces of chambers 21, 25, peripherally distributed micro-jets may be used to inject high-velocity jets to act as a scrubber to keep the particles from reaching or adhering to the wall surface. Secondary periphery micro-jets 38 (FIG. 6 and FIG. 7) may be are designed to keep the convergent cone shape of discharge 24 at the bottom of the chamber 21 and transitioning into cooling chamber 25 separate from flying particle sedimentation. Their high velocity does the same job as the primary periphery micro-jets 37 and swirling flow from nozzles 35.

[0087] Combustion gases and still-flying burning particles passthrough discharge 24 through the cooling chamber 25, that may define a heat exchanger. Remaining heat in the combustion gases and particles may be transferred in cooling chamber 25 to a heat absorber medium, in particular water flowing through the cooling circuit. The heated water can be used for a wide range of applications, including heating purposes. Above the heated cooling water may be used to drive a turbine 7. Then, the cooled-down water may be recirculated back to reservoir 10, to thereafter be used again. Alternatively, still-warm cooling water may be fed into the hydrogen generator 4. As shown in FIG. 1, heat and electricity generated during the processes may be used for residential and other production facilities. Also, any surplus electricity generated may be used to charge (a pack of) batteries, which can be supplied to the installed utilities like pumps.

[0088] In the next stage of collector 26, that may be part of the system in general or of the burner 2 in particular, solid-state metal or metalloid oxides (MOx) are separated from the flying gas-solid flow within plural collectors, of which one may preferably be a cyclone. Relatively big particles are collected in a first of the collectors, and then mostly flying submicron particles are captured in a second of the collectors, which may comprise a wide dump tank. Finally, mostly super fine and nanosize particles are trapped by passing through the third collector formed by possibly a cyclone 27. All these powders, especially micron-sized ones, can be recycled. However, nano-size ones could be dispensed of (sold) as a commodity for further processing in various downstream industries.

[0089] Based on the foregoing description, it is noted that the present disclosure relates to production of energy via co-buming of hydrogen or other types of gaseous alternative green fuels with zero or net zero carbon foot print and metals or metalloids and a burner adapted for this purpose. However, practical applications may entail more fields and materials. Although the basis of the present disclosure above resides in the concurrent or simultaneous burning or combusting or oxidizing of H2 and metal(loid)s, other aspects and materials could yield beneficial effects, such a biogas with or instead of H2, and other combustible materials instead of iron or metal / metalloids. Indeed, co-buming different kinds of renewables and energy carriers, including hydrogen, biogases, and other types of solid combustible materials like sewage sludge, may help significantly to improve the versatility, cost- effectiveness, and applicability of such burners, especially when there are limitations in providing one of the energy carriers (fuels) and also when co-buming may improve thermal and conversion efficiency of the combustion / oxidation process.

[0090] In the described embodiments, some potential alternatives have also been indicated, in non- limitative indications. Consequently, the skilled person would, after having been confronted with these specifically described embodiments as well as indicated alternatives for specific aspects of the embodiments disclosed herein above and shown in the appended drawing, immediately and unambiguously realize that the scope of protection according to appended claims should not be unduly limited to aspects of the specifically disclosed embodiments.

[0091] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used herein, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms "comprises" and / or "comprising," when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof.

[0092] The corresponding structures, materials, acts, and equivalents of all means or step plus function elements in the claims below are intended to include any structure, material, or act for performing the function in combination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed. The description of embodiments of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration, but is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the implementations in the form disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles and some practical applications of the present invention, and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the present invention for various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A burner (2), comprising:- a chamber (21) defining a space to accommodate combustion;- an air supply (22) to the chamber to supply air;- an energy carrier supply (6) to the chamber to supply an energy carrier from a group at least comprising hydrogen or biogas;- a solid or semi-solid substance supply (23) to the chamber to supply a renewable and combustible material from a group at least comprising metal and / or metalloid and / or alloy powder and / or iron powder and / or sewage sludge; and- a discharge (24) to expel combustion product and an exhaust (24) to discharge residual gas.

2. The burner as claimed in clam 1, wherein the burner is configured to generate a self- sustaining flame for each or one of the energy carrier and the solid or semi-solid substance independently of each other.

3. The burner as claimed in claim 2, wherein the burner is configured to generate a self- sustaining flame for each or one of the energy carrier and the solid or semi-solid substance for at least a minute.

4. The burner as claimed in claim 2 or 3, wherein the burner is configured to generate a self-sustaining flame for each or one of the energy carrier and the solid or semi-solid substance at a nominal capacity of the burner of at least 1 kW, preferably at least 3 kW and more preferably at least 5 kW independently of each other.

5. The burner as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the discharge and the exhaust are combined.

6. The burner as claimed in any of the preceding claims, further comprising a cooling chamber (25) connected to at least one of the discharge and the exhaust.

7. The burner as claimed in any of the preceding claims, further comprising a water cooling circuit associated with at least the chamber (21).

8. The burner as claimed in claims 6 and 7, wherein the water cooling circuit is associated with both the chamber (21) and the cooling chamber (25).

9. The burner as claimed in claim 7 or 8, wherein the water cooling circuit comprises a high pressure outlet (8), that is at least connectable or connected to an energy generator (7).

10. The burner as claimed in claim 7, 8 or 9, wherein the water cooling circuit is connected or connectable to a water reservoir (10) associated with a building (13).

11. The burner as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the air supply (22) is configured to generate a swirling flow in at least the chamber (21).

12. The burner as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the air supply is configured to generate a swirling flow in at least the cooling chamber (25).

13. The burner as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the air supply and the solid or semi-solid substance supply are combined.

14. The burner as claimed in any of the preceding claims, further comprising at least one collector (26) configured to collect at least combusted substance.

15. The burner as claimed in claims 6 and 14, wherein the collector (26) is connected to the cooling chamber (25).

16. The burner as claimed in claim 14 or 15, wherein collector (26) comprises at least one a cyclone (27).

17. The burner as claimed in claim 14, 15 or 16, wherein the collector (26) comprises a plurality of receptacles.

18. The burner as claimed in any of claims 14 - 17, wherein the collector (26) comprises a fdter (28).

19. A system (1), comprising a burner (2) as claimed in any of the preceding claims and an energy carrier source (3) connected to the energy carrier supply.

20. The system as claimed in claim 19, wherein the energy carrier source (3) comprises a hydrogen generator (4).

21. The system as claimed in claim 20, wherein the hydrogen generator (4) is configured to generate hydrogen out of aluminum or iron.

22. The system as claimed in claim 21, wherein the hydrogen generator (4) is configured to generate hydrogen out of aluminum scraps or iron powder and water from a water supply.

23. The system as claimed in any of the preceding claims 20 - 22, wherein the hydrogen generator (4) is connected via an outlet (6) to the energy carrier supply of the burner (2) to supply hydrogen as the energy carrier and steam to the chamber of the burner (2).

24. The system as claimed in claim 21, 22 or 23, wherein the hydrogen generator generates aluminum oxide or iron oxide, discharged via an outlet (5) as a by-product.

25. The system as claimed in any of preceding claims 19 - 23, wherein the burner comprises a water cooling circuit, wherein the system further comprises an energy generator, connected to a high pressure heated water output (8) of the water cooling circuit.

26. The system as claimed in claim 25, wherein the energy generator comprises a turbine (7).

27. The system as claimed in at least claim 21 and claim 25 or 26, wherein the energy generator comprises a low pressure heated water output (9) forming at least a part of the water supply for the hydrogen generator (4).

28. The system as claimed in claim 21 or 25, further comprising a water reservoir (10) connected to either or both of the water supply of the hydrogen generator (4) or a water supply of the water cooling circuit of the burner (2).

29. The system as claimed in claim 28, wherein the water reservoir (10) comprises a pump (11) for supply of pressurized water to the hydrogen generator or the water cooling circuit.

30. The system as claimed in any of preceding claims 19 - 29, wherein the system is incorporated in a building (13).

31. The system as claimed in claim 30 and in any of claims 25 - 29, wherein the energy generator comprises a power outlet (12) connected to a power circuit of the building.

32. A burner process comprising:- providing a chamber defining a space to accommodate combustion;- supplying air to the chamber;- supplying to the chamber an energy carrier from a group at least comprising hydrogen or biogas;- supplying to the chamber a solid or semi-solid substance comprising a renewable and combustible material from a group at least comprising metal and / or metalloid and / or alloy powder and / or iron powder and / or sewage sludge;- generating a self-sustaining flame for the energy carrier and / or the solid or semi-solid substance independently of each other; and- expelling combustion product and discharging residual gas from the chamber.

33. The burner process as claimed in claim 32, wherein generating a self-sustaining flame for the energy carrier and / or the solid or semi-solid substance comprises burning each or one of the energy carrier and the solid or semi-solid substance for at least a minute independently of each other.

34. The burner as claimed in claim 32 or 33, wherein generating a self-sustaining flame for the energy carrier and / or the solid or semi-solid substance comprises burning each or one of the energy carrier and the solid or semi-solid substance at a nominal capacity of the burner of at least 1 kW, preferably at least 3 kW and more preferably at least 5 kW independently of each other.

Images