Multi-Stage Fuel Reaction Body for Low-Calorific Gas Ignition

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing technologies struggle to economically utilize low-calorific gases due to their low methane content and ignitability, leading to environmental burdens and inefficiencies in energy utilization.

Innovation Solution

A device and method utilizing a pressure-holding housing, overflow lines, and control valves to regulate gas flow, combined with a cascade-like arrangement of reaction chambers and catalytic conversion, enabling efficient conversion of low-calorific gases into usable fuel for gas turbines.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If low-calorific gases are used as fuel, then environmental burden is reduced and energy utilization is improved, but ignitability and combustion stability deteriorate due to low methane content

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveenvironmental burdenVSAvoidignitability
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The combustion process is divided into multiple sequential combustion zones (first, second, third combustion zones) with increasing volumes. Low-calorific gas is introduced in the first zone where it can be reliably ignited and burned, then the hot gases proceed to subsequent zones where additional fuel is added. This segmentation allows stable combustion of low-calorific gas while maintaining overall system reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Fuel is pre-heated in a pre-heating zone before entering the first combustion zone. This preliminary heating action ensures that the low-calorific gas reaches a temperature sufficient for reliable ignition, thereby improving ignitability without compromising the environmental benefit of using low-calorific gas.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If multiple combustion zones with increasing volumes are arranged successively, then combustion efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecombustion efficiencyVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple functional elements are merged into a single integrated combustion chamber structure. The pre-heating zone, first combustion zone, second combustion zone, and third combustion zone are combined in a sequential arrangement within one chamber, allowing efficient multi-stage combustion while avoiding the complexity of separate devices for each function.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The combustion zones are arranged in a longitudinal sequence along the flow direction, utilizing the spatial dimension to create increasing volumes. This dimensional arrangement allows each subsequent zone to have greater volume without requiring complex three-dimensional configurations, thereby improving combustion efficiency while maintaining relatively simple device structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Reliability

If fuel is pre-heated before combustion, then ignitability of low-calorific gas is improved, but energy expenditure increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveignitabilityVSAvoidenergy expenditure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The hot combustion gases from each zone continuously flow into the next zone, maintaining a continuous stream of thermal energy. This continuous action allows the system to sustain combustion temperatures and pre-heat incoming fuel without requiring additional external energy input at each stage, thereby improving ignitability while minimizing energy expenditure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Solution Approach 2:

The combustion process itself provides the heat required for pre-heating the fuel. The hot gases from combustion zones automatically pre-heat the incoming low-calorific gas without requiring external heating devices, allowing the system to serve its own heating needs and reducing overall energy expenditure while ensuring reliable ignition.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The system allows for the efficient conversion of low-calorific gases into usable fuel, reducing environmental impact and energy expenditure by utilizing heat from previous reaction chambers to maintain minimum reaction temperatures, achieving high burner efficiency and reducing NOx formation.

Implementation Method 1

The reaction body (11) has a catalyst (21, 22, 23, 24) assigned to it, in particular in the form of a honeycomb structure

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCatalysis: Catalysis

Implementation Method 2

The heat generated in the first reaction chamber during fuel conversion can be used to heat further fuel to a minimum reaction temperature for subsequent fuel conversion in the next reaction chamber

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal energy transfer: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 3

The air introduced into the pressurized housing surrounding the reaction chamber absorbs the heat radiated by the chamber

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal radiation absorption: Absorption (EM radiation)

Implementation Method 4

the overflow line is fluidly connected at a first end to the pressure-holding housing and at a second end to an inflow area, wherein at least one control valve for regulating a gas flow from the pressure-holding housing through the overflow line into the inflow area

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPressure gradient flow: Pressure Gradient

Data Source

PatentEP3685101B1Method and device for reacting fuels
Publication Date: 2025.11.12 CATALYTIC POWER SOLUTIONS GMBH
  • EP3685101B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3685101B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for reacting deliverable fuels, in which fuel is fed to a first reaction region (21, 22, 23, 24) of a reaction body (11) and is reacted in the latter, and in which fuel is fed to a further reaction region (21, 22, 23, 24) connected downstream of the first reaction region (21, 22, 23, 24) and is reacted therein, even low-calorie, intrinsically poorly ignitable gases can be made economically reactable as fuel, in that compressed air from a compressor is led as an air mass flow into a pressure-retaining housing (12) surrounding the reaction body (11), wherein part of the air mass flow is led to at least one inflow region (17, 18, 19, 20) by means of a bypass line (25, 26, 27, 28, 29), in particular in the reaction body (11), and the gas flow in the bypass line (25, 26, 27, 28, 29) in at least one inflow region l(17, 18, 19, 20) is controlled or regulated by means of at least one control valve (34).