Hydrogen Premixed Burner Combustion Cell Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional combustion cells for heating systems face issues with overheating, bulkiness, high maintenance and production costs due to the use of insulating materials, and inefficient cooling, particularly when using hydrogen or hydrogen-natural gas mixtures which lead to backfires and environmental concerns.
Innovation Solution
A combustion cell design featuring a fan unit, a burner with a convex shape, a distributor with a peripheral zone of apertures, and a heat exchanger coil configuration that allows for direct heat exchange without insulating materials, enabling efficient cooling and compact size, while accommodating hydrogen-rich fuel mixtures for reduced emissions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If insulating material is used to prevent overheating of upstream elements, then overheating is prevented, but the product becomes bulkier and more expensive with limited lifespan
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the insulating material from the combustion cell design entirely. Instead of insulating upstream elements to prevent overheating, the design allows direct exposure to high temperatures, solving the contradiction by extracting the problematic insulating material while maintaining temperature control through alternative means (compact heat exchanger positioning and thermal management design).
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful high temperature exposure into a beneficial feature by positioning the heat exchanger in direct contact with the combustion chamber. The high temperatures that would normally require insulation are now directly utilized for efficient heat transfer to the water in the heat exchanger, eliminating the need for insulating materials while improving thermal efficiency.
2Temperature
If insulating material is used to prevent overheating, then temperature control is achieved, but manufacturing and maintenance costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates insulating materials from the combustion cell construction, directly reducing manufacturing complexity and material costs. The design simplifies the assembly process by removing the insulation layer and its associated installation requirements, while the durable metal construction of the heat exchanger and combustion chamber reduces long-term maintenance needs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the thermal management approach from passive insulation to active thermal utilization. By designing the heat exchanger to directly engage with the combustion chamber, the system transforms the thermal parameters to favor direct heat transfer, eliminating the need for insulating materials and their associated manufacturing and maintenance costs.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If conventional burner design is used with hydrogen-rich fuel, then backfire and instability occur, but hydrogen provides reduced emissions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different aperture sizes in different zones of the distributor plate. The peripheral zone has larger apertures while the central zone has smaller apertures, creating localized flow characteristics that stabilize the hydrogen-rich flame front and prevent backfire. This local differentiation of aperture quality allows the system to handle the unique combustion characteristics of hydrogen while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the distributor plate apertures to optimize hydrogen combustion. By adjusting aperture size, shape, and distribution patterns, the system adapts the fuel-air mixing parameters to match hydrogen's high flame speed and low ignition energy requirements, preventing backfire while maintaining the emission benefits of hydrogen fuel.
4Device complexity
If duct is formed completely in the conveying element, then structural simplicity is achieved, but cell size increases and fan unit access becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the duct system into separate components rather than forming it entirely within the conveying element. The duct is divided into inlet, mid-section, and outlet portions that can be independently configured and accessed. This segmentation allows for a more compact overall cell design while enabling easy access to the fan unit for maintenance without requiring complete disassembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic accessibility to the duct system through removable panels or access points in the combustion cell structure. This allows the duct and fan unit to be accessed, inspected, and maintained without permanently increasing the cell's enclosed volume or requiring complete disassembly, balancing structural simplicity with maintenance accessibility.
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 solution provides improved accessibility and maintenance, enhanced cooling capacity, reduced size, and cost-effectiveness, along with stable and efficient operation using hydrogen-rich fuel mixtures, minimizing overheating and environmental impact.
Implementation Method 1
a heat exchanger coil (8), arranged around the longitudinal axis (L) to surround the combustion chamber and provided with a plurality of wraps including a first wrap (801) proximal to the burner (5) and a last wrap distal to the burner (5)
Implementation Method 2
supplying a premix of combustible gas and air to the burner (5), wherein a combustible gas of the premix air-gas flow contains at least 20% by volume of hydrogen
Data Source
AI summary
A premixed gas heating system comprises: a fan assembly (2) configured to supply a premixed air-gas flow required for combustion, wherein a combustible gas of the premixed air-gas flow contains at least 20% by volume of hydrogen; a burner (5) comprising a plurality of holes, wherein the plurality of holes provides a free passage area defined as an area that allows the outflow of the premixed air-gas flow from an area upstream of the burner (5) to an area where flames of combustion are generated; a load controller, configured to regulate an output load of the burner (5) such that the heating system modulates between a minimum load and a maximum load, wherein a ratio between the minimum load and the maximum load is at least 4, wherein the minimum load of the heating system is set such that a combustion index, defined as the ratio between the minimum load and the free passage area of the burner, is between 4 E06 and 6 E07.