Hydrogen Flow Heater Using Combustion Products to Cut Weight
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hydrogen heating systems for gas turbines and fuel cells are heavy due to the use of heat-exchangers, making them unsuitable for aerospace applications.
Innovation Solution
A heating device comprising a combustor and igniter that uses combustion products to directly heat hydrogen through contact with an outer tube, eliminating the need for a separate heat-exchanger by integrating combustion and heating processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a heat-exchanger is used to heat hydrogen, then hydrogen can be vaporized and temperature increased, but the system weight increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the combustion function and heating function into a single integrated device. The combustor burns hydrogen to produce hot combustion products, which then flow through the outer tube to heat the main hydrogen flow, eliminating the need for a separate heat-exchanger component.
Solution Approach 2:
The outer tube serves multiple functions: it acts as a structural component of the heating device, a heat transfer medium conduit, and the heating element itself. The combustion products flow through the outer tube, transferring heat to the main hydrogen flow, thereby performing heating without requiring additional dedicated heating components.
2Temperature
If a separate heat-exchanger is used, then heating function is achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heating function is merged with the combustion function in a single integrated device. The combustor and the heating sections (inner tube and outer tube) form one unified structure, eliminating the need for a separate heat-exchanger and reducing overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The heating device is segmented into functional sections: the combustor section where hydrogen is burned, the inner tube section where combustion products flow, and the outer tube section where heat transfer occurs. This segmentation allows each part to perform its specific function efficiently within the integrated structure.
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
Reduces system weight by integrating combustion and heating, providing efficient hydrogen vaporization and temperature increase without the need for additional heat-exchangers, suitable for aerospace applications.
Implementation Method 1
a combustor arranged to combust air and gaseous hydrogen input to the heating device
Implementation Method 2
an elongate, thermally-conductive outer tube... combustion products produced by the combustor flow from the combustor to an output of the heating device along a flow path such that they are in contact with at least a portion of the internal surface of the outer tube
Data Source
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AI summary
A heating device 100 comprises a thermally-conductive outer tube 102, and a combustor 106 arranged to combust air and gaseous hydrogen input to the device and introduce resulting combustion products into a first end 102A of the outer tube. The device includes an igniter arranged to ignite the air and gaseous hydrogen. Combustion products produced by the combustor flow from the combustor to an output of the device along a flow path 120 such that they are in contact with the internal surface of the outer tube over at least a portion 120B of the flow path. Apparatus 200 for heating a flow of hydrogen comprises a conduit 201 for conducting the flow of hydrogen from a principal input port 204 to a principal output port 206, the apparatus further comprising the heating device 100 located at least partially within the conduit between the principal input port and the principal output port.