Pellet Catalyst Burner for Lean Combustion

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing high-temperature combustion catalysts using precious metals are expensive and limit the industrial application of catalytic combustion burners due to high manufacturing costs and challenges in achieving lean and complete combustion.

Innovation Solution

A burner using a pellet-type high-temperature combustion catalyst made from transition metals, prepared by a method involving a metal precursor solution, precipitation, filtration, washing, drying, and calcination, which enables efficient catalytic combustion without precious metals.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If precious metal catalysts are used, then catalytic combustion efficiency is improved, but manufacturing cost increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecombustion efficiencyVSAvoidmanufacturing cost
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces expensive precious metal catalysts (platinum, palladium) with inexpensive transition metal catalysts (manganese, cobalt, iron, nickel) that can be obtained from common metal nitrates. The catalyst composition includes transition metal oxide (0.1-10 wt%), alkaline earth metal aluminate (1-20 wt%), and alumina (70-99.9 wt%), creating a cost-effective catalyst that achieves sufficient combustion efficiency without relying on expensive precious metals.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent optimizes catalyst preparation parameters including calcination temperature (400-1000°C), metal nitrate concentrations, and mixing ratios to enhance the activity and stability of transition metal catalysts. By controlling these parameters, the catalyst achieves high combustion efficiency comparable to precious metal catalysts while maintaining low cost.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Temperature

If high excess air ratio is used, then catalyst temperature control is improved, but combustion efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecatalyst layer temperatureVSAvoidcombustion efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent operates the catalytic combustion burner at a moderate excess air ratio of 1.1-2.0, optimizing the balance between temperature control and combustion efficiency. This operating parameter range allows sufficient oxygen supply for complete combustion while preventing excessive catalyst temperature that would reduce efficiency, achieving both temperature stability and high combustion efficiency simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Quantity of substance

If diffusion-type combustion is used, then oxygen supply is improved, but combustion efficiency decreases due to diffusion rate limitations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoxygen supplyVSAvoidcombustion efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a premixing chamber where fuel gas and air are mixed before entering the catalytic combustion zone. This preliminary mixing ensures adequate oxygen supply is already incorporated with the fuel, eliminating diffusion rate limitations and enabling complete combustion with high efficiency. The premixed gas then undergoes catalytic combustion on the transition metal catalyst surface.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

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 enables lean and complete combustion, reduces nitrogen oxide and carbon monoxide generation, is environmentally friendly, economically viable, and thermally efficient, while maintaining catalyst durability at high temperatures.

Implementation Method 1

catalytic combustion devices are devices in which a combustible gas is burned by reaction upon contact with a solid catalyst

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCatalysis: Catalysis

Implementation Method 2

a combustion reaction occurs at a lower temperature than that of existing flame combustion burners due to the occurrence of a combustion reaction at a surface of the catalyst

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCombustion: Combustion

Implementation Method 3

raising a temperature of the mixed solution to 90°C to 100°C and holding the mixed solution at 90°C to 100°C for 10 hours to 48 hours to cause a precipitation reaction; filtering a precipitate slurry formed by the precipitation reaction

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPrecipitation: Precipitation

Implementation Method 4

performing calcination at 1,000°C to 1,500°C to remove moisture remaining in the dried precipitate slurry

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDecomposition (biological): Decomposition (biological)

Data Source

PatentEP3418633B1Burner using high-temperature combustion catalyst
Publication Date: 2021.08.04 SUNGGWANG E&TECH CO LTD
  • EP3418633B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3418633B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3418633B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A burner using a high-temperature combustion catalyst is disclosed. The disclosed burner using a high-temperature combustion catalyst comprises: a mixing and dispensing unit for mixing and dispensing fuel gas and air, which are to be supplied; a combustion catalyst unit for generating heat by catalytically combusting with the fuel gas to be supplied from the mixing and dispensing unit; and a premixing chamber for preliminarily mixing a combustion gas which is to enter the combustion catalyst unit while connecting the mixing and dispensing unit and the combustion catalyst unit, wherein the combustion catalyst unit comprises: a front/rear-open housing having a chamber therein; perforated plates provided on the front and rear surfaces of the housing so as to allow the fuel gas to pass through from the rear of the housing to the front thereof; a pellet-type combustion catalyst filled inside of the chamber of the housing; and a heat source means for generating a heat source for the catalytic combustion of the combustion catalyst. The high-temperature combustion catalyst further comprises preparation by the steps of: preparing a metal precursor solution containing a transition metal nitrate, an alkaline earth metal nitrate, and aluminum nitrate; preparing a precipitation solution; preparing a mixture solution by mixing the metal precursor solution and the precipitation solution; increasing the temperature of the mixture solution to 90 ∼∼ 100°C and maintaining the same for 10 ∼ 48 hours so as to cause precipitation; separating a precipitate slurry, which is formed by precipitation, from the mixture solution by filtering the same; washing the precipitate slurry; performing drying in order to remove water contained in the washed precipitate slurry; and performing firing at 1,000∼∼1,500°C in order to remove water remaining in the dried precipitate slurry.