Perforated Burner Surface for Stable Hydrogen Combustion

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Solution Overview

Problem

Hydrogen combustion in heating systems, particularly at high proportions, is prone to thermoacoustic reactions such as pulsing, droning, and instabilities due to its high flame speed and reaction behavior compared to natural gas, which existing technologies have not effectively addressed.

Innovation Solution

A burner body with a perforated metal surface featuring through-holes of varying diameters and lengths, arranged in specific patterns to alter the phase shift and convective timescale, and a mixing device to direct the fuel gas-air mixture into a combustion chamber to dampen the system, with a specific physical entity, with a perforated metal surface for the passage of a premixed fuel gas-air mixture into a combustion chamber to generate a flame there.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If hydrogen is used as fuel gas with high proportion (≥95% by volume), then combustion efficiency and cleanliness are improved, but thermoacoustic instabilities and flame pulsing occur

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecombustion efficiencyVSAvoidcombustion stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The burner body employs through-holes with varying diameters and/or lengths at different locations on the burner surface. This creates local variations in flow characteristics and convective timescales, disrupting the uniformity that leads to thermoacoustic instabilities while maintaining high hydrogen combustion efficiency

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the geometric parameters of the through-holes (diameter D = 0.4-1.0 mm, varying lengths) to alter the convective timescale and phase shift of the combustion process. This parameter variation dampens the feedback loop causing thermoacoustic oscillations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Device complexity

If conventional burner surfaces are used for hydrogen combustion, then simple structure is maintained, but flame instabilities and pulsing occur

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveburner structureVSAvoidcombustion stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Rather than complicating the entire burner structure, the invention introduces local variations in the through-hole geometry (different diameters and lengths) on the burner surface. This targeted approach achieves stability improvement without significant structural complexity increase

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The burner surface is segmented into multiple through-holes with different geometric characteristics. This segmentation allows each hole to contribute differently to the overall combustion process, disrupting synchronized oscillations that cause instability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Reliability

If through-holes with varying diameters and lengths are implemented, then combustion stability is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecombustion stabilityVSAvoidburner body fabrication
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The invention specifies precise parameter ranges for through-holes (diameter 0.4-1.0 mm, specific spacing 1.4*D ≤ d ≤ 5*D) that can be achieved using standard manufacturing processes like drilling, punching, or laser processing, balancing manufacturing ease with combustion stability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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 burner body stabilizes the flame and dampens thermoacoustic phenomena, improving combustion efficiency and stability of hydrogen-rich fuel gases.

Implementation Method 1

the hole diameters D and/or hole lengths of the through-holes vary to dampen the system

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermoacoustic effect: Thermoacoustic Effect

Implementation Method 2

as a burner surface for the passage of a premixed fuel gas-air mixture into a combustion chamber

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Implementation Method 3

for the combustion of a fuel gas containing at least 95% hydrogen by volume

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCombustion: Combustion

Data Source

PatentEP4675170A1Burner body, gas burner, heater and use and method for burning hydrogen fuel gas
Publication Date: 2026.01.07 MAX WWISHAUPT GMBH
  • EP4675170A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4675170A1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP4675170A1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

To significantly improve the combustion of a fuel gas containing at least 95 vol% hydrogen in a gas burner (10) for heating purposes, a burner body (16) for the gas burner (10) has been proposed, which, as a burner surface (38) for the passage of a premixed fuel gas-air mixture into a combustion chamber (14), has a perforated metal surface (40) which has through-holes (48) such that less than 5% of the burner surface (38) is open, wherein the through-holes (48) have hole diameters D with 0.4 mm ≤ D ≤ 1.0 mm, wherein the hole diameters D and/or hole lengths of the through-holes vary.