Catalytic combustion apparatus

Abstract

A water separating filter, disposed between a gas mixing chamber and a catalytic combustion chamber in a passage, includes numerous fine passages for trapping waterdrops or steam contained in a fuel mixture produced from the gas mixing chamber and letting the trapped waterdrops or steam dwell in the water separating filter. The fuel mixture contains no water components when it flows into the catalytic combustion chamber. No moisture adheres on the catalyst surface. The fuel mixture surely contacts with the catalyst. The catalytic combustion is stably maintained. The catalytic combustion heat is not consumed by the waterdrops for the latent heat required in the process of evaporation. A catalytic combustion heater can quickly increase the catalyst temperature to the active temperature within a short time.

1 . A catalytic combustion apparatus comprising: 
 gas mixing means for forming a fuel mixture of air and fuel;    air supplying means for supplying said air to said gas mixing means;    fuel supplying means for supplying said fuel to said gas mixing means;    a passage connected to said gas mixing means and receiving said fuel mixture formed by and supplied from said gas mixing means; and    a catalytic combustion section disposed at a downstream side of said gas mixing means, including a catalyst supported by a catalytic carrier,    wherein    liquid collecting means having numerous fine passages for collecting liquid and interposed between said gas mixing means and said catalytic combustion section in a flowing direction of said fuel mixture in said passage.    
     
     
         2 . The catalytic combustion apparatus in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein said liquid collecting means includes a heater.  
     
     
         3 . The catalytic combustion apparatus in accordance with  claim 2 , wherein said heater is an electric heating element.  
     
     
         4 . The catalytic combustion apparatus in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein said liquid collecting means is made of an electric conductive substance and generates heat in response to supplied electric power.  
     
     
         5 . The catalytic combustion apparatus in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein said liquid collecting means is a porous gas-permeable solid material.  
     
     
         6 . The catalytic combustion apparatus in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein said fuel is hydrogen gas.  
     
     
         7 . The catalytic combustion apparatus in accordance with  claim 1 , further including a heat exchanger disposed at a downstream side of said catalytic combustion section in said passage and including a heating medium for causing heat exchange between said heating medium and combustion gas supplied from said catalytic combustion section.