Burner for the Combustion of Hydrogen on a Catalyst and Boiler for said Burners

Abstract

A burner ( 20 ) for the combustion of hydrogen on a catalyst, has a body ( 21 ), a first self-ignition catalyst ( 23 ) and a subsequent group of oxidation catalysts ( 26 ), as well as a heat exchanger ( 35 ) heated by the burnt gases, wherein in the burner ( 20 ) the heat exchanger ( 35 ) is obtained as a common heat exchanger and it is arranged outside the body ( 21 ) of the burner ( 20 ) accommodating the catalysts ( 23, 26 ). A head ( 22 ) accommodating the self-ignition catalyst ( 23 ) may be separated by a body ( 40 ) accommodating the oxidation catalysts ( 26 ). A second heat exchanger ( 45 ), passed through by cold water, allows production of high purity distilled water. In the proposed boiler ( 41 ) a first part ( 42 ) accommodates the burner modules ( 20 ) and another part ( 43 ) accommodates the common heat exchanger ( 35 ) and the possible additional heat exchanger ( 45 ) for producing distilled water.

1 . Burner for the combustion of hydrogen on a catalyst, comprising—in a body for housing the burner—a first self-ignition catalyst and a subsequent group of oxidation catalysts, as well as a heat exchanger heated by the burnt gases, characterised in that the heat exchanger ( 35 ) is arranged outside the body ( 21 ) of the burner ( 20 ) containing the catalysts ( 23 ,  26 ). 
     
     
         2 . Burner according to  claim 1 , characterised in that the body ( 21 ) of the burner ( 20 ) accommodating the catalysts ( 23 ,  26 ) forms a module for the burner ( 20 ). 
     
     
         3 . Burner according to  claim 2 , characterised in that the body ( 21 ) of the burner ( 20 ) is formed by a head ( 22 ) for accommodating the self-ignition catalyst ( 23 ) and a body ( 40 ) accommodating the oxidation catalyst ( 26 ), wherein the head ( 22 ) and the body ( 40 ) are separable. 
     
     
         4 . Burner according to  claim 3 , characterised in that the oxidation catalysts ( 26 ) are accommodated in a tubular accommodation ( 24 ) forming the inner wall of a cooling chamber ( 30 ) delimited by an outer jacket ( 29 ) having an inlet connection ( 31 ) and an outlet connection ( 32 ) for the cooling liquid coming from the separate heat exchanger ( 35 ). 
     
     
         5 . Burner according to  claim 3 , characterised in that provided for in the head ( 22 ) upstream of the self-ignition catalyst ( 23 ) is a chamber ( 41 ) for mixing the supplied air and hydrogen. 
     
     
         6 . Burner according to  claim 4 , characterised in that located in the accommodation ( 24 ) holding the oxidation catalyst ( 26 ) downstream of the latter ( 26 ) is a reaction chamber ( 25 ) receiving the moist burnt gases. 
     
     
         7 . Burner according to  claim 1 , characterised in that associated thereto—for supplying the combustion air—is a compressor or a fan having the pumping head required to overcome loss of head of the catalysts ( 20 ) and of the heat exchanger ( 35 ). 
     
     
         8 . Arrangement of burners ( 20 ) with separate heat exchanger ( 35 ) according to  claim 1 , characterised in that it comprises an additional heat exchanger ( 45 ), which:
 a) is associated fluidically to the common heat exchanger ( 35 ) to exploit the heat produced by the burners ( 20 ) better, or   b) still impacted by the moist burnt gases, it is passed through by cold water for the production of high-purity distilled water.   
     
     
         9 . Boiler for housing modules for burners ( 20 ) according to  claim 1 , characterised in that it has a part ( 42 ) for accommodating the modules for burners ( 20 ) provided for and a part ( 43 ) for accommodating the sole heat exchanger ( 35 ), suitably dimensioned, common for all the accommodated modular burners ( 20 ), regardless of the number thereof. 
     
     
         10 . Boiler according to  claim 9 , characterised in that it comprises, between the modular burners ( 20 ) and the separate heat exchanger ( 35 ), a conveyor for the moist burnt gases. 
     
     
         11 . Boiler according to  claim 10 , characterised in that it accommodates an arrangement of modules for burners ( 20 ) and heat exchangers ( 35 ,  45 ). 
     
     
         12 . Boiler according to  claim 9 , characterised in that it has a vertical arrangement.