Patent ID: 7196263
Filing Date: 2007-03-27
Classification: F23C,F23D,F23L,H02S,Y02B,Y02E

Abstract:
1. A thermophotovoltaic generator comprising a burner, a combustion air guide leading to the burner, a radiant tube burner extending upwards around the burner, an infrared emitter spaced outward from the tube burner, a photovoltaic cell array spaced outward from the emitter, an exhaust guide connected to the generator for exhausting combustion gases, a recuperator connected to the combustion air guide and to the exhaust guide for preheating combustion air with exhaust gases, a gap between the recuperator and an inner flame tube and a fold-back emitter support tube extending along the recuperator, wherein the gap allows for exhaust gas re-circulation to complete combustion and operation at close to a stoichiometric mixture of fuel and air de-localizing a burner flame so that combustion occurs at a lower temperature and NOx is low.