TY - JOUR
T1 - Development of a tubular flame combustor for thermophotovoltaic power systems
AU - Li, Yueh Heng
AU - Cheng, Tsarng Sheng
AU - Lien, Yung Sheng
AU - Chao, Yei Chin
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was supported by the National Science Council of the Republic of China under Grant numbers NSC95-2221-E-006-392-MY3 (Y.C.C.) and NSC 95-2212-E-216-018-MY2 (T.S.C.).
PY - 2011
Y1 - 2011
N2 - A novel tubular combustor with a metal-oxide-deposited quartz emitter and a reversed tube is developed for application in a small thermophotovoltaic (TPV) power generation system. The tubular combustor employs asymmetrical injections of fuel and swirling air to enhance the fuel/air mixing in a short distance, and the resultant tubular flame provides an optimal thermal energy for the emitter. The tubular flame structures can be categorized into three modes: the double-layer flame, attached-wall flame, and strip flame. Only the attached-wall flame is preferable for application in a small scale TPV system. Experimental results indicate that the laboratory-made metal-oxide-deposited quartz tube has better performance than the conventional silicon carbide emitter. In addition, a reversed tube is implemented with the tubular combustor to redirect the hot product gas for reheating the tube wall. Therefore, the swirling flame is pushed back into the combustion chamber and leads to uniform illumination of the emitter. Consequently, the CO and NOx emissions are significantly reduced and the radiant intensity is increased as compared to that of the emitter without a reversed tube.
AB - A novel tubular combustor with a metal-oxide-deposited quartz emitter and a reversed tube is developed for application in a small thermophotovoltaic (TPV) power generation system. The tubular combustor employs asymmetrical injections of fuel and swirling air to enhance the fuel/air mixing in a short distance, and the resultant tubular flame provides an optimal thermal energy for the emitter. The tubular flame structures can be categorized into three modes: the double-layer flame, attached-wall flame, and strip flame. Only the attached-wall flame is preferable for application in a small scale TPV system. Experimental results indicate that the laboratory-made metal-oxide-deposited quartz tube has better performance than the conventional silicon carbide emitter. In addition, a reversed tube is implemented with the tubular combustor to redirect the hot product gas for reheating the tube wall. Therefore, the swirling flame is pushed back into the combustion chamber and leads to uniform illumination of the emitter. Consequently, the CO and NOx emissions are significantly reduced and the radiant intensity is increased as compared to that of the emitter without a reversed tube.
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U2 - 10.1016/j.proci.2010.05.051
DO - 10.1016/j.proci.2010.05.051
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:79251628632
SN - 1540-7489
VL - 33
SP - 3439
EP - 3445
JO - Proceedings of the Combustion Institute
JF - Proceedings of the Combustion Institute
IS - 2
ER -