Catalytic igniters and their use to ignite lean hydrogen-air mixtures

Patent · Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1988

OSTI ID:866578

McLean, William J ^[1]; Thorne, Lawrence R ^[2]; Volponi, Joanne V ^[2]

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1. Oakland, CA
2. Livermore, CA

A catalytic igniter which can ignite a hydrogen-air mixture as lean as 5.5% hydrogen with induction times ranging from 20 s to 400 s, under conditions which may be present during a loss-of-liquid-coolant accident at a light water nuclear reactor comprises (a) a perforate catalytically active substrate, such as a platinum coated ceramic honeycomb or wire mesh screen, through which heated gases produced by oxidation of the mixture can freely flow and (b) a plurality of thin platinum wires mounted in a thermally conductive manner on the substrate and positioned thereon so as to be able to receive heat from the substrate and the heated gases while also in contact with unoxidized gases.

• Research Organization: AT&T
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-76DP00789
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 4741879
• OSTI ID: 866578
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

catalytic
igniters
ignite
lean
hydrogen-air
mixtures
igniter
mixture
hydrogen
induction
times
ranging
20
400
conditions
loss-of-liquid-coolant
accident
light
water
nuclear
reactor
comprises
perforate
catalytically
active
substrate
platinum
coated
ceramic
honeycomb
wire
mesh
screen
heated
gases
produced
oxidation
freely
flow
plurality
wires
mounted
thermally
conductive
manner
positioned
thereon
receive
heat
contact
unoxidized
mesh screen
active substrate
nuclear reactor
wire mesh
thermally conductive
catalytically active
air mixture
light water
water nuclear
reactor comprises
coated ceramic
ceramic honeycomb
gases produced
heated gas
air mixtures
catalytic igniter
coolant accident
/376/423/976/