A catalytic combustor that keeps the contained medium warm in response to the hydrostatic pressure valve

摘要

The medium ( 9 ), such as water, of a container ( 10 ), such as a fuel cell accumulator, is kept above freezing by a hydrogen/oxygen catalytic combustor ( 13 ) fed hydrogen from a source comprising a mechanical thermostatic valve ( 25 ) in thermal communication ( 26 ) with the container ( 10 ) and connected to a hydrogen supply ( 28 ). The combustor may comprise an ejector ( 32 ) having hydrogen through its primary inlet ( 31 ) drawing air through a secondary inlet ( 33 ). The combustor may comprise a diffusion combustor having a catalyst ( 38 ) spaced from a heating surface ( 30 ) and a diffusion control plate ( 40 ) low partial pressure of oxygen at the catalyst causing diffusion through the barrier. Water vapor from combustion condenses on a surface ( 146 ) and is led by hydrophilic woven carbon paper ( 126 ) to wicking material ( 133 ), which has smaller pores than the carbon paper, which leads the water downwardly, through a disk ( 140 ) and plugs ( 147 ) to atmospheric air. The noble metal catalyst mixture includes TEFLON(R) to permit water generated by combustion to flow by gravity out of the catalyst.