Thermal Efficiency of Oxyhydrogen Gas Burner

Abstract

One of the main methods used to generate thermal energy is the combustion process. Burners are used in both industrial and residential applications of the open combustion process. The use of fuels that reduce polluting gas emissions and costs in industrial and residential processes is currently a topic of significant interest. Hydrogen is considered an attractive fuel for application in combustion systems due to its high energy density, wide flammability range, and only produces water vapor as waste. Compared to research conducted regarding hydrocarbon combustion, studies on hydrogen burners have been limited. This paper presents the design and evaluation of an oxyhydrogen gas burner for the atmospheric combustion process. The gas is generated in situ with an alkaline electrolyzer with a production rate of up to 3 sL min−1. The thermal efficiency of a gas burner is defined as the percentage of the input thermal energy transferred to the desired load with respect to a given time interval. The experimental results show a thermal efficiency of 30% for a minimum flow rate of 1.5 sL min−1 and 76% for a flow rate of 3.5 sL min−1. These results relate to a 10 mm height between the burner surface and heated container.