A thermophotovoltaic (TPV) system, comprises a substrate, an emitter material adhered to the substrate, and a thermophotovoltaic (TPV) cell. The emitter material is a typically a metal oxide doped nickel oxide sol-gel material, in which the metal is magnesium or zirconium, and in which the sol-gel material comprises 97-99 mol % metal oxide, and about 1-3 mol % nickel oxide dopant. Providing an emitter material as a sol-gel allows the material to be coated on to surfaces providing better adherence to the surface, and also provides excellent heat stability. A sol-gel material is also described.

An atmospheric gas water heater includes a burner assembly. The burner assembly includes a burner having a body, and a screen member coupled to the body. A conduit is fluidly connected to the body. The conduit has an open end configured to receive gas and air. The flow of gas and air from the open end through the conduit to the body and past the screen member is defined as a downstream direction. The screen member defines a zone of combustion. The gas and the air is 100% premixed together upstream of the zone of combustion. The body of the burner has a first segment extending between a first end and a second end, and second and third segments extending from the first segment. The second segment and the third segment extend parallel to and spaced apart from each other to form a U-shape.

A radiant heater includes a generally U-shaped radiative heating element having a first straight section, a second straight section, and an interconnecting U-shaped section. The non-connected end of the first straight section is arranged for communication with a burner and the non-connected end of the second straight section is arranged for communication with an extractor for extracting combustion gases from the tube. A redirecting element including opposed helical vanes, each executing a 180° turn about a central, common tube, is arranged within the first straight section so as to redirect, in use, at least a portion of the combusted gases flowing within the upper half of the tube towards the lower half, and gases flowing in the lower half towards the upper half.

A combustion device includes at least one burner, a supporting assembly, and an infrared ray generation mesh wherein, the at least one burner includes a flame outlet, and the infrared ray generation mesh which is corresponding to the flame outlet is disposed on a rear cover of the supporting assembly. An outer surface of the infrared ray generation mesh is exposed outside. The infrared ray generation mesh is heated by flames out of the flame outlet. Whereby, open fire and thermal energy of the infrared ray can be generated so as to effectively increase heating intensity and realize uniformly heating as well.

A combustion device includes at least one burner, a supporting assembly, and an infrared ray generation assembly. The at least one burner includes a flame outlet; the front cover of the supporting assembly includes a flat cover plate which has a plurality of holes; the infrared ray generation mesh which is disposed on the supporting assembly is corresponding to the flame outlet; the flames generated by the flame outlet heat the infrared ray generation mesh and the cover plate. The intensity of heating can be effectively increased by generating open fire and infrared rays and uniformly heating could be realized as well.

An incinerating container for grills and similar broilers. The incinerating container receives products of combustion from a gas burner or hot gases from an electric element or other heat source. Apertures in a top of the incinerating container receive oil into the incinerating container, such as oils from melted fat as food cooks. The oils are incinerated within the incinerating container. The apertures formed in the top allow hot oils to enter the incinerating container for combustion of the oils within the incinerating container, and are constructed to prevent flames from materially exiting the incinerating container.

A radiant tube heater with a burner assembly, a radiant tube assembly and a combustion air pre-heater, wherein the burner assembly comprises: a burner fuel nozzle; a plenum chamber and a pre-mixer chamber; the plenum chamber having a combustion air inlet; wherein in use: combustion air flows from said plenum chamber through an orifice to said pre-mixer where said air is mixed with burner fuel entering said pre-mixer through said nozzle prior to being combusted at a burner head; said pre-mixer being at least partly located within said radiant tube assembly; and where in use at least part of the combustion air supplied to said plenum is preheated in said air pre-heater using residual sensible heat of the hot combustion gas products of the heater.

An incinerating container for grills and similar broilers. The incinerating container receives products of combustion from a gas burner or hot gases from an electric element or other heat source. Apertures in a top of the incinerating container receive oil into the incinerating container, such as oils from melted fat as food cooks. The oils are incinerated within the incinerating container. The apertures formed in the top allow hot oils to enter the incinerating container for combustion of the oils within the incinerating container, and are constructed to prevent flames from materially exiting the incinerating container.

An infrared ray generation mesh adapted to a combustion device comprising a mesh body which includes a first surface and a second surface positioned back-to-back, and a peripheral edge which has a first part and a second part on opposite sites. Wherein, the mesh body is bent or folded integrally to form a plurality of corrugations, each of the corrugations extending from the first part to the second part; and the mesh body is flame heated to generate infrared rays. Whereby, the infrared ray generation mesh improves accumulation of thermal energy generated by open fire, such that the heating range of infrared rays is getting wider and the infrared intensity per unit area is higher to achieve better heat control.

A method and device utilizing infrared energy for heating objects, while providing energy control and enabling a decrease radiative heat flux (or intensity) of the infrared energy. An infrared emission device providing reduction of radiative heat flux or intensity from a primary emitter according to the invention may comprise a heat source, a primary emitter that emits infrared radiation of a first wavelength, and a secondary emitter that is spaced apart from the primary emitter. The secondary emitter receives infrared radiation emitted from the primary emitter and emits infrared radiation. The secondary emitter is constructed and arranged to emit infrared radiation having a wavelength that is longer than the infrared radiation of the first wavelength.