Irreversibility reduction of low-temperature, combustion heat sources

The author discusses a concept that will reduce irreversibilities associated with combustion and, thereby, deliver more heat to a process than the heating value of the fuel. The concept involves the use of staged reactions to facilitate the more reversible reactions associated with the combustion process. The system is an open-cycle, chemical-reaction heat pump working between the atmosphere and the desired heat sink. The system is described, and its potential efficiency and the methodology of searching for the required intermediate components are discussed