Regenerative burners having enhanced surface area media

1. A sintered, generally cylindrical ceramic body, comprising:

a generally cylindrical portion defining a major axis; and

a plurality of fin portions extending from the generally cylindrical portion;

wherein the fin portions are positioned equidistantly around the cylindrical portion;

wherein the fin portions extend radially outwardly from the cylindrical portion;

wherein the body has an alumina content of at least about 99 weight percent distributed substantially homogeneously therethrough;

wherein the body has a silica content of between about 0.1 and 0.3 weight percent distributed substantially homogeneously therethroughout;

wherein the body has a titania content of between about 0.1 and 0.5 weight percent distributed substantially homogeneously therethroughout;

wherein the body has a calcia content of between about 0.05 and 0.2 weight percent distributed substantially homogeneously therethroughout;

wherein the body has a soda content of between about 0.1 and 0.5 weight percent distributed substantially homogeneously therethroughout;

wherein the body has an iron oxide content of between about 0.05 and 0.2 weight percent distributed substantially homogeneously therethroughout;

wherein the body has a porosity of less than 3 percent;

wherein the body has a thermal conductivity at 100° C. of about 0.07 cal/sec cm ° C.; and

wherein the body has a heat capacity of about 0.21 cal/gm/° C.

2. The sintered body of claim 1 wherein the body has a porosity of less than 1 percent.

3. The sintered body of claim 1 wherein the fin portions are generally orthorhombic parallelopipeds.

4. The sintered body of claim 1 herein the sintered body has a generally truncated prolate spheroid shape.

5. The sintered body of claim 1 and further comprising a hollow shaft running along the major axis.

6. The sintered body of claim 1 wherein the generally cylindrical body has a height measured parallel to the major axis and a diameter measured generally perpendicular to the major axis; and wherein the aspect ratio of the diameter to the height is between about 1:1 and about 2:3.

7. The sintered body of claim 6 wherein the height is about 17 millimeters and the diameter is about 17 millimeters.

8. A high strength ceramic body for use in a regenerative burner media bed, comprising a generally cylindrical portion and a plurality of generally orthorhombic parallelepiped-shaped fin portions extending radially from the generally cylindrical portion; wherein the ceramic body has a porosity of less than 1 percent; wherein the ceramic body is greater than 99.5 weight percent alumina; wherein the ceramic body has a thermal conductivity at 100° C. of about 0.07 cal/sec cm ° C.; and wherein the ceramic body has a heat capacity of about 0.21 cal/gm/° C.

9. The high strength ceramic body of claim 8 wherein the generally cylindrical body has a height measured parallel to the major axis and a diameter measured generally perpendicular to the major axis; and wherein the aspect ratio of the diameter to the height is between about 1:1 and about 2:3.

10. A plurality of refractory ceramic bodies for use as regenerative burner bed body, each respective body comprising:

a generally cylindrical portion defining a major axis;

a cylindrical aperture extending through the generally cylindrical portion and coextensive with the major axis; and

a plurality of equidistantly positioned generally orthorhombic parallelepiped fin portions extending radially outwardly from the generally cylindrical portion;

wherein the refractory ceramic body has a height measured parallel to the major axis and a diameter measured generally perpendicular to the major axis; and

wherein the aspect ratio of the diameter to the height is between about 1:1 and about 2:3.

11. The plurality of refractory ceramic bodies of claim 10 and further comprising a contiguous network of air passageways.

12. The plurality of refractory ceramic bodies of claim 11 wherein intersection of respective fins of respective bodies defines the contiguous network of air passages.

13. The plurality of refractory ceramic bodies of claim 11 wherein respective cylindrical apertures and intersection of respective fins of respective bodies defines the contiguous network of air passages.