If you want efficiency you should try a bunsen burner. We used them in chemistry class. I think you can make one with some threaded pipe, a threaded base, a barbed hose connection and some rubber hose. The long and short of it is when you first light it the burner puts out a yellow flame and when you uncrew the pie half way the blame turns blue.
Cut a couple wide slits into the threads of the base to allow air flow. Before lighting you screw the threaded pipe all the way into the base. After lighting you unscrew it to expose the cuts you made in the base. The heat from the flame draws air up the pipe and generates a cool flame with two shades of blue. The dark blue flame is about 1800 degrees F, the lighter blue flame in the middle is about 2300 degrees F. I'd suggest 3/8" pipe but larger MIGHT work.
It doesn't have a low profile, but the pipe is necessary for the fuel-air mixture. At least with a bunsen burner you won't lose energy with a compresser or a confined exhaust port, and the flame is fairly easy to keep lit.
OK.. the heat sink... one suggestion would be to use the original burner, drill a hole in the bottom to allow the heat to enter and drill more holes in the side for venting. Just remember that a bunsen burner generates alot of heat, and fast. Perhaps another heat sink could have a textured bottom like the piece in the third picture to absorbe the heat from the flowing hot gasses, and to absorbe it best by slowing the hot gasses.
Just a suggestion anyway... the catylist burner seemed a little teedious. Interesting concept... but none-the-less it looked far too difficult for what little it was supposed to do. I'm not even sure if your project could acomodate a bunsen burner or if it could use a unique burner. I still say the bunsen burner is the best way to go. It's easy, and very clean with CO2 and H2O being the primary byproducts with the occasional light yellow flicker producing CO.