Patent ID: 8479720
Filing Date: 2013-07-09
Classification: A47J

Abstract:
1. A device for generating heat from a carbon based fuel, comprising a. a vertically oriented combustion chamber that is substantially closed to the atmosphere and has a relatively narrow, lower portion, a relatively wider upper portion, and a vertically oriented wall structure defining the combustion chamber; the vertically oriented wall structure configured with a relatively narrow, lower portion and a relatively wider portion and having a plurality of inlet openings to enable air to enter the combustion chamber, b. a source of air in fluid communication with the wall structure of the combustion chamber, and a fluid conduit configured to direct air from the source along a predetermined path about the vertically oriented wall structure of the combustion chamber; c. the combustion chamber having a fuel support structure that (i) supports a mass of a carbon based fuel in the relatively narrow, lower portion of the combustion chamber, above the bottom of the combustion chamber and away from the air inlet openings in the vertically oriented wall structure; and (ii) enables air flowing along the predetermined path about the vertically oriented wall structure to flow into the combustion chamber through the inlet openings; whereby the air entering the combustion chamber can substantially envelop and support combustion of the mass of carbon based fuel located in the combustion chamber; and d. the relatively narrow and wider portions of the combustion chamber configured to allow gases generated from combustion of the carbon based fuel in the relatively narrow portion of the combustion chamber to expand as they rise into the relatively wider portion of the combustion chamber, in a manner that reduces the output speed of the gases, increases the residence time of the gases in the combustion chamber, thereby to improve the efficiency with which heat is generated in the combustion chamber from the carbon based fuel: e. wherein the air inlet openings comprise first and second arrays of air inlet openings in the vertically oriented wall structure of the combustion chamber, each of the first and second arrays of air inlet openings oriented to enable air to enter the combustion chamber in a direction that is lateral to the vertical direction of the combustion chamber, the first array of air inlet openings oriented to enable air to enter the narrow portion of the combustion chamber in a manner such that at least some air can flow into the area between a mass of carbon based fuel and the bottom of the combustion chamber, and the second array of air inlet openings oriented in relation to the mass of carbon based fuel in the combustion chamber to enable air to enter the combustion chamber so that at least some of the air that enters the combustion chamber through the second array of air inlet openings is above the mass of carbon based fuel located in the narrow portion of the combustion chamber, and f. wherein the fluid conduit enables air flow about the vertically oriented wall of the combustion chamber from the first array of openings to the second array of openings, so that the air entering the combustion chamber through the second array of openings has been heated by its contact with the wall of the combustion chamber as the air enters the combustion chamber through the second array of openings; g. whereby substantially complete combustion of the carbon based fuel, including the volatile organic compounds of the carbon based fuel, is produced in the combustion chamber; and h. an insulation structure extends about the vertically oriented wall structure of the combustion chamber, and wherein the fluid conduit that directs air about the combustion chamber is disposed between the insulation layer and the vertically oriented wall structure of the combustion chamber, so that air directed by the fluid conduit is swept along the exterior of the vertically oriented wall structure and is efficiently heated by its contact with the exterior of the vertically oriented wall structure.