Patent Publication Number: US-2011061738-A1

Title: Hod System

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of the filing date of co-pending U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/157,766, filed on Mar. 5, 2009 and entitled SELF-FILLING PELLET HOD SYSTEM, the teachings all of which are fully incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to a self filling pellet hod for transferring bulk (i.e., loose) biomass fuels from a storage bin to a biomass appliance. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Biomass heating fuel, e.g., wood pellets, may be purchased in fixed size bags, e.g., by weight or volume, or in bulk, i.e., loose. Bags may generally be sized so that the contents of at least one bag may fit into a fuel reservoir of a biomass appliance, e.g., a pellet stove. Such bag sizing may provide convenience in that partial bags need not be accommodated. Standard bags are generally sized to contain about forty pounds of biomass heating fuel. A disadvantage of fixed size bags is that forty pounds may be too heavy for some people to lift and/or carry. 
     A further disadvantage of bags is waste from packaging (i.e., the bags themselves). Providing bulk biomass heating fuels may eliminate such packaging waste. However, eliminating the bags may also eliminate a convenient way of providing the biomass fuel to the appliance from, e.g., an end-user storage bin. It may therefore be desirable to provide a way to move an adjustable quantity of biomass fuel from the end-user storage bin to the appliance. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       These and other features and advantages will be better understood by reading the following detailed description, taken together with the drawings wherein: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates one embodiment of a biomass transport system consistent with the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 2A  illustrates a front cross-sectional view of one embodiment of a biomass transfer system as generally shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 2B  illustrates a side cross-sectional view of the biomass transfer system as generally shown in  FIG. 2A ; 
         FIG. 3A  illustrates a top cross-sectional view of one embodiment of a register consistent with the biomass transfer system as generally shown in  FIGS. 2A-2B ; 
         FIG. 3B  illustrates a bottom perspective view of one embodiment of a register consistent with the biomass transfer system as generally shown in  FIG. 3A ; 
         FIG. 3C  illustrates another bottom perspective view of one embodiment of a register consistent with the biomass transfer system as generally shown in  FIG. 3A ; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of a hod consistent with the biomass transfer system as generally shown in  FIGS. 2A-2B ; 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a top cross-sectional view of the hod consistent with  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 6A  illustrates a bottom cross-sectional view of the hod consistent with  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 6B  illustrates a side cross-sectional view of the hod consistent with  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 7  illustrates a side cross-sectional view of the hod having a sensor array consistent with  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 8  illustrates a side cross-sectional view of a sensor array consistent with  FIG. 7 ; 
         FIG. 9  illustrates another side cross-sectional view of the sensor array consistent with  FIG. 8 ; 
         FIG. 10  illustrates one embodiment of a biomass transport system including a central controller consistent with present disclosure; 
         FIG. 11  illustrates a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of a dispensing valve consistent with present disclosure; and 
         FIG. 12  illustrates a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of an ash pod consistent with the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Aspects of the present disclosure relate to a self filling pellet hod configured for moving bulk, i.e., loose, pelletized and/or granularized fuels from a storage bin, which may be remote from an appliance, to an appliance. The fuel may include, but is not limited to, any pelletized and/or granularized solid fuel such as, but coal (e.g., anthracite coal) and biomass fuel. As used herein, biomass fuel is intended to refer to solid animal matter and/or solid fuel plant (such as, but not limited to, numerous types of plants including miscanthus, switchgrass, hemp, corn, poplar, willow,  sorghum , sugarcane, a variety of tree species, and/or torrefied biomass fuel, e.g., e-coal or eco-coal) that can be combusted as fuel. The term biomass fuel is not intended to refer to fossil fuels which have been transformed by geological processes into substances, such as coal, petroleum or natural gas. Although fossil fuels have their origin in ancient biomass, they are not considered biomass fuel as used herein and by the generally accepted definition because they contain carbon that has been “out” of the carbon cycle for a very long time. Bulk as used herein may refer to a quantity loose of fuel that is not associated with a fixed size, e.g., forty pound bag. In other words, the material may be loose and not in bags. Although, in the exemplary embodiments described below, reference is made to biomass fuel (e.g., wood pellets), the self-filling pellet hod system may be used for any solid fuel. 
     By way of an overview, a self-filling hod consistent with at least one embodiment herein may be further configured to allow a user to easily transport a quantity of solid biomass fuel from a remotely located storage bin to an appliance, such as, but not limited to, a pellet stove or the like. In particular, the self-filling pellet hod may be configured to be coupled to a biomass fuel transport system which may transport the solid biomass fuel from the remotely located storage bin to the self-filling hod. The self-filling hod may be coupled to the biomass fuel transport system at a position relatively close to the appliance, for example, in the same room or in a closet adjacent to or connected to the room with the heating appliance. The remotely located storage bin may be configured to contain and/or store a relatively large quantity of solid biomass fuel (e.g., a quantity which is several times greater than the maximum quantity of the self-filling hod). As used herein, the term “remotely located” is intended to refer to a location that is in a different room than the appliance. For exemplary purposes only, the term “remotely located” may refer to a storage bin located in a different room, on a different floor or outside of a building. Once the self-filling hod has been filled with a desired quantity of solid biomass fuel, the self-filling hod may be decoupled from the biomass fuel transport system. 
     As a result, a user may easily transport a desired quantity of solid biomass fuel from a location proximate to the appliance. The quantity of solid biomass fuel to be transported in the self-filling hod may be selected by the user based on, for example, the desired overall weight of the self-filling hod with the biomass fuel, the desired volume of solid biomass fuel to be transported, and/or the capacity of the appliance. As to be discussed herein, the self-filling hod may also reduce and/or minimize the amount of particulate introduced into the appliance and/or released into the room containing the appliance, for example, by removing some or all of the particulate biomass fuel (e.g., biomass fuel dust). As may be appreciated, fine dust particles may clog air passages in pellet stoves if introduced along with the fuel. 
     The following figures have been selected to provide a better understanding of the present disclosure. It should be understood that some of the components have not been shown in various figures for reasons of clarity. 
     Turning now to  FIG. 1 , one embodiment of a biomass transport system  10  consistent with the present disclosure is generally illustrated. The biomass transport system  10  may comprise a remote storage bin  12 , a biomass transfer system  14  disposed proximate to an appliance  16 , and a vacuum source  18 . The remote storage bin  12  may be configured to contain a relatively large quantity of a solid biomass fuel  13  (e.g., but not limited to, wood pellets). The location of the remote storage bin  12  may be selected based one or more of the following factors: aesthetics (e.g., the remote storage bin  12  may be located generally out of sight), size/space consideration (e.g., the storage bin  12  may be relatively large in size and this size may dictate where it may be positioned), ease of refilling (e.g., the location may be selected to facilitate periodic refilling of the storage bin  12  with solid biomass fuel  13 ) as well as maintenance and/or installation considerations. While the volume of the remote storage bin  12  may vary depending on the particulars of the installation, the remote storage bin  12  may be capable to hold up to 30-40 tons of fuel, e.g., from 40 lbs to 30 tons, including any range or value therein. 
     The biomass transfer system  14  may comprise a hod  20  and a register  22 . The pod may be configured to contain a predetermined quantity of solid biomass fuel  13  from the remote storage bin  12 , which may ultimately be loaded into the appliance  16  where it may be combusted or otherwise used. The register  22  may be configured to removably fluidly couple the hod  20  to the remote storage bin  12  and the vacuum source  18 . 
     For example, the register  22  may be configured to fluidly couple the hod  20  to a first and a second pipe  24 ,  26 . The first pipe  24  (e.g., a feed pipe) may be configured to extend from the register  22  to the remote storage bin  12 . The second pipe  26  (e.g., an air or vacuum pipe) may extend from the register  22  to the vacuum source  18 . The vacuum source  18  (which may include a vacuum pump as part of a central vacuuming system and/or a dedicated vacuum pump) may be configured to provide a stream of air flowing from and/or across the remote storage bin  12  and through the biomass transfer system  14  to the vacuum source  18 . As generally illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the biomass transfer system  14  and the remote storage bin  12  may be arranged in series relative to the vacuum source  18  (i.e., the biomass transfer system  14  may be located upstream from the vacuum source  18  and the remote storage bin  12  may be located upstream from the biomass transfer system  14 ). 
     The remote storage bin  12  may be configured to dispense a controlled rate of solid biomass fuel  13  into the feed pipe  24  (e.g., by way of a controllable dispensing valve or the like  28 ) and into the air stream. The air stream may be sufficient to create a fluidizing gas flow with the fuel  13  such that the fuel  13  may be transported within the feed pipe  24  to the biomass transfer system  14  where it is enters the hod  20  by way of the register  22 . The hod  20  may be configured to generally separate the fuel  13  from the air stream such that the fuel  13  is collected inside the hod  20 . The air stream exits the hod  20  by way of the air pipe  26  (via the register  22 ) and is drawn to the vacuum source  18 . Optionally, the air exiting the vacuum source  18  may be filtered to remove any fuel particulates and may be returned to the same place it was drawn, thereby eliminating drawing unconditioned air to/from conditioned spaces. The filter  30  may include a self-shedding relatively fine filter (e.g., but not limited to, a bag filter or the like) that may be configured to collect relatively fine particles that may be included with the biomass heating fuel. The biomass transport system  10  may be configured to control the amount of fuel  13  transported from the remote storage bin  12  to the hod  20  and/or to generally prevent fuel  13  from forming blockages within the pipes  24 ,  26 , for example, by regulating the dispensing valve (e.g., a dispensing auger, rotary air lock or other method of metering fuel)  28 . 
     Turning now to  FIGS. 2A and 2B , one embodiment of a biomass transfer system  14  which may be used in the biomass transport system  10  is generally illustrated. As discussed above, the biomass transfer system  14  may comprise a hod  20  configured to be removably coupled to a register  22 . The hod  20  may define an interior cavity  32  configured to hold a quantity of fuel  13  (not shown for the sake of clarity) and may include a feed inlet  34  and an air outlet  36 . The register  22  may be configured to form a removable, substantially air-tight connection between the hod  20  (and in particular, the feed inlet  34  and air outlet  36 ) and the feed pipe  24  and the air pipe  26 , respectively. As described herein, the register  22  may comprise a floor register and/or a vertical interface on a wall. 
     One embodiment of the register  22  is generally illustrated in  FIGS. 3A ,  3 B,  3 C, and  3 D. The register  22  may include a first and a second opening  44 ,  46  which terminate the feed line  24  and air line  26 , respectively. It may be appreciated that only a portion of the lines  24 ,  26  are illustrated for clarity. The first and second openings  44 ,  46  may be disposed within one or more base plates  38  configured to align the hod  20  (and in particular, the openings of the feed line  24  and air outlet  36 , not shown) with the first and second openings  44 ,  46  in order to facilitate the seal there between. The base plate  38  may include a chamfered edge portion configured to align the hod  20  with the openings  44 ,  46 . For example, the base plate  38  may also be configured to allow the hod  20  to be aligned in only one position relative to the base plate  38  or may be configured to allow the hod  20  to be aligned in multiple, discrete positions that may interact with the controls as discussed herein. The base plate  38  may be secured to a support surface  40 , such as, but not limited to, a floor, wall, shelf, or the like. As shown the floor  40  may be supported by one or more floor joist and/or stringers  42   a ,  42   b.    
     Optionally, the base plate  38  may include one or more electrical connections, switches, and/or sensors configured to control the flow of fuel  13  from the remote storage bin  12  to the hod  20 . For example, the base plate  38  may include one or more electrical connections  43 . The electrical connections  43  may be configured to transmit signals from the hod  20  to a central controller, the vacuum source  18  and/or the remote storage bin  12 . For example, one or more of the electrical connections  43  may be configured to transmit a signal to the vacuum source  18  to turn on/off the vacuum source  18 . One or more of the electrical connections  43  may be configured transmit a signal to the remote storage bin  12  to control the flow of fuel  13  from the remote storage bin  12 . For example, once the hod is coupled to the feed line  24  and the air line  26  and that the vacuum source  18  is on, a signal may be transmitted to the remote storage bin  12  to begin dispensing fuel  13  into the feed line  24  (e.g., to control the rate of fuel  13  dispensed by the regulating valve  28  into the feed pipe  24 ). 
       FIG. 3B  schematically illustrates one embodiment of a plurality of electrical connections  43   a - f . In particular, the electrical connections  43   a - f  may include a ground connection  43   a , a pod full connection  43   b  (indicating that the pod  20  is full of fuel), a pod present interlock connection  43   c  (indicating that the pod  20  is properly coupled to the register  22 ), an ash pod present connection  43   d  (indicating that an ash pod is properly coupled to the register  22  as described herein), a positive voltage connection  43   e  and another ground connection  43   f.    
     Turning now to  FIG. 3C , a bottom view of the register  22  is illustrated with the floor  40  and stringers  42   a ,  42   b  removed. The register  22  may optionally include one or more register printed circuit boards (PCBs)  46 . The register PCB  46  may be configured to provide wire termination for the electrical connections  43  and provide interlock functions. According to another embodiment, the register PCB  46  may optionally be configured to interpret and/or communicate signals with the remote storage bin  12  and/or the vacuum source  18 . For example, the register PCB  46  may be configured to determine when the hod  20  is sealingly coupled to the register  22  as well as the orientation of the hod  20  relative to the register  22 . The register PCB  46  may also be configured to open/close one or more valves in the feed line  24  and/or air line  26 . For example, the feed line  24  and/or air line  26  may each include a valve  50 ,  52 , respectively, as generally shown in  FIGS. 3C and 3D . The valves  50 ,  52  may seal closed the feed line  24  and/or air line  26  to prevent debris from entering therein and/or to prevent vacuum loss/isolate the lines  24 ,  26  (e.g., in an applications in which the feed line  24  and/or air line  26  are coupled to other systems or the like). 
     The register  22  may also optionally include one or more reed sensors, hall sensors, radio frequency identifier or the like  56 . The reed sensor  56  may form an electrical switch operated by a magnetic field (e.g., a magnetic field generated by a magnet in the hod  20 ). The reed sensor  56  may therefore function as an interlock switch to switch on/off power to the electrical connections  43  (thus minimizing the potential of an accidental electrical shock). For example, a combination of signals from the reed and/or hall sensors and/or electrical connections  43  may be used to verify the identity and/or authenticity of the pod placed on the register  22  to prevent system activation without a pod in place. The system may be advantageously configured to prevent operation (e.g., prevent drawing a vacuum) without a pod coupled to the register  22  (e.g., to prevent the register  22  from being used as a vacuum port for ash or the like). 
     Turning now to  FIG. 4 , a side perspective view of one embodiment of a hod  20  is generally illustrated. The hod  20  may include a body  60  defining an interior cavity  32  configured to contain a quantity of fuel  13  (not shown for clarity). The body  60  may include one or more sides or side walls  62 , a bottom or base  64 , and a top  66 . The exterior of the body  60  may include one or more handles  61  (for example, but not limited to, a handle on the sidewall  62  and/or the top  66 ) configured to facilitate transportation of the hod  20 . When coupled to the feed line  24  and the air line  26  (e.g., by way of the register  22 ), the body  60  may form a generally sealed cavity  32  (i.e., the cavity  32  is sealed so that material may only enter/exit the cavity  32  through the feed line  24  and the air line  26 ). The overall exterior shape of the hod  20  may depend on a variety of factors including, but not limited to, the desired maximum quantity of fuel  13  to be contained therein, the desired height, width, and/or length of the hod  20 , aesthetic considerations, or the like. 
     For exemplary purposes, the top  66  may be disposed generally opposite the base portion  64 . The top  66  and the opposing base portion  64  may be substantially parallel. The hod  20  may optionally include a lid, lip and/or funnel  68  which may extend generally outwardly and away from the top  66  to facilitate unloading of the fuel  13  contained within the hod  20  into the appliance  16 . The sidewalls  62  may be disposed between the top  66  and the opposing base portion  64 . The top  66  may have an area greater than an area of the base portion  64 . The sidewall  62  may include a back portion  69  and a front portion  70 . The back portion  69  may be substantially perpendicular to the top  66  and the opposing base portion  64 . The front portion  70  may join the top  66  at an angle less than about ninety degrees. As generally shown in  FIG. 4 , a cross-section of the hod  20  from the top  66  to near the base portion  64  may be substantially trapezoidal. The front portion  70  may be substantially perpendicular to the base portion  64  adjacent to the base portion  64  and may extend outward, relative to the back portion  69 , a distance from the base portion  64  to facilitate pouring of the fuel into an appliance  16 . The top  66 , base portion  64  and sidewall(s)  62  of the hod  20  may define an interior cavity/chamber/volume  32  of the hod  20 . 
     The hod  20  may also include at least one feed inlet  34  configured to be coupled to the feed line  24  and at least one air outlet  36  configured to be coupled to the air line  26 , for example, as discussed herein. A proximal end of the feed line  24  and/or air outlet  36  may generally extend upwardly and away from the base portion  64  and terminate at a distal end disposed generally proximate the top  66 . The distal end of the feed line  24  may include a feature configured to direct the path of fuel  13  and/or air as the fuel  13  and/or air flow into the chamber  32  of the hod  20 . For example, the distal end of the feed line  24  may define an arcuate portion  72  having a generally arc or curved shape. The arcuate portion  72  may be configured to facilitate the separation of the fuel  13  from the air when the hod  20  is coupled to the remote storage bin  12  and vacuum source  18 . For example, the arcuate portion  72  may be configured to direct the flow of fuel  13  and/or air in a direction substantially parallel to the top  66  and/or sidewall  62  of the hod  20 . The directionality of the flow of the fuel  13  and air may reduce friction and/or turbulence in the fuel  13  and/or air flow and may facilitate relatively uniform and/or filling of the interior volume  32  of the hod  20 . In addition (or alternatively), the arcuate portion  72  may direct the flow of fuel  13  and/or air leaving the feed line  24  generally towards the base portion  64 . The feed line  24  may also be arranged to generally discharge the fuel  13  and/or air such that it generally avoids direct line of sight with the air outlet  36 . 
     The air outlet  36  may be configured to be coupled to the vacuum source  18  (e.g., by way of the register  22  and the air line  24 ). The distal end of the air outlet  36  may be terminated in a filter  76 . The filter  76  may include a relatively coarse filter that permits fines and air to pass into the air outlet  36  but substantially prevents the fuel  13 . At the distal end of the air pipe  26 , a self shedding filter  30  may collect the fines (dust). 
     The exit  74  of the feed line  24  and the entrance  78  of the air outlet  36  may be arranged to allow the cavity  32  to fill up with a desired amount of fuel  13 . For example, the exit  74  and entrance  78  may be configured to at or above the maximum height of the fuel  13  when the hod  20  is filled to operating capacity. As such, air entering from the feed line  24  may be allowed to exit the air outlet  36 . This arrangement may prevent blockage of the feed line  24  caused by fuel  13  not being able to be transported into the hod due to the entrance  78  of the air outlet  36  becoming blocked/plugged by an excessive amount of fuel  13  in the cavity  32 . 
     Turning now to  FIG. 5 , a perspective top end view of the hod  20  is generally shown. The top  66  may include a fixed portion  80  and self-sealing lid  82 . The fixed portion  80  may be fixedly coupled to the sidewall  62 . For example, the fixed portion  80  may be removably coupled to a portion of the sidewall  62  using one or more fasteners  84   a - n  and a seal  86 . The seal  86  may include any type of seal capable of forming a generally air-tight seal between the fixed portion  80  and the sidewall  62  and may include a resilient deformable material such as, but not limited to, rubber, foam, or the like. The fixed portion  80  may be removably secured to sidewall  62  to provide increased access to the chamber  32 . 
     The self-sealing lid  82  may be hingedly coupled to the fixed portion  80 . The self-sealing lid  82  may be configured to close, i.e., seal the lid  82  to the front portion of the sidewall  62  of the hod  20  when the hod  20  is receiving fuel  13 . The self-sealing lid  82  may be configured to open, i.e., create a continuous path from the cavity  32  of the hod  20  to the outside, after filling, for pouring the fuel  13  into an appliance  16 . The self-sealing lid  82  may arrange to empty the fuel  13  proximate to the lip  68  and may be sized to limit a flow rate of the fuel  13  during the pouring. A seal  88  may also be provided to form a generally air-tight seal between the lid  82  and the sidewall  62  and may include a resilient deformable material such as, but not limited to, rubber, foam, or the like. The lid  82  may optionally include one or more retaining magnets, fasteners, or the like to keep the lid  82  sealed and/or to hold the lid  82  open to improve pour accuracy. The lid  82  may optionally be biased (e.g., by a spring or the like) so that the lid  82  is self closing normally, but self opening when pouring. 
     A perspective bottom end view of the hod  20  is generally illustrated in  FIGS. 6A and 6B . The base portion  64  may optionally include one or more guide plates  90  configured to receive at least a portion of the base plate  38  and generally align the feed inlet  34  and air outlet  36  (neither of which are shown for clarity) with the feed line  24  and air line  26 , respectively and facilitate forming a seal there between. The guide plate  90  may extend across only a portion of the base portion  64  as generally illustrated or may be substantially coextensive with the base portion  64 . 
     According to one embodiment, the base plate  38  may protrude generally outwardly from the floor  40  as generally illustrated in  FIG. 3A . Turning back to  FIGS. 6A and 6B , the guide plate  90  may have an interior cavity configured to receive the base plate  38  and therefore align the feed inlet  34  and air outlet  36  with the feed line  24  and air line  26 , respectively. The base plate  38  and the guide plate  90  may form a lock-and-key type arrangement in which they  38 ,  90  can only be aligned in one orientation. Alternatively, the base plate  38  and the guide plate  90  may form a modified lock-and-key type arrangement in which the base plate  38  and the guide plate  90  can only be aligned in two or more discrete orientations (for example, but not limited to, a first orientation corresponding to a fuel fill mode and a second orientation corresponding to an inactive mode or a different fuel fill amount as discussed herein). The guide plate  90  and/or the base portion  64  may optionally include one or more magnets  92  which may be detected by one or more reed switches or the like  56  ( FIGS. 3C and 3D ). The magnets  92  and reed switches  56  may be configured to determine when the hod  20  is coupled to the register  22  and/or the orientation of the hod  20  relative to the register  22  (e.g., to determine whether the hod is in the first orientation or the second orientation). 
     Turning now to  FIGS. 7-9 , one embodiment of a hod sensor system  100  is generally illustrated. As discussed herein, the hod  20  may be configured to communicate with the remote storage bin  12  and/or the vacuum source  18  to commence and/or terminate the filling of the hod  20  with fuel  13 . The hod sensor system  100  may comprise one or more sensors disposed within a sensor shroud  102  and optionally a hod PCB  104 . According to one embodiment, the hod PCB  104  may be configured to provide electrical terminations for the various sensors and/or wires within the hod  20 . 
     The hod PCB  104  may optionally be configured to receive signals from the sensors in the sensor shroud  102  and may interpret these signals to detect when the chamber  32  of the hod  20  has reached a desired quantity/volume of fuel  13 . The hod PCB  104  may be configurable based on user preferences. For example, a user may be able to configure/set the hod PCB  104  to select the desired quantity of fuel  13  to be dispensed into the cavity  32  of the hod  20 , to select the desired fuel flow rate, the desired air flow rate, or even the desired type of fuel  13  or desired source of fuel (for example, if the system includes multiple remote storage bins  12 ). According to one embodiment, the hod PCB  104  may include a timer configured to provide a flow of fuel  13  from the remote storage bin  12  to the hod  20  based on a desired amount of fill time (which may be based on the fuel flow rate from the remote storage bin  12 ). 
     The hod PCB  104  may also include one or more connections  105  for transmitting signals to the remote storage bin  12  and/or the vacuum source  18 . For example, the hod PCB  104  may include a plurality of contacts  105  configured to be electrically and/or magnetically coupled to the pads  44  of the register  22 . The hod  20  and the register  22  may be configured to provide a flow of clean air (i.e., air substantially without fuel  13 ) across the contacts  44 ,  105  when the hod  22  is coupled to the register  22  in order to reduce/eliminate build up of material (e.g., fuel particulates and/or dust) on the contacts  44 ,  105 . The contacts  44 ,  105  may have a convex shape which may be self cleaning. 
     The sensor shroud  102  may be disposed within the chamber  32  of the hod  20  and/or outside of the chamber  32 . As shown, the sensor shroud  102  may be coupled to a sidewall  62 . An exploded view of one embodiment of the hod sensor system  100  is generally illustrated in  FIG. 8  without the hod body  60  and in  FIG. 9  without the sensor shroud  102 . As may be seen, the sensor shroud  102  may include a first and optionally a second (or more) sensor  106 ,  108  which may be coupled to a sensor extender  110 , for example, by a first and a second sensor retainer  112 ,  114 , respectively. The position of the first and/or second sensors  106 ,  108  may be adjusted by moving the position of the first and second sensor retainers  112 ,  114  along the length of the sensor extender  110 . By moving the position of one or more of the sensors  106 ,  108 , the volume or quantity of fuel  13  which may be held in the hod cavity  32  may be adjusted. Alternatively, one or more of the sensors  106 ,  108  may include an adjustable level sensor which may detect the level of the fuel  13  inside the hod cavity  32 . One or more of the sensors  106 ,  108  may include a capacitive proximity sensor, a pressure sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, optical sensor or the like which may be configured to sense the level of the fuel  13  within the chamber  32  for stopping the flow of fuel  13 . 
     According to one embodiment, the system  10  (e.g., the hod PCB  104 , register PCB  46 , and/or a central controller) may be configured to shut off the flow of fuel  13  from the remote storage bin  12  prior to the desired volume or quantity of fuel  13  being reached inside the hod cavity  32 . As may be appreciated, the feed line  24  includes a certain volume or quantity of fuel  13  while fuel  13  is being dispensed from the remote storage bin  12 . The system may be configured to stop the flow of fuel prior to the hod cavity  32  reaching the desired level in order to accommodate the fuel  13  present within the feed line  24 . The system may send a signal to shut the valve  28  of the remote storage bin  12 . Once the fuel  13  in the feed line  24  has been removed from the feed line  24 , the system may then shut off the vacuum source  18 . As a result, blockage of the feed line  24  may be prevented due to accidental build up of undelivered fuel  13  in the feed line  24 . 
     As may therefore be appreciated, the biomass transport system  10  may include a variety of features that may function as interlocks to control operation of the biomass transport system  10 . The interlocks may control the operation of the remote storage bin  12  and/or the vacuum source  18  upon detection of a blockage or the like. The interlocks may also prevent inadvertent operation of the biomass transport system  10  by ensuring that the biomass transport system  10  will not operate unless the hod  20  is properly secured to the register  22  in order to prevent inadvertent operation as a vacuum, which could create safety issues if hot ash were accidentally sucked into the vacuum line, which may contain fine particulates of fuel. 
     Turning back to  FIG. 1 , the biomass transport system  10  may transport fuel  13  from the remote storage bin  12  to the hod  20  as described herein when the hod  20  is coupled to the register  22  in a first orientation or position. Once filled, the hod  20  may be disconnected from the register  22  and the fuel  13  may be easily transported to the appliance  16 , where it may be combusted. The biomass transport system  10  may optionally include one or more sensors  110 ,  112  along the feed line  24  and/or the air line  26  configured to monitor the flow of materials therein and to determine if a blockage has occurred. For example, the biomass transport system  10  may include one or more sensors  110 ,  112  configured to monitor pressure drop within the feed line  24  and/or the air line  26 . The sensors  110 ,  112  may also include auditory sensors, vibratory sensors, and/or optical sensors configured to detect the flow of fuel and/or air through the feed line  24  and/or the air line  26 . The vacuum source  18  may also be provided with current sensors to determine the amount of power that the vacuum source is drawing. These sensors  110 ,  112  may transmit signals to the register PCB  46  and/or the hod PCB  104  which may be configured to analyze them to determine if a blockage has occurred and/or when the chamber  32  of the hod  20  is full. If a blockage has occurred, at least one of the central controller and/or PCBs  46 ,  104  may transmit a signal to the remote storage bin  12  to close valve  28 . Optionally, the central controller and/or PCBs  46 ,  104  may transmit a signal to the vacuum source  18  to prevent damage (e.g., due to overheating) of the vacuum source  18 . 
     The return air (i.e., air that flow from the hod  20  to the vacuum source  18 ) may be returned to the same space where it is pulled. This arrangement may minimize heat lost due to air changes in the area where the air is pulled. The return air may also be used to agitate the fuel  13  in the remote storage bin  12 . For example, the return air may be used to create a fluidized bed within the remote storage bin  12 . The fluidized fuel  13  within the remote storage bin  12  may facilitate dispensing of fuel  13  across the valve  28  by preventing blockages due to fuel build-up and the like. The valve  28  may include an electrically, pneumatically, and/or hydraulically controlled valve. Additionally, the remote storage bin  12  may be provided with one or more augers, vibrators or the like to prevent fuel blockages and/or meter out the fuel flow and control its feed rate and consequently, the air/fuel ratio. 
     The biomass transport system  10  may optionally include a central controller  150 ,  FIG. 10 . The central controller  150  may be configured to receive signals  151  from the sensors in the sensor shroud  102  and may interpret these signals to detect when the chamber  32  of the hod  20  has reached a desired quantity/volume of fuel  13 . The central controller  150  may be configurable based on user preferences. For example, a user may be able to configure/set the central controller  150  to select the desired quantity of fuel  13  to be dispensed into the cavity  32  of the hod  20 , to select the desired fuel flow rate, the desired air flow rate, or even the desired type of fuel  13  or desired source of fuel (for example, if the system includes multiple remote storage bins  12 ). According to one embodiment, the central controller  150  may include a timer configured to provide a flow of fuel  13  from the remote storage bin  12  to the hod  20  based on a desired amount of fill time (which may be based on the fuel flow rate from the remote storage bin  12 ). The central controller  150  may also receive a signal  151  from the hod  20  and/or the register  22  to determine if the hod  20  is properly coupled to the register  22 , to determine the position of the hod  20  relative to the register  22 , and/or to determine the identity of the hod coupled to the register  22 . 
     The central controller  150  may optionally be configured to receive and/or transmit a signal  152  to the vacuum source  18 . The signal  152  may turn the power on/off to the vacuum source  18 . Additionally, the central controller  150  may determine when the hod  20  is full based on the load experienced by the vacuum source  18 . Optionally, the signal  152  may be configured to adjust the power to the vacuum source  18 , for example, in order adjust the air/fuel flow rate within the system  10 . The central controller  150  may also transmit a signal  153  to the remote storage bin  12  to regulate the flow of fuel  13 . For example, the signal  153  may regulate a bypass valve  154  configured to adjust the flow of fuel  13  from the remote storage bin  12 . 
     Turning now to  FIG. 11 , a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of a dispensing valve  28  consistent with present disclosure is generally illustrated. The dispensing valve  28  may comprise a fuel entrainer  160  having an air inlet  161  configured to selectively provide a flow of air into the fuel entrainer  160  and an air/fuel outlet  162  configured to selectively provide a flow of air and fuel out of the entrainer  160 . For example, the air inlet  161  may be fluidly coupled to the vacuum source  18 , for example, via a return air line  166  as illustrated in  FIG. 10 . 
     The fuel entrainer  160  may also be coupled to the remote storage bin  12 , which may optionally include an isolation valve (not shown) configured to selectively dispense fuel  13  from the remote storage bin  12  into a chamber  163  defined by the fuel entrainer  160 . The fuel entrainer  160  is configured to entrain/fluidize the fuel  13  with the air flowing through the air inlet  161  for transporting the fuel  13  to the hod  20  as described herein. A bypass valve  154  may be coupled to the air/fuel outlet  162 . The bypass valve  154  may have an inlet  165  configured to be selectively provide a flow of air, and may optionally be coupled to the return air line  166  as illustrated in  FIG. 10 . 
     The bypass valve  154  may be configured to be selectively opened/closed in order to selectively provide a flow of air through the fuel entrainer  160  via the air inlet  161 . In particular, when the bypass valve  154  is closed, air may flow into the fuel entrainer  160  through the air inlet  161 . This flow of air may then fluidize the fuel  13  inside the chamber  163 , which may ultimately exit the fuel entrainer  160  via the air/fuel outlet  162  where it may then be transported to the hod  20  as described herein. When the bypass valve  154  is opened, the flow of air through the fuel entrainer  160  may be reduced and/or substantially eliminated. As such, the rate of fuel dispensed from the remote storage bin  12  into line  24  may be controlled by controlling and/or modulating the opening/closing (e.g., duty cycle) of the bypass valve  154 . 
     The biomass transport system  10  may also be configured to transport combustion products (e.g., ash) resulting from the combustion of the fuel  13  in the appliance  16 . For example, the biomass transport system  10  may comprise an ash hod  200 ,  FIG. 12 , configured to be removably coupled to the register  22  (not shown in this picture for clarity). When the ash hod  200  is coupled to the register  22 , the biomass transport system  10  may be configured to remove ash from an appliance  16  (e.g., a pellet stove or the like, not shown in this picture for clarity) and to separate/collect the ash from an incoming air stream. The ash may then be stored in an ash chamber  204  where it may be emptied. As may be appreciated, the volume of ash is a very small percentage compared to the original volume of the fuel  13  consumed in the appliance. For illustrative purposes, the ash hod  200  may be capable of storing an amount of ash corresponding to 10 (or more) loads of fuel  13  delivered to the appliance with the hod  20 . 
     For example, the ash hod  200  may comprise a body portion  202  defining the ash cavity  204 . The body portion  202  may also include a base portion  206  configured to be fluidly coupled to the register  22  and one or more sidewall portions  208 . For example, the base portion  206  may comprise a recessed portion  208  configured to receive a portion of the register  22  (e.g., the base plate  38 ) and to at least partially sealingly engage the base plate  38 . The base portion  206  may include an opening  216  configured to fluidly couple the ash hod  200  to the line  26  extending from the register  22  to the vacuum source  18  and to seal/cap-off the line  24  extending between the register  22  and the remote storage bin  12  such that the line  24  is not under vacuum. One or more portions of the body  202  may be configured to be at least partially removed to allow ash collected within the ash cavity  204  to be removed. For example, the base portion  206  may optionally include a hinge or the like  210  and/or one or more latches  212  or a sidewall may have a door that opens to allow ash to be removed or dumped. 
     The ash hod  200  may include a vacuum line  214  having a first end region  217  extending from the opening  216  in the recessed portion  208 . A second end region  218  of the vacuum line  214  may be coupled to one or more filters  220   a ,  220   b  (e.g., but not limited to, a primary filer  220   a  configured to separate the larger ash particles from the air and a secondary filter  220   b  configured to remove the smaller, fine particles). The filters  220   a ,  220   b  may fluidly couple the second end region  218  of the vacuum line  214  to the ash cavity  204  and may be suspended from an upper portion  211  of the body  202  such that the ash may fall away from the filters  212   a ,  212   b  and towards the base portion  206 . 
     As may be appreciated, ash may have a low pH (i.e., the ash may be acidic). In order to minimize the potential that the ash may damage the vacuum line  214 , the vacuum line  214  may be separated from the ash cavity  204  such that the vacuum line  214  is not in contact with ash in the ash cavity  204 . For example, the vacuum line  214  may be disposed about an outer surface of the body  202 . Alternatively (or in addition), the vacuum line  214  may be housed in a secondary cavity  224 . The secondary cavity  224  may be fluidly separated from the ash cavity  204 . According to at least one embodiment, the secondary cavity  224  may include an auditory device (e.g., but not limited to, a whistle or the like  226 ). The auditory device  226  may provide an audible alarm in the event that there is a breach between the secondary cavity  224  and the ash cavity  204 . In particular, in the event of a breach, the ash cavity  204  (which may be under vacuum) may draw air through the auditory device  226 , which may then generate an audible alarm (e.g., a whistling sound) indicating that there the ash cavity  204  may be breached. 
     The ash hod  200  may also include an ash hose  222  fluidly coupled to the ash cavity  204 . For example, the ash hose  222  may include a first end region  228   a  coupled to the ash cavity  204  at a position below the filters  212   a ,  212   b . The first end region  228   a  may be configured to generally direct the ash towards the base portion  206 , and generally away from the filters  212   a ,  212   b  to reduce the loading of the filters  212   a ,  212   b . A second end region  228   b  of the ash hose  222  may be configured to drawn in ash and air from the appliance. The ash hose  222  may optionally be stored on the ash hod  200  using a hose reel or the like  230 . 
     The ash hod  200  may optionally include a tool holder  232  configured to retain one or more tools  234  (e.g., but not limited to, tools that may be associated with servicing/emptying a pellet stove or the like such as screw drivers, wrenches, various sizes/shapes of vacuum wands that may optionally include integral scrapers and the like). Optionally, the ash hod  200  may include one or more handles or the like  236  coupled to the body  202 . The handles  236  may facilitate movement and emptying of the ash hod  200 . 
     In practice, the ash hod  200  may be fluidly coupled to the register  22 . When coupled, the vacuum line  214  of the ash hod  200  may be fluidly coupled to the vacuum source  18 , e.g., via line  26 . The ash hod  200  may also seal/block-off the line  24  extending from the register  22  the remote storage bin  12 . The vacuum source  18  may be activated, causing air to be drawn down line  26  and vacuum line  214 , causing a vacuum inside the ash cavity  204 . Air and ash may then be drawn in the ash cavity  204  via the ash hose  222 . The air and ash may then enter the ash cavity  204 , and the air may be separated from the ash via filters  212   a ,  212   b  such that only the air is allowed to enter the vacuum line  214 . As may be appreciated, it is important to prevent hot ash from being sucked into the vacuum source  18 . The system may also include a verification of pressure drop across one or more of the filters  220   a  and  220   b  to confirm that there is actually a filter in place and therefore prevent as from accidentally passing into the vacuum line. Feedback from a pressure differential transducer between second end region  218  and ash cavity  204  may confirm separation of ash is actually occurring. The system may also be configured to confirm independently each filter  220   a ,  220   b  is present and in good working order, for example, using multiple pressure transducers or the like. 
     The ash hod  200  may also include sensors and circuitry as described herein to control the vacuum source  18  (e.g., provide interlocks) and/or to identify the ash hod  200  (e.g., to allow the system  10  to differentiate between an ash hod  200  and a hod  20 ) as generally described herein. The system may determine if the filter(s)  220  are in place by monitoring/verifying a pressure drop across the filters  200  before turning on the system (e.g., before turning on the vacuum source  18  and/or applying vacuum within the ash hod  200 ). For example, a valve may be disposed upstream of the external air and ash hose. When the system starts, this valve may not be connected to the external ash and vacuum hose, but instead may be coupled to a separate filtered and/or concealed air inlet. Once pressure drop across the filters is first verified, the valve may connect the external ash and vacuum hose to the negative pressure, and vacuuming could commence. 
     As used herein, the term “fines” is intended to refer to particles which may flow through a ¼″ mesh screen. For example, fines may include particles which may flow through a generally square 3/16″ opening or a ⅛″ screen. 
     According to one aspect, the present disclosure may feature a biomass transfer system comprising a register and a hod. The register may be configured to be coupled to a support surface and may comprise a first pipe configured to be fluidly coupled to a remote storage bin, the remote storage bin configured to contain a quantity of bulk solid biomass fuel; and a second pipe configured to be fluidly coupled to vacuum source. The hod may be configured to be removably fluidly coupled to the register. The hod may comprise a body defining a sealed cavity configured to store a user selected quantity of the bulk solid biomass fuel; a feed pipe coupled to the sealed cavity, the feed pipe configured to be fluidly coupled to the first pipe to receive air and the bulk solid biomass fuel from the remote storage bin; and an air pipe disposed within the sealed cavity, the air pipe configured to be fluidly coupled to the second pipe such that substantially only air and fine particles exit the sealed cavity and the bulk solid biomass fuel is stored within the sealed cavity. 
     According to another aspect, the present disclosure may feature a biomass transport system comprising a remote storage bin, a vacuum source, and a biomass transfer system. The remote storage bin may be configured to contain a quantity of bulk solid biomass fuel. The remote storage bin may comprise a controllable dispensing valve configured to dispense a controlled rate of the bulk solid biomass fuel into a first pipe. The vacuum source may be configured to provide a stream of air through a second pipe. The biomass transfer system may comprise a register configured to be coupled to a support surface and a hod. The register may comprise a first opening configured to be fluidly coupled to the first pipe and a second opening configured to be fluidly coupled to the second pipe. The hod may be configured to be removably fluidly coupled to the register. The hod may comprise a body defining a sealed cavity configured to store a user selected quantity of the bulk solid biomass fuel; a feed pipe coupled to the sealed cavity, the feed pipe configured to be fluidly coupled to the first opening to receive air and the bulk solid biomass fuel from the remote storage bin; and an air pipe disposed within the sealed cavity, the air pipe configured to be fluidly coupled to the second opening such that substantially only air and fine particles exit the sealed cavity and the bulk solid biomass fuel is stored within the sealed cavity. 
     According to yet a further aspect, the present disclosure may feature a method of transporting a bulk solid biomass fuel. The method may comprise providing a remote storage bin configured to contain a quantity of bulk solid biomass fuel; providing a hod comprising a body defining a sealed cavity, a feed pipe disposed within the sealed cavity, and an air pipe coupled to the sealed cavity; fluidly coupling the feed pipe to a first pipe coupled to the remote storage bin; fluidly coupling the air pipe to a second pipe coupled to a vacuum source; applying a vacuum to the second pipe to create a flow of air and dispensing a controlled rate of bulk solid biomass fuel from the remote storage bin into the first pipe using a controllable dispensing valve; and separating the bulk solid biomass fuel from the flow of air such that substantially only air and fine particles exit the sealed cavity through the second pipe and the bulk solid biomass fuel is stored within the sealed cavity. 
     While the principles of the present disclosure have been described herein, it is to be understood by those skilled in the art that this description is made only by way of example and not as a limitation as to the scope of the invention. The features and aspects described with reference to particular embodiments disclosed herein are susceptible to combination and/or application with various other embodiments described herein. Such combinations and/or applications of such described features and aspects to such other embodiments are contemplated herein. Other embodiments are contemplated within the scope of the present invention in addition to the exemplary embodiments shown and described herein. Modifications and substitutions by one of ordinary skill in the art are considered to be within the scope of the present invention, which is not to be limited except by the following claims. 
     All definitions, as defined and used herein, should be understood to control over dictionary definitions, definitions in documents incorporated by reference, and/or ordinary meanings of the defined terms. 
     The indefinite articles “a” and “an,” as used herein in the specification and in the claims, unless clearly indicated to the contrary, should be understood to mean “at least one.” 
     The phrase “and/or,” as used herein in the specification and in the claims, should be understood to mean “either or both” of the elements so conjoined, i.e., elements that are conjunctively present in some cases and disjunctively present in other cases. Other elements may optionally be present other than the elements specifically identified by the “and/or” clause, whether related or unrelated to those elements specifically identified, unless clearly indicated to the contrary. 
     All references, patents and patent applications and publications that are cited or referred to in this application are incorporated in their entirety herein by reference. 
     Additional disclosure in the format of claims is set forth below: