Patent Application
20240302047
The present invention relates to a device for, in particular low-emission, burning of (solid) fuels, preferably a fireplace and/or stove and/or stove fireplace.
Fireplaces, stoves, stove fireplaces and the like are small to medium-sized combustion plants, especially for domestic use, and are generally known.
The devices generate heat and visible fire in particular by means of controlled combustion of (solid) fuels.
This controlled burning of the (solid) fuel results in emissions, e.g. in the form of soot and/or other particulate matter.
Previously known fireplaces, stoves, stove fireplaces and the like have the disadvantage of the high emissions, especially of particulate matter, resulting from a combustion of (solid) fuels.
It is therefore the object of the present invention to address at least one of the above-mentioned problems. In particular, a device for low-emission combustion of (solid) fuels is intended to be provided, especially for domestic use.
According to the invention, a device for, in particular low-emission, burning of (solid) fuels is therefore proposed, in particular with visible fire, comprising a section for receiving a bulk material, preferably an air turbulence chamber, which is designed for the purpose of guiding an air mass flow in at least one direction through the bulk material and receiving the bulk material in such a way that the air mass flow experiences turbulence through the bulk material, the turbulence slowing down the air mass flow along the at least one direction, and making the air mass flow slowed down in this way available for burning of the (solid) fuel, in particular such that the burning is carried out with little particulate matter.
In particular, a fireplace and/or stove and/or stove fireplace or similar having low-emission burning is thus proposed.
The device is thus designed in particular as a fireplace or stove or stove fireplace or the like and especially for domestic use.
The device is preferably designed for the purpose of generating heat and light, in particular in the form of a decorative fire, by burning or pyrolysis of a (solid) fuel.
The (solid) fuel is, for example, solid, liquid, gaseous or in the form of a gel. The (solid) fuel is, for example, fossil or biogenic. Preferably, the (solid) fuel is based on wood, e.g. a deciduous or coniferous wood, in the form of chunky firewood, such as wood logs, wood pellets, wood chips or the like.
The device is used in particular for domestic use, and in particular not for industrial use, such as, for example, for generating electricity or incinerating waste. The device thus has in particular a nominal heat output which is less than 100 KW, preferably less than 50 KW, more preferably less than 20 KW, in particular less than 10 KW, for example 4 to 8 kW.
For burning the (solid) fuel, the device comprises, in particular, a section for receiving a bulk material. This section is also referred to below as an air turbulence chamber.
The section for receiving the bulk material is preferably designed as a space or chamber or the like, in particular for receiving and/or for storing the bulk material.
The section for receiving the bulk material is, for example, in the form of a cube or shaft or is tubular and composed of a heat-resistant material, e.g. stainless steel.
Preferably, the section for receiving the bulk material is arranged within the device and loaded with a bulk material in such a way that at least one air mass flow can be guided through the bulk material in at least one direction.
The bulk material is thus selected in such a way that turbulence in the air mass flow within the bulk material can occur, which slows down the air mass flow.
The section for receiving the bulk material thus has the task of receiving a bulk material in such a way that there is turbulence of an air mass flow that is guided through the bulk material.
The section for receiving the bulk material may therefore also be referred to as an air vortex chamber or air turbulence chamber.
The bulk material is preferably in the form of chunks and/or is heat-resistant (>1000° C.), e.g. in the form of spheres, chunks of rock or expanded clay or heat-resistant metal.
The bulk material is also preferably configured such that it, in particular in bulk material storage, can swirl an air mass flow flowing through the bulk material, in particular as described below.
For example, the section for receiving a bulk material is arranged below the combustion chamber and the oxygen is supplied to the combustion chamber via a central draft from below through the bulk material. The bulk material then swirls this central draft. This swirling slows down and/or evens out and/or flattens the central draft, resulting in a more uniform combustion of the fuel within the combustion chamber, which in turn reduces the combustion emissions, especially the particulate matter.
Preferably, the device further comprises a section for the installation, in particular of the device, preferably a stand, which is preferably arranged below the section for receiving the bulk material.
The device thus further comprises, in particular, at least one section for the installation of the device. This section is also referred to below as a stand.
The section for the installation is preferably arranged below the section for receiving the bulk material.
The section for the installation may also be referred to in particular as a stand or is designed as a stand.
The section for the installation is, for example, in the form of a cube or shaft or is tubular and composed of a heat-resistant material, e.g. stainless steel.
Preferably, the section for the installation is formed from the same material as the section for receiving the bulk material.
Further preferably, the section for the installation and the section for receiving the bulk material are connected to each other, in particular materially, preferably air-tightly, e.g. by a surrounding weld.
Particularly preferably, the section for the installation has a larger cross section than the section for receiving the bulk material.
Preferably, the device further comprises a section for receiving a (solid) fuel, preferably a combustion chamber, which is preferably arranged above the section for receiving the bulk material.
The device thus further comprises, in particular, at least one section for receiving a (solid) fuel.
The (solid) fuel in particular is stored and/or burned off in a controlled manner in the section for receiving the (solid) fuel.
The section for receiving the (solid) fuel may also be referred to as a combustion chamber. Optionally, the combustion chamber also has a burner, which is designed to ignite and/or to light the (solid) fuel.
The section for receiving the (solid) fuel is, for example, in the form of a cube or shaft or is tubular and composed of a heat-resistant material, e.g. stainless steel.
In addition, the section for receiving the (solid) fuel has at least one opening for admitting the (solid) fuel and/or an opening for dispensing the fire or the associated combustion gases.
Preferably, the section for receiving the (solid) fuel is arranged above or on the section for receiving the bulk material.
Furthermore, the section for receiving the (solid) fuel is formed in particular from the same material as the section for receiving the bulk material.
Further preferably, the section for receiving the (solid) fuel and the section for receiving the bulk material are connected to each other, in particular materially, preferably air-tightly, e.g. by a surrounding weld.
Particularly preferably, the section for receiving the (solid) fuel has a cross section which is larger than the cross section of the section for receiving the bulk material.
Preferably, the device further comprises a section for light emission, in particular a sight glass, preferably a sight glass surrounding the visible fire, preferably above the section for receiving the bulk material and/or above the section for receiving a (solid) fuel.
The visible fire is therefore preferably located behind a sight glass.
The sight glass can, for example, be recessed in the combustion chamber or arranged on the combustion chamber.
The sight glass is manufactured, for example, from glass, in particular fireproof glass, preferably of a thickness of between 2 and 8 mm and in particular heat-resistant.
Preferably, the sight glass is arranged on the combustion chamber and the combustion chamber has an opening at an upper end, in particular in the center, in particular in such a way that the fire extends upward out of the combustion chamber and is visible through the sight glass.
Particularly preferably, the section for light emission substantially has the same cross section as the section for receiving the (solid) fuel.
Preferably, the device further comprises an apparatus for collecting ash, in particular an ash drawer, which is preferably arranged within the section for the installation and/or is movable horizontally, and in particular is removable.
The apparatus for collecting ash may also be referred to as an ash drawer.
Preferably, the apparatus for collecting ash is arranged within one section or the section for the installation or the stand of the device.
The apparatus for collecting ash is preferably formed from a heat-resistant material, preferably from the same material as the section for the installation.
Preferably, the device further comprises a grid, in particular consisting of rods (vibrating rods), which separates the section for receiving the bulk material from the section for receiving the (solid) fuel and/or is arranged within the section for the installation and/or the section for receiving the bulk material, in such a manner that the bulk material can be arranged on the grid and/or substantially within the section for receiving the bulk material.
It is therefore proposed in particular that the bulk material should be stored on a grid.
Preferably, the grid is arranged below the section for receiving the (solid) fuel, in particular in such a way that the bulk material is arranged below the (solid) fuel.
The grid is preferably formed from a multiplicity of substantially parallel rods, which are, for example, arranged horizontally within the device.
The distances between the rods are chosen in such a way, and depending on the bulk material, that the bulk material can be stored on the grid.
Preferably, the grid or rods is or are formed from stainless steel.
Preferably, the grid has at least one handle with which the grid is movable at least partially and/or in sections, preferably horizontally, and/or which is connected to a vibrating rod, in particular in such a way that, when actuated, the bulk material is moved and/or shaken, preferably in such a way that ash within the bulk material enters the apparatus for collecting ash.
The device thus has at least one handle by means of which the grid can be moved and/or vibrated.
Preferably, the device has at least one vibrating rod, preferably two vibrating rods, which are connected to the grid and/or arranged in the grid in such a way that the grid can be shaken, in particular in such a way that ash within the bulk material enters the apparatus for collecting ash.
Preferably, the device further has at least one opening, in particular for generating the (primary) air mass flow, which is preferably arranged below the section for receiving the (solid) fuel, in particular in the section for the installation.
The device therefore preferably comprises at least one opening for generating an, in particular central, air mass flow, which preferably draws vertically (from the bottom upward) through the device.
The opening is preferably arranged in a lower end of the device, in particular below the combustion chamber, i.e. the fire.
The opening serves in particular to supply oxygen to the fire within the section for receiving the (solid) fuel, i.e. the combustion chamber.
Preferably, the opening can be regulated by means of an adjustment unit, in particular in order to influence the (primary) air mass flow.
For example, a flap is arranged for this purpose in front of the opening, by means of which the opening can be closed or partially opened by a desired extent or opened.
By means of the adjustment unit, the active surface of the opening can thus be influenced or freely adjusted, e.g. with a displaceable or rotatable flap in front of the opening. Preferably, the device also comprises the bulk material described above or below.
The present invention is explained in more detail below and with reference to the accompanying figures, wherein the same reference symbols are used for the same or similar assemblies.
The device 100 is arranged on a floor B and comprises a section 110 for the installation, a section 120 for receiving a bulk material, a section 130 for receiving a (solid) fuel, and a section 140 for emitting light.
The section 110 for the installation is arranged on the ground B and is in the form of a stand of the device 100.
The section 110 for the installation comprises a substantially horizontally arranged and, in particular horizontally, movable apparatus for collecting ash A, e.g. a drawer.
The section 110 for the installation further comprises a substantially horizontally arranged grid 114, on which the bulk material 200 is stored. The grid 114 is described in particular in
The section 110 for the installation furthermore also comprises an opening 116 for generating a (primary) air mass flow L, which draws substantially perpendicularly through the device 100 and serves to supply oxygen to the fire F.
The section 120 for receiving the bulk material 200 is arranged above and on the section 110 for installation, in particular in such a way that the bulk material 200 can be stored on the grid 114.
The section 120 for receiving the bulk material 200 is thus configured to receive the bulk material.
The bulk material is, for example, a spherical expanded clay or other fireproof and/or heat-resistant material.
The section 130 for receiving the (solid) fuel H is arranged above and on the section 120 for receiving the bulk material 200.
The section 130 for receiving the (solid) fuel H is therefore designed to receive the fuel H. For example, the fuel H, wood pellets, is arranged directly on the bulk material 200 or on a further grid, which is arranged above the bulk material 200.
In addition, the section 130 for receiving the (solid) fuel H preferably has a height which is lower than the fire F generated by the fuel H, in particular in such a way that the fire F extends beyond section 130 for receiving the (solid) fuel H.
The section for light emission 140 is manufactured, for example, from glass and arranged above the section 130 for receiving the (solid) fuel H, in particular in such a way that the fire F is guided vertically and visibly in sections.
For the operation of the device 100, the device 100 is firstly loaded with a bulk material 200 and then with a fuel H. The fuel H is preferably arranged on the bulk material 200.
The fuel H is ignited after being loaded, e.g. by a burner or a lighter, e.g. wax taper, waxed wood shavings or the like, arranged in the combustion chamber.
The burning of the fuel H then generates a fire F or flames extending upward out of the device 100.
The fire F is supplied with oxygen by means of the air mass flow L.
The air mass flow L draws through the opening 116 into the device 100 and from there, owing to the convection, through the fire F substantially vertically upward, specifically substantially perpendicularly through the bulk material 200.
The bulk material 200 then creates turbulence of the air mass flow L, which leads to a slowing down (vL2<vL1) or evening out of the air mass flow L.
This evening out leads to an improved, in particular more uniform, combustion of the fuel H, which minimizes the emissions and in particular the particulate matter of the combustion.
In the region of the transition of the sections 130 and 140, it is also possible to form openings (bores) in the side walls such that air, e.g. as a secondary air flow, can enter the interior from the outside in the direction of the incident flame. Such a further air flow can further improve the flame formation, in particular the combustion, in order to further reduce the particulate matter content and in particular also to produce the flame F in the center of the section 140, which increases the attractiveness of the flame image.
The grid 114 is arranged between the section 110 for the installation and the section 120 for receiving the bulk material, in particular as shown in
The grid 114 is substantially formed from a plurality of parallel rods 114′, which are arranged substantially horizontally in the device 100.
In addition, the grid 114 has at least two handles 114″.
The handles 114″ are each arranged on a vibrating rod 114″, with which the bulk material 200 can be set in motion or vibration in such a way that ash produced by the burning of the fuel can fall through the bulk material 200.
The vibrating rods 114″ are, for example, formed from a tube and a rod 114′ located therein and from the outside preferably resemble the other rods 114′. The rod 114′ located in the tube can be moved to and fro by means of the handle 114″, in particular to order to move or to shake the bulk material 200.
Finally,
At least one movement member 117 is arranged below the vibrating rods 114″; in the exemplary embodiment according to
Instead of the motor drive 121 of the movement members 117 that is shown in
In
With the motorized drive 121, the rack 118 and thus the movement member 117 fused thereto can be moved to and fro between two end positions, and therefore the vibrating rods 114″ are gradually pushed upward and then fall down again due to gravity, as a result of which then also the bulk material 200 (the bulk material layer), i.e. the heat-resistant spheres, are moved in the air vortex chamber and the components lying thereon, e.g. carbon components, are then also picked up by the bulk material 200, by the movement of said bulk material 200, and ground into small pieces, so that the finely ground material can then fall into the apparatus for collecting the ash, in particular the ash drawer 112.
The bulk material 200 thus consists of heat-resistant spheres, e.g. of expanded clay, and, by the actuation or movement of the vibrating rods 114″, can thus also be used as a grinding mechanism for the completely degassed solid fuels, i.e. carbon, and when the device 100 has the electromotive drive 121, which moves the racks 118, and thus the movement members 117, to and fro between their end positions at recurring intervals, the grinding function of the grinding mechanism can also be realized by an automatic controller 122.
One or more temperature sensors (not shown) in the region of the section 120 and/or in the range of the section 130 and/or 140 can also be used to precisely determine whether the degassing process of the fuel H has already been completed and, if so, this is correspondingly measured by the respective temperature sensor and, if its value is supplied to the controller 122 and processed and a predetermined threshold value is present, the motor 121 is then automatically started and the gearwheel and the rack 118 are correspondingly moved.
The carbon lying above the bulk material 200, i.e. the heat-resistant spheres made, e.g., of expanded clay, is thereby shaken out of the balls by the sphere layer and crushed (ground) against the spheres themselves into fine carbon crystals/components.
Said carbon crystals (or carbon powder) then trickle into the collecting container 112 arranged underneath. The carbon is extinguished there and can then be collected in order to continue using it, for example, as vegetable carbon in horticulture, landscaping, or in agriculture or the like.
The figures show a rectangular or square burner in cross section; the invention also readily permits a cylindrical burning apparatus in which the fuel H, or the bulk material 200 is located in a chamber which is circular or oval-shaped in cross section.
In the example shown, the spheres in the drawing each have the same diameter, but it is also preferable to use first and second spheres with different diameters and also to use first and second spheres, which differ in weight.
It is particularly preferred that the larger (first) spheres are preferably lighter than the smaller (second) spheres.
This can be achieved by the material itself, for example by making the smaller spheres from metal and the larger spheres from a heat-resistant material such as expanded clay.
This then leads to what is referred to as the “Brazil nut effect”, that is, the larger spheres always move more at the top and the smaller spheres stay at the bottom. This has the advantage that the grinding operation is improved and the passage of air can be controlled in a more targeted way.
In the example shown, the distance of the rods 114′ from one another lies preferably in the range of 1 to 10 mm, preferably 2 to 7 mm and the sphere diameter of the spheres used is in the range of 10 to 50 mm, preferably between 15 and 40 mm.
In the present invention, it is possible that primary air (VL1, VL2), which is introduced from below, is completely independent of secondary air, which is introduced from above into the burning apparatus, and controlled and regulated. In this case, the primary air flows past the spheres, i.e. the layer, out of the bulk material 200 or between the gaps thereof, and the customer (operator) can ultimately adjust the air mass flow L for the primary air individually through the opening 116, in particular can adjust it in respect of how long and/or how rapidly and how intensely the burning should take place; the customer or the operator of the device 100 according to the invention can thus control the access of the primary air (VL2, VL1), which has the advantage that the efficiency of the burning apparatus can also be improved.
The secondary air reaches the flame or fire F either from the side in the region of the sections 130/140 and/or from above; apparatuses for introducing said secondary air are not shown in the exemplary embodiment, but are known as such.
In tests, burning which is virtually free from particulate matter could be made possible by means of the device 100 according to the invention, which generates a very appealing flame pattern, wherein the height of the flame is also individually adjustable by the customer/operator by adjusting the primary air and, after the pyrolysis combustion (gas burning), the material for burning, which is burned to form carbon, is ground by the vibrating movement of the bulk material 200 in order therefore to be collected as fine carbon particles or carbon dust of a predetermined grain size in the collecting container 112 and to use this vegetable carbon thus obtained for a desired purpose, e.g. improvement/supplement of the garden soil and flower soil or as barbecue charcoal.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 102021123747.5 | Sep 2021 | DE | national |
This application is a continuation of international application number PCT/EP2022/075557, filed Sep. 14, 2022, which claims priority to German patent application number 102021123747.5, filed Sep. 14, 2021. The contents of these applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | PCT/EP2020/075557 | Sep 2022 | WO |
| Child | 18605650 | US |
