Patent Application
20120124900
The present invention may be characterized as a fixture, consisting of an outer wrapping inside which two or more combustible materials/components are enclosed in a certain relation to each other.
The fixture is composed of combustible materials only, such as paper, plastic (plastic sheet) and more, which means that during the course of the experiment the fixture is essentially consumed, while its contents transforms into heat, emissions, and ash by way of the heat from the wrapping and from its own combustion.
The present invention may also be defined as a cassette.
The word “cassette” is generally used to denote a unit usually standardized in size and shape with a certain content in order to easily be inserted into the space or context in which it is to operate. For simplicity it has in the following been chosen to use the word “cassette” as a designation for the present invention. (Cassette part)
Summary of drawbacks, disadvantages and deficiencies of existing devices and systems.
Combustible, single-use material assemblies are previously known in a number of different embodiments and are intended to be easily useable and to be able to create a lighting of an adjacent combustible material, which in the normal case is constituted by wooden pieces of firewood. Such combustible material assemblies have in many applications had the shape of newspaper sheets, which have been crumpled up into a “ball” or similar, and in which the paper material in the newspaper sheets have been compacted to such a degree that it will be possible to supply air and oxygen to the material assembly. Different forms of material assemblies are known which have been steeped in paraffin so as to increase the energy content to exceed that offered by the paper material alone.
Also belonging to the prior art is the use of:
This consists of thin, oblong plates of pressed pulp, which have been impregnated with a paraffin-like substance. They are positioned close to the bottom of a fireplace or beneath the coal of a grill. The combustion is slow with a yellow, somewhat soot generating flame in a zone close to the lighting paper, and since this does not reach the surfaces of the firewood the heat is not sufficiently intense for a quick lighting.
Are intended for open stoves, outdoor fires and grills, and consists of pulp bricks, impregnated with a paraffin-like substance. These compact units are marred with the same limit as been mentioned above, the flames do not reach sufficiently close to the surfaces of the fuel and thus the lighting takes a longer time. The combustion take place at relatively low temperature, and therefore a lighting time as given in its directions for use—about 15 minutes—must be used before the fire is completely lit.
These are made in a liquid absorbing material, which completely or partly have been steeped in a paraffin oil-like, strongly petroleum smelling liquid, which is enclosed in a sealed plastic bag. In this case as well the flame is relatively small, yellowish, and strongly soot generating, and the lighting time is here also about 15 minutes.
Small portion bags containing a paraffin-like substance which burns relatively slowly after being lighted. Thereafter the paraffin melts successively and here the lighting time is also relatively long at a relatively low temperature.
These are provided with an extra strong lighting set and gives a concentrated hearth, comprising only a small volume.
This is usually constituted by a petroleum product, which is used to light outdoor grills and also log fires outdoors. It is however less used indoors. The drawback of such a liquid is an often nasty smell, for example during grilling and also a question of health hazard due to carcinogenic substances which may penetrate into the food. The poison central register yearly serious cases of poisoning usually afflicting children who has unscrewed the cork and been drinking of the liquid.
Liquefied petroleum gas has been used in trials for the starting of house furnaces, but some problems has then arisen. According to a report no. 4669 issued by the Naturvårdsverket in Sweden it has been observed that when having a fire in a house furnace based on firewood large emissions of unsaturated hydrocarbons and other environmentally hazardous substances arises, especially during the lighting phase.
Trials with preheating with liquefied petroleum gas or electricity has been made, but these have not lead to any practically realizable solutions for a wider market.
Splinted wood consists of wood which have been chopped or “splintered” into such small dimensions that the splintered product easily is lighted by insertion of for example one of the previously mentioned fire starters, but also having a sufficient energy content to be able to light the larger “split wood” and this should in turn and in a similar fashion receive a certain energy and to, by addition of its own energy, forward even more to guarantee a safe lighting of larger pieces of wood.
The burning time for most of the fire starters is often long—in commercials and on the instructions for use it is declared “burns for 10-20 min.” On the contrary a fire starter should operate with a high energy give off to the fuel in order to alight it in the shortest possible time.
In accordance with the above most fire starters burn with a comparably lower temperature which entails a greater risk for harmful emissions.
Several fire starters, both those steeped in liquid and strongly odorous petroleum products and portion bags filled with solid paraffin, which also is odorous—contains substances which can be strongly questionable in respect of health when they, for example during grilling, may be transferred to the grilled food.
Lighting fluids have caused explosions when used improperly and poisoning accidents (children who have accidentally been drinking the liquid).
Harmful substances in lighting fluids may constitute a health hazard during for example grilling with additional grilling coals or briquettes which have been steeped in lighting fluid wherein a non-combusted part has been transferred to the grilling meat via the smoke and has given it its taste.
Even today fires are lighted with use of ancient methods i different parts of the world due to poverty, cultural tradition or lack of knowledge about more environmentally friendly methods.
The use of lighting liquids may also be assigned to this group, which apart from hazards with accidental fires, explosions, and poisonings also can result in hazardous emissions to the environment. In Sweden only about 4000 tons of fire liquid is used yearly, and this can also convey risks of health since poisonous substances may be present both in the smoke and in the grilled meat.
Usually, one does not realise the importance that the firewood not only is treated so that it is dry but also that it during its journey of distribution remain dry and thereafter is not subjected to moisture. Below is an example of a small scale handling: Subsequent to the process of felling to cutting/chopping, the wood is laid in large piles for sun drying. It is then—in case of favourable weather during summer exposed to an ideal drying procedure in which the warmth from the sun during the days penetrates the outer layer of the wood and opens the pores of the wood so that the existing water and moisture on the surface evaporates and moisture from the inner wood is successively brought to the surface of the wood. This can be carried on until the humidity of the wood reaches down to close to air humidity. If this process is interrupted for example due to rain or snow the wood may become unsuitable as fuel and the combustibility be decreased for a long time for the following reason and with consequences for the environment and the economic profits:
After lighting wet or humid wood, which may require addition of a large amount of splinters, finely split wood or fire starters, a decrease of the lighting process occurs since the water contained in the wood must first be heated to 100° C. after which it must be boiled off. The formation of steam requires a lot of energy.
This loss of energy retards the temperature increase in the wood with the consequences that the combustion temperature is lower than in case water had not been needed to be removed from the hearth. This condition has as a result partly that the economic profit from the wood is lower since a more complete combustion—which gives the best yield—is prevented or impaired. Also, substances such as among others unsaturated hydrocarbons, tar and soot, are formed during the combustion, which contaminates the environment and deteriorates our surroundings. Humans are also suffering in large numbers from exhaustion of poisonous fumes and coal particles etc. from “small scale firewood combustion under primitive conditions. (see below).
Air pollutants in different parts of the world which for example presents itself as smog and large clouds having a negative influence on the health of humans, on environment and climate, and which is shown to mainly come from emissions amongst others from small scale firewood combustion.
To prevent or decrease emissions from amongst others small scale firewood combustion through contribution of a newly developed technical combustion system which also entails large economic savings.
that the fuels selected are generally available in large amounts.
that the raw material mainly is a biofuel with addition of a certain amount of fossil fuel which amongst others is available as sidewebs from industrial manufacturing.
that an efficient technology is available for mass manufacturing of a refined product in different sizes and types which may be produced in direct connection with forest felling and sawmills.
that for production, packing and packaging is amongst others used paper in combination with for example polyethylene (PE)—a clean and environmentally friendly fuel.
that three technical principles may be fundamental and guiding for the accomplishing of the project: hybrid combustion, thin film combustion, and interval combustion.
that the new technology also encompass compact storage and transportation to the user under optimal conditions.
that the user has access to an especially for environmentally friendly combustion developed mini-stove which through adaptation to cassettes provides the best possible utilization of the fuel energy.
The cassette unit mainly consists of two parts—wrapping and fuel part. The wrapping may consist of for example paper+plastic film. The fuel enveloped by the wrapping by compartments within it may be constituted by wood, paper, plastic and others. The construction and design of the cassette primarily aims for fixing the fuel parts in a relation to each other in a manner which in the best way promotes a quick combustion with high temperature and to protect the contents from moisture and mechanical damage during transport and storage. The compartments with enclosed fuel parts have, in order to reduce the need for space, received such a configuration that the cassettes may be placed compactly in relation to each other so that the need for space is reduced to 55%, that is, that the air enclosed only take up a few percent of the volume. This also entails a greater stability and solidity for the packaging as a whole and for piling onto pallets.
If the circumstance is considered that the technical considerations which a man skilled in the art needs to do in order to offer a solution to one or more posed technical problems—one insight is initially partly necessary in the measures and/or sequence of measures to be taken, partly a necessary choice of the means required and thus should, for this reason, the subsequent technical problems be relevant when creating the present product of the invention.
Under consideration of the prior art of the technology, such as described above, it should therefore be considered a technical problem to realize the significance of and the advantages associated with to indicate a cassette produced in two or more materials in a certain combination and with a balance between a structural- and stability providing part at one end and one or more energy generating parts on the other end.
There is then a technical problem in realizing the significance of and the advantages associated with to be able to indicate a simple construction through which a configuration of the cassette is given such embodiments, through heat sealing, stamping and perforations, that mutually alternating relations are given between used paper and plastic layers with the result that the tendency and possibility of quick lighting is increased, wherein this may be offered by increasing the exposed surfaces of the cassette and/or that measures have been taken to develop a several steps effect, by a more easily lighted part first catching fire in order for this in turn should alight the next layer or part which is combusted at a higher temperature and so on.
There is then a technical problem to realize the significance of and the advantages associated with to be able to indicate a simple construction through which yet a further energy rich component or a heat generating component may be integrated into the system, for example in the form of a powder, a granulate, a paste, a liquid or a creased strip of paper, plastic or similar in a smaller format, through which it may be achieved an adaptation of the energy emissions of the lighting material in the cassette with respect to the present lighting area and need.
In addition, it is a technical problem to realize the significance of and the advantages associated with to be able to indicate this energy rich material combination which, via a dense placement or positioning together and compact storage may offer an energy rich heat source without risks of explosions and may be stored during a lighting from outside without a fire being created, since only a charring can be initiated due to that the oxygen of the air does not have free access.
It is then a technical problem to be able to create a combination of materials in the cassette with environmentally friendly characteristics, which, apart from that the cassette in itself exhausts least possible or no environmentally hazardous substances, works during the lighting of for example wood so that the least possible amount of unsaturated hydrocarbons or other environmentally hazardous substances are generated during its combustion during the starting phase.
While considering the prior art, such as described above, it should therefore be allowed to consider as a technical problem to realize, for a combustible material assembly, intended for one-time use, in the form of a cassette and adapted to offer, in a non-compacted state, after an alighting, an initial combustion with a developed amount of energy, adapted for a primary initial lighting and a subsequent secondary combustion of the cassette in order to create a lighting of a closely placed combustible material, such as pieces formed by wood, the significance of and advantages with and/or the technical measures needed to create such conditions that the cassette can be formed from one or more sheets of paper/sheets of plastic, that each is thin and, in a position intended for storage, is allotted the shape of a slab with a number of compartments with room for said combustible material, such as for wood.
There is a technical problem to be able to realize the significance of, the advantages associated with and/or the technical measures and considerations needed to let the cassette show at least two relatively thin, elongated and coordinated compartments for enveloped material assemblies.
There is a technical problem to be able to realize the significance of, the advantages associated with and/or the technical measures and considerations needed to let the cassette be structured as and comprising a paper/cardboard sheet and of a thin plastic sheet and that the cassette in a non-compacted state may be coordinated with its associated compartment such that a quick lighting and a combustion of coordinated paper and plastic portions may take place.
There is a technical problem to be able to realize the significance of, the advantages associated with and/or the technical measures and considerations needed to let said thin plastic sheet consist of polyethylene (PE).
There is a technical problem to be able to realize the significance of, the advantages associated with and/or the technical measures and considerations needed to let said paper/cardboard sheets and thin plastic sheet be completely or partly coordinated as joined with each other via opposite surfaces or surface portions.
There is a technical problem to be able to realize the significance of, the advantages associated with and/or the technical measures and considerations needed to let the cassette be partly worked so that it thus presented, in a non-compacted state of the cassette, the opportunity for air to pass through slots or openings in the compartments enveloping the combustion material in order to achieve a combustion increasing influx of oxygen. In one embodiment these openings and slits have been covered with a strippable ribbon tightly sealed against the compartment, ensuring the sealing of the compartment during storage and transport but which after removal offers the advantages stated above.
There is a technical problem to be able to realize the significance of, the advantages associated with and/or the technical measures and considerations needed to create a combustion assigned a plural step effect, adapted to be achieved by bringing a more easily lighted layer or part to catch fire initially and that this is turn is adapted to light a second layer or part, adapted to thereafter be combusted at a higher temperature.
There is a technical problem to be able to realize the significance of, the advantages associated with and/or the technical measures and considerations needed to let a used further substance be adapted for a chosen energy emission, directly adapted for a present application.
There is a technical problem to be able to realize the significance of, the advantages associated with and/or the technical measures and considerations needed to let two or more coordinated paper sheets or plastic sheets with the same or different thickness and/or width and/or length with in the compartment enveloped contents be as winded into a roll and so stored (packed) so that it may withstand a lighting by fire.
It is then a technical problem to be able to create a unit by two or more joined cassettes which fit into each other and thus almost halves the necessary storage space. This has in one embodiment been solved by sawing the wooden pieces into the same width as the width between each piece of wood positioned in parallel with each other in the cassette. During the compacting of the cassettes the enveloped pieces of wood of one cassette are brought into the interspaces between similarly enveloped wooden pieces of the corresponding cassette, wherein the need for space is strongly reduced. The cassettes are in the mass production as exactly close in dimension so that the formed units may be packaged for increased denseness with plastic sheet or aluminium foil without it running a risk of being damaged during transport or during storage. At the time of usage the cassette are then completely dry, easy to bring fourth in an intended amount or in a predetermined selection. The package mentioned may be assigned an opening- and sealing arrangement so that after removal of intended number of cassettes the package functioning as a dispenser may be resealed for a sealed storage. This type of outer package may be of interest for especially demanding circumstances such as during expeditions and wilderness trips.
There is also a technical problem to be able to create such conditions that even if a smaller leakage has developed from an outer damage on the packaging or dispenser the risk for moisture penetration into the cassettes may be minimized by placement of a portion bag comprising a “desiccant”, a moisture absorbing granulate or powder (for example silica gel).
It is furthermore a technical problem to be able to realize the significance of, and the advantages associated with to be able to indicate this energy rich material combination with tight placement or positioning together and compact storage and further enveloped by an aluminium foil or similar, possibly heat sealed or folded at the edges or around into a sealed bag to prevent air (oxygen-) access and thus form a further protection against fire or explosion hazard during storage. The design of the compacted unit is based on that all outer surfaces are smooth, which presupposes even wooden surfaces so that the aluminium foil is not damaged. Such damage is avoided during compacting from several units formed in this manner being placed together and in such a way so as to protect each other.
In one embodiment a lighting strip has been placed in one or more compartments of the cassette, which is made of for example paper+polyethylene-(PE)-film for high temperature emissions during combustion.
It is a technical problem to realize the significance of, the advantages associated with, and/or the technical measures and considerations needed to let the material content inside and the structure of the paper sheet coordinated with the material content and the structure of the plastic film be adapted to each other to give a chosen balance between a structure- and stability rendering ability and a generated energy and power emitting ability during a chosen combustion.
It is a technical problem to realize the significance of, the advantages associated with, and/or the technical measures or considerations needed to let the paper sheet and/or the plastic sheet show an edge configuration adapted to create an embodiment giving a tendency for fast lighting.
It is a technical problem to realize the significance of, the advantages associated with, and/or the technical measures or considerations needed to let the cassettes show different colours or colour markings, which may indicate their energy content or other important aspects for guiding to their placement in the cassette-stove in which there may be corresponding markings for orientation.
It is a technical problem to realize the significance of, the advantages associated with, and/or the technical measures or considerations needed to let the contents of the compartments of the cassettes be chosen with respect of different combustion characteristics, in which some types of wood are best suited for quick combustion, others for slower. For quick combustion a cassette may be loaded with small but many wooden sticks. Thanks to the low moisture content in the wooden sticks, and the high combustion temperature this method may be effective.
It is a technical problem to realize the significance of, the advantages associated with, and/or the technical measures or considerations needed to let a number of said cassettes, in pairs or several together, be placed together into compact parallelepipedic units coordinated as in a dispenser construction.
It is also a technical problem to realize the significance of, the advantages associated with, and/or the technical measures or considerations needed to let said cassettes and a set of matches and a striking surface be packaged into one unit.
It is a technical problem to realize the significance of, the advantages associated with, and/or the technical measures or considerations needed to let the cassette and a lighter be packaged into one unit.
It is a technical problem to realize the significance of, the advantages associated with, and/or the technical measures or considerations needed to let the wrappings enclosing the cassette and forming the compartments protecting the combustive contents—be reinforced by the paper and the plastic film are reinforced or replaced by another and stronger material, for example cardboard or plastic coated cardboard that can give stiffness and stability to the unit.
It is a technical problem to realize the significance of, the advantages associated with, and/or the technical measures or considerations needed to let the wooden sticks be given different configurations to increase their combustion characteristics and also the behaviours before the course of action brought by the combustion process. In a position in which it is an advantage that the lighting stick cracks as quickly as possible during the ember formation and at a point close to its midpoint in order to give the embers desired properties a weakening at the suitable locations would be easy to form by a sawed or cut section partly through the wooden stick or a weakening by a partial splitting for creating special combustion characteristics, for example for using a wooden stick as a timing relay.
It is a technical problem to realize the significance of, the advantages associated with, and/or the technical measures or considerations needed to let the cassette be consisted of a wrapping of moisture- and watertight material forming one or more compartments each enclosing one or more wooden sticks, for example similar to split wood—sawed or split to a certain form in weaker dimensions and such a shape that compacting may take place—and also that the compartments have been placed in such a relationship to each other that compacting may take place by joining together of two or more cassettes and that before the hermetical enclosing inside the wrapping the wooden sticks have passed through a drying process so that the moisture content inside them has been brought down to between 0.5-12%.
A cassette is in one embodiment formed by a wrapping which with such a precision and with such small tolerances in a manufacturing process comprises such manufactured plane parallel wooden pieces that these thanks to a fixing in the wrapping—longitudinally as well as transversely forms stackable planes which may be laid on each other crosswise to form a stable beam work in which each cassette by its weight press onto underlying cassette and locks by friction toward that cassette so that a high pile may be formed without a hazard of collapse during the combustion until all wrapping materials have been consumed and the wooden sticks have been transformed into embers and that only after a point has been reached in which the weakest part of the beam work is fragmented and it as a whole falls asunder into a disordered pile of ember fragments. This works even if a large number of wooden sticks are present in the compartments of the wrappings since they have small dimensions and simultaneous ember formation.
The single-use cassette has in one embodiment been given the shape of a roll in which the wooden sticks have been ordered in thin layers after each other enclosed as before by a wrapping of for example paper/polyethylene film for fixation in position. Thus the inner turns may be given thinner sticks and thereafter the thickness may be successively increased with the diameter of the roll. The purpose of this arrangement may be to achieve a quicker fire lighting by the correct proportions in the dimensions of the wooden sticks.
The rolls are given a favourable compacting by being wounded into a quadratic or square cross-section in order to in this manner save space during transport and storage. In the middle of the roll is inlaid a smallish hole for quick passage of air during the fire lighting.
During feeding of single-use cassettes into the C-stove a number of single-use cassettes have been placed crosswise on top of each other in order to, during the combustion, successively fall down in the grating sleeve. Only after the cassettes have burnt down to such a degree that all are positioned inside the grating sleeve the grating sleeve is lifted up with an ember cylinder close to the bottom of the cooking utensil for tight connection to the chamber.
The roll cassette is intended to offer the same advantages as for the plane single-use cassettes which normally are stacked onto each other. The roll cassettes may offer corresponding advantages:
They build on usage of hybrid materials (paper+PE) which forms wrappings in suitable thicknesses and embodiments enclosing wooden sticks,
The wooden sticks are dried to a low moisture content in connection with splitting into intended shapes, lower than that of the normally surrounding air, and subsequently tightly packed.
The wrapping may, as with the wooden sticks, be adapted in various embodiments to an energy emission with desired quickness and intensity.
The roll cassettes may for example in their centre in which the start of the fire takes place be provided with very thin sticks, after which the thickness increases in steps further out.
Since the adaptation of the embodiment is functionally a question of balancing the air supply it is important that this is proportioned according to the dimensions of the sticks, the size of the air gaps, or the room for air between the compartments containing the fuel. The roll cassette may act such that during combustion with the centre hole vertically—each gap will be open and in parallel with the axis of the roll and thus act for a favourable air passage.
The roll cassette may be described as a pre-constructed, arranged and adapted combination of joined single-use cassettes forming a roll in which the sections alighted first are inner, central layers consisting of small fragments of wood after which the size of these successively increases with the diameter according to a calculated or empirically measured scale.
The roll cassette may with its square cross-section as a ready-prepared unit for feeding into the C-stove be a favourable alternative to the feeding into the grate sleeve which may carried out quickly and easily and thus shorten the time for the “open system”.
Remaining steps for “the open system” are described below:
Lower the grate cylinder with the lifting plate to the bottom position.
Inserting a lighting strip (or other fire starter), alighting) (not necessary if embers remains)
Inserting a roll cylinder
Raising the lifting plate, the grate cylinder with roll cassette to the top position to a closed system.
Thanks to the faster charging method with the roll cassette the time for “the closed system” has increased and the “open system” decreased.
In this embodiment of the roll cassette the wrapping has an important function in tightly enveloping the fuel so that this after drying and packaging keeps its dryness even after a long time of storage. The wrapping also has as its task to fix the fuel so that it remains in the location indicated. In this application the compartments in which the fuel has been enveloped has another important function. When inserting into the grate sleeve of the C-stove a favourable and safe passage for fresh air must be ensured in order for allowing a quick lighting and combustion to take place. This is achieved by the compartments being arranged so that during the down transport of the roll in the grate sleeve the compartments will be vertical. The air channels formed by the gaps between the compartments are used for intake and passage of fresh air. The centrally positioned compartments comprises thin strips for quick lighting and a height (=the thickness of the strip) being in proportion to a calculated need for fresh air. Also, the suitable distance between each compartment and strip has been calculated for optimum combustion. Furthest from the middle (peripherally) where the thicknesses of the strips have been increase with respect of increased heat generation in the fire corresponding calculations have been made in respect of the dimensions of the strips and the distance between them. C.f. the attached drawings 23-26.
The technical connection between the C-stove (also called mini-stove or cassette-stove) and single-use cassettes, and the consequent application in this relation of the three principles of hybrid fuel combustion, thin layer combustion and interval combustion
A cassette is formed by a wrapping comprising compartments containing plane parallel wooden pieces manufactured with such a precision that they may, due to the fixation in the compartments, be stacked on top of each other with the wooden pieces lying either crosswise or in parallel with each other forming a stable beam work in which the cassettes by their weight and friction are hindered from sliding out sideways. A relatively high stack may be raised without risk of collapse during the entire course of combustion until all wrapping-material has been consumed and the wooden pieces partly or entirely has transformed into embers where a point is reached in which the weakest point of the scaffolding (beam work) is broken and collapses in its entirety into a disordered pile of fragments of embers in which small flames quickly disappears with the last solid structures due to the high temperature. Herein the C-stove plays a major part in that it may collect the heat from the start of the cassette-stack partly by the cooking utensil positioned right above, but also by a chamber with a water circuit positioned to the side and around the cooking utensil and a drying hood positioned above. As soon as the bed of embers is formed and the compacting takes place with formation into a cylinder shape a raise may be carried out to close to the bottom of the cooking utensil for direct transfer of the energy. The described process is but one example of one application of the three principles in combination: hybrid combustion, thin layer combustion and interval combustion.
By the stiffness of its fibres the paper forms a more solid backing for the softer PE-film with which it is joined, and thus decomposition and sticking entailing a blocking of the necessary air passage and favourable combustion is prevented. Thanks to the thinness of the layers the rate of temperature intensification is increased—and even more so with strong air draughts. Previously exemplifying fire starters on the market often builds on compact units with a long combustion time.
Thin layers of paper/PE make quick lighting and combustion possible. This principle is also valid for firewood pieces which has been cleaved or sawed to small dimensions in order to fit in said compartments in great numbers. By being arranged tightly together and held in this compact state during storage and transport in order to save space the walls of the compartments may be eliminated during combustion wherein the wooden content then consisting of small wooden sticks may fall asunder and be subjected to the flames with a large surface of exposure.
In the plot down below the course of the lighting is illustrated from start to high temperature combustion with use of four cassettes:
Cassette 1. Contains a lighting kit activated by a pulling strip and which lights adjacent layers in the compartment (paper/PE) within about 10 seconds with a combustion time of about 20 seconds (overlap of about 10 seconds for safety). Height about 20 mm.
Cassette 2. Contains 10 compartments each enclosing a lighting stick (format 10×10×160 mm, in total 10 sticks. Height 10 mm.
Cassette 3. Contains 5 compartments each enclosing 4 lighting sticks=20 lighting sticks. Height 20 mm.
Cassette 4. Contains 3 compartments each enclosing 16 lighting sticks, in total 64 sticks. Height 40 mm.
In total the cassettes contains 94 lighting sticks.
The height of the stack (pile) about 90 mm. The given measures are approximate.
Thin layer combustion is valid for all substances part of the cassettes. The wrapping around the fuel parts consist according to the above of paper and PE. Even if extra layers of PE has been added in order to increase the energy content of the wrapping the layers are still thin. Therefore, the wrapping burns up quickly, preheats the exposed wooden surfaces and via the free passages the flames may pass through. In order to obtain a favourable air passage already from the beginning of the moment of the lighting this is allowed through the slits and opening which have been made in the portions of the wrapping being between the lighting sticks.
Takes place with a rapid start to a high temperature with a total course of combustion until a bed of embers after which a damper in the smoke passage is immediately closed in order to allow utilisation of the heat from the embers. After cooling lighting is made anew and the course of action is repeated. In a mini-stove specially adapted for interval combustion the newly formed ember bed may be manipulated by a movable mechanism so that it partly is moved together into a cylinder-like stack and partly is moved vertically so that the upper surface of the bed of embers reaches contact with the underside of the cooking plate or cooking utensil. Thus losses via warm air leakage to the sides of the central heating zone are minimized. If excess heat from the bed of embers is needed for, for example, drying of clothes or heating of water an water circuit is arranged around the stove with a surrounding hood connected to a chimney pipe as kitchen ventilation. On the outside of the hood it is arranged for the hanging of clothes.
The mini-stove conception has been used for pointing out that usually small areas are available and therefore the cassette technique joined with the simple and easily used mini-stove are intended to offer a suitable method for joining both household fire needs with contributions for better health, cleaner environment and less influence on climate.
This is an approximate calculation of the effective heat value of the sorts of woods of fir and birch based on the wooden sticks (WS) contained in each respective cassette. Corresponding heat values for the paper/PE-wrappings have not been included. Effective heat values are fetched from “Praktisk Skogshandbok” issued by the Swedish society for forest preservation. As examples different combinations of cassettes have been chosen below in order to obtain different heat values. All wooden sticks (WS) have the same format 1×1×16 cm.
The heat value of fir and birch: 7270 and 9560 MJ/m3, respectively.
As comparison: In order to heat 1 litre of water from 0-100° C. 100 Kcal is needed.
Problems with compacting arise in many areas. The object of this patent application, amongst others the single-use cassette—is a good example on how an ancient tradition—the handling of fire wood—has been able to survive as long despite obvious reasons for change. Above it has been explained how large economic values are lost due to that “compacting” has not been used when it is most needed.
In this patent application examples have been shown on how packaging technology has been able to offer good solutions on problems of compacting.
But not enough therewith. At the same time other advantages has been won without additional costs.
Wooden sticks have been able to be enclosed so that:
the wooden stick is tightly protected against humidity.
through drying of the sticks these can be given a moisture content practically close to 0% and be kept at this low level until the entire package (cassette), and then firstly its wrapping, is combusted and the wooden sticks thus have been exposed to the hot fire. The wooden sticks are thus in their dryness very inflammable during the lighting.
During the drying process most small animals and microbes possibly remaining in the wood after its handling are killed. The risk of possible spreading of diseases and such can therefore be minimized.
Each wooden stick is given a certain dimension and a determined energy content which at the moisture content used as standard gives a uniform product.
By selecting a suitable sort of wood the combustion characteristics best suitable for an intended purpose may be obtained.
By help of electronic etc. control, monitoring, sorting away any deviations present or features such as knots (which may prolong the combustion time) or foreign objects can be eliminated.
A number of characteristics of the packaging itself (the wrapping) are of utmost importance for its function.
Each wooden stick must be fixed in one position—in a cassette or other device in which it may exist—in an empirical manner—or in another manner that this energy is provided to the cooking utensil, water container, stove with its energy absorbing portion etc.
In this sense the fixing usually concerns a positioning and locking in a position which is in relation to another fuel unit, for example a wooden stick, and that the air thus has access to the wooden surfaces from all directions without hindrance in order for the combustion process to be as intensive as possible. Here, a balance is important so that the surfaces to receive the heat energy are arranged, calibrated, dimensioned to rapidly absorb the energy—since it otherwise is lost via the chimney pipe.
The packaging technology allows great possibilities for balancing between different variables, such as for example the number of wooden sticks in each compartment or defined fixture.
From a handling perspective the compacting plays an important role.
a) Compact goods make storage and transport more inexpensive.
b) Within each unit—cassette or fuel roll—here named roll cassette since it is intended to be positioned in a certain location within the C-stove—“grate pipe”—different constructions may be preferred depending on the manner of use. Therefore, alternative solutions have been proposed, each with its one advantages. Some have been found possessing such apparent benefits when used in the described system that they have been explained in detail.
example is here given of a cassette with square-shape comprising six wooden sticks, which by being placed in opposite pairs may be inserted into each other wherein the volume is almost halved. In this embodiment the flames will hit the compartments with the wooden sticks perpendicularly—that is transversely to the length direction of the sticks. Cassettes laid in crosswise relation to each other provides the sticks laid crosswise to each other during the combustion, and this arrangement is for all types of fires an old and accepted rule of thumb of experienced camp fires.
As a second example a completely different construction is shown. Layers of thin, narrow plane parallel wooden sticks are attached to a carrier path of for example paper/PE or PE/paper/PE—and so that a small distance exists between each stick. The fixing is carried out so that this distance remains even after rolling the sticks and the formed compartments and interspaces or air channels. By a bobbin in the centre of the roll showing a quadratic cross-section the outer configuration of the roll also becomes square which is advantageous in relation to transportation. Before use the square shape may easily be changed into cylindrical by a few soft blows against the edges. The roll, which now holds a rounded circular periphery easily slides into a certain position, for example in the grate pipe of the C-stove in which a swift lighting of the roll may take place.
One advantage of the roll-cassette is that it in its axial direction is provided with a large number of channels intended to let through heated air through the inner of the roll. Quick combustion may thus be achieved. One advantage with this embodiment is also that one piece may be torn from the roll-cassette wherein a fire starter is obtained with a quick lighting effect.
It is evident from other places in this application that the single-use cassettes with their design and the C-stove with its special construction—has a functionally close relationship having a great impact on the benefits they are intended to have in the present area which is often mentioned in combination—health-environment-climate.
Air pollutants in different parts of the world, which amongst others surface as smog and large clouds having a negative impact on the health of humans, on environment and climate, and which mainly has been shown to originate from emissions from amongst others small scale fire wood usage.
To prevent or decrease emissions from amongst others small scale combustion of fire wood for the good of the health of humans, for a better environment and climate, which economically implies a large saving, by setting in a newly developed technical fuel system.
that fuels are selected which are generally available in a large amount.
that the raw material mainly is a biofuel with addition for a certain amount of fossil fuel existing in amongst others side paths from industrial manufacturing.
that an efficient technology exists for mass manufacturing of a refined product in different sizes and embodiments which may be produced in connection with forest cutting and sawmills.
that for producing, packing and packaging is used, amongst others, paper in combination with for example polyethylene (PE)—a clean and environmentally friendly fossil fuel.
that three technical principles may be basic and guiding in the carrying out of the project: hybrid combustion, thin layer combustion and interval combustion.
that the new technology comprises compacted storage and transportation to the user under optimal circumstances.
that the user has access to a simple mini-stove developed especially for environmentally friendly combustion, which through adaptation for cassettes offers the best possible utilization of the fuel energy.
The present invention departs from a combustible, single-use, material assembly in the form of a cassette, adapted to be able to offer after ignition, in a non-compacted state, an initial combustion with a developed energy amount adapted for an initial primary lighting and a subsequent secondary combustion of the cassette, in order to let create a lighting of an adjacent combustible material, such as one or more of wood formed wooden pieces.
In order to solve one or more of the technical problems mentioned above the present invention indicates that the cassette should consist of a combustible wrapping forming a number of compartments containing wooden pieces or other fuel and that in a position intended for storage the cassettes are put together into each other to form compact units and are then assigned the shape of parallelepipeds or squares.
As suggested embodiments being within the framework of the basic idea of the present invention is indicated that the thin plastic film being part of the cassette should consist of polyethylene.
Furthermore it is indicated that the cassette should be partly worked such that it is thus offered, in a non-compacted state of the cassette, possibility for air to pass and thus gain access to a developed fire hearth for a combustion increasing supply of oxygen.
Furthermore it is indicated that the involved thin paper sheets and said plastic film should be completely or partly joined with each other via opposite surfaces.
Furthermore it is indicated that to said thin paper sheet and said plastic sheet is added one or more energy raising and/or combustion enhancing further substances, such as powder, paste or liquid, or alternatively that these could be contained within one or some of the compartments or separate spaces formed between said thin paper sheets and said thin plastic sheet by adjacent or opposite sections being provided with one or more seals.
The invention indicates the usage of packaging technology for joining the wooden sticks, after they have been sawed or split into smaller dimensions, in predetermined numbers and positions in the compartments which in turn have been given certain sizes and positions therefore within the cassettes.
The invention indicates the usage of packaging technology when using different types of wood for systematic positioning of the wooden sticks where their lighting ability and combustion characteristics may be utilised optimally within the cassettes.
The invention indicates that, thanks to the exact dimensioning and standardisation in function of the wooden sticks (the fuel) in the cassette and their positioning in compartments and the course of combustion which thus may be studied and be determined in closer detail—this technical system make possible computation with computer technology which may serve as a guide for the further improvement of the product and also adaptation to and integration with the cassette stove (C-stove) and also its development.
The invention indicates the usage of colour markings of the cassettes according to a certain system and with the purpose of simplifying purposeful handling and economy.
Furthermore it is indicated that said further substances should be able to be fixed inside a space formed between said thin paper and plastic sheets, by adjacent and opposite sheet assigned surfaces being provided with one or more seals.
Furthermore it is indicated that said seals should be able to be longitudinally oriented for forming a tunnel or a tube of used paper sheets and used plastic sheets, alternatively longitudinally and transversally oriented for forming closed compartments.
Furthermore it is indicated that the paper surfaces should be assigned an adapted thickness, flexural stiffness and/or springiness with sheet belonging paper fibres oriented or assigned an ability to elastically be able to straighten somewhat.
Further it is indicated that the thickness, flexural stiffness and/or springiness of the paper sheets and coordinated plastic sheets are adapted to be able to support fire wood, resting onto said compartments.
The invention further indicates the usage of further substances adapted for a selected energy emission, directly adapted to a present area of application.
The invention further indicates the usage of a drying procedure before the hermetic enclosing of the wooden sticks in the wrapping whereby a low moisture content of the packaged fuel may be kept during transportation and storage of the cassettes to the fire occasion when the compartments are opened by combustion of the wrapping and thus the fuel (in this case wooden sticks) do not have time to absorb any moisture from the air.
The invention indicates the usage of treatment by heat, chemical, biological or other influences on the fuel before its packaging in order to prevent survival and spreading of for example insects and other small animals like bacteria, virus or other microorganisms.
The invention further offers that the thin plastic film should be composed of an environmentally friendly, energy rich, plastic material, forming carbon dioxide and water during combustion with free access to air.
In addition to this it is indicated that the material content in and the structure for the paper sheet coordinated adapted together with the plastic film so as to give a selected balance between a structure—and stability rendering ability and an energy generating and power emitting ability during combustion.
Further it is indicated that a several steps effect assigned to the combustion should be adapted to be achieved by a more easily lighted layer or part, for example is brought to catch fire initially and that this in turn is adapted to set fire to a second layer or part for example the entire cassette with a larger energy content adapted to subsequently be combusted at a higher temperature.
The invention further indicates that the cassettes through compacting and coordination with each other lies as tightly stored so as to, by way of example, packaging, for example with aluminium foil, have the ability to withstand a fire coming from outside.
The invention further indicates that a number of said cassettes formed into compact units should be able to be coordinated as single units in a dispenser-construction.
Further it is indicated that a number of such units may very well be coordinated into one and the same package.
Between the paper sheet and the plastic sheet of the wrapping a material serving as a desiccant is inserted.
Further it is indicated that said compact parallelepiped or cube should be surrounded by a unit formed by plastic, cardboard or paper.
More specifically the cassettes are indicated to be built by coordinated paper sheets and plastic film and that these are assigned the same or substantially the same thickness.
The invention also indicates the possibility to let a cassette and a set of matches and a striking surface be packaged into one unit, alternatively that the cassette and a lighter may be packaged into one unit.
The advantages which primarily may be considered to be associated with the described single-use cassette according to the present invention is that it has been created prerequisites for a more rational usage of a bio fuel such as fire wood by combustion at higher temperatures which leads to large economic savings. During high temperature combustion the development of emissions hazardous to the environment is also decreased which also may contribute to a decreased impact on the environment. Thanks to a rational handling during the conversion process from tree-cutting, transportation directly to sawmills with refining through sawing, drying, cutting, and packaging into cassettes, compacting, packing and transportation under conditions which may guarantee dryness and a good fuel quality thanks to an efficient process control throughout the entire production line the user may use a fuel which through its simplicity of use can be used even under difficult conditions but still giving a good result thanks to the high combustion temperature. Many of the working steps still generally part of firewood handling and demanding manual and time consuming efforts has been possible to rationalise by being introduced into automatic processes, so that biofuel such as wood has been able to become an even more attractive heat source and not in the least since in many countries a large supply of fire wood exists and this may lead to a decreased oil dependence.
Thanks to that the cassette may contain several thin paper layers and additionally thin plastic film layers conditions are created for increasing the energy content and the power development in relation to only paper materials.
Further, the cassette may be produced by a surplus material, gathered from a manufacturing industry for such products using a thin paper material and a thin plastic material.
During all handling of wood the basic rule applies that the fuel must be dry. A guiding value for wood has been set at 10% (1 kg. wood then contains 100 g water). Thanks to the good protection given by the wrapping of the cassette the dryness of the wood may be retained irrespective of outer conditions. As an extra moisture protection a polyethylene bag may be used or a shrinkage film method be used for in-line production.
Before usage of the cassette said extra moisture protections—the plastic bag or shrinkage film barrier, are removed. The compacted cassettes are separated and activation takes place by pulling off the opening ribbons with a hand operation. Each compartment is then opened along two opposite slots for free access of air to all compartments for fast lighting.
By the punched and perforated section of the wrapping between the lighting sticks, thanks to being folded in between the lighting sticks, when the cassette is compacted—can be assigned a length corresponding to up to two times the side of the lighting sticks, —without shooting outside the wooden surfaces, a possibility is gained to adapt this distance (between the lighting sticks) after a functional need.
A part of the wrapping forms a wall for pieces of firewood fixed at a certain distance from each other. A second part of the wrapping runs over said pieces of firewood but down between the same and are sealed towards the bottom part of the wrapping. In this zone punched holes are found for air passages and perforated weakenings for easy tearing off into smaller units.
In this embodiment the cassettes may, by lying parallel with each other, offer a saving in volume implying a final volume of about 55% (compacted) while the activated cassettes resume their original volume 100%.
Another embodiment which may offer some production technological advantages builds on the same arrangement of the lighting sticks but instead of compacting, this takes place by the partly heat sealed section between the lighting sticks and provided with punches and perforations is folded in along the perforation so that the lighting sticks may be displaced towards each other and thus press together the folded section so that the lighting sticks will lie tightly against each other. Since high demands are set on the efficiency and speed of the manufacturing process this embodiment and method for compaction may be motivated.
Another embodiment has been given the cassette by the lighting sticks being set in between two material paths and being fixed in this position. With this construction the compacting cannot be made to the same extent as previously exemplified—but the manufacturing process is further simplified. The advantage of this embodiment is that by placing the lighting sticks tighter relative each other more energy may be concentrated within a cassette.
Additional heat energy may be inserted in the form of a zig-zag folded strip of paper+PE inside the space formed between the lighting sticks with the consequence that it may, after lighting, ignite the adjacent sticks at high temperature.
Some of the advantages during use of the cassettes such as described above are shortly described below:
Lighting sticks in predetermined and optimized size with respect to the circumstances are fixed inside compartments in a cassette in such a pattern that the hot air during combustion has free access and easily may pass the fuel surfaces and thus may give off its heat to them and that the lighting sticks during the course of combustion thanks to the fixing to each other cannot move but remain in their original position.
That through this fixing the need for manual handling is decreased and instead through a simple operation—thanks to the cassettes—a larger number of lighting sticks may be positioned in correct distance between each other and with the cassettes laid cross-wise to each other so that the lighting sticks lying in parallel let through maximum amount of air/oxygen for quick lighting and combustion.
Thanks to the supporting construction of the cross-wise laid cassettes the thus formed beam work becomes sufficiently stable to keep the distances between the sticks until the end of the combustion process when the beam work collapses to a burnt through pile of embers.
That the strongly heat emitting wrapping keeps the enclosed lighting sticks in their original position during a large part of the combustion process.
That the different groups of lighting sticks in the cassettes to their number, size, type of wood etc. may mathematically and with help of computer science be analyzed and computed to give a maximum effect for the different needs which can be predicted, even concerning the composition of the wrapping a combination of different materials in different thicknesses and qualities, as well as punctures for initial air passage during start-up and perforations for practical adaptations and applications.
That by “in-line” stations during production of the lighting sticks these are given their best possible and final shape through selection of type of wood, dimensioning, drying, and through electronic quality control manoeuvers may be freed of twigs etc. which may change the combustion time, and guarantee correct moisture content and a number of other advantageous physical and chemical characteristics and other control that any microorganisms has been killed during the heat drying, as well as that the combustibility of the lighting sticks are the same so that embers may be achieved simultaneously for all lighting sticks before the common bed of embers. These measures in the production brings that after formation of the bed of embers a smoke damper possibly present in the cassette-stove (mini-stove) may be closed immediately after a predetermined combustion time, which is advantageous for the usage of the energy and that the top surface of the bed of embers may earlier be brought nearer to the bottom of the cooking pan to a suitable level.
The sticks are of similar size in a format sufficiently small in order for a simultaneous combustion of all sticks in the pile formed by the cassettes laid one upon the other may take place. In increasing their length the risk of reaching a point in which all sticks do not burn simultaneously is increased. The ends of the sticks are thus far from the centre of the fire or kernel of the embers and also, the radiation heat from more adjacent sticks is too small. This limit position has in the tests made been assumed to be 20 cm in length. A safety margin has then been made wherein an effective length has been set to 16 cm. Also the area measures of the lighting stick has in the test series been based on 10×10 mm giving a quick lighting and an intensive course of combustion and thus an early bed of embers.
From the previous description it has been shown that the pile of cassettes during the lighting obtains the heat from a fire starter (for example a lighting strip) in an underlying grate pipe. Thus the heated air—and also flames—first reaches the lowermost cassette and subsequently thereafter the cassettes lying on top. In order to shorten this process taking place during the open interval phase the lighting sticks has been provided with a saw cut about on their middle portions in order to weaken and prepare the wooden sticks on the instant in which it, glowingly—in the correct place—breaks in order to safely fall down in the grate pipe for mixing with other ember fragments for a more intensive transformation into pure embers in the fresh air stream passing the grate pipe. When all sticks have fallen down the grate pipe is moved upwards towards the already heated bottom of the cooking pan so that this henceforth should obtain a more and more clean air stream from the ember cylinder being in its last state of combustion. Thanks to that the degree of total transformation of the embers may be read since the inner surfaces of the grate pipe are exposed for observation the adjustments for the air-regulators may be changed in the right moment so that the chimney pipe is closed and the hood-air-regulator is opened. In order to further shorten the open interval phase a lighting ribbon has been attached about on the middle onto all lighting sticks close to the bridge remaining after the saw cut, with the task to, after lighting, (possibly from both ends) first burn a hole on the wrapping of the cassettes right in front of the bridges so that these should catch fire in the first place. A successive and optimal fall of the halves of the wooden sticks down into the grate pipe may be balanced through calibration of the thickness of the bridge in order to reach the best result.
The lighting ribbon mentioned above mainly consists of strongly combustible, environmentally friendly substances enveloped by a thin PE-layer. Otherwise see
In previous embodiments different methods for feeding the cassettes has been mentioned. It has been exemplified how a change of one detail of the cassette affects the function of the C-stove and vice versa. Even new characteristics given to the wooden stick is shown to open up possibilities for a new method of feeding the cassettes into the C-stove which both simplifies the method and gives continuity in the combustion in a closed system from the lighting of the fire. For this embodiment it is disclosed below with reference to nomenclature previously used herein and descriptions which it builds upon.
The wooden stick In its simplest embodiment the wooden stick, having the shape of a straight rod with given dimensions and enveloped in a sealed wrapping after being dried to a low moisture content and packaged in the form of cassettes positioned close to each other into compact units for economical storage and transport, may for many purposes form the staple good as an environmentally friendly biofuel. By giving the wooden stick special properties through simple operations in connection with the packaging process, such as sawing or milling cuts “in line”, the wooden sticks as well as the cassettes has been given new properties with advantage of feeding and combustion in the C-stove.
Cassettes These have in a standard embodiment been provided with a number of compartments enclosing the wooden sticks and there between been provided with punch-outs and perforations in order to quicken the lighting and the combustion. It has thus been anticipated that a certain time must be assigned the lighting and the opening of the compartments in order for the flames to directly reach the exposed, dry surfaces of the wooden sticks.
Thus the wooden sticks should catch fire and their transformation into embers be carried out as far as to the pile of embers breaking and falling down into the grate pipe. Only after that can this together with the lifting plate be raised towards the underside of the chamber and the bottom of the cooking pan to form the closed system.
Embodiment 7 has been conceived in order to shorten the open system and prolong the closed system.
Thanks to the small saw cuts in the wooded sticks a different method for feeding the cassettes into the C-stove may be used. Instead of placing the pile of cassettes in the middle above the opening of the grate pipe in order to be lighted and partly combusted in that position until the ember fragments fall down the cassettes may thanks to the weakening of the wooden sticks at given positions be completely transported into the grate pipe by a light pressure downwards, wherein the wooden sticks either give way and are bended as long as the cut admits—until a predetermined (different effects depending on from which side the pressure is applied) angle—or is snapped at assigned places. The deformation of the wooden sticks also affects the sealed wrappings so that these are stretched or ruptured. The flames from underlying fire starters (lighting strips) may then reach and alight the thus exposed and easily lighted wooden sticks and ruptured remains of the wrappings, contributing to a continued intensive fire-start so that a closing to a closed system may take place already after a total of about 30 seconds. It is important that the start is intensive already from the start without interruption and that the heat from the smoke gases may be used directly and without loss in order to reach and give off its heat energy to the encountered recipients—the cooking pan, the chamber with heat exchanger, container, space beneath the hood etc. The cooled heated air continues to flow out through the chimney until the concentrated heat development in the grate pipe has led to a final and pure ember formation when the damper in the chimney may be closed to the benefit of the simultaneously opened air-regulator into the space under the hood.
The cassette as it has been described from different angles above is intended to constitute a device of wooden sticks especially adapted to serve for lighting fires in all contexts and also to keep an effective, environmentally friendly fire going at high combustion temperature. It is constituted by a sealed package in which the biofuel is protected against moisture so that the contents always may have lower moisture content than the surrounding air—and therefore has especially beneficial lighting properties and may catch fire even if it is damp on the outside. It is easily put in a pile so that the sticks may lie cross-wise or perpendicularly relative each other giving an optimum combustion. It is space saving—important during transportation and storage. The fuel content of the cassettes is calculated so that it should be easy to use, through colour markings, the exact amount necessary for an intended need—which may contribute to economy and better usage.
A number of advantages of specific applications are apparent from the description below.
Number index for
A number of suggested embodiments showing the significant characteristics associated with the present invention are now to be described with an exemplifying purpose and with reference to the attached drawings, in which:
a-f shows an overview of a cassette with a compartment (5) on which an opening line/slot has been punched longitudinally along the wall, which is enclosed by a tearing ribbon (13) sealed towards the compartment around the slot. The tearing ribbon has in one of its ends been folded 180° beyond the seal in order to run back to form a handle (13) for opening. In a corresponding way a tearing ribbon (13) has also been fixed on one side/longitudinal wall over a slot (14).
a-f shows an overview, a cross-section and a side view of a cassette with nine compartments (5) each containing a folded paper strip (21).
a-c shows an overview, a cross-section and a side view of a cassette with 9 compartments (5) in which folded paper/plastic strips (21) been inserted and lighting devices (27) in two of the compartments, which through lighting ribbons (28) may be activated for lighting of the ribbons.
The one-usage cassette has been designated from the task it has been given—to purposefully and effectively function during combustion of mainly biofuel through high temperature combustion according to the three principles hybrid combustion, thin layer combustion, and interval combustion. Early it was obvious that a special stove must be developed in order to meet the demands on an environmentally friendly combustion demanded for small scale combustion of fire wood. The result is a coordinated modular system requiring large flexibility in the embodiments of the cassettes and the use of the advantages of the packaging technology. The same is valid the design of the mini-stove (C-stove) in which a number of adaptations have been required and also have been possible to make into the special properties and possibilities of the cassettes. By a well-balanced relation between the cassette and the mini-stove this should be able to relieve the heavy and trying work operations for the users. The name thereafter became the C-stove (standing for the cassette-stove).
In the passage referenced it has been described different fuels and fire starters and the existing problems. Even if these would find a good solution there remains a large need for effective, small easily operated stoves with which one may quickly achieve a high temperature with small emissions. From research it is evident that more has to be done in order to bring forth a small stove corresponding to the environmentally and practical demands and which could form a basis for a larger project with achievements under primitive conditions in which combustion should preferably be carried out with biofuels but without any supply of electricity.
The C-stove in cooperation with single-use cassettes represents a green technology offering interesting possibilities to attack even extensive brown clouds in an effective and environmentally friendly manner.
The C-stove is designed to function as a hearth amongst others for fuel cassettes especially developed therefore and for the best usage of the advantages that they offer. The C-stove is easy to mount and dismount under primitive conditions- and relatively inexpensive to manufacture. The main purpose of the C-stove is to offer possibilities of effective combustion under forms satisfying the human need for warmth without health issues due to breathing of hazardous substances or other influences on environment or climate.
Embodiment 1 The lifting plate is in level with the top surface of the ember plate. The bed of embers is moved together with four grate plates oppositely positioned in pairs and movable relative each other above the ember plate.
Embodiment 2 The grate plates are arranged as in embodiment 1 but the lifting plate has been lowered beneath the surface of the ember plate so that the top level of the ember cylinder is the same as the top surface of the ember plate.
Embodiment 3 The grate plates have been removed and replaced by modifications of the design of the cassettes so that they after transformation into embers fall down in the grate pipe beneath the ember plate.
Embodiment 4 By complementing with a mechanically adapted control technology an automatic lighting and combustion process can be triggered with a key press which is terminated by a receipt signal confirming that the ember cylinder is burnt out and that the stove may receive a new batch of fuel.
Embodiment 5 Special features and properties of the components party of the cassette and the C-stove, respectively, and being of interest for cooperation within the unit are disclosed. Description with reference numbers to the figures are explained by overview and different views.
Embodiment 6 Here, a mechanical control of the entire lighting and combustion process has been illustrated in closer detail, which consistently has been accomplished as an interval combustion.
A number of details in the construction of the cassettes and the cassette stove (herein below called the C-stove) are treated in closer detail below with the headlines relative to the main components of the stove.
Foundation As a table model the stove may be positioned on a flat table and on four feet but on uneven ground on 3 feet. The foundation is built of for example round or square aluminium pipes. The floor model is built in a similar manner but also have adjustable shelves in its lower section with space for, as examples, cassettes, cooking utensils and other kitchen tools. In all embodiments, as for other parts of the stove, assembling and mounting is easy and is fast to perform.
Ember plate A plate—for the sake of stability folded in its edges—is attached heat insulated into a frame constituting a distance protection against touching of the hot plate. The plate is shaped as a centre plate forming the basis for the cassettes, for the grate mechanism, and thus associated mechanics for adjustment. In the middle of the centre plate there is a raisable and lowerable rondel placed as a combination with four grate plates provided with partly resilient double walls—may be brought up against the bottom of the cooking utensil positioned above for direct bearing against it. Said double walls are displaceable towards each other, one outer and one inner. In a certain position a number of holed are positioned so that they are right in front of each other, in another position they are displaced to block each other. The movement upwards of the rondel may take place until the slightly resiliently tensioned rondel is braked by its bearing against the bottom of the cooking utensil—but is allowed to continue its movement upward successively as the embers gradually transforms into ash (requiring less volume). In the event of a refill of cassettes or a restart the procedure is repeated.
Rondel (in embodiment 1—compare “lifting plate”=embodiment 2)
A round plate—here denoted rondel—is movably attached in a vertical shaft which is slightly displaceable (vertically). The lower end of the shaft is attached to a lever through the movement of which the position of the shaft may be adjusted and locked at different heights. To said shaft a movable rod is attached, wherein in the upper end of which the rondel is attached together with a spring holding the rondel at a certain distance from said shaft. The rondel lies in a resting position with its upper surface in the same plane as the upper surface of the iron plate. After combustion of the cassettes and the moving together of the embers through the grate plates the upper level of the bed of embers will reside above the upper surface of the rondel at a distance proportional to the volume of the embers. When the rondel is then carefully displaced upwards through movement of the lever simultaneously with the four grates which together with the rondel form a cylindrical mantle surrounding the bed of embers (the ember cylinder) the bottom surface of the cooking utensil is hit by the upper edges of the grate (possibly also the surrounding hot plate surrounding the cooking utensil). Since these are slightly resilient, connected together with its other associated plates, they, upon bearing against the bottom of the cooking utensil, allow further movement of the rondel upwardly until the upper surface of the ember cylinder hits the bottom of the cooking utensil. In accordance with a transformation into embers the movement upwardly of the rondel continues until all of the embers have transformed into ash.
The embodiment described relates to one example of utilisation of heat by direct transformation of heat from a bed of embers to the cooking utensil by the help of a cassette adapted for this purpose in conjunction with the stove with the devices making an optimization possible.
From case to case the technology may be modified depending on the aim and purpose. Iron stoves and kitchen stoves emit a beneficial and even heat, often thanks to heavy iron constructions in which the heat may be stored. When it comes to a light field stove other methods may be used, for example by covering the hot plate (the hole) with a plate and placing for example stones on it for absorbing and storing heat.
Grate plates Said grates may be made of for example steel plate/ceramics perforated with a certain hole pattern. The grates are in this embodiment four and oriented in pairs relative each other so that they form a circle as seen from above. This circle is obtained by a surface of one of the grate pairs being positioned in parallel with each other and when being pushed together moves the embers together to form a pile of material shaped as a rectangle. By the grates being shaped half-moon concave they will meet each other with their peripheral sections and shape a circle, or a cylinder as a whole, wherein the pieces of embers forms an ember cylinder. The heat is thus concentrated to an area situated beneath the bottom of the cooking utensil and with its upper edge close to it. During the fast alighting and combustion of the cassettes the first heat (when lighting substances including the cassette wrappings burns as well as the lighting sticks) and this heat rises in the first hand up to the bottom of the cooking utensil and the waste heat towards the sides preheats the water circuit as well as the hood.
Only after the preheating has led to an even bed of embers this is compacted with use of the four grates in the manner described above. The largest part of the heat is emitted by the bed of embers, wherein it has been possible to be concentrated thanks to the rapid combustion.
The ember plate is constituted by a plate—which, for the sake of stability, has been folded in its edges and is attached heat insulated into a frame constituting a distance protection against touching of the hot plate. The plate is shaped as a centre plate which, together with the foundation, forms a basis for the cassettes, to the grate mechanism with its four grate plates and mechanism for adjustment joined therewith. In the middle of the centre plate a raisable and sinkable rondel is positioned, which in combination with the four grate plates or in close relation with these may be brought up against the bottom of the cooking utensil above for direct or almost bearing against it.
The grate plates (in embodiment B) are made of a high temperature resistant material, for example sheet metal, provided with holes in a certain pattern for passage of air. In one embodiment a throttle plate is laid inside the holes for regulation of the air passage with which the air may be reduced by displacing the throttle-plate towards the corresponding hole on the grate plate. Possibly the throttle plates may in one embodiment be shaped with a resilient function. The function of and relation between the grate plates may be described by the numbers on a clock-face in the following way. The grate plate positioned closest to the user has position 6 on the clock-face, the grate plate furthest from the user has position 12, the grate plate to the left position 9 and the grate plate to the right position 3.
The grate plates are intended to cooperate in pairs. Number 6 and 12 are each plane and formed with a width somewhat longer than the length of the cassettes and a height beyond the bed of embers. The grate plates 9 and 3 are likewise opposite each other and work as a pair with a rounded or concave front surface so that they together form a hollow enclosing the cylinder shaped, brought together bed of embers. The grate plates 9 and 3 have nearly the same height as the grate plates 6 and 12. The grate plate 12 is in one embodiment firmly fixed in the underlying ember plate while other grate plates are displaceable towards each other in pairs. Grate plate 6 can also be lowered outwardly as reckoned peripheral from the centre in order to make room for insertion of cassettes or other fuel. The grate plates are mechanically joined with an adjustment lever which with one movement moves together—first the grate plates 6 towards 12 and then number 9 and 3 towards stop positions, wherein a hollow is formed denoted the ember chamber which is limited around the ember plates, at the foot by the lifting plate, and at the top is open for contact against the bottom of the cooking utensil.
By coordination of the movement of the grate plates in pairs or possibly repeated movements towards each other an efficient mixing of the pieces of ember can be achieved which creates a smoothing out of the temperature within the bed of embers, faster and better final formation of embers and transformation into ash.
The top surface of the lifting plate (in embodiment B) is positioned right under the lower edge of the ember chamber in its bottom position with a stop blocking downward movement. The lifting plate is with its shape arranged to slide against the insides of the grate plates with a small tolerance and with the ember pillar resting on its top side. If the ember chamber has been given the shape of a cylinder the lifting plate has been given the shape of a rondel.
If the ember chamber has been given the shape of a parallelepiped or cube the lifting plate has been given a square or rectangular shape. The lifting plate is at its foot attached on a vertical shaft which is journalled in bearings so that the plate is displaced vertically in the ember chamber. In the lower part of the shaft one end of a line is attached running over a roll positioned above to continue downwardly where in its other end a weight is attached. Crosswise notches are formed in the shaft for locking the shaft/lifting plate in fixed positions. The spring loaded catch may also be used in other positions along the shaft for locking towards other non-fixed positions.
When starting the fire the lifting plate according to the above should be with its upper surface in the same level as the ember plate. When the grate plates has been brought together to an ember chamber with for example a circular bottom the circle-round lifting plate will be centred so that after loosening of the shaft the lifting plate, from being affected by the weight at the end of the line, may displace the ember cylinder upwardly until it hits the bottom of the cooking utensil with its top surface. As the ember is transformed into ash there is room made so that the lower surface of the ember cylinder will come closer to the bottom of the cooking utensil until all embers are burnt out. The pressure towards the bottom of the cooking utensil from the ember surface is the same thanks to constantly being affected by the weight attached on the line. Alternatively a spring may be used instead of the weight, but the spring elasticity may then vary depending on its elongation.
It may be of significance to the course of combustion that the pressure against the bottom of the cooking utensil is adapted to factors such as type, quality and properties of the fuel, which cam affect the characteristics of the embers. If the pieces of embers are brittle and easily crushed a lower pressure may be justified. For optimum transformation of the ember into ash the air passage through the bed of embers must be ensured. A blockage may mean that the transformation into embers is delayed or stopped and instead formation to coal is ensued. The size of the holes in the grate plates can in this relation be of significance as well as the positioning and distribution of the holes on the grate plates.
If the cooking is terminated and embers still exists in the ember chamber the excess heat may be taken care of by for example the cooking utensil being replaced by a plate covering the stove hole. The ember chamber may be lowered to a somewhat lower level and be locked with the locking mechanism mentioned above for the shaft/lifting plate. The heat energy then streaming towards the sides may be absorbed by the heat exchanger, which is for this purpose formed around, above and under the hot plate and which, with its circuits absorb the heat from the passing heated air. The waste heat rising upwardly may heat the inside of the hood and be spread through the metal plate to the surfaces which on the outside are provided with shelves for shoes, items, cassettes etc. which are in need of drying or warming.
Thanks to the concentrated formation of heat by the cassettes, wherein the bed of ember already before being moved together has a limited surface, any non-combusted remains of fire wood will encounter burning parts after being moved together and this speed up the total formation of embers.
With this especially adapted construction a possibility to “close the damper” has been reached in a purposeful way. The core of embers normally forming a heat centre in larger stove units and fire hearths, and which one has a problem of using in the best manner, normally disappears partly due to the large volumes of air existing around it and losses through leaking dampers or vents. In this case the core of embers can effectively be closed inside in direct connection to the cooking utensil wherein the energy goes into it directly.
One prerequisite for optimal usage of this technology is that the bed of embers is homogenous, even and without remains of wood, and that in case the cooking takes place in-doors no unhealthy fumes or particles may enter the air for breathing to the hazard of humans. The cassette technology is the basis for this method which in each step seeks to eliminate energy losses or emissions. Thanks to this method cost and work demanding processes have been possible to transfer to the wood industry in connection to the operations thence well established of old. With modern packaging technology most of the operations concerning qualitative evenness and its control makes it possible to use this technology in a large scale even in the scale needed to address the problem with “large brown clouds”.
Warm and Cold Water Circuit, Respectively, with Tank.
For access to water in different temperatures the following is arranged with withdrawal from a heating circuit:
for hot water for, by way of example, beverages
for warm water for, by way of example, hand washing etc.
of varying temperatures for storage of heat.
The heat oil consists of a pipe shaped unit adapted for the existing space, arranged as a serpentine with platforms to allow passage of the hot air past its spaces wherein it functions as a heat exchanger and transfers air heat into water heat. The first section of the water circuit has a volumetric content of about 0.5 litres, section 2 1 litres, and section 3 also including the water container or tank 10 litres. In this way a substantial part of the hot air constituting the waste heat streaming out towards the sides from the bottom of the cooking utensil may be utilized. On each section there is attached on one hand a drawing tap, on one hand a refilling tap, and on one hand a safety valve for section 1, which may rise above boiling temperature. The tank has one refilling—and one drawing tap. The water system intends to make economy and rational usage of waste heat for heating water possible.
Air exchange. In order to prevent health hazards during biocombustion in limited spaces the heat from the stove is to the best practice taken care of through rational air exchanged in order for the heat to stay inside but the emissions arising, in spite of the high combustion temperature, may be vented via the heat exchanger (water circuit) and a hood with a chimney.
An easily mountable hood consisting of two halves is provided with a stove pipe in a telescopic embodiment adjustable for a selected height. The hood may be attached directly onto the stove-stand. On the outside of the hood there are raisable flaps as shelves for putting up, by way of example, items of clothing, cassettes for warming before use etc.
A ventilation pipe is connected to the chamber comprising the water circuit with a fork and vents so that the outgoing air either may pass out of the long stove pipe or rise upward and into the hood for passage out into the free air through a short, additional ventilation pipe. Alternatively, these passages may be closed off completely. During the lighting or a continuing combustion the smoke is brought out through the long stove pipe. When a completely burnt bed of embers has formed the dampers may be completely or partly shut in order to keep the heat or be regulated so that for example all heat pass the hood for drying of various placed or hanged items to take place.
According to the present invention the advantage of savings of time and work has been possible to achieve through simple means and some control equipment by the combination of a single-use cassette and the C-stove. The aim is a closed system with a completely automatic process.
A further developed embodiment of the invention with adaptation of cassettes to the cassette stove (C-stove) and as a consequence thereof a simplified construction for the lifting of the pillar of embers and bearing against the bottom of the cooking utensil.
In the previously described embodiment the bed of embers has been moved together by several grate plates in order to form the ember cylinder positioned on a lifting plate, the upper surface of which being in the same level as the upper surface of the ember plate. In a new embodiment the lifting plate has been lowered beneath the surface of the ember plate so that the upper level of the ember cylinder is the same as the upper surface of the ember plate.
A control sleeve is attached into the ember plate with an inner diameter easily allowing displacement against a grate plate existing therein, which in its top section is provided with holes and/or slot with a size preventing particles of ember larger than about 2 mm from passing but sufficiently large to allow good passage of air. The holes are with this purpose made close to each other. The grate sleeve is intended to contain the space for the bed of embers in its top section (ember pillar) and be limited at its foot by the lifting plate being movable upwardly. On its underside a shaft is attached which is spring loaded so that the lifting plate with may press the pillar of embers upwardly with a certain adjustable force to a position in which the top edge of the grate sleeve bear against the bottom of the cooking utensil.
The movements of the grate sleeve are controlled by a lever by which a fork-like attachment into the lower section of the grate sleeve may continuously displace it between two end positions with an optional locking possibility between said end positions on one hand constituting the bottom position—with the top end of the grate sleeve in level with the ember plate, and on the other hand of the upper end position in which it bear against the bottom of the cooking utensil.
The lifting plate is controlled in a similar way by the shaft attached to the underside of the lifting plate. The lifting plate with its shaft is journalled to allow vertical movement. When moving the grate sleeve upwardly to the bottom of the cooking utensil the lifting plate follows, and a catch is released there, wherein the shaft with a spring force is pressed upwardly so that the pillar of embers with a slight pressure from below is fed upwardly towards the bottom of the cooking utensil. During the course of combustion and the transformation of the embers into ash the volume decreases and the lifting plate slides further up in the grate sleeve until the embers are completely transformed into ash, wherein in a limiting position the lifting plate returns to its lower starting position by a mechanical adjustment. The force needed for the movements and their control—are delivered by a unit consisting of a plate with springs attached made such that when loading the plate (about 50 kp for example by a short stepping onto the plate) kinetic energy may be stored and be used when needed for said needs.
The cassette-stove type 2 (C-stove type 2)—method with (in relation to C-stove 1) simplified embodiment—mostly die to the limiting surfaces of the ember pillar and its closing towards the bottom of the cooking utensil.
The essential changes are described in the clauses below:
1. A bowl shaped plate with a function as lifter of the bed of embers—herein below denoted ember bowl—is provided with punched holes and being positioned relative to the ember plate in a notch on its surface so that the upper peripheral edge of the ember bowl is in level with the upper surface of the ember plate. The ember bowl is movably attached in order to be possible to move up towards the bottom of the cooking utensil and is adjustable in height by being connected with a manoeuver arm. At start the ember bowl is in its lower position.
2. A fire starter (for example lighting strips for fast start) is put into the bottom of the ember bowl.
3. A desired number of cassettes are piled in the bowl.
4. A lighting takes place
5. The ember bowl is raised towards the bottom of the cooking utensil with the lever and is locked in position.
6. When the bed of embers is cooled the ember bowl may be lowered and refilling with additional cassettes may take place for a new start.
7. In this simplified embodiment the devices for the heating of water, ventilation and drying on the outside of the hood are in essence the same. (indoors).
In previously described embodiments the grate plates have been described as several cooperating vertical grates having as their function to move together the bed of embers to the shape described by the grate plates in the moved together position, for example circular or square pipe.
In a new embodiment the grate plates are left out. Instead the cassettes have been adapted so that the glowing sticks or parts thereof falls down directly into the grate cylinder formed by a perforated pipe whose upper edge is in level with the upper surface of the hot plate. Normally this is valid for the majority of the embers but a part of it can end up outside the ember cylinder, and this requires manual work to correct. But thanks to the changed design of the cassettes this problem has received its special solution.
In the original design of the cassettes their compartments and contents (wooden sticks) were given a standardised design to satisfy many purposes. Thanks to the construction of the cassettes there is large room for adaptations and changes. In order to eliminate the grate plates in the C-stove a design of the cassettes were needed which would bring that the completely or partly burnt sticks from a pile of cassettes would fall down directly down into the grate cylinder positioned directly beneath. The problem was solved by redistributing on one hand the position of the compartments relative each other, and on one hand of the number of wooden sticks in each compartment and relation to each other, for example piling in height inside each compartment. The result was that in total several sticks had room but that in the row of compartments one compartment had to be removed on each side. Thus was achieved that the parts of the wooden sticks being in the protruding corners of the rectangular cassettes were reduced so strongly that the volume and thus the weight they represented was less than the part of the wooden stick or embers which was positioned more centrally, which entailed that the stick when it was broken swung towards the centre and dragged the remainder of the stick with it.
For the benefit of this technical solution the fact has been noted that during lighting of cassettes piled crosswise on each other—the highest temperature reached in the middle of the fire and the weakening of the sticks first appearing here wherein the disintegration first takes place in the centre. Since the cassettes during the manufacturing-packaging of the sticks seals them water tightly to a storage with a moisture content of under 5% the course of the lighting is intensive. At a high temperature a few minutes are needed until about 10 cassettes corresponding to about 60 lighting sticks have transformed into embers. In case a few single wooden sticks by a technical mistake ended up outside this outcome is most simply down in the ember cylinder. Since the ember is intensive by the constant supply of fresh air through the holes in the walls of the grate cylinder the lifting movement upwardly may be carried out directly towards the bottom of the cooking utensil with a lever, wherein a spring is triggered at the end position—automatically or manually—wherein the lifting plate is lifted under influence from the spring to the degree that the embers are transformed into ash in order to automatically free a catch at the attained end position so that the lifting plate slides down to its lower starting position. Alternatively this may also be carried out manually.
The small amount of ash formed at these high temperatures may be collected in ash boxes positioned in compartments—with a simple insertion or withdrawal, respectively, for simple sweeping and cleaning.
In this embodiment the C-stove may be used as a grill with a simple addition in the form of a grate provided with a steering edge with fitting to the inside of the periphery of the grate sleeve or outer edge wherein the grate is fixed in place. The rising hot air from the burnt out, clean bed of embers may then first hit the object to be grilled and then deviate towards the sides, wherein the heat energy is uniformly emitted. Additional heat energy is added by portioning with a suitable number of cassettes, or with coal/briquettes.
With a method in which the previously described constructions and embodiments for this invention make a half-automation possible from the insertion of the cassette into the cassette-stove, lighting takes place, ember bed is formed, compaction of the embers takes place into a pillar of embers or suitable bed of embers, until a closing towards the cooking utensil has taken place. heat transfer to it as well as the heat exchanger has taken place, and that the thus remaining energy in the pillar of embers has been reduced to a point at which a signal indicates that feeding of cassettes and a relighting may take place. It has been assumed that electric energy is not available in an embodiment in which energy instead is obtained from a charged power package before start. It may consist of one or more springs cooperating to give way during compression and to be possible to lock at a certain point in the movement so that the spring cannot be triggered for return. In this position a mechanical sequence-movement system is prepared to perform movements in the correct sequence upon triggering of the spring so that after feeding the cassette in the stove the movement cycle may be repeated, until nearly burnt out embers.
The power and energy need to achieve said course of movement is small. For the purpose a unit with an upper plate is fixed towards the foundation which when walked upon is moved against the springs so that a compression of them takes place until the position in which the catch locks the movement. Only after the cassette is fed and a starting button is pressed the upstart and combustion is initiated. When the pillar of embers has reached up to close to the bottom of the cooking pan with its front end (lifting plate) through transformation of the embers into ash this is marked by a mechanically triggered signal. The stove may then as with interval combustion be started anew and as above the heat firstly goes to the cooking pan. If heated air is wanted instead this may be carried out by adjusting the air-regulator controlling the air flow from the hot air chamber.
Said construction and embodiment building on the previously shown technology makes a method possible which during small scale burning of fire wood may very well control the combustion process, optimise the usage of wooden energy, decrease hazardous emission make the work easier and more healthy.
In another embodiment a weight has been chosen as a power source, which is cranked up to a higher level and then may release its positional energy. The required force is quite sufficient for control of such functions as sequential control and carrying out of resets of dampers/vents spring triggers etc. and also the lifting of the ember pipe to close to the bottom of the cooking utensil.
From previous descriptions of different embodiments, constructions and designs of cassettes and C-stoves have mainly been shown which have been the bases for respective methods. In order for it to be evident which technical requisites upon which embodiment no. 5 builds upon herein below a résumé is given of a number of particulars which each has significance for the final result. This résumé has obtained the shape of an index of accompanying texts and has been divided into three sections—the wooden sticks, cassettes, C-stove and method.
1. Material. Firstly fir and birch, but also other types of wood may be selected after properties, need and availability.
2. Sizes. Cut into forms—mostly standard sizes—about 10×5×100 mm in different steps up to about 20×20×300 mm. May be made thinner for hyper fast combustion.
3. Configuration. Normally straight surfaces, but also configured may occur in special cases, for example when notching (weakening) in a selected position at the middle in which the stick is to break before the fall in a glowing state into the grate sleeve.
4. Mixing. of different types of fire wood can give desired additional effects.
5. Manufacturing. takes place in a mass manufacturing with efficient methods.
6. Drying of the wooden sticks is effected with energy recovery from waste products such as sawdust, edge webs, protrusions end more.
7. Special drying/treatment. against insects, microorganisms, mould, and other hazardous or contagious microbes can lower or completely prevent their effect during transport and storage.
8. Moisture protection. The wooden sticks becomes enclosed and sealed in direct connection with drying process inside the protective water and moisture tight material of the cassette-wrapping as hermetically that they are prevented from absorbing moisture from surrounding air.
In the packaging into cassettes the wooden sticks have been given properties which when joining a cassette gives advantages.
1. Sizes. The cassettes can be given different sizes in order to find room for the wooden sticks of different dimensions inside their compartments.
2. Several wooden sticks. The wooden stick may be positioned inside the compartments in one or more layers with several sticks abreast.
3. The compartments of the cassettes may be formed of flexible foil/film which follows the shape of the contents or of stiffer cardboard or harder plastic material of the content needs mechanical protection.
4. Tearing ribbon. The compartments of the cassettes may be provided with tearing ribbons so that the contents still are fixed in the compartments and so that after opening through tearing off of the tearing ribbon the air has free access for good oxygen supply during combustion.
5. Air supply. The sections of the cassettes sealed around the cassettes are provided with punched ventilation holes for good air supply during the early lighting phase. As soon as the wrappings have caught fire the wooden sticks are successively exposed for good air supply.
6. Wooden stick which can be torn off. When need arises a compartment with contained wooden stick be torn off from the cassette in a position with punched perforations between the compartments. (Is used as fire starter)
7. Secure seals. The compartments have been assigned such a shape that there is good room for the compartments with contents and also so that there is room for secure seals holding for normal strains.
8. Central holes. The cassettes have been adapted for a special application in the C-stove by a hole of about 4-5 mm being punched in its middle serving for centering for a wooden stick inserted therein or for a stick rolled into paper/plastic film, wherein all cassettes regardless of dimensions and type are well centred when they are inserted into said hole. Hence the hole in the ember plate into which the grate sleeve is attached is adapted in diameter so that the wooden sticks—not even in the corners of the cassette after burning off of the wrapping—protrudes longer outside said diameter than that the sticks by their own weight falls down in the grate sleeve.
9. The quality of the wooden sticks/the composition of the wrapping. A combination of bio and fossil fuel with the property that the fossil fuel with its high temperature decreases the risk for soot—and tar formation in channels, dampers and grates and in association with for example fir or birch sticks contributes to a minimization of the risk for plugging of said passages. The mentioned relationship has a connection with the tendency of the respective types of fire wood to form ash. The less ash the less risk for plugging.
10. Cassette standard. Measurements during test firing with single-use cassettes have shown that cassettes with the same format, construction, wrappings and fuel content have a very good individual conformity between obtained amounts of energy. Hence it may be decided within quite tight limits before the starting of the fire which combination of cassettes which should be selected for a given purpose. It is clear that this leads to large savings, economically and environmentally.
Filling of cassettes. Provided that the combination of cassettes has been pre-selected and that the pile is laid on the insertion plate the filling is done on about 10-20 seconds. This is an advantage especially when lots of energy generation is needed. This also means that the closed system may be kept during the largest part of the combustion cycle wherein the draft from the chimney (chimney pipe) and the suction thus generated contributes to a good air passage through the ember cylinder and faster and more complete transformation of the wooden sticks/pieces of coal to ash and heat meaning a better usage of fuel. Thanks to the closed system the heat is kept within it and may be distributed depending on need in a desired manner through vents and dampers without losses.
1. A light and agile unit which may be assembled fast in the position of use outside or inside.
2. The most important and elementary functions of the C-stove have been concentrated on least possible surface and volume.
3. The lower section of the C-stove comprises the combustion unit. This is movably displaceable towards the upper stationary section.
4. The upper section comprises a plate for a folded in cooking utensil, hot air chamber with heat exchanger, water tank, ventilation hood with shunt air-regulators and drying shelves and chimney with damper.
5. With the aid of simple and a few manoeuvering levers desired processes in the C-stove are controlled.
6. The cassettes in cooperation with the C-stove has been constructed and built according to the three principles “Hybrid combustion, Thin layer combustion and interval combustion.
1. This embodiment builds on the same principles as C-stove 5 but has been complemented with automatic control devices making a fire cycle possible with few manual operations.
2. The manoeuver levers have been replaced by curves in a mechanical program work driven by a weight.
3. When using the stove heavily it assumes much of the routine work, offers better safety, saves fuel, amongst others due to that interval combustion departing from previous bed of embers gives a high lighting temperature and better energy exchange. Below some mechanical details are given and an otherwise explaining text:
A weight in the form of a weight which is raised manually to a suitable starting level (possibly cranked up by an attached line over a contrast roll) wherein the weight thanks to its potential energy can drive a shaft to rotate slowly. On this shaft a number of eccentric discs displaceable through a turning motion for adjustment of the duration of the movement are attached two and two oppositely to each other, which affects levers which may then perform more necessary movements. These movements are exemplified by the functional table below:
This system allows a total and safe control of predetermined times for the course of combustion with thus associated operations of all movable parts of the C-stove. As apparent from the description of the three principles “hybrid combustion, thin layer combustion and interval combustion” and the work laid down in seeking to eliminate variables in the construction of the cassettes for the benefit of constants the basic idea of the technology of the cassettes and their development been that standardisation should lead to manageable units in order for these to be a part of and act in a course of action so that the raw materials used should be looked after and consumed in, for all respects, optimal conditions and without wastage.
The original idea to use the single-use cassette as a fixture of for example careful measurements has been extended to comprise use of the C-stove in which many simplifications has been possible to make. With the almost completely automatic embodiment offered by the C-stove 6 for small scale combustion of fire wood under primitive forms without supply of electricity it should not be any practical problem for any user to independently with help of a few instructive pictures be able to use these stoves.
Relations between the cassette and the C-stove.
1. The size of the cassette is adapted to the combustion surface of the C-stove, amongst others so that the device for compaction of the bed of embers may be carried out in accordance with a programmed pattern for the best possible energy utilisation.
2. The calculation of the rake system with regard to the original combustion surface (depending on the size of the cassettes) air intake, possibly for both primary and secondary air, and these factors influence on the height of the final bed of embers after compaction—is done after the prerequisites determined by the cassettes, their properties, the quality and quantity of the contents as well as of the wrappings.
3. Devices with the purpose of pre-warming the cassettes by excess heat from the fire hearth, for example shelves on the outside of the hood and adapted in size and shape for accommodating the cassettes for storage well in time before combustion. The lighting time of the fire is thus shortened.
4. Through colour markings on the cassettes and corresponding levels close to the combustion surface in the C-stove the positioning of for example the lighting cassette at the bottom and respective cassettes with higher energy content on the correct level above may be facilitated.
5. The raising of the ember hearth towards the lower surface of the cooking pan is carried out seamlessly with the possibility of locking guided by a pre-selection of notches in a vertical scale. The heat energy of the bed of embers may best be transferred to the cooking pan by closing the upper surface of the bed of ember towards a level tightly beneath the bottom of the cooking pan. In so far as the bed of embers is consumed it may be raised or lowered with the centrally positioned lifting plate above the bed of embers, which is movably attached through a simple movement of a lever—which gives a certain temperature control. This can also be achieved with simple mechanical automatic control.
6. The raising of the bed of embers towards the bottom of the cooking pan may also be carried out with initial adjustment according to a predetermined scale which has been possible to determine relatively exact based on the known energy contents of the cassettes and the volume of the bed of embers directly after combustion.
7. The embodiments of the cassettes which have been standardized in regard of size, contents and properties gives simple routines for the handling and usage of the cassettes in the mini-stove for maximum energy utilisation during the combustion as well as for heating of a cooking pan as for other auxiliary functions for making use of and utilization of the heat.
A Long Time of Search
Original To use side webs (wastes) from a pulp manufacturing of single-use purpose articles for clinic use in hospitals.
2000
“Tänt vare A new product invented to quickly make use of said waste här” 2003 product which was shown to start fires quickly and environmentally friendly.
Single-use was conceived as a fixture for standardisation and quantification cassette in connection with measurements during the combustion process 2007 for small scale combustion of fire wood. Was shown to be suitable for practical use and environmentally friendly combustion for general use.
C-stove Developed for use of cassettes during small scale combustion of 2008 fire wood and to achieve largest possible energy extraction from the fuel through mutual adaptation between them with a minimum of hazardous emissions. The three principles hybrid combustion, thin layer combustion, and interval combustion have been guiding and consequently applied.
C-stove—The aim to achieve an almost automatic unit C-stove/Cassettes, single-use which may be pre-set before hand to perform a certain task—cassettes has closed in thanks to that participating components have been 2008 better mapped. New In that final practical tests confirmed previous tests have been purpose possible to conclude the new test series are prepared in a larger 2009 scale according to the guidelines described at another passage.
C-Stove in One Embodiment with Maximally Closed System
In order to achieve a fast, intensive and complete combustion with utilisation of the capacity of the C-stove a closed system is strived for as far as possible with an even airflow there through. The only occasion in which the closed system must be broken is on one hand during loading of cassettes, and on the other hand during the lighting itself. It will be described below how the C-stove has been simplified by being further developed so that manual operations have been minimized to but a few operations and also the C-stove may be used as a grill. Concerning denotation and enumerations previous embodiments and associated figure description are referred to.
In the ember plate (2) a control sleeve (2) is attached in a hole (2), which in turn comprises a slightly displaceable grate pipe (23) which contains an upwardly moveable lifting plate (8) with a shaft (7) attached thereon which runs through two transversely oriented and mutually opposite displaceable ash-boxes (45), which seals tightly relative each other and against the shaft. The grate pipe (23) may be moved upwardly or downwardly by a lever (35), and also the shaft in a manner previously described. Control notches or guides for the cassettes have been arranged in the ember plate to allow easy piling in exact position to each other and right above the grate pipe. In case embers remain since the previous fire in the grate pipe the lifting plate may be moved upwardly towards the cassettes wherein they catch fire after which the lifting plate may be lowered to the bottom position to offer room for the ember sticks. If a fire starter is needed, for example a lighting strip, it is fed down and then the cassette-pile is fed forwards.
The present invention proposes to make a fast lighting and transfer into embers possible to occur in the cassette stove by using a prefabricated unit assembled for optimal combustion of a mix of bio- and fossil fuel in the form of a cassette in different sizes and embodiments, provided with compartments completely or partly separated from each other and containing said fuels, wherein the heat energy in the stove is taken care of in a purposeful and efficient manner and with a minimisation of hazardous emissions.
This method is also intended to result in that necessary amounts of energy can be calculated from experience for a specific purpose through simple colour markings on the cassettes and the stove respectively. Technically both the cassettes and the cassette stove are constructed guided by the three preconditions: Hybrid combustion, thin layer combustion and interval combustion.
A method with usage of especially shaped and adapted cassettes and an especially constructed C-stove with the purpose to on one hand decrease the consumption of fuel by avoiding wastage of the same, on one hand that the material assemblies are inserted into the cassettes in such relations to each other and in such combinations that a maximum usage of the energy content may be achieved when applied in the C-stove and that it is dedicated for optimum air supply to the cassettes during the start phase so that it is effectively sped up during the entire combustion process up to even ember formation and that this takes place during maximum ember formation and that the bed then may be moved together with a simple operation to a compact pile with perforated plates intended therefore, and through this movement to a position in which the upper surface of the bed of embers is right beneath the lower surface of the cooking plate or cooking utensil, so that a high degree, almost direct transfer of the heat from the embers may take place and that possible hot air leakage may be conducted to an outside lying mantle containing water and also a container on the outside of a collecting hood for rising hot air for, as way of example, drying of clothes, and a chimney pipe attached in the ceiling of the hood.
For this sequence of measures the design of the cassettes and their properties has great impact. For rational use they must be correctly packaged to compact units and hermetically sealed for protection against moisture. When in need of airdrops these units should be protected with air buffers in the form of a layer of small air bags sealed as plastic bags. The method also aims for making the handling and lighting procedure easy to learn and understand even for the uninitiated and during unfavourable conditions.
The method intends to decrease hazardous emissions during for example small scale combustion of fire wood so that a decrease of CO2-emissions as well as of coal particles in the atmosphere takes place—which can decrease damages on humans health, on environment and climate—by using a prefabricated unit assembled for optimal combustion of primarily biosubstances in the form of a cassette in different sizes and embodiments, provided with compartments completely or partly separated from each other with internal positioning and arranging in accordance with a simple and practical system, wherein a total effect may be achieved.
This method is intended to result in that a relatively fast decrease of the coal particles in the “yellow clouds” should be possible to achieve by the cassettes according to the present invention carefully been constructed for the intended purpose and that they are inserted in a stove-unit in which described lighting and combustion process and by follow-up and usage of the three technical prerequisites and principles: Hybrid combustion, thin layer combustion and interval combustion—through massive and consequent efforts in mainly affected territories.
The method is especially composed and adapted to be easily used by people in old cultures and by humans which are not yet used with accepting and using modernities. The equipment—here denoted “cassette-stove”—for the most beneficial usage of the cassettes—is mountable with a few operations, is inexpensive and easy to bring, does not take up a great deal of space in a folded state.
The method brings in the first instance that the fire-start is brought about with rapid temperature increase, as well as continued temperature increase takes place through successive lighting of cassettes lying cross-wise on top of each other. The user has the possibility to put other fuel on the fire according to his own judgement (hopefully dry and suitable in other respects.)
This method and system intends to make the least possible impact on the habits of the people and their otherwise traditional way of making fire.
A summary of the method when first lighting the cassette-stove is as accordingly:
1. The stove as delivered almost in a plane state is mounted.
2. The stove may be placed on a table indoors. The chimney pipe is inserted through a hole in the ceiling about 60 mm in diameter.
3. The packing of the cassettes is removed and the cassettes are stored in a suitable place.
4. A suitable combination of cassettes is selected depending on energy need and are piled cross-wise onto each other on the “ember plate” of the stove with the grate plates drawn out. The selection of cassettes has been simplified by colour markings.
5. The fire is lighted.
6. When the cassettes are all in flames and mainly transformed into embers the grate plates are moved together so that the embers are formed into a vertically standing cylinder.
7. The lifting plate beneath the ember cylinder is displaced upwardly with use of a lever so that the top surface of the ember cylinder (bed of embers) lies tightly underneath the bottom of the cooking utensil.
8. Rapid transfer of the heat of the ember cylinder to the cooking utensil takes place.
9. If a continued heating is desired new cassettes are filled and the procedure is repeated. The user may easily determine how much heat=which cassettes should be selected for, by way of example, heating of food for cooking, frying, baking, grilling and others. Normal combustion time is—depending on the number of cassettes and the contents in each about 5-10 min.
10. Thanks to that a maximisation of the amount of fuel in each cassette has been made burning of the food (for example during frying) may be avoided.
11. The method is through its simplicity suitable for use when large efforts must be made to decrease or prevent continued damages on the ecological systems whose normal function may have been disturbed and must be returned to order.
The cassette, as a fuel carrying part, and the cassettes-stove, as a technically functional part, are together to be considered as a unit in which the cassette with its fixture build and ready to use serves to emit its preselected energy content to the for the purpose specially adapted cassette stove. Both said parts of the unit, and also their function, are intimately depending on each other in construction and embodiment. A change of one part may require changes of the other. With this background it is thus correct that these two conceptions are considered as one unit. When a new technology is to be introduced on a new marker in which people are strangers to usage and applications great attention must be given to the simplicity of the system and its handling. A number of measures have therefore been needed to take in order for the lighting, combustion and for example the food cooking procedures should be possible to operate with as few hand operations as possible. Some of said measures have therefore been achieved by adjustments of the design of the cassettes, others through modifications of the stove with the aim of reaching a complete formation into embers within a few minutes from lighting and with an immediate and successive transfer of intended energy amount to the cooking plate or cooking utensil. The users efforts have been limited to a few operations:
inserting needed cassettes in place
lighting (possibly starting a timer or an hour-glass on for example “5 minutes)
after completed bed of embers a height adjustment of it takes place (for example locking positions 1, 2 or 3, either raising the bed of embers or lowering the cooking plate with utensil, wherein the distance between the upper surface of the bed of embers or the upper circle shaped edges of the grate plates may be finely adjusted for desired heat transfer).
The last operation has been proceeded by a compaction of the bed of embers implying that three plates moves the embers together against a fourth, fixed one with a lever motion, wherein the embers forms a cylinder shaped pile.
This way of controlling a transfer of hot air energy to a cooking plate or pan that the main part of the hot air rises towards the centred surface being right above the bed of embers and that the remaining part of the hot air follows the lower peripheral surface of the cooking utensil out towards its edge is also used in one embodiment in which the ember plates in their upper edges have been provided with small notches so that a certain percentage of the hot air always may take place even if the plates have been brought up towards the bottom of the cooking utensil.
In one embodiment the zone about the pan has been laid in a coil in the form of a pipe drawn in a spiral in such a way that it forms a wall or mantle completely or partly around the cooking utensil so that the hot air may pass between the pipes and thus transfer heat to the pipe system.
The channels from said pipe mouths close to the roof of the stove in a container for the water so that an even temperature may be achieved in this separate water system through self circulation A chimney has also been attached to the roof of the stove with the form of a pipe projecting up from the hood-like roof construction with a length which is adjustable through a telescopic method with locking heels for different intended lengths. This adjustability for a suitable draft may be motivated depending on different weather, air temperature.
The embodiment, form and size of the cassette are exactly adapted to the centering in the combustion position in the stove in which the cassette is to function. The relationship that the cassette, as a single-use item, burns completely and thus the amount of embers generated for a certain dosage of cassettes may be anticipated quite exactly is an advantage for economization and aid as well during the performing of cooking as for performing an environmentally friendly combustion.
1. Prepare a pile of selected single-use cassettes.
2. Put a lighting strip (fire starter) in the grate sleeve (in the middle on the grate plate) and alight.
3. Feed the pile of cassettes in the middle over the hole in the ember plate.
4. After about 3 minutes the wrappings of the cassettes have been consumed so that only the embers fallen down into the grate sleeve remains. The grate sleeve is then moved up to its top position (green lever is moved upwardly) and then also the lifting plate is displaced upwardly (red lever is mover upwards) wherein the spring of the lifting plate is loaded.
5. The distribution of the ember heat may now be carried out according to the following:
a) to the cooking utensil—the damper to the smoke passage is closed.
b) water heating—the tap to the water tank is opened for self circulation
c) the hood and the room—the damper to the smoke passage is closed, the damper to the ventilation is opened.
In order to start a new fire: damper to the smoke passage is opened, damper to the ventilation is closed. Grate sleeve and lifting plate returned to the lower positions.
The C-stove may be equipped with simple control mechanics according to attached overview so that only the following routines need to be followed:
1-3 As above. Then the catch is released for a weight which through its weight extends a line onto which it is attached and exerts a pulling on mechanical components. See also figure.
4. After about 3 minutes the wrappings of the cassettes have been consumed so that only the embers in the grate sleeve remains. It is then automatically brought up to its topmost position. The spring of the lifting plate is also loaded.
5. The distribution of the ember heat may have taken place through pre-selection and automatic devices or during the course of combustion.
6. When the lifting plate has reached its topmost position a new signal is released as a sign that the stove may be lighted anew.
The simple automatic applied to control the combustion presupposes that each operation can build on accuracy concerning the energy content of the cassettes and other properties, and that the course over time is the same for the different existing conditions, such as outer temperature, air humidity, etc. The aim is to minimize all energy losses and to optimise the efficiency in the system.
The method offers advantages in that it decreases or eliminates a number of elements of risk along the road (the handling) from saw to ash. For example the quality of the wood and practical degree of utilization can be strongly lowered from that the wood is sundried and stored correctly but is subjected to rain or snow during the continued transport/storage and thus absorb moisture to the degree that the combustibility and thus the heat emissions strongly are diminished.
The method offers advantages when solving the problem associated with transport and storage of traditionally sawed and cut wood. This is normally delivered in different lengths and otherwise differing sizes which leads to an uneven combustion which affects the point of time at which a complete combustion before complete formation of embers. Since the bed of embers must wait for the complete combustion and transformation into ember of the last piece of wood before a damper on the smoke pipe may be closed large losses of energy normally arises. The risks for this to take place are reduced considerably thanks to that the sizes of the pieces of wood are standardized to certain measures which is the same within each cassette size. This is also a result of special operations in the manufacturing process in which all participating fuel materials are dried to a certain moisture content amounting to only about 5% or lower. Through electronic sensing of unevenness in the density of the material, such as knots or high concentration of resin-substances etc. combustion problems may be avoided. Even killing of insects, egg larvae, and pupae are killed through a form of pasteurisation wherein the sorting out of unsuitable materials take place.
The method is also intended to be used in another context—in large areas with large population in which combustion of damp bio fuels, such as cow dung, takes place and in which slow, low temperature—“smouldering combustion” often occurs. The method now suggested makes a transfer to high temperature combustion under rational conditions possible. Instead of using cow dung as fuel and thus generates poisonous fumes and large amounts of coal particles and others causing heart and lung disease and the death of hundred of thousands of women and children each year the cow dung can be recovered in a natural and good way in plantations and gardens where it enriches the earth and thus a health vegetation and cleaner environment.
This method is developed in order to, with technical considerations taken to many factors party of the described manufacturing, transportation, storing, and consumption processes, also include that respect and considerations are taken to these populations' manners and customs, traditions, religion, bondage to cultural rites. In our humility of nature, different peoples' characteristics and variety our wish must be to keep this intact. But if this method is adapted in cooperation in word for what is good for health, clean environment and promotion for climate in conjunction with quickness of action, simple in presentation, with demonstration in a convincing way, well working pilot projects with introduction on different continents with the different conditions prevailing there . . .
The method is characterized in that despite the considerable investments that must be done for the new technology, in machinery, in system and production adaptation for different needs—an accomplishing could quickly gain results which can be verified through scientific measurements of the nature already done on “the Asian cloud” and which also can give beneficial effects, which in short as well as long-term can result in large savings for the medical service in the work for a cleaner environment and better climate.
The three principles have been referred to under other headlines. Below it is treated how guiding these principles have been for the development of the cooperation between lighting sticks, cassettes and the C-stove.
The lighting sticks are the main energy source of the type of biofuel used today over large parts of the world during small scale combustion of fire wood. With the present invention it has been given its shape, dried and possibly been further treated and adapted for thin layer combustion. Instead of a log of fire wood with long combustion time there remains after sawing or cutting for example 48 wooden sticks, which, in order to fit with the system, been assigned a combustible compartment with room for 48 wooden sticks. The enclosure inside a wrapping has been made directly after the drying. Thanks to the fossil component polyethylene-film (PE) which has very good heat sealing properties both towards paper and PE, respectively, and also such barrier properties against humidity (and water) that the contents (for example the wooden sticks) are protected against the humidity of air they can keep their dryness for a long time. It is also due to these good sealing properties that the wrapping securely may fix the wooden sticks in the assigned positions in the cassette even under transport and during storage without changes taking place. Technically it is an advantage that polyethylene (PE) also heat seals against the wooden sticks which is an advantage during mass manufacturing. The stability of the cassettes in these respects is also of use during piling of the cassettes before lighting since they are easy to handle. The thin layer characteristics of the fuel (wooden sticks) is enhanced in that the thin layers of paper and plastic film, protecting the already refined properties, has been added to make the lighting extra fast.
The cassettes are present in different sized and with predetermined energy contents. This is important since household combustion should be possible to perform sparingly under scarce conditions. The user easily learns to judge how much fuel is necessary for a certain purpose. The most economical combustion normally takes place at high temperature. In order to best utilize the cassettes interval combustion may be preferable. More of this below. First, a short description of how a lighting is carried out.
The lighting and combustion of the cassettes in the C-stove. One-time fire.
A fire starter is laid on the lifting plate in the grate pipe and is lighted. Immediately a pile of cassettes with selected contents is moved on top of the centre of the grate pipe. The flames hit the cassettes and first their wrappings catch fire, which is spread to the wooden sticks with beginning in the centre of the pile where the highest temperature is reached. This course is fast and intensive due to that it has been possible to keep the wooden sticks practically moisture-free. Of the burning sticks the ones closest to the centre are first transformed into embers in a retained position until the sticks close to the centre breaks and falls down into the grate pipe placed below. Thereafter the other wooden sticks and fragments of embers successively fall down into the grate pipe in order to there be transformed into complete embers. Through the fall a positional change of the sticks takes place leading to a mixing of the ember fragments corresponding to a stirring which speeds up the course of combustion. The thin layer combustion has served by the smallness of many small fragments and direct influence on each other. This open system in a lower section has functions as a traditional fire with free access to air with open exhaust of both heat and smoke gases and others towards an upper section positioned above prepared to form a closed system with the lower section. The closed system is formed by the lifting plate with the ember cylinder positioned above together with the grate pipe being moved up towards the bottom of the cooking utensil, where the grate pipe comprising the ember cylinder with its upper edge is moved close to the partly perforated bottom of the chamber which partly or completely surrounds the cooking utensil. With this lifting movement the closed system has entered into function resulting in that all heat energy as well as smoke gases continues and are moved further in this system past the bottom of the cooking utensil and the chamber with the heat exchanger to air-regulators controlling the continuing passage of the smoke gases out through the stove pipe or via the hood for heating of rooms or through the ventilation hatch out through the “Chinese hat”.
During the ember transformation ash is successively brought up towards the bottom of the cooking utensil by the spring pressing the lifting plate and this the ember cylinder upwards until it is burnt out—when the lifting plate with the grate pipe returns to 0-position beneath the ember plate.
The same method as before during the start and combustion, but with earlier insertion of a new pile of cassettes. Thus remaining embers from the previous fire is used-easily, economically, environmentally friendly.
The technology developed for make use of the energy from the wooden sticks puts demands on their quality and properties which are decisive for how well they will function in the cassettes and the C-stove respectively. The raw material—timber—cut to smaller dimensions, sawed into special format, are fed into completely automatic machines which dries and gives a finishing treatment if needed, removes possibly foreign items (for example twigs) and encloses the wooden sticks in tight wrappings.
The finished cassettes are given a compact packing by putting the cassettes together against each other or through volume decreasing in other suggested manners and thereafter extra transport- and moisture protection, for example through enveloping in plastic film.
Cassettes selected after energy content and purpose are piled beside the upper opening of the grate pipe, on the hot plate.
is carried out with for example lighting strips which gives large, hot flames already after a few seconds after lighting.
The program work is started with a press on a button.
The open combustion phase has been entered with the lighting. Heat and smoke gases rises towards the bottom of the cooking utensil and are from there moved further by the suction from the stove and chimney pipes.
takes place in connection with the lighting wherein the pile of cassettes is centred to lie right over the upper edge of the grate pipe. First the wrappings are burnt after which the wooden sticks due to their dryness quickly catches fire and are transferred into embers with beginning in the centre in order to break after mechanical weakening and fall down into the grate pipe as fragments to there form the grate cylinder. The combustion time to this point is fairly constant wherein with relative exactness additions can be made for marginal deviations when setting up the program work. The program work may via one of its rotating excentre curves and a lever move the grate sleeve with the lifting plate upwards. In that the upper edge of the grate sleeve reaches the lower surface of the chamber a spring is released around the shaft of the lifting plate so that the lifting plate presses the ember cylinder upwards towards the bottom of the cooking plate.
In that these movements have been fulfilled the closed combustion phase has been initiated. Thanks to the connection between the upper edge of the grate pipe and the lower surface of the chamber a tighter connection has been established with the chimney pipe wherein a stronger draft is obtained from the from beneath the bottom of the cooking utensil via the chamber and the open damper and the open chimney hatch.
The Transformation of the Embers into Ash
One of the advantages of the system is that embers may be used under its optimal transformation into ash thanks to that the draft (fresh air) acts all the way down to the air intake in the bottom of the lifting plate. There are no corners or hiding places in which half combusted remains of embers may hide and give rise to hazardous smoke gases or emissions. In practice all transformation of embers should be into ash.
the program work ensures that the chimney air-regulator is closed and, simultaneously, the hood air-regulator is opened—a certain predetermined time after initiation of the closed phase. This can at the earliest take place when no hazardous substances (gases) remain in the stove smoke.
If more heat is needed a new pile of cassettes is started in the same way as described above—possibly with help from remaining ember from a previous fire.
From start to ash the combustion time is calculated to be about 6-10 minutes depending on the size of the pile of cassettes. This corresponds to about 6-10 fires per hour which means a significant energy development.
The combustion technology developed above intends to achieve the highest use of energy with minimal emissions and with minimum use of biofuel and work.
From the description above it is evident that the system is open during feeding of possible fire starters or lighting strips and when feeding the cassettes. It is also open until all wooden sticks have been burnt off and all parts have fallen down into the ember sleeve. Only then the system may be closed by raising the grate sleeve with its burning and glowing contents to tightly lie close to the underside of the chamber. From the favourable supply of fresh air and thanks to the short break for feeding the cassettes the combustion and ember formation may continue under high temperature. The uptake of energy to the cooking utensil, chamber, heat exchanger pre-heats the system. Only when the conversion from fire wood into embers has advanced so that a pure bed of embers is present the air-regulator which has been open to the chimney may be closed and the air-regulator for ventilation, heating, drying, heating of the room may be opened. The ventilation hatches allow a balancing of the outgoing air by distribution between different sections.
The advantage of interval combustion with this mainly closed system is that it has been possible to give the C-stove a low weight and relatively small dimensions, and despite this a high performance. The c-stove is to be able to work cleanly inside—the ash formed is collected by built-in ash boxes, which easily may be emptied without soiling. The formation of the ashes is also insignificant by the almost complete combustion taking place in the grate sleeve. A strongly contributing reason for the high temperature in the hearth is the low moisture content for the wooden pieces by the sealed package—which is kept until the moment of opening, that is, the combustion of the wrapping by the fire, which is brought about with hybrid combustion. The lighting strips also contribute with a corresponding intensifying effect during start-up—thin layer combustion is an active factor. In collaboration the three principles constitutes a basis for the method.
The open as well as the closed system has fulfilled its obligation. The C-stove is how, the water is also hot, items are dry, new cassettes are on the outside of the hood for warming until the next lighting. It is time for grilling. The grill is present in the form of a grill insertion. In the bottom of the grate sleeve 10-15 meters of lighting strip is put. The grill insert is slid down in the grate sleeve. On its grating a layer of coal is laid. The lighting strip is lighted and within 4-5 minutes the lighting strip is burnt out and the heat of the bed of coals is suitable for start of grilling in order to, after a total of about 8 minutes of grilling may continue at its best. The bed of coals and the steak has been placed one on its own level, respectively, on a suitable distance from each other. The grill insertion rests firmly inside the grate sleeve. The draft of air from below is adjustable.
The three principles hybrid combustion, thin layer combustion and interval combustion have been guiding during the development of the cassettes as well as the C-stove and this is apparent below for the method:
As comparison some present values are given below:
During hybrid combustion the PE-layer adds a significant addition of energy, especially during the fire start with the aid from the lighting strip in combination with wrappings.
The Exposed Surface of the Wooden Sticks Relative to their Volume
As a general rule the smaller or thinner wooden fragments the faster they burn. The heat spreads more easily through thin layers depending on that the material volume closest to be combusted quickly assumes the temperature of the surroundings which then hasten formation of embers.
Conclusion: A cassette compartment containing 3×3 wooden sticks has an exposed surface which is 2.8 times as large as a corresponding log of fire wood, and the compartment with 5×5 wooden sticks has an exposed surface which is 4.5 times as large as a corresponding log of fire wood.
The collected and beneficial effects of the hybrid combustion in combination with thin layer combustion benefit the interval combustion. During a traditional fire start the temperature of the surroundings in the hearth is about 20° C. while during the high temperature combustion mentioned above the feeding of new cassettes during the open phase is carried out so quickly that the process is not substantially affected. On the contrary there is an intensive alighting of the newly fed fuel set under wherein the closed phase is entered for continued high temperature combustion. The air supply is controlled so that the feeding to the ember hearth is optimal at the same time as no excess of fresh air may cool the system. To a large part it is the cassettes that merits that the C-stove can be controlled to the highest possible efficiency with a favourable yield from the fuel without resulting in hazardous emissions.
The cassettes have dimensional stability at a temperature up to 80-90° C. with the advantage that they may be heated (for example on the topside of the hood) up to this temperature while waiting for piling and feeding (gloves are used). This method favours the continuity in the course of combustion since the falling in the interval temperature curve is closer to planing despite the temporarily opened system.
The coordinated measures mentioned above are also supported by that the lighting sticks, before the packaging into cassettes, have been subjected to such a drying that the moisture content is brought down to about 5-1% with the effect that the cassettes are even more inflammable at the time the burning wrappings are lighted and opened by the flames.
In several places in the present application the word parallelepiped has been used in order to describe a body of six surfaces parallel in pairs.
Lighting sticks have the shape of parallelepipeds. In one embodiment being the basis for the C-stove they have been given a format of 1×1×16 cm.
Cassettes have in one embodiment for the C-stove been given an outside measure of 20×20×1 cm as a parallelepiped—after compaction.
Ember pillar is the parallelepipedic collection of embers formed by the grate plates through compaction of the bed of embers and arranged right under the bottom of the cooking utensil.
Lighting sticks They may be given an exact size by for example sawing in mass production and the combustion characteristics of each stick are therefore standardized. Thanks to that the energy content is the same in each stick the bed of embers can be uniform and reach complete ember simultaneously.
Cassettes With the standardized fuel contents regarding their number of lighting sticks in the compartments a uniform combustion may take place in the entire cassette. The outer dimensions of the cassettes are in turn dependent on the dimensions of the lighting sticks and thanks to this the cassettes may be given an even design, especially since the walls of the compartments are soft and flexible and support onto the exact lighting sticks. When piling the cassettes, —preferably cross-wise on each other—a frame work is formed, the stability of which during the combustion and stability especially at the end of the ember formation are deciding for the result of the combustion result. Thanks to the exact measures of the lighting sticks a higher frame work can be built without falling and an even more homogenous bed of ember created after the collapse.
Ember pillar. The two or more grate plates positioned around the pile of cassettes for moving the bed of embers into an ember pillar after its combustion and collapse may advantageously form it to a parallelepiped the upper surface of which being positioned close to or directly against the bottom of the cooking utensil. The design with the parallelepiped makes a slight displacement of the ember pillar possible for closing or distancing it from the bottom of the cooking utensil. By adjustable size on the air holes in the grate plates a possibility is achieved to supply the hot air from lower levels in the amount giving the vest effect during heating of the bottom of the cooking utensil.
Small and on first sight insignificant factors may also play a large role in a system of cooperating units, for example during calibration of the size and energy content of the cassettes, or how high the pile of cassettes can be built without collapsing. When all fixing wrappings has burnt up and for a normal piling height of about 200 lighting sticks being piled, partly parallel to each other, partly cross-wise to each other—demands on precision is put so that the frame work holds together during the entire process, from warming and evaporation of the moisture/water and during ember formation which results in an approximate weight loss of more than 50% of the original gross weight, which in itself results in a decreased strain on the frame work. Transformed into an ember skeleton without flames indicating remains of combustible material the breaking limit is reached and it collapses to a burnt out pile of embers.
With this background it is justified to assume that the course of combustion should be carried out centrally beneath the bottom of the cooking utensil and so that a high temperature combustion may take place without disturbances or interruptions from intensive lighting all the way to the raising of the ember pillar against the bottom of the cooking utensil, after which the fastest possible transfer of the ember heat to it takes place. The advantages of the interval combustion technology can here be utilised in such a way that a relight takes place, wherein remaining embers from a previous fire can be used for a fast starting effect.
Since description and construction details already have been given on both the cassettes and the cassette stove and the method during lighting and combustion and usage of the units is evident there from herein below an overview is given on the most important advantages thereof. It is a method which in all essentials builds on three previously mentioned basic principles for this system.
as a heat source biofuel such as fire wood is mainly used. As a high temperature generating component a purely fossil fuel (PE) is included, which has been recovered amongst other as a waste product from packaging industry.
for the user it is an advantage that the cassette is easy to light and can be selected regarding size and contents depending on need. Cassettes of a certain size are manufactured technically with exactly the same energy content and combustion characteristics until embers. Thanks to the barrier properties of the wrappings the low moisture content in the wood is kept until lighting.
the cassettes are colour marked so that by checking with colour markings on the stove a suitable combination of cassettes easily can be selected.
through the specific construction of the cassettes and the composition of the wrapping the lighting sticks are fixed in the compartments and remain until the frame work formed by the cassettes collapses in a burnt out state and forms a pile of embers.
The pile of embers is moved together by said grate with a hand lever wherein a cylinder shaped bed of embers is formed. This may be raised towards the bottom of the cooking utensil to a desired level. The user can see and follow the course of combustion according to the settings and select desire heat withdrawal and distribution.
For the different work operations part of traditional food cooking there is required space and good general view of the process of cooking.
Said lever for the moving together of the pile of embers with 4 grates into a cylindrical pile of embers is easily accessible and lockable in selectable positions. The same is valid for the lever regulating the height of the ember cylinder inside the grates.
excess heat arising from side directed hot air passing the bottom of the cooking utensil and sliding peripherally outside the side walls of the cooking utensil is taken care of by feeding into a device (circuit) functioning as a heat exchanger.
When the hot air has given some of its heat to the bottom of the cooking utensil the still hot air continues to pass a surface increasing, spiral similar, designed pipe containing water and in connection with a container forms a closed and self circulating system for the supply of the users needs for warm water, temperature controlled between different sections of taps.
After passage through the columns between the pipe spirals/heat exchanger the warm air rises up under and into the hood which is heated there of—and the air continues in a ventilation pipe attached in the topmost section of the hood.
The outside of the hood is provided with upwardly foldable shelves for positioning of items for drying—from for example cloth as laundry to cassettes which advantageously in this way can be heated to for example 50° C. or more before combustion.
It is easy to insert the cassettes in a fixed position between the grate plates in which they are centred before the combustion and in this way an efficient moving together of the bed of embers to an ember cylinder may take place.
The wrapping of the cassette is lightable with a match even if it is humid since the PE-layer burns anyway with a large, hot flame.
When the cassette begins to burn the fire catches on even faster if one blow upon it (preferably with a bellow).
Thanks to the standardized energy content of the cassettes limited to a few sixes it is easy to combine selected cassettes for each lighting and thus save energy. If further addition of heat is required a new set of cassettes may easily be filled and the process repeated. The remaining bed of embers from the just burnt out fire then serves as an efficient lighting composition resulting in a fast start even of a larger cassette with for example with a content of 48 lighting sticks.
The cassettes have a major importance as single-use fuel units to also serve, thanks to their construction, their original purpose—as fixture for making continuous tests possible for empirically determine the significance of changes in dimensions, proportions and other design of the lighting sticks, as well as improvements in the efficiency of the system, such as insertion of additional thin layers of paper or plastic, respectively, in different section, the formation of holes and perforations, positioning of tearing ribbons. This type of investigations should with advantage be realizable with computer technology. This is also valid for adaptations and further coordination between the designs and technical details of the cassette stove.
The lighting sticks previously mentioned as embodiment examples in the format 1×1×16 cm can be given other sizes and proportions. The coordination with other factors of importance for, by way of example, transportation and storage, can motivate adjustments. The area of the lighting sticks can be made rectangular, which from a view point of combustion may have great impact in relation to air flow passage and lighting. In one embodiment example the area has been kept but the measures changed from 1×1×16 cm to 0.5×2×16 cm. The thinner layer the faster combustion. But this presupposes that the air flow passage in the column between the sticks is sufficient. Still a concern for this embodiment is that the cassettes can be compacted, that is, be inserted into each other in order to save space. The system of cassettes is flexible and easily handled and gives advantages offered by an efficient utilization of the three principles—hybrid combustion, thin layer combustion and interval combustion.
The road from mill to combustion and ash—comparison traditional method for small scale combustion of fire wood with advantages cassettes/C-stove.
Above an account for single-use cassettes and C-stoves and methods when using them have been given. The primary purpose is to use biofuels via new methods with efficiency and economy with least possible harmful emissions to nature. Combustion requires fuel, air and fire and a suitable hearth. The solution obtained is founded on simple standard components in regard of the cassettes as well as the C-stove. A modular system makes different functionally advantageous combinations possible. Three basic principles for the invention have been followed, hybrid combustion, thin layer combustion and interval combustion and this is mirrored in several construction details.
The traditional fire wood in the form of sawed and cut wood in larger format assigned to fire wood furnaces, tiled stoves, iron stoves etc. have been replaced with small wooden sticks in for example 1×1×16 cm. The exposed surface of the wooden sticks is 3.6 times larger than the fire wood logs. The drying of the wooden sticks is faster as well as the combustion. By enclosing the wooden sticks in the compartments of the wrapping directly after drying the moisture content can be kept low until combustion. Only selected first class fuel will primarily be used-above all for the lighting. Wood types containing ethereal oils such as eucalyptus with good combustion properties keep them thanks to the packaging. The fixing of the wooden sticks in the cassettes optimizes the lighting process and eliminates manual work for a corresponding device. Compaction of the cassettes results in a volume saving of about 40%—a significant factor during storage and transport.
The fresh, clean air is a natural asset which must be protected and preserved. During “small scale combustion of fire wood” fresh air is wasted which is unnecessarily polluted. “Smouldering combustion” during combustion of leaves in gardens, also stingily combustion during night in house furnaces. Burn-beating in larger contexts during burning off of large areas for new plantations can show how large and harmful emissions can influence the quality of air, which has led to public health problems and environmental influence. The objective must be that only the quantity of air consumed for completely combusting a certain amount of fuel should be used. This presupposes a high combustion temperature with concentration of the fire hearth within a relatively small volume. A stove should be lightweight in its construction in order not to contain heavy parts demanding some energy to be heated. In warm countries the energy must heat the sections intended and not an already to hot space. In the C-stove the lighting is very fast with an air supply which is adjustable and especially rich during the first 2 minutes when the combustion process is vigorous. The warmth shall in this short time be increased from the temperature of the surroundings to the level for almost complete combustion. The specially adapted cassettes are positioned right above the grate pipe in order to be pressed down therein with a soft hand pressure, wherein the cassettes give way and the wrappings break so that the compartments are opened and the dry wooden sticks are exposed. About 10-20 seconds after the lighting the open phase may be changed into a closed system by the ember hearth being lifted up towards the bottom of the cooking utensil simultaneously as the upper edge of the grate pipe surrounding the ember heart connects with an air chamber surrounding the cooking utensil and thus a communication to the stove pipe is opened.
As is apparent the air intake has been confined to a relatively small surface wherein the fresh air is directed straight upwards and through the fire hearth. Thanks to the 3.6 times larger surface of the wooden sticks as compared with ordinary fire wood the incoming air may be used better and the transformation process of wood into ember can be quickened at highest possible temperature. In this way it is avoided that fresh air passes which cannot be correctly utilised. The grate pipe with the underlying lifting plate is adapted so that an optimal amount of fresh air should be able to pass. If the space around the fire hearth is too large inefficient fresh air may pass along the sides, not having a combustion elevating effect, it both cools the fire hearth and risks to cause harmful emissions. The original technical function of the cassettes would be to simplify the calculations and analyses during special combustion processes. It can be assumed that there is much to learn about air and fuel intake and optimised adaptation in connection with small scale combustion of fire wood of all categories since this function can be an asset.
The C-stove may summarily be described as a small unit which is not electricity dependent and thus may be set up to do service in any location. It is specially intended to take care of the environmentally friendly combustion process by itself without any considerable efforts from the small-scale fireman. The advantages are amongst others that the start is simple. A lighting strip is placed in the grate pipe. Some one-time cassettes are piled on each other and are laid right above the grate pipe and pressed down into it with a soft hand pressure. Through previously arranged point-wise weakenings in the lighting sticks they give way and thus the wrappings protecting the fuel from moisture breaks. About 10 seconds from lighting the grate pipe may be raised towards the bottom of the cooking utensil and the underside of the chamber. After and additional 4 minutes the chimney damper may be closed which results in that nearly all heat stays inside the C-stove for cooking, heating of water, for heating the room, drying of clothes etc. Food cooking can begin in the form of pre-heating already after 2 minutes.
A number of suggested embodiments showing the characteristics significantly associated with the present invention are now to be described closer with reference to the attached drawings with an exemplifying purpose, in which:
a shows a side view of the foundation (101) of the C-stove with an ember plate (102) resting thereon. Four grate plates are mounted on the ember plate, one of which (103) is firmly fixed to the ember plate and the other three (104) are movable in relation to it.
In a hole (106) in the ember plate—a vertically movable shaft (107) is inserted, the upper end of which, called the lifting plate (108), is freely displaceable in the cylindrical space formed by the grate plates. The shaft is lockable in different height positions by a lever (101) and is also provided with a resilient mechanism (110) for the lifting plate to lightly bear against a bottom (111) of a cooking utensil positioned above via the ember cylinder. A hot plate (112) is fixedly connected with the stand via an attachment angle (113). In a hole (116) in the hot plate a cooking utensil (114) is placed. A circular chamber (115) is attached completely or partly around the cooking utensil. In this chamber as well as in underlying sections of the hot plate holes or slots are opened, as well as through the bottom of the chamber as through the hot plate, offering passage for hot air streaming towards the sides from the bottom (111) of the cooking utensil. In the chamber mentioned above a heat exchanger (118) is attached in the form of a water circuit so that its surfaces can be enclosed by the passing hot air. The somewhat cooled hot air is either led out through the stove pipe (127), or if pure embers is present by adjusting air-regulators, to the space further up under the hood (128) where ceiling air-regulators (129) either can be shut for keeping the heat for, by way of example, heating the room or for drying of items (120) on the outside of the hood, or opened to let out possible excess heat. In one embodiment the lower section (119) of the stove comprising the combustion unit been designed with a fixed connection with the stand while instead the upper section (122) has been designed movable in relation to the foundation.
b
In side figure (b) the formation of a space by the brought together grate plates for the ember cylinder (105) which is raised to highest position against the bottom (111) of the cooking utensil by the lifting plate.
a, b, c, d
In side figures (a and b) two opposite, plane grate plates are shown, of which one (104) is movably attached on the ember plate (102) and the other (103) is firmly fixed. The movable grate plate is shown dashed in the starting position and unbroken after moving towards the fixed grate plate. In cross section (c and d) the two concave grate plates (104) are shown dashed in the starting position and in unbroken lines in a brought together position. The circle formed has a content as a cylinder here denoted ember pillar (5) or ember cylinder.
The stand is formed by a light and supporting construction on which a lower and an upper sections are attached according to the below.
The lower section (119) is formed by an ember plate (112) with a centrally positioned hole (106) in which a control sleeve (120) is attached, and in this a movable, perforated grate sleeve (123) is situated, accommodating an upwardly movable, perforated lifting plate (108) positioned therein, which, just as the grate sleeve, is provided with devices (109) for adjusting and locking in certain position of the vertical movements. A spring (110) is slipped onto a shaft (107) which is attached on the underside of the lifting plate (108). The spring has as its function to press the lifting plate upwardly towards the bottom of the cooking utensil so that the ember cylinder (105) lightly bear against it during the transformation of the embers into ash and thus the lower surface (121) of the ember cylinder is moved upwards until it reaches close to the bottom of the cooking utensil and against the lower surface of the chamber (115)—when the pressing force of the spring has ceased—and mostly ash remains of the embers.
The upper section (122) of the stove is void of movable parts (apart from dampers and air-regulators) and consists of a hot plate (112) with a centrally positioned hole in which the lower part of the cooking utensil (114) is lowered. Around and close to the cooking utensil a circle shaped chamber (115) is situated through which the hot air passes which streams out of the ember cylinder past the bottom of the cooking utensil. The chamber contains a heat exchanger (118) in the form of a certain pattern shaped pipe or surface increasing structures for transfer of the heat energy of the air to the water circuit. The chamber and heat exchanger are easily detachable via instantaneous couplings (126) and snap-on fasteners (133) for cleaning.
shows in an overview (a) the chamber (115) with heat exchanger (118, 125), air passages with air-regulators and corresponding in a view from above (b). According to the above the grate pipe (123) may be brought upwards so that its upper edge touches the lower surface of the chamber (115) and thus is in tight communication with the chamber which on one side of its circumference contains a heat exchanger (118) with circuits leading to and from a water tank (124) and on the other side a smaller heat exchanger (125) which is part of a hot water system with a filling tap (141) and a drawing tap (142), respectively, and with a safety valve (143).
The chamber is inserted into a distribution pipe (137) with a sleeve coupling (136) containing a shutter plate (damper) (138) and via an air-regulator (139) the smoke gases may pass out of the stove pipe (127) or after simultaneous adjustment of the air-regulator (140) may continue to the underside (128) of the hood. A ventilation pipe leads from the upper section of the hood to a ceiling air-regulator (129).
For collection and emptying of ash an ash-box (132) is inserted beneath the lifting plate (118) and an ash-box (144) is situated beneath the distribution pipe (139) behind the chamber for simple emptying by withdrawal.
shows a cross-section of six grate pipes (123) with inside lying lifting plates (108) and three cassettes (145) which are placed onto the upper section (145) of the grate pipe. Brought down in the grate pipe in the form of convex structures (151) they have been partly broken into loose fragments (152) simultaneously with broken wrappings (153) from the compartments of the cassettes.
In one figure the position of the grate pipe (123) after being raised towards the bottom (111) of the cooking utensil and the lower surface (115) of the chamber.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0901065-3 | Aug 2009 | SE | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/SE10/50878 | 8/5/2010 | WO | 00 | 2/3/2012 |
