Chimney Starter with Catalyst Unit to Reduce Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Chimney starters for carbon-containing fuels pose a risk of carbon monoxide poisoning due to toxic exhaust gases, especially in closed or inadequately ventilated spaces, as the colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas is produced from incomplete combustion and can accumulate to dangerous levels.
Innovation Solution
A catalyst is integrated above the fuel location in the chimney starter to oxidize carbon monoxide from exhaust gases to carbon dioxide, utilizing ambient oxygen and relying on convective flow to guide gases through the catalytic converter, which is designed to have low flow resistance and can be self-powered by the energy from the ignited fuel, using a coated open-pore sponge ceramic with transition or noble metal oxides.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a chimney starter is used for carbon-containing fuel, then ignition is achieved, but toxic carbon monoxide exhaust gases are produced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful carbon monoxide exhaust gases into beneficial carbon dioxide through a catalytic oxidation process. A catalyst unit with catalytically active material (such as platinum, palladium, or rhodium) is positioned in the exhaust path to promote the oxidation reaction: 2CO + O2 → 2CO2. This transforms the toxic, invisible carbon monoxide into less harmful carbon dioxide, eliminating the poisoning risk while maintaining the ignition function.
Solution Approach 2:
The catalyst unit acts as an intermediary between the carbon monoxide exhaust gases and the oxygen in the air. The catalytically active material provides a surface that facilitates the chemical reaction between CO and O2, enabling the oxidation process without the catalyst itself being consumed. This intermediary mechanism efficiently reduces carbon monoxide levels in the exhaust.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If a catalyst is added to oxidize carbon monoxide, then carbon monoxide levels are reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The catalyst unit is designed as a compact, nested structure that integrates within the existing chimney starter housing. The catalytic material is contained within a small chamber or cartridge that fits into the exhaust path without requiring major structural modifications to the chimney starter. This nested design minimizes the increase in device complexity while achieving the carbon monoxide reduction function.
Solution Approach 2:
The catalytically active material is applied on a porous support structure (such as ceramic foam or metallic foam). The porous structure provides a large surface area for catalytic activity within a compact volume, allowing efficient carbon monoxide oxidation without significantly increasing the size or complexity of the chimney starter. The porous material allows exhaust gases to flow through while maximizing contact with the catalyst.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design significantly reduces carbon monoxide levels in exhaust gases, enhancing safety by eliminating the risk of poisoning and minimizing ventilation requirements, while being simple to integrate into existing chimney starters without additional energy or oxygen supply.
Implementation Method 1
a catalyst for catalyzing the oxidation of carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide by oxygen is arranged above the receiving location for the fuel
Implementation Method 2
the oxidation of carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide by oxygen is arranged above the receiving location for the fuel
Implementation Method 3
The hot igniter exhaust gases rise convectively upwards through the gas-permeable separating element
Implementation Method 4
the fuel exhaust gases can also simply be guided to the catalytic converter by the vertical convection flow that forms
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a chimney starter (1) for carbon-containing fuel (2), comprising a housing (3), a lower combustion chamber (4) formed in the housing (3) for highly flammable fire starters (5), an upper combustion chamber (6) formed in the housing (3) for the carbon-containing fuel (2), wherein when ready for use, the upper combustion chamber (6) is arranged above the lower combustion chamber (4) and the lower combustion chamber (4) and the upper combustion chamber (6) are separated from one another by a gas-permeable separating element (7), wherein the upper side (8) of the separating element (7), facing the upper combustion chamber (6), forms a receiving location for the fuel (2), wherein the separating element (7) is designed such that, fire starter exhaust gases (9) occurring when the fire starter (5) is ignited pass through the separating element (7) and reach the fuel (2) resting on the separating element (7). The risk of carbon monoxide poisoning from exhaust gases when burning the (carbon-containing) fuel is significantly reduced with the chimney starter, by the provision of a catalyst (11) for catalysing the oxidation of carbon monoxide to form carbon dioxide using oxygen, above the receiving location for the fuel (2), such that the fuel exhaust gases (12) occurring when the fuel (2) is ignited are directed at least in part to the catalyst (11), or through the catalyst (11), and at least part of the carbon monoxide in the fuel exhaust gases (12) is oxidised to form carbon dioxide.