Curving Auger Pellet Stove Feed for Dust and Back-Burn Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Pellet stoves require a constant supply of granular material, leading to bulkiness and dust buildup, with increased risk of back burning due to sensitive auger designs that do not allow for full storage emptying and efficient space use.

Innovation Solution

A stove design featuring a curving auger that draws granular material from beneath the storage, feeding it upwards to the combustion area, with a centreless helical element and a down duct to reduce noise and risk of back burning, and a centre shaft for the upper auger to prevent heat damage, along with airflow apertures and a combi stove option for log combustion.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If granular material is fed from above into the combustion chamber, then the feeding mechanism is simpler, but the granular material and feeding means influence the combustion process and durability is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefeeding mechanism designVSAvoidcombustion process stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the conventional feeding approach by feeding granular material from below the combustion chamber instead of from above. The curving auger draws material upward from the storage container through the bottom of the combustion chamber, preventing material and feeding means from interfering with the combustion process while maintaining system durability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Object-generated harmful factors

If the storage container is positioned to allow complete emptying, then dust buildup is avoided, but the stove becomes larger and bulkier

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedust buildupVSAvoidstove size
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the spatial arrangement by positioning the storage container beneath the combustion chamber and using a curving auger that transports material vertically upward. This vertical dimension allows complete emptying of the storage container without requiring excessive horizontal space, maintaining compact stove dimensions while preventing dust buildup

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Stability of the object's composition

If a rigid helical element is used in the curving auger, then the auger structure is more stable, but noise increases due to crushing granular material against the outer tube

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveauger structure stabilityVSAvoidoperational noise
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a flexible helical element in the curving auger that can bend and adapt to the curved path without crushing granular material against the outer tube. This flexibility reduces operational noise while maintaining adequate structural stability for material transport

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

4Device complexity

If the upper auger lacks a centre shaft, then the design is simpler and noise is reduced, but heat damage to the auger increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveupper auger designVSAvoidheat damage risk
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a centre shaft as an intermediary element in the upper auger that acts as a heat sink, absorbing and dissipating heat away from the helical element. This prevents heat damage to the auger while maintaining a relatively simple design without excessive complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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

Enables complete storage emptying, reduces dust buildup and back burning risk, improves space efficiency, and allows for a more durable and efficient combustion process with cleaner operation.

Implementation Method 1

the granular material feeding means comprises a curving auger, wherein said granular material feeding means further comprises an upper auger

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectScrew conveyance: Screw

Data Source

PatentEP3559552B1A combi stove and use of a combi stove
Publication Date: 2020.07.15 ADURO
  • EP3559552B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3559552B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3559552B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

Disclosed is a stove (1) arranged for combusting granular material. The stove (1) comprises a granular material combustion area (5) including a bottom combustion surface (6) and granular material feeding means (15) arranged for feeding granular material up into the granular material combustion area (5) from a granular material storage (16) arranged beneath the granular material combustion area (5), wherein the granular material feeding means (15) comprises a curving auger (21). Furthermore, a use of a stove (1) is disclosed.