Liquid Fuel Burner Feed Assembly for Safe Continuous Refueling
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current liquid fuel burners for indoor and outdoor fire displays pose safety hazards due to the risk of fuel spills and accidental ignition from volatile vapors, require users to wait for the flame to extinguish before refueling, and often result in incomplete combustion and invisible fuel consumption, leading to consumer reluctance in using these products.
Innovation Solution
A fuel tray and feed arrangement that allows continuous refueling without spilling or vapor release, featuring a sloping bottom to indicate when the flame needs refilling and multiple burner configurations to maintain visible combustion, ensuring proper and complete combustion by keeping burning vapors above the fuel surface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If users manually refill fuel in traditional burners, then the fuel level can be replenished, but safety hazards occur due to fuel spills and vapor ignition risks
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses an automated pump to transfer fuel from the storage container to the burner based on level sensor feedback, eliminating manual refilling operations that cause spills and vapor exposure. The pump and sensor system self-regulates the refueling process without user intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
An automated control system acts as an intermediary between the fuel storage and burner, managing the refueling process through electronic controls that prevent direct user contact with flammable fuel during refilling operations.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If users wait for flame to extinguish before refueling, then safety is improved, but refueling time and operational interruption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The automated system performs refueling operations without requiring users to wait for flame extinction. The pump and sensor system continuously monitors and refuels the burner during operation, eliminating the time loss associated with manual refueling interruptions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system maintains continuous fuel supply to the burner through automated refueling, ensuring the burning process is never interrupted. Fuel is transferred on-demand based on level sensors, keeping the useful action of heating continuous without manual intervention.
3Productivity
If ethanol burns without additives, then complete combustion occurs, but the flame becomes nearly invisible making spills undetectable
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses colored additives in the fuel that change color or become visible under specific conditions to indicate fuel level and combustion status. This allows the flame to remain visible for safety monitoring while maintaining combustion efficiency through proper fuel formulation.
4Ease of operation
If fuel is stored in open containers for easy access, then refueling is convenient, but vapor release and accidental ignition risk increase
Solution Approach 1:
A closed fuel storage system with automated pump transfer acts as an intermediary, allowing convenient refueling through electronic controls while preventing vapor release by maintaining sealed containers throughout the fuel transfer process.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces manual pouring operations with an automated pump system that transfers fuel through closed conduits, eliminating the need for open container handling and associated vapor release risks.
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 safe and continuous refueling without hazards, provides a visible signal for refilling, and ensures complete combustion, enhancing safety and user experience by maintaining a consistent flame without interrupting the burning process.
Implementation Method 1
allows the user to replenish the fuel while the flame is burning without any hazard of fuel spill or vapor release. The device disclosed herein provides a fuel tray and fuel feed arrangement designed to keep the burning vapors above the fuel surface within a preferred range within in the burner for proper and complete combustion
Implementation Method 2
the burner has a sloping bottom (to the right and/or left of the unit) which allows the fuel to accumulate to the right and/or left of the center of the burner so that when the fuel in the burner is nearly consumed the user can see that the flame is no longer burning across the entire burner surface
Data Source
AI summary
An assembly for creating a fire display from a liquid fuel comprises a fuel receiving reservoir connected to a burner by a conduit, the conduit providing a flow channel for a liquid fuel from the reservoir to the burner. When a container of liquid fuel is placed in a bottle receiving tray the fuel is dispensed into the reservoir and in turn flows into the burner. Flammable vapors over the liquid fuel in the burner can then be ignited. The arrangement provides a continuous feed of fuel to the burner and allows safe replacement of the fuel container and replenishment of the fuel in the burner while the flame is present.