Liquid-Cooled Grate for Solid-Fuel Burner Heat Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing solid-fuel burners face challenges in controlling heat in the combustion chamber, leading to excessive wear of grate structures and environmental issues due to ash obstruction in flue gas circulation, which complicates maintenance and reduces service life.

Innovation Solution

A liquid-cooled grate system with overlapping stationary and movable grate levels, where stationary grate plates are cooled by circulating liquid, which in turn cools the movable plates without liquid cooling, eliminating the need for flue gas circulation and simplifying maintenance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If flue gases are circulated to control heat in the combustion chamber, then heat control is improved, but ash enters the circulation and blocks the air space below the grate structure, obstructing oxygen flow and reducing combustion efficiency

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat control in combustion chamberVSAvoidcombustion efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the harmful function of flue gas circulation (which causes ash blockage) and replaces it with a dedicated liquid cooling system. The cooling liquid circulates through channels in the grate structure, removing excess heat directly from the grate surface without involving the combustion chamber's flue gases, thus preventing ash contamination of the cooling system and maintaining unobstructed air flow for combustion.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention introduces liquid cooling medium as an intermediary substance between the hot grate structure and the combustion chamber. This mediator absorbs excess heat from the grate through dedicated cooling channels, preventing direct heat transfer to the flue gases and eliminating the risk of ash entering the circulation system while maintaining proper temperature control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Temperature

If water cooling with multiple grate plates is used to cool the grate, then cooling effectiveness is improved, but the structure becomes complex and cramped, increasing vulnerability to faults and maintenance requirements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegrate cooling effectivenessVSAvoidstructure complexity and maintenance difficulty
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention segments the cooling function by providing separate cooling channels within the grate structure itself, rather than using multiple external grate plates. Each grate element has integrated cooling passages that allow cooling liquid to flow through, distributing cooling effectively across the grate surface while maintaining a simpler overall structure with fewer moving parts and easier maintenance access.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention embeds the cooling channels within the grate structure itself, nesting the cooling system inside the existing grate framework. This eliminates the need for separate external cooling plates and reduces structural complexity, while still providing comprehensive cooling coverage through the integrated channels formed by walls and floors of the grate elements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

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

The solution extends the service life of grate components, prevents ash-related combustion inefficiencies and emissions, and enhances maintenance accessibility by simplifying the cooling system and reducing space requirements, improving cooling efficiency.

Implementation Method 1

Each liquid-cooled stationary grate plate is adapted to cool the movable grate plates that are below it and/or above it that do not have liquid cooling

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat transfer: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

a circulation system for the cooling fluid

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Data Source

PatentEP4102133B1Liquid-cooled grate in a solid-fuel burner
Publication Date: 2024.11.27 ARITERM SERVICE OY
  • EP4102133B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4102133B1 patent drawingFigure 3~5

AI summary

The object of the invention is a liquid-cooled grate (1a) in a solid-fuel burner (1), the grate comprising an input aperture (4) for fuel, a fan (5) and a circulation system for the cooling fluid, and which grate (1a) comprises one or more stationary grate levels formed by a stationary grate plate (2) and one or more movable grate levels formed by a movable grate plate (3), which grate levels are disposed to overlap one above another. Each liquid-cooled stationary grate plate (2) is adapted to cool the movable grate plate (3) below it and/or above it in which there is no liquid cooling.