Pellet Heater Two-Phase Combustion for Longer Even Heat
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Solution Overview
Problem
Granular fuel heaters struggle to produce a flame pattern similar to traditional log-burning stoves, leading to customer acceptance issues and inefficient thermal utilization, with a focus on extending burning time and achieving a more even heat output.
Innovation Solution
The method involves degassing fuel granules in a first thermal utilization phase and burning the resulting intermediate materials in a second phase, with controlled air supply to create a longer combustion process, maintaining fuel granules in the storage chamber to prevent escape and ensure sequential thermal utilization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of moving object
If fuel granules are burned directly in conventional manner, then combustion process is simple, but burn time is short and thermal efficiency is low
Solution Approach 1:
The combustion process is segmented into two distinct phases: a first thermal utilization phase where fuel granules are degassed to produce combustible gases, and a second thermal utilization phase where the resulting intermediate materials are burned. This segmentation extends the overall burn time while maintaining manageable system complexity through sequential operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The fuel granules undergo preliminary degassing in the first thermal utilization phase before the main combustion occurs in the second phase. This preliminary action of removing volatile components extends the total combustion duration and improves thermal efficiency by preparing the fuel for more complete combustion.
2Reliability
If fuel granules flow out of storage chamber onto fire grate, then combustion can occur, but design becomes complex and risk of deflagration increases
Solution Approach 1:
The storage chamber for fuel granules and the combustion chamber are merged into a single integrated chamber. This eliminates the need for separate storage and combustion chambers, simplifying the design while maintaining safety by keeping unignited granules and combustion gases in the same controlled environment below the flame zone.
Solution Approach 2:
The combustible gases produced during degassing act as an intermediary medium, allowing thermal energy transfer from the combustion zone back to the fuel granules in the storage chamber, enabling continuous combustion without requiring granules to physically move to a separate combustion area.
3Productivity
If maximum heat output is prioritized, then heating power is high, but heat output is not evenly distributed and burning time is short
Solution Approach 1:
The combustion process operates periodically through two distinct thermal utilization phases: first the degassing phase, then the combustion phase. This periodic action distributes heat output more evenly over time, avoiding peak overheating while maintaining consistent heating performance throughout the extended burn cycle.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operational parameters between the two phases: during the first phase, conditions favor degassing with controlled oxygen supply, and during the second phase, conditions favor complete combustion. This parameter variation optimizes both evenness of heat distribution and overall thermal efficiency.
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 approach significantly extends the burn time, reduces the risk of deflagration, and provides a more even and long-lasting heat output, improving thermal efficiency and customer acceptance by mimicking the flame pattern of traditional heaters.
Implementation Method 1
the fuel granules are degassed separately in a first thermal utilization phase and that granular intermediate materials which have arisen in the first thermal utilization phase are burned
Implementation Method 2
The released gas reaches the flame chamber via passage openings, which are provided in a wall of the storage chamber, and is burned there due to the even greater heat
Implementation Method 3
granular intermediate materials which have arisen in the first thermal utilization phase are burned in a subsequent second thermal utilization phase
Implementation Method 4
As the pellets burn, heat develops in the combustion chamber. This heat heats up the stored pellets in the storage chamber
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The method involves igniting fuel granules (11) by a primary air supply (25) that is disrupted or reduced by a tool such that the granules are converted into a granular intermediate substance using heat process. The granules are reacted with release of gas over a stocks chamber (10). The released gas is entered into a flame chamber (12) through a passage aperture (14) under allowance of a secondary air supply (26). The intermediate substance is burned under allowance of the primary air supply in the stocks chamber according to conversion of the granules into the intermediate substance. An independent claim is also included for a fuel granule heater.