Refractory insert for cooking apparatus
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Solution Overview
Problem
Bridging of fuel over refractory inserts in cooking apparatuses, such as grills and smokers, leads to temperature variations and decreased fuel burn efficiency due to obstruction of fuel movement into the firebox.
Innovation Solution
A refractory insert with varying wall heights and angled top edges is designed to facilitate fuel flow by minimizing bridging, ensuring consistent temperature and improved fuel combustion efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If refractory materials are used to line the firebox interior surfaces, then heat absorption and reflection improve, but fuel bridging occurs that blocks fuel movement into the firebox
Solution Approach 1:
The refractory insert employs curved or angled top surfaces on its segments rather than flat horizontal surfaces. This curvature prevents fuel pieces from bridging across the top of the refractory insert, allowing fuel to continuously feed into the firebox while the refractory material still absorbs and reflects heat effectively.
Solution Approach 2:
The refractory insert is divided into multiple segments with varying heights and angled top surfaces. This segmentation creates a stepped configuration that prevents fuel bridging while maintaining heat absorption capabilities. Each segment is positioned to facilitate fuel flow while contributing to overall heat management.
2Productivity
If fuel pieces are made larger for better combustion, then fuel burn efficiency improves, but bridging over the firebox increases that impedes fuel introduction
Solution Approach 1:
The curved or angled top surfaces of the refractory insert segments prevent large fuel pieces from balancing or bridging across the firebox opening. The non-horizontal surfaces cause fuel to roll or slide into the firebox rather than creating blocking bridges, maintaining efficient combustion of larger fuel pieces.
Solution Approach 2:
The refractory insert features asymmetric segment heights and angled top surfaces rather than uniform flat surfaces. This asymmetry disrupts the formation of stable fuel bridges while allowing large fuel pieces to maintain their combustion efficiency characteristics.
3Stability of the object's composition
If refractory materials maintain dimensional stability at high temperatures, then energy efficiency improves, but temperature variations occur due to fuel bridging blockages
Solution Approach 1:
The segmented refractory insert design with varying heights and angled surfaces prevents fuel bridging that causes temperature fluctuations. By eliminating bridge-induced blockages, fuel feeds consistently into the firebox, maintaining stable combustion and temperature while the refractory material retains its dimensional stability at high temperatures.
Solution Approach 2:
The curved top surfaces prevent fuel bridging that would otherwise cause intermittent blockages and temperature variations. This geometric feature ensures continuous fuel flow while the refractory segments maintain their dimensional stability under thermal stress, resulting in stable operating temperatures.
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 improved geometry of the refractory insert reduces bridging, maintaining stable temperatures and enhancing fuel burn efficiency by preventing fuel blockages in the firebox.
Implementation Method 1
refractory materials may be positioned inside a high temperature area, such as a cooking enclosure and/or firebox, within a grill or smoker to absorb and reflect heat so as to reduce heat loss during the cooking process
Implementation Method 2
refractory materials may be positioned inside a high temperature area, such as a cooking enclosure and/or firebox, within a grill or smoker to absorb and reflect heat so as to reduce heat loss during the cooking process
Implementation Method 3
Once within the firebox, the fuel is ignited and combusted to generate heat and/or smoke for a cooking process
Implementation Method 4
The feed hopper in the above-referenced patent is configured to contain various fuel types (e.g., charcoal, lump charcoal, wood) and allow the fuel to continuously fall vertically into the firebox, and thus is fed to the firebox using gravity
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to an improved refractory insert that decreases fuel bridging within a fuel burning area. The refractory insert may be used for instance in any apparatus, system, or device where fuel is burned, including a cooking apparatus. In an embodiment, the improved refractory insert is comprised of two or more pieces of refractory material of varying heights. In some embodiments, one or more of the top edges of the refractory insert are sloped. The height variations and/or sloping of the top edges of the refractory insert help to significantly reduce bridging of fuel over the refractory insert.