Smokeless Fire Pit with Ground-Level Heating Zone Using Dual Air Flow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional smokeless fire pits have a raised heating zone, which is undesirable for consumers preferring a lower heating zone similar to traditional fire pits or campfires.
Innovation Solution
The smokeless fire pit design utilizes multiple air flows to create multiple burn areas, with a primary air flow for a primary burn and a secondary air flow for a secondary burn above the primary burn, positioned near the top of the fire pit to allow for partial ground placement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If conventional smokeless fire pits use a raised structure to provide a heating zone, then smokeless combustion is achieved, but the heating zone is positioned too high off the ground
Solution Approach 1:
The fire pit is divided into multiple functional zones: a primary burn area at the bottom for fuel combustion, a secondary burn area above it for smokeless combustion, and a heating zone at ground level. This segmentation allows each zone to perform its specific function while positioning the heating zone where users need it.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of raising the entire fire pit structure off the ground, the invention uses vertical layering of combustion zones within a ground-level pit. The primary and secondary burns occur at different heights, with hot air rising through the secondary burn area and delivering heat at ground level, effectively using vertical space to solve the heating zone positioning problem.
2Temperature
If air intakes are positioned at the top of the fire pit to enable ground-level placement, then the heating zone can be lowered, but air flow management becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses carefully positioned air intakes at the top of the fire pit that leverage natural convection and pressure differentials to create controlled air flows. The primary air flow enters through top intakes and moves downward to the primary burn area, while secondary air flows upward through the secondary burn area, utilizing the chimney effect to manage combustion without complex mechanical systems.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the fire pit have specialized air flow characteristics: top air intakes provide primary combustion air, while secondary air flows are introduced at specific locations to support secondary combustion. This localized air flow management optimizes combustion efficiency in each zone while maintaining overall system simplicity.
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 design effectively lowers the heating zone of the smokeless fire pit, providing a smokeless fire feature while allowing the pit to be positioned partially in the ground, enhancing user preference.
Implementation Method 1
A primary air flow provides air to a primary burn within the fire pit that burns fuel within the fire pit such as wood
Implementation Method 2
A second air flow provides warm air above the primary burn that results in a secondary burn that provides a smokeless fire feature
Implementation Method 3
A second air flow provides warm air above the primary burn
Data Source
AI summary
A smokeless fire pit may include a fire pit base, a top rim, an ash tray assembly, and a cylindrical chamber wall. The fire pit base defines an interior region and defines a plurality of apertures that provide air passageways for air to flow from outside of the fire pit base and into the interior region defined by the fire pit base. The fire pit is configured to provide a primary air flow from the plurality of apertures at the fire pit base, into the interior region, and through the ash tray assembly into a burn chamber defined by the cylindrical chamber wall. Further, the fire pit is configured to provide a secondary air flow from the plurality of apertures at the fire pit base, into the interior region, and through a plurality of holes defined by the cylindrical chamber wall into the burn chamber near the top rim.