Use of a rope of fibrous plant material as combustible material

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current heating systems face challenges with wood pellets, including high energy consumption for production and transport, limited availability of wood, and inefficient combustion of straw pellets due to high water adsorption and low inflammability, making them unsuitable as renewable and environmentally friendly energy sources.

Innovation Solution

A rope made of fibrous plant material, particularly straw, is used as a combustible material in heating systems, with strands twisted to maintain length and diameter for optimal inflammability and burning time, allowing for controlled combustion and on-site production to reduce energy costs and transportation needs.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Use of energy by moving object

If wood pellets are used as combustible material, then heating systems can operate with renewable energy, but production and transport consume large amounts of energy and wood availability is limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenergy consumption for production and transportVSAvoidavailability of combustible material

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The heating system uses straw from its own surroundings (farm fields, agricultural operations) as combustible material, eliminating the need for external production and long-distance transport. The system serves itself by utilizing locally available agricultural residues that would otherwise be waste products.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses inexpensive straw material that is abundantly available as an agricultural byproduct. Rather than relying on expensive wood pellets that require complex supply chains, the system uses disposable straw that can be sourced locally without significant cost or energy investment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

2Quantity of substance

If straw is used as combustible material, then CO2 neutral renewable energy is available, but straw has low inflammability and requires complex preparation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveavailability of combustible materialVSAvoidpreparation complexity for combustion

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the physical parameters of straw by baling it into compact forms with controlled density and moisture content. This transformation from loose straw to baled straw modifies its combustion properties, improving inflammability while maintaining the advantage of using abundant agricultural residues.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The straw is pre-prepared into bales with optimal characteristics for combustion before being used in the heating system. This preliminary action of baling and conditioning the straw beforehand eliminates the need for complex on-site preparation and ensures reliable combustion performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Productivity

If straw pellets are produced by comminution and pressing, then combustible material is available, but water adsorption increases twelve times and storage becomes difficult and expensive

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecombustible material productionVSAvoidwater adsorption capacity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of comminuting and pressing straw into pellets (which increases water adsorption), the patent inverts the approach by baling loose or lightly compressed straw. This reverse methodology maintains the natural structure of straw fibers, preserving low water adsorption characteristics while still producing a compact, storable combustible material.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

4Quantity of substance

If compressed straw from compact bales is used, then combustible material is available, but inflammability is low and combustion control is difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecombustible material densityVSAvoidinflammability and combustion control

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies different qualities to different aspects of the straw material: it maintains loose or lightly compressed structure in areas where inflammability is needed, while achieving sufficient density for compact storage and handling. This local quality differentiation ensures both easy ignition and reliable combustion control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

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 use of a straw rope provides a renewable, environmentally friendly heat source with improved inflammability and burning efficiency, reducing energy consumption and transportation costs while utilizing abundantly available plant material for local heat production.

Implementation Method 1

a rope as a combustible material for or in a heating system... feeding a rope of fibrous plant material to a combustion chamber of the heating system

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCombustion: Combustion

Data Source

PatentUS11473240B2Use of a rope of fibrous plant material as combustible material

Publication Date: 2022.10.18 GOLDSCHMIDT ROLF

AI summary

A rope is used as a combustible material in a heating system, the rope comprising or consisting of fibrous plant material. Also, a method of operating a heating system comprises feeding a combustible material to a combustion chamber of the heating system, the combustible material being a rope of fibrous plant material.