Abstract: A torch has a fuel container with a reservoir and a top cover. The top cover defines a first wick passage, a first fill hole, and a guide slot. A fire bowl is positioned atop the fuel container and defines a second wick passage, a second fill hole, and a guide member. At least one open rotational position is allowed between the fuel container and fire bowl such that the first and second fill holes are aligned to allow fluid into the reservoir via the fill holes. At least one closed rotational position is allowed between the fuel container and the fire bowl such that the first and second fill holes are out of alignment substantially blocking fluid flow into or out of the reservoir via the fill holes.

Abstract: A method for combustion in an industrial furnace having fuel and a first oxidizer to heat a material includes arranging at least one lance in a sidewall of the furnace; supplying a second oxidizer with an oxygen content of at least 85 percent by weight in the form of a jet traveling at at least sonic velocity to the interior of the furnace through the at least one lance; running the jet of the second oxidizer in the horizontal plane above the material between and essentially in parallel with two consecutive rows of the roof burners; balancing an amount of the second oxidizer supplied per time unit so that the oxygen content supplied via the second oxidizer constitutes at least 50 percent by weight of the total supplied oxygen per time unit in the furnace.

Abstract: A combustion apparatus comprising: a combustion chamber; a primary fuel input conduit for supplying a fuel to the combustion chamber; a secondary input conduit for supplying a combustion gas to the combustion chamber; and combustion gas supply means, wherein the combustion gas supply means is adapted to switchably supply one of air and an oxygen rich gas to at least the secondary input conduit.

Abstract: A safety system for gas-operated cooking appliances which include at least one burner which is connected to the mains gas network via a distributor, the gas flow of which is controlled by a manually operated gas tap, includes a position switch, a flame detection device, an electrically controlled control valve which is installed in the mains gas network, a manually actuated restoring switch in operable communication with the control valve, and a control circuit. The control circuit is configured to open the control valve after the latter was shut off by the flame detector of the burner only when the control circuit simultaneously receives a signal from the restoring switch and the position switch. The safety system serves as a child safety measure which prevents an inadvertent re-activation of a gas flow system that has been shut off.

Abstract: A solar collector is provided that has a base material and a nanostructured layer integrated into the base material so as to form a light-absorbing surface. The nanostructured layer has nanoparticles of an inorganic material.

Abstract: The invention relates to a burner, particularly for the gasification of solid carbonaceous materials by partial combustion. The burner comprises a central channel (2) and at least one coaxial channel (6). The channels (2, 6) are defined by concentric walls (3, 5) having free downstream outer ends profiled to define an annular slit (10) forming a discharge end of the coaxial channel (6) and converging towards an adjacent discharge end of the central channel (2). The burner (1) is encased by a cooling jacket (14) and comprises a front face (21) with double walls spaced by one or more baffles (28) defining a coolant flow path operatively connected to the cooling jacket (14). The cooling jacket (14) has an upstream section (14A) and a transitional section (25) narrowing down to the front face (21) having a smaller outer diameter than the upstream cooling jacket section.

Abstract: A fireplace draft blocker which is easily assembled and disassembled is provided with a seal around its periphery of faux fur, bristles, or soft fabric and is supported by crossed rods which hold the four corners of the fireplace draft blocker in position and away from the fireplace itself.

Abstract: A raising mechanism of a movable lower grill grid formed with a hand crank mounted to lateral columns of a frame of a barbecue grill and a worm provided in a middle point of the hand crank. A cross-sectional rotary axis is arranged below a fixed upper grill grid and a worm wheel with one end engages the worm. Pulleys are mounted to respective ends of the axis. Steel cables include ends mounted to the pulleys and lower ends mounted to lateral tabs of the lower grill grid. The mechanism also includes a casing for housing and protecting the mechanism.

Abstract: A secondary safety circuit for a gas-fired device and method of operating the circuit. The secondary safety circuit includes a low-voltage direct current power source, a valve, and at least one sensor. The valve can be positioned in a pilot burner gas line. The secondary safety circuit ensures the valve is closed upon detecting an unsafe condition with the sensor.

Abstract: A hydrogen suppressing, flameless, heat generating chemical composition including magnesium or a magnesium-containing alloy, a hydrogen suppressor or eliminator, particulate carbon, a metallic salt including a cation and an anion and water. The anion is selected from the group consisting of silicate, carbonate, bicarbonate, phosphate, borate, perborate, percarbonate, perphosphate, persulfate, nitrate, nitrite, ferrate, permanganate, and stannate and combinations thereof. The magnesium or magnesium-containing alloy, hydrogen suppressor or eliminator, particulate carbon, metallic salt and water are each present in a proportional amount to generate sufficient heat to heat water, medical supplies and/or consumable rations.

Abstract: A multi-purpose grill which easily can be converted for use as a conventional grill and as an open fire pit by selectively opening and closing a movable covering.

Abstract: A parabolic trough collector having a supporting construction which is connected in an articulated manner to a substructure carrying the parabolic trough collector. In order to provide a parabolic trough collector which is simply designed, easy to assemble and which, therefore, can also be transported in sections while at the same time ensuring a highly accurate parabola with high rigidity and greater maximum overall length, a complicated supporting construction at the underside of the parabolic trough collector is eliminated, and the static and dynamic forces that occur at the parabolic trough collector are conducted away in an optimal manner.

Abstract: An improved gas burner for cooking appliances, with an inner central portion (40) defining an inner chamber (52) provided with a central flame ring (72) and with an outer portion (42) concentric with said central portion (40) defining an outer chamber (47) provided with at least one outer flame ring (78), characterised by comprising a pair of first injectors (14) of substantially horizontal axis, symmetrically disposed about a diametrical vertical plane of said burner, said first injectors (14) being associated with respective adjacent venturi conduits (24) with substantially horizontal parallel axes, feeding said outer portion (42) with a gas/primary air mixture to generate said outer flame ring (78), said adjacent conduits (24) being spaced apart to define a space within which a second injector (16) of vertical axis is disposed facing a venturi conduit (50) of vertical axis feeding said inner central portion (40) with a gas/primary air mixture to generate said central flame ring (72).

Abstract: This invention is directed to supply a combustor having a structure that reduces NOx emissions while maintaining combustion stability. The combustor has a chamber into which fuel and air are supplied. An air hole plate having a plurality of air holes upstream of the chamber is also disclosed, and fuel nozzles supplying fuel to the air holes of the air hole plate are further disclosed. In the combustor, a center of a chamber-side of the air hole plate is closer to the chamber than exits of outermost peripheral air holes.

Abstract: This application describes powdered fuels, methods of producing powdered fuels source, and dispersions of powdered fuels, as well as systems, kits, and methods for producing and adapting combustion devices to burn powdered fuel, either as a sole fuel source or in combination with existing fuel sources. Exemplary embodiments include engines and furnaces adapted to combust powdered fuel.

Abstract: An adaptive gaseous fuel ignition control method for use in consumer and commercial appliances that reduces stress on and increases the life of a hot surface igniter without resulting in a failure to ignite condition is provided. The method provides a preheating period, a full temperature period, and a trial for ignition period. The preheating period gradually increases the power applied to reduce the stress resulting therefrom. Once a gas valve has been commanded open, the controller monitors the time for ignition of the gaseous fuel. If the time is longer than a threshold, either the applied power or the period of time during which the power is applied is increased to shorten the time. If, however, the ignition period is shorter than the threshold, either the power applied or the period of time during which the power is applied before commanding the gas valve open is lowered or shortened.

Abstract: A solar chimney includes a solar collector which heats air in the chimney, producing updrafts which can be harnessed to perform useful work. The solar collector may be located inside or outside the chimney. The device may include a reservoir for storing a heat transfer fluid, thus enabling the device to be used during both day and night. The solar chimney may be equipped with both internal and external solar collectors, operating in parallel. The solar chimney may also be equipped with multiple external solar collectors, connected in parallel to a reservoir. The solar chimney of the invention provides a convenient and practical way to convert solar energy into electrical power.

Abstract: A tubular combustion chamber including a tubular combustion chamber whose front-end is open; and, fuel-gas spraying nozzles and oxygen-containing-gas spraying nozzles, for spraying a fuel and an oxygen-containing-gas separately and individually, or for spraying a premixed gas; wherein respective orifices of the respective nozzles face toward an inner surface of the combustion chamber, so as to spray the fuel-gas and the oxygen-containing-gas in a neighborhood of a tangential direction of an inner circumferential wall of the combustion chamber; wherein the tubular flame burner is a multi-stage tubular burner that is unified in a body, by using a plurality of the tubular flame burners, and by connecting the front-end of the tubular flame burner with a smaller inner diameter of the combustion chamber into the rear-end of the tubular flame burner with a greater inner diameter of the combustion chamber.

Abstract: A low NOx burner for installation on a furnace wall has an elongated tube connected to a combustion air supply, the furnace side end of which mounts a combustion air spinner that is spaced from the furnace wall. A plurality of air ports extend through the wall into the combustion chamber. Downstream ends of the air ports are spaced from the furnace wall as well as from the spinner, and they are configured to bias the discharged air flow towards the spinner. A plurality of first fuel gas spuds with fuel gas discharge orifices arranged about the spinner and discharges fuel gas into the combustion chamber downstream of the spinner. A second fuel gas spud is disposed in pockets between adjacent pairs of air ports which are closed against the furnace wall so that no combustion air flows through the pockets. The third gas spuds are placed inside the air ports.

Abstract: An air-fuel burner includes a heat-transfer tube, an air-fuel mixing chamber, and an air-fuel nozzle. The air-fuel nozzle is coupled to the air-fuel chamber to communicate a combustible air-fuel mixture into a combustion chamber defined between the air-fuel nozzle and the heat-transfer tube. The combustible air-fuel mixture, when ignited, establishes a flame in the combustion chamber to produce heat which is transferred through heat-transfer tube to an adjacent medium external to the heat-transfer tube.