Multi-functional Biomass and Other Combustibles stove

Abstract

A multi-fuel & multi-purpose fired stove which includes a burn chamber with an adjustable vertical or reciprocating grate (34) that allows for variable fuel delivery having a modular grill chamber 131, modular biomass/bio char bins (11), modular chimney composed of glass, steel or other types of chimney material 121. The multi-purpose stove is design for detachable or permanent fixtures used for a variety of purposes such as, heating, thermoelectrically generation, production of wood gas, distillation, dehydration of organic materials, and smoking of organic materials. The stove allows for customizing different types of fuels and different burning modes. The stove maybe run in top lite updraft mode, down draft stratify mode, cross draft mode, rocket stove or a combination of all four.

Description

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention improves on existing stove technology due to several unique concepts. The first unique concept is the stove's ability to use different types of fuels. The second unique concept is that this stove can be used for multiple purposes such as heating, thermoelectrically generation, production of wood gas, distillation, dehydration of organic materials, and smoking organic materials. The third unique concept is that stove can be used in several different burn modes such as top lite updraft mode, down draft stratify mode, cross draft mode, rocket stove or a combination of all four. The fourth unique quality of this multipurpose stove is that it can be modified through adjustment of the burn modes and with attachment to create clean syngas. For many application syngas doesn't have to be clean such as when using it to generate only heat. When referring to clean we are inferring that few tar by products are produced. However, syngas needs to be clean for utilization in engines thus the more control you have in the combustion process the more likely it is that one can produce a cleaner syngas. Another unique feature of this stove is that it uses vaporized steam. The vaporized steam is superheated causing the steam to decompose into hydrogen and oxygen to enhance the burn efficiency of the stove.

This invention also relates to a device that uses different types of fuels to create usable energy for heat and power. The stove also creates charcoal (bio-char), which can make the stove carbon negative (sequestering carbon in the form of charcoal). The stove can be utilized as a syngas generator or a rocket stove depending on what application the stove is being used for. The stove can also be used as a lantern due to it utilization of glass tubular material for a chimney thus delivering light for the user. Due to the ability to have different burn modes the stove can utilize several different fuels such as sticks, small blocks of wood, chipped wood, pelletized wood, sawdust and shavings, grasses and forbs, plastics, fossil fuels, and most other combustible fuels.

Many stoves are used for only one application. There are many cases where a more versatile stove is more desirable. This multipurpose stove can be used for a variety of applications because the multipurpose stove uses different types of fuels with different types of burns modes.

Another important consideration is how efficient a stove is. The multipurpose stove is efficient due to the super heat secondary air that mixes with the combustion by products. By products such as tars when superheated with air decomposes into carbon monoxide and hydrogen resulting in cleaner combustion. This multipurpose stove creates even higher efficiency due to the stove ability to be burned in some many different modes and its ability to utilize steam that is vaporized into hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrogen and oxygen help increase the heat of combustion thus making for a cleaner more efficient burn.

SUMMARY

In accordance with the embodiments of the multi-fuel & multi-purpose fired stove which show how the stove work with and without attachments.

DRAWING—FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the multi-fuel & multi-purpose fired stove.

FIG. 2 is a front profile of the multi-fuel & multi-purpose fired stove.

FIG. 3 is a section side view taken along a line A-A of FIG. 2 of the multi-fuel & multi-purpose fired stove with lantern chimney attachment affixed to the top of the multi-fuel & multi-purpose fired stove, according to an illustrative embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a section side view of FIG. 2 shows the different zone inside the stove in down draft, cross draft, and rocket stove modes of the multi-fuel & multi-purpose fired stove.

FIG. 5 is the section view of FIG. 2 shows the different zones inside the stove in top lite updraft mode of the multi-fuel & multi-purpose fired stove.

FIG. 6 is the perspective view of the multi-fuel & multi-purpose fired stove, chimneys assemble and cooking grills assemble.

FIG. 7 is the side view of multi-fuel & multi-purpose fired stove, chimneys assemble and grills assemble.

FIG. 8 is a section side view taken along line B-B of the multi-fuel & multi-purpose fired stove, chimney's assemble and grill's assemble showing the flow of combustion gases inside stove when grill top is open.

FIG. 9 is a section side view taken along line B-B of the multi-fuel & multi-purpose fired stove, chimney's assemble and grill's assemble showing the flow of combustion gases inside stove when grill top is open.

FIG. 10 is section view taken along line B-B multi-fuel & multi-purpose fired stove, chimneys assemble and grills assemble showing the flow of combustion gases inside stove when grill top is closed.

FIG. 11 is the perspective view of the multi-fuel & multi-purpose fired stove, chimneys assemble, grill assembles and dehydrator/oven/smoker.

FIG. 12 is front view of the multi-fuel & multi-purpose fired stove, chimneys assemble, grill assembles and dehydrator/oven/smoker.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the multi-fuel & multi-purpose fired stove, chimneys assemble, grill assembles and dehydrator/oven/smoke attachments and how they are assembled in relation to each other.

FIG. 14 is section view taken along line C-C showing the multi-fuel & multi-purpose fired stove, chimneys assemble, grill assembles and dehydrator/oven/smoker and the flow of combustion gases through the inside stove when grill top is closed.

FIG. 15 is section view taken along line C-C showing the multi-fuel & multi-purpose fired stove, chimneys assemble, grill assembles and dehydrator/oven/smoker and the flow of combustion gases inside stove when grill top is closed with the flow of combustion gases through the chimney only.

FIG. 16 is the perspective view of the multi-fuel & multi-purpose fired stove, chimneys assemble, grill assemble with inner adjustable chimney inserted inside the dehydrator/oven/smoker with the grill cover and grate are removed.

FIG. 17 is front view of the multi-fuel & multi-purpose fired stove, chimneys assemble, and grill assembles with inner adjustable chimney inserted inside the dehydrator/oven/smoker with the grill cover and grate are removed.

FIG. 18 is a perspective view adjustable inner chimney attachment.

FIG. 19 is section view taken along line D-D showing the flow of combustion gases through the multi-fuel & multi-purpose fired stove, chimneys assemble; grill assembles with inner adjustable chimney inserted inside the dehydrator/oven/smoker with the grill cover and grate are removed with the combustion gases flowing through heat exchanger.

FIG. 20 is section view taken along line D-D showing the flow of combustion gases through the multi-fuel & multi-purpose fired stove, chimneys assemble; grill assembles with inner adjustable chimney inserted inside the dehydrator/oven/smoker with the grill cover and grate are removed with the combustion gases flowing through the chimney only.

FIG. 21 is a perspective view of the multi-fuel & multi-purpose fired stove with a flat panel heat exchanger attachment.

FIG. 22 is a front view of the multi-fuel & multi-purpose fired stove with a flat panel heat exchanger attachment.

FIG. 23 is a section view taken along line E-E showing the multi-fuel & multi-purpose fired stove showing the combustion by product flowing through a flat panel heat exchanger attachment.

FIG. 24 is a perspective view showing the multi-fuel & multi-purpose fired stove with the syngas heat exchanger attachment.

FIG. 25 is a front view of the multi-fuel & multi-purpose fired stove with the syngas heat exchanger.

FIG. 26 is a section view taken along line F-F showing the multi-fuel & multi-purpose fired stove showing the combustion by products flowing through the syngas heat exchanger.

FIG. 27 is a front profile view of the multi-fuel & multi-purpose fired stove unit.

FIG. 28 is a section view taken along line G-G of the multi-fuel & multi-purpose fired stove showing the side view of the sawdust accessory grate inserted inside of the fuel storage shoot.

FIG. 29 is a perspective view of the sawdust accessory grate.

FIG. 30 is a perspective view of the multi-fuel & multi-purpose fired stove with a glass chimney.

FIG. 31 is a side view the multi-fuel & multi-purpose fired stove with glass chimney.

FIG. 32 is a section view taken along line H-H showing the multi-fuel & multi-purpose fired stove with a glass chimney.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION IN PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a multi-purpose, multi-burn mode and multi-fuel combustion device that efficiently (ie. cleanly) generates syngas that can be used for a multitude of purposes. It should be noted that combustion materials can be taken broadly to include fuel, coal, oil, waste product, etc., that will burn cleanly and efficiently by mixing superheated secondary air with combustible by product (ie, carbon monoxide, hydrogen, and other combustible volatiles). Due to the increased efficiency less fuel is consumed for a given thermal output.

Referring particularly to FIGS.1-5 shows various views of the multi-fuel/multi-purpose multi-fuel & multi-purpose fired stove 111 which illustrate the multi-fuel & multi-purpose fired stove embodiments. The depicted multi-fuel & multi-purpose fired stove 111 is comprised of a fuel hopper 22 with a biomass lid 22 with handle 65 and latch 24. The fuel hopper 22 contains an adjustable vertical grate 34 that rotates by handle 29 to allow for the controlled flow of the combustible material into the outer shroud 1. The outer shroud 1 contains an angle grate 25 that allows solid combustible by products (ie. ash and bio char) into the ash bin 11, a secondary air chamber divider 21 and ignition port 2 that allows the combustible material to be ignited. Below angle grate 25 is a removable ashbin 11 with a handle 15 which allows the combustion solid by products 102 to be stored along with water reservoir 11a which are also housed in outer shroud 1. The water reservoir 11a act to cool down combustion by products such as bio-char to be cool off which produces steam that is pulled through the combustion chamber which heats the steam such that it breaks down into hydrogen and oxygen which aids in making the stove 111 burn more efficiently and cleaner. Both the ashbin shroud 11 and the biomass lid 22 have air inlet adjuster 15. FIG. 4 shows the stove operating in down draft stratified gasification mode where combustible materials 100 flow into the pyrolysis zone 101 which is contained inside the outer shroud where the hot syngas flows up into the mixing zone 104. Secondary air inlet 103 allows air to flow in the secondary air chamber 21a up into the mixing zone 104 where the superheated secondary air and syngas mixes to create the combustion reaction which flows as shown up and out the lantern chimney assembly 121 which consist of a one or more glass mantels 36 with a circle configuration of vertical rods 37 and a with a series of rings 35 to hold the vertical rods 37 in their vertical configuration. FIG. 5 shows the flow of combustion gases through Stove 111 operating in top lite up draft mode (TLUD). In this combustion configuration, the combustibles 100 may be inserted into the stove through the lantern chimney 121 or through the bio shout 22. The combustible materials 100 are lite at the top and the secondary air enters through the secondary air inlet 103. The superheated secondary air flow through the secondary air chamber 21a and mixes in the mixing zone 104 and flows up and out the lantern chimney 121. The combustion by products 102 flows out the grate 25 into the ashbin 11.

A grill attachment illustrated in FIG. 6-10 show the various views with the grill attachment 131 which is also show in FIG. 13 is attached to the multi-fuel & multi-purpose fired stove 111. The grill attachment 131 is attached to the multi-fuel & multi-purpose fired stove 111 via a steel tube ring 56 that inserts into the chimney 121. The grill attachment 131 is held in place and supported by the chimney 121 and the grill supports 64. The primary components of the grill 131 is the grill lid 52 which can be opened and closed with handle 62 to allow for different modes of cooking. A grate 47 for cooking food and a grill chimney 56 which draws the combustion gases out of the grill box 46. The tray 19 aids in the supporting food stuffs and cooking utensils while cooking.

Embodied in FIG. 8-10 are different flow paths for the combustion gases through the grill attachment 131. The grill attachment allows hot combustible gases to be controlled for cooking. The control knob 60 controls the flow of combustion gases by a rotating plate 49. The rotating plate 49 allows the combustion gases a variety of flow paths. FIG. 8 illustrates the flow of combustion gases through the chimney attachment 121 and out the grill chimney 56. The gas flow is controlled by a rotating diverter plate 49. Rotating plate 49 into the positioned as illustrated in FIG. 8 also allows the diverter plate 49 to get hot which allows for radiate heating without the food being in contact with combustion gases. Rotating the diverter plate 49 to the position as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 allows the combustion gases to flow may go up the stove chimney 121 and out the grill grate 47. The position allows both radiate heat off the plate and/or combustion gases to heat the food on the grill. Thus, through the control of the rotating plate 49 the temperature for grilling can be controlled for a variety of cooking needs. Thermal controller 57 allows for the controlling the rotating plate to produce the desired temperature.

The dehydrator/oven/convection heater 141 is illustrated in FIG. 13 shows how the stove is configured with the multi-fuel & multi-purpose fired stove 111 as the base unit with the lantern chimney 121 connecting to the grill attachment 131 with the dehydrator/oven/convection heater 141 setting on top of the closed grill lid 52 as show in FIG. 11. The dehydrator/oven/convection heater 141 consists of an oven box 53 with an oven door 5, latch 24 and an oven chimney 64 with a diverter plate 49 which can be operated manually or with a thermal control 70 of some type shown in FIG. 12.

As shown in FIGS. 14 and 15 the flow of combustion gases through the grill attachment 131 which controls the dehydrator/oven/convection heater 141 temperatures. If the flow of combustion gases flow in the configuration as in FIG. 14 where the rotating plate 49 is position as shown the gases flow into the grill box 46 and will then flow inside the grill lid 52. Thus, when the grill shroud 52 is in the closed position the area 52a inside of grill lid 52 will conduct heat into area 52b inside the oven 53 with the heat exiting valve 71 to the outside of the stove 53a. However, if the rotating plate is configured as shown in FIG. 15 the hot combustion gases will flow through the grill box 46 to the grill chimney 56 thus diverting the majority of the heat out the grill chimney 56. A shelving system not shown can be installed in the area 52b to allow for racking of food for cooking, dehydrating or smoking. The oven 53 to be used as a smoker when wood is put into the tray 52c on top of lid to generate smoke for smoking food. The thermal controller 70 on the shaft of the rotating plate 49 shaft is used to control the position of the plate and thus the heat in the oven. A vent pipe may also be attached to the oven chimney 64 and used for heating air for other purposes.

Another configuration for a heat exchanger using the dehydrator/oven/convention attachment 141 with lantern chimney 121, multi-fuel & multi-purpose fired stove 111 with the grill attachment 131 without the grill grate 47 and without the lid 52 is created. An adjustable chimney attachment 151 is inserted inside the grill as shown in FIGS. 19 and 20. Shown in FIG. 18 is an adjustable chimney attachment 151 which consists of a grate 37 with a lower chimney 87 and an inner adjustable chimney 88. The inner adjustable chimney 151 is connected with a rod 85 that goes through the oven chimney 64 with a chimney cover 66 along with a nut 65 that allows the inner chimney to be adjusted up and down to vary the draft of the inner chimney. The rod 64 may have a thermal controller for automatic adjustment to vary the combustion dynamics of the heat exchanger 141. Not shown in drawing, a heat exchanger such as illustrated in FIG. 26 may be inserted inside the dehydrator/oven/convention attachment 141 or inside the inner chimney 151 to extract heat or use in a variety of purposes. Combustion gases are controlled by the rotating diverter plate 49 which is controlled by the knob 43 or the thermal controller 70. If the flap diverter plate 49 is position as in FIG. 19 the combustion gases go through the inner chimney attachment 151 and exit the grate 37 and up the grill chimney 39. The rotating diverter plate 49 may also be position as in FIG. 20 such that the combustion gases go up the chimney 39. This rotating diverter plate 49 can be rotated in any position between these two positions to get the desired temperature in the heat exchange.

Flat steel or a glass panel heat exchanger 161 illustrated in FIG. 21-23 is connected to the multi-fuel & multi-purpose fired stove 111. The heater exchanger 161 consists of a heat exchanger box 47 that is made out of steel or glass panels or a combination of the two. Inside the heat exchanger are a combustion zone 47a and an exhaust gas exit zone 47b down the down draft chimney 46 of the heat exchanger 161 into external exhaust box 48 then up the chimney 35.

A syngas cooler/heat exchanger attachment 171 shown in FIG. 24-26 connects to the lantern chimney 121 and the multi-fuel & multi-purpose fired stove 111. The syngas cooler 171 consist of a vertical chimney 75 which connects to a cyclone separator 76 which has a lower pipe 74 that is connect to a lower water reservoir 81 that collects syngas distillates/water 81a which acts as a shut off so the combustion gases do not escape out the bottom pipe 74. The syngas is cooled with a cooling heat exchanger 79 which is enclosed by the upper pipe 78 and the cyclone separator 76. FIG. 26 show the flow of syngas that is generated by the multi-fuel & multi-purpose fired stove 111 which can be either drawn up through the chimney 75 or a suction blower can be attached at the exit pipe 79 to aid in drawing the syngas out of the syngas generator 111 up chimney 75 through the cyclone separator which separates large particles and combustion by products out of the syngas which drops into the lower pipe 74 and is stored in the reservoir 81. The syngas then travels up the upper pipe 78 through the cooling coils 79 into the exit pipe 80. The syngas at this point may be cleaned even more or used for other applications such as running a combustion engine or some other device that needs syngas.

Sawdust grate 82 with fins 107 as show in FIG. 27-29 is inserted into the bottom of solid fuel shoot 22 to aid in combustion of sawdust and other combustible materials that need a carbonizing bed to aid in combustion of sawdust or sawdust type materials.

The patio heater 171 shown in FIGS. 30-32 consists of single or double walled glass chimney 69 with a circle configuration of vertical rods 68 and a series of rings 32 to hold the vertical rods 68 in their vertical configuration. At the top the glass chimney 69 is a steel tubular ring 70 that is inserted into the rings to hold the upper tube 70 with a cap 73 to cover the upper tube 70. The glass chimney 69 by creating a vertical draft which pulls the syngas up the glass chimney 69 where the syngas ignites to produce a flame that is visible in the glass chimney 69 which creates light and heat. The top cap 73 helps force the heat downward and aids in spark arresting.

ADVANTAGES

From the description above a number of advantages of some embodiment of the multi-fuel & multi-purpose fired stove become evident:

• • a. The stove's ability to use different types of fuels.
  • b. The stove can be used for multiple purposes such as heating, patio heater, thermoelectrically generation, production of wood gas, distillation, dehydration of organic materials, and smoking organic materials.
  • c. The stove can be used in several different burn modes such as top lite updraft mode, down draft stratify mode, cross draft mode, rocket stove or a combination of all four.
  • d. The stove can be modified through adjustment of the burn modes and with attachment to create clean syngas. For many application syngas doesn't have to be clean such as when using it to generate only heat. When referring to clean we are inferring that few tar by products are produced. However, syngas needs to be clean for utilization in engines thus the more control you have in the combustion process the more likely it is that one can produce a cleaner syngas.
  • e. The stove can vaporize steam. The vaporized steam can then be superheated causing the steam to decompose into hydrogen and oxygen to enhance the burn efficiency of the stove.

CONCLUSION, RAMIFICATION AND SCOPE

According the reader will see that multi-fuel & multi-purpose fired stove can be very beneficial in several ways. The stove demonstrates how having multiple burn modes allows for a broader variety of fuels can be used. How having the system to superheat the secondary air allows improved combustion. Also, by adding steam to the combustion zone a clean more efficient combustion is possible.

Claims

1.-5 (canceled)

1. A stove comprising:

a. a combustion chamber having a top, side and bottom opening,

b. an internal compartment inside said combustion chamber to allow secondary air in different proportions into the said combustion chamber which can be adjusted to have complete combustion or incomplete combustion to produce syngas inside the said combustion chamber wherein said combustion chamber can function as a pyrolysis chamber, super-heated air mixing chamber and combustion chamber,

c. a feed fuel hopper wherein said fuel hopper has a door to allow solid fuel to be inserted into said hopper with said door having an adjustable vent to allow primary or secondary air to flow into combustion chamber where said fuel consisting of but not limited to chipped wood, chuck wood, pelletized wood, sawdust, wood shaving, grassing, forbs, combustible plastics and fossil fuels,

d. a means to control a primary grate which controls the flow of air and said fuel between said fuel chute and the combustion chamber such that a plurality of combustion modes are possible such as but not limited to rocket stove mode, top lite up draft mode, down draft mode, and cross draft mode in which individual or combinations of said modes of combustion are possible,

e. a secondary grate that allows primary air and secondary air into said secondary grate.

2. A stove comprising:

a. A combustion chamber having a top, side and bottom opening,

b. an internal compartment inside said combustion chamber to allow secondary air in different proportions into the said combustion chamber which can be adjusted to have complete combustion or incomplete combustion to produce syngas inside the said combustion chamber wherein said combustion chamber can function as a pyrolysis chamber, super-heated air mixing chamber and combustion chamber,

c. a feed fuel hopper wherein said fuel hopper has a door to allow solid fuel to be inserted into said hopper with said door having an adjustable vent to allow primary or secondary air to flow into combustion chamber,

d. a mean of vaporizing water and adding said vaporized water to said combustion chamber,

3. A stove heat exchanger comprising:

a. a combustion chamber,

b. a inner chimney in said combustion chamber wherein said inner chimney can be a fixed length or have a means to change the length depending on the rate of combustion desired,

c. an outer chimney connected to said combustion chamber to expel exhaust gases to atmosphere,

d. a external and or internal cooling fluid system inside said combustion chamber to extract additional heat to be used for a multitude of purposes,

e. the inner chimney inside of the said combustion chamber creates a cold air restriction to stop or reduce the amount of outside air going back into said combustion chamber when stove is not burning.

4. A stove has a heat exchanger comprising:

a. an external chamber connected to said stove top which allows combustion gases to expand wherein said external chamber may have glass or steel panels,

b. an inner down draft chimney in side said external chimney that allows combustion gases to flow,

c. an exhaust port for the down draft chimney,

d. a external up draft chimney that is connected to the said exhaust port of the down draft chimney for exhausting combustion by products.

5. A stove as in claimed claim 1 in which a plurality of attachment utilizing hot combustions gas and or syngas may be added to said chimney or said top opening wherein said attachments to consists of but not limited to a grill, syngas generator, oven, hot water heat exchanger, dehydrator, patio heater, hot combustion air attachments, steam engines and thermoelectric generator.