Abstract: An apparatus, a system and a method by which fuel gas to drive a heat source is heated are provided. The apparatus includes a first gas passage by which at least a portion of the fuel gas is transported from an inlet to an outlet, the outlet being fluidly coupled to the heat source, a plurality of heat pipes in thermal communication, at respective first ends thereof, with the portion of the fuel gas transported by the first gas passage, and a heating element, fluidly coupled to the heat source to receive exhaust of the heat source, through which respective second ends of the heat pipes extend to be in position to be heated by the exhaust.

Abstract: Apparatus for controlling the operation of a biomass stove utilizes three proportional integral derivative (PID) controllers as part of a closed loop to control the fuel feed rate, the convection fan speed and the combustion fan speed. The first loop controls room temperature, the second loop controls the convection fan speed and the third loop controls the combustion fan. Appropriate temperature readings are utilized for the first and second loop. The third loop, which utilized feedback of the ratio between the heat exchanger temperature to the exhaust temperature, in addition to measuring these temperatures also references a library of look-up tables of such ratios over the entire heat range of the stove that have been correlated to combustion efficiency, as an input. This enables the operator to optimize the heat output for any operating point.

Abstract: A water heater adapted to be mounted on the rooftop of a building includes a substantially cylindrical tank having a horizontally-oriented longitudinal axis. A U-shaped flue tube has a burner end and an exhaust end, both ends being mounted in a head portion of the tank. The legs of the flue tube define a flue plane that is preferably angled 30°-60° with respect to vertical. An inlet tube and an outlet tube also extend through the head of the tank. The inlet tube is positioned at the bottom of the tank and has holes that open downwardly only; the outlet tube is positioned at the top of the tank and has holes that open upwardly only. The tank is weather-tightly enclosed by a cabinet. A base member of the cabinet is supported by a roof curb and supports the water tank. The base member includes a drain opening for draining water from the inside the cabinet to the sewage system of the building, and a water pipe opening through which extend a plurality of pipes communicating with the tank.

Abstract: A combination portable gas barbecue and portable simulation fireplace includes a cooking vessel having imitation fireplace logs and a gas burner mounted on a lift-out log grate. A window is mounted in the front of the cooking vessel to allow direct viewing of the imitation logs and flames and of the underside of the food being cooked. Air inlet and outlets cause convection currents to flow away from the viewing window and out side vents formed by gaps between an oversized hood and the cooking vessel. An air convection system is set up by providing an air inlet below the window and outlet air gaps between the hood and the cooking vessel. A deflector is provided over the viewing window to prevent grease drippings from soiling the window or falling into the air inlet. A removable heat exchanger heats up air by contact with the walls of the cooking vessel and directs the resulting warm air to the front of the cooking vessel.

Abstract: The transformer heating unit can be transformed into six different modes, namely:a stove, a cooking oven, a roaster, a barbecue grill unit, a foodstuff smoking unit, and an indoor space heating furnace.The whole transformer unit is enclosed into a compact, box-like casing, which can be deployed into either of the six modes. In its furnace mode, its combustion gas outlet port is coupled to an exhaust flue pipe, for controlled escape of combustion gases outwardly of the room where the occupants are located, whereby smoke intoxication is prevented.

Abstract: A device for reclaiming waste heat from cooking appliances. The device includes a baffle through which exhaust from the cooking appliance flows, an inlet for receiving exhaust from the cooking appliance, and an outlet for venting exhaust to the atmosphere outside the building or vehicle in which the cooking appliance is located. The baffle extracts heat from the exhaust as the exhaust flows therethrough. The baffle is in thermal communication with a heat sink that directs the extracted heat to the building or vehicle spaces to be heated. The heat reclamation device has a generally thin profile so that the device may be installed above and behind the work surface of the cooking appliance so as to consume a minimal amount of space while not interfering with the normal use of the appliance. The heat reclamation device has means to vent the exhaust directly to the atmosphere, bypassing the baffle.

Abstract: A gas-fired device for generating heat for a dwelling, comprising a vessel containing a liquid with an associated burner assembly for heating the liquid, an air-heat exchanger provided on a portion of the circumferential wall of the vessel, means for passing air through the heat exchanger for heating the air and a connection with means for passing the heated air to the room(s) to be heated, and a discharge for the combustion gases extending to the outside. On the remaining portion of the circumferential wall of said vessel a combustion gases-heat exchanger being mounted, so that heat is supplied to the vessel exclusively from the outside. Preferably a cooking assembly is provided above the vessel, and a condenser is mounted in the discharge channel for the combustion gases for pre-heating the air, a discharge conduit for the combustion gases from the cooking assembly being provided which leads also to said condenser.