Abstract: A liquid hydrocarbon burner includes a single-walled pot; and a catalytic element placed centrally in the single-walled pot and comprised of an assembly of blades which are arranged concentrically around a vertical axis, which have in axial cross-section a mushroom shape, and which blades have respective upper parts and lower parts with respective weights such that the weight of the lower parts is greater than that of the upper parts. A process for preparing a sheet of chromium inox steel which is catalytically active for hydrocarbon combustion so that it is suitable for making blades for a catalytic element of a liquid hydrocarbon burner includes providing a sheet of chromium inox steel having a silicon content which exceeds 0.40%.+-.0.05 so that the chromium inox steel is refractory to the core; and pickling the sheet of chromium inox steel by treatment thereof with an acid effective to pickle chromium inox steel and render at least the surface thereof catalytically active for hydrocarbon combustion.

Abstract: A pot burner has a circularly cylindrical combustion space 10 with openings 60, 62, 64 in its wall for the supply of combustion air and with an inlet in its floor 32 for the liquid fuel. Concentrically in the combustion space 10 there is placed a first cage 28 with a smaller diameter and a second cage 42 with a larger diameter than the circular outlet 18 for the combustion gases. The first cage is shut off at the top by an upper cover wall 26 whereas the second cage 42 is shut off at the top by an annular outer part of the cover wall at a lower level. The second cage 42 is divided into an upper annular chamber 36 and a lower annular chamber 38 by a perforated ring 46. The floor 14 forming the bottom of the combustion space 10 is covered over by a shield 82 to prevent the floor 14 from being cooled by incoming cold air for combustion.

Abstract: A vaporizing type oil burner adaptable for use in forced flue type kerosene space heaters for household use and other heating equipment, including a fuel vaporization promoting plate made of a thin sheet of porous material and covering the entire area of the bottom of a vaporizer pot, an oil feeding device for feeding oil to the vaporizer pot which is capable of regulating the volume of oil fed to the pot, an oil diffusing device for control oil fed to the pot to the entire area of the fuel vaporization promoting plate, and a combustion air supply device. The fuel vaporization promoting plate is formed with a multitude of pores having surfaces functioning as surface means for vaporizing oil and receiving the heat of radiation generated by a flame, so that the time from initial combustion to steady state combustion following the starting of combustion can be shortened, the size of the burner can be greatly reduced, and incomplete combustion of the oil can be prevented when the burner is tilted.

Abstract: An air-heating appliance is described which uses used engine lubricating oil as a fuel. The oil is fed by gravity to a burner consisting of an open cylindrical pan having a perforated side-wall and which is divided horizontally by an apertured fire plate. The pan is surrounded by a cylindrical casing which is spaced from the walls of the pan. A flue duct is arranged concentrically with and extends from the open top of the pan and is provided with jacket to define a heat exchange passage around the flue duct for air to be heated. Air flow through the heat exchange passage is induced by a fan and is directed and redirected in the passage by angled vanes disposed therein. Initially, the oil is ignited by an electric heating element which is switched off once self-ignition conditions pertain.