摘要:
Pollutants in the exhaust from wood burning in a fireplace are removed by positioning reticulated foam between the smoke chamber and the flue. The reticulated foam is a three dimensional latticework of interconnected ligaments forming a porous, open-celled structure with a large internal surface area. The internal surfaces are coated with a catalytic material which converts pollutants in the exhaust to harmless compounds. Heat from the exhaust, when the fire is burning, maintains the catalyst at a temperature for efficient conversion operation. Thermostatically controlled heaters are embedded in the foam, or thermostatically controlled electrical current is applied directly to the catalyst, to raise the catalyst temperature when the fire is growing or smoldering, periods during which the exhaust temperature is insufficient for good conversion operation.
摘要:
A combustion system includes a primary combustion chamber divided into left and right sides by fuel-retaining standards defining a canyon or void extending into a secondary combustion chamber is provided. The floor of the primary combustion chamber and the fuel-retaining standards direct the burning solid fuel toward the lower part of the canyon, while at the same time retaining the non-burning solid fuel on either side of the fuel-retaining standards. The combustion system further includes an air delivery system having a lower air tube supplying high and low velocity air and an upper air tube. The lower air tube is positioned proximate to a firebox floor, while the upper air tube is positioned within the secondary chamber. Automatic air setting mechanisms are provided so that proper air settings can be maintained during various phases of a fire. The combustion system further includes a loading door having openings and a bypass system preventing the loading door from being fully closed unless the bypass is in the completely closed position. The secondary combustion chamber includes at least fuel protecting baffles and a secondary combustion chamber ceiling which extends partially over the entire length of the secondary combustion chamber or includes openings. A catalyst mounting system which minimizes canning and masking and a radiant catalyst heating system are also provided.
摘要:
Process and system for the operation of a fireplace or the like in which combustion products including pollutant gases and entrained particulate materials are treated to substantially reduce pollutant levels. The combustion products are passed through a confined flue passageway, such as found in a chimney stack, which extends upwardly to the exterior of the dwelling house or other structure. The flow of combustion products is interrupted in a manner to cause the products to follow a tortuous path in which entrained particulates in the combustion products are separated so that they collect in a suitable disposal zone. The combustion products then pass into an afterburner section comprising a plurality of heating elements. The temperature of the combustion products is sensed below the afterburner section and above bank of heating elements. The heating elements are activated when the temperature at the lower location reaches a specified value and the combustion products are heated to a temperature sufficient to convert substantial quantities of carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide. When the temperature at the upper location reaches a specified upper value at least some of the heating elements are deenergized. A baffle system is interposed between the heating element bank and fireplace to deflect the flow of combustion products from a vertical flow path in a manner to extract particulate materials from the combustion products. The baffle system incorporates a primary deflecting member and a secondary deflecting member which extends downwardly from the primary deflecting member.
摘要:
Flue gases containing crackable and combustible volatiles e.g. from a wood-burning stove are passed through a catalytic combustor having two spaced catalytic units each having small longitudinally extending catalytic flow passages. Air supplied into a chamber between the two units supports after-combustion of combustible volatiles in the downstream catalytic unit. Some pre-cracking and combustion takes place in the upstream catalytic unit, which serves as a gas collimator and disallows any flow of air from the intermediate chamber into the fire box of the stove, whereby combustion in the fire box can be closely controlled to increase production of combustible volatiles. Each unit may have flow passages which decrease in cross-sectional size and increase in length toward the central portion of the unit, thus encouraging uniformity of flow of the flue gases and of the catalytic reaction over the entire cross section of each unit. The units are surrounded by an air jacket into which air is supplied at one end, and the air is distributed uniformly around the periphery of the intermediate chamber. Each unit has a central bypass opening and a temperature responsive valve which closes the bypass opening when the catalytic unit reaches its threshold temperature of operation. A reflector, preferably with a curved reflective face, reflects radiant heat to the downstream fuel of the combustor, and an exterior heat exchange jacket transfers heat to the surroundings from the hot gases exiting from the combustor. A flame-arresting screen is spaced between the fire box and the combustor to prevent diffusion flames originating in the fire box from lapping on the catalytic flow passages.
摘要:
An afterburner for a wood stove for use as a retrofit assembly comprises a rectangular housing having openings in the upper and lower surfaces provided with cylindrical collars for cooperation with the flue duct and with the opening in the top of the wood stove respectively. The openings are positioned at the rear of the housing so as to provide a forward section spaced from the openings. A catalytic combuster mounted in a cylindrical support is movable from a position directly above the opening in the bottom surface into the front section by a manually operable handle extending through the front face of the housing. A baffle mounted on the support and arranged at a shallow angle to the horizontal overlies the major part of the combuster so as to direct gases into the front section of the housing for heat exchange contact with the walls thereof.
摘要:
A wood burning stove having a catalytic converter for achieving greatly increased combustion efficiency, said stove having damper means for insuring that all combustion gases from the primary combustion chamber pass through said converter before reaching the stove's exhaust duct when the damper is in one position, and manual control means for moving the damper to a second position wherein the combustion gases bypass said converter and pass directly to said exhaust duct, it being necessary to move said damper to its second position before the door of said stove can be opened. Said damper has a controlled leakage factor whereby if the converter becomes clogged when the damper is in its first position, combustion gases will be permitted to pass to said exhaust duct. In one operational mode, the stove may be used to burn coal.