Low emission, wood fueled hydronic heater
AssigneeHawken Energy, Inc.
InventorsWarren W. Walborn, Donald Squire, Daniel Walton, Gary Bird
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A wood burning hydronic heater comprises a primary firebox into which the wood is loaded and wherein initial combustion occurs. The heater also includes a secondary combustion chamber below the primary firebox into which the combustible gases from the primary firebox are forced and into which a fresh air stream is passed to burn the gases. A primary heat exchanger downstream of the secondary combustion chamber is adapted to reduce the temperature of the exhaust exiting from the secondary combustion chamber. A catalytic combustor, located in a chamber downstream of the secondary combustion chamber and primary heat exchanger, completes combustion and reduces emissions.
Claims20
A wood burning hydronic heater comprising:
- a primary firebox into which the wood is loaded and wherein initial combustion occurs;
- a secondary combustion chamber into which the combustible gases from the primary firebox are directed and into which an air stream is passed to burn the gases;
- a primary heat exchanger downstream of the secondary combustion chamber adapted to reduce the temperature of the exhaust exiting from the secondary combustion chamber;
- and
- a catalytic combustor located in a chamber downstream of the secondary combustion chamber.
A wood burning hydronic heater comprising:
- a primary firebox into which the wood is loaded and wherein initial combustion occurs;
- a secondary combustion chamber below the primary firebox into which the combustible gases from the primary firebox are directed;
- vertical channels providing fluid communication between the firebox and the secondary combustion chamber below the firebox;
- an air blower;
- and
- a brick combustion plenum disposed between the primary firebox and secondary combustion chamber, the brick combustion plenum having an upper channel and a lower channel, wherein the upper channel forces air into an upper portion of the primary firebox and the lower channel forces air into the vertical channels.
A wood burning hydronic heater comprising:
- a primary firebox into which the wood is loaded and wherein initial combustion occurs;
- a secondary combustion chamber into which the combustible gases from the primary firebox are directed and into which an air stream is passed to burn the gases;
- a primary heat exchanger downstream of the secondary combustion chamber adapted to reduce the temperature of the exhaust exiting from the secondary combustion chamber;
- a catalytic combustor located in a chamber downstream of the primary heat exchanger;
- and
- a secondary heat exchanger located downstream of the catalytic combustor that extracts heat from the exhaust gases such that the exiting stack temperature of exhaust gases is about 250° to 300° F.
A method of reducing the smoke emissions of a wood burning hydronic heater, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a primary firebox into which the wood is loaded and wherein initial combustion occurs;
- providing a secondary combustion chamber into which the combustible gases from the primary firebox are directed, during which an air stream is passed to burn the gases at extreme temperatures to maintain high combustion efficiency;
- directing the combusted gases to a primary heat exchanger to reduce the temperature of the exhaust to a temperature suitable for use with catalytic combustion;
- and
- directing the exhaust gas to a catalytic combustor located in a chamber downstream of the primary heat exchanger.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.