# US 2014/0150698 A1 · Solid fuel gravity feed combustion device, system and method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0150698 A1 - Document ID: US20140150698A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/692,187 - Filed: 2012-12-03 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-12-03 - Assignees: New England Wood Pellet LLC - Applicants: New England Wood Pellet LLC - Inventors: Steven J. Walker - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140150698A1 ## CPC - F23B 50/12: the fuel being fed to the combustion zone by free fall or by sliding along inclined surfaces, e.g. from a conveyor terminating above the fuel bed - F23K 3/00: Feeding or distributing of lump or pulverulent fuel to combustion apparatus - F23B: METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR COMBUSTION USING ONLY SOLID FUEL (for combustion of fuels that are solid at room temperatures, but burned in melted form, e.g. candle wax, C11C5/00, F23C, F23D; using solid fuel suspended in air F23C, F23D1/00; using solid fuel suspended in liquids F23C, F23D11/00; using solid fuel together with fluid fuel or with solid fuel suspended in air, simultaneously or alternately, F23C, F23D17/00) - F23K: FEEDING FUEL TO COMBUSTION APPARATUS (fuel feeders specially adapted for fluidised bed combustion apparatus F23C10/22) ## Abstract A solid fuel gravity feed combustion device, system and method are presented. The device includes a chute having an inlet and outlet, such that the chute inlet is configured to receive multiple pellets. A floor is disposed substantially below the chute inlet, and adjacent to the chute outlet. The chute outlet is configured to accommodate a pellet pile including at least a portion of the multiple pellets disposed upon the floor, where the pile surface is oriented substantially at a pellet angle of repose. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A gravity feed pellet feeder comprising: a chute further comprising a chute inlet configured to receive multiple pellets and a chute outlet comprising an outlet opening with an opening top and an opening bottom; and a floor disposed substantially below said chute inlet, and further disposed adjacent to said chute outlet, wherein said chute outlet is configured to accommodate a pile comprising at least a portion of said multiple pellets disposed upon said floor, said pile comprising a pile surface oriented substantially at a pellet angle of repose from said outlet chute opening top to the opening bottom. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The pellet feeder of claim 1, wherein said chute inlet receives said multiple pellets from a pellet hopper. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The pellet feeder of claim 1, wherein said floor comprises a burner grate. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The pellet feeder of claim 1, wherein said chute outlet is disposed adjacent to a burner grate. ### Claim at position 5 5-6. (canceled) ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The pellet feeder of claim 1, wherein said chute inlet comprises an airlock. ### Claim 8 (canceled) ### Claim 9 A method for conveying pellets to a pellet destination, the method comprising the steps of: providing a chute comprising a chute inlet, a chute outlet and a floor, said chute outlet disposed at said pellet destination; wherein said chute outlet is configured to accommodate a pile comprising multiple pellets disposed upon said floor, said pile comprising a pile surface oriented substantially at a pellet angle of repose; receiving said multiple pellets into said chute inlet; and at said chute outlet, removing a plurality of said multiple pellets from said pellet pile. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein receiving said multiple pellets into said chute inlet further comprises orienting said chute inlet adjacent to a hopper further comprising a hopper inlet and a hopper outlet. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of adding a plurality of pellets to said pellet hopper through said hopper inlet. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein removing a plurality of said pellets further comprises burning said plurality of pellets. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein removing said plurality of pellets further comprises the step of conveying said plurality of pellets away from said pellet pile. ### Claim 14 A method for feeding pellets to a burner, comprising the steps of: configuring said chute to accommodate a pellet pile within said chute, wherein said pile comprises a surface oriented substantially at a pellet angle of repose; and adding pellets to said chute through said chute inlet. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the step of adding pellets is performed by a hopper comprising a hopper inlet and a hopper outlet, wherein said chute inlet is connected to said hopper outlet and adding pellets to said chute comprises receiving pellets from said hopper outlet. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of removing pellets substantially at said chute outlet. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the step of removing pellets substantially at the chute outlet comprises burning said pellets in said pellet burner. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the step of removing pellets at said chute outlet further comprises clearing ash produced from spent pellets from the pellet burner. ### Claim 19 A pellet transport system comprising: a pellet feeder comprising: a chute further comprising a chute inlet configured to receive multiple pellets and a chute outlet comprising an outlet opening with an opening top and an opening bottom; and a floor disposed substantially below said chute inlet, and further disposed adjacent to said chute outlet, wherein said chute outlet is configured to accommodate a pile comprising at least a portion of said multiple pellets disposed upon said floor, said pile comprising a pile surface oriented substantially at a pellet angle of repose from said outlet chute opening top to the opening bottom; and a conveyer configured to convey said plurality of pellets between a pellet repository and said pellet feeder. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The system of claim 19, wherein said conveyer further comprises: a sensor configured to sense available capacity of said pellet feeder to receive additional pellets in said chute; and a sensor output configured to alert said conveyer to convey more pellets.