US 5,033,956 A · System for and method of controlling fuel flow to a heating device

Abstract

Flow of liquid fuel to a vaporization tube of a heating device is controlled by a vertically adjustable float valve, with the vertical height of a surface level of the fuel in a float valve chamber being set to correspond to a desired operating level of the liquid fuel in the vaporization tube. Liquid fuel is permitted to free-flow from the float valve chamber to the lower end of the vertical vaporization tube without metering, the rate of flow and the level of the fuel in the vaporization tube being determined solely by the hydraulic head created by the surface level of the fuel in the float valve chamber. Raising of the float valve chamber produces a corresponding raising of the level of the fuel in the vaporization tube to increase the tube inner surface area which is contacted or wetted by the fuel in the tube, thus causing an increase in the rate of vaporization and a corresponding increase in heat output of the heating device. Conversely, lowering of the float valve chamber causes a corresponding lowering of the level of the fuel in the vaporization tube, with a consequent reduction in the vaporization rate and the heat output of the heating device. The fuel control system and method is disclosed in combination with a vaporization-type heating device comprising a thermoelectric converter.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A fuel flow control system for a heating device, which comprises:

vertically extending fuel vaporization means for vaporizing liquid fuel into a fuel vapor for use in a combustion chamber of the heating device;
means for applying heat externally to the vertically extending fuel vaporization means and converting the liquid fuel in the vaporization means to the fuel vapor from an upper surface of the liquid fuel;
chamber means for holding a supply of the liquid fuel;
conduit means for connecting the chamber means to a lower portion of the vertically extending liquid fuel vaporization means so that the liquid fuel free-flows through the conduit means to the vaporization means without any significant obstruction or metering;
and
means for establishing an upper surface level of the liquid fuel in the chamber means and a corresponding liquid fuel hydraulic head in the chamber means, so that the hydraulic head maintains the upper surface level of the liquid fuel in the vertically extending fuel vaporization means essentially at a level corresponding to the level of the fuel in the chamber means, with the unobstructed or unmetered free-flow of the liquid fuel in the chamber means to the vaporization means occurring essentially in response only to the hydraulic head, to produce a desired uniform fuel flow rate to the vaporization means independent of changes in fuel viscosity as a result of a change in fuel type and/or ambient temperature.

3 more elements

A method of controlling the flow of fuel to a heating device, which comprises the steps of:

arranging a body of liquid fuel in a vertically extending position;
heating the body of the liquid fuel to vaporize the fuel from an upper surface thereof and to form a fuel vapor for use in a combustion chamber of the heating device;
producing a hydraulic head of the liquid fuel by arranging a supply of the liquid fuel adjacent the body of the liquid fuel being vaporized, with an upper surface of the supply of the liquid fuel at a vertical level corresponding to a desired upper surface level of the body of the liquid fuel being vaporized;
providing a connecting means, having no liquid fuel metering means, between the supply of the liquid fuel and a lower portion of the body of the liquid fuel;
and
permitting the liquid fuel to free-flow from the supply of the liquid fuel through the connecting means to the lower portion of the body of the liquid fuel being vaporized without any significant obstruction or metering, so that the unobstructed or unmetered free-flow of the liquid fuel occurs essentially only in response to the hydraulic head of the liquid fuel, to produce a desired uniform fuel flow rate to the body of the liquid fuel being vaporized independent of changes in fuel viscosity as a result of a change in fuel type and/or ambient temperature.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

System for and method of controlling fuel flow to a heating device

Life of this patent

System for and method of controlling fuel flow to a heating device

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18