Low power starter for catalytic heaters
AssigneePGI International, Ltd.
InventorKevin J. Cessac
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A catalytic heater 10 has an insulation pad 36 and a catalyst pad 34 mounted in face-to-face relation within an enclosure 11 having an open front face 20. A starter 48 is mounted within the catalyst pad and is effective for preheating of the catalyst pad. Fuel gas is supplied to the rear face of the insulation pad and air is supplied to the front face of the catalyst pad, so that a catalytic reaction occurs generally when the catalyst pad and sear the ope front face. After the catalytic reaction begins, electrical energy is ceased to the starter. The starter preferably comprises a quartz-halogen lamp of a relatively small size which is mounted within the catalyst pad.
Claims62
A catalytic heater fueled by a combustible gas source, comprising:
- a housing defining an enclosure having an open front face;
- a fuel inlet line having a fuel discharge within a rear portion of said enclosure;
- a diffusion pad within said enclosure spaced between said open front face and said fuel discharge, a rear face of said diffusion pad being supplied with fuel gas for providing a catalytic reaction;
- a catalyst pad spaced opposite said fuel inlet line relative to said diffusion pad and positioned within said enclosure adjacent said open front face, said catalyst pad having a rear face adjacent a front face of said diffusion pad and a front face exposed to ambient air from said open front face of said enclosure;
- and
- an electrically powered starter for preheating said catalyst pad, said starter being positioned within a pocket extending from an entrance opening in a side face of said catalyst pad, a majority of said pocket being spaced from said catalyst pad;
- wherein said starter comprises a quartz-halogen lamp inserted within said pocket.
A catalytic heater fueled by a combustible gas source, comprising:
- a housing defining an enclosure having an open front face;
- a fuel inlet line having a fuel discharge within a rear portion of said enclosure;
- a diffusion pad within said enclosure spaced between said open front face and said fuel discharge, a rear face of said diffusion pad being supplied with fuel gas for providing a catalytic reaction;
- a catalyst pad spaced opposite said fuel inlet line relative to said diffusion pad and positioned within said enclosure adjacent said open front face, said catalyst pad having a rear face adjacent a front face of said diffusion pad and a front face exposed to ambient air from said open front face of said enclosure;
- and
- an electrically powered starter for preheating said catalyst pad, said starter having a perimeter area less than about 2% of a flow through area of the catalyst pads;
- wherein said starter comprises a quartz-halogen lamp inserted within said pocket.
A method for controlling the heating of a catalytic heater having a catalyst pad and an adjacent diffusion pad within an enclosure having an open front face defining a catalyst pad flow through area, said method comprising:
- mounting a quartz-halogen lamp starter within said catalyst pad for preheating said catalyst pad, said starter having a wattage of less than about 15 watts;
- supplying a fuel gas to said heater for passing through said diffusion pad and said catalyst pad for mixture with air from said open front face of said enclosure;
- providing less than about 15 watts of electrical energy to said starter;
- and
- stopping the supply of electrical energy to said starter upon heating of said catalyst pad to a selected temperature.
A catalytic heater fueled by a combustible gas source, comprising:
- a housing defining an enclosure having an open front face;
- a fuel inlet line having a fuel discharge within a rear portion of said enclosure;
- a diffusion pad within said enclosure spaced between said open front face and said fuel discharge, a rear face of said diffusion pad being supplied with fuel gas for providing a catalytic reaction;
- a catalyst pad spaced opposite said fuel inlet line relative to said diffusion pad and positioned within said enclosure adjacent said open front face, said catalyst pad having a rear face adjacent a front face of said diffusion pad and a front face exposed to ambient air from said open front face of said enclosure, the catalyst pad having a starter pocket less than about 2% of a catalyst pad area;
- and
- an electrically powered starter for preheating said catalyst pad, said starter being positioned within the pocket extending from an entrance opening in a side face of said catalyst pad, a majority of said pocket being spaced from said diffusion pad.
The catalytic heater as defined in claim further comprising:
- a portable source of electrical energy adjacent said housing to supply electrical energy to said starter for preheating of said catalyst pad.
A method for controlling the heating of a catalytic heater having a catalyst pad and an adjacent diffusion pad within an enclosure having an open front face defining a catalyst pad flow through area, said method comprising:
- mounting a starter within said catalyst pad for preheating said catalyst pad, said starter having a wattage of less than about 15 watts;
- providing the starter with a cross-sectional area less than 2% of the catalyst pad flow through area;
- supplying a fuel gas to said heater for passing through said diffusion pad and said catalyst pad for mixture with air from said open front face of said enclosure;
- and
- stopping the supply of electrical energy to said starter upon heating of said catalyst pad to a selected temperature.
A catalytic heater fueled by a combustible gas source, comprising:
- a housing defining an enclosure having an open front face;
- a fuel inlet line having a fuel discharge within a rear portion of said enclosure;
- a diffusion pad within said enclosure spaced between said open front face and said fuel discharge, a rear face of said diffusion pad being supplied with fuel gas for providing a catalytic reaction;
- a catalyst pad spaced opposite said fuel inlet line relative to said diffusion pad and positioned within said enclosure adjacent said open front face, said catalyst pad having a rear face adjacent a front face of said diffusion pad and a front face exposed to ambient air from said open front face of said enclosure;
- and
- an electrically powered starter for preheating said catalyst pad for a time interval of less than about 60 seconds, said starter being positioned within a pocket extending from an entrance opening in a side face of said catalyst pad, a majority of said pocket being spaced from said diffusion pad.
A method for controlling the heating of a catalytic heater having a catalyst pad and an adjacent diffusion pad within an enclosure having an open front face defining a catalyst pad flow through area, said method comprising:
- mounting a starter within said catalyst pad for preheating said catalyst pad, said starter having a wattage of less than about 15 watts;
- powering the starter for a time interval of less than about 60 seconds for preheating the catalyst pad;
- supplying a fuel gas to said heater for passing through said diffusion pad and said catalyst pad for mixture with air from said open front face of said enclosure;
- and
- stopping the supply of electrical energy to said starter upon heating of said catalyst pad to a selected temperature.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.