Radiant burner
AssigneeAdvanced Propulsion Technologies, Inc.
InventorsPeter Hofbauer, Yue Xin Huang
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A highly efficient radiant burner assembly (100) for use in a patio heater or the like in areas where people prefer or require low NOX emissions. The efficiencies are created through the use of a spherical burner element (116) that is either formed of a high temperature steel wire mesh or stamping containing apertures of a predetermined size to allow combustion to remain within the burner element and to not cause the temperature of the burner element to exceed the temperature at which NOX are developed. Coating the burner with a catalyst also aids the low emission combustion process. Additional efficiencies are provided by atomizing the fuel before it is mixed with air and by the use of a laminar flow heat exchanger (940) that utilizes a fluid media flowing in a helical coil condenser unit.
Claims21
A radiant burner assembly comprising:
- a generally spherical shaped burner element;
- a fuel/air delivery tube having an end opening to allow for a fuel/air mixture to be delivered within said spherical burner element;
- said burner element has a first opening that surrounds said end opening of said fuel/air delivery tube;
- said burner element is formed with inner and outer spherical surfaces and an array of apertures of a predetermined size and spacing over substantially the entire inner and outer spherical surfaces of said burner element and formed of a material that remains undeformed at all temperatures within the range of use;
- a generally spherical shaped diffuser element of a smaller diameter than said burner element, having a second opening that surrounds said end opening of said fuel/air delivery tube;
- said diffuser element is formed of sheet material with inner and outer spherical surfaces with an array of apertures of a predetermined size and spacing over substantially the entire inner and outer spherical surfaces of said diffuser element;
- said diffuser element being mounted concentrically within said burner element to provide a generally equally spaced distance between said inner surface of said burner element and said outer surface of said diffuser element and remaining undeformed at all temperatures within the range of use;
- and
- a distributor element mounted between said fuel/air delivery tube end opening and said diffuser element to direct said fuel/air mixture generally uniformly towards the inner surface of said diffuser element.
A radiant burner assembly comprising:
- a generally spherical shaped burner element having a first opening that surrounds the open end of a fuel/air delivery tube, wherein said burner element is formed of high temperature metal that has an array of apertures of a predetermined size and spacing over the entire spherical inner and outer surfaces of said burner element;
- a generally spherical shaped diffuser element of a smaller diameter than said burner element having inner and outer surfaces and mounted concentric therewith to be equally spaced from said inner surface of said burner element and mounted to surround said open end of said fuel/air delivery tube;
- a distributor element mounted between said open end of said fuel/air delivery tube and said diffuser element to direct said fuel/air mixture generally uniformly towards said inner surface of said diffuser element;
- a reflector element substantially surrounding said burner element to direct said radiation in a predetermined distribution pattern and providing at least one opening to allow the escape of combustion gas;
- and
- a heat exchanger element configured to be in the path of combustion gas exhausted from said burner element so as to extract additional heat from the assembly.
A radiant burner assembly comprising:
- a generally spherical shaped burner element having a first opening that is attached to a fuel/air delivery tube having an open end for providing an air/fuel mixture into the interior of said burner element, wherein said burner element is formed of high temperature metal that has an array of apertures of a predetermined size and spacing over the entire spherical inner and outer surfaces;
- a generally spherical shaped diffuser element of a smaller diameter than said burner element;
- said diffuser element having inner and outer surfaces and being attached to said fuel delivery tube to be concentric with said burner element and to have said outer surface of said diffuser element spaced from said inner surface of said burner element and to surround said open end of said fuel/air delivery tube;
- and
- a distributor element mounted between said open end of said fuel/air delivery tube and said diffuser element to direct said fuel/air mixture generally uniformly towards said inner surface of said diffuser element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.