SOLID FUEL GRAVITY FEED COMBUSTION DEVICE, SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20140150698A1
• Filed: 12/03/2012
• Published: 06/05/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: New England Wood Pellet, LLC (Lignetics Investment Corp.)
• Original Assignee: New England Wood Pellet, LLC (Lignetics Investment Corp.)
• Inventors: Walker, Steven J.
• Application Number:
  US13/692,187
• Publication Number:
  US 20140150698A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 110/293
• CPC Class Codes: 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
• CPC Class Codes: F23K 3/00 Feeding or distributing of lump or pulverulent fuel to combustion apparatus

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

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.

2. The pellet feeder of claim 1, wherein said chute inlet receives said multiple pellets from a pellet hopper.

3. The pellet feeder of claim 1, wherein said floor comprises a burner grate.

4. The pellet feeder of claim 1, wherein said chute outlet is disposed adjacent to a burner grate.

7. The pellet feeder of claim 1, wherein said chute inlet comprises an airlock.

5-6. -6. (canceled)

8. (canceled)

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.

10. 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.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of adding a plurality of pellets to said pellet hopper through said hopper inlet.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein removing a plurality of said pellets further comprises burning said plurality of pellets.

13. 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.

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.

15. 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.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of removing pellets substantially at said chute outlet.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of removing pellets substantially at the chute outlet comprises burning said pellets in said pellet burner.

18. 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.

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.

20. 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.