Burner for a heater

• US 20060134575A1
• Filed: 10/25/2004
• Published: 06/22/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Fire Company Pty Limtied
• Original Assignee: Esmart Group Pty Limited
• Inventors: Backes, Uwe, Thomas, Stephane Wilfred
• Granted Patent: US 7,287,979 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 431/344
• CPC Class Codes: F23D 5/04 Pot-type evaporators, i.e. using a partially-enclosed combustion space
• CPC Class Codes: F23D 5/12 Details
• CPC Class Codes: F23D 5/123 Inserts promoting evaporation
• CPC Class Codes: F23L 13/06 slidable only

Abstract

The present invention provides a burner (10) for a heater for combustion of a hydrocarbon liquid. The burner (10) comprises a combustion chamber having a combustion zone (17) for combusting the hydrocarbon liquid and at least one tank portion (13, 15) for containing an amount of the hydrocarbon liquid. The or each tank portion (13, 15) is positioned adjacent the combustion zone (17) and arranged to feed the hydrocarbon liquid into the combustion zone (17). The or each tank portion (13, 15) is at least in part filled with a filling material having a plurality of portions that pass through the interior of the or each tank portion (13, 15).

Claims

1. A burner for a heater for combustion of a hydrocarbon liquid, the burner comprising:

a combustion chamber having a combustion zone for combusting the hydrocarbon liquid and at least one tank portion for containing an amount of the hydrocarbon liquid, the or each tank portion being positioned adjacent the combustion zone and being arranged to feed the hydrocarbon liquid into the combustion zone, the or each tank portion being at least in part filled with a filling material having a plurality of portions that pass through the interior of the or each tank portion,

wherein the filling material is arranged for distribution of at least some of the heat that is developed in the combustion zone and is directed into the or each tank portion whereby at least one local heat maxima in the tank portion is reduced, thereby reducing the likelihood of ignition in the tank portion.

2. The burner as claimed in claim 1 wherein the filling material comprises more than one hundred particles which define spaces between them.

3. The burner as claimed in claim 1 wherein the filling material comprises a mesh.

4. The burner as claimed in claim 1 wherein the filling material comprises a mesh gauze.

5. The burner as claimed in claim 1 wherein the filling material comprises steel wool.

6. The burner as claimed in claim 1 wherein the filling material comprises a metallic material.

7. The burner as claimed in claim 1 being a wherein the burner is part of a fireplace.

8. The burner as claimed in claim 1 further comprising combustion control means for controlling gas exchange of the combustion in a first combustion zone.

9. The burner as claimed in claim 8 wherein the control means comprises an opening that allows diffusion of oxygen into the combustion chamber and a closure for the opening.

10. The burner as claimed in claim 9 wherein the combustion control means comprises a shutter that is arranged to adjust the opening so as to control the combustion in the combustion zone.

11. The burner as claimed in claim 10 wherein the shutter is arranged to close the opening so as to extinguish a flame in the combustion zone.

12. The burner as claimed in claim 11 wherein the shutter is arranged so that, when the opening is closed, the lid portion overlaps the shutter.

13. The burner as claimed in claim 1 further comprising spacers positioned adjacent an external portion of the burner and arranged to avoid direct contact between the burner and an item that supports the burner.

14. The burner as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a tray in which the burner is positioned and which is arranged to avoid direct contact between the burner an item that supports the burner.

15. The burner as claimed in claim 13 wherein the item is combustible.

16. The burner as claimed in claim 1 wherein the burner is arranged for positioning in an item so that at least a portion of the burner is positioned below a surface of the item.

17. The burner as claimed in claim 1 wherein the burner is arranged for positioning in a fireplace.

18. The burner as claimed in claim 1 wherein the burner is arranged for positioning in a furniture item.

19. The burner as claimed in claim 1 wherein the combustion chamber further comprises a fuel inlet opening through which the hydrocarbon liquid may be filled into the or each tank portion of the combustion chamber.

20. The burner as claimed in claim 8 wherein the fuel inlet opening is remote from the opening of the combustion control means.

21. The burner as claimed in claim 20 wherein the fuel inlet opening comprises a closure.

22. The burner as claimed in claim 10 being arranged so that, when the shutter of the combustion control means is fully open, a shutter of the fuel inlet opening is closed and only when at least a portion of the shutter of the combustion control means is closed the fuel inlet opening is fully open.

23. The burner as claimed in claim 22 wherein the shutter of the combustion control means and the shutter of the fuel inlet means are provided in the form of an integral part.

24. The burner as claimed in claim 1 comprising two tank portions between which the combustion zone is positioned.

25. The burner as claimed in claim 23 wherein the tank portions are separated from the combustion zone by wall portions that comprise apertures to allow the fuel to penetrate from the tank portions into the combustion zone.

26. The burner as claimed in claim 1 wherein the burner comprises at least two tank portions and wherein the combustion zone is positioned between the at least two tank portions.

27. A heater comprising the burner as claimed in claim 1.

31. The burner as claimed in claim 14 wherein the item is combustible.

28. A burner for a heater for combustion of a hydrocarbon liquid, the burner comprising:

a combustion chamber having a combustion zone for combusting the hydrocarbon liquid and at least one tank portion for containing an amount of the hydrocarbon liquid, the or each tank portion being positioned adjacent the combustion zone and being arranged to feed the hydrocarbon liquid into the combustion zone, and a fuel inlet portion having a closure; and

a combustion control means for controlling gas exchange of the combustion zone through an gas exchange opening of the combustion chamber

wherein the closure of the fuel inlet is arranged so that filling of the fuel into the or each tank portion is only possible if the combustion control means closes at least a portion of the gas exchange opening of the combustion chamber.

29. The burner as claimed in claim 28 wherein the combustion control means comprises a shutter for controlling the gas exchange through the gas exchange opening of the combustion chamber and wherein the closure of the fuel inlet opening also includes a shutter.

30. The burner as claimed in claim 29 wherein the shutter for controlling gas and the shutter of the fuel inlet opening are coupled.