BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
[0001] The invention relates to pressure-vessels and more particularly to a cylinder for
storing liquid fuel to be mixed with compressed air so that the well mixed pressurized
liquid fuel can be sprayed as gaseous fuel.
2. Description of Related Art
[0002] LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) cylinders are often used as cooking fuel in many countries.
However, the LPG cylinders may cause explosion and/or fire if it is subject to great
vibration, high temperature, etc. Thus, many prior art document about improvements
or even replacements of LPG cylinders are disclosed.
[0003] For example, there is a type of conventional cylinder for storing liquid fuel to
be mixed with compressed air as gaseous fuel commercially available. The steel cylinder
comprises an inner vessel and an outer vessel. A fuel inlet and an air inlet are formed
on the inner vessel. A first pipe is provided in the inner vessel and a second pipe
is provided through the bottom of the inner vessel. Compressed air can be supplied
to the inner vessel through the first and second pipes. Liquid fuel can be mixed with
compressed air to form a gaseous fuel to be sprayed out of the cylinder as fuel for
burning, cooking, etc.
[0004] However, the compressed air entering the inner vessel may quickly rise up along the
walls of the inner vessel. As such, the desired well mixing of the liquid fuel and
compressed air does not occur. This in turn can cause incomplete burning of the gaseous
fuel. Thus, the need for improvement still exists.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] It is therefore one object of the invention to provide a cylinder assembly comprising
a cylinder for containing a quantity of volatile liquid fuel and including a fuel
inlet disposed on an upper portion of a circumferential surface, a gaseous fuel mixture
outlet pipe having one end communicating with top of the cylinder, and a pressure
regulator disposed on the gaseous fuel mixture outlet pipe; an air compressor disposed
on the top of the cylinder; a switch disposed on the top of the cylinder for turning
the air compressor on or off; an air pipe having one end communicating with the air
compressor and the other end terminating on a lower portion of the circumferential
surface of the cylinder; and a curved air outlet pipe disposed in a lower portion
inside the cylinder and communicating with the other end of the air pipe, the air
outlet pipe including a plurality of holes submerged in the liquid fuel.
[0006] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become
apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cylinder assembly according to the invention; and
FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the cylinder assembly.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0008] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a cylinder assembly in accordance with the invention
comprises the following components as discussed in detail below.
[0009] A steel cylinder 10 comprises a fuel inlet 11 on an upper portion of circumferential
surface for pouring volatile liquid fuel, a gaseous fuel mixture outlet pipe 12 having
one end communicating with the top of the cylinder 10, a pressure regulator (e.g.,
valve) 13 provided on the gaseous fuel mixture outlet pipe 12 above the fuel inlet
11, and a dipstick 14 threadedly secured to the top of the cylinder 10 and extending
into a lower portion of the interior of the cylinder 10 to measure quantity of liquid
fuel.
[0010] A motor driven air compressor 30 is provided on a support member (not numbered) on
top of the cylinder 10, and a switch 31 is provided on the support member for turning
the air compressor 30 on or off. An air pipe 18 has one end communicating with the
air compressor 30 and the other end terminating on a lower portion of the circumferential
surface of the cylinder 10 and formed as a check valve 19 for preventing compressed
air from flowing back to the air compressor 30.
[0011] A curved air outlet pipe 20 is provided in a lower portion of the cylinder 10 and
spaced from the bottom end of the dipstick 14. One end of the air outlet pipe 20 is
connected to the check valve 19 so that compressed air may flow from the air compressor
30 to the air outlet pipe 20 via the air pipe 18 and the check valve 19. The air outlet
pipe 20 is formed with a plurality of equally spaced holes 25 on top so that compressed
air may leave the air outlet pipe 20 to uniformly mix with the liquid fuel stored
in the cylinder 10.
[0012] A temperature regulator 40 is provided on the bottom of the cylinder 10. The temperature
regulator 40 comprises a reservoir 41 for storing a quantity of heat transfer liquid,
an electric heater 42 on the bottom of the reservoir 41 for heating the heat transfer
liquid so that temperature of the liquid fuel inside the cylinder 10 may be heated
by the hot heat transfer liquid to maintain near a desired temperature, a microprocessor
based temperature controller 45 on the support member on top of the cylinder 10 for
enabling a user to set a desired set point temperature, and a cable 43 connecting
the electric heater 42 to the temperature controller 45.
[0013] It is understood that the air and fuel mixing effect may be adversely affected if
temperature of the liquid fuel in the cylinder 10 greatly falls below the desired
set point. Advantageously, by configuring as above, the electric heater 42 may automatically
heat the heat transfer liquid in the reservoir 41 to increase temperature of the liquid
fuel in the cylinder 10 if temperature of the liquid fuel falls below the desired
set point temperature by a predetermined value. The heating may automatically stop
if temperature of the liquid fuel has reached the desired set point temperature.
[0014] It is envisaged by the invention that a uniform mixing of air and liquid fuel can
be obtained, and thus a complete burning can be desired as the gaseous fuel and air
mixture in the cylinder 10 leaves the gaseous fuel mixture outlet pipe 12 and the
pressure regulator 13.
[0015] While the invention has been described in terms of preferred embodiments, those skilled
in the art will recognize that the invention can be practiced with modifications within
the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
1. A cylinder assembly comprising:
a cylinder for containing a quantity of volatile liquid fuel and including a fuel
inlet disposed on an upper portion of a circumferential surface, a gaseous fuel mixture
outlet pipe having one end communicating with top of the cylinder, and a pressure
regulator disposed on the gaseous fuel mixture outlet pipe;
an air compressor disposed on the top of the cylinder;
a switch disposed on the top of the cylinder for turning the air compressor on or
off;
an air pipe having one end communicating with the air compressor and the other end
terminating on a lower portion of the circumferential surface of the cylinder; and
a curved air outlet pipe disposed in a lower portion inside the cylinder and communicating
with the other end of the air pipe, the air outlet pipe including a plurality of holes
submerged in the liquid fuel.
2. The cylinder assembly of claim 1, further comprising a temperature regulator disposed
on bottom of the cylinder, the temperature regulator including a reservoir for storing
a quantity of heat transfer liquid, an electric heater on bottom of the reservoir
for heating the heat transfer liquid so that temperature of the liquid fuel inside
the cylinder can be maintained at a predetermined temperature, a microprocessor based
temperature controller on the top of the cylinder for setting the predetermined temperature,
and a cable connecting the electric heater to the temperature controller.