OUTSIDE HEATER SUPPLIED WITH BIOMASS PELLETS

Abstract

 An outdoor heating appliance, the source of energy of which is biomass pellets, consisting in at least one casing (1) that houses at least one combustion chamber (6) for the pellets coming from at least one tank (2) through at least one conduit (5), with at least one flame lighting system (9) and at least one combustion air inlet (8) opening into at least one chamber (6), with at least one air inlet (14) and at least one air outlet (15) for air-conditioning the environment and at least one chimney (12) for releasing the smoke and gases produced during combustion outside the casing (1).

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a heating device or stove mainly designed to operate in outdoor environments, which is powered by biomass pellets.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Over the past few years, the number of countries that have incorporated a ban on smoking in public places into their laws has gradually increased. As a result, the ban on public smoking in public places is now widely recognised by law in certain members of the European Union, such as Ireland, Norway, Sweden, Italy, France, Holland, Denmark, Belgium and Spain; certain states in the USA, such as California and New York, where the laws are even more restrictive than in Europe; Australia and some areas of Canada. Now, almost 51 countries around the world (25 % of the total) prohibit smoking on leisure premises and in bars and restaurants. Eleven of these countries form part of the European Union. Indeed, we might take Spain as example, where Act 42/2010 of 30 September 2010, better known as the "new law against smoking", came into force on 02/01/2011 as an amendment of the previous Act of 2006 in this regard, wherein the most relevant measures extend the ban on smoking to any premise open to the public for collective use that is not outdoors (with some exceptions) and even in some open places defined in the Act.

[0003] All these laws have had a clear influence on bars and restaurants, which faced with the ban on smoking in their premises. Many decided to open outdoor terraces for their customers where smoking was allowed. As a result of trying to alleviate the potential low temperatures on the coldest days that came with this, outdoor stoves were generally incorporated to condition the environment.

[0004] As a result, several patents disclose such stoves. For example document ES 1 044 127 U shows an outdoor gas heater that has the furnace positioned on a raised point thereof, such that it irradiates the heat generated therein over a wide radius. In addition, there are also patents claiming specific features thereof, such as document ES 1 073 802 U, which discloses an outdoor gas heater that includes a payment system for using it and document ES 2 167 913 T3, which discloses an umbrella-shaped heating device for terraces. In addition, it is also possible to find disclosures on outdoor stoves powered by electricity, as shown in document ES 2 326 058 A1, with a concept for air-conditioning outdoor terraces analogous to that employed in gas heaters.

[0005] However, all outdoor stoves powered with gas or electricity have a dual problem precisely related to these power sources: the environmental impact (carbon footprint) derived from the energy generation (particularly electrical) and the financial impact derived from the price of the energy consumed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0006] The present invention proposes a solution to the environmental and financial problems exhibited by the current outdoor stoves by using biomass pallets as power source, given that said pellets are a renewable energy, with a lower energetic cost than the sources of energy used up until now (gas and electricity). This is due to the nature of the pellets, which are considered a clean and environmentally friendly fuel, with a neutral environmental cost as it has previously captured the gases that the combustion thereof is going to generate and makes it possible to use the ashes created as completely biodegradable fertilizer. Regarding the economic impact, according to current energy market prices, the cost of using pellets to generate energy (€/KWh) is half that of using propane and butane gas and is almost four times less costly than using electricity.

[0007] As such, the object of the invention is an outdoor heating appliance, the energy source of which is biomass pellets. It comprises at least one casing that houses at least one combustion chamber for the pellets coming from at least one tank through at least one conduit, with at least one flame lighting system and at least one combustion air inlet opening onto at least one chamber, with at least one air inlet and at least one air outlet for air-conditioning the environment and at least one chimney for releasing the smoke and gases produced during combustion out of the casing.

[0008] As such, the heater enables the outdoor environment to be air-conditioned thanks to the heat generated through the combustion of a green source of energy, such as biomass pellets, at a substantially lower cost than that needed to carry out the same action using gas or electricity, wherein the casing performs a double task of both improving distribution of the heat generated and protecting the people in the vicinity of the stove.

[0009] In another aspect of the invention, the heating appliance is provided with at least one direct access to the at least one combustion chamber, which aids authorized personnel when they come to perform repair and cleaning work inside said chamber. This aims to prevent any safety problems associated with intrusions from unauthorized personnel, as well as facilitating correct operation of the system owing to easy manoeuvre during repair and maintenance works.

[0010] In another aspect of the invention, the heating appliance has at least one system for ash disposal, which conveys the ashes produced in said at least one combustion chamber to at least one ash storage container.

[0011] Thanks to this device, the accumulation of ashes in the combustion chamber is eliminated, thereby preventing problems in the system operation derived from said accumulation. In addition, owing to the fact that it is located outdoors, the extraction and removal of the ashes by personnel authorized to handle the invention is facilitated. In another aspect of the invention, the outdoor heating appliance incorporates at least one turbulator element inside said at least one chimney, such that it that modifies the velocity of the hot gases coming from said at least one combustion chamber.

[0012] Thanks to this system, heat transfer between the hot gases and the air becomes more efficient, consequently improving the environment conditioning conditions with lower consumption of the power source.

[0013] In another aspect of the invention, the appliance has at least one direct access to the at least one pellets tank used to fill the same. This direct access enables authorized personnel to fill the tank, thereby shortening unnecessary processing times.

[0014] In another aspect of the invention, the outdoor heating appliance has at least one regulation system that controls the outflow of the pellets from the at least one tank towards the at least one combustion chamber. This system makes it possible to control the amount of heat radiated into the environment automatically, according to the amount of pellets incorporated into the combustion chamber. As such, it is possible to obtain an air-conditioning temperature well-suited to outside heat demands, without being it necessary to waste energy, thereby making it economic.

[0015] In another aspect of the invention, the outdoor heating appliance has elements that facilitate the movement of the invention from one place to another, thereby facilitating its free positioning and particularly the collection thereof when the business is closed down, should this be required either by the business owner or by the public administration.

[0016] In another aspect of the invention, the outdoor heating appliance features at least one energy regeneration system that supplies energy to the elements of the invention that may need it. As a result, is not necessary to use costly external energetic supplements, thus reducing the usage costs.

[0017] In another aspect of the invention, the appliance has at least one safety system present in the direct accesses providing exclusive access to authorized personnel, thus preventing unwanted intrusions that could both damage the invention and entail health risks.

[0018] In another aspect of the invention, the appliance incorporates at least one payment system, which enables clients or users to determine whether or not to use or not the heating appliance for a given period of time.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0019] In order to facilitate a better understanding of the invention, a series of drawings accompany the present document by way of illustrative and non-limiting examples thereof.

Figure 1 is a schematic representation of the invention, wherein the constituent parts thereof are identified.

Figure 2 is a detailed schematic representation of two possible versions of the chimney, alongside with the turbulator element placed inside the same.

[0020] The numeric references that appear in the figures correspond to the following elements:

1. Casing.

2. Pellet tank.

3. Direct access to the inside of the pellets tank.

4. System regulating the outflow of pellets from the tank.

5. Conduit guiding the pellets from the tank to the combustion chamber.

6. Combustion chamber.

7. Direct access to the combustion chamber.

8. Direct inlet of combustion air into the combustion chamber.

9. Flame lighting system

10. System for ash disposal

11. Ash storage container.

12. Chimney.

13. Turbulator element.

14. Air inlet to the inside of the casing or housing.

15. Slot directing the hot air towards the floor.

16. Means to facilitate the movement.

17. Payment system.

18. Safety system.

19. Energy regenerator.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

[0021] In order to better understand the invention, a description of a preferred embodiment thereof will now be provided.

[0022] The present invention consists of an outdoor heating appliance, the power source of which is biomass pellets and which has a diameter of between 2-10 mm and a length of between 2-8 cm, which is made up of a casing (1) that provides protection and insulation, which houses a combustion chamber inside for the pellets (6) coming from a tank (2) with a volume of between 0.02-0.1 m³ through a conduit (5), with a flame lighting system (9) and a combustion air inlet (8) opening into the chamber (6), with an air inlet (14) and at least one air outlet (15) for air-conditioning the environment and a chimney (12) for releasing the smoke and gases produced during combustion outside the casing (1).

[0023] The outdoor heating appliance has a direct access (7) to the combustion chamber (6) to carry out maintenance works, such that authorized personnel will have an easy access to the inside of the combustion chamber when they come to perform repair and maintenance works.

[0024] Likewise, the outdoor heating appliance has a system for ash disposal (10), which conveys the ashes produced in the combustion chamber to an ash storage container (11), such as a drawer, for example.

[0025] In addition, the outdoor heating appliance has a turbulator element (13) inside the chimney, which modifies the velocity of the gases coming from the combustion chamber, thereby making heat transfer between the hot gases and the air more efficient.

[0026] Moreover, the outdoor heating appliance has a direct access (3) in the pellets tank (2), so as to enable the tank (2) to be filled with biomass pellets.

[0027] The outdoor heating appliance is further provided with a regulation system (4) that controls the outflow of pellets from the tank (2). As such, the supply of biomass pellets to the combustion chamber may be regulated, in order to both increase and to decrease the amount of pellets at the tank outlet (2).

[0028] In addition, the heating appliance has four wheels at its base, which serve to aid the movement of the appliance from one place to another.

[0029] Likewise, the outdoor heating appliance has at least one energy regeneration system (19) that supplies energy to the elements of the invention that may need it, such that the energy recovered by the regeneration system is once again supplied to the elements of the invention that may need the same in order to operate, thereby reducing energy costs.

[0030] Lastly, the outdoor heating appliance incorporates locks in the direct accesses, such that only authorized personnel have access thereto. It also has a payment system (17) so that users can decide whether or not they want to pay for use of the invention.

Claims

1. An outdoor heating appliance, the energy source of which is biomass pellets, characterized in that it comprises:

- at least one casing (1) that houses at least a combustion chamber (6) for the pellets coming from at least one tank (2) through at least one conduit (5);

- at least one flame lighting system (9);

- at least one combustion air inlet (8) opening onto at least one chamber (6);

- at least one air inlet (14);

- at least one air outlet (15) for air-conditioning the environment and

- at least one chimney (12) to release the smoke and gases produced during combustion from said at least one casing (1).

2. The appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises at least one direct access (7) to said at least one combustion chamber (6), in order to facilitate the carrying out of maintenance works.

3. The appliance according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that it comprises at least one system for ash disposal (10), which conveys the ashes produced in said at least one combustion chamber (6) to at least one ash storage container (11).

4. The appliance according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that it incorporates at least one turbulator element (13) inside said at least one chimney (12) and modifies the velocity of the hot gases coming from said at least one combustion chamber (6).

5. The appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that it has at least one direct access (3) to said at least one pellet tank (2) to facilitate the task of filling said tank.

6. The appliance according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that it comprises at least one regulating system (4) that controls the outflow of pellets from said at least one tank (2) to said at least one chamber (6).

7. The appliance according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that it has means intended to facilitate the movement (16) to convey the heating appliance from one place to another.

8. The appliance according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that it comprises at least one energy regeneration system (19) to supply energy to the elements of the heating appliance that may need it.

9. The appliance according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that it comprises at least one safety system (18) in the direct accesses to provide access exclusively to authorized personnel.

10. The appliance according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that it comprises at least one payment system (17) for a user.

Drawing