초록 ▼

A granular biomass burning furnace for use with any appropriate granular biomass, such as grains, cherry pits, etc. The furnace includes a three stage heat exchanger, a fuel injector, a fuel stirrer, an ash ejector, a wash down system, a three stage air inducer, a fuel igniter, and supporting compon

A granular biomass burning furnace for use with any appropriate granular biomass, such as grains, cherry pits, etc. The furnace includes a three stage heat exchanger, a fuel injector, a fuel stirrer, an ash ejector, a wash down system, a three stage air inducer, a fuel igniter, and supporting components. The unit includes a computer controller which controls all aspects of the operation of the unit based on information from sensors located throughout the unit. The unit includes a smart logic thermal controller to adjust the output heat of the unit via a variable speed air inducer. The three stage heat exchanger system includes a spiral water jacket surrounding the burn pot, a plurality of heat exchanger baffles in the unit, and a fine finned heat exchanger at the top of the unit. The air inducer provides air to the burn pot from three directions to promote complete combustion.

대표청구항 ▼

I claim: 1. A biomass burning furnace system comprising: furnace body including a lower portion and an upper portion, said furnace body further including an inner surface and an outer surface; a burn pot located in the lower portion of the furnace; an ash tray located beneath the burn pot; a three

I claim: 1. A biomass burning furnace system comprising: furnace body including a lower portion and an upper portion, said furnace body further including an inner surface and an outer surface; a burn pot located in the lower portion of the furnace; an ash tray located beneath the burn pot; a three stage heat exchanger system; said three stage heat exchanger further including a first stage heat exchanger comprising a spiral water jacket surrounding the burn pot; a second stage heat exchanger comprising a plurality of heli-coils; and a third stage heat exchanger comprising a finned heat exchanger in the upper portion of the furnace, above said plurality of heli-coils; a fuel infeed system to provide fuel to the burn pot, said fuel infeed system including a fuel channel and a linear actuator mechanism to advance fuel through the fuel channel; a washdown system to remove debris from the inner surfaces of the furnace; an air inducing system to provide air to the burn pot; and a control system to control components of the furnace. 2. A furnace as in claim 1 wherein said plurality of heli-coils further comprises: a plurality of heli-coils strapped to ash funnels, said ash funnels being attached to the furnace body in the lower portion of the furnace; and a plurality of heli-coils strapped to tripod legs, said tripod legs being attached to the furnace body in the upper portion of the furnace. 3. A furnace as in claim 2 further comprising: a rotatable washdown pipeshaft extending from the top of the furnace, generally through the center of the furnace, said washdown pipeshaft further including a plurality of rotator shaft sleeves; said tripod legs being attached at one end to the inner surface of the furnace body and at the other end to a rotator shaft sleeve; said ash funnels having a top surface and a lower surface, and at least one of said ash funnels having a funnel shaped heat deflector attached to the lower surface thereof; and a plurality of heat baffles are located in the upper portion of the furnace, each heat baffle being located directly below a heli-coil, each of said heat baffles being connected to a rotator shaft sleeve. 4. A furnace as in claim 1 wherein said first stage heat exchanger, said second stage heat exchanger, and third stage heat exchanger are in parallel arrangement. 5. A furnace as in claim 1 further comprising: a water infeed to supply water to the heat exchangers; said water infeed splitting to form a first inlet pipe and an inlet manifold; said first inlet pipe supplying water to said spiral water jacket; said inlet manifold extending vertically up the outside surface of the furnace body to supply water to each successive heli-coil and the fine finned heat exchanger; an outlet manifold extending vertically along the outside surface of the furnace body, said outlet manifold collecting the water which has flowed through the spiral water jacket, each successive heli-coil, and the fine finned heat exchanger, said outlet manifold supplying water to the water outlet. 6. A furnace as in claim 3 wherein said washdown system further comprises: a washdown fluid supply; a pipeshaft motor; said rotatable pipeshaft connected to said pipeshaft motor by a reversible clutch, said rotatable pipeshaft including a plurality of holes therein, such that when water is provided to the rotatable pipeshaft from the fluid supply, and the pipeshaft is rotated by the pipeshaft motor, water is flung from the plurality of holes to clean debris from the inside of the furnace; at least one wiper attached to said rotatable pipeshaft, said at least one wiper being located directly above an ash funnel, such that as the pipeshaft rotates, the wiper is rotated and debris is pushed from the ash funnel; an ash caseway, said ash caseway being formed as a tube extending vertically along the inner surface of the furnace, said caseway ending in the ash tray; at least one magnetic door being formed at the end of said ash funnel, said magnetic door leading to said ash caseway, said magnetic door further including a protrusion engagable with said wiper, such that as said wiper is rotated the wiper engages the protrusion, pushes the magnetic door open, and pushes the debris down the ash caseway, each of said magnetic doors may be attached to a solenoid in order to actuate said magnetic doors; an ash chute located in said ash tray, such that debris in the ash tray is removed from the ash tray through the ash chute, said ash chute including an inlet hole for a baffled water tank, said ash chute including a first end and a second end; said baffled water tank including several baffles and filter to clean debris from the washdown fluid, said baffled water tank further being connected to the washdown fluid supply; and an ash auger located at the second end of said ash chute, said ash auger being adapted to remove ash from the bottom of the ash chute. 7. A biomass burning furnace system comprising: furnace body including a lower portion and an upper portion, said furnace body further including an inner surface and an outer surface; a burn pot located in the lower portion of the furnace; an ignition plate located at the bottom of the burn pot, said ignition plate having a top surface, said ignition plate having at least one annular recess formed on the top surface thereof and a plurality of slots extending through the ignition plate; an ignition mechanism disposed in said at least one annular recess, said ignition mechanism being held in place by at least one tab; a rotatable shaft extending through about the center of the ignition plate, said rotatable shaft being connected through a reversible drive mechanism to a motor, wherein operation of said motor causes rotation of the rotatable shaft; and a fuel stirrer connected to said rotatable shaft extending through the center of the ignition plate, said fuel stirrer having at least one set of arms extending axially from said shaft, wherein one set of arms is located just above the top surface of the ignition plate, wherein rotation of said rotatable shaft causes rotation of the fuel stiffer; an ash tray located beneath the burn pot; a three stage heat exchanger system; a fuel infeed system to provide fuel to the burn pot, said fuel infeed system including a fuel channel and a linear actuator mechanism to advance fuel through the fuel channel; a washdown system to remove debris from the inner surfaces of the furnace; an air inducing system to provide air to the burn pot; and a control system to control components of the furnace. 8. A furnace as in claim 7 wherein the fuel stirrer further includes a plurality of rotatable wheels or projections attached to the bottom surface of the set of arms just above the top surface of the ignition plate, said plurality of rotatable wheels or projections being adapted to engage the plurality of slots formed on the surface of the ignition plate. 9. A furnace as in claim 7, wherein said air inducing system further comprises: a variable speed air blower; an air inducing donut surrounding said burn pot, said air inducing donut being formed with a plurality of air holes; a central air inducing pipe which extends from the ash tray below the burn pot, through the center of the ignition plate into the burn pot and surrounds the central shaft, said central air inducing pipe being formed with a plurality of air holes; and an air duct connected to said variable speed air blower, said air duct supplying air to the air inducing donut and to the ash tray, such that the air supplied to the ash tray enters the burn pot through the slots on the ignition plate and the air holes in the central air inducing pipe. 10. A biomass burning furnace system comprising: furnace body including a lower portion and an upper portion, said furnace body further including an inner surface and an outer surface; a burn pot located in the lower portion of the furnace; an ash tray located beneath the burn pot; a three stage heat exchanger system; a fuel infeed system to provide fuel to the burn pot, said fuel infeed system including a fuel channel and a linear actuator mechanism to advance fuel through the fuel channel; a furnace hopper to hold fuel; said fuel channel extending from said furnace hopper to the furnace, said fuel channel having a first end outside the furnace and a second end inside the furnace; a plunger linearly disposed within said fuel channel; a lead screw attached to said plunger, said lead screw being engaged to a reversible motor by a drive mechanism; operation of the said motor in a first direction causes rotation of the lead screw in a first direction, which causes advancement of the plunger; operation of said motor in a second direction causes rotation of the lead screw in a second direction, which causes retraction of the plunger; a hinged door located at the second end of the fuel channel inside the furnace, said hinged door including a weight to aid in closing the hinged door; a door closure rod being attached to said door by a pivotal linkage, said door closure rod further being attached to a compression spring which aids in pulling the hinged door to a closed position; said plunger being adapted to causes the hinges door to be pushed open and fuel to be deposited into the furnace when said plunger is in its fully advanced position; a washdown system to remove debris from the inner surfaces of the furnace; an air inducing system to provide air to the burn pot; and a control system to control components of the furnace. 11. A furnace as in claim 10 wherein said fuel channel is angled upward from said furnace hopper toward said furnace and said hinged door is cut back such that said hinged door is not perpendicular to the length of the fuel channel. 12. A furnace as in claim 10 wherein said furnace hopper further includes: a bulk fuel storage bin located next to said furnace hopper; a auger extending from said bulk storage bin to said furnace hopper, whereby operation of said auger causes fuel to be transferred from said bulk storage bin to said furnace hopper; low fuel sensor on the furnace to sense when the furnace hopper is almost empty and supply a signal to the auger; a high fuel sensor on the furnace to sense when the furnace hopper is full and supply a signal to the auger; wherein a signal from the low fuel sensor activates the auger to rotate and a signal from the high fuel sensor causes the auger to stop rotating. 13. A biomass burning furnace system comprising: furnace body including a lower portion and an upper portion, said furnace body further including an inner surface and an outer surface; a burn pot located in the lower portion of the furnace; an ash tray located beneath the burn pot; a three stage heat exchanger system; a fuel infeed system to provide fuel to the burn pot, said fuel infeed system including a fuel channel and a linear actuator mechanism to advance fuel through the fuel channel; a washdown system to remove debris from the inner surfaces of the furnace; an air inducing system to provide air to the burn pot; and a control system to control components of the furnace, said control system includes: a computer controller mounted to the furnace and adapted for controlling and sequencing operation of the elements of the furnace; a smart logic thermal controller to provide signals to the computer controller; a plurality of sensors located throughout the furnace, each of said plurality of sensors providing signal to the computer controller and the smart logic thermal controller; and said computer controller adapted to receive input from the sensors and run a predetermined program to control components of the furnace; an ignition plate located in the bottom of said burn pot, said ignition plate including an electric ignition mechanism, wherein said computer is electrically connected to said ignition plate for regulating ignition of fuel in the furnace; a rotatable shaft extending through about the center of the ignition plate, said rotatable shaft being connected through a reversible drive mechanism to a motor, wherein operation of said motor causes rotation of the rotatable shaft; a fuel stirrer connected to said rotatable shaft extending through the center of the ignition plate, said fuel stirrer having at least one set of arms extending axially from said shaft, wherein one set of arms is located just above the surface of the ignition plate, wherein rotation of said rotatable shaft causes rotation of the fuel stirrer; and said wherein said computer is electrically connected to said motor for regulating the rotation of the fuel stirrer to agitate the fuel. 14. The furnace as in claim 13 wherein said computer is electrically connected to said washdown system to regulate the cleaning of the furnace. 15. A method of operating a computer controller communicating with a furnace for effecting operation of the furnace, said furnace including a plurality of components and sensors associated with the components, the method comprising the steps of: (a) performing an initial safety protocol sequence; (b) performing an ignition sequence; (c) performing a high burn sequence; and (d) performing a choosing sequence wherein said choosing sequence includes the steps of (a) determining whether the burn status required is low burn, proceeding to (a) (1) if low burn status is required and proceeding to (b) if low burn is not required; (a) (1) initiating a low burn sequence; (b) determining whether the burn status required is intermediate burn, proceeding to (b) (1) if intermediate burn is required and proceeding to (c) if intermediate burn is not required; (b) (1) initiating intermediate burn sequence; (c) determining whether the burn status required is burn out, proceeding to (c) (1) if burn out is required and proceeding to (d) if intermediate burn is not required; (c) (1) initiating burn out sequence; and (d) determining whether to run the washdown cycle. 16. A method of operating a computer controller communicating with a furnace for effecting operation of the furnace, said furnace including a plurality of components and sensors associated with the components, the method comprising the steps of: (a) performing an ignition sequence; (b) choosing a burn sequence; (c) determining if the burn pot temperature is equal to or exceeds a first preset threshold temperature, proceeding to (d) if said burn pot temperature is equal to or exceeds said first preset threshold temperature and proceeding to (g) if said burn pot temperature is not equal to or does not exceed said first preset threshold temperature; (d) determining if said burn pot temperature is equal to or less than a second preset threshold temperature and proceeding to (e) if said burn pot temperature is equal to or less than said second preset threshold temperature and proceeding to continue determining if said burn pot temperature is equal to or less than said second preset threshold temperature; (e) activating the fuel stirrer, waiting a predetermined time and then determining if said burn pot temperature is equal to or exceeds said first preset threshold temperature and proceeding to (d) if said burn pot temperature is equal to or exceeds said first preset threshold temperature and proceeding to (f) if said burn pot temperature is equal to or less than a third preset threshold temperature; (f) providing a dosing of fuel, waiting a predetermined time and then determining if said burn pot temperature is equal to or exceeds said first preset threshold temperature and proceeding to (d) if said burn pot temperature is equal to or exceeds said first preset threshold temperature and proceeding to (g) if said burn pot temperature is not equal to or does not exceed said first preset threshold temperature; (g) activating said stirrer and determining if said stiffer was activated and if said stiffer was activated proceed to step (h), if said stiffer was not activated proceed to step (m); (h) waiting a predetermined time and then determining if said burn pot temperature is equal to or exceeds said first preset threshold temperature and proceeding to (d) if said burn pot temperature is equal to or exceeds said first preset threshold temperature and proceeding to (i) if said burn pot temperature is not equal to or does not exceed said first preset threshold temperature; (i) providing a dosing of fuel, waiting a predetermined time and then determining if said burn pot temperature is equal to or exceeds said first preset threshold temperature and proceeding to (d) if said burn pot temperature is equal to or exceeds said first preset threshold temperature and proceeding to (j) if said burn pot temperature is not equal to or does not exceed said first preset threshold temperature; (j) determining if this is the first time said computer controller has reached step (i) and proceeding to step (g) if this is the first time said computer controller has reached step (i) and proceeding to step (k) if this is not the first time the computer controller has reached step (i); (k) activating the igniter and fan, waiting a predetermined time and then determining if the burn pot temperature is equal to or exceeds a fourth preset temperature and proceeding to step (c) if the burn pot temperature is equal to or exceeds said fourth preset temperature and proceeding to step (l) if said burn pot temperature is not equal to or does not exceed said fourth preset temperature; (l) turning off said igniter, activating a no combustion alarm and deactivating said furnace; (m) activating said stirrer and determining if said stiffer was activated, if said stiffer was activated proceed to step (h), if said stirrer was not activated proceed to step (n); and (n) activating the fuel stir alarm and deactivating said furnace.