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A new and useful heating device is provided, that is particularly characterized by the efficient way it provides combustion of a carbon based fuel (e.g. wood). A vertically oriented combustion chamber is configured with a relatively narrow, lower portion, a relatively wider upper portion, and a vert

A new and useful heating device is provided, that is particularly characterized by the efficient way it provides combustion of a carbon based fuel (e.g. wood). A vertically oriented combustion chamber is configured with a relatively narrow, lower portion, a relatively wider upper portion, and a vertically oriented wall structure defining the combustion chamber.

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1. A device for generating heat from a carbon based fuel, comprising a. a vertically oriented combustion chamber that is substantially closed to the atmosphere and has a relatively narrow, lower portion, a relatively wider upper portion, and a vertically oriented wall structure defining the combusti

1. A device for generating heat from a carbon based fuel, comprising a. a vertically oriented combustion chamber that is substantially closed to the atmosphere and has a relatively narrow, lower portion, a relatively wider upper portion, and a vertically oriented wall structure defining the combustion chamber; the vertically oriented wall structure configured with a relatively narrow, lower portion and a relatively wider portion and having a plurality of inlet openings to enable air to enter the combustion chamber,b. a source of air in fluid communication with the wall structure of the combustion chamber, and a fluid conduit configured to direct air from the source along a predetermined path about the vertically oriented wall structure of the combustion chamber;c. the combustion chamber having a fuel support structure that (i) supports a mass of a carbon based fuel in the relatively narrow, lower portion of the combustion chamber, above the bottom of the combustion chamber and away from the air inlet openings in the vertically oriented wall structure; and (ii) enables air flowing along the predetermined path about the vertically oriented wall structure to flow into the combustion chamber through the inlet openings; whereby the air entering the combustion chamber can substantially envelop and support combustion of the mass of carbon based fuel located in the combustion chamber; andd. the relatively narrow and wider portions of the combustion chamber configured to allow gases generated from combustion of the carbon based fuel in the relatively narrow portion of the combustion chamber to expand as they rise into the relatively wider portion of the combustion chamber, in a manner that reduces the output speed of the gases, increases the residence time of the gases in the combustion chamber, thereby to improve the efficiency with which heat is generated in the combustion chamber from the carbon based fuel:e. wherein the air inlet openings comprise first and second arrays of air inlet openings in the vertically oriented wall structure of the combustion chamber, each of the first and second arrays of air inlet openings oriented to enable air to enter the combustion chamber in a direction that is lateral to the vertical direction of the combustion chamber, the first array of air inlet openings oriented to enable air to enter the narrow portion of the combustion chamber in a manner such that at least some air can flow into the area between a mass of carbon based fuel and the bottom of the combustion chamber, and the second array of air inlet openings oriented in relation to the mass of carbon based fuel in the combustion chamber to enable air to enter the combustion chamber so that at least some of the air that enters the combustion chamber through the second array of air inlet openings is above the mass of carbon based fuel located in the narrow portion of the combustion chamber, andf. wherein the fluid conduit enables air flow about the vertically oriented wall of the combustion chamber from the first array of openings to the second array of openings, so that the air entering the combustion chamber through the second array of openings has been heated by its contact with the wall of the combustion chamber as the air enters the combustion chamber through the second array of openings;g. whereby substantially complete combustion of the carbon based fuel, including the volatile organic compounds of the carbon based fuel, is produced in the combustion chamber; and h. an insulation structure extends about the vertically oriented wall structure of the combustion chamber, and wherein the fluid conduit that directs air about the combustion chamber is disposed between the insulation layer and the vertically oriented wall structure of the combustion chamber, so that air directed by the fluid conduit is swept along the exterior of the vertically oriented wall structure and is efficiently heated by its contact with the exterior of the vertically oriented wall structure. 2. The device of claim 1, wherein the second array of air inlet openings is also oriented so that air entering the combustion chamber above a mass of carbon based fuel is oriented to create air turbulence above a mass of carbon based fuel located in the combustion chamber, so that the configuration of the combustion chamber, the air entering the combustion chamber through the second array of air inlet openings, and the air turbulence promote substantially complete combustion of the volatile organic compounds of the carbon based fuel. 3. The device of claim 2, wherein the support structure is configured to support a mass of wood in the narrow portion of the combustion chamber, so that the mass of wood provides the carbon based fuel for the combustion chamber. 4. The device of claim 2, wherein a heating chamber is provided above and in heat transfer relationship with the relatively wider portion of the combustion chamber, and heating plate structure substantially closes and is in heat transfer relationship with the heating chamber, so that substantially all heat from the heating chamber is transferred to the heating plate structure, and the heating plate structure is configured to heat a food product or a cookware component disposed on the heating plate structure. 5. The device of claim 4, wherein the heating plate structure and the heating chamber are configured such that heat and/or heated air from the heating chamber will sweep along the heating plate structure in a predetermined direction as heat is being transferred to the heating plate structure. 6. The device of claim 1, wherein the fluid conduit is further configured to direct air along a substantially spiral path, whereby the air is swept in a spiral path along the vertically oriented wall structure, and heat from the wall structure is transferred to the air being swept in the spiral path. 7. The device of claim 2, further including an ash collection container disposed below the narrow portion of the combustion chamber, and wherein a valve is located between the bottom of the combustion chamber and the ash collection container and the valve is configured such that it can be selectively opened by manipulation of a handle extending outside the combustion chamber, while combustion of the carbon fuel in the combustion chamber is continuing, to enable ashes resulting from combustion of the carbon based fuel in the combustion chamber to be deposited into the ash collection container while combustion in the combustion chamber is continuing. 8. The device of claim 2, wherein the combustion chamber is supported for movement between an operating position in which the air source is in fluid communication with the wall structure of the combustion chamber, and a fuel loading position in which the combustion chamber is moved away from the heating plate, to enable a load of fuel to be inserted into the combustion chamber, and wherein the combustion chamber has a handle that enables the combustion chamber to be manually manipulated between the fuel loading position and the operating position. 9. The device of claim 8, wherein the combustion chamber is also supported for movement between a fuel inserting position in which fuel can be loaded into the combustion chamber through an opening in the combustion chamber while combustion in the combustion chamber is continuing, and a closed position in which the opening in the combustions chamber is blocked, so that fuel cannot be loaded into the combustion chamber while combustion in the combustion chamber is continuing, and wherein the handle enables the combustion chamber to be selectively manipulated between the fuel inserting position and the closed position while combustion in the combustion chamber is continuing. 10. The device of claim 2, wherein the vertically oriented wall structure of the combustion chamber has an opening that can be selectively covered or uncovered, the opening when uncovered positioned to enable the state of combustion and the state of the carbon based fuel in the combustion chamber to be viewed while combustion is taking place in the combustion chamber and to enable insertion of additional carbon based fuel into the combustion chamber while combustion is taking place in the combustion chamber. 11. The device of claim 2, wherein the fuel support structure comprises a basket like structure comprising a plurality of ribs disposed inside the combustion chamber, the ribs located and configured to support the mass of carbon based fuel away from the vertically oriented wall structure and away from the bottom of the combustion chamber. 12. The device of claim 4, wherein the combustion chamber, heating chamber and heating plate structure are supported by a worktable wherein cooked food products can be placed for consumption, the worktable having a side that is conveniently accessible to a cook who is cooking food at the device, and that side of the worktable has an opening where the combustion chamber, heating chamber and heating plate structure are located. 13. The device of claim 11, wherein a plurality of cookware components are in heat transfer relationship with respective portions of the heating chamber. 14. The device of claim 13, wherein a control structure is provided for selectively directing heat and/or heated air from the combustion chamber to any or all of the cookware components, to selectively control which of the cookware components is used to cook food. 15. The device of claim 14, wherein a layer of insulation surrounds the walls of the heating chamber, to minimize transfer of heat from the walls of the heating chamber to the environment outside the heating chamber. 16. The device of claim 12, wherein the vertically oriented wall structure of the combustion chamber has an opening that can be selectively covered or uncovered, the opening when uncovered positioned to enable the state of combustion and the state of the carbon based fuel in the combustion chamber to be viewed while combustion is taking place in the combustion chamber and to enable insertion of additional carbon based fuel into the combustion chamber while combustion is taking place in the combustion chamber, and wherein the combustion chamber is offset with respect to the center of the heating chamber, in an orientation that facilitates access to the opening in the vertically oriented wall structure, so as to facilitate viewing of the state of combustion in the combustion chamber and insertion of additional carbon based fuel into the combustion chamber while combustion is taking place in the combustion chamber. 17. The device of claim 4, wherein the vertically oriented wall structure of the combustion chamber has an opening that can be selectively covered or uncovered, the opening when uncovered positioned to enable the state of combustion and the state of the carbon based fuel in the combustion chamber to be viewed while combustion is taking place in the combustion chamber and to enable insertion of additional carbon based fuel into the combustion chamber while combustion is taking place in the combustion chamber, and wherein the combustion chamber is offset with respect to the center of the heating chamber, in an orientation that facilitates access to the opening in the vertically oriented wall structure, so as to facilitate viewing of the state of combustion in the combustion chamber and insertion of additional carbon based fuel into the combustion chamber while combustion is taking place in the combustion chamber. 18. A method of generating heat from a carbon based fuel, comprising a. providing a vertically oriented, combustion chamber with a vertically oriented wall structure having a relatively narrow, lower portion, and a relatively wider upper portion, and first and second arrays of air inlet openings in the vertically oriented wall structure of the combustion chamber, each of the first and second arrays of air inlet openings oriented to enable air to enter the combustion chamber in a direction that is lateral to the vertical direction of the combustion chamber, the first array of air inlet openings oriented to direct air to enter the narrow portion of the combustion chamber in a manner such that at least some air can flow into the area between a mass of carbon based fuel and the bottom of the combustion chamber, and the second array of air inlet openings oriented in relation to the mass of carbon based fuel in the combustion chamber to direct air to enter the combustion chamber so that at least some of the air that enters the combustion chamber through the second array of air inlet openings is above a mass of carbon based fuel located in the narrow portion of the combustion chamber;b. providing a heating chamber located in the combustion chamber above and in heat transfer relationship with the relatively wider upper portion of the combustion chamber;c. locating a mass of carbon based fuel in the relatively narrow lower portion of the combustion chamber, above the bottom of the lower portion of the combustion chamber, and spaced from the air inlet openings in the vertically oriented wall structure of the combustion chamber;d. directing air in a fluid conduit and along a predetermined path that guides the air to enter the combustion chamber through the air inlet openings in the vertically oriented wall structure, in a manner that supports combustion of the carbon based fuel in the combustion chamber, and generation of heat from the combustion of the carbon based fuel;e. allowing gases generated from combustion of the carbon based fuel in the relatively narrow portion of the combustion chamber to expand as they rise into the relatively wider portion of the combustion chamber, in a manner that reduces the output speed of the gases, increases the residence time of the gases in the combustion chamber, thereby to improve the efficiency with which heat is generated in the combustion chamber from the carbon based fuel;f. wherein the fluid conduit also direct air flow about the vertically oriented wall of the combustion chamber from the first array of openings to the second array of openings, and in such a manner that the air entering the combustion chamber through the second array of openings has been heated by its contact with the wall of the combustion chamber as the air enters the combustion chamber through the second array of openings, and produces substantially complete combustion of the carbon based fuel, including the volatile organic compounds of the carbon based fuel is produced in the combustion chamber, andg. directing substantially all of the heat generated from substantially complete combustion of the carbon based fuel in the combustion chamber into the heating chamber; and h. providing an insulation structure that extends about the vertically oriented wall structure of the combustion chamber, and wherein the fluid conduit that directs air about the combustion chamber is disposed between the insulation layer and the vertically oriented wall structure of the combustion chamber, so that air directed by the fluid conduit is swept along the exterior of the vertically oriented wall structure and is efficiently heated by its contact with the exterior of the vertically oriented wall structure. 19. The method of claim 18, wherein ash resulting from the combustion of carbon based fuel in the combustion chamber is selectively removed from the combustion chamber, without insertion of any removal instrument into the combustion chamber, while combustion of the carbon based fuel is continuing in the combustion chamber. 20. The method of claim 18 wherein the air is swept in a substantially spiral path along the exterior of the combustion chamber. 21. The method of claim 20, wherein carbon based fuel comprises a cellulose based fuel. 22. The method of claim 21, wherein the cellulose based fuel comprises wood. 23. The method of claim 18, wherein ash resulting from the combustion of carbon based fuel in the combustion chamber is selectively removed from the combustion chamber, without insertion of any removal instrument into the combustion chamber, while combustion of the carbon based fuel is continuing in the combustion chamber. 24. The method of claim 18, including pivoting the combustion chamber to a position in which it is removed from heat transfer relationship with the heating chamber to enable a mass of carbon based fuel to be located in the combustion chamber, and thereafter pivoting the combustion chamber to a position in which the heating chamber is in heat transfer relationship with the relatively wider upper portion of the combustion chamber. 25. The method of claim 18, including providing a plurality of cookware components, each of which is disposed in direct heat transfer relationship with the heat transfer chamber, and directing substantially all of the heat generated from combustion of the carbon based fuel in the combustion chamber to respective portions of the heat transfer chamber, to transfer substantially all of the heat from the combustion chamber to the plurality of cookware components.