Apparatus for generating heat through burning of solid fuel and method of controlling such an apparatus

Abstract

An apparatus for generating heat and consisting of: a) a firebox; b) a combustor assembly; c) a fuel inlet; d) an air inlet through which air is delivered to a combustion location; e) an outlet for releasing heated air; f) an outlet damper assembly; and g) an inlet damper assembly. The inlet and outlet damper assemblies are constructed to both be placed or maintained in safety states in response to the apparatus being placed in certain predetermined states to thereby prevent, or smother, combustion of solid fuel within the apparatus.

1 . An apparatus for generating heat in an environmental space, the apparatus comprising:
 a firebox bounding a space;   a combustor assembly for burning solid fuel at a combustion location;   a fuel inlet through which solid fuel is delivered from a supply to the combustion location,   solid fuel delivered through the solid fuel inlet to the combustion location burned to generate heat in the firebox space;   an air inlet through which air is delivered from the environmental space to the combustion location;   an outlet for releasing air heated in the firebox space for delivery to the environmental space;   an outlet damper assembly having first and second states wherein the outlet damper assembly respectively: a) permits movement of air from the firebox continuously through the outlet for delivery to the environmental space; and b) substantially blocks movement of air from the firebox through the outlet for delivery to the environmental space;   an inlet damper assembly having first and second states wherein the inlet damper assembly respectively: a) permits movement of air from the environmental space continuously through the air inlet to the combustion location; and b) substantially blocks movement of air from the environmental space through the air inlet to the combustion location,   the inlet and outlet damper assemblies constructed to both be placed or maintained in their second states in response to the apparatus being placed in certain predetermined states to thereby prevent or smother combustion of solid fuel within the apparatus.   
     
     
         2 . An apparatus for generating heat in an environmental space according to  claim 1  further comprising a control assembly for detecting the certain predetermined states for the apparatus and, as an incident thereof, changing the state of either of the inlet and outlet damper assemblies that is in its first state into its second state. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus for generating heat in an environmental space according to  claim 1  in combination with a fuel delivery assembly capable of storing a supply of solid fuel that is delivered through the solid fuel inlet to the combustion chamber. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus for generating heat in an environmental space according to  claim 3  wherein at least one of the apparatus and fuel delivery assembly comprises at least one auger for conveying solid fuel from the solid fuel supply towards the combustion location. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus for generating heat in an environmental space according to  claim 1  wherein there is a first powered assembly for changing the outlet damper assembly between its first and second states and in the event that power to the apparatus is terminated, the outlet damper assembly is: a) maintained in its second state if the outlet damper assembly is in its second state when power to the apparatus is terminated; and b) changed from its first state into its second state if the outlet damper assembly is in its first state when power to the apparatus is terminated. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus for generating heat in an environmental space according to  claim 5  wherein there is a second powered assembly for changing the inlet damper assembly between its first and second states and in the event that power to the apparatus is terminated, the inlet damper assembly is: a) maintained in its second state if the inlet damper assembly is in its second state when power to the apparatus is terminated; and b) changed from its first state into its second state if the inlet damper assembly is in its first state when power to the apparatus is terminated. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus for generating heat in an environmental space according to  claim 2  wherein the apparatus further comprises an air flow inducer for causing air to be delivered under pressure to the combustion location and the control assembly causes each of the inlet and outlet damper assemblies to be changed into or maintained in their second states as an incident of detecting that the air flow inducer is either: a) not operating; or b) not causing air to be delivered in at least a predetermined volume to the combustion location. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus for generating heat in an environmental space according to  claim 2  wherein the control assembly causes each of the inlet and outlet damper assemblies to be changed into or maintained in their second states as an incident of detecting that the combustor assembly is either: a) not operating; or b) operating below a predetermined capacity. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus for generating heat in an environmental space according to  claim 2  wherein there is a first powered assembly for changing the outlet damper assembly between its first and second states and the control assembly causes each of the inlet and outlet damper assemblies to be changed into or maintained in their second states as an incident of detecting that the first powered assembly is not functioning properly. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus for generating heat in an environmental space according to  claim 1  wherein the apparatus further comprises an air flow inducer for inducing flow of heated air from the firebox space to and through the outlet. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus for generating heat in an environmental space according to  claim 2  wherein the apparatus further comprises an air flow inducer for inducing flow of heated air from the firebox space to and through the outlet and the control assembly causes each of the inlet and outlet damper assemblies to be changed into or maintained in their second states as an incident of detecting that the air flow inducer is either: a) not operating; or b) not causing at least a predetermined volume of heated air to flow from the firebox space to and through the outlet. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus for generating heat in an environmental space according to  claim 2  wherein the combustion assembly has on and off states and can be operated at different heat generating levels and the control assembly causes at least one of: a) each of the inlet and outlet damper assemblies to be changed into or maintained in their second states; and b) the combustion assembly to be either: i) changed into its off state; or ii) changed to operate at a different heat generating level as an incident of detecting that a temperature of heated air in the firebox is at least at a predetermined level. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus for generating heat in an environmental space according to  claim 3  wherein there is a supply of solid fuel in the fuel delivery assembly that is one of: a) wood; b) corn kernels; and c) pellets. 
     
     
         14 . A method of controlling operating of an apparatus for generating heat in an environmental space, the method comprising the steps of:
 a) providing an apparatus comprising: a firebox; a combustor assembly for burning a solid fuel at a combustion location; an inlet damper assembly having different states; an outlet damper assembly having different states; and a control assembly; and   b) configuring the control assembly so that the control assembly causes the inlet and outlet damper assemblies to be placed or maintained in a safety state wherein the outlet damper assembly blocks movement of air heated through combustion of solid fuel from the apparatus and the inlet damper assembly blocks movement of air from the environmental space to the combustion location so as to thereby prevent or smother combustion of solid fuel within the apparatus upon detection of the apparatus being placed in certain predetermined states wherein there is a danger of: i) emission of harmful combustion byproducts from the apparatus to the environmental space due to a slow burning condition; ii) unwanted combustion of solid fuel at a location upstream of where solid fuel is delivered to the combustion location; or iii) overheating of the apparatus.   
     
     
         15 . The method of controlling operation of an apparatus for generating heat in an environmental space according to  claim 14  wherein the step of configuring the control assembly comprises configuring the control assembly so that the inlet and outlet damper assemblies are caused to be placed in their safety states as an incident of detecting that there is insufficient air delivered to the combustion location for adequate combustion. 
     
     
         16 . The method of controlling operation of an apparatus for generating heat in an environmental space according to  claim 14  wherein the step of configuring the control assembly comprises configuring the control assembly so that the inlet and outlet damper assemblies are caused to be placed in their safety states as an incident of detecting that operating power to the apparatus has been interrupted or otherwise altered. 
     
     
         17 . The method of controlling operation of an apparatus for generating heat in an environmental space according to  claim 14  wherein the step of configuring the control assembly comprises configuring the control assembly so that the inlet and outlet damper assemblies are caused to be placed in their safety states as an incident of detecting that a component on the apparatus is malfunctioning. 
     
     
         18 . The method of controlling operation of an apparatus for generating heat in an environmental space according to  claim 14  wherein the step of configuring the control assembly comprises configuring the control assembly so that the inlet and outlet damper assemblies are caused to be placed in their safety states as an incident of detecting that flow volume of heated air away from the apparatus is below a predetermined amount. 
     
     
         19 . The method of controlling operation of an apparatus for generating heat in an environmental space according to  claim 14  wherein the step of configuring the control assembly comprises configuring the control assembly so that the inlet and outlet damper assemblies are caused to be placed in their safety states as an incident of detecting that the combustor assembly is either: a) not operating; or b) operating below a predetermined capacity. 
     
     
         20 . The method of controlling operation of an apparatus for generating heat in an environmental space according to  claim 14  wherein the step of configuring the, control assembly comprises configuring the control assembly so that the inlet and outlet damper assemblies are caused to be placed in their safety states as an incident of detecting that a temperature of air heated in the firebox is at least at a predetermined level.