Fire column

Abstract

In order to create a safe and simply designed fire column, the flame of which is fed from a fuel tank, in particular for bioethanol, and is surrounded by an outer casing (4), wherein supply air flows in largely axially in the lower region of the outer casing via a plurality of guide elements (3) and is preferably set in helical rotation to form a swirling flame, according to the invention the outer casing (4) is placed over the guide elements (3). The outer casing (4) is preferably centered in an upright position by outer edges (3a) of the guide elements (3).

Claims

1. Fire column, the flame of which is fed by a fuel container, the fire column includes a cylindrical base part, the cylindrical base part is surrounded by a cylindrical outer casing, the base part has a smaller diameter than the outer casing establishing an annular gap therebetween, wherein supply air flows through the annular gap in largely axially in the lower region of the outer casing via a plurality of guide elements disposed within the annular gap and is set in a helical rotation to form a vortex flame, wherein the outer casing is placed over the guide elements, and wherein the outer casing rests on a plurality of radially extending pins, the pins and the guide elements are attached directly to the base part.

2. Fire column according to claim 1, characterized in that the outer casing is centered in upright position by outer edges of the guide elements.

3. Fire column according to claim 1, characterized in that the guide elements surround the fuel container and are attached to it.

4. Fire column according to claim 1, characterized in that the pins are attached to a base part which surrounds the fuel container.

5. Fire column according to claim 4, characterized in that the base part has a stand plate detachably connected.

6. Fire column according to claim 4, characterized in that the base part is mounted on an elevated holder or support.

7. Fire column according to claim 1, characterized in that the pins are molded or attached to the respective lower end of the guide elements.

8. Fire column according to claim 1, characterized in that the guide elements are integrally molded to the base part as a casting with three guide elements offset by 120?.

9. Fire column according to claim 1, characterized in that the fuel container is provided for receiving wood pellets or fuels.

10. Fire column according to claim 9, characterized in that in the lower region of the fuel container a perforated plate is inserted, under which supply air openings are provided.

11. Fire column according to claim 9, characterized in that the fuel container has a partial cover which is open in the center and is shaped like a roof or a truncated cone.

12. Fire column according to claim 9, characterized in that further supply air openings are provided in the upper region of the fuel container, wherein the fuel container is of double-walled construction at its circumference.

13. Fire column according to claim 1, characterized in that the pins are adjustable in their height position.

14. Fire column according to claim 1, characterized in that the outer casing is formed as a one-piece glass cylinder as a mesh.

15. Fire column according to claim 14, characterized in that the lower inner edge of the outer casing is conically ground and/or fused on.

16. A fire column assembly, the flame of which is fed by a supply of fuel from an integrated fuel container, said assembly comprising: a tubular outer casing, the outer casing having an open bottom and an open top, the bottom having an inside diameter, the outer casing adapted to ensconce a live flame while aspirating ambient air through the bottom and exhausting hot combustion gases through the top, a stand plate, a generally cylindrical fuel container extending upwardly from the stand plate, the fuel container having an upper end comprising a fuel outlet elevated above the stand plate, a portion of the fuel container extending through the bottom of the outer casing and generally centered therewith, at least one helical guide element directly attached to the fuel container, the guide element configured to induce a rotational vortex in the live flame, the guide element having a crest height measured radially from the fuel container such that a major diameter of the guide element is smaller than the inside diameter of the outer casing adjacent the bottom thereby enabling the guide element to fit inside the outer casing, the guide element having a start adjacent the stand plate and an end adjacent the upper end of the fuel container, a plurality of support extensions projecting from the cylindrical housing of the fuel container, each support extension having a radial projection greater than the crest height of the guide element, the plurality of support extensions being axially aligned with one another, and wherein the plurality of support extensions are spaced above the stand plate so that the bottom of the outer casing is stationed above the stand plate thereby creating an annular draft intake clearance between the fuel container and the bottom of the outer casing through which ambient air is aspirated directly into the outer casing.

17. Fire column according to claim 16, wherein the support extensions are disposed between the stand plate and the start of the guide element so that the outer casing entirely overlaps the start of the guide element, and wherein the outer casing is a unitary member fabricated from an optically transparent material.

18. A fire column assembly configured to produce a live flame set in rotational vortex, said assembly comprising: an elongated vertically-oriented tubular outer casing having a uniform wall thickness, the outer casing being a unitary member fabricated from an optically transparent material, the outer casing having an open bottom and an open top, the bottom having an inside diameter, the outer casing adapted to encase a live flame while aspirating ambient air through the bottom and exhausting hot combustion gases through the top, a stand plate, a generally cylindrical fuel container extending upwardly from the stand plate, the fuel container having an upper end comprising a fuel outlet elevated above the stand plate, a portion of the fuel container extending through the bottom of the outer casing and generally centered therewith, a plurality of helical guide elements directly attached to the fuel container, the plurality of guide elements having a common crest height measured radially from the fuel container such that a major diameter of the guide elements is smaller than the inside diameter of the outer casing adjacent the bottom, each guide element having a start adjacent the stand plate and an end adjacent the upper end of the fuel container, a plurality of support extensions projecting from the cylindrical housing of the fuel container, each support extension having a radial projection greater than the crest height of the guide elements, the plurality of support extensions being axially aligned with one another, and wherein the start of each guide element is located above the support extensions so that the outer casing entirely overlaps the start of each guide element.

19. Fire column according to claim 18 wherein the plurality of support extensions are disposed above the stand plate so that the bottom of the outer casing is stationed above the stand plate thereby creating an annular draft intake clearance between the fuel container and the bottom of the outer casing through which ambient air is aspirated directly into the outer casing.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more readily appreciated when considered in connection with the following detailed description and appended drawings, wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 a fire column in section;

(3) FIGS. 2 (a) and (b) each a fire column in elevated version;

(4) FIG. 3 a fire column according to FIG. 1 in perspective view;

(5) FIGS. 4 (a) and (b) each a sectional view with different guide elements; and

(6) FIGS. 5 (a) and (b) each an embodiment of a fuel container for pellets.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(7) FIG. 1 shows a fire column 1 with a base part 2 that comprises a fuel container 2a and a stand plate 2b. A number of guide elements 3 are arranged on the base part 2, which are configured here as helical metal sheets in order to create an air vortex in an outer casing 4 placed over them. The latter is preferably designed as a transparent glass cylinder and thus provides a view of the base part 2. The flame enclosed on the circumference by the outer casing 4 is fed by fuel (of any consistency possible), in particular bio-ethanol or fuel paste from the (recessed) fuel container 2a and receives the required amount of air via a supply air opening 6 (in the form of an annular gap) in the lower region of the fire column 1, more precisely at the open lower end face of the outer casing 4.

(8) The incoming air is deflected by the guide elements 3 to form a vortex or flow with swirl. The amount of air can be varied via the cross-section of the supply air opening 6, whereby the height of pins 5, for example, can be adjusted. In the setting shown here, the cross-section above the stand plate 2a corresponds approximately to the passage volume between base part 2 and outer casing 4, wherein the relatively thin guide elements 3 hardly reduce the passage. The outer casing 4, which rests on the pins 5 (here three pins with a pitch of 120? on the circumference of the base part), is placed (slipped) over the guide elements 3 with a tight fit or slight clearance fit and touches them at least at some points.

(9) In FIG. 2, the fire column 1 is shown in an elevated version, namely in FIG. 2a with a frame-like holder 2c, in order to be set up on a terrace, for example. In FIG. 2b, the holder 2c is rod-like or spike-like, in order to be anchored in the garden ground with this holder in the manner of a ground spike.

(10) In FIG. 3, the fire column according to FIG. 1 is shown in a perspective view. The helical course of the guide elements 3 is clearly visible, as is the upper opening in the base part 2 to form a fuel container 2a. The flame fed from here, indicated schematically, also rises here in a rotating or at least flickering manner in the glass cylinder 4 by the targeted air vortex. The achievable height, e.g. up to ? of the outer casing 4, can be adjusted in particular by the burning behavior of the fuel (preferably ethanol) and by the air supply.

(11) FIG. 4 shows two side views of the base part 2, each of which has four guide elements 3, i.e. with a 90? pitch. The guide elements 3 are aligned here largely in the axial direction (to the vertical axis) and have a shape that widens upward to form four nozzle channels around the circumference of the base part 2 and to accelerate the supply air from the opening 6. In FIG. 4a, the outer casing 4 is placed (slipped) over the guide elements 3 with a tight fit so that their outer edges 3a almost touch the inner wall of the outer casing. In order to make it easier to slip it over despite this clearance fit, the inner edge 4 is preferably ground conically so that the outer casing 4 can be placed on top in a self-centering manner to be supported on the pins 5 then. Here, the pins 5 are molded onto the lower end of the guide elements 3, in particular cast in one piece.

(12) In FIG. 4b the guide elements 3 are inclined to the dotted vertical axis and have thin extensions 3 in the form of so-called winglets. These can be glued or soldered onto the guide elements 3 in an easy manner to increase turbulence. The pins 5 are attached to the base part separately from the guide elements 3, preferably by means of eccentric bushings 5, in order to vary the height position of the glass cylinder 4 and the supply air cross section relative to the stand plate 2a.

(13) In FIG. 5a, the fire column is designed for the combustion of wood pellets, wherein the principle of the wood gasifier is applied. For this purpose, a perforated plate 7 is inserted in the lower region of the fuel container 2a, under which several supply air openings 8 (here in the form of perforations or slots) are provided. Through this, primary air flows still below the pins 5 into the fuel container 2a and through the pellets piled up on the perforated plate 7 (not shown here, since this commercially available fuel is common for the operation of pellet stoves). The supply air openings 8 can also be provided in the bottom or stand plate 2b so that the pellets in the fuel container 2a are flown through evenly and the desired wood gas is formed by carbonization or pyrolysis (substoichiometric partial combustion). This is mixed at the upper end of the fuel container 2a with the secondary air swirled via the guide elements 3 and then burns (depending on the air supply) with a lower or higher flame. The air supply can be adjusted here by means of (ring) slides not shown at the supply air openings 8 (or also 6 and/or 8 in FIG. 5b).

(14) In order to keep the flame central, the fuel container 2a here has a hood or partial cover 9 open in the center, which is shaped in particular like a roof or truncated cone. This may also extend beyond the upper edge of the fuel container 2a, as indicated in dashed lines, to allow air supply to the interior, namely via upper supply air openings 8. These are also provided more distinctly in the configuration according to FIG. 5b, namely annularly in the upper region of the fuel container 2a, wherein the fuel container 2a is preferably double-walled at its circumference. As a result, a partial air flow is directed upward along the circumferential surface and then guided radially inward into the combustion zone. This achieves effective and relatively clean combustion of the pellets, since in particular the hood 9 stabilizes the flame.

(15) In summary, the small number of components achieves a purist design with low manufacturing costs. The stable construction increases safety and simplifies operation. In addition, various designs are also possible for outdoor use, wherein the light output or the heat supply can be varied more according to requirements, especially when wood pellets are used. Likewise, the indoor use as a so-called table fire is possible, since bio-ethanol burns largely odorless and soot-free, to which also the swirling of the flame can contribute.

(16) The foregoing invention has been described in accordance with the relevant legal standards, thus the description is exemplary rather than limiting in nature. Variations and modifications to the disclosed embodiment may become apparent to those skilled in the art and fall within the scope of the invention.