U.S. patent application number 10/363882 was filed with the patent office on 2004-01-22 for brown gas combustion apparatus and heating system using the same.
Invention is credited to Kim, Sang-Nam.
Application Number | 20040013988 10/363882 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 26638128 |
Filed Date | 2004-01-22 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040013988 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kim, Sang-Nam |
January 22, 2004 |
Brown gas combustion apparatus and heating system using the
same
Abstract
A brown gas combustion apparatus and heating system using the
same is provided in which a brown gas generated from a brown gas
generator flows into a water-tight flame arrester filled with
hexane(C.sub.6H.sub.14) of hydrocarbon systems so as to mix the
brown gas with a small amount of hexane gas, to thereby delay the
combustion speed and fundamentally prevent flash-back or back-fire.
The brown gas combustion apparatus includes a heating unit which is
directly heated by a burner and radiates heat. The heating system
includes the combustion apparatus installed upright therein, and is
configured in that the high temperature water molecules scattered
from the combustion apparatus absorb the infrared ray radiated from
an infrared ray radiation member within the combustion chamber, and
oscillate in an ultra high temperature by self-heating.
Thus-obtained high temperature heat is employed for heat exchange
in a water pipe arranged in a boiler, and the hot water stored in a
thermal storage tank is fed for heating or hot water supply. With
such a combustion apparatus employed as a heat source for brown gas
boilers, heaters, furnaces and hot blast heater, pollution-free
clean energy can be obtained while preventing environmental
contamination.
Inventors: |
Kim, Sang-Nam; (Seoul,
KR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Pendorf & Cutliff
Post Office Box 20445
Tampa
FL
33622-0445
US
|
Family ID: |
26638128 |
Appl. No.: |
10/363882 |
Filed: |
March 10, 2003 |
PCT Filed: |
February 21, 2001 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/KR01/00260 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
431/2 ;
122/14.31; 431/346; 431/350 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F23K 5/007 20130101;
F24H 1/43 20130101; F23C 2900/9901 20130101; F23D 14/125
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
431/2 ; 431/350;
431/346; 122/14.31 |
International
Class: |
F23B 001/00; F23D
014/82; F23D 014/46; F22B 005/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Sep 28, 2000 |
KR |
2000/57094 |
Dec 12, 2000 |
KR |
2000/34813 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A brown gas combustion apparatus using brown gas as a fuel,
comprising: a water-tight flame arrester which is communicated to a
brown gas generator through a gas immersion tube provided with an
open/shut-off valve and allows a small amount of
hexane(C.sub.6H.sub.14) at a vapor state to be mixed with a brown
gas produced from said brown gas generator; a burner communicated
to said water-tight flame arrester through a gas supply tube
provided with an open/shut-off valve and which burns the brown gas
passed through said water-tight flame arrester; and a heating unit
to be heated by a flame of said burner.
2. A brown gas combustion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
said heating unit comprises: a hollow cylindrical second heating
element having at an outer periphery thereof a plurality of
radiating holes and which is mounted onto a base board; a
fiber-reinforce metal(FRM) surrounding an outer periphery of said
second heating element; a first heating element installed within
said second heating element in such a manner that said first
heating element is spaced apart from a bottom surface of said
second heating element through a reciprocal cone-shaped heating
portion arranged at a lower end of said first heating element; and
a cap arranged at a top of said first and second heating
elements.
3. A brown gas combustion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
said heating unit comprises: a hollow and cylindrical second
heating element having at an outer periphery thereof a plurality of
upper holes and a lower hole and which is mounted onto said base
board; and a first heating element having a rectangular insertion
portion and a circular protrusion protruded outwardly from an upper
outer periphery of said insertion portion, said rectangular
insertion portion and said circular protrusion being formed
integrally, said first heating element having a plurality of side
flame guide grooves formed from said insertion portion toward a
lateral surface of a lower portion of said circular protrusion and
a central flame guide hole perforated in vertical direction, said
circular protrusion being mounted onto said second heating element
with a predetermined spacing from a bottom surface of said second
heating element.
4. A heating system using brown gas as a fuel, comprising: a
water-tight flame arrester which is communicated to a brown gas
generator through a gas immersion tube provided with an
open/shut-off valve and allows a small amount of
hexane(C.sub.6H.sub.14) at a vapor state to be mixed with a brown
gas produced from said brown gas generator; a burner communicated
to said water-tight flame arrester through a gas supply tube
provided with an open/shut-off valve and which burns the brown gas
passed through said water-tight flame arrester; a heating unit to
be heated by a flame of said burner; a circulating combustion
chamber formed of a far infrared radiation member surrounding said
heating unit with a predetermined space interposed therebetween; a
water tube spirally surrounding an outer periphery of said
circulating combustion chamber; a thermal storage tank surrounding
an outer periphery of said water tube with an air flow passage
interposed therebetween, and which has an upper portion
communicated to an exhaust pipe; and an adiabatic member
surrounding said thermal storage tank.
5. A heating system according to claim 4, wherein said circulating
combustion chamber has at a top portion thereof a peephole pipe
communicated thereto for observing an interior of said circulating
combustion chamber and preventing dewing in an early stage of
operation of said heating system by opening a cap.
6. A heating system according to one of claim 4 or claim 5, wherein
said heating unit comprises: a hollow cylindrical second heating
element having at an outer periphery thereof a plurality of
radiating holes and which is mounted onto a base board; a
fiber-reinforce metal(FRM) surrounding an outer periphery of said
second heating element; a first heating element installed within
said second heating element in such a manner that said first
heating element is spaced apart from a bottom surface of said
second heating element through a reciprocal cone-shaped heating
portion arranged at a lower end of said first heating element; and
a cap arranged at a top of said first and second heating
elements.
7. A heating system according to one of claim 4 or claim 5, wherein
said heating unit comprises: a hollow and cylindrical second
heating element having at an outer periphery thereof a plurality of
upper holes and a lower hole and which is mounted onto said base
board; and a first heating element having a rectangular insertion
portion and a circular protrusion protruded outwardly from an upper
outer periphery of said insertion portion, said rectangular
insertion portion and said circular protrusion being formed
integrally, said first heating element having a plurality of side
flame guide grooves formed from said insertion portion toward a
lateral surface of a lower portion of said circular protrusion and
a central flame guide hole perforated in vertical direction, said
circular protrusion being mounted onto said second heating element
with a predetermined spacing from a bottom surface of said first
heating element.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a combustion apparatus
utilizing characteristics of brown gas and a heating system using
such a combustion apparatus, and more particularly, to a combustion
apparatus and a heating system in which brown gas is used as a
clean fuel instead of a conventional fossil fuel.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] Brown gas, as referred throughout the specification, is a
mixture gas in which hydrogen and oxygen produced by a water
electrolysis as expressed in the following chemical formula 1, are
mixed at a mixture ratio of 2:1, like H.sub.2 and O. Since brown
gas with chemical equivalent ratio of 2:1 of hydrogen and oxygen,
satisfies the perfect combustion condition, as expressed in the
following chemical formula 2, the necessity of an additional air
supply device and a chimney or flue adopted in a conventional
combustion system is eliminated. 1
[0005] A typical combustion chamber for burning fossil fuel
requires a large volume of air for combustion, and the exhaust gas
(CO.sub.2) produced from the combustion as expressed in the
following chemical formulas 3, 4 and 5 has to be discharged through
a chimney. In general, approximately 60% or more of the total
energy supply is lost without being utilized during the combustion
process. 2
[0006] There has been no remarkable progress for water electrolysis
since Faraday's theory on water electrolysis published in 1833.
That is to say, no one has made success in developing the gas
obtained from the water electrolysis into a commercially available
fuel for use in a boiler, heater or heating furnace.
[0007] The major reason for this situation is that, while it has
been well known in the art that electrolysis is an attractive
process for the production of hydrogen gas from water, the
implosion characteristic or thermonuclear reaction characteristic
which is unique to brown gas has been ignored.
[0008] In addition, development on electrolytic cells, the core of
electrolysis technology, is not so satisfactory since it has a
problem in that water leaks from a torch tip when an electrolytic
cell is continuously operated. Thus, it is not desirable to use a
gas obtained from water electrolysis as fuel.
[0009] Brown gas has advantages in that a high energy efficiency
can be obtained since brown gas used as a fuel for heating system
eliminates the necessity of an air ventilation. Furthermore,
comfort environment with proper humidity can be achieved since
brown gas is reduced to a vapor state after combustion.
[0010] However, conventional art has failed in searching a suitable
method for burning brown gas which has been considered as having
extremely low heat efficiency, thus preventing brown gas from being
utilized as a fuel.
[0011] The reason for this situation is that brown gas bears a high
likelihood of bringing about flash-back or back-fire phenomenon
since it has significantly high combustion speed. Such a phenomenon
can be prevented by a water-tight flame arrester, however, since
the flame of a burner goes out for every occurrences of flash-back
or back-fire, there has been a need for fundamental resolution for
such phenomenon.
[0012] In addition, it is difficult to obtain a sufficient amount
of heat when the hydrogen gas obtained from water through
electrolysis is burnt with air in a conventional method and
system.
[0013] Brown gas has a combustion characteristic which can be
explained as follows.
[0014] (1) completely pollution-free characteristic: brown gas does
not cause any pollutant material since it is produced from water
and reduced to a vapor state after combustion.
[0015] (2) complete combustion characteristic: brown gas itself
contains the proper amount of oxygen required for a complete
combustion since it is a mixture gas of hydrogen and oxygen with a
mixture ratio of 2:1.
[0016] (3) implosion characteristic: this is a combustion
characteristic of brown gas, and will be explained with reference
to FIG. 1, as follows. A brown gas generator(BGG) may produce
approximately 1,8609 of brown gas from 19 of water, as expressed in
the following chemical formula 6. On the contrary, as indicated by
the curved line "a" in FIG. 1, when 1,8609 of brown gas is burnt by
a spark in a sealed pressure container, a pressure drop occurs as
soon as it reaches the explosion duration time(.DELTA.T), i.e.,
maximum pressure 0.5 MPa during 44 micro seconds(.mu.s) (wherein,
MPa is a pressure unit), and a low pressure implosion occurs at the
moment of the above-described pressure drop, thus forming vacuum
state with volume reduction to 1/1,860. In other words, 1 l of
water is produced and the remaining volume becomes vacuum state, as
shown in the following chemical formula 7. This can be referred to
as an "implosion" expressed in chemical formula 9, which is totally
different from an "explosion", expressed in chemical formula 8 and
shown in the curved line "b" of FIG. 1 which indicates a pressure
change caused by an explosion of common gas in a pressure
container, as shown in FIG. 1. 3
[0017] The flame retained during the combustion of brown gas
indicates the continuing process of implosion. Accordingly, the
flame retained during such process generally forms a pin-point
flame in which the length of flame reaches approximately 400
mm.
[0018] (4) thermonuclear reaction
[0019] Brown gas is a mixture gas where the water is dissociated
into hydrogen and oxygen of atomic state, rather than molecular
state, and the hydrogen and oxygen are mixed at a mixture ratio of
2:1.
[0020] The flame heat retained during the combustion of brown gas
has unique characteristics in that a reaction occurs between
hydrogen and oxygen at either atomic state or molecular state. The
hydrogen and oxygen at atomic state penetrate into atomic nucleus
of the material to be heated. As a consequence, the material which
is heated through a thermonuclear reaction by hydrogen and oxygen,
can be applied with a flame heat of further higher temperature than
that retained during the single combustion of hydrogen gas. For
example, brown gas smoothly melts aluminum at a temperature of
700.degree. C., and even in case of tungsten, brown gas vaporizes
the objective material with a heat having a temperature of
6,000.degree. C. Since brown gas has different thermonuclear
reaction characteristics for each of the materials to be heated, it
can even melt and weld blocks and iron.
[0021] FIG. 2 illustrates infrared absorption rate of water, in
which the rate peaks at 3 .mu.m of mid-infrared radiation bandpass,
and is relatively high at 6 .mu.m to 11 .mu.m of far-infrared
radiation bandpass.
[0022] That is to say, water molecules nearly perfectly absorb
infrared rays when water molecules collide against infrared rays of
bandpass of 3 .mu.m. Here, water molecules are excited so as to
thereby promote collision of molecules and radiate a large volume
of energy as heat.
[0023] As shown in FIG. 3, the combustion apparatus that utilizes
circulating combustion of brown gas, is constructed to produce a
large volume of energy by repeating a cycle in that high
temperature water molecules are amplified to an ultra high
temperature water molecules, ionized into H and O, and recombined,
in cooperation with a self-heating phenomenon occurring when the
high temperature water molecules continuously generated from a
combustion process of hydrogen and oxygen of atomic state in a
semi-closed combustion chamber(2) to which combustion
characteristics unique to brown gas is applied, absorb infrared
rays.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0024] Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to
provide a brown gas combustion apparatus in which brown gas is
burnt in a semi-sealed combustion chamber adopting the
characteristics of brown gas, to thereby reduce energy costs
without causing occurrence of environmental pollution.
[0025] It is another object of the present invention to provide an
improved heating system which prevents environmental deterioration
and waste of resource utilizing the brown gas combustion
apparatus.
[0026] To accomplish the above objects of the present invention,
the brown gas combustion apparatus is characterized in that a
semi-sealed circulating combustion chamber without an air inlet
port and a chimney, is arranged such that the interior of the
circulating combustion chamber is formed of a material radiating
large amount of infrared rays, and a heating unit which is directly
heated by the flame of the combustion of brown gas is installed
upright. The heating unit glows with a red heat, and can be heated
up to 1,200 .degree. C. or higher in its entirety due to the
combustion characteristics of brown gas. The vapor produced from
the combustion of brown gas becomes high temperature water
molecules, passing through the interior of the red-heated heating
unit.
[0027] The process is repeated in which the red-heated heating unit
radiates infrared rays, and high temperature water molecules raise
its temperature to have an ultra high level by absorbing infrared
rays when passing through the heating unit, ionized into H and O,
and recombined, thus generating a large amount of heat radiating
into the circulating combustion chamber.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0028] Additional features and advantages of the present invention
will be made apparent from the following detailed description of a
preferred embodiment, which proceeds with reference to the
accompanying drawings, in which:
[0029] FIG. 1 is a graphical representation illustrating implosion
characteristics of brown gas combustion;
[0030] FIG. 2 is a graphical representation illustrating an
infrared ray absorption rate of water molecules;
[0031] FIG. 3 is a schematic view illustrating the combustion
characteristics of brown gas in a sealed combustion chamber;
[0032] FIG. 4 is a schematic view illustrating the configuration of
the combustion apparatus according to an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0033] FIG. 5a and FIG. 5b are exploded perspective view and
cross-sectional view illustrating the heating unit of a combustion
apparatus according to another embodiment of the present
invention;
[0034] FIG. 6a and FIG. 6b are exploded perspective view and
cross-sectional view illustrating the heating unit of a combustion
apparatus according to still another embodiment of the present
invention;
[0035] FIG. 6c is a cross-sectional view, taken along the line A-A
of FIG. 6b;
[0036] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a heating
system according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0037] FIG. 8 is a fragmental cross-sectional view illustrating a
peephole pipe of the heating system according to the embodiment of
the present invention; and
[0038] FIG. 9 is a perspective view illustrating a spiral water
pipe of the heating system according to the embodiment of the
present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0039] The present invention will be explained in more detail with
reference to the attached drawings. Throughout the specification,
identical elements bear reference numerals, and repeated
description thereof will be omitted.
[0040] Referring to FIG. 4, the brown gas combustion apparatus
according to an embodiment of the present invention which aims to
resolve the aforementioned problems, includes a water-tight flame
arrester 13 which is communicated to a brown gas generator 11
through a gas immersion tube 14 provided with an open/shut-off
valve 12 and allows a small amount of hexane(C.sub.6H.sub.14) at a
vapor state to be mixed with the brown gas produced from the brown
gas generator 11; a burner 18 communicated to the water-tight flame
arrester through a gas supply tube 15 provided with an
open/shut-off valve 16 and which burns the brown gas passed through
the water-tight flame arrester; and a heating unit 19 to be heated
by the flame of the burner.
[0041] The brown gas generated from the brown gas generator 11
flows into the water-tight flame arrester 13 through the gas
immersion tube 14 by the operation of the open/shut-off valve 12.
The brown gas then passes through a hexane liquid which is employed
as an anti-backfire liquid, and is supplied to and burnt in the
burner 18 by the operation of the open/shut-off valve 16 installed
at the gas supply tube 15, to thereby heat the brown gas heating
unit 19.
[0042] The brown gas generated from the brown gas generator 11
flows into the water-tight flame arrester 13 filled with
hexane(C.sub.6H.sub.14) of hydrocarbon systems so as to mix the
brown gas with a small amount of hexane gas, to thereby delay the
combustion speed. This fundamentally prevents flash-back or
back-fire.
[0043] The principle of the water-tight flame arrester is that the
retrogressing flame is prevented from passing the hexane liquid. In
a conventional system for burning the existing gas such as an LPG
or LNG, a large volume of instantaneous pressure generated from an
explosion applies an impact to an anti-backfire liquid to cause the
liquid to flow backward, making it impossible to adopt the
water-tight back-fire system. Differently from the above-described
conventional system, the combustion of brown gas causes an
instantaneous vacuum state due to an implosion characteristic,
exerting little influence on the flow of the brown gas and the
anti-backfire liquid.
[0044] In addition, the hexane burnt during the combustion of brown
gas serves to supplement heat, to thereby improve heat efficiency.
However, since the oxygen constituting brown gas can be consumed by
self-combustion, a portion of the brown gas burner may not burn due
to the lack of oxygen for burning the hexane mixed at a vapor
state. To resolve this problem, the present invention allows the
heating unit to be installed vertically upright, such that the air
can be smoothly introduced from the lower portion and flow toward
the upper portion of the heating unit, thus allowing the hexane to
be completely burnt.
[0045] As shown in FIGS. 5a and 5b, the heating unit 19 of the
brown gas combustion apparatus according to another embodiment of
the present invention, includes a hollow cylindrical second heating
element 22 having at an outer periphery thereof a plurality of
radiating holes 22a and which is mounted onto a base board 29; a
fiber-reinforce metal(FRM) 23 surrounding the outer periphery of
the second heating element 22; a first heating element 21 installed
within the second heating element in such a manner that the first
heating element is spaced apart from the bottom surface of the
second heating element through a reciprocal cone-shaped heating
portion 21a arranged at the lower end of the first heating element;
and a cap 24 arranged at the top of the first and second heating
elements 21 and 22.
[0046] The burner is installed at a burner hole 28a formed at the
central portion of the base board, and is provided with an ignition
device 28c.
[0047] The second heating element is firmly connected to the base
board 29 via a supporting member 29a.
[0048] Thus-configured combustion apparatus is characterized in
that the heating portion 21a arranged at the lower end of the first
heating element is directly heated by a flame 28b of brown gas
containing a small amount of hexane at a vapor state, and the upper
portion of the first heating element as well as the heating portion
21a glows with a red heat by the thermonuclear reaction
characteristic of brown gas, thus radiating a high temperature
heat.
[0049] Here, since the heat release is cut off by the cap 24
arranged on the top portions of the first and second heating
elements, the heat radiated from the first heating element 21
serves to heat the second heating element. At the same time, the
high temperature vapor produced from the combustion of brown gas
passes through the fiber-reinforced metal 23 that surrounds the
outer periphery of the second heating element 22, via the radiating
holes 22a formed at a regular spacing at the second heating
element, and scatters outwardly from the heating unit 19. With such
a process, the fiber-reinforced metal 23 consequently glows with a
red heat. As a result, the heating unit 19 of the brown combustion
apparatus of the present invention in its entirety glows with a red
heat, releasing a huge amount of heat.
[0050] This can be explained in more detail as follows. Since the
flame of the brown gas itself retains implosion and the heat is
focused into a single point smoothly forming a pin-point flame, the
flame does not diffuse causing little amount of lateral heat.
[0051] Thus, thermonuclear reaction is induced by allowing the
heating element to be directly heated by the flame of brown gas,
thereby producing a large volume of heat. As a material
constituting the heating unit, nickel-chrome alloy, aluminum-chrome
alloy or alumina ceramics which has a heat resistance against the
temperature of 1300.degree. C. or higher, is employed.
[0052] As shown in FIGS. 6a, 6b and 6c, the heating unit 19 of a
brown gas combustion apparatus according to still another
embodiment of the present invention, includes a hollow and
cylindrical second heating element 35 having at an outer periphery
thereof a plurality of upper holes 36a and 36b and a lower hole 36c
and which is mounted onto the base board 29; and a first heating
element 31 having a rectangular insertion portion 33 and a circular
protrusion 32 protruded outwardly from an upper outer periphery of
the insertion portion 33, the rectangular insertion portion 33 and
the circular protrusion 32 being formed integrally, the first
heating element 31 having a plurality of side flame guide grooves
34b formed from the insertion portion 33 toward the lateral surface
of the lower portion of the circular protrusion 33 and a central
flame guide hole 34a perforated in vertical direction, the circular
protrusion 32 being mounted onto the second heating element 35 with
a predetermined spacing from the bottom surface of the second
heating element 35.
[0053] When the brown gas supplied to the burner 18 is ignited by
the ignition device 28c, the flame 28a is formed as being
elongated. The flame 28a heating the first heating element 31
proceeds upwardly along the central flame guide hole 34a and the
lateral flame guide groove 34b. The first heating element 31 is
heated in such a manner that the lower end of the first heating
element 31 glows with a red heat first, and subsequently the second
heating element 35 glows with a red heat, thus allowing the heating
unit 19 to be heated in its entirety up to 1,200.degree. C. or
higher. Here, the vapor passing through the central flame guide
hole 34a and the lateral flame guide groove 34b turns into high
temperature water molecules which in turn absorb infrared rays and
is raised to have an ultra high temperature so as to be
scattered.
[0054] The upper holes 36a and 36b of the second heating element 35
eject flame while the lower hole 36c takes air.
[0055] As a material constituting the heating unit, the compressed
and molded high ceramics with alumina constituent contained therein
can be used.
[0056] Referring now to FIG. 7, a heating system according to an
embodiment of the present invention includes the brown gas
generator 11, the heating unit 19, a circulation combustion chamber
40, and a boiler body 50. The brown gas generated from the brown
gas generator 11 flows into the water-tight flame arrester 13 along
the gas supply tube 15 and is mixed with a hexane gas at a
predetermined mixture ratio. Then, the mixture gas is transported
to the gas burner 18. The gas supply tube 15 is provided with the
gas supply control valve 16 installed thereto so as to control the
amount of gas, and a solenoid valve 17 so as to automatically
supply or cut off gas. The heating system is automatically ignited
or turned off by the ignition device 28.
[0057] The heating system includes the water-tight flame arrester
13 which is communicated to the brown gas generator 11 through the
gas immersion tube 14 provided with the open/shut-off valve 12 and
allows a small amount of hexane(C.sub.6H.sub.14) at a vapor state
to be mixed with the brown gas produced from the brown gas
generator 11; the burner 18 communicated to the water-tight flame
arrester through the gas supply tube 15 provided with the
open/shut-off valve 16 and which burns the brown gas passed through
the water-tight flame arrester; the heating unit 19 to be heated by
the flame of the burner; the circulating combustion chamber 40
formed of a far infrared radiation member 41 surrounding the
heating unit 19 with a predetermined space interposed therebetween;
a water tube 51 spirally surrounding the outer periphery of the
circulating combustion chamber 40; a thermal storage tank 52
surrounding the outer periphery of the water tube 51 with an air
flow passage 42 interposed therebetween, and which has an upper
portion communicated to an exhaust pipe 46; and an adiabatic member
53 surrounding the thermal storage tank 52.
[0058] The heating unit 19 is constituted by the first heating
elements 21 and 31 and the second heating elements 22 and 35
discussed with reference to FIGS. 5a, 5b, 6a and 6b.
[0059] FIG. 8 is a detailed cross-sectional view illustrating a
peephole pipe 43 communicated to the upper portion of the
circulating combustion chamber 40 of the heating system of the
present invention. The peephole pipe 43 communicating the upper
portion of the circulating combustion chamber 40 and penetrating
through the far infrared radiation member 41 and the thermal
storage tank 52 is installed on the boiler body 50. The peephole
pipe 43 can be used as an exhaust pipe which prevents the interior
of the circulating combustion chamber 40 and the interior of the
air flow passage 42 from dewing in the early stage of operation of
the heating system. The cap 44 arranged at an end of the exhaust
pipe is made up of a heat resisting glass 45, thus allowing the
peephole pipe to function as an inspection device for monitoring
the interior of the circulating combustion chamber 40.
[0060] The boiler body 50 for producing hot water is mounted onto
the hollow base board 29, and is provided with the water tube 51
installed therein in such a manner as to have a large area of heat
transfer surface for absorbing heat. The water tube 51 is arranged
outside the far infrared radiation member 41, and the thermal
storage tank 52 surrounding the far infrared radiation member 41 is
heat-insulated by the adiabatic member 53 so as to thereby store
hot water.
[0061] In such a configuration, a space is naturally formed between
the thermal storage tank 52 and the far infrared radiation member
41. Thus-formed space serves as the air flow passage 42 which
supplies heat to the inner surface of the water tube 51 and the
thermal storage tank 52 by a smooth circulation of the high
temperature air current formed within the circulating combustion
chamber 40.
[0062] Since the far infrared radiation member 41 radiates far
infrared rays toward the inside, i.e., toward the circulating
combustion chamber 40, and also toward the outside, i.e., toward
the air flow passage 42, the water tube 51 exchanges heat by the
movement of the air current formed within the circulating
combustion chamber 40 and is heated by the far infrared rays, thus
achieving a double effectiveness of heating.
[0063] The air current formed within the circulating combustion
chamber 40 passes through the air flow passage 42 and flows
upwardly so as to thereby heat the water tube. Subsequently, the
air current with lowered temperature is gradually discharged
through the exhaust pipe 46.
[0064] FIG. 9 is a perspective view illustrating the water tube 51
of the heating system according to the present invention. The
heating system of the present invention has the highest temperature
at the top portion of the far infrared radiation member 41 or the
combustion chamber 40. Therefore, the water tube 51 of the heating
system of the present invention is arranged to form a coil shape,
and an ending portion 51a of the water tube 51 is formed in such a
manner as to sufficiently cover the cylindrical upper portion
thereof. This configuration attributes to a maximized heat exchange
efficiency.
[0065] Although a variety of materials may be used as a material
for forming the far infrared radiation member 41, it is preferable
to use a thin iron sheet spray-coated with plasma, considering the
volume of the far infrared radiation member and further the heating
system.
[0066] In addition, the brown gas boiler of the present invention
is provided with the thermal storage tank 52 in order to utilize
midnight electrical power service. It is also possibile to design
the boiler to have a sufficient amount of inner watering with an
automatic controller for controlling the temperature of hot water
to be maintained at the temperature of 40.degree. C. to 90.degree.
C. Such a configuration prevents the interior of the combustion
chamber and the interior of the air flow passage 42 from dewing
when the heating system is operated at the temperature of
40.degree. C. or higher.
[0067] The hot water stored within the thermal storage tank 52 is
supplied along a heating pipeline and a hot water pipeline,
respectively. A circulation pump is installed so as to allow the
hot water to be smoothly supplied along the pipeline, and the hot
water is supplied to a heating coil through a three-way valve so as
to perform an indoor area heating function. In addition, the
replenishment of the hot water is controlled by a controller in
accordance with the sensing result from a water lever sensor of a
feedwater tank installed onto the boiler body.
[0068] Such functions are the same as those of a common heating
system, and the detailed description thereof will be omitted. The
inlet and outlet portions of the water tube 51 is omitted too.
[0069] As described above, a brown gas combustion apparatus using
brown gas obtained by water electrolysis and a heating system using
brown gas combustion apparatus, searches to realize an ideal system
and method for utilizing water as a fuel.
[0070] The combustion apparatus of the present invention is one of
a key techniques which can be adopted to all appliances using brown
gas as a fuel. With such a combustion apparatus employed as a heat
source for brown gas boilers, heaters, furnaces and hot blast
heater, pollution-free clean energy can be obtained while
preventing environmental contamination.
[0071] While the heating system adopting the combustion apparatus
of the present invention has been illustrated and described as an
embodiment from among a variety of examples, it is to be understood
that the combustion apparatus could be adopted to refuse
incinerators so as to effectively treat the refuse without
departing from the scope of the present invention.
[0072] Having described a preferred embodiment of the invention
with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood
that the present invention is not limited to that precise
embodiment and that various changes and modifications could be
effected therein by one skilled in that art without departing from
the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended
claims.
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