| 1. | A heatgenerating unit using a solid fuel, such as wood chips and comprising a combustion chamber, which can be supplied with fuel and air, characterised in that the fuel can be directed through a feed nozzle (1) both to the combustion chamber (7) and to the fuel part (5) of a gasification unit and a gas generator (6) included in the heatgenerating unit, where the fuel is gasified into carbon monoxide, being thus further usable e.g. in the generation of electricity (8). |
| 2. | A heatgenerating unit as defined in claim 1, characterised in comprising a distribution orifice (2), whose inner wall acts as a feed nozzle (1) and outer wall forms a downwardly tapered wall (14) of the fuel part of the gasification unit. |
| 3. | A heatgenerating unit as defined in claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the distribution orifice (2) is located concentrically with the feed nozzle (1) and the inwardly tapered cone (14) of the fuel part. |
| 4. | A heatgenerating unit as defined in any of the preceding claims, characterised in comprising a feed nozzle (4) shaped as a cylinder or cone. |
| 5. | A heatgenerating unit as defined in any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the feed nozzle (4) is placed concentrically with the nozzle (1). |
| 6. | A heatgenerating unit as defined in any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the fuel container (5) of the gasification unit is placed underneath the distribution orifice (2). |
| 7. | A heatgenerating unit as defined in any of the preceding claims, characterised in that one or more gas generators (6) can be disposed in the fuel container (5) of the gasification unit. |
| 8. | A heatgenerating unit as defined in any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the gas generator (6) is connected to a gas space (13) from where the gas can be directed to an internalcombustion engine, which, in turn, is connected to an electric generator. |
This invention relates to a heat-generating unit using a solid fuel, such as wood chips, and comprising a combustion chamber, which can be supplied with fuel and air.
The invention also relates to heat generation for various purposes and to carbon monoxide production mainly as a fuel for generation of electricity, however, with potential other purposes of exploiting carbon monoxide. Prior art solutions have separated combustion-technical operations and carbon monoxide (CO) production into different units. All prior art units have determined efficiency rates that cannot be increased, neither theoretically nor in the practice. The purpose of the invention is to provide a heat-generating unit of a new type, which combines solutions known per se and thus provides a heat-generating unit having markedly higher efficiency than that of heat-generating units known per se.
The heat-generating unit of the invention is characterised by the fact that fuel can be led through a feed nozzle both to the combustion chamber of the heat-generating unit and to a gasification unit and a gas generator, where the fuel is gasified and converted into carbon monoxide, being then usable e.g. in the generation of electricity. The two operations, combustion for generating heat and production of carbon monoxide (CO), both take place in the same unit. The fuel is fed through a nozzle, with the fuel flowing from the top of the nozzle into a gasification fuel container. When the container is full, the fuel is directed to rise through an orifice and terminates on a grate located at the bottom of the combustion chamber, where the fuel is ignited and burns. The radiation heat generated by combustion on the grate evaporates and dries the fuel to be gasified. The steam thus produced is oriented to rise into the combustion chamber of the device. The carbon monoxide obtained in gasification is almost dry.
Heat and gas are produced in the same unit. Such a basic unit provides excellent conditions for a distributed energy system.
Different embodiments of the invention are set forth in the dependent claims of the set of claims.
The invention is explained below by means of an example and with reference to the accompanying drawing 1, which shows the heat-generating unit of the invention in cross-section.
The fuel is taken by means of known techniques through the feed nozzle 1 to the distribution orifice 2 of the fuel container in the gasification part. When the gasification fuel container 5 is full, the fuel rises through the nozzle 4 onto the grate 3 for combustion. The fuel is gasified into carbon monoxide (CO) in the gas generator 6. The feed nozzle 1 is located at the centre of the fuel distribution orifice 2.
The fuel, which is preferably wood chips, is transferred by means of a screw conveyor 11 from the container 10 to the feed nozzle 1. The fuel container 5 of the gasification part of the device is located underneath the fuel distribution orifice 2. The fuel part 14 of the gasification unit has the shape of an upwardly tapered cone and is located concentrically with the fuel distribution orifice, while forming the outer wall of the distribution orifice 2.
The heat-generating unit may act as a heating boiler having a heat exchanger 9 at its top. Air is introduced at the arrows 15 of the heat-generating unit. Carbon monoxide (CO) is discharged at the arrow 16.