COMPOUNDS

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to the field of heating devices. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a portable apparatus for providing heat radiated from catalytic combustion, usable for drying, curing, polymerization and cross-linking of coatings and compounds.

BACKGROUND

[0002] Apparatuses provide surface emission of infrared radiation, with catalytic combustion of a mixture of a combustible gas, for example a gaseous hydrocarbon such as propane, natural gas or butane, with an oxidizer gas such as air. Catalysts used in such apparatuses typically include noble metals, for example platinum, palladium or rhodium group metals, or compounds containing the same. Substrates upon which the catalysts are supported are typically made from refractory fibers.

[0003] Generally, a drawback of such known combustion apparatuses is that they are not portable, being rigidly attached to the walls or ceiling of a stationary oven. Under such conditions, pieces to be dried, cured, polymerized or cross-linked must either be placed within range of the apparatus before treatment starts, as in a batch oven, or must be continuously brought into the range of the apparatus as in a tunnel oven. Furthermore, catalytic combustion apparatus currently available contain complex control panels, which add substantially to the cost of drying, curing, polymerization and cross linking. SUMMARY

[0004] Therefore, there is a need for a portable catalytic heating apparatus usable for drying, curing polymerization, cross-linking of coatings and compounds, and like applications.

[0005] In an aspect, a handportable catalytic heating apparatus for drying of organic coatings and compounds comprises a detachable fuel canister, a catalytic combustion chamber, an adaptor providing a flow of fuel from the fuel canister to the catalytic combustion chamber, a regulating valve for controlling the flow of fuel provided to the catalytic combustion chamber, an injector for mixing the flow of fuel with air and for providing a fuel-air mixture to the catalytic combustion chamber, and one or more moveable handles for carrying and positioning. A weight of the portable catalytic heating apparatus enables carrying by a single person.

[0006] In another aspect, a portable catalytic heating apparatus comprises a catalytic combustion chamber, an adaptor for providing a flow of fuel from a fuel supply to the catalytic combustion chamber, a regulating valve for controlling the flow of fuel provided to the catalytic combustion chamber, and an injector for mixing the flow of fuel with air and for providing a fuel-air mixture to the catalytic combustion chamber.

[0007] In a further aspect, the portable catalytic heating apparatus comprises a fuel canister for supplying the fuel.

[0008] In yet another aspect, the portable catalytic heating apparatus comprises one or more handles for carrying and positioning.

[0009] In a still further aspect, the portable catalytic heating apparatus is for use for any one of drying, curing, polymerization or cross-linking of coatings and compounds.

[0010] The foregoing and other features will become more apparent upon reading of the following non-restrictive description of illustrative embodiments thereof, given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] Embodiments will be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0012] Figure 1 is a side elevation view of an exemplary embodiment of a heating apparatus.

[0013] Figure 2 is a side perspective view of the heating apparatus of

Figure 1.

[0014] Figure 3 is a bottom perspective view of the heating apparatus of

Figure 1.

[0015] Figure 4 is an exploded view of the heating apparatus of Figure

1.

[0016] Figure 5 is a side elevation view of an ignition base for use with the heating apparatus of Figure .

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0017] Referring now to Figure 1 , a side elevation view of an exemplary embodiment of a heating apparatus is shown. A heating apparatus 10 comprises a combustion chamber 1 having catalytic heating properties and having a coupling rim 12, a pan 2 providing a housing for supporting the combustion chamber 1. The heating apparatus 10 also comprises an adaptor 5, and may further comprise a detachable fuel canister 6 as an integral fuel supply. Alternatively, the adaptor 5 may be connected to an external fuel supply (not shown). Various types of fuel, such as for example propane, natural gas or butane, may be supplied under pressure from the fuel canister 6 or from the external fuel supply to the combustion chamber 1. The combustion chamber 1 comprises a catalyst-containing substrate (not shown) where the fuel reacts with oxygen. Although a cylindrical fuel canister 6 is shown on Figure 1 , the present apparatus is not limited to be used with only such canisters, and could alternately be used with various canister shapes or with a fuel line connected to the external fuel supply. In an embodiment, the fuel canister 6 may comply with the Class 1 Division 1 specification.

[0018] Catalysts present within the combustion chamber 1 may include noble metals such as for example platinum, palladium or rhodium group metals or compounds thereof. The substrate (not shown) upon which the catalyst is supported may be made from refractory fibers. The heating apparatus 10 may function with any combination of catalysts and refractory fibers adapted for generating flameless infrared radiation as known in the art.

[0019] The heating apparatus 0 may be adapted for installation on a tripod or like support for use in a fixed position. Components of the heating apparatus 10 may be made of lightweight materials such as for example aluminum, rendering the heating apparatus 10 small, light and portable. In an embodiment, the heating apparatus 10 is sufficiently light to be handportable and may conveniently be held and operated by a single person. As shown on Figure 1 , the heating apparatus 10 may comprise one or more moveable handles 7 for convenient carrying and positioning. The one or more handles 7 may be made at least in part of insulating material, or may be covered with insulating material, for protecting a user from heat generated by the apparatus 10. Alternatively or in addition, the heating apparatus 10 may further comprise one or more straps (not shown) for easy carrying and positioning. The apparatus is small and lightweight enough to be handled, used and operated by a single person, and may be completely autonomous. In an exemplary embodiment, the surface of the catalytic combustion chamber is of round shape, has a diameter of 18 inches (457 mm) and provides a heating power of 5120 BTU/hr (1.5 kW).

[0020] Figure 2 is a side perspective view of the heating apparatus of Figure 1 , showing a more detailed view of a coupling rim 12 between a front of the combustion chamber 1 and its support pan 2, and showing the location of a regulating valve 4 located between the fuel canister 6 (or external fuel supply) and combustion chamber 1. An emitting surface 13 of the combustion chamber 1 is also shown. The emitting surface 13 may be made from a combination of a catalyst and refractory fibers. Alternatively, a catalytic substrate may lie within the combustion chamber 1 , behind the emitting surface 13 which may be made of high temperature glass or transparent ceramic material, adapted to withstand heat generating within the combustion chamber 1. As shown, the combustion chamber 1 , the support pan 2, the coupling rim 12, the emitting surface 13, the adaptor 5 and the fuel canister 6 are circular, cylindrical or conical in shape. These shapes are presented for illustration purposes and are non-limiting. The various components of the heating apparatus 10 may bear other shapes. For example, the combustion chamber 1 may take any one of a square, rectangular, oval, hexagonal, octagonal, or triangular shape.

[0021] Figure 3 is a bottom perspective view of the heating apparatus of Figure 1 , showing a more detailed view of the emitting surface 13.

[0022] Figure 4 is an exploded view of the heating apparatus of Figure 1. In this exemplary embodiment, the fuel canister 6 may be threadedly engaged in the adaptor 5 and the regulating valve 4. The regulating valve 4 comprises a rotary-actuator-controlled, spring-loaded regulator which reduces fuel pressure, for example, to 60 inches of water column (15 kPa). After discharge from the regulating valve, the fuel enters an injector 3, creating a negative pressure gradient relative to the atmosphere. Air enters the injector 3 from one or several holes drilled on its side, and is mixed with the fuel to obtain a mixture of substantially uniform concentration. The fuel-air mixture then proceeds to the combustion chamber , where it is combusted on the catalytic substrate of the combustion chamber 1 , either the emitting surface 13 or an internal substrate (not shown). In an embodiment, secondary air flowing around the exposed emitting surface 13 of the combustion chamber 1 may also be part of the combustion.

[0023] The adjustable handle 7 allows a user to position the apparatus and direct the radiation towards the material to be dried, cured, polymerized or cross-linked. In addition, adjustable straps (not shown), fastened around axes of rotation of the handles, may go around the user's back to improve portability. The apparatus may be handportable; lightweight enough to be manually handled, used and operated by a single person, and may thus be completely autonomous.

[0024] Figure 5 is a side elevation view of an ignition base for use with the heating apparatus of Figure 1. For igniting, the heating apparatus 10 may be set to rest on notches 11 of an ignition base 8. The ignition base 8 comprises a slideable and rotatable flame cover 9. When the flame cover 9 is vertically engaged on the combustion chamber 1 , a piezoelectric mechanism (not shown) of the ignition base 8 automatically ignites the heating apparatus. The ignition base 8 may be located outside of a location of use of the heating apparatus 10 and thus may not need to be certified for operation in hazardous locations, for example a Class 1 , Division 1 location.

[0025] In operation, the catalytic substrate generates a flameless combustion with surface emission of infrared radiation in a controlled wavelength range between approximately 2 pm and 10 pm, where radiation is most easily absorbed by compounds, such as organic coatings and organic compounds, for multiple purposes such as drying, curing, polymerization and cross-linking. The term "surface emission" in the present description should be interpreted to mean a surface emitting, at multiple points, infrared radiation, with a calorific emission power distributed substantially homogeneously and uniformly over the emitting surface.

[0026] Although the present apparatus has been described hereinabove by way of non-restrictive illustrative embodiments thereof, these embodiments can be modified at will within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and nature of the present disclosure.