GB2084310A

GB2084310A - A Solid Fuel Effect Gas Fire

Info

Publication number: GB2084310A
Application number: GB8127819A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1980-09-19
Filing date: 1981-09-15
Publication date: 1982-04-07
Also published as: GB2084310B

Abstract

In a solid fuel effect gas fire, a flame tracker 11 is provided to track the flame from a pilot burner 9 to another region of the surface of a bed of refractory particulate material 3 to bring about rapid ignition of gas supplied to the bed. The tracker may take the form of a body providing a passage extending over the surface of the bed from the pilot burner to the other region where ignition is to take place. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A Solid Fuel Effect Gas Fire This invention relates to'solid fuel effect gas fires, that is gas fireswhich include a plurality of refractory bodies. shaped and coloured to simulate solid fuel and arranged in a heap on a bed of refractory particulate material and with means for introducing gas into the bed.

When it is desired to ignite the gas of such a solid fuel effect gas fire, it is usual to switch on the main gas supply so that gas is introduced into the bed and then a flame is applied to the surface of the bed so that gas, percolating through the bed to the surface and then mixing with the surrounding air, is ignited. There can however be a delay between switching on the gas supply and the gas igniting over the entire surface of the bed.

This delay can cause a build up in gas and ignition takes place with a muffled explosion.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a solid fuel effect gas fire in which means are provided for speeding up the ignition of gas over at least part of the surface of the particulate refractory material.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, a solid fuel effect gas fire comprises a bed of refractory particulate material, means for intrpducing gas into the bed, a pilot gas burner, a flame tracker arranged to track a flame adjacent the surface of the bed from the pilot gas burner to at least one other region away from the pilot burner and a plurality of refractory bodies shaped and coloured to simulate solid fuel arranged in a heap on the bed of refractory material.

In use, when gas is introduced into the bed, the pilot gas burner is conveniently already ignited and the flame tracker readily tracks the flame from the pilot burner adjacent to the surface of the bed to at least one region where the gas is ignited. Preferably this region is at the upper end of at least one aeration tube provided in the bed whereby air is supplied to the gas in a particular region of the fire, such that the gas/air mixture burns with a non-luminous flame. In addition, the tracker tracks the flame to a region where the gas is ignited and from this region the flames travel quickly over the surface of the bed.

In one embodirhent of the invention, the flame tracker is a body providing a passage from the vicinity of the-pilot gas burner to said other region.

The body may be in the form of a tube or a channel or angled strip arranged on the surface of the bed to define the passage.

In an alternative arrangement, the body has a first tubular portion which provides the passage and a second tubular portion extending through the bed and having one end connected to the passage and the other end positioned below the bed to receive an air supply and with at least one opening in the wall of the portion of the bed-to permit gas to enter into said further tubular portion to mix with the air therein.

According to a second aspect of the invention, a solid fuel effect gas fire comprises an open topped tray containing a mass of refractory particulate material, means for introducing gas into the mass of particulate material, a pilot gas burner positioned at one side of the tray, at least -one aeration tube projecting through the tray with one end open to the underside of the tray and the other end above the surface of the mass of particular materiai, a flame tracker arranged to track a flame adjacent the surface of the particulate material from the pilot gas burner to a region in the vicinity of said other end of the aeration tube and a plurality of refractory bodies shaped and coloured to simulate solid fuel arranged in a heap on the mass of refractory particulate material and overlying said other end of the aeration tube.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood it will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of a solid fuel effect gas fire in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, Figure 2 is a diagrammatic sectional elevation of a solid fuel effect gas fire in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the invention, and Figure 3 is a perspective view of the flame tracker shown in Figure 2.

An open topped tray 1 contains a mass of particulate refractory material 3. On this mass there is supported a heap of a plurality of bodies 5, each shaped and coloured to represent solid fuel, such as coal or logs. Means (not shown) are employed to introduce gas into the bed of refractory material and the gas percolates to the surface of the bed and is ignited. The flames lick around the bodies 5 and give a realistic effect of a solid fuel fire. The effect can be increased considerably if one or more air ducts 7 is provided. These ducts 7 supply air into some of the spacers between the bodies 5 so that the gas in some of the spaces burns with a non-luminous flame as opposed to luminous flame produced where there is an insufficient air supply. Such a gas fire is described and claimed in my British Patent No. 1 541423.

Positioned on one side of the tray, there is a pilot burner 9, which is supplied with a gas/air mixture and the mixture is ignited conveniently by a piezo-electric device. A safety device is incorporated which prevents the main gas supply from being switched on until the pilot gas burner is ignited. A flame tracker 11 comprises a tubular portion 13, extending substantially parallel to the surface of the bed, and a tubular portion 1 5, extending through the bed to the underside of the tray 1, In the portion-15, there is at least one opening 17, extending through the wall into the bed 3 so that, in use, a small quantity of the gas enters into the tube 1 5 through the hole 17 to mix with the air flowing through the tube from the underside of the tray.Conveniently, this hole 1 7 is positioned low down against the base of the tray to gain minimal time delay, since low down there is maximum gas pressure due to minimal pressure loss in the gas passing through the bed of particulate material to hole 17. The tube 1 3 has a portion 1 3A which extends into the vicinity of the pilot burner 9 and at least one other portion 1 3B extending to a region away from the pilot burner.

In the arrangement shown there are two portions 1 3B extending in directions away from the pilot burner 9. There is a flame path 19, conveniently in the form of a saw cut, extending along the portions 1 3A and 1 3B.

The gas/air mixture flowing up the tube 1 5 is divided into the various portions of the tube 13 and that portion passing along the tube 1 3A emerges from the tube in the vicinity of the flame from the pilot burner 9. This flame ignites the gas/air mixture from the tube 1 3A. The flame passes along the flame path to ignite the gas/air mixture from the portions 1 3B and this encourages the flame to advance over the surface of the bed in the direction away from the pilot gas burner 9.

Referring now to Figure 2, a metal tray 1 supports a mass of particulate refractory material and bodies 5 simulating solid fuel are arranged in a heap on the mass of particulate refractory material. An aeration tube 7 extends from the underside of the tray 1 into a space above the surface of the refractory material and located between a number of the bodies of refractory material 5. A pilot burner 9 is positioned at one side of the tray and, arranged on the surface of the particulate material 3 leading from the vicinity of pilot burner 9 to the vicinity of the aeration tube 7, there is positioned a flame tracker 21. This flame tracker serves to track the flame rapidly from the pilot burner to the region at the upper end of the aeration tube 7 so that the air/gas mixture in this region is rapidly ignited. In the arrangement shown in Figures 2 and 3, the flame tracker consists of an angled sheet 23, in the form of a "tent", arranged on the surface of the refractory material and providing a passage from the vicinity of the pilot burner to the vicinity of the upper end of the tube 7. Figure 3 shows a perspective view of the flame tracker. The flame tracker may take the form of a tube, a channel or an angled strip and it may be formed of sheet metal, expanded metal, wire mesh (welded or woven), extruded metal, ceramic or refractory material.

Cleariy, if there is more than one aeration tube 7, then separate flame trackers could be positioned between the pilot burner 9 and each of the aeration tubes.

Claims

1. A solid fuel effect gas fire comprising a bed of refractory particulate material, means for introducing gas into the bed, a pilot gas burner, a flame tracker arranged to track a flame adjacent the surface of the bed from the pilot gas burner to at least one other region away from the pilot burner and a plurality of refractory bodies shaped and coloured to simulate solid fuel arranged in a heap on the bed of refractory material.

2. A solid fuel effect gas fire as claimed in claim 1, wherein said one other region is adjacent the outlet of an aeration tube provided to supply air to said other region.

3. A solid fuel effect gas fire as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said flame tracker is a body providing a passage from the vicinity of the pilot gas burner to said other region.

4. A solid fuel effect gas fire as claimed in claim 3, wherein the body is in the form of a tube.

5. A solid fuel effect gas fire as claimed in claim 3, wherein the body is a channel or angled strip arranged on the surface of the bed to define said passage.

6. A solid fuel effect gas fire as claimed in claim 5, wherein the channel or angled strip is perforated.

7. A solid fuel effect gas fire as claimed in claim 3, in which the body has a first tubular portion, which provides said passage, and a second tubular portion, extending through the bed and having one end connected to said passage to receive an- air supply, and at least one opening in the wall of the portion in the bed to permit gas to enter into said further tubular portion to mix with the air therein.

8. A solid fuel effect gas fire as claimed in claim 7 in which the first tubular part of the body has a plurality of limbs and provides said passageway from the vicinity of the pilot gas burner to a plurality of other regions.

9. A solid fuel effect gas fire comprising an open topped tray containing a mass of refractory particulate material, means for introducing gas into the mass of particulate material, a pilot gas burner positioned at one side of the tray, at least one aeration tube projecting through the tray with one end open to the underside of the tray and the other end above the surface of the mass of particulate material, a flame tracker arranged to track a flame adjacent the surface of the particulate material from the pilot gas burner to a region in the vicinity of said other end of the aeration tube and a plurality of refractory bodies shaped and coloured to simulate solid fuel arranged in a heap on the mass of refractory particulate material and overlying said other end of the aeration tube.

10. A solid fuel effect gas fire substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.