Corona-discharge air mover and purifier for fireplace and hearth

Abstract

A fireplace for warming an environment is provided. The fireplace comprise a combustion chamber, a passage, and at least one corona discharge apparatus. The passage is adjacent to the combustion chamber and extends between an inlet and an outlet. The at least one corona discharge apparatus is position within the passage to draw a fluid into the passage through the inlet and to expel the fluid through the outlet.

1 . A fireplace comprising: 
 a combustion chamber;    a passage adjacent to the combustion chamber, the passage extending between an inlet and an outlet; and    at least one corona discharge apparatus positioned within the passage to draw a fluid into the passage through the inlet and to expel the fluid through the outlet.    
   
   
       2 . The fireplace of  claim 1 , wherein the inlet is positioned below the combustion chamber so as to allow cooler fluid to be drawn into the passage, and wherein the outlet is positioned above the combustion chamber to allow to fluid in the passage to be heated when fuel is combusted in the combustion chamber.  
   
   
       3 . The fireplace of  claim 1 , further comprising means operatively coupled to the at least one corona discharge apparatus for varying a flow rate of the fluid through the passage.  
   
   
       4 . The fireplace of  claim 1 , wherein the inlet and the outlet are formed in a front face of the fireplace and the outlet is disposed vertically above the inlet.  
   
   
       5 . The fireplace of  claim 1 , wherein the fireplace further comprises an ozone depletion apparatus for removing ozone from the fluid.  
   
   
       6 . The fireplace of  claim 1 , wherein the passage is oriented relative to the combustion chamber to heat the fluid within the passage.  
   
   
       7 . The fireplace of  claim 1 , further comprising a flue coupled to a roof of the combustion chamber, the flue including at least one corona discharge apparatus positioned therein for filtering smoke and other combustion byproducts during combustion within the combustion chamber.  
   
   
       8 . The fireplace of  claim 7 , wherein at least one electrode in the at least one corona discharge apparatus is removable from the flue for inspection, cleaning, and replacement.  
   
   
       9 . The fireplace of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one corona discharge apparatus positioned within the flue permits a variable flow of air to flow through the flue to control the combustion in the combustion chamber.  
   
   
       10 . The fireplace of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one corona discharge apparatus comprises a positively charged emitter array in spaced relation to a negatively charged collector array.  
   
   
       11 . The fireplace of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one corona discharge apparatus moves the fluid through the passage at about six hundred cubic feet per minute when energized.  
   
   
       12 . The fireplace of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the at least one corona discharge apparatuses is removably positioned in the passage to allow cleaning thereof.  
   
   
       13 . The fireplace of  claim 1 , wherein the fireplace further includes a high voltage power supply operatively coupled to the at least one corona discharge apparatus.  
   
   
       14 . A corona-discharge air mover and purifier apparatus for a fireplace having a combustion chamber configured to receive a fuel, the fuel generating heat within the combustion chamber when combusted, and a passage adjacent to the combustion chamber, the passage extending between an inlet and an outlet, comprising: 
 a first positively charged emitter array adapted to be positioned in the passage; and    a first negatively charged collector array adapted to be positioned in the passage in spaced relation to the first positively charged emitter array, the first positively charged emitter array and the first negative charged collector array being operative to cooperatively produce an electric wind in the passage such that air is drawn from the environment into the passage through the inlet, heated from the combustion chamber, and expelled through the outlet into the environment to warm the environment during combustion of the fuel in the combustion chamber.    
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , further comprising a second positively charged emitter array adapted to be positioned in the passage and a second negatively charged collector array adapted to be positioned in the passage in spaced relation to one another such that they cooperatively aid the electric wind in the passage.  
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the first positively charged emitter array and the first negative charged collector array operative to cooperatively filter the air drawn from the environment and flowing in the passage.  
   
   
       17 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , further comprising a second positively charged emitter array adapted to be positioned in a flue of the fireplace and a second negatively charged collector array adapted to be positioned in the flue in spaced relation to the second positively charged emitter array, the second positively charged emitter array and the second negative charged collector array being operative to cooperatively produce an electric wind in the flue to aid combustion in the combustion chamber.  
   
   
       18 . A method of heating an environment using a fireplace having a combustion chamber configured to receive a fuel, the fuel generating heat within the combustion chamber when combusted, and a passage adjacent to the combustion chamber, the passage extending between an inlet and an outlet, the method comprising the steps of: 
 installing a corona discharge apparatus in the passage;    energizing the corona discharge apparatus to produce an electric wind in the passage such that air is drawn from the environment into the passage through the inlet, heated from the combustion chamber, and expelled through the outlet into the environment to warm the environment during combustion of the fuel in the combustion chamber.    
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the step of installing the corona discharge apparatus comprises the steps of: 
 installing a first positively charged emitter array in the passage;    installing a first negatively charged collector array in the passage in spaced relation to the first positively charged emitter array.    
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the step of installing the corona discharge apparatus further comprises the steps of: 
 installing a second positively charged emitter array in the passage;    installing a second negatively charged collector array in the passage in spaced relation to the second positively charged emitter array.