Cogeneration System

Abstract

A cogeneration system includes, at least, a biomass-burner assembly, a water-heater assembly, a heating-assembly, a compression-tank assembly, and an electricity-generator assembly. Additionally, in some embodiments, the cogeneration further includes a cooling-assembly and a thermoelectric-generator assembly. The cogeneration system burns/combusts a biomass material, preferably wood, to generate wood gas. The wood gas is used to provide heating, cooling and electricity to an area, such as a building or off-the-grid areas such as campgrounds.

What is claimed is new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims: 
     
         1 . A cogeneration system comprising:
 a biomass-burner assembly including:
 a hopper configured to store biomass material and routinely expel a portion of the biomass material; 
 a firebox connected to a hopper-bottom of the hopper, the firebox configured to receive the portion of the biomass material; 
 an air-intake means connected to the firebox, the air-intake means configured to introduce atmospheric air into the firebox; 
 an ignition-means in communication with the firebox, the ignition-means being configured to initiate burning of the portion of the biomass material, the burning generating hot combustion matter comprising combustible gas, smoke and ash; 
 a vertical-stack located above the firebox, the vertical-stack configured to concentrate the combustible gas and smoke therethrough; and 
 a box-outlet connected to a box-bottom of the firebox, the box-outlet being configured to selectively expel ash from the firebox; 
   a water-heater assembly including:
 a water-intake means; 
 a water tank configured to hold an amount of water supplied by the water-intake means, the water tank located about the vertical-stack such that the amount of water is heated via the combustible gas and smoke; and 
 a water-outlet being configured to selectively output a portion of heated water; 
   a heating-assembly including:
 a heater-inlet configured to intake the combustible gas and smoke; 
 a radiator configured to circulate the smoke therearound such that the radiator is heated via the combustible gas and smoke, wherein heating of the radiator heats ambient air; and 
 a heater-outlet configured to selectively allow expulsion of heated ambient air; 
   a compression-tank assembly being in communication with the bio-mass burner assembly, the compression-tank assembly including a compression-tank being configured to receive, compress and store the combustible gas as compressed combustible gas; and   an electricity-generator assembly including:
 a gas-feed attached to the compression-tank; 
 a carburetor configured to receive a portion of compressed combustible gas from the gas-feed; 
 at least one engine configured to receive a mixture of said compressed combustible gas and said atmospheric air, the at least one engine including a combustion chamber for combusting said mixture of said compressed combustible gas and said atmospheric air; 
 at least one generator powered by the at least one engine, the at least one generator configured to generate electricity; and 
 at least one power-store connected to the at least one generator, the at least one power-store configured to receive and store said electricity. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a cooling-assembly, the cooling-assembly including a cooler-inlet configured to receive the combustible gas and smoke, an air-filter connected to the cooler-inlet, an air conditioning compressor connected to the air-filter and configured to compress the combustible gas and smoke, creating compressed combustible gas and smoke, a restrictor valve configured to lower a pressure and temperature of the compressed combustible gas and smoke, a plurality of cooling coils being attached about the vertical-stack, the plurality of cooling coils configured to further lower said temperature of the compressed combustible gas and smoke, wherein lowering the temperature of the compressed combustible gas and smoke cools said ambient air, and a cooler-outlet configured to selectively allow expulsion of cooled ambient air. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of cooling coils are attached about the vertical-stack. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , further comprising a thermoelectric-generator assembly, the thermoelectric-generator assembly including a plurality of thermoelectric modules, at least a portion of the plurality of thermoelectric modules being located between the vertical-stack and the plurality of cooling coils, and wherein the plurality of thermoelectric modules are configured to convert a temperature difference between the plurality of cooling coils and the vertical-stack into useable electricity. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 2 , further comprising a first fan-means located about the heater-assembly, the first fan-means configured to suction the combustible gas and smoke. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , further comprising a filter-means connected to the first fan-means, the filter-means being configured to receive the combustible gas and smoke from the first fan-means and filter the combustible gas and smoke, the filter-means being connected to the heater-inlet such that the combustible gas and smoke taken in by the heater-inlet is filtered. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the first fan-means is a centrifugal air blower. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the filter-means is a cyclone filter. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the heater-outlet is connected to ductwork of a building such that heated ambient air is selectively able to be expelled through the ductwork of the building. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the cooler-outlet is connected to the ductwork of the building such that cooled ambient air is selectively able to be expelled through the ductwork of the building. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , further comprising a second fan-means, the second fan-means configured to blow one of the heated ambient air and the cooled ambient air into the ductwork of the building. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , further comprising a hot-air damper, the hot-air damper configured to control flow of the heated ambient air. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , further comprising a cool-air damper, the cool-air damper configured to control flow of the cooled ambient air. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the vertical-stack and the heater-assembly are contained with a stack-housing and wherein the stack-housing includes a stove-top. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the biomass material is wood material. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a secondary burner-assembly configured to facilitate combustion of the compressed combustible gas and the atmospheric air in the fire box and provide heat to the water heater-assembly without use of the biomass material, the secondary burner-assembly including a feed-line being connected to the compression tank-assembly, a valve-switch located about the feed-line, and an injection nozzle in communication with the fire box. 
     
     
         17 . A cogeneration system for a building, the cogeneration system comprising:
 a biomass-burner assembly including:
 a hopper configured to store biomass material and routinely expel a portion of the biomass material; 
 a firebox connected to a hopper-bottom of the hopper, the firebox configured to receive the portion of the biomass material; 
 an air-intake means connected to the firebox, the air-intake means configured to introduce atmospheric air into the firebox; 
 an ignition-means in communication with the firebox, the ignition-means being configured to initiate burning of the portion of the biomass material, the burning generating hot combustion matter comprising combustible gas, smoke and ash; 
 a vertical-stack located above the firebox, the vertical-stack configured to concentrate the combustible gas and smoke therethrough; and 
 a box-outlet connected to a box-bottom of the firebox, the box-outlet being configured to selectively expel the ash from the firebox; 
   a water-heater assembly including:
 a water-intake means; 
 a water tank configured to hold an amount of water supplied by the water-intake means, the water tank located about the vertical-stack such that the amount of water is heated via the combustible gas and smoke; and 
 a water-outlet being configured to selectively output a portion of heated water; 
   a heating-assembly including:
 a heater-inlet configured to intake the combustible gas and smoke; 
 a radiator configured to circulate the combustible gas and smoke therearound such that the radiator is heated via the combustible gas and smoke, wherein heating of the radiator heats ambient air; and 
 a heater-outlet, the heater-outlet connected to ductwork of a building such that heated ambient air is selectively able to be expelled through the ductwork of the building; 
   a first fan-means located about the heater-assembly, the first fan-means configured to suction the combustible gas and smoke;   a filter-means connected to the first fan-means, the filter-means being configured to receive the combustible gas and smoke from the first fan-means and filter the combustible gas and smoke, the filter-means being connected to the heater-inlet such that the combustible gas and smoke taken in by the heater-inlet is filtered;   a cooling-assembly including:
 a cooler-inlet configured to receive the combustible gas and smoke; 
 an air-filter connected to the cooler-inlet; 
 an air conditioning compressor connected to the air-filter and configured to compress the combustible gas and smoke, creating compressed combustible gas and smoke; 
 a restrictor valve configured to lower a pressure and temperature of the compressed combustible gas and smoke; 
 a plurality of cooling coils being attached about the vertical-stack, the plurality of cooling coils configured to further lower said temperature of the compressed combustible gas and smoke, wherein lowering the temperature of the compressed combustible gas and smoke cools said ambient air; and 
 a cooler-outlet configured to selectively allow expulsion of cooled ambient air, the cooler-outlet connected to the ductwork of the building such that cooled ambient air is selectively able to be expelled through the ductwork of the building; 
   a second fan-means, the second fan-means configured to blow one of the heated ambient air and the cooled ambient air into the ductwork of the building;   a hot-air damper, the hot-air damper configured to control flow of the heated ambient air;   a cool-air damper, the cool-air damper configured to control flow of the cooled ambient air;   a compression-tank assembly being in communication with the bio-mass burner assembly, the compression-tank assembly including a compression-tank being configured to receive, compress and store the combustible gas as compressed combustible gas; and   an electricity-generator assembly including:
 a gas-feed attached to the compression-tank; 
 a carburetor configured to receive a portion of compressed combustible gas from the gas-feed; 
 at least one engine configured to receive a mixture of said compressed combustible gas and said atmospheric air, the at least one engine including a combustion chamber for combusting said mixture of said compressed combustible gas and said atmospheric air; 
 at least one generator powered by the at least one engine, the at least one generator configured to generate electricity; and 
 at least one power-store connected to the at least one generator, the at least one power-store configured to receive and store said electricity; and 
   a thermoelectric-generator assembly including:
 a plurality of thermoelectric modules, at least a portion of the plurality of thermoelectric modules being located between the vertical-stack and the plurality of cooling coils, and wherein the plurality of thermoelectric modules are configured to convert a temperature difference between the cooling coils and the vertical-stack into a second electrical energy. 
   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , further comprising a secondary burner-assembly configured to facilitate combustion of the compressed combustible gas and the atmospheric air in the fire box and provide heat to the water heater-assembly without use of the biomass material, the secondary burner-assembly including a feed-line being connected to the compression tank-assembly, a valve-switch located about the feed-line, and an injection nozzle in communication with the fire box. 
     
     
         19 . A cogeneration system for an outdoor area, the cogeneration system comprising:
 a biomass-burner assembly including:
 a hopper configured to store biomass material and routinely expel a portion of the biomass material; 
 a firebox connected to a hopper-bottom of the hopper, the firebox configured to receive the portion of the biomass material; 
 an air-intake means connected to the firebox, the air-intake means configured to introduce atmospheric air into the firebox; 
 an ignition-means in communication with the firebox, the ignition-means being configured to initiate burning of the portion of the biomass material, the burning generating hot combustion matter comprising combustible gas and smoke; 
 a vertical-stack located above the firebox, the vertical-stack configured to concentrate the combustible gas and smoke therethrough; and 
 a box-outlet connected to a box-bottom of the firebox, the box-outlet being configured to selectively expel ash from the firebox; 
   a water-heater assembly including:
 a water-intake means; 
 a water tank configured to hold an amount of water supplied by the water-intake means, the water tank located about the vertical-stack such that the amount of water is heated via the smoke; and 
 a water-outlet being configured to selectively output a portion of heated water; 
   a heating-assembly including:
 a heater-inlet configured to intake the combustible gas and smoke; 
 a radiator configured to circulate the smoke therearound such that the radiator is heated via the combustible gas and smoke, wherein heating of the radiator heats ambient air; and 
 a heater-outlet configured to selectively allow expulsion of heated ambient air; 
   a compression-tank assembly being in communication with the bio-mass burner assembly, the compression-tank assembly including a compression-tank being configured to receive, compress and store the combustible gas as compressed combustible gas; and   an electricity-generator assembly including:
 a gas-feed attached to the compression-tank; 
 a carburetor configured to receive a portion of compressed combustible gas from the gas-feed; 
 at least one engine configured to receive a mixture of said compressed combustible gas and said atmospheric air, the at least one engine including a combustion chamber for combusting said mixture of said compressed combustible gas and said atmospheric air; 
 at least one generator powered by the at least one engine, the at least one generator configured to generate electricity; and 
 at least one power-store connected to the at least one generator, the at least one power-store configured to receive and store said electricity; and 
   wherein the vertical-stack and the heater-assembly are contained with a stack-housing and wherein the stack-housing includes a stove-top.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , further comprising a secondary burner-assembly configured to facilitate combustion of the compressed combustible gas and the atmospheric air in the fire box and provide heat to the water heater-assembly without use of the biomass material, the secondary burner-assembly including a feed-line being connected to the compression tank-assembly, a valve-switch located about the feed-line, and an injection nozzle in communication with the fire box.