Burner assembly for a domestic fireplace

Abstract

The present invention relates to a burner assembly for a domestic fireplace, configured to burn a mixture of a first combustible fuel and a second combustible fuel, comprising a combustible long chain hydrocarbon fuel, the assembly comprising at least one burner and a mixing device, the mixing device comprising: a housing, defining a mixing interior, at least one discharge opening in the housing, connected to the at least one burner and configured to provide access from the mixing interior towards the burner, a first fuel supply, projecting into the mixing interior and configured to supply the first fuel into the mixing interior, and a second fuel supply, projecting into the mixing interior and configured to supply the second fuel into the mixing interior, characterized in that, the mixing device further comprises: a heating element, e.g. a second heating element, arranged at least partially in the mixing interior and configured to heat the second fuel to a mixing temperature, wherein the mixing device is configured to mix the first fuel with the heated second fuel to form the fuel mixture, and wherein the at least one burner is configured to combust the fuel mixture.

1 . A burner assembly for a domestic fireplace comprising:
 at least one burner; and   a mixing device comprising:
 a housing, defining a mixing interior; 
 at least one discharge opening in the housing, connected to the at least one burner and configured to provide access from the mixing interior towards the at least one burner; 
 a first fuel supply, projecting into the mixing interior and configured to supply a first fuel into the mixing interior; 
 a second fuel supply, projecting into the mixing interior and configured to supply a second fuel comprising a combustible long chain hydrocarbon fuel into the mixing interior; and 
 a second heating element, arranged at least partially in the mixing interior and configured to heat the second fuel to a mixing temperature; 
 wherein the mixing device is configured to mix the first fuel with the heated second fuel to form a fuel mixture; and 
 wherein the at least one burner is configured to combust the fuel mixture. 
   
     
     
         2 . The burner assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of:
 the first fuel is in a liquid state at room temperature; or   the second fuel is in a solid state at room temperature.   
     
     
         3 . The burner assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the first fuel supply is further configured to supply the first fuel to the mixing device in a gaseous state. 
     
     
         4 . The burner assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the mixing device further comprises:
 an air supply, projecting into the mixing interior and configured to supply a flow of air into the housing to provide a flow of air through the mixing interior along a flow path.   
     
     
         5 . The burner assembly according to  claim 4 , wherein the first fuel supply is further configured to supply the first fuel to the mixing device in a gaseous state; and
 wherein the air supply forms part of the first fuel supply, and is configured to supply a gas mixture to the mixing device, which gas mixture comprises the flow of air and the gaseous first fuel.   
     
     
         6 . The burner assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the mixing device further comprises:
 a first heating element;   wherein the first fuel supply is further configured to supply the first fuel to the mixing device in a liquid state; and   wherein the first heating element is arranged at least partially in the mixing interior and is configured to heat the first fuel to a vaporizing temperature to vaporize the first fuel inside the mixing interior.   
     
     
         7 . The burner assembly according to  claim 6 , wherein the first heating element is a resistive heating element, projecting at least partially into the mixing interior. 
     
     
         8 . The burner assembly according to  claim 7 , wherein the mixing device further comprises:
 a first temperature sensor located in the mixing interior, configured to emit a first temperature sensor signal representative for the temperature inside the mixing interior; and   a control unit, configured to control the first heating element on the basis of the first temperature sensor signal to set the vaporizing temperature.   
     
     
         9 . The burner assembly according to  claim 8 , wherein the first temperature sensor is a thermocouple. 
     
     
         10 . The burner assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the mixing device further comprises:
 a second temperature sensor located in the mixing interior, configured to emit a second temperature sensor signal representative for the temperature inside the mixing interior; and   a control unit, configured to control the second heating element on the basis of the second temperature sensor signal to set the mixing temperature.   
     
     
         11 . The burner assembly according to  claim 10 , wherein the second temperature sensor is a thermocouple. 
     
     
         12 . The burner assembly according to  claim 10 , wherein the second heating element is a resistive heating element or a radiant heating element projecting at least partially into the mixing interior. 
     
     
         13 . The burner assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the mixing device further comprises:
 a plurality of obstructions, which are located in the mixing interior and configured to promote mixing of the fuel mixture.   
     
     
         14 . The burner assembly according  claim 1 , wherein the mixing interior comprises a first interior section and a second interior section;
 wherein the first fuel supply projects into the first interior section; and   wherein the second fuel supply projects into the second interior section.   
     
     
         15 . The burner assembly according to  claim 14 , wherein the mixing device further comprises:
 a first heating element;   wherein the first fuel supply is further configured to supply the first fuel to the mixing device in a liquid state;   wherein the first heating element arranged at least partially in the mixing interior and configured to heat the first fuel to a vaporizing temperature to vaporize the first fuel inside the mixing interior; and   wherein at least one of the first heating element or the first temperature sensor is arranged at least partially in the first interior section.   
     
     
         16 . The burner assembly according to  claim 14 , wherein at least one of the second heating element or the second temperature sensor is arranged at least partially in the second interior section. 
     
     
         17 . The burner assembly according to  claim 14 , wherein the housing comprises:
 a first chamber, of which an interior forms the first interior section; and   a second chamber, separate from the first chamber, of which an interior forms the second interior section; and   wherein the first chamber and the second chamber are fluidly connected in series along a flow path.   
     
     
         18 . The burner assembly according to  claim 17 , wherein the first chamber is an elongate first chamber comprising a first end and an opposed second end;
 wherein the flow path through the first chamber extends between its first end and its second end;   wherein the second chamber is an elongate second chamber comprising a first end and an opposed second end;   wherein the flow path through the second chamber extends from its first end to its second end; and   wherein the first chamber and the second chamber are arranged next to each other, so that the flow path through the first chamber is parallel or anti-parallel to the flow path through the second chamber.   
     
     
         19 . The burner assembly according to  claim 18 , wherein the first end of the first chamber is located adjacent to the first end of the second chamber;
 wherein the second end of the first chamber is located adjacent to the second end of the second chamber; and   wherein the flow path through the first chamber extends from its second end to its first end, so that the flow path through the first chamber is substantially anti-parallel to the flow path through the second chamber.   
     
     
         20 . The burner assembly according to  claim 19 , wherein the second chamber comprises a head section at its first end, which is substantially separated from the second interior section by a transverse wall;
 wherein the first chamber projects into the head section of the second chamber;   wherein the transverse wall comprises a plurality of apertures that provide a fluid connection between the head section and the second interior section; and   wherein at least one of the second heating element or the second temperature sensor extends into the second interior section through the head section and one of the apertures in the transverse wall.   
     
     
         21 . The burner assembly according to  claim 18 , wherein the first fuel supply and the first heating element project into the first chamber at the first end thereof;
 wherein the second fuel supply and the second heating element project into the second chamber at the first end thereof; and   wherein the at least one discharge opening is provided at the second end of the second chamber.   
     
     
         22 . The burner assembly according to  claim 18 , wherein the mixing device further comprises:
 an air supply, projecting into the mixing interior and configured to supply a flow of air into the housing to provide a flow of air through the mixing interior along a flow path; and   wherein the air supply projects into the first chamber at the second end thereof and is further configured to provide the flow of air along the flow path through the first chamber and the second chamber.   
     
     
         23 . The burner assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the housing is made of a ceramic material. 
     
     
         24 . The burner assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one burner has an outer shape that corresponds to the outer shape of a wooden log. 
     
     
         25 . A mixing device of a burner assembly comprising:
 a housing, defining a mixing interior;   at least one discharge opening in the housing, configured to be connected to at least one burner of the burner assembly and configured to provide access from the mixing interior towards the at least one burner;   a first fuel supply, projecting into the mixing interior and configured to supply a first fuel into the mixing interior;   a second fuel supply, projecting into the mixing interior and configured to supply a second fuel comprising a combustible long chain hydrocarbon fuel into the mixing interior; and   a second heating element, arranged at least partially in the mixing interior and configured to heat the second fuel to a mixing temperature;   wherein the mixing device is configured to mix the first fuel with the heated second fuel to form a fuel mixture; and   wherein the fuel mixture is configured to be combustible by the at least one burner.   
     
     
         26 . A hybrid domestic fireplace comprising:
 the burner assembly according to  claim 1 ;   a combustion chamber, in which the at least one burner is accommodated; and   a flue gas discharge, configured to discharge flue gasses out of the combustion chamber.   
     
     
         27 . A method of creating a fire by means of a burner assembly comprising:
 supplying a first combustible fuel to a mixing interior of a mixing device of the burner assembly;   supplying a second combustible fuel, comprising a second combustible long chain hydrocarbon fuel, to the mixing interior;   heating, inside the mixing interior, the second fuel to a mixing temperature;   mixing, in the mixing device, the first fuel with the heated second fuel to form a fuel mixture; and   combusting the fuel mixture with a burner of the burner assembly to create the fire.   
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 27  further comprising:
 heating, inside the mixing interior, the first fuel to a vaporizing temperature to vaporize the first fuel inside the mixing interior. 
 
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 28  further comprising:
 measuring, with a first temperature sensor located in the mixing interior, the temperature inside the mixing interior; and 
 controlling, with a control unit, the heating of the first fuel on the basis of the measured temperature to set the vaporizing temperature. 
 
     
     
         30 . The method according to  claim 27  further comprising:
 measuring, with a second temperature sensor located in the mixing interior, the temperature inside the mixing interior; and 
 controlling, with a control unit, the heating of the second fuel on the basis of the measured temperature to set the mixing temperature. 
 
     
     
         31 . The method according to  claim 27 , wherein the first fuel comprises an alcohol and is in a liquid state at room temperature. 
     
     
         32 . The method according to  claim 27 , wherein the second fuel comprises a wax and is in a solid state at room temperature. 
     
     
         33 . The method according to  claim 27 , wherein the second fuel comprises an oil and is in a liquid state at room temperature. 
     
     
         34 . The method according to  claim 27  further comprising:
 preheating the burner according to a preheating cycle to a predetermined preheating temperature, the preheating cycle comprising:
 supplying the first combustible fuel to the burner, via the mixing device; 
 combusting the first fuel with the burner of the fireplace to create the fire; and 
 heating the burner by means of the fire; 
 whereupon, when a temperature of the burner exceeds the predetermined preheating temperature, the preheating cycle is terminated and the second combustible fuel is supplied to the mixing device and mixed with the first fuel.