Portable Stove

Abstract

A portable stove for burning biomass fuels. The stove has an outer body with walls coupled together with hinges and an opening to load fuel into the stove. The stove further includes a combustion chamber with walls coupled together with hinges that fits within the outer body. The combustion chamber has an opening for loading fuel, secondary openings along upper portions of the walls, a floor with openings to permit airflow into the chamber, and upright posts along the walls to support a cooking utensil for heating. The stove also has a dam that rests on the top of the combustion chamber to direct air through the secondary openings and into the combustion chamber to improve the burning of fuel. The outer body and combustion chamber hinges permit the stove to fold for better storage and transport.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A portable stove comprising:
 a foldable, rectangular outer body having an air intake opening;   a foldable rectangular combustion chamber located inside the outer body such that there is space between the outer body and the combustion chamber, the combustion chamber having a secondary air opening along an upper portion of the combustion chamber, and   an air dam configured to extend over the upper edge of the combustion chamber to improve the confinement of gases in the combustion chamber so air is drawn from outside the outer body and through the space between the outer body and the combustion chamber and through the secondary air opening of the combustion chamber to create a secondary burn of gases within the combustion chamber, the air dam further having an opening to permit flame and exhaust gases to exit the combustion chamber.   
     
     
         2 . The portable stove of  claim 1  wherein the combustion chamber includes an air intake opening along a lower portion of a side of the combustion chamber. 
     
     
         3 . The portable stove of  claim 2  wherein the combustion chamber further includes a floor with an opening and the floor is located above the air intake opening of the combustion chamber. 
     
     
         4 . The portable stove of  claim 3  wherein the floor of the combustion chamber is pivotally to the combustion chamber. 
     
     
         5 . The portable stove of  claim 1  wherein the combustion chamber further includes a plurality of upright posts located along a side of the combustion chamber. 
     
     
         6 . The portable stove of  claim 5  wherein the air dam has notches that fit around the upright posts to locate and secure the air dam. 
     
     
         7 . A method of heating a portable stove comprising:
 forming an outer body into a rectangular shape, the outer body having walls that permit the outer body to fold and an air intake opening;   locating a rectangular combustion chamber inside the outer body such that there is space between the outer body and the combustion chamber, the combustion chamber having collapsible walls that permit the combustion chamber to fold, and a secondary air opening along an upper portion of the combustion chamber;   placing an air dam configured to extend over the upper edge of the walls of the combustion chamber to improve the confinement of gases in the combustion chamber so that to direct air flow is drawn from outside the outer body and through the space between the outer body and the combustion chamber and through the secondary air opening to create a secondary burn of gases within the combustion chamber, the air dam further having an opening to permit flame and exhaust gases to exit the combustion chamber; and   loading fuel into the combustion chamber and lighting the fuel with a source such that the heat from the lit fuel draws air through the stove combustion chamber to continue to burn fuel.   
     
     
         7 . The method of claim  7  wherein the combustion chamber further includes an air intake opening along a lower portion of the combustion chamber; and a floor positioned above the air intake opening of the combustion chamber and having a opening so that as the fuel continues to burn, additional air is drawn into the combustion chamber. 
     
     
         7 . The method of claim  7  wherein the combustion chamber further includes a plurality of upright posts located along a wall of the combustion chamber. 
     
     
         9 . The method of claim  9  wherein the air dam has notches that fit around the upright posts to locate and secure the air dam.