Radiative fire pit

Abstract

A fire pit is disclosed that includes a radiant opening, a burn chamber, and a fuel grate. The burn chamber is defined by an inwardly facing surface of an inner wall and a bottom. The fuel grate is positioned within the burn chamber and supports combustible fuel for burning. The radiant opening is positioned within an external wall of the fire pit and exposes a portion of an outwardly facing surface of the inner wall proximate the radiant opening to the environment so that the exposed portion of the inner wall can emit radiant energy laterally through the radiant opening to the environment. The inner wall may include a high emissivity coating that promotes emission of radiant energy. The radiant opening may include a safety screen to prevent users of the fire pit from contacting the hot inner wall.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A fire pit, comprising:
 an inner wall;   a fuel grate positioned within the inner wall;   a burn chamber defined by the inner wall and the fuel grate;   an outer wall surrounding and spaced apart from the inner wall; and   a radiant opening extending through the outer wall and exposing a portion of the inner wall proximate the radiant opening such that the radiant opening facilitates lateral distribution of radiant heat through the radiant opening from the portion of the inner wall exposed by the radiant opening to an area outside the fire pit.   
     
     
         2 . The fire pit of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a screen positioned within the radiant opening and attached to the outer wall, the screen having a plurality of openings each of which is smaller in size than the radiant opening.   
     
     
         3 . The fire pit of  claim 1 , wherein an exterior surface of the portion of the inner wall exposed by the radiant opening includes a high emissivity coating adapted to promote emission of the radiant heat from the inner wall to the area outside the fire pit. 
     
     
         4 . The fire pit of  claim 1 , wherein the portion of the inner wall exposed by the radiant opening includes surface undulations that increase a surface area of the portion of the inner wall exposed by the radiant opening. 
     
     
         5 . The fire pit of  claim 1 , wherein the fuel grate is positioned axially between axially opposing ends of the radiant opening. 
     
     
         6 . The fire pit of  claim 1 , wherein the fuel grate is positioned axially below the radiant opening. 
     
     
         7 . The fire pit of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the inner wall and the outer wall are cylindrical and coaxially aligned such that the inner wall and the outer wall extend parallel to each other;   wherein the fire pit further comprises an air passage defined between the inner wall and the outer wall above the radiant opening; and   wherein the fire pit further comprises an air chamber defined by the outer wall and the fuel grate, the air chamber being positioned at least partially below the radiant opening.   
     
     
         8 . The fire pit of  claim 7 ,
 wherein an axial height of the air passage is less than or equal to an axial height of the radiant opening.   
     
     
         9 . The fire pit of  claim 7 ,
 wherein the fire pit further includes a plurality of inlet holes extending through the outer wall and positioned below the radiant opening and the fuel grate;   wherein the plurality of inlet holes are equally distributed circumferentially about the outer wall; and   wherein the plurality of inlet holes are in fluid communication with the air chamber.   
     
     
         10 . A fire pit, comprising:
 an inner wall having an interior surface defining a portion of a burn chamber;   an outer wall extending circumferentially about, and radially spaced apart from, the inner wall such that an air passage is defined between the inner wall and the outer wall;   a radiant opening in fluid communication with the air passage, the radiant opening extending radially through an intermediate portion of the outer wall and extending about a portion of a circumference of the outer wall, the radiant opening being defined by axially opposing first and second edges of the outer wall and exposing a portion of an exterior surface of the inner wall proximate the radiant opening, the portion of the exterior surface of the inner wall proximate the radiant opening having a high emissivity coating adapted to promote emission of radiant energy from the inner wall; and   a fuel grate removably positioned within the inner wall and defining a bottom surface of the burn chamber, the fuel grate being positioned axially between the first and second edges of the outer wall and further defining an air chamber axially below the fuel grate.   
     
     
         11 . The fire pit of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a bracing tray positioned within the inner wall, below the fuel grate, and below the radiant opening.   
     
     
         12 . The fire pit of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a screen positioned within the radiant opening and attached to the first and second edges of the outer wall, the screen comprising a plurality of openings through which the radiant energy emitted from the inner wall is permitted to pass.   
     
     
         13 . The fire pit of  claim 10 ,
 wherein the air passage has an axial height above the radiant opening;   wherein the axially opposing first and second edges of the outer wall define an axial height of the radiant opening; and   wherein the axial height of the radiant opening is greater than or equal to the axial height of the air passage.   
     
     
         14 . The fire pit of  claim 10 , wherein the air chamber is in fluid communication with the radiant opening. 
     
     
         15 . The fire pit of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a plurality of inlet holes extending through the outer wall below the radiant opening;   wherein the plurality of inlet holes are equally distributed circumferentially about the outer wall; and   wherein the plurality of inlet holes are in fluid communication with the air chamber.   
     
     
         16 . The fire pit of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of inlet holes and the air chamber are isolated from the air passage and the radiant opening. 
     
     
         17 . The fire pit of  claim 10 , wherein the portion of the exterior surface of the inner wall proximate the radiant opening includes surface undulations that increase a surface area of the portion of the exterior surface of the inner wall proximate the radiant opening. 
     
     
         18 . A fire pit, comprising:
 an inner wall having an interior surface defining a burn chamber, the inner wall having a plurality of inner ventilation holes;   a first outer wall portion extending about, and radially spaced apart from, the inner wall to form a first air passage therebetween, the first air passage being adapted to draw a first ambient air stream through an air intake;   a fuel grate cooperating with the inner wall to further define the burn chamber, the fuel grate having a plurality of ventilation holes formed therein; and   a second outer wall portion axially spaced apart from the first outer wall portion by the air intake and having a plurality of outer ventilation holes, the outer ventilation holes being in fluid communication with the plurality of ventilation holes in the fuel grate via a second air passage, the second air passage being adapted to draw a second ambient air stream through the plurality of outer ventilation holes.   
     
     
         19 . The fire pit of  claim 18 , wherein the air intake comprises a radiant opening having first and second ends spaced apart and exposing a portion of an exterior surface of the inner wall, the radiant opening sized to emit radiant heat from the inner wall of the fire pit. 
     
     
         20 . The fire pit of  claim 19 , wherein the portion of the exterior surface of the inner wall exposed by the radiant opening comprises a high emissivity coating adapted to promote emission of radiant heat from the inner wall. 
     
     
         21 . The fire pit of  claim 18 , wherein the first air passage and the second air passage are isolated from each other. 
     
     
         22 . The fire pit of  claim 18 , wherein the fuel grate is positioned axially between the first outer wall portion and the second outer wall portion. 
     
     
         23 . A fire pit comprising:
 an inner wall having an interior surface defining a burn chamber;   a first outer wall portion extending about, and radially spaced apart from, the inner wall to form a first air passage therebetween,   an inner ventilation opening extending through the inner wall and fluidly coupling the first air passage and the burn chamber;   a first air intake configured to draw a first ambient air stream into the first air passage;   a fuel grate cooperating with the inner wall to further define the burn chamber, the fuel grate having at least one ventilation hole,   a second outer wall portion axially spaced apart from the first outer wall portion by the first air intake;   a second air intake in fluid communication with the at least one ventilation hole in the fuel grate via a second air passage, the second air intake configured to draw a second ambient air stream into the second air passage at an elevation different from the first air intake.   
     
     
         24 . The fire pit of  claim 23 , wherein the first air intake comprises an opening having first and second ends spaced apart and exposing a portion of an exterior surface of the inner wall, the opening sized to emit radiant heat from the fire pit. 
     
     
         25 . The fire pit of  claim 24 , wherein the second air intake comprises a plurality of openings formed in the second outer wall portion. 
     
     
         26 . The fire pit of  claim 24 , wherein the opening of the first air intake has an area within a range of about four square inches to 2500 square inches. 
     
     
         27 . The fire pit of  claim 23 , wherein an axial height of the first air intake is greater than an axial height of the first air passage. 
     
     
         28 . The fire pit of  claim 23 , wherein the fuel grate is positioned axially between the first outer wall portion and the second outer wall portion.