Container for combustion of solid fuel
A container for combustion of solid fuel is provided for the generation of flavoring smoke from the combusted solid fuel. The container may be used in cooking applications to flavor cooked and uncooked foods with the flavoring smoke. The container is specifically configured to control a combustion rate of the contained solid fuel over an extended time period in order to desirably flavor the food. The solid fuel may be cellulose-based, and be provided in various format, including pellets, shavings, and dust.
1 . A container for combustion of solid fuel, the container comprising:
a tray having:
(i) a base defining a receptacle region having an upper surface and a plurality of spaced apart receptacles depending from the upper surface, each of the receptacles being defined by a respective receptacle wall with a closed end and an open end opening to the receptacle region; and
(ii) a sidewall extending from said base and forming a ledge defining a ledge surface that is substantially parallel to but spaced from the upper surface, the sidewall further forming a foldable lip having a hinge region at or near the ledge for moving the foldable lip between an unfolded condition and a folded condition; and
a lid configured to cover the receptacle region in spaced relationship with the upper surface of the base when supported by the ledge, and engageable to the ledge by the foldable lip when in a folded condition, the lid including a pathway permitting fluid communication between the receptacle region and an environment external to the container when the lid is supported by the ledge, the pathway being specifically configured to control a combustion rate of the solid fuel in the container;
wherein the pathway has a first total cross-sectional area, and the receptacle region has a second cross-sectional area bounded by the sidewall,
wherein the first and second cross-sectional areas are taken along substantially parallel planes, and the first cross-sectional area is less than 2% of the second cross-sectional area,
wherein the pathway includes a single aperture in the lid, and
wherein the aperture is superimposed over the receptacle region when the lid is sealed to the ledge.
2 . The container as in claim 1 wherein the lid is supportable by the ledge to be spaced apart from the upper surface of the base by a spacing dimension.
3 . The container as in claim 2 where the solid fuel is in pellet form having an average pellet thickness, and the spacing dimension is between 1 and 5 times the average pellet thickness.
4 . The container as in claim 3 wherein the spacing dimension is between 1 and 1.5 times the average pellet thickness.
5 . The container as in claim 2 wherein the spacing dimension is between 5 and 20 mm.
6 . The container as in claim 1 wherein at least one of the tray and the lid are metal and black in color.
7 . The container as in claim 6 wherein both of the tray and the lid are aluminum and black in color.
8 . The container as in claim 1 wherein the closed end of the receptacle wall is concave into the receptacle.
9 . The container as in claim 1 wherein the receptacle wall forms a frusto-conical side to the receptacle.
10 . The container as in claim 1 wherein the ledge surrounds the receptacle region of the base.
11 . The container as in claim 10 wherein the foldable lip extends from the ledge.
12 . A method for combusting solid fuel comprising cellulose, the method comprising:
(a) providing the container of claim 1 with the solid fuel disposed in one or more of the receptacles, and the foldable lip in the folded condition to seal the lid to the ledge; and
(b) applying heat to the container to an extent sufficient to ignite the solid fuel in the one or more receptacles.
13 . The method as in claim 12 , including applying heat to the receptacle walls of the container.
14 . The method as in claim 13 , including applying heat with a flame.
15 . The method as in claim 13 wherein the cellulose solid fuel includes one or more of wood pellets, wood shavings, and wood dust.
16 . A container for combustion of solid fuel, the container comprising:
a tray having:
(i) a base defining a receptacle region having an upper surface and a plurality of spaced apart receptacles depending from the upper surface, each of the receptacles being defined by a respective receptacle wall with a closed end and an open end opening to the receptacle region, wherein the plurality of receptacles includes a set of one or more first receptacles and a set of one or more second receptacles, each of the first receptacles having a lower ratio of surface area to volume than each of the second receptacles; and
(ii) a sidewall extending from said base and forming a ledge defining a ledge surface that is substantially parallel to but spaced from the upper surface, the sidewall further forming a foldable lip having a hinge region at or near the ledge for moving the foldable lip between an unfolded condition and a folded condition, and
a lid configured to cover the receptacle region in spaced relationship with the upper surface of the base when supported by the ledge, and engageable to the ledge by the foldable lip when in a folded condition.
17 . The container as in claim 16 , wherein the ratio of surface area to volume of each of the first receptacles is 10%-50% less than the ratio of surface area to volume of each of the second receptacles.
18 . The container as in claim 16 , wherein the volume of the second receptacles is 25% to 75% of the total volume of the plurality of receptacles.