All Topics  
Gasoline heater

 

 
   Email Print
   Bookmark   Link
 

 

Gasoline heater
 
 
  Topics Gasoline heater Topic Home

A gasoline heater is a small, mounted or portable, gasoline-fueled
Gasoline

File:GasCan.jpgGasoline or petrol is a petroleum-derived liquid mixture, primarily used as fuel in internal combustion engines.It consists mostly of aliphatic hydrocarbons, enhanced with iso-octane or the aromatic hydrocarbons toluene and benzene to increase its octane rating....
, space-heating device
Heater

A heater is any object that emits heat or causes another body to achieve a higher temperature. In a household or domestic setting, heaters are commonly used to generate heating ....
.

In the United States they were used mainly for supplemental heat in automobiles and aircraft. Most gasoline heaters produce between 5,000 to 50,000 BTU
British thermal unit

The British thermal unit is a unit of energy used in the power, steam generation, heating and air conditioning industries. In scientific contexts the BTU has largely been replaced by the SI unit of energy, the joule , though it may be used as a measure of agricultural energy production ....
 per hour.

The were commercially available on automobiles starting in the 1930's, and continued until the 1960's, when they were almost entirely replaced in automobiles with heating systems using engine coolant.






Discussion
Ask a question about 'Gasoline heater'
Start a new discussion about 'Gasoline heater'
Answer questions from other users
Full Discussion Forum



Encyclopedia


A gasoline heater is a small, mounted or portable, gasoline-fueled
Gasoline

File:GasCan.jpgGasoline or petrol is a petroleum-derived liquid mixture, primarily used as fuel in internal combustion engines.It consists mostly of aliphatic hydrocarbons, enhanced with iso-octane or the aromatic hydrocarbons toluene and benzene to increase its octane rating....
, space-heating device
Heater

A heater is any object that emits heat or causes another body to achieve a higher temperature. In a household or domestic setting, heaters are commonly used to generate heating ....
.

In the United States they were used mainly for supplemental heat in automobiles and aircraft. Most gasoline heaters produce between 5,000 to 50,000 BTU
British thermal unit

The British thermal unit is a unit of energy used in the power, steam generation, heating and air conditioning industries. In scientific contexts the BTU has largely been replaced by the SI unit of energy, the joule , though it may be used as a measure of agricultural energy production ....
 per hour.

The were commercially available on automobiles starting in the 1930's, and continued until the 1960's, when they were almost entirely replaced in automobiles with heating systems using engine coolant. Some aircraft continue to use gasoline heaters. First advertised for automobiles in the 1930's the South Wind Heater was invented by Canadian Harry J. McCollum. In 1934, McCollum demonstrated his invention to the Stweart Warner company in Chicago, and Stewart-Warner began production a short time later. By 1948, Stewart-Warner had produced more than 3 million heaters for use in automobiles, aircraft, and military vehicles.

Operation

A gasoline heater has several components. Fuel is brought to the heater using piping from a fuel tank, or taps into the vehicles fuel system. A fan blows air into a combustion chamber, and a spark plug or ignition device lights the gasoline/air mixture. A built-in safety switch prevents fuel from flowing unless the fan is working. Outside the combustion chamber, a second, larger diameter tube conducts air around the combustion tube's outer surface, and a second fan blows the warmed air into tubing to direct it towards the interior of the automobile.

Gasoline heaters require electricity to operate. Heaters were made compatible with 6 volt, 12 volt, and 24 volt automotive and aircraft electrical systems. The heater requires routine maintenance, such as regular inspection of the combustion tube, and replacement of the igniter at periodic intervals.

Safety

Because gasoline heaters are required to be vented, special care must be made to ensure the vents do not leak into the interior of the automobile or aircraft. Combustion byproducts include soot, sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide, and some carbon monoxide. An improperly adjusted, fueled, or poorly maintained gasoline heater could be dangerous. In aircraft, several gasoline heaters have been the subject of safety directives.

Manufacturers over the years have included Janitrol, Southwind (Stewart Warner) made the Model M978 heater for use in military vehicles in the 1950's and 1960's. Stewart Warner Southwind heaters could also be found on 1940's Fords, through early 1970's Volkswagens. One manufacturer now building a current technology gasoline heater is the Espar corporation, of Ontario, Canada..