Innovator from Khmelnytskyi Region Develops Unique Soot-Clearing Device for Chimneys

Khmelnytskyi Inventor Creates a Revolutionary Chimney Cleaning Tool

According to Рубрика — Суспільство: Serhiy Lybytskyi, an inventor from the village of Klubivka in Khmelnytskyi region, has designed an innovative device that removes soot from chimneys using a novel sideways blowing technique. He has filed a patent application for this useful model and is currently awaiting approval. Unlike traditional cleaning methods, Serhiy’s device pushes soot laterally, resulting in a cleaner and more efficient process. The idea originated four years ago, and since then, Serhiy has successfully cleaned over 3,000 chimneys across the Izyaslav and Bilohiria communities.

Plans to Scale Up Production

Serhiy builds his device using readily available materials such as metal and repurposed components from furniture and other items. A close friend assists him in manufacturing. To expand production, he is seeking to hire additional team members, including:

• welders
• locksmiths
• drafters
• rotor operators (trainees welcome)

So far, about ten of these devices have been sold to customers.

Each unit takes around three to four days to assemble. The current model runs on electricity, but Serhiy is developing a self-sufficient version powered by a gasoline engine. He is working on a triple-impeller design and plans to test it inside a sealed diffuser.

“The triple impeller is my own technical concept. I’m eager to bring it to life and will soon test it in a closed diffuser,” Serhiy Lybytskyi explains.

Serhiy emphasizes that his device operates differently from standard impellers, which tend to smooth out soot rather than remove it effectively. “Unlike typical impellers that just push soot around, my device scoops and extracts soot powerfully, almost like using spoons,” he explains. However, he notes production challenges, including a shortage of welders, locksmiths, and drafters, and stresses the importance of training a rotor operator.

Serhiy hopes his invention will improve chimney maintenance and reduce fire hazards caused by soot buildup. Ukrainian patents, such as his, are integrated into the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) databases, an agency of the United Nations that promotes global intellectual property systems.

Advances in chimney cleaning technology play a vital role in home safety by lowering the risk of fires related to soot accumulation. Innovations like Serhiy’s device can inspire further technological progress, foster new manufacturing opportunities, and create jobs. This underscores the importance of supporting inventors and strengthening intellectual property development in Ukraine.