US 2003/0196610 A1 · Water heater having flue damper with airflow apparatus

Abstract

A water heater includes a water tank adapted to contain water; a flue extending through the water tank and having a first end communicating with the water heater's combustion chamber for the flow of products of combustion through the tank; a damper communicating with the flue; and an apparatus for creating a flow of air proximate the second end of the flue to resist the flow of warm air out of the second end of the flue due to standby convection.

Drawings

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Drawings

Claims36

Dependent claims

A water heater comprising:

a water tank adapted to contain water;
a combustion chamber beneath the water tank;
a burner within the combustion chamber and operable to create products of combustion;
a flue extending substantially vertically through the water tank and communicating with the combustion chamber to conduct the products of combustion from the combustion chamber and to transfer heat to water stored within the water tank;
and
an airflow apparatus capable of creating airflow in the absence of any opposition to the airflow, the airflow having a pressure, the airflow apparatus communicating with the flue and operable such that the pressure of the airflow resists standby convection flow of flue gases out of the flue when the burner is not operating, and wherein the airflow apparatus is adjustable to vary the magnitude of the airflow to substantially equalize the airflow and the standby convection flow of flue gases to create a substantially stagnant state within the flue when the burner is not operating.

3 more elements

A water heater comprising:

a water tank adapted to contain water;
a combustion chamber beneath the water tank;
a burner within the combustion chamber and operable to create products of combustion;
a flue extending substantially vertically through the water tank and communicating with the combustion chamber to conduct the products of combustion from the combustion chamber and to transfer heat to water stored within the water tank;
and
an airflow apparatus capable of creating first airflow in the absence of any opposition to the first airflow, the first airflow having a first pressure, the airflow apparatus communicating with the flue and operable such that the first pressure of the first airflow resists standby convection flow of flue gases out of the flue when the burner is not operating, and wherein the airflow apparatus is also capable of creating a second airflow in the absence of any opposition to the second airflow, the second airflow having a second pressure, the airflow apparatus operable such that the second pressure of the second airflow assists the flow of flue gases out of the flue when the burner is operating.

3 more elements

A water heater comprising:

a water tank adapted to contain water;
a combustion chamber beneath the water tank;
a burner within the combustion chamber and operable to create products of combustion;
a flue extending substantially vertically through the water tank and communicating with the combustion chamber to conduct the products of combustion from the combustion chamber and to transfer heat to water stored within the water tank;
a catalytic converter communicating with the flue;
an airflow apparatus capable of creating airflow in the absence of any opposition to the airflow, the airflow having a pressure, the airflow apparatus communicating with the flue, the airflow apparatus operable such that the pressure of the airflow resists standby convection flow of flue gases out of the flue when the burner is not operating;
and
an additional airflow apparatus creating airflow in the absence of any opposition to the air flow, the additional airflow apparatus communicating with a source of air and the flue and positioned between the catalytic converter and the combustion chamber, wherein the additional airflow apparatus is operable to add air from the source of air to the products of combustion within the flue when the burner is operating to increase the effectiveness of the catalytic converter.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Description5,407 words

Summary500 words

#The invention relates to a damper arrangement in a water heater. It is known to use a damper in a water heater flue. Known dampers use a physical obstruction to close the flue during standby. One example of a physical obstruction type damper is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,953,510.

#The invention relates to a damper arrangement that uses an airflow apparatus to substantially reduce standby heat loss due to natural convection cycles in a water heater flue.

#The invention includes a water heater having a water tank adapted to contain water, a combustion chamber beneath the water tank, a burner within the combustion chamber and operable to create products of combustion, and a flue extending substantially vertically through the water tank. The flue communicates with the combustion chamber to conduct the products of combustion from the combustion chamber and to transfer heat to water stored within the water tank. The water heater also includes an airflow apparatus capable of creating airflow in the absence of any opposition to the airflow. The airflow apparatus communicates with the flue and resists standby convection flow of flue gases out of the flue when the burner is not operating.

Brief description of the drawings11 figures

#FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of a water heater according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

#FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a first construction of an airflow apparatus of the water heater shown in FIG. 1.

#FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3 in FIG. 2.

Detailed description4,733 words

#Before one embodiment of the invention is explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or being carried out in various ways. Also, it is understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including” and “comprising” and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. The use of letters to identify elements of a method or process is simply for identification and is not meant to indicate that the elements should be performed in a particular order.

#FIG. 1 illustrates a water heater 10 embodying the invention. The water heater 10 comprises a tank 14 for containing water to be heated, an outer jacket 18 surrounding the water tank 14, insulation 20 between the tank 14 and the jacket 18, a combustion chamber 22 below the tank 14, a flue 26 extending substantially vertically through the water tank 14, and a baffle 28 extending through the flue 26. The water heater 10 can also include an optional catalytic converter 112 in communication with the flue 26. The flue 26 includes a first or lower end 30, and a second or upper end 38. The water heater 10 also includes a thermostat 40 extending into the water tank 14 and a burner 42 in the combustion chamber 22. Fuel is supplied to the burner 42 through a fuel line 43, a gas valve 44, and a gas manifold tube 45. The fuel line 43 also provides fuel to a pilot burner 46 next to the burner 42. The pilot burner 46 ignites fuel flowing out of the burner 42 when the burner 42 is activated. The pilot burner 46 may be continuous such as a small flame or intermittent such as an electric spark ignitor (not shown).

#In operation, the burner 42 burns the fuel supplied by the fuel line 43, along with air drawn into the combustion chamber 22 through one or more air inlets 47. The burner 42 creates products of combustion that rise through the flue 26 and heat the water by conduction through the flue walls. The flow of products of combustion is driven by natural convection, but may alternatively be driven by a blower unit (not shown) communicating with the flue 26. The above-described water heater 10 is well known in the art.

Facts

Application

10/410,759Filed 10 Apr 2003

Priority

2 Aug 2001

Published

23 Oct 2003

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

F24H 9/2035
For water heaters: using fluid fuel
F24H 15/174
Characterised by the purpose of the control: supplying heated water with desired temperature or desired range of temperature
F24H 15/20
Control of fluid heaters: characterised by control inputs
F24H 15/242
Characterised by control inputs: pressure

Family

Application09/920,907Continuation in part · filed 2 Aug 2001

Application10/410,759Continuation in part · filed 10 Apr 2003

US 2003/0024487 A1Published application

US 6,557,501 B2Related patent

US 6,745,724 B2Related patent

US 2003/0196610 A1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

Water heater having flue damper with airflow apparatus

Life of this patent

Water heater having flue damper with airflow apparatus

Life of this patent

Life of this patent

Abstract

Drawings

Drawings

Claims36

Description5,407 words

Drawings

Description5,407 words

Classification8 codes

Life of this patent