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US 4,056,091 AGranted
Vortical flow aerothermodynamic fireplace unit
OwnerAlexander John Moncrieff-Yeatesinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A heat exchanger particularly for use in a circulating hot air fireplace is constructed to induce vorticity in the flame and/or hot combustion gases at a position in proximity to a heat exchange surface to enhance residence time and thermal transfer to the circulating air. The vorticity pattern acts as a self-adjusting flow controller.
Claims21
A heat exchange structure for use in a fireplace of the type including
- an enclosure for a fire producing a hot thermally donative gas, said enclosure comprising side walls, a back wall, and a top wall,
- a flue opening in said top wall for exhausting said donative gas,
- an outer enclosure comprising walls spaced outwardly from said fire enclosure walls and defining therebetween passages for a thermally recipient air,
- a front wall extending downwardly from a front portion of said top wall and including a fire enclosure opening therein,
- means communicating air from said thermally recipient air passages through said front wall, said means comprising a duct extending between junctures with said back and front walls through a central portion of said fire enclosure,
- said structure further characterized in that
- said duct has a bottom surface comprising a flame plate for exposure to said donative gas in said enclosure, said flame plate being slanted upwardly toward one of said junctures to define throughout the extent of said one juncture a laterally extensive thermally donative air vorticity area throughout which the donative air is induced to whirl in a stable vortex proximate to and in heat exchange relationship to said flame plate and said wall structure.
4 more elements
A heat exchange structure for use in a fireplace of the type including
- enclosure for a fire producing hot, thermally donative gas,
- a flue opening for exhausting said gas,
- means for conducting ambient room air in heat recipient relationship to said hot, thermally donative gas,
- said structure characterized in the inclusion of
- means to divert at least a portion of said thermally donative gas in a vortical pattern, said means comprising
- a duct comprising a portion of said recipient gas conducting means, said duct having a bottom surface comprising a flame plate exposed to said donative gas in said enclosure to form a partial barrier to the flow of said donative gas to said flue opening,
- additional partial barrier means comprising a surface extending toward said donative gas source and intersecting said bottom surface to form therewith a juncture defining a laterally extensive thermally donative air vorticity area throughout which donative air is induced to whirl in a stable vortex proximate to and in heat exchange relationship to said flame plate.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.