# US 4,393,815 A · Heating plant > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 4,393,815 A - Document ID: US4393815A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 06/253,928 - Filed: 1981-04-16 - Granted: 1983-07-19 - Earliest claimed: 1981-04-16 - Inventors: Niels R. Pedersen; Eyvind S. Nielsen - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4393815A ## CPC - F23J 15/04: using washing fluids {(scrubbers for removing solids only F23J15/022)} - F22B 1/16: the heat carrier being hot liquid or hot vapour, e.g. waste liquid, waste vapour - F23J 15/06: of coolers - F23L 11/00: Arrangements of valves or dampers after the fire - F24H 1/107: {using fluid fuel} - Y02B 30/52: Heat recovery pumps, i.e. heat pump based systems or units able to transfer the thermal energy from one area of the premises or part of the facilities to a different one, improving the overall efficiency - Y02E 20/30: Technologies for a more efficient combustion or heat usage - F23J: REMOVAL OR TREATMENT OF COMBUSTION PRODUCTS OR COMBUSTION RESIDUES; FLUES (combustion apparatus for consuming smoke or fumes, e.g. exhaust gases, F23G7/06) - F22B: METHODS OF STEAM GENERATION; STEAM BOILERS - F23L: SUPPLYING AIR OR NON-COMBUSTIBLE LIQUIDS OR GASES TO COMBUSTION APPARATUS IN GENERAL ({air-supply arrangements for fluent fuels F23C;} firebridges with means for feeding air or steam F23M3/04; baffles or shields with air supply passages F23M9/04); VALVES OR DAMPERS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR CONTROLLING AIR SUPPLY OR DRAUGHT IN COMBUSTION APPARATUS {(dampers and throat restrictors for open fire-places F24; air inlet valves for open fire fronts F24)}; INDUCING DRAUGHT IN COMBUSTION APPARATUS; TOPS FOR CHIMNEYS OR VENTILATING SHAFTS; TERMINALS FOR FLUES - F24H: FLUID HEATERS, e.g. WATER OR AIR HEATERS, HAVING HEAT-GENERATING MEANS, e.g. HEAT PUMPS, IN GENERAL (steam generation F22) - Y02B: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract A heating plant which includes an upstanding housing with a combustion chamber in the lower part of the housing, a high pressure burner extending within the combustion chamber, a flue gas pipe extending upwardly from the combustion chamber to terminate in a smoke trap. The smoke trap is in the form of a dome having a dome skirt extending downwardly below the upper level of the flue gas pipe, and a vessel for maintaining a washing liquid at a predetermined level between the upper limits of the flue gas pipe and the lower edge of the dome skirt. Openings are provided in the dome skirt below the level of the liquid, such that smoke coming from the flue gas pipe is forced to bubble through the washing liquid through the openings in the dome wall and up to a chamber to be exhausted from the housing. Various heat exchanger means are provided in the housing for extracting heat from the combustion chamber and the smoke system. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A heating plant comprising a housing, a combustion chamber, a high pressure burner associated with the combustion chamber, an exhaust pipe extending from the combustion chamber vertically within the housing and terminating within a smoke trap provided in the housing, the smoke trap including a dome having a downwardly extending skirt, the skirt extending below the top level of the exhaust pipe, means for maintaining a smoke washing liquid level below the level of the exhaust pipe and above the bottom edge of the dome skirt within the housing, openings provided in the dome skirt in the area below the liquid level, said openings decreasing in area from the bottom edge of the skirt to the top limit of said openings below the level of the liquid, an exhaust stack communicating with the housing above the dome, and heat exchange means associated with the housing through which heat exchange fluid may be circulated for extracting the heat generated in the heating plant. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A heating plant as defined in claim 1, wherein the combustion chamber is located within the housing spaced below the smoke trap. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) A heating plant as defined in claim 2, wherein heat exchangers are suitably provided near the combustion chamber so as to extract heat therefrom, and whereby flue gases from the combustion chamber rise in the exhaust pipe into the dome, and as the pressure is built up, such gases are forced to bubble through the washing liquid in the housing through the openings in the dome skirt; as the pressure of the flue gases increases in the dome, the bubbling will increase as the flue gases are forced lower and lower along the larger area of openings in the skirt of the dome. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A heating plant as defined in claim 1, wherein the dome is provided with a heat exchange water jacket in the top surface thereof in order to extract heat therefrom and to keep the dome relatively cool. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1, 2) A heating plant as defined in either one of claims 1 and 2, wherein heat exchange units are provided in the washing liquid and heat extraction fluid is circulated through the heat exchanger therein. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A heating plant as defined in claim 1, wherein said heating plant includes a heat pump provided externally of the housing and communicating with a heat exchange coil in the smokestack and wherein the heat pump is effected for heating cold tap water. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) A heating plant as defined in claim 6, wherein the heat pump also communicates with the heat exchange coil in the washing liquid so as to supplement the transfer of heat to the tap water as it passes through the plant to thereby increase the temperature of the tap water. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A heating plant as defined in claim 1, wherein a bypass valve is provided in the dome in order to bypass the flue gas from the smoke trap in the initial stages of combustion while the heating plant is still relatively cold. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) A heating plant as defined in claim 8, wherein the valve is in the form of an aperture in the skirt of the dome and a bimetallic flap which is normally open is provided and adapted to close the aperture in the skirt when the bimetallic valve has been heated up to a predetermined level. ### Claim 10 (depends on 2) A heating plant as defined in claim 2, wherein a water jacket surrounds the combustion chamber within the housing and a fluid medium for extracting heat is passed through the water jacket to thereby extract heat from the walls of the combustion chamber and the gas flue pipe, and said water jacket being kept separate from the washing liquid which is also provided in the housing. ### Claim 11 (depends on 2) A heating plant as defined in claim 2, wherein the openings provided in the skirt of the dome are in the form of V-shaped slits extending upwardly from the bottom edge of the skirt and terminate at a level below the predetermined washing liquid level, the slits being open to the bottom edge and tapering upwardly. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1, 2) A heating plant as defined in either one of claims 1 or 2, wherein an antipulsation tray is provided in the smoke trap including a flat tray bottom and upstanding side walls overlapping the dome skirt and extending above the liquid level, whereby vibrations in the liquid mass are dampened by said antipulsating tray. ### Claim 13 (depends on 2) A heating plant as defined in claim 2, wherein the housing is suitable for passing air flow, and a first air blower is provided for forcibly passing cool air into the top portion of the housing and through a channeled air heat exchange means and similarly the heat exchange means is adapted to pass smoke emanating from the smoke trap and keep it separate from the air being heated, and air ducts passing about the combustion chamber and a separate vessel for maintaining the washing liquid at a predetermined level about the smoke trap, and the air ducts allowing the air to be heated to pass along the surfaces of the vessel, and outlet means for allowing the now heated air to be removed from the housing.