Water heater with perforated ceramic plate infrared burner
AssigneeAlzeta Corporation
InventorsDavid Bartz, Martin G. Carswell
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A water heater of simplified construction which incorporates a unique infrared gas burner performs with notable thermal efficiency and suppression of the combustion pollutants, nitrogen oxides. The upright cylindrical water tank of the new water heater is supported by a cylindrical metal skirt having the same diameter of the tank. A circular perforated ceramic plate is fitted transversely in the skirt to provide a combustion zone above it and a plenum for fuel gas and air below it. A venturi tube extends through the skirt into the plenum for the injection of gas and air. The flameless combustion occurring at the exit surface of the perforated plate makes it a radiant emitter of infrared energy aimed at the bottom of the water tank.
Claims9
An improved water heater comprising an upright cylindrical water tank, a flue pipe extending lengthwise through said tank and the opposite ends of said tank, said pipe being attached to said opposite ends, a cylindrical metal skirt of substantially the same diameter of said tank to support said tank, a circular perforated ceramic flat plate infrared gas burner fitted as a transverse partition in said skirt to provide a combustion zone above said burner and a plenum for gas and air below said burner, said ceramic plate having a diameter substantially equal to the inside diameter of said skirt and having perforations over its entire face except for a narrow rim portion by which it is supported in said skirt, furnace-type insulation surrounding said perforations as lining of said skirt between said rim portion and the bottom end of said tank and exposed to said combustion zone, a venturi tube extending through said skirt into said plenum for the supply of said gas and air thereto, and a pan across the bottom end of said skirt to seal the bottom of said plenum.
In a water heater having an upright cylindrical water tank with a flue pipe extending therethrough, a cylindrical metal skirt extending downward from the cylindrical wall of said tank for the support thereof, said skirt having a closed bottom end, and a gas burner positioned within said skirt, the improvement comprising an infrared gas burner in the form of a circular perforated ceramic flat plate fitted in said skirt as a transverse partition spaced from the bottom of said tank to provide a combustion zone and spaced from said closed bottom end of said skirt to provide a plenum for fuel gas and air injected thereinto, said ceramic flat plate having a diameter substantially equal to the inside diameter of said skirt and having perforations over its entire face except for a narrow rim portion by which it is supported in said skirt, furnace-type insulation surrounding said perforations as lining of said skirt between said rim portion and the bottom end of said tank and exposed to said combustion zone, and a venturi tube extending through said skirt into said plenum for the injection of said fuel gas and air.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.