Combination water heating and space heating apparatus

In a water heater having a water storage tank and a combustion chamber, ignition control apparatus, comprising:

• a conduit in fluid communication with the combustion chamber;
• an air supply device for delivering air to said conduit;
• an air flow restrictor located in said conduit for metering the flow of air through said conduit;
• a fuel supply device responsive to a pressure differential across said air flow restriction for delivering fuel to said conduit downstream of said air flow restrictor;
• a fuel flow restrictor located between said fuel supply device and said conduit for metering the flow of fuel to said conduit;
• a blower in fluid communication with said conduit downstream of said air flow restrictor for drawing air through said conduit and for introducing a combustible fuel-air mixture into the combustion chamber;
• an igniter for igniting said fuel-air mixture in the combustion chamber;
• and
• a control device for enabling said igniter to ignite said fuel-air mixture in response to a demand for water heating and for disabling said blower for a predetermined time in response to said igniter being enabled.

Combined water heating and space heating apparatus, comprising:

• a water heating unit having a water storage tank, a combustion device having a liquid impervious housing suspended within said tank from a top part of said tank such that said housing is substantially immersed in water when said tank is filled with water, said housing defining a substantially sealed combustion chamber inside said housing, said combustion device further including a burner located in said combustion chamber for burning a combustible fuel-air mixture, said water heating unit further including a first heat exchanger in fluid communication with said combustion chamber for exhausting products of combustion from said combustion chamber, said first heat exchanger being located in said tank to be in heat exchange relationship with water in said tank, said water heating unit further including a first water circulating device for circulating water in said tank;
• a space heating unit having an air duct, a second heat exchanger located in said air duct and an air mover for moving air over said second heat exchanger, said space heating unit further including a second water circulating device for circulating water between said second heat exchanger and said tank, whereby heated water is supplied to said second heat exchanger;
• and
• a coupling device for releasably coupling said space heating unit with said water heating unit to allow said second water circulating device to circulate water between said second heat exchanger and said tank, said coupling device being adapted to couple said second heat exchanger in fluid communication with water in said top part of said tank, whereby heated water from said top part of said tank is supplied to said second heat exchanger and is returned from said second heat exchanger to said top part of said tank.

Heating apparatus, comprising:

• a tank for storing liquid, said tank having a top part and a bottom part;
• a combustion device having a liquid impervious housing suspended within said tank from said top part, such that said housing is substantially immersed in the liquid when said tank is filled with the liquid, said housing defining a substantially sealed combustion chamber inside said housing, said combustion device further including a burner located in said combustion chamber for burning a combustible fuel-air mixture;
• a first conduit in fluid communication with said combustion chamber for introducing said fuel-air mixture into said combustion chamber;
• a second conduit in fluid communication with said combustion chamber for exhausting products of combustion from said combustion chamber;
• and
• said tank having an opening in said top part, said housing having a frusto-conical top portion and a substantially cylindrical main body portion below said frusto-conical top portion, said frusto-conical top portion protruding through said opening.

Heating apparatus, comprising:

• a tank for storing liquid, said tank having a top part and a bottom part;
• a combustion device having a liquid impervious housing suspended within said tank from said top part, such that said housing is substantially immersed in the liquid when said tank is filled with the liquid, said housing defining a substantially sealed combustion chamber inside said housing, said combustion device further including a burner located in said combustion chamber for burning a combustible fuel-air mixture;
• a first conduit in fluid communication with said combustion chamber for introducing said fuel-air mixture into said combustion chamber;
• a second conduit in fluid communication with said combustion chamber for exhausting products of combustion from said combustion chamber;
• and
• said second conduit being comprised of at least one helical conduit which extends laterally outward from said housing and downwardly within said tank, said at least one helical conduit being located in said tank in heat exchange relationship with liquid stored in said tank.