Low NOX and CO emissions direct contact high temperature water heater

Abstract

A gas-fired water heater is comprised of a vertical housing (11) having a circumferential side wall (12), a closed bottom end (13), and a flue (14) connected to a top end portion (15) thereof. A packing (17) of heat exchange elements (18) is supported inside the housing (11) in an uppermost region (19) thereof. A water discharge orifice or nozzle (21) is disposed above the packing (17) and connected to a water supply (22) for releasing water to be heated on the packing. An axial burner (23) is disposed substantially centrally with the housing under the packing (17). A feed pipe (24) is connected to the burner (23) and extends at least partly axially within the housing. A gas-air mixture is fed to the burner (23) through the feed pipe (24). An ignitor device (25) is provided to ignite the burner (23). The water is heated in the housing by contact with the packing (17) and an inner surface (12') of the housing (11) and in a space below the packing during the gravitational displacement of water droplets from the discharge orifice (21) to a collector chamber (31) below the burner.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.