U.S. patent application number 10/666183 was filed with the patent office on 2005-03-17 for gas burner for a cooking appliance.
This patent application is currently assigned to General Electric Company. Invention is credited to Little, Derrick Douglas, Panchapagesan, Ganesan Vaidyanathan.
Application Number | 20050056268 10/666183 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34274701 |
Filed Date | 2005-03-17 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050056268 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Panchapagesan, Ganesan Vaidyanathan
; et al. |
March 17, 2005 |
Gas burner for a cooking appliance
Abstract
A burner assembly and method for firing a burner are provided.
The burner assembly includes a burner grate comprising a plurality
of humps, integrally formed in a glass ceramic cooktop, and
distributed around an opening in the cooktop. The burner assembly
also includes a burner, positioned in the opening in the cooktop,
comprising a plurality of burner ports, the pattern of the burner
ports selected to restrict flame formation in a region proximate a
burner grate so that flames from the respective burner ports do not
impinge upon the burner grate.
Inventors: |
Panchapagesan, Ganesan
Vaidyanathan; (Bangalore, IN) ; Little, Derrick
Douglas; (Louisville, KY) |
Correspondence
Address: |
General Electric Company
CRD Patent Docket
Bldg. K-1, Rm 4A59
P.O. Box 8
Schenectady
NY
12301
US
|
Assignee: |
General Electric Company
|
Family ID: |
34274701 |
Appl. No.: |
10/666183 |
Filed: |
September 17, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
126/39E ;
126/214R |
Current CPC
Class: |
F24C 3/085 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
126/039.00E ;
126/214.00R |
International
Class: |
F24C 003/08 |
Claims
1. A burner assembly comprising: a burner grate comprising a
plurality of humps, integrally formed in a glass ceramic cooktop,
and distributed around an opening in the cooktop; and a burner,
positioned in the opening, comprising a plurality of burner ports,
a pattern of the burner ports selected to restrict flame formation
in a region proximate a burner grate, so that flames from the
respective burner ports do not impinge upon the burner grate.
2. The burner assembly of claim 1, the pattern of the burner ports
selected to avoid flame formation in the region proximate the
burner grate.
3. The burner assembly of claim 1, wherein the burner ports are
aligned in the pattern so that no burner port is positioned
proximate any burner grate.
4. The burner assembly of claim 1, wherein a burner port positioned
proximate a burner grate is configured to direct a flame away from
the burner grate.
5. The burner assembly of claim 4, wherein the burner port
positioned proximate a burner grate is disposed at an angle with
respect to a radial direction so that an outlet of the burner port
is positioned proximate a region unobstructed by a burner
grate.
6. The burner assembly of claim 4, wherein the burner port
positioned proximate a burner grate is bifurcated at an outlet end,
so that respective outlets at the outlet end are positioned
proximate a region unobstructed by a burner grate.
7. The burner assembly of claim 4, wherein the burner port
positioned proximate a burner grate comprises a shape selected from
the group consisting of a "Y" shape and a "V" shape.
8. The burner assembly of claim 1, in combination with a cooking
appliance.
9. A burner assembly comprising: a burner grate comprising a
plurality of humps, integrally formed in a glass ceramic cooktop,
and distributed around an opening in the cooktop; and a burner,
positioned in the opening, comprising a plurality of burner ports
positioned in the burner to coincide with regions proximate the
burner unobstructed by the burner grate.
10. A burner assembly comprising: a burner grate comprising a
plurality of humps, integrally formed in a glass ceramic cooktop,
and distributed around an opening in the cooktop; and a burner,
positioned in the opening, comprising a plurality of flame-free
portions between burner ports, at least some of the flame-free
portions selected to coincide with a burner grate proximate the
burner, thereby avoiding interference between the burner grate and
flames produced by the burner.
11. A method of firing a burner comprising: providing a burner
assembly comprising a burner and a burner grate comprising a
plurality of humps, integrally formed in a glass ceramic cooktop,
and distributed around an opening in the cooktop; positioning the
burner in the opening; and configuring an array of burner ports in
the burner to avoid flame formation in regions proximate the burner
in correspondence with the humps, so that flames from the burner do
not impinge upon any burner grate therein.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention is generally related to gas cooking
appliances, and, more particularly, to a gas burner having an
improved gas port pattern for flame production.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Gas burners are known to generate carbon monoxide while
being fired. Carbon monoxide is known to be harmful to humans if
inhaled at a sufficiently high concentration. For example, if a gas
cooktop is not adequately vented, the carbon monoxide concentration
in a living space can build up to toxic levels. It has been
determined that a concentration of carbon monoxide compensated for
excess air, or air free carbon monoxide (AFCO), of greater than 800
parts per million (ppm) is unsafe for human inhabitants in the
living space. Accordingly, safety organizations, such as the
American Gas Association (AGA) require that cooktops cannot produce
more that 800 ppm AFCO. It is known that one of the primary causes
of carbon monoxide generation in gas burners is incomplete
combustion. In the past, a number of techniques to assure complete
combustion, such as increasing a burner grate height above the gas
burner, reducing diameter of the burner orifices, or underrating
the burner have been used to keep AFCO production below 800 ppm.
However, these techniques may also reduce the heat transfer
efficiency or heat output rate [British Thermal Units (BTU)/Hour]
and consequently, increase cooking times, such as by increasing a
time to boil rating for the burner.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0003] A burner assembly is described herein as including a burner
grate comprising a plurality of humps, integrally formed in a glass
ceramic cooktop, and distributed around an opening in the cooktop.
The burner assembly also includes a burner positioned in the
opening. The burner includes a plurality of burner ports, the
pattern of the burner ports selected to restrict flame formation in
a region proximate a burner grate, so that flames from the
respective burner ports do not impinge upon the burner grate.
[0004] A method for firing a burner assembly is described herein as
including providing a burner assembly comprising a burner and a
burner grate, the burner grate further including a plurality of
humps, integrally formed in a glass ceramic cooktop, and
distributed around an opening in the cooktop. The method further
includes positioning the burner in the opening and configuring an
array of burner ports in the burner to avoid flame formation in
regions proximate the burner in correspondence with the humps, so
that flames from the burner do not impinge upon any burner grate
therein.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0005] FIG. 1 is an exemplary perspective view of gas burner having
an array of burner ports configured to avoid flame formation in a
region above the burner beneath a burner grate.
[0006] FIG. 2 is a cross section of the gas burner of FIG. 1 taken
along section "A-A" through the array of burner ports and shows an
exemplary port spacing configuration.
[0007] FIG. 3 is a cross section of a gas burner taken through an
array of burner ports and shows an exemplary port orientation
configuration.
[0008] FIG. 4 is a top view of an exemplary gas burner having an
array of burner ports positioned in the top of the burner and
configured to avoid flame formation in a region above the burner
beneath a burner grate.
[0009] FIG. 5 is a partial top view of an exemplary gas burner
assembly comprising a grate of glass ceramic humps and a gas burner
having an array of burner ports configured to restrict flame
formation in a region proximate the burner grate.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0010] FIG. 1 is an exemplary perspective view of gas burner 10
having an array of burner ports 12 configured to avoid flame
formation in a region 16 above the burner 10 beneath a burner grate
14. While the burner of FIG. 10 is depicted as having a cylindrical
shape with burner ports 12 positioned around the periphery of the
burner 10, it should be appreciated by a skilled artisan that other
shapes of burners, such as square, rectangular, and star shaped,
and other port configurations, such as ports 12 positioned on top
of the burner 10, may be used without departing from the scope of
the invention. In addition, the support structure may include any
type of support structure used to support a cooking vessel above
the burner flame, such as a pot support, a wok support, grate
fingers, or cooktop grates. The inventor has innovatively
discovered that by positioning the burner ports 12, such as holes
or slots in the burner 10, so that flames 22 provided from the
ports 12 do not impinge on a structure supporting a cooking vessel
above the burner, such as the burner grate 14, AFCO levels can be
reduced compared to conventional burners. Advantageously, this
novel technique can be used without significantly affecting the
performance or efficiency of the cooking appliance or cooktop.
[0011] As shown in FIG. 1, the burner ports 12 corresponding to
regions 24 above the burner 10 unobstructed by the burner grate 14
may be symmetrically spaced apart by flame-free portions 18. For
example, each flame free portion 18 may have a width of W4, such as
between 0.09 inches and 0.1 inches for a 12,000 BTU/Hour. However,
in regions 16 above the burner 10 beneath a burner grate 14, a
burner grate aligned flame-free portion 20, having a width W1, for
example, different from W4, such as between 0.2 inches and 0.3
inches for a 12,000 BTU/Hour burner, may be used so that no flames
22 are provided beneath the burner grate 14. As would be understood
by a skilled artisan, the values of W1 and W4 are a function of the
burner diameter and rating of the burner and may also be selected
according the location and size of the burner grate. Accordingly,
flame formation in a region 16 above the burner 10 beneath a burner
grate 14 may be avoided, while flames 22 may be provided in regions
24 not obstructed by the grate 14, advantageously resulting in
reduced AFCO emissions compared to conventional burners.
[0012] FIG. 2 is a cross section of the gas burner of FIG. 1 taken
along section A-A through the array of burner ports 12 and shows an
exemplary burner port spacing configuration. In FIG. 2, the burner
grate 14 is depicted in phantom to indicate a relative location of
the burner grate 14 with respect to the burner ports 12 in the
burner 10. As shown, flame-free portions 18 between the burner
ports 12 correspond to regions 24 above the burner 10 free from the
burner grate 14. In an aspect of the invention, the burner ports 12
may be spaced in a symmetrical pattern, such as equidistant from
each other, by the flame free portions 18. Advantageously, in
regions 16 above the burner 10 and beneath the burner grate 14,
burner grate aligned flame-free portions 20 may be provided so that
no flames 22 are formed beneath the burner grate 14.
[0013] In an aspect of the invention, a width W1 of the burner
grate aligned flame-free portion 20 may be about the same as the
width W2 of the burner grate 14 located directly above the
flame-free portion 20. In another aspect, the width W1 of the
burner grate aligned flame-free portion 20 may be greater than the
width W2 of the burner grate 14. For example, the width W1 may be
configured so that flames 22 (as shown in FIG. 1) provided from
ports 12 on either side of the burner grate aligned flame-free
portion 20 may burn close to the grate 14, but do not impinge on
the burner grate 14 or burn directly beneath the grate 14. By
configuring the ports 12 to coincide with regions 24 above the
burner unobstructed by a burner grate 14, the AFCO of the burner
can be reduced compared to conventional port arrangements, without
substantially affecting the efficiency of the burner 10.
[0014] FIG. 3 is a cross section of a gas burner taken through an
array of burner ports 12, 26, 32, and shows an exemplary port
orientation configuration. The burner grate 14 is depicted in
phantom to indicate a relative location of the burner grate 14 with
respect to the burner ports 12, 26, 32 in the burner 10. In an
aspect of the invention, a port 26 coinciding with the burner grate
14 may be oriented to deflect a flame 22 provided from the port 26
away from the burner grate 14. As shown in FIG. 3, in regions 16
above the burner 10 beneath a burner grate 14, the burner port 26
may be inclined with respect to a radial direction 40 so that an
outlet 28 of the port 26 is positioned in a region 24 above the
burner 12 unobstructed by the burner grate 14. As a result, a flame
from the port 26 is directed away from the burner grate 14. For
example, the port 26 may be inclined from an inlet 30 to the outlet
28 by an angle, .theta., of about 15 degrees away from the radial
direction 40. However, as would be understood by a skilled artisan,
the angle of inclination selected will depend on the geometry of
the burner and the relation of the location and size of the burner
grate 14. In another aspect, a port 32 may be bifurcated at an
outlet end. For example, the port may have a "V"-shaped or
"Y"-shaped configuration, where each arm of the "V" or "Y" is
complementarily inclined away from a radial direction 40, so that
the port has one inlet 34 and two outlets 36, 38 opening in the
region 16 away from directly underneath the grate 14. A width W3
between the arms of the "V" or "Y" may be at least the width W2 of
the corresponding burner grate 14. By orienting the ports 12, 26,
32 to direct flames provided by the ports into regions 24 above the
burner unobstructed by a burner grate 14, AFCO emissions may be
reduced compared to conventional burners.
[0015] In another form of the invention, the burner ports may be
configured on top of a burner. FIG. 4 is a top view of an exemplary
gas burner 42 having an array of burner ports 44 positioned in a
top 46 of the burner 42 and configured to avoid flame formation in
a region above the burner beneath a burner grate 14. In FIG. 4, the
burner grate 14 is depicted in phantom to indicate a relative
location of the burner grate 14 with respect to the burner ports 44
in the burner 42. As shown, flame-free portions 48 between the
burner ports 44 correspond to regions 50 above the burner 42 free
from the burner grate 14. Advantageously, in regions 52 above the
burner 42 and beneath the burner grate 14, burner grate aligned
flame-free portions 54 may be provided so that no flames 22 are
formed beneath the burner grate 14.
[0016] FIG. 5 is a partial top view of an exemplary gas burner
assembly comprising a grate of glass ceramic humps and a gas burner
having an array of burner ports configured to restrict flame
formation in a region proximate the burner grate. Generally, the
gas burner assembly 60 may include a burner grate 62 comprising a
plurality of humps 64, integrally formed in a glass ceramic cooktop
66, and distributed around an opening (not shown) in the cooktop
66. A burner 68 may be positioned in the opening and may include a
plurality of burner ports (such as can be seen in FIG. 1). The
pattern of the burner ports may be selected to restrict flame
formation in regions 72 proximate the burner grate humps 64, so
that flames 70 from the respective burner ports do not impinge upon
the humps 64 of the burner grate 62. In one aspect, the burner
ports proximate the burner grate humps 64 may be smaller in cross
section than burner ports positioned away from the burner grate
humps 64, so that flames 70 from these ports are correspondingly
smaller than flames 74 extending from burner ports positioned away
from the burner grate humps 64. In another aspect, burner ports may
be eliminated or blocked (such as can be seen in FIG. 2), in
regions 72 proximate the burner grate humps 64, so that no flames
are formed in regions 72 proximate the burner grate humps 64.
Because grates 62 formed in glass cooktops 66 may transfer heat to
the cooktop 66 and other elements of the cooking appliance, it is
believed that limiting the amount of heat transfer can extend the
life of the cooktop 66 and cooking appliance. Accordingly, the
inventors have advantageously realized that by preventing flame
impingement on the burner grate humps 64, potentially damaging heat
transfer in the cooking appliance may be reduced compared to
allowing flames to impinge upon the burner grate 62.
[0017] In an aspect of the invention, burner ports aligned with
positions proximate humps 64 of the burner grate may be partially
blocked or completely blocked to reduce flame size or eliminate
flames near the humps, respectively.
[0018] Using the innovative burner configurations as exemplarily
described above, the inventors have experimentally demonstrated
that AFCO emissions are reduced compared to conventional burners.
The inventors conducted experiments according to American National
Standards Institute (ANSI) Standard Z21.1 for Household Gas Cooking
Appliances. The experiments compared the AFCO performance of a
comparably rated conventional burner and a burner having burner
ports configured according to the exemplary embodiments depicted in
FIGS. 1 and 2. In both cases, the burner grate 14 was mounted at
the same height above the burner. Table 1 below depicts the
exemplary results of a test at a pressure of 3.5 inches of water
and an ambient temperature of 75 degrees Fahrenheit and shows
reduced AFCO formation for the novel burner:
1TABLE 1 Conventional Burner Novel Burner Time CO O2 AFCO Time CO
O2 AFCO (Min) (ppm) (%) (ppm) (Min) (ppm) (%) (ppm) 5 82 16.6 399 5
54 16.8 275 10 59 17.1 325 10 39 17.1 215
[0019] Table 2 below depicts exemplary results of a test of the
burners (in the same test configuration as described above) at an
increased pressure to provide a flow of 112% of burner rated value.
This test was performed at an ambient temperature of 74.1 degrees
Fahrenheit and shows reduced AFCO formation for the novel
burner:
2TABLE 2 Conventional Burner Novel Burner Time CO O2 AFCO Time CO
O2 AFCO (Min) (ppm) (%) (ppm) (Min) (ppm) (%) (ppm) 5 283 16 1207 5
82 16 350 10 115 16.1 501 10 73 16.1 318
[0020] In addition to the tests conducted above, a time-to-boil
performance was conducted according to ANSI Standards Z21.1 and
Z21.23 to verify that the efficiency of the novel burner remained
substantially the same as the comparably rated conventional burner
at the same burner grate height. Table 3 below depicts exemplary
results of a test of the time-to-boil performance of a conventional
burner and the novel burner. The Test setup included 5
thermocouples attached to copper discs of dimensions specified in
ANSI Z 21.23. The test measured the time to raise the average
temperature of 6 liters of water at one atmosphere of pressure and
at 74.1 degrees Fahrenheit ambient temperature to a temperature of
190 degrees Fahrenheit from an initial temperature of 71.2 degrees
Fahrenheit.
3 TABLE 3 Conventional Burner Novel Burner 25 min., 9 sec. 25 min.,
20 sec.
[0021] As shown in Table 3, the time-to-boil performance is
essentially the same for the novel burner compared to the
conventional burner. Accordingly, as shown in Tables 1-3, the AFCO
emissions can be reduced and efficiency of the burner can be
maintained by configuring the array of burner ports in the burner
to avoid flame formation in a region above the burner beneath a
burner grate.
[0022] While the preferred embodiments of the present invention
have been shown and described herein, it will be obvious that such
embodiments are provided by way of example only. Numerous
variations, changes and substitutions will occur to those of skill
in the art without departing from the invention herein.
Accordingly, it is intended that the invention be limited only by
the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
* * * * *