U.S. patent application number 12/987445 was filed with the patent office on 2012-07-12 for gas-fired water heater with an exhaust assembly.
Invention is credited to Stephen T. English.
Application Number | 20120174878 12/987445 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46454273 |
Filed Date | 2012-07-12 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120174878 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
English; Stephen T. |
July 12, 2012 |
GAS-FIRED WATER HEATER WITH AN EXHAUST ASSEMBLY
Abstract
A gas-fired water heater including a storage tank, a combustion
chamber, a burner for producing products of combustion, the burner
positioned in the combustion chamber, a flue including a
longitudinal axis, the flue extending from the combustion chamber
through the storage tank, and an exhaust assembly positioned above
the flue. The exhaust assembly includes a hood, a motor including a
drive shaft, and a fan coupled to the drive shaft for rotation with
the drive shaft about a rotational axis. The hood receives the
products of combustion from the flue and directs the products of
combustion at an acute angle toward the fan. The rotational axis is
positioned at the acute angle relative to the longitudinal
axis.
Inventors: |
English; Stephen T.;
(Englewood, OH) |
Family ID: |
46454273 |
Appl. No.: |
12/987445 |
Filed: |
January 10, 2011 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
122/18.4 ;
454/341 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F23L 17/005 20130101;
F24H 1/205 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
122/18.4 ;
454/341 |
International
Class: |
F24H 1/18 20060101
F24H001/18; F24F 7/007 20060101 F24F007/007 |
Claims
1. A gas-fired water heater, comprising: a storage tank; a
combustion chamber; a burner for producing products of combustion,
the burner positioned in the combustion chamber; a flue including a
longitudinal axis, the flue extending from the combustion chamber
through the storage tank; and an exhaust assembly positioned above
the flue, the exhaust assembly including a hood, a motor including
a drive shaft, and a fan coupled to the drive shaft for rotation
with the drive shaft about a rotational axis; wherein the hood
receives the products of combustion from the flue and directs the
products of combustion at an acute angle toward the fan and the
rotational axis is positioned at the acute angle relative to the
longitudinal axis.
2. The gas-fired water heater of claim 1, wherein the acute angle
is forty-five degrees.
3. The gas-fired water heater of claim 1 wherein the exhaust
assembly further includes a blower housing coupled to the hood, the
blower housing including a chamber and a blower outlet extending
from the chamber along an outlet axis; and wherein the fan is
positioned within the chamber.
4. The gas-fired water heater of claim 3, wherein the outlet axis
is parallel to the longitudinal axis.
5. The gas-fired water heater of claim 3, wherein the acute angle
is forty-five degrees.
6. The gas-fired water heater of claim 4, wherein the acute angle
is forty-five degrees.
7. An exhaust assembly for use with a gas-fired water heater
including a flue having a longitudinal axis, the gas-fired water
heater producing products of combustion, the exhaust assembly
comprising: a hood; a motor including a drive shaft; and a fan
coupled to the drive shaft for rotation with the drive shaft about
a rotational axis; wherein the hood receives the products of
combustion from the flue and directs the products of combustion at
an acute angle toward the fan and the rotational axis is positioned
at the acute angle relative to the longitudinal axis.
8. The exhaust assembly of claim 7, wherein the acute angle is
forty-five degrees.
9. The exhaust assembly of claim 7 further comprising a blower
housing coupled to the hood, the blower housing including a chamber
and a blower outlet extending from the chamber along an outlet
axis; and wherein the fan is positioned within the chamber.
10. The exhaust assembly of claim 9, wherein the outlet axis is
parallel to the longitudinal axis.
11. The exhaust assembly of claim 9, wherein the acute angle is
forty-five degrees.
12. The exhaust assembly of claim 10, wherein the acute angle is
forty-five degrees.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] The present invention relates to water heaters, and more
particularly to gas-fired water heaters with exhaust
assemblies.
[0002] Typical gas-fired water heaters produce exhaust gases or
products of combustion that must be exhausted outside of the
residence or other building in which the water heater is installed.
An exhaust assembly, blower, or fan moves the exhaust gases
generated by the water heater from the water heater to the
atmosphere outside the building.
SUMMARY
[0003] The present invention provides, in one aspect, a gas-fired
water heater including a storage tank, a combustion chamber, a
burner for producing products of combustion, the burner positioned
in the combustion chamber, a flue including a longitudinal axis,
the flue extending from the combustion chamber through the storage
tank, and an exhaust assembly positioned above the flue. The
exhaust assembly includes a hood, a motor including a drive shaft,
and a fan coupled to the drive shaft for rotation with the drive
shaft about a rotational axis. The hood receives the products of
combustion from the flue and directs the products of combustion at
an acute angle toward the fan. The rotational axis is positioned at
the acute angle relative to the longitudinal axis.
[0004] The present invention provides, in another aspect, an
exhaust assembly for use with a gas-fired water heater including a
flue having a longitudinal axis, the gas-fired water heater
producing products of combustion. The exhaust assembly includes a
hood, a motor including a drive shaft, and a fan coupled to the
drive shaft for rotation with the drive shaft about a rotational
axis. The hood receives the products of combustion from the flue
and directs the products of combustion at an acute angle toward the
fan. The rotational axis is positioned at the acute angle relative
to the longitudinal axis.
[0005] Other features and aspects of the invention will become
apparent by consideration of the following detailed description and
accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] FIG. 1 is front view of a gas-fired water heater including
an exhaust assembly.
[0007] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the exhaust assembly of FIG.
1.
[0008] FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the exhaust assembly of FIG.
1.
[0009] FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the exhaust assembly of FIG. 1
along line 4-4.
[0010] Before any embodiments of the invention are explained in
detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in
its application to the details of construction and the arrangement
of components set forth in the following description or illustrated
in the following drawings. The invention is capable of other
embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in
various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and
terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and
should not be regarded as limiting.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0011] FIG. 1 illustrates a gas-fired water heater 100. The water
heater 100 includes a water storage tank 105 and a combustion
chamber 110 positioned below the storage tank 105. A burner 115 is
positioned in the combustion chamber 110. A flammable gas is
provided to the burner 115 by a gas inlet or manifold 120 connected
to a gas valve 125. The gas valve 125 is also connected to a gas
supply. The combustion chamber 110 communicates with an air supply,
for example, the atmosphere around the water heater 100. A jacket
130 including a cover 135 surrounds the storage tank 105 and
combustion chamber 110. Foam insulation is provided between the
storage tank 105 and jacket 130. A flue 140 extends from the
combustion chamber 110, through the storage tank 105, and through
the cover 135. The flue 140 includes a longitudinal axis 145. The
products of combustion or exhaust gases created by the burner 115
flow through the flue 140 to heat the water stored in the storage
tank 105. A cold water inlet pipe 150 is connected to a dip tube
155 to supply cold water to the storage tank 105. A hot water
supply pipe 160 is connected to the storage tank 105 to supply hot
water to an end-use location, for example, a faucet. An exhaust
assembly 165 is coupled to the cover 135 and positioned above the
flue 140. The exhaust assembly 165 receives the exhaust gas exiting
the flue 140. The structure of the gas-fired water heater 100 other
than the exhaust assembly 165 is typical of a storage or tank
gas-fired water heater. The exhaust assembly 165 could also be used
with other known gas-fired water heaters, including instantaneous
or tankless water heaters or tank-tankless water heaters.
Directional language refers to the exhaust assembly 165 as
installed for normal, intended use with a gas-fired water heater
100.
[0012] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the exhaust assembly 165 includes
a hood 170, a blower housing 175, a fan, blower, or impeller 180,
and a motor 185. The hood 170 includes a chamber 190 formed by
multiple walls 195, including a rear wall 200. The chamber 190
includes an open bottom portion 205 that is positioned above the
flue 140 to receive exhaust gas from the flue 140. The flue 140
includes a flue outlet 210. An air inlet 215 is connected to the
chamber 190. At least a portion 220 of the rear wall 200 is angled
toward the flue 140. An opening, hole, or aperture 225 is formed
through the angled portion 220. A flow path axis 230 passes through
the center of the opening 225, is perpendicular to the angled
portion 220, and is positioned at an acute angle 232 relative to
the longitudinal axis 145. An acute angle is greater than zero
degrees and less than ninety degrees. Preferably, the acute angle
232 is forty-five degrees. A flow path 235 between the flue outlet
210 and the opening 225 is at least partially defined by the walls
so that the hood 170 directs the exhaust gas toward the fan 180 at
the acute angle 232 and through the opening 225 in a direction
substantially parallel to the flow path axis 230. The direction of
flow of the exhaust gas is shown by the arrows in FIG. 4.
[0013] The blower housing 175 includes a chamber 240 formed by a
front wall 245, an outer wall 250, and a cover 255. The outer wall
250 is cylindrical and extends rearwardly from the front wall 245.
The blower housing 175 is secured to the hood 170 so that the front
wall 245 abuts the angled portion 220. In some embodiments, a
gasket or seal is compressed between the front wall 245 and the
angled portion 220 to create a substantially air-tight seal between
the hood 170 and the blower housing 175. An opening, hole, or
aperture 260 is formed through the front wall 245. The opening 260
is coaxial with the opening 225 and substantially the same size and
shape as the opening 225. A blower outlet 265 extends vertically
from the outer wall 250 along an outlet axis 270, with vertical
being in the same direction as the longitudinal axis 145. The fan
180 is positioned within the chamber 240. The cover 255 is secured
to the outer wall 250 at the distal end of the outer wall 250. The
motor 185 is secured to the blower housing 175 by a motor housing
275. A drive shaft 280 extends through an opening in the cover 255
and is connected to the fan 180 so that that drive shaft 280 and
the fan 180 both rotate about a rotational axis 285. The rotational
axis 285 is parallel to or collinear with the flow path axis 230.
Therefore, the rotational axis 285 is positioned at an acute angle
287 relative to the longitudinal axis 145. Preferably, the acute
angle 232 is equal to the acute angle 287. The acute angle 287 is
preferably forty-five degrees.
[0014] In use, exhaust gas exits the flue 140 through the flue
outlet 210 in a flow direction generally parallel to the
longitudinal axis 145. The exhaust gas is received within the
chamber 190 and directed at the acute angle 232 toward the opening
225. Ambient dilution air is drawn through the air inlet 215 into
the chamber 190. The dilution air mixes with the exhaust gas in the
chamber 190, thereby reducing the concentration of undesirable
chemicals formed during the combustion process and lowering the
temperature of the exhaust gas before the mixture enters the blower
housing 175. The mixture of exhaust gas and dilution air exits the
hood 170 through the opening 225 in a flow direction generally
parallel to the flow path axis 230. The mixture enters the chamber
240 through the opening 260. The rotating fan 180 moves the mixture
through the chamber 240 to the blower outlet 265 where the mixture
exits in a direction generally parallel to the outlet axis 270. The
blower outlet 265 is connected to an exhaust duct that connects the
exhaust assembly 165 to the atmosphere outside the building.
[0015] The rotational axis 285 acutely angled from vertical
improves the efficiency of the exhaust assembly 165 over known
horizontal or vertical exhaust assemblies. A vertical exhaust
assembly includes a motor and fan oriented so that the rotational
axis of the motor shaft and fan is parallel with the longitudinal
axis 145. This causes the exhaust gas entering the vertical exhaust
assembly to make a ninety degree turn when transitioning from the
flue to the blower housing. A horizontal exhaust assembly includes
a motor and a fan oriented so that the rotational axis of the motor
shaft and fan is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. This
causes the exhaust gas entering the horizontal exhaust assembly to
make a ninety degree turn when transitioning from the flue to the
hood and a second ninety degree turn when transitioning from the
hood to the blower housing. By acutely angling the rotational axis
285, the exhaust gas turns less than ninety degrees before entering
the blower housing 175 so that the efficiency of the exhaust
assembly 165 is improved and the power requirement for the motor
185 is reduced. The angled design of the exhaust assembly 165 also
allows the exhaust assembly 165 to be positioned between the cold
water inlet pipe 150 and the hot water supply pipe 160.
[0016] Various features of the invention are set forth in the
following claims.
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