U.S. patent number 3,874,363 [Application Number 05/417,692] was granted by the patent office on 1975-04-01 for vent cap assembly for exteriorly located fuel burning unit.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Luxaire, Inc.. Invention is credited to Raymond F. Biedenbender, LaVern H. Clow, Richard J. Vales, Donald G. Van Boven.
United States Patent |
3,874,363 |
Biedenbender , et
al. |
April 1, 1975 |
Vent cap assembly for exteriorly located fuel burning unit
Abstract
A vent cap assembly through which combustion air is delivered to
the fuel burning unit, and from which flue gas exits to the
atmosphere is provided with a lower space through which the
combustion air is admitted through an outer annular opening in the
top of the housing for the fuel burning unit, and an upper space
into which flue gas is discharged from the fuel burning unit, and
in which a relief passage is provided to connect the lower space
and the upper space to create pressure and flow conditions between
the spaces to reduce the problems encountered with varying wind
velocities and directions. The upper portion of the lower space is
also compartmented to stabilize flow conditions.
Inventors: |
Biedenbender; Raymond F.
(Elyria, OH), Clow; LaVern H. (Lorain, OH), Vales;
Richard J. (Elyria, OH), Van Boven; Donald G. (Avon
Lake, OH) |
Assignee: |
Luxaire, Inc. (Elyria,
OH)
|
Family
ID: |
23655023 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/417,692 |
Filed: |
November 20, 1973 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
126/85B; 126/312;
454/4; 454/8 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F23L
17/02 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
F23L
17/02 (20060101); F23L 17/00 (20060101); F23l
017/02 () |
Field of
Search: |
;126/85B,11AA,312,307,116B ;98/119,122,48,84,36,107,58
;110/147 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
5,265 |
|
Mar 1884 |
|
UK |
|
13,911 |
|
Jun 1911 |
|
UK |
|
Primary Examiner: Camby; John J.
Assistant Examiner: Yuen; Henry C.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Arenz; E. C.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A vent cap assembly for overlying an opening on the top surface
of a housing for a fuel burning unit of the type normally installed
exteriorly of a building being served by the unit, and accordingly
being subject to variable wind directions and velocities,
comprising:
a central flue pipe extending through said opening on the top
surface and having its lower end connected to receive flue gas from
said fuel burning units;
a frusto-conical lower skirt around said flue pipe, the lower edge
of said skirt being spaced upwardly from the top surface of said
housing to admit ambient air for combustion purposes to a first
space underlying said skirt, said first space being in open
communication with the annular opening defined between said flue
pipe and the boundary of said opening in said top surface;
an upper cone-shaped cap spaced above the top end of said flue pipe
to define the top of a second space into which flue gas is
discharged from the top end of said flue pipe; and
relief passage means placing said first and second spaces in direct
communication.
2. A vent cap assembly according to claim 1 including:
guard means encircling said second space to inhibit the direct
horizontal passage of air through said space from one side to the
other.
3. A vent cap assembly according to claim 1 including:
means separating the upper portion of said first space into a
plurality of downwardly-open separate compartments spaced
circumferentially around said first space.
4. A vent cap assembly according to claim 1 wherein:
said relief passage means encircles the entirety of said flue pipe
in the form of an annular passage.
5. A vent cap assembly according to claim 3 wherein:
said means forming said separate compartments in the upper portion
of said first space comprises a series of generally
vertically-disposed fins in that portion of said first space above
the lower edge of said skirt, said fins including radially inner
end portions underlying the bottom open end of said relief passage
means.
6. In combination:
a fuel burning unit in a housing adapted for installation
exteriorly of a building the housing having a top surface with an
opening therein to admit combustion air downwardly through an outer
annular portion of said opening to said fuel burning unit, and to
discharge flue gas upwardly through a central portion of said
opening, and a vent cap assembly mounted on said top surface and
overlying said opening in said top surface, said vent cap
including;
an open-ended central flue pipe extending through said opening on
the top surface and having a lower end connected to receive flue
gas from said burner unit;
a lower, frusto-conically shaped skirt encompassing said flue pipe
with the lower edge of said skirt being spaced upwardly from the
top surface of said housing to admit ambient air for combustion
purposes to a first space underlying said skirt, said first space
being in open communication with the annulus defined between said
flue pipe and the boundary of said opening in said top surface;
an upper, cone-shaped cap mounted above the upper end of said flue
pipe to define a second space therewith to receive flue gas;
wind guard means encircling said second space to inhibit the direct
horizontal passage of wind through said second space; and
relief passage means connecting said first space to said second
space to promote equalization of pressures in said spaces.
7. In the combination of claim 6:
a plurality of generally vertically-disposed, radially-extending,
fin means separating the upper part of said first space into a
corresponding number of downwardly open chambers underlying said
skirt.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention pertains to the art of vent cap assemblies for fuel
burning units of the type normally installed exteriorly of the
building being served by the unit.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The closest prior art of which applicants are aware is the previous
commercial vent cap assembly used with fuel burning units of the
type noted. Such a vent cap assembly included the upper and lower
spaces, but they were devoid of means placing these spaces in open
communication for purposes of relief between the spaces, and were
devoid of means separating the upper part of the lower space into
separate compartments, as well as having different dimensional
relationships.
Examples of prior art patents relating to building ventilator
structures generally, but which have some superficial resemblances
to the present invention, particularly in respect to countercurrent
air flow, are U.S. Pat. Nos. 186,054; 757,348; 760,092 and
2,163,077.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the invention, the vent cap assembly thereof is
adapted for installation in overlying relation to an opening on the
top surface of a fuel burning unit of the type normally installed
exteriorly of a building being served by the fuel burning unit, and
accordingly is subject to variable wind directions and velocities.
The assembly includes a central flue pipe connected to receive flue
gas from the fuel burning unit, a lower skirt around the flue pipe
with the lower edge of the skirt being spaced above the surface on
which the assembly is installed to define therewith a first lower
space which underlies the skirt and into which ambient air for
combustion is admitted and then flows downwardly through the
annular opening defined between the flue pipe and the boundary of
the opening in the top surface, an upper cone-shaped cap spaced
above the top end of the flue pipe to define the top of an upper
and second space into which flue gas is discharged from the top end
of the flue pipe, and relief passage means placing the first and
second spaces in direct communication at at least a plurality of
locations closely adjacent the periphery of the flue pipe.
Additionally, in the preferred embodiment the upper part of the
first and lower space is separated into compartments which are
downwardly open to the remainder of the lower space and which serve
to stabilize air flow conditions under certain velocity and wind
direction conditions.
DRAWING DESCRIPTION
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a vent cap assembly on one type of fuel
burning unit according to the invention and showing sectors in
which particular wind velocities and directions provide the most
difficult flow conditions;
FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the fuel burning unit and vent cap
assembly;
FIG. 3 is a partly broken isometric view of the vent cap assembly
according to the invention;
FIG. 4 is a partly broken elevational view of the assembly; and
FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the assembly.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, one type of unit to which the invention
is particularly applicable is a unit which typically provides
either heating derived from a gas fired fuel burner unit, or
cooling derived from a self-contained mechanical refrigeration
system. The unit is usually installed on a roof top of a building
or on a slab at the side of a building being served by the unit and
duct means (not shown) are connected for the passage of the heated
air between the building and the unit. In the showing of FIGS. 1
and 2 it is assumed that the unit is installed on a roof top 10 and
it basically includes, for purposes of description of this
invention, an outer cabinet 12 including a top wall 14 having a
circular opening 16 adjacent one corner of the top surface, and
another rectangular opening 18 which functions as the refrigeration
system condenser outlet. The vent cap assembly according to the
invention is generally designated 20 and is mounted over the
opening 16 through which combustion air is delivered to the fuel
burning unit 22 (shown in dash lines in FIG. 2) and from which flue
gas is discharged through a central passage 24 into the vent cap
assembly.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the vent cap assembly 20 is mounted over
the opening 16 located in the corner portion of the top surface and
adjacent to the condenser outlet 18. Part of the difficulty
experienced with the prior art vent caps is believed to stem from
the fact that the vent cap is to be made symmetrical in design so
that it can accommodate winds from various directions, but is
usually installed in a location on the top surface 14 of the
housing which is not centered on that top surface. The result is
that with certain wind velocities from certain directions the prior
art vent cap functions satisfactorily, while with certain other
velocities and from certain other directions flow conditions arise
in which it is possible that the flue can become pressurized to a
value which is higher than the pressure in the space from which
combustion air is drawn into the fuel burning unit 22. This can
result in insufficient air flow to supply oxygen to the fuel
burning unit or in extreme cases a reverse air flow. We have found
that with the particular unit illustrated, the severest
difficulties have been experienced with wind directions and
velocities as indicated by the arrows in the segments adjacent the
one end and the one side of the unit. It will be appreciated of
course that less severe difficulties may be experienced with other
wind velocities and directions than those shown in FIG. 1. The
invention is concerned with the provision of a vent cap assembly as
installed on a fuel burning unit of this type which functions to
provide flow and pressure conditions for the combustion air and
flue gas under the varying wind velocities and directions which
permit satisfactory operation of the fuel burning unit.
Turning now to FIGS. 3-5 the assembly includes an open-ended
central vent pipe 26 adapted for connection at its lower open end
to the flue pipe 24 of the fuel burning unit, an outer, concentric
shorter pipe 28 mounted to the upper portion of the vent pipe 26 by
means of standoff brackets 30 so that an annular relief passage 32
is defined between the inner and outer pipes.
A frusto-conical shaped skirt 34 is suitably secured to the
circumference of the outer pipe 28 and is mounted at a location
with its lower edge spaced upwardly from the top surface 14 of the
cabinet 12 when the assembly is installed on the cabinet. A wire
mesh screen 36 is secured to the depending flange of the skirt 34
to serve as a barrier against the admission of birds and debris
into the first space generally designated 38 which is defined
between the lower surface of the skirt 34, the top surface 14 of
the cabinet, and the outwardly facing surfaces of the pipes 26 and
28. A plurality of generally triangular-shaped baffles or fins 40
are mounted to the underside of the slope portion of the skirt 34
and separate the upper portion of the space 38 into a series of
separate, downwardly-open compartments in the currently preferred
embodiment. As illustrated, six fins are the currently preferred
number, although eight fins have also been found to function
satisfactorily but increase the cost of the assembly. Fewer fins
may also function satisfactorily on the whole although it would be
expected that there would be a lesser degree of stabilization of
the air flow in the lower, first space 38.
An intermediate level, frusto-conical shaped skirt 42 of lesser
diameter than the lower skirt 34 is secured to the upper rim of the
outer pipe 28. Four equally spaced spacer brackets 44 fastened both
to the outside surface of the lower skirt 34 and the under surface
of the intermediate skirt 42 extend from there outwardly and
upwardly and then inwardly as best seen in FIGS. 3 and 4 to support
both a top cone 46 and a windshield 48. The space 50 defined at the
upper end of the vent pipe 26, and underlying the cone 46, and
within the bounds of the wind shield or guard 48 encircling the
second space receives the flue gas discharged from the fuel burning
unit through the vent pipe 26.
The general direction of flow of the ambient air admitted into the
lower first space 38 is indicated by the solid line arrows 52 in
FIG. 4. The general flow pattern of the flue gasses is indicated by
the dash line arrows 54. It is here noted that precise information
on pressure conditions and flow through a vent cap assembly of the
character with which this invention is concerned is difficult to
determine with any precision. Accordingly, the description of the
flow patterns and pressure conditions following is based on belief
and observation and is not intended to be a representation that
what is believed to be happening is in fact happening. However, it
is known that the arrangement according to the invention functions
better than the prior art structures known to applicants and is
considered to satisfactorily solve problems previously
experienced.
The ambient air admitted into the first, lower space 38 from any
direction flows in part through the opening 16 and the outer
surface of the vent pipe 26. The flue gas from the fuel burning
unit 22 flows upwardly through the vent pipe 26 and exits into the
second space 50 underlying the top cone 46. Under at least some of
the more critical wind velocities and directions, if not in all
cases, there is additional flow of ambient air from the lower space
38 to the upper space 50 through the direct communication passage
32 defined between the vent pipe 26 and the outer pipe 28. It has
been found that parts of this relief passage 32, up to about
one-half of the area of the passage, may be blocked and
satisfactory results still obtained. However, it is currently
believed preferably from both an economic and functional standpoint
to use substantially the entirety of the passage provided between
the two pipes with the particular dimensional relationships
illustrated in the drawing. The ambient air which passes up through
the relief passage 32 of course mixes with the flue gas in the
second space 50 and is exhausted through those gaps defined between
the upper edge of the guard 48 and the lower edge of the top cone
46, as well as through the gap defined between the lower edge of
the guard 48 and the outer circumferential edge of the intermediate
skirt 42.
It is noted that the volumes of the first space 38 and the second
space 50 are generally comparable. This is currently believed to be
the preferable arrangement for superior flow conditions. The upper
portion of the lower space 38 is separated into downwardly open
compartments by the fins 40 as noted before. The function of these
fins or baffles is for what we call stabilizing the flow in the
lower space 38 and is believed to accomplish this by breaking up
any tendency of air under certain velocity and direction conditions
from creating a swirling flow.
The relief passage arrangement basically permits equalization of
pressure between the lower and upper spaces 38 and 50 it is
believed. This avoids a condition which has occurred with prior art
vent cap assemblies in which with a strong high velocity wind
sweeping across the top surface 14 of the cabinet, air flow in a
direction opposite to the direction of the wind can be observed
closely above the top surface 14. Such a condition results in
starving of the combustion air supply to the fuel burning unit.
This reverse flow phenomenon has not been observed under the same
wind velocity and direction conditions with the vent cap assembly
of the invention and has overcome the condition of starving the
combustion air supply.
* * * * *