With Baffle In Flue Patents (Class 122/44.2)
  • Patent number: 11118811
    Abstract: A heat source device comprising: a combustion chamber (2) provided between a burner (31) and a heat exchanger (1); an inlet pipe (20) for allowing a fluid to be heated to flow in the heat exchanger (1); an outlet pipe (21) for allowing the fluid to be heated to flow out from the heat exchanger (1); and a winding pipe (27) wound around an outer surface of a peripheral wall of the combustion chamber (2), wherein either the inlet pipe (20) or the outlet pipe (21) has an orifice (91) for throttling a fluid flow path of the fluid to be heated flowing in the inlet pipe (20) or the outlet pipe (21).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: RINNAI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takahiro Ono, Takashi Ojiro
  • Patent number: 11009296
    Abstract: A heat exchange conduit includes a conduit body extending along a longitudinal axis between an inlet at one end thereof and an outlet at an opposed end. The conduit body has at least one conduit wall. At least one of said conduit walls is a heat-exchange wall shaped to be in heat exchange relationship with an object or fluid in contact therewith. An elongated turbulence strip is disposed within the conduit body and extends along a length thereof. The turbulence strip has longitudinally spaced-apart flow impact walls. Each flow impact wall has a peripheral rim and is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. A flow gap for fluid flow is defined between at least a portion of the peripheral rim of each flow impact wall and an adjacent inner surface of the at least one conduit wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: 6353908 CANADA INC.
    Inventor: David Velan
  • Patent number: 10458728
    Abstract: A turbulence member is made of a flat plate member configured to be inserted into a heat-transfer tube having a substantially elliptical cross-sectional shape. The flat plate member is a generate turbulence in a fluid flowing inside the heat-transfer tube by a plurality of projected pieces projected on both front and back surfaces. A rotation preventing piece configured to prevent rotation of the flat plate member inside the heat-transfer tube is provided in at least one of both side edges along the flow passage direction in the flat plate member. The rotation preventing piece is provided at a predetermined angle to the flat plate member so that a forefront comes into contact with a tube wall inner circumferential surface of the heat-transfer tube. A space through which the fluid can circulate is formed between the rotation preventing piece and the tube wall inner circumferential surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: Rinnai Corporation
    Inventors: Hidenao Negi, Toshimitsu Nagasaka, Takaaki Nakagoshi
  • Patent number: 10209011
    Abstract: A heat transfer tube includes a twisted baffle arranged in an inner wall of the tube. The twisted baffle extends spirally along an axial direction of the heat transfer tube. The twisted baffle is provided with a non-through gap extending along an axial direction of the heat transfer tube from an end to the other end of the twisted baffle. A cracking furnace uses the heat transfer tube. The heat transfer tube and cracking furnace have good heat transfer effects and small pressure loss.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignees: China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation, Beijing Research Institute of Chemical Industry SINOPEC
    Inventors: Guoqing Wang, Lijun Zhang, Xianfeng Zhou, Junjie Liu, Zhiguo Du, Yonggang Zhang, Zhaobin Zhang, Cong Zhou
  • Patent number: 9739503
    Abstract: A heat exchanger tube of a heating boiler, comprising an outer tube, which may be flown through by exhaust gases from the boiler firing and which may be surrounded by boiler water on the outside, and a profiled insert inserted into the outer tube, which comprises ribs running in longitudinal direction of the outer tube to enlarge the inner surface of the outer tube and which is in thermally conductive contact with the outer tube, are to achieve that an even greater heat transfer capacity from the combustion gases to the boiler water in the heating boiler is enabled. A first longitudinal section of the outer tube is formed in a cylindrical, smooth-walled manner and a second longitudinal section of the outer tube has at least one cross-sectional narrowing element narrowing the flow cross section. The profiled insert extends exclusively over the first longitudinal section of the outer tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: Hoval Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Markus Walter Telian
  • Patent number: 9243853
    Abstract: A heat exchanger comprising substantially square (rectangle) conduits featuring a screw like turbulator designed for square conduits. The tubes are designed for reclaiming heat from waste fluids. The tubes are substantially parallel to the flow direction of the waste fluid, thus resulting in a simple and cost effective construction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: ECODRAIN INC.
    Inventor: David Velan
  • Patent number: 9067786
    Abstract: The invention relates to a reactor for catalytic reformation of hydrocarbons with steam at elevated pressure, said reactor comprising a reaction space and a fire space, said reaction space comprised of a multitude of vertical tubes arranged in rows and suitable for being filled with a catalyst, and having facilities for feeding hydrocarbons and steam to be reformed to the reaction space, and furthermore comprising facilities for discharge of reformed synthesis gas from the reaction space, and furthermore comprising a multitude of firing facilities in the upper area of the firing space, said firing facilities being able to generate mainly downwardly directed flames that are suitable to heat the aforementioned reaction tubes, with the tube feeding air to the burner being equipped with a facility for adjusting and setting the air flow, and there being a secondary air feeder mounted additionally to this tube and branching-off from it and configured in various layouts and having an independently controllable facil
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: Uhde GmbH
    Inventors: Oliver Meissner, Silke Wodberg
  • Patent number: 8631769
    Abstract: An improved boiler for generating steam includes a housing that has a proximal end and a distal end, with a water-entry port at the proximal end. A plurality of firetubes are disposed lengthwise in the housing, and the firetubes extend substantially the length of the housing between the proximal end and the distal end. The firetubes are used to pass the heated flue gas through the housing. A pair of side baffles are affixed to the inner surface of the housing that extend at least partially down the length of the housing to separate a portion of the last pass of firetubes near the housing from the remaining firetubes in the housing. At least two cross-sectional baffles are positioned adjacent the side baffles to direct the flow of water opposite to the flue gas flow in the separated part of firetubes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Hurst Boiler & Welding Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Vague Kirakossian
  • Publication number: 20110139092
    Abstract: Provided is a reheat boiler in which the imbalance in temperature distribution of the temperature of the combustion gas at the outlet of a reheat furnace is reduced by changing the gas flow pattern in the reheat burner. A reheat boiler includes a main boiler configured such that main combustion gas generated in combustion in a burner flows from a furnace through a superheater and evaporator tubes, a reheat furnace that is disposed on the downstream of the evaporator tubes and produces reheat combustion gas by combustion in a reheat burner, and a reheater disposed above the reheat furnace. A closing plate, serving as a drift preventing portion, is provided at a reheat furnace outlet that connects the reheat furnace and the reheater to form a flow path for the combustion gas and the reheat combustion gas so as to narrow the cross-sectional area of the flow path for the combustion gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2009
    Publication date: June 16, 2011
    Inventors: Junji Imada, Isao Uchida, Syuji Sato, Hideo Fukuda
  • Patent number: 7814868
    Abstract: A fuel-fired water heater has a draft inducer fan assembly with a housing having an inlet for receiving hot combustion gases discharged from the water heater, and an outlet for discharging the combustion gases. A normally closed damper member within the housing is openable by fluid pressure force created by operation of a draft inducer fan portion of the assembly. With the damper in its open position the fan exhausts the received combustion gases through a housing outlet. When the damper closes it prevents convective outflow through the housing outlet of flue-heated air. In alternate embodiments of the assembly the fan is operative to also draw in dilution air that cools the fan motor and the discharged combustion gases, with the assembly having an internal configuration preventing convective outflow of flue-heated air through the housing dilution air inlet during standby periods of the water heater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignee: Rheem Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Jiang Yin, Jozef Boros
  • Patent number: 7360506
    Abstract: A water heater including a water container, a combustion chamber adjacent the water heater, a burner associated with the combustion chamber and arranged to combust fuel to heat water in the water container, a flue having an upper portion and a lower portion operatively connected to the combustion chamber and extending through at least a portion of the water container, and a catalytic converter located in the upper portion of the flue. The water heater may also reduce NOx and CO emissions generated by a water heater having a radiant burner including activating the burner in response to the temperature of water in the water heater as needed, and substantially removing accumulated foreign matter on the burner by periodically activating the burner irrespective of the water temperature for a selected amount of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: American Water Heater Company
    Inventors: Timothy J. Shellenberger, Thomas A. Edds
  • Patent number: 7311064
    Abstract: Apparatus for improving the efficiency of a water heater includes a combination damper assembly and heat transfer baffle. The damper assembly includes a plurality of movable damper with each damper leaning outwardly from one another when the dampers are in a closed position. The baffle depends from the damper assembly and includes a truncated conical shape in this position within the flue of a water heater for directing combustion gases from the burner against a flue wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2007
    Inventor: Werner K. Schimmeyer
  • Patent number: 7100541
    Abstract: A water heater comprising a closed tank having a water inlet for connection with a water supply, and a hot water outlet connected to the tank interior; a flue pipe extending vertically through the tank and having an upper portion for connection with a vent pipe; a cylinder having a lower end and upper open end with means for opening disposed within the flue pipe, and spaced from inner walls of the flue pipe, and extending substantially the length of the flue pipe; a burner disposed in a lower region of the cylinder and above the lower end thereof, such that combustion products from the burner rise through the cylinder; and a water conducing coil disposed within the cylinder connected with the interior of the tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Inventors: Charles J. Frasure, Greg A. Frasure, Paul J. Frasure, Blake D. Frasure
  • Patent number: 7000572
    Abstract: Water heater apparatus for improving the efficiency of a water heater having a tank, a burner, and a flue with the flue being disposed within the tank for evacuation of burn gases therethrough includes an enhancing heat transfer baffle with the baffle having a truncated conical shape and positioned within the flue for directing combustion gases from the burner against a flue wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Inventor: Werner K. Schimmeyer
  • Patent number: 6948454
    Abstract: An apparatus for heating a medium includes a combustion chamber; a burner within the combustion chamber and operable to create products of combustion for heating the medium to be heated; a conduit for the exhaust of the products of combustion; and an airflow apparatus capable of creating airflow in the absence of any opposition to the airflow, the airflow having a pressure, the airflow apparatus communicating with the conduit and operable such that the pressure of the airflow resists standby convection flow of gases out of the conduit when the burner is not operating, and wherein the airflow apparatus is adjustable to vary the magnitude of the airflow to substantially equalize the airflow and the standby convection flow of gases to create a substantially stagnant state within the conduit when the burner is not operating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2005
    Assignee: AOS Holding Company
    Inventors: Dennis R. Hughes, Christopher P. Flanner, Kevin M. Field
  • Patent number: 6745724
    Abstract: A water heater includes a water tank adapted to contain water; a flue extending through the water tank and having a first end communicating with the water heater's combustion chamber for the flow of products of combustion through the tank; a damper communicating with the flue; and an apparatus for creating a flow of air proximate the second end of the flue to resist the flow of warm air out of the second end of the flue due to standby convection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2004
    Assignee: AOS Holding Company
    Inventors: Dennis R. Hughes, Christopher P. Flanner, Kevin M. Field
  • Patent number: 6675746
    Abstract: A heat exchanger/heater comprising a tubular member having a fluid inlet end, a fluid outlet end and plurality of pins secured to the interior wall of the tube. Various embodiments additionally comprise a blocking member disposed concentrically inside the pins, such as a core plug or a baffle array. Also disclosed is a vapor generator employing an internally pinned tube, and a fluid-heater/heat-exchanger utilizing an outer jacket tube and fluid-side baffle elements, as well as methods for heating a fluid using an internally pinned tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2004
    Assignee: Advanced Mechanical Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph Gerstmann, Charles L. Hannon
  • Patent number: 6584940
    Abstract: An improved flue pipe construction particularly adapted for a fuel fired water heater is disclosed which serves to reduce or minimize heat loss when the water heater is in a standby mode. The flue pipe construction comprises inner and outer concentric flue pipes which define an air space therebetween and one or more valve arrangements associated therewith to selectively restrict air flow through such air space. The valve arrangements include a thermally responsive actuator operative to open and close the valve member in response to heat generated by firing of the burner assembly without the need for any external power supply or interlocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2003
    Assignee: Therm-O-Disc, Incorporated
    Inventors: Prasad S. Khadkikar, Richard L. Gerich, Christine M. Hudson, Jeffrey A. West, Derek J. Rose, Douglas J. Kempf, Douglas E. Prather, Richard E. Welch
  • Patent number: 6578531
    Abstract: A water heater having a barrier for forming an enclosure around a lower portion of heater. The barrier has an inside wall, an outside wall and a space between the inside and outside walls. There is a skirt disposed within the barrier for slidably receiving the water heater tank. The burner for the water heater is disposed within the skirt. The outside wall of the barrier has at least one aperture for air to pass into the space. The inside wall has a plurality of ventilation holes to allow heat currents to escape through the space and causes a siphoning effect, thus preventing any fumes from reaching the flame. There is an outwardly extending flange surrounding a top edge of the barrier. The flange has an inside wall connected to the inside wall of the barrier, an outside wall connected to the outside wall of the barrier, and a space between the inside and outside walls that communicates with the space in the barrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2003
    Inventor: Jeffrey Cacace
  • Patent number: 6557501
    Abstract: A water heater includes a water tank adapted to contain water; a flue extending through the water tank and having a first end communicating with the water heater's combustion chamber for the flow of products of combustion through the tank; a damper communicating with the flue; and an apparatus for creating a flow of air proximate the second end of the flue to resist the flow of warm air out of the second end of the flue due to standby convection. The apparatus for creating airflow may be a fan or an ionic wind generator. Additionally, the airflow may be directed into or across the end of the flue at the top of the water heater to either create a downdraft or an air curtain for containing warm air within the flue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2003
    Assignee: AOS Holding Company
    Inventor: Dennis R. Hughes
  • Patent number: 6546897
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a thermodynamically activated flue damper for a gas water heater that includes a flue damper for controlling the passage of exhaust gases through the flue; and a thermally sensitive member that is capable of contracting when the exhaust gasses in the flue heat the thermally sensitive member to its transition temperature and expanding when the temperature of the thermally sensitive material falls below its transition temperature. The thermally sensitive member is connected between the flue damper and a support member in the flue to control the pivoting of the flue damper as the thermally sensitive metal expands or contracts at the transition temperature. The flue damper system may also include a counter-balancing member to provide a counter-balancing force to the said thermally sensitive metal, such as a coil spring. The thermally sensitive member may be formed in the shape such as a rod, a wire, and an elongated bar, and may be made from Nytinol or other similar metals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2003
    Assignee: American Water Heater Company
    Inventors: Thomas A. Edds, Allen W. Scott
  • Publication number: 20030024487
    Abstract: A water heater includes a water tank adapted to contain water; a flue extending through the water tank and having a first end communicating with the water heater's combustion chamber for the flow of products of combustion through the tank; a damper communicating with the flue; and an apparatus for creating a flow of air proximate the second end of the flue to resist the flow of warm air out of the second end of the flue due to standby convection. The apparatus for creating airflow may be a fan or an ionic wind generator. Additionally, the airflow may be directed into or across the end of the flue at the top of the water heater to either create a downdraft or an air curtain for containing warm air within the flue.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2001
    Publication date: February 6, 2003
    Applicant: AOS Holding Company
    Inventor: Dennis R. Hughes
  • Patent number: 6422179
    Abstract: A water heater includes a water tank, a combustion chamber below the tank and communicating with the flue tube, and a flue system. The flue system includes a flue tube, and V-shaped fins that are metallurgically bonded to the flue tube wall to divide the flue tube into four flue chambers extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the flue tube. The V-shaped fins include radially extending apertures that reduce the thermal expansion of the V-shaped fins with respect to the flue tube to reduce stress at the joint between the fins and the flue tube. The flue system also includes a removable baffle hanging in each flue chamber. The baffles include adjustable turbulation surfaces to control the quality of combustion in the water heater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2002
    Assignee: AOS Holding Company
    Inventors: Dennis R. Hughes, Marc W. Akkala, Kevin M. Field, Robert F. Poehlman
  • Patent number: 6354248
    Abstract: The present invention relates to heat exchange elements and heat exchange assemblies and water heaters containing such heat exchange elements. The inventive heat exchange elements include an elongated support member or spine, from which extends either a single vane which is the length of the support member of a series of vanes. The heat exchange element is able of be positioned parallel to the longitudinal axis of a flue. The heat exchange element may impart helical motion to the flue gases in one embodiment, but in another embodiment no helical motion is imparted to the flue gases. The embodiment of the invention includes several methods of manufacture of the heat exchange elements. The embodiments of the water heater and heat exchange assembly also disclose the use of a baffle for use in association with the elements, to improve the efficiency of the elements at the upstream end of the water heater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2002
    Assignee: Southcorp Australia Pty. Ltd.
    Inventor: Brendan V. Bourke
  • Publication number: 20010031440
    Abstract: This invention concerns a boiler fitted with a burner suitable for wall heaters or built-in kitchen heaters in which a mantle-shaped heat exchanger made of pipe elements connected in parallel and/or series divides the boiler chamber into a combustion chamber and an exhaust chamber. The heat exchanger has openings for hot flue gases distributed over its mantle. The burner head disposed in the combustion chamber is suitable for burning oil and has a flame tube with an axial flame opening and a flame baffle element disposed at a distance from the flame opening which is constructed so that the flame is diverted into the space between the flame tube and the heat exchanger. In addition, a fire chamber mantle can be disposed between the heat exchanger and the flame tube to protect the heat exchanger from direct contact with the flame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2001
    Publication date: October 18, 2001
    Inventors: Jorg Fullemann, Heinrich Boner, Andreas Allemann, Marco Allemann
  • Patent number: 6286465
    Abstract: A water heater includes a water tank, a combustion chamber below the tank and communicating with the flue tube, and a flue system. The flue system includes a flue tube, and a cruciform fin metallurgically bonded to the flue tube wall and dividing the flue tube into four flue chambers extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the flue tube. The flue system also includes a removable baffle hanging in each flue chamber. The baffles include adjustable turbulation surfaces to control the quality of combustion in the water heater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2001
    Assignee: AOS Holding Company
    Inventors: Dennis R. Hughes, Marc W. Akkala, Kevin M. Field, Robert F. Poehlman