Abstract: A fuel-fired heating appliance has multiple premix type fuel burners horizontally disposed in a row in its combustion chamber and operable in a staged manner. The burners are upwardly spaced apart from a rigid fiberboard insulation panel structure extending along the bottom interior side of the combustion chamber. Sandwiched between and contacting the bottom sides of the burners and the top side of the fiberboard panel is a blanket of resilient ceramic fiber insulation material which functions to (1) prevent uncombusted fuel from firing burners from being circulated under non-firing burners, (2) increase the operating temperatures of bottom sides of the burners during firing thereof to lessen thermal stresses in the firing burners, (3) resiliently permit differential thermal expansion of the burners, and (4) reduce harmonic resonance of the burners, and associated operational noise of the appliance, during firing of the burners.

Abstract: A gas-fired water heater is provided with a combustion shutoff system which precludes further combustion within the water heater's combustion chamber in response to a combustion temperature therein reaching a predetermined level correlated to and indicative of a predetermined, undesirably high concentration of carbon monoxide present in the combustion chamber. In various illustrated embodiments thereof, the combustion shutoff system is operative to terminate further combustion air inflow to the combustion chamber, or terminate further fuel flow to the burner portion of the water heater.

Abstract: A gas-fired water heater is provided with a combustion shutoff system which precludes further combustion within the water heater's combustion chamber in response to a combustion temperature therein reaching a predetermined level correlated to and indicative of a predetermined, undesirably high concentration of carbon monoxide present in the combustion chamber. In various illustrated embodiments thereof, the combustion shutoff system is operative to terminate further combustion air inflow to the combustion chamber, or terminate further fuel flow to the burner portion of the water heater.

Abstract: A gas-fired water heater is provided with a combustion shutoff system which precludes further combustion within the water heater's combustion chamber in response to a combustion temperature therein reaching a predetermined level correlated to and indicative of a predetermined, undesirably high concentration of carbon monoxide present in the combustion chamber. In various illustrated embodiments thereof, the combustion shutoff system is operative to terminate further combustion air inflow to the combustion chamber, or terminate further fuel flow to the burner portion of the water heater.

Abstract: A fuel-fired, power vented water heater has a combustion chamber with an outer wall portion defined by an arrestor plate in which flame quenching air inlet openings are formed. All combustion air entering the combustion chamber must first pass through an air inlet plenum extending outwardly from the arrestor plate and then pass inwardly through the flame quenching openings into the combustion chamber. The air inlet plenum is provided with a normally closed inlet damper which automatically closes during non-firing periods of the water heater to prevent passage of combustion air (and extraneous flammable vapors, if present, adjacent the water heater) into the combustion chamber, and opens during firing periods of the water heater to permit operative combustion air delivery to the combustion chamber.

Abstract: A gas-fired water heater has a combustion chamber with a bottom wall defined by a perforated flame arrestor plate forming a portion of a flow path through which combustion air may be supplied to a burner structure within the combustion chamber. During firing of the water heater a combustion air shutoff system having a heat-frangible temperature sensing structure disposed within the combustion chamber senses an undesirable temperature increase in the combustion chamber, caused by for example a partial blockage of the flow path, and responsively terminates further air flow into the combustion chamber, thereby shutting down the burner, prior to the creation in the combustion chamber of a predetermined elevated concentration of carbon monoxide.

Abstract: A gas-fired water heater has a combustion chamber with a bottom wall defined by a perforated flame arrestor plate forming a portion of a flow path through which combustion air may be supplied to a burner structure within the combustion chamber. During firing of the water heater a combustion air shutoff system having a heat-frangible temperature sensing structure disposed within the combustion chamber senses an undesirable temperature increase in the combustion chamber, caused by for example a partial blockage of the flow path, and responsively terminates further air flow into the combustion chamber, thereby shutting down the burner, prior to the creation in the combustion chamber of a predetermined elevated concentration of carbon monoxide.

Abstract: A gas-fired water heater has a combustion chamber with a bottom wall defined by a perforated flame arrestor plate forming a portion of a flow path through which combustion air may be supplied to a burner structure within the combustion chamber. During firing of the water heater a combustion air shutoff system having a heat-frangible temperature sensing structure disposed within the combustion chamber senses an undesirable temperature increase in the combustion chamber, caused by for example a partial blockage of the flow path, and responsively terminates further air flow into the combustion chamber, thereby shutting down the burner, prior to the creation in the combustion chamber of a predetermined elevated concentration of carbon monoxide.

Abstract: A gas-fired water heater has a combustion chamber with a bottom wall defined by a perforated flame arrestor plate forming a portion of a flow path through which combustion air may be supplied to a burner structure within the combustion chamber. During firing of the water heater a combustion air shutoff system having a heat-frangible temperature sensing structure disposed within the combustion chamber senses an undesirable temperature increase in the combustion chamber, caused by for example a partial blockage of the flow path, and responsively terminates further air flow into the combustion chamber, thereby shutting down the burner, prior to the creation in the combustion chamber of a predetermined elevated concentration of carbon monoxide.

Abstract: A gas-fired water heater has a combustion chamber with a bottom wall defined by a perforated flame arrestor plate forming a portion of a flow path through which combustion air may be supplied to a burner structure within the combustion chamber. During firing of the water heater a combustion air shutoff system having a heat-frangible temperature sensing structure disposed within the combustion chamber senses an undesirable temperature increase in the combustion chamber, caused by for example a partial blockage of the flow path, and responsively terminates further air flow into the combustion chamber, thereby shutting down the burner, prior to the creation in the combustion chamber of a predetermined elevated concentration of carbon monoxide.

Abstract: A gas-fired water heater is provided with a combustion shutoff system which precludes further combustion within the water heater's combustion chamber in response to a combustion temperature therein reaching a predetermined level correlated to and indicative of a predetermined, undesirably high concentration of carbon monoxide present in the combustion chamber. In various illustrated embodiments thereof, the combustion shutoff system is operative to terminate further combustion air inflow to the combustion chamber, or terminate further fuel flow to the burner portion of the water heater.

Abstract: A gas-fired water heater has a combustion chamber with a bottom wall defined by a perforated flame arrestor plate forming a portion of a flow path through which combustion air may be supplied to a burner structure within the combustion chamber. During firing of the water heater a combustion air shutoff system having a heat-frangible temperature sensing structure disposed within the combustion chamber senses an undesirable temperature increase in the combustion chamber, caused by for example a partial blockage of the flow path, and responsively terminates further air flow into the combustion chamber, thereby shutting down the burner, prior to the creation in the combustion chamber of a predetermined elevated concentration of carbon monoxide.

Abstract: A gas-fired water heater has a combustion chamber with a bottom wall defined by a perforated flame arrestor plate forming a portion of a flow path through which combustion air may be supplied to a burner s structure within the combustion chamber. During firing of the water heater a combustion air shutoff system senses an undesirable temperature increase in the combustion chamber, caused by for example a partial blockage of the flow path, and responsively terminates further air flow into the combustion chamber, thereby shutting down the burner, prior to the creation in the combustion chamber of a predetermined elevated concentration of carbon monoxide.

Abstract: A gas-fired water heater has a combustion chamber with a bottom wall defined by a perforated flame arrestor plate forming a portion of a flow path through which combustion air may be supplied to a burner structure within the combustion chamber. During firing of the water heater a combustion air shutoff system senses an undesirable temperature increase in the combustion chamber, caused by for example a partial blockage of the flow path, and responsively terminates further air flow into the combustion chamber, thereby shutting down the burner, prior to the creation in the combustion chamber of a predetermined elevated concentration of carbon monoxide.

Abstract: A power vented, gas fired water heater has a main gas burner disposed within a combustion chamber partially bounded by an arrestor plate having a spaced series of flame quenching combustion air inlet openings therein. To provide for a “soft” ignition of extraneous flammable vapors entering the combustion chamber and to limit the build-up of unignited flammable vapors within the combustion chamber during non-demand periods of the water heater, a non-flame type ignition device is disposed within the combustion chamber and operated at least intermittently during such non-demand periods.

Abstract: The storage tank portion of a water heater has an outwardly projecting threaded pipe coupling fitting and is disposed within a jacket structure that forms an enclosed insulation space around the storage tank, the outer end of the pipe coupling fitting being spaced inwardly apart from a pipe connection opening in the jacket structure. A generally tubular foam stop member having a convexly curved side portion is positioned within the insulation space before the space is filled by an injection process with a liquid foam insulation material. The foam stop member receives the pipe coupling, is axially pressed between the storage tank and the jacket structure, and forms a seal around the pipe coupling fitting and around the jacket structure pipe connection opening.

Abstract: The storage tank portion of a water heater has an outwardly projecting threaded pipe coupling fitting and is disposed within a jacket structure that forms an enclosed insulation space around the storage tank, the outer end of the pipe coupling fitting being spaced inwardly apart from a pipe connection opening in the jacket structure. A generally tubular foam stop member having a convexly curved side portion is positioned within the insulation space before the space is filled by an injection process with a liquid foam insulation material. The foam stop member receives the pipe coupling, is axially pressed between the storage tank and the jacket structure, and forms a seal around the pipe coupling fitting and around the jacket structure pipe connection opening.

Abstract: The storage tank portion of a water heater has an outwardly projecting threaded pipe coupling fitting and is disposed within a jacket structure that forms an enclosed insulation space around the storage tank, the outer end of the pipe coupling fitting being spaced inwardly apart from a pipe connection opening in the jacket structure. A generally tubular foam stop member having a convexly curved side portion is positioned within the insulation space before the space is filled by an injection process with a liquid foam insulation material. The foam stop member receives the pipe coupling, is axially pressed between the storage tank and the jacket structure, and forms a seal around the pipe coupling fitting and around the jacket structure pipe connection opening.

Abstract: The top storage tank end wall of a down-fired water heater has a first circumferentially spaced series of circular openings formed therethrough and centered about the tank axis, and a second circumferentially spaced series of circular openings centered about the tank axis and spaced radially outwardly of the first series of openings. Vertically disposed within the tank is a circumferentially spaced series of hollow U-tube immersion heating members each having a first open upper end secured to one of the first series of openings, and a second open upper end secured to one of the second series of openings. Shot-type fuel burners extend downwardly into the second open upper tube ends and are supplied with gaseous fuel via a manifold ring positioned atop the water heater. Hot combustion gases from the burners are drawn through the U-tubes by a draft inducer fan having an inlet connected to the first open upper ends of the tubes.

Abstract: A fuel-fired, forced draft water heater is provided with a specially designed burner structure and combustion product flow path that permit the heater to operate with improved fuel efficiency, lowered CO and NOx emissions, and an improved water heat input distribution along the vertical length of the heater. The water heater includes a vertically oriented tank with a vent plenum structure formed at the top end of the tank interior and having an outlet passage connectable to an external combustion product vent pipe. A submerged vertical burner tube extends downwardly from the vent plenum and has an open lower end extending into a submerged turn bowl disposed at the bottom end of the tank interior. Extending upwardly from the turn bowl within the tank interior are a plurality of vertical flue tubes that communicate the interiors of the turn bowl and the vent plenum.