GB2121160A

GB2121160A - Ventilation shafts

Info

Publication number: GB2121160A
Application number: GB08216080A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Branko Richard Babic
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1982-06-02
Filing date: 1982-06-02
Publication date: 1983-12-14

Abstract

A method of ventilating a space includes providing a ventilating shaft (1) having one end in the space and extending upwardly through a boundary wall of the space to the other end and heating gas in the shaft intermediate its ends with a heater (2) to create a convection current through the ventilating shaft from said one end towards the other end. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to ventilation This invention is concerned with ventilation, and in particular to means for ensuring positive ventilation through a ventilator shaft. The invention is particularly, but not exclusively, concerned with the ventilation of a room of a house.

It is common practice to provide an electrically powered fan ventilator in an outside wall or window of a house in order to ventilate a room of a house. Such ventilators are relatively complex devices with moving parts that require bearings and are therefore relatively expensive. They are also often expensive to install since a special hole may have to be made through an outside wall of the house. Furthermore in operation they inevitably make a certain amount of noise.

In houses with open fires good ventilation takes place through the chimney flue while the fire is being used, but at other times the flue cannot be guaranteed to provide good ventilation.

According to the invention a method of ventilating a space includes providing a ventilating shaft having one end in the space and extending upwardly through a boundary wall of the space to the other end and heating gas in the shaft intermediate its ends with a heater to create a convection current through the ventilating shaft from said one end towards the other end.

By this simple means effective ventilation of the space may be ensured. The heater need have no moving parts and can be completely silent in operation.

The heater may be electrically powered.

The heater may be located at a position spaced from said one end. The heater may be located at a position adjacent said other end.

The space may be a room of a house.

The heater may be powered by electricity generated by a wind powered generator. The wind powered generator may be mounted on the top of a building in which is the space being ventilated.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a space defined by boundary walls through which a ventilation draught can percolate into the space, a ventilating shaft having one end in the space and extending upwardly through a boundary wall of the space to its other end, and heater means on the ventilating shaft intermediate its ends for heating gas in the shaft to create a convection current through the ventilating shaft.

The heater means may be mounted on a support member to define a heater assembly unit which is secured to the ventilator shaft. The ventilator shaft may be made of a thermally conducting material, for example aluminium.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a ventilator shaft along a portion of which heater means are provided for heating gas in the shaft.

By way of example, an embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: Fig. 1 is a sectional view of a part of a heated ventilator shaft, and Fig. 2 is a perspective view to a smaller scale than Fig. 1 of a heater assembly unit partly shown in Fig. 1.

A ventilator shaft 1 made, for example of aluminium, extends between a space to be ventilated, such as a room of a house, and the outside atmosphere. The ventilator shaft may for example be a chimney flue for an open fire. Fig. 1 is a section through the ventilator shaft close to its top and shows a heater assembly unit 2 (whose overall shape can be seen in Fig. 2) mounted on top of the ventilator shaft and providing an extension thereto and secured thereto (by means not shown). A heater assembly unit 2 comprises an electrically and thermally insulated support 3 and an electrical heating element 4 which has an electrically insulating covering. An electric cable 5 supplies power to the heating element 4.

When electrical power is supplied to the element 4 along the cable 5, the heating element 4 heats the air in the top of the ventilator shaft. As the air is warmed so it rises producing an upward ventilation draught through the shaft 1.

The power supply to the heating element 4 may be controlled by a simple on/off switch or more sophisticated controls to regulate the energy dissipated by the heating element 4 may be provided. Some or all of the power for the heating element may be generated by a wind powered generator which would therefore produce more heat when the wind was strong, thus automatically regulating the up-draught according to prevailing conditions.

As the walls of the ventilator shaft remain substantially continuous over the heated area, cieaning of the shaft is not significantly impeded by the heater.

If desired the walls of the heater assembly unit 2 could be convoluted where they are heated so as to increase the heat exchange surface area.

In the case of a short ventilator shaft, for example of one metre length, the heater unit may be located at the bottom of the ventilator shaft.

1. A method of ventilating a space including providing a ventilating shaft having one end in the space and extending upwardly through a boundary wall of the space to the other end and heating gas in the shaft intermediate its ends with a heater to create a convection current through the ventilating shaft from said one end towards the other end.

2. A space defined by boundary walls through which a ventilation draught can percolate into the space, a ventilating shaft having one end in the space and extending upwardly through a boundary wall of the space to its other end, and heater means on the ventilating shaft intermediate its

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to ventilation This invention is concerned with ventilation, and in particular to means for ensuring positive ventilation through a ventilator shaft. The invention is particularly, but not exclusively, concerned with the ventilation of a room of a house. It is common practice to provide an electrically powered fan ventilator in an outside wall or window of a house in order to ventilate a room of a house. Such ventilators are relatively complex devices with moving parts that require bearings and are therefore relatively expensive. They are also often expensive to install since a special hole may have to be made through an outside wall of the house. Furthermore in operation they inevitably make a certain amount of noise. In houses with open fires good ventilation takes place through the chimney flue while the fire is being used, but at other times the flue cannot be guaranteed to provide good ventilation. According to the invention a method of ventilating a space includes providing a ventilating shaft having one end in the space and extending upwardly through a boundary wall of the space to the other end and heating gas in the shaft intermediate its ends with a heater to create a convection current through the ventilating shaft from said one end towards the other end. By this simple means effective ventilation of the space may be ensured. The heater need have no moving parts and can be completely silent in operation. The heater may be electrically powered. The heater may be located at a position spaced from said one end. The heater may be located at a position adjacent said other end. The space may be a room of a house. The heater may be powered by electricity generated by a wind powered generator. The wind powered generator may be mounted on the top of a building in which is the space being ventilated. According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a space defined by boundary walls through which a ventilation draught can percolate into the space, a ventilating shaft having one end in the space and extending upwardly through a boundary wall of the space to its other end, and heater means on the ventilating shaft intermediate its ends for heating gas in the shaft to create a convection current through the ventilating shaft. The heater means may be mounted on a support member to define a heater assembly unit which is secured to the ventilator shaft. The ventilator shaft may be made of a thermally conducting material, for example aluminium. According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a ventilator shaft along a portion of which heater means are provided for heating gas in the shaft. By way of example, an embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: Fig. 1 is a sectional view of a part of a heated ventilator shaft, and Fig. 2 is a perspective view to a smaller scale than Fig. 1 of a heater assembly unit partly shown in Fig. 1. A ventilator shaft 1 made, for example of aluminium, extends between a space to be ventilated, such as a room of a house, and the outside atmosphere. The ventilator shaft may for example be a chimney flue for an open fire. Fig. 1 is a section through the ventilator shaft close to its top and shows a heater assembly unit 2 (whose overall shape can be seen in Fig. 2) mounted on top of the ventilator shaft and providing an extension thereto and secured thereto (by means not shown). A heater assembly unit 2 comprises an electrically and thermally insulated support 3 and an electrical heating element 4 which has an electrically insulating covering. An electric cable 5 supplies power to the heating element 4. When electrical power is supplied to the element 4 along the cable 5, the heating element 4 heats the air in the top of the ventilator shaft. As the air is warmed so it rises producing an upward ventilation draught through the shaft 1. The power supply to the heating element 4 may be controlled by a simple on/off switch or more sophisticated controls to regulate the energy dissipated by the heating element 4 may be provided. Some or all of the power for the heating element may be generated by a wind powered generator which would therefore produce more heat when the wind was strong, thus automatically regulating the up-draught according to prevailing conditions. As the walls of the ventilator shaft remain substantially continuous over the heated area, cieaning of the shaft is not significantly impeded by the heater. If desired the walls of the heater assembly unit 2 could be convoluted where they are heated so as to increase the heat exchange surface area. In the case of a short ventilator shaft, for example of one metre length, the heater unit may be located at the bottom of the ventilator shaft. CLAIMS

2. A space defined by boundary walls through which a ventilation draught can percolate into the space, a ventilating shaft having one end in the space and extending upwardly through a boundary wall of the space to its other end, and heater means on the ventilating shaft intermediate its ends for heating gas in the shaft to create a convection current through the ventilating shaft.

3. A ventilator shaft along a portion of which heater means are provided for heating gas in the shaft.

4. Any new or novel feature herein described.