GB2147994A

GB2147994A - Gas fire

Info

Publication number: GB2147994A
Application number: GB08324367A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Thomas Raymond Collier
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1983-09-12
Filing date: 1983-09-12
Publication date: 1985-05-22
Also published as: GB8324367D0

Abstract

A coal or log effect gas fire comprises a tray (1) containing particulate refractory material (2) placed in the normal fireback of an open hearth (6), the tray (1) having, beneath said material, a perforated pipe or diffuser plate through which or around the edges of which, a gas or gas/air mixture can be caused to issue, and a plurality of refractory bodies (5) shaped and coloured to simulate solid fuel disposed on the upper surface of said material (3) such that the gas burns between the refractory bodies to give the appearance of solid fuel burning in a grate. At least one tubular member (4) is disposed on said material (3) beneath the refractory bodies (5), has at least one end thereof projecting externally of the plurality of refractory bodies (5) and has at least one perforation (8) in its wall such that, in operation of the fire, air will be drawn into the tubular member (4) at least at said one end thereof and will pass outwardly from the tubular member through said at least one perforation (8) to increase the air supply to the middle portion of the plurality of refractory bodies (5) thereby to promote more complete combustion of the gas at said middle portion. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Gas fire The invention relates to gas fires and particularly to gas fires which simulate a coal or log fire.

Coal or log effect gas fires have been previously proposed of the kind comprising a tray containing particulate refractory material to be placed in the normal fireback of an open hearth, the tray having, beneath the particulate refractory material, a perforated pipe or diffuser plate through which or around the edges of which, a gas or gas/air mixture can be caused to issue. The gas or mixture passes upwardly through the mass of particulate refractory material and a plurality of refractory bodies shaped and coloured to simulate solid fuel are disposed on the upper surface of the mass of particulate refractory material so that as the gas burns at the surface of said mass it burns between the refractory bodies to give the appearance of solid fuel burning in a grate.

According to the invention there is provided a coal effect gas fire of the kind referred to, and including at least one tubular member disposed on the bed of particulate refractory material beneath the refractory bodies, the tubular member having at least one end thereof projecting externally of the plurality of refractory bodies and having at least one perforation in the wall of the tubular member such that in operation of the fire, air will be drawn into said tubular member at least at said one end thereof and will pass outwardly from the tubular member through said at least one perforation to increase the air supply to the middle portion of the plurality of refractory bodies thereby to promote more complete combustion of the gas at said middle portion.

Preferably there are a plurality of tubular members each formed of ceramic fibre embedded in a heat resistant material. The other end of each tubular member may be open or closed but is preferably closed. Preferably said at least one perforation is a slot or slots in the wall of the tubular member. The slot or slots may extend transversely to the longitudinal axis of the tubular member but preferably extend longitudinally.

The invention is diagramatically illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic side view of a gas fire including tubular members according to the invention; Figure 2 is a plan view of tubular members according to the invention placed on a tray of particulate refractory material; Figure 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing one of the tubular members in greater detail; and Figure 4 is a perspective view of one of the tubular members.

Referring to the drawings, a tray 1 of sheet steel is supported on side supports 2 so that air can pass therebeneath and contains a mass of particulate refractory material 3. Tubular members 4 are laid on the mass 3 so that one end thereof (the rear end) projects out from the mass 3. Bodies of refractory material 5 are placed over the tubular members 4 and the tray 1 is located in an open hearth generally indicated at 6. A decorative member 7 is preferably provided across the front of the tray 1 to conceal the tray 1.

Although not shown in the drawings, the tray 1 has in the lower end thereof and embedded in the particulate material 3, a perforated pipe or a diffuser plate with a gas supply thereto so that the gas percolates up through the particulate material 3 and. burns at the surface thereof between the bodies of refractory material 5, thereby to simulate a solid fuel fire. To assist combustion in a middle portion of the area of the mass 3 when viewed in Fig. 2, the tubular members 4 each have at least one perforation 8 in their upper faces. When in use air passes as indicated by arrows in Fig. 1, beneath the tray 1 to enter the rear ends of the tubular members 4 and leave the tubular members 4 through the perforations 8.

The tubular members 4 are preferably formed of ceramic fibre embedded in a heat resistant material and they lie on the bed 3 which is preferably formed of high silica sand.

The perforations 8 may, as shown in Fig. 3, be V-section slits extending down to approximately half the diameter of the tubular members 4. Alternatively, and as shown in Fig. 4, the perforations 8 may each be provided as a slot 8a with its major dimension parallel to the longitudinal axis of the respective tubular member 4 and with the walls of the slot 8a substantially vertical in use. The tubular member 4 is preferably so formed that the end thereof which does not extend from the fire, i.e. the front end, is closed.

The additional air which is supplied, due to the presence of the tubular members 4, to the middle portion of the bed of particulate refractory material 3 promotes more complete combustion of the gas in the middle portion of the bed of particulate material 3. The presence of the tubular members 4 also decreases the area of the bed of particulate material 3 which is available for gas flow so that the gas arrives at the surface of the bed 3 in strips extending parallel to the tubular members and therebetween. Due to the additional air supply to the middle of the bed 3, the flames there will generally be blue, non-luminous flames thereby giving a greater heat output and improving efficiency. The tubular members 8 can have any suitable cross-section.

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

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Gas fire The invention relates to gas fires and particularly to gas fires which simulate a coal or log fire. Coal or log effect gas fires have been previously proposed of the kind comprising a tray containing particulate refractory material to be placed in the normal fireback of an open hearth, the tray having, beneath the particulate refractory material, a perforated pipe or diffuser plate through which or around the edges of which, a gas or gas/air mixture can be caused to issue. The gas or mixture passes upwardly through the mass of particulate refractory material and a plurality of refractory bodies shaped and coloured to simulate solid fuel are disposed on the upper surface of the mass of particulate refractory material so that as the gas burns at the surface of said mass it burns between the refractory bodies to give the appearance of solid fuel burning in a grate. According to the invention there is provided a coal effect gas fire of the kind referred to, and including at least one tubular member disposed on the bed of particulate refractory material beneath the refractory bodies, the tubular member having at least one end thereof projecting externally of the plurality of refractory bodies and having at least one perforation in the wall of the tubular member such that in operation of the fire, air will be drawn into said tubular member at least at said one end thereof and will pass outwardly from the tubular member through said at least one perforation to increase the air supply to the middle portion of the plurality of refractory bodies thereby to promote more complete combustion of the gas at said middle portion. Preferably there are a plurality of tubular members each formed of ceramic fibre embedded in a heat resistant material. The other end of each tubular member may be open or closed but is preferably closed. Preferably said at least one perforation is a slot or slots in the wall of the tubular member. The slot or slots may extend transversely to the longitudinal axis of the tubular member but preferably extend longitudinally. The invention is diagramatically illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic side view of a gas fire including tubular members according to the invention; Figure 2 is a plan view of tubular members according to the invention placed on a tray of particulate refractory material; Figure 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing one of the tubular members in greater detail; and Figure 4 is a perspective view of one of the tubular members. Referring to the drawings, a tray 1 of sheet steel is supported on side supports 2 so that air can pass therebeneath and contains a mass of particulate refractory material 3. Tubular members 4 are laid on the mass 3 so that one end thereof (the rear end) projects out from the mass 3. Bodies of refractory material 5 are placed over the tubular members 4 and the tray 1 is located in an open hearth generally indicated at 6. A decorative member 7 is preferably provided across the front of the tray 1 to conceal the tray 1. Although not shown in the drawings, the tray 1 has in the lower end thereof and embedded in the particulate material 3, a perforated pipe or a diffuser plate with a gas supply thereto so that the gas percolates up through the particulate material 3 and. burns at the surface thereof between the bodies of refractory material 5, thereby to simulate a solid fuel fire. To assist combustion in a middle portion of the area of the mass 3 when viewed in Fig. 2, the tubular members 4 each have at least one perforation 8 in their upper faces. When in use air passes as indicated by arrows in Fig. 1, beneath the tray 1 to enter the rear ends of the tubular members 4 and leave the tubular members 4 through the perforations 8. The tubular members 4 are preferably formed of ceramic fibre embedded in a heat resistant material and they lie on the bed 3 which is preferably formed of high silica sand. The perforations 8 may, as shown in Fig. 3, be V-section slits extending down to approximately half the diameter of the tubular members 4. Alternatively, and as shown in Fig. 4, the perforations 8 may each be provided as a slot 8a with its major dimension parallel to the longitudinal axis of the respective tubular member 4 and with the walls of the slot 8a substantially vertical in use. The tubular member 4 is preferably so formed that the end thereof which does not extend from the fire, i.e. the front end, is closed. The additional air which is supplied, due to the presence of the tubular members 4, to the middle portion of the bed of particulate refractory material 3 promotes more complete combustion of the gas in the middle portion of the bed of particulate material 3. The presence of the tubular members 4 also decreases the area of the bed of particulate material 3 which is available for gas flow so that the gas arrives at the surface of the bed 3 in strips extending parallel to the tubular members and therebetween. Due to the additional air supply to the middle of the bed 3, the flames there will generally be blue, non-luminous flames thereby giving a greater heat output and improving efficiency. The tubular members 8 can have any suitable cross-section. CLAIMS

1. A coal or log effect gas fire comprising a tray containing particulate refractory material placed in the normal fireback of an open hearth, the tray having, beneath said material, a perforated pipe or diffuser plate through which or around the edges of which gas or a gas/air mixture can be caused to issue to pass upwardly through said material, a plurality of refractory bodies shaped and coloured to simulate solid fuel disposed on the upper surface of said material such that as the gas burns at the surface of said material it burns between the refractory bodies to give the appearance of solid fuel burning in a grate and at least one tubular member disposed on said material beneath the refractory bodies, the tubular member having at least one end thereof projecting externally of the plurality of refractory bodies and having at least one perforation in the wall of the tubular member such that, in operation of the fire, air will be drawn into said tubular member at least at said one end thereof and will pass outwardly from the tubular member through said at least one perforation to increase the air supply to the middle portion of the plurality of refractory bodies thereby to promote more complete combustion of the gas at said middle portion.

2. A coal or log effect gas fire according to claim 1, in which there are a plurality of the tubular members and each is formed of ceramic fibre embedded in a heat resistant material.

3. A coal or log effect gas fire according to claim 1 or claim 2, in which said at least one perforation is a slot or slots in the wall of the tubular member.

4. A coal or log effect gas fire according to any one of claims 1 to 3, in which the slot or slots extends or extend transversely to the longitudinal axis of the tubular member.

5. A coal or log effect gas fire according to any one of claims 1 to 3, in which the slot or slots extends or extend longitudinally of the longitudinal axis of the tubular member.

6. A coal or log effect gas fire including at least one tubular member substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings.