GB2206406A

GB2206406A - Fireplace

Info

Publication number: GB2206406A
Application number: GB08715706A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jack Bolitho Siviour
Original assignee: Electricity Council
Current assignee: Electricity Council
Priority date: 1987-07-03
Filing date: 1987-07-03
Publication date: 1989-01-05
Anticipated expiration: 2007-07-03
Also published as: GB2206406B; GB8715706D0

Abstract

A fireplace for use in providing a fueled fire in a sealed environment, has two controlled air inputs by which air is supplied to the fire from outside the sealed environment. The first input (5) supplies air to the fire from under the grate (2) while the second input (6) supplies over-fire air through the hearth (3). When the fireplace is not in use the flue (1) is closed by a closure arrangement (8,9) including an electric fire (10). <IMAGE>

Description

FIREPLACE This invention relates to a fireplace, and particularly to a fireplace for use in providing a fueled fire in a substantially sealed environment.

Recently "all electric" buildings have been developed, in which all heating and cooking is carried out using electricity. An advantage of such buildings is that heating and cooking by electricity does not involve the consumption of air, and thus such a building can be well sealed against adventitious air ingress, with a large proportion of the input and output of air being by way of a heat exchanger which serves to heat incoming air by means of the outgoing air.

With such a building the throughput of air can be kept to a minimum, and controlled by the occupiers for locations and at times where it is required, for example for ventilating a kitchen when cooking.

Thus, the energy requirements for heating the ventilating air of such a building, and thus the heating costs, are kept to a minimum while providing good air quality at the location chosen for ventilation at the time.

However there is often a desire to provide a fueled fire, particularly in the main living room in a domestic building, for example a solid fuel fire or a gas fire, and such a fire cannot be used or used safely in a well sealed building with a very low throughput of air. In the case of countries which have regulations which require air vents as provision for extra ventilation, the well sealed characteristics of the building would be negated.

According to this invention there is providelia fireplace for use in providing a fueled fire in a substantially sealed environment, comprising a flue for the output of combustion gases from a fueled fire, a first controlled input for the supply of combustion air directly to the fire from outside the sealed environment, a second controlled input for the supply of overfire air from outside the sealed environment to the fire within the sealed environment, and a closure arrangement for use in closing off the flue and said second input when the fireplace is not in use in providing a fueled fire.

With a fireplace according to this invention installed in a sealed building as discussed above, the sealed nature of the building can be maintained when the fireplace is not in use by closing the first and second air inputs, and closing off the flue with the closure arrangement. For use of the fireplace the closure arrangement is removed and the first and second air inputs opened to provide air for a fueled fire lit in the fireplace.

The second air input for the supply of overfire air is preferably positioned in the hearth of the fireplace in order to minimise air flow in the environment in which the fireplace is located.

The first and second air inputs can have either manually operated or automatically controlled control arrangements operative to control the amount of air supplied to the fire in order to obtain the required burning characteristics.

The closure arrangement can include an electric fire usable to supply heat to the sealed environment in which the fireplace is installed when the closure arrangement is in use.

Preferably when the fireplace is not in use the first input is not fuily closed but provides an air flow to the flue sufficient to prevent condensation in the flue.

A fireplace according to this invention will now be. described by way of example with reference to the drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic side sectional view of the fireplace in use in providing a fueled fire; and Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 but snowing the fireplace not in use.

The fireplace has a flue 1 in communication with a chimney 100, a grate 2 on which a coal fire 200 is lit (Figure 1), and a hearth 3 in front of the grate 2, the grate 2 and hearth 3 being above a floor 300 of a room of a building in which the fireplace is provided.

Beneath the floor 300 under the grate 2 and hearth 3 is a chamber 4 to receive an ash pan (not shown) which collects ash from the fire 200, which falls through the grate 2. Provision is made for removal of the ash pan for emptying when necessary.

Air from under the floor 300 or from outside the building in which the fireplace is provided, is supplied to the chamber 4 by way of a first input 5 to provide combustion air for the fire 200, and by way of a second input 6 to an opening in the hearth 3 to provide overfire air for the fire 200. The inputs 5 and 6 each include a controllable damper arrangement 7 by which the air flow through the input can be controlled as necessary. The damper arrangements can either be manually controlled, or controlled automatically in dependence upon the required conditions for the fire 200.

With the fireplace in use as shown in Figure 1 the air requirements of the fire 200 are met by air supplied from outside the the building in which the fireplace is provided, by way of the inputs 5 and 6, and thus the fire 200 can burn satisfactorily even if the building is a sealed environment as previously discussed.

Referring now to Figure 2, when the fireplace is not in use to provide a fueled fire, the flue entrance is blanked off by means of a closure arrangement comprising a plate 8 which closes of the flue and has a portion 9 which extends over the hearth 3 the plate 8, 9 carrying an electric fire 10. When the closure arrangement is in use as shown the sealed environment nature of the building in which the fireplace is provided, is maintained, while the electric fire 10 can be used as necessary or desired for heating of the environment.

'Wen the fireplace is not in use, as shown in Figure 2, the damper arrangements 7 in the inputs 5 and 6 will be closed, although the damper arrangement 7 in the first input 5 can be maintained open just sufficient to provide an air flow to the flue 1 and chimney 100 to prevent condensation occuring therein.

The fireplace can be provided with a built-in retractable spark guard, and/or a cover to provide slow and safe overnight burning of the fueled fire.

As a modification of the fireplace described above the portion 9 of the plate 8 can be omitted, with the input 6 being closed by the other means which together with the plate 8 will constitute the closure arrangement.

Claims

1. A fireplace for use in providing a fueled fire in a substantially sealed environment, comprising a flue for the output of combustion gases from a fueled fire, a first controlled input for the supply of combustion air directly to the fire from outside the sealed environment, a second controlled input for the supply of overfire air from outside the sealed environment to the fire within the sealed environment, and a closure arrangement for use in closing off the flue and said second input when the fireplace is not in use in providing a fueled fire.

2. A fireplace as claimed in Claim 1, in which the second air input is positioned in the hearth of the fireplace.

3. A fireplace as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, in which the first and second air inputs each have a manually operated control arrangement operative to control the amount of air supplied to the fire.

4, A fireplace as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, in which the first and second air inputs each have an automatically controlled control arrangement operative to control the amount of air supplied to the fire.

S. A fireplace as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the closure arrangement includes an electric fire usable to supply heat to the sealed environment in which the fireplace is installed when the closure arranPement is in use.

6. A fireplace substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows 1. A fireplace for use in providing a fueled fire in a substantially sealed environment, comprising a flue for the output of combustion gases from a fueled fire, a first controlled input for the supply of combustion air directly to the fire from outside the sealed environment, a second controlled input for the supply of overfire air from outside the sealed environment to the fire within the sealed environment, and a closure arrangement for use in closing off the flue and said second input when the fireplace is not in use in providing a fueled fire, the closure arrangement including an electric fire usable to supply heat to the sealed environment in which the fireplace is installed when the closure arrangement is in use.

4. A fireplace as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, in which the first and second air inputs each have an automatically controlled control arrangement operative to control the amount of air supplied to the fire.

5. A fireplace substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings.