GB2298268A

GB2298268A - Gas burner

Info

Publication number: GB2298268A
Application number: GB9503621A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kulwant Mandir
Original assignee: Valor Ltd
Current assignee: Valor Ltd
Priority date: 1995-02-23
Filing date: 1995-02-23
Publication date: 1996-08-28
Also published as: GB9503621D0

Abstract

The present specification describes a gas burner comprising a hollow burner body (3) provided with burner ports (5). A neat gas inlet (1) connects with the burner body (3) and one or more aeration ports (9,11) are arranged in the gas inlet (1) to provide aeration of the neat gas fed to the burner body from the gas inlet. A shutter (13) is movable over the or each aeration port (9,11) to adjust the size of the aeration port(s) and thus vary the aeration as desired.

Description

DESCRIPTION IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO GAS BURNERS The present invention relates to a gas burner for use in a gas appliance.

In particular the present invention relates to a burner for use in a gas fire, especially a simulated solid fuel and/or visual effect, gas fire wherein the variable flame pattern is important to create the realism of an actual solid fuel fire or to provide an enhanced visual interest gas fire.

To obtain flames in a simulated solid fuel gas fire special burner rails may be used, the rails being perforated in specific regions to obtain the desired flame pattern. Often the gas supply is fed to the burner rails without or with very little primary aeration to thus give yellow, gas rich flames.

Alternatively the burner or burners is under aerated such that a desired balance between the flame colour for visual effect, and heat which is generally used to heat simulated solid fuel elements, is achieved. In these known ways of producing a decorative flame, the flame originates and sits on fixed points and the upper sections of the flames move in relation to the surrounding air flows. The flames in respect of colour and position are however predetermined by the particular burner design and construction.

The aim of the present invention is to provide a gas burner wherein the colour and position of the flames with respect to the burner, can be varied as desired within predetermined limits.

According to the present invention there is provided a gas burner comprising a hollow burner body provided with burner ports, a neat gas inlet connecting with the burner body and a variable size aeration port being arranged to provide variable aeration of the neat gas fed to the burner body from the gas inlet.

By virtue of the variable size aeration port, the dimensions of the aeration port can be varied as desired, thus varying aeration of the neat gas passing from the inlet to the body, whereby the flames can be moved relative to the burner ports eg. the flames can be lifted off the burner ports to thus give the flames greater height and activity. Also the flame colour will vary with adjustment of aeration. This adjustment can vary and enhance the realism of the simulated solid fuel fire and/or of the visual interest fire. Further by utilising different size burner ports in the burner body different heights of flames can be provided in different regions of the burner body for a particular aeration port size.

Again this can and does enhance the visual effect so produced.

In constructing a burner according to the present invention a shutter is preferably provided which is slidable, rotatable, hinged, rockable or otherwise movable relative to e.g. liftable away from or lowerable towards, the aeration port to vary the throughflow dimension of the aeration port as desired, to thus provide the required visual flame effect, between the limits of the aeration port being fully closed off, ie. no aeration, and fully open ie.

maximum aeration.

The shutter may be manually movable or operated by any suitable known means eg. solenoid valve, electric motor, air or gas flow operated devices or piezo ceramic devices.

In the event that the gas inlet is a cylindrical tube, the shutter may be a sleeve which fits snugly but slidably over the gas inlet. The sleeve may be movable axially along the tubular inlet to cover the aeration port to varying amounts, as desired.

Alternatively the sleeve may be fixed axially on the tubular inlet, though rotatable relative thereto. In such a case the sleeve has an aperture which can overlap the aeration port to varying degrees or not at all, as desired, by rotation of the sleeve relative to the tubular gas inlet. One or more aeration ports may of course be provided and be controllable by one or more shutters.

The present invention will now be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings which schematically illustrate an embodiment of the present invention.

In the accompanying drawing an embodiment of the present invention is schematically shown, comprising a tubular gas inlet (1) which is, in use, connected to a neat gas supply, and a gas burner body in the form of burner rail (3). The burner body could of course, within the scope of the present invention, have any other desired configuration.

The burner rail (3) is provided with a number of burner ports or perforations (5) through which neat or aerated gas can pass to burn above the burner rail.

By having different diameter burner ports (5) different heights of flame can be obtained in different positions on the burner rail (3).

Between the gas inlet 1 which houses an injector (7) for increasing the rate of neat gas flow, and the burner rail (3), primary aeration ports (9,11) are provided, air being drawn through the aeration ports (9,11) to aerate the neat gas flowing to the burner rail (3). In accordance with the present invention the size of the aeration ports (9,11) is adjustable, this being effected by a shutter (13) which is movable over the aeration ports (9,11). The shutter is axially movable relative to the inlet (1) and can cover both aeration ports (9,11) to provide no aeration, neat gas flowing to the burner rail (3), or part of one of the ports can be exposed. Further adjustment can completely expose one aeration port (11) and part or the whole of the other aeration port (9), as desired.In an alternative embodiment the shutter (13) moves around the inlet (1) to close off both ports, expose part of the both ports, or completely open both aeration ports, as desired.

In further alternative embodiments of the present invention only one aeration port or more than the illustrated two aeration ports can be provided. Also in multi-aeration port embodiments a number of shutters can be provided which can be movable together or individually in any embodiment the or each shutter can be movable as described hereabove or alternatively the or each shutter can be movable in any desired suitable manner e.g. hinged, pivotal, or liftable/lowerable relative to the or each aeration port.

By adjusting the primary air intake, changes in the gas velocities on the burner cause flame size and colour to change in sympathy with the shutter (13), this being in addition to changes in the height of the base of the flames above the burner ports (5). By lifting the flames relative to the burner ports (5), this gives apparent greater flame height and the flame is more active, all of the above variations adding to the desired visual effect for the burner flames.

In the schematically illustrated embodiment of the present invention in the accompanying drawing, the shutter (13) is movable by an electric motor (15) as desired. However alternatively the shutter (13) can be movable by any suitable means eg. manually movable directly or via a suitable linkage,or movable by solenoid valves, air or gas flow operated devices, or piezo ceramic devices. This can apply to any desired movement of the shutter.

The present invention thus provides a gas burner especially suitable for visual effect gas fires, wherein the primary aeration is adjustable to vary flame colour, size and position relative to the burner ports, such variations enhancing, for example realism in simulated solid fuel visual effect gas fires, or enhancing visual interest in a gas fire.

Claims

CtATMS

1. A gas burner comprising a hollow burner body provided with burner ports, a neat gas inlet connecting with the burner body and a variable size aeration port being arranged to provide variable aeration of the neat gas fed to the burner body from the gas inlet.

2. A gas burner as claimed in claim 1, in which a shutter is provided which is movable to vary the throughf low dimension of the aeration port.

3. A gas burner as claimed in claim 2, in which the shutter is slidable, rotatable, hinged, liftable or lowerable relative to the aeration port.

4. A gas burner as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3, in which the shutter is manually movable.

5. A gas burner as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3, in which the shutter is movable as desired by a solenoid valve, electric motor, air or gas flow operated devices or piezo ceramic devices.

6. A gas burner as claimed in claim 2, in which the gas inlet is a cylindrical tube and the shutter is a sleeve which fits snugly but slidably over the gas inlet.

7. A gas burner as claimed in claim 6, in which the sleeve is axially slidable along the tubular inlet to cover the aeration port to varying amounts, as desired.

8. A gas burner as claimed in claim 6, in which the sleeve is fixed axially on the tubular inlet, though rotatable relative hereto, an aperture in the sleeve overlapping the aeration port to varying degrees or not at all, as desired, by rotation of the sleeve relative to the tubular gas inlet.

9. A gas burner as claimed inany one;of claims 2 to 8, in which one or more aeration ports are provided in the gas inlet, and are controllable by one or more shutters.

10. A gas burner constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.