GB2306638A

GB2306638A - Gas burners

Info

Publication number: GB2306638A
Application number: GB9617062A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter Anthony Dyson
Original assignee: P A DYSON Ltd
Current assignee: P A DYSON Ltd
Priority date: 1995-10-20
Filing date: 1996-08-14
Publication date: 1997-05-07
Anticipated expiration: 2016-08-14
Also published as: GB9521517D0; GB9617062D0; GB2306638B

Abstract

Gas burning apparatus comprises an elongate gas distribution chamber 10 having a plurality of flame holes 16 in its upper surface, the chamber being divided into at least three compartments 11, 12, 13, one above the other, by two gas diffusers 14 and 15. The invention provides a gas burning apparatus which operates at low noise levels and has low flue emissions, but nevertheless provides sufficient power to heat cooking apparatus such as friers, fish and chip frying ranges, water boilers and the like.

Description

GAS BURMNG APPARBTUS The invention relates to gas burning apparatus, for example gas burning apparatus for heating cooking apparatus.

We have discovered that some forms of cooking apparatus, for example for cooking chips, require a powerfiji gas burning apparatus to heat them.

There is no difficulty in designing a sufficiently powerful apparatus, but the obvious designs result in gas burning apparatus which is very noisy and has high flue emissions. The cooking apparatus is frequently used in an environment where high noise levels cannot be tolerated, such as a restaurant or fish and chip shop.

We have accordingly developed a novel gas burning apparatus which operates at low noise levels and has low flue emissions.

The invention comprises gas burning apparatus comprising an elongate gas distribution chamber having a plurality of flame holes in its upper surface, the chamber being divided into at least three compartments, one above the other, by two gas diffusers.

Each gas diffuser may comprise a perforated plate.

The chambers may be of progressively smaller size over the height of the chamber.

Preferably there is a gas inlet to the lower chamber at one end of the chamber.

Preferably a fan or similar apparatus is connected to the inlet to drive gas into the chamber.

One or more pilot lights may be provided at the other end of the chamber.

Preferably means are provided on the top of the chamber to direct gas emitting from the flame holes.

The means may be arranged to define two gas outlet slots extending along the length of the chamber.

Preferably the width of these slots progressively narrows in the upward direction.

By way of example, a specific embodiment of the invention will now be described, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of an embodiment of gas burning apparatus according to the invention; Figure 2 is a side view of the apparatus shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a perspective view of the apparatus shown in Figure 1; and Figure 4 is a cross sectional view through the apparatus shown in Figure 1.

A major component of the gas burner shown in the Figures comprises an elongate gas distribution compartment 10 fabricated from metal.

As can be seen from Figure 4, the compartment 10 comprises a hollow chamber which is divided into three sections, 11, 12 and 13 by first and second gas diffusers 14 and 15, in the form of perforated plates.

The upper part of the chamber also comprises a perforated plate 16.

Gas emitting from this plate is shaped into two elongate regions by guide components secured to the gas distribution compartment. There is a central block of metal 17 secured to the plate 16 and two further blocks of metal 18 and 19 are bolted to the sides of the chamber as shown in Figure 4.

These components are emitted from Figures 1 to 3 for clarity.

At one end of the compartment there is an inlet to which a centrifugal fan 20 is bolted. The fan is driven by an electric motor 21.

In use, gas is fed directly into the air inlet 22 of the centrifugal fan where it is joined by air, then mixed together by the multi-vane impeller of the centrifugal fan. The mixed gas and air mixture enters the lower chamber portion 11. It then passes through the first diffuser 14 into the second chamber portion. The gas and air mixture then passes through the second diffuser 15 and into the upper chamber portion 13. The use of the diffusers brings about a progressive pressure reduction as the air and gas mixture moves up the chamber and further even mixing of the gas and air takes place before the mixture emerges from the plate 16.

As can be seen from Pigure 4, the components 17 and 18 are shaped to provide two elongate gas outlet passages 23 and 24 which progressively narrow in the upward direction.

The gas emerging from the elongate outlets 23 and 24 is ignited by two pilot lights 26 and 27 mounted on a transverse distributor block 25. The pilot lights comprise a two stage system. The fan 20 runs all the time the equipment is used thereby supplying air to the pilot lights from the compartment 10 through a pipe 28 which connects the compartment 10 to the transverse distributor block 25. When gas is not being supplied to the main burner, the pilot lights 26 and 27 operate in their first stage, receiving gas through a pipe 29. When the main burner is used, gas comes through the inlet solenoid 22, through the compartment 10, through the pipe 28, and this boosts the second stage of the pilot lights.

The use of the diffusers 14 and 15, together with the shape of the outlets 23 and 24 combine to provide a very powerful, but quiet, gas burner, with low flue emissions. Temperatures as high as 1200"C can be reached.

The apparatus achieves a high capacity of heat, in a relatively small space, with relatively silent running, a short, high, temperature flame that well meets current flue emission and combustion requirements. The apparatus is suitable for use under, for example, friers, fish and chip frying ranges, water boilers and the like.

Within the lower chamber, there is a safety pressure switch. When ignition is activated, for example by pressing an ignition button, this activates a micro-processor controller which switches on the fan. This creates pressure in the gas burner, the pressure being greatest in the lowest portion of the chamber. Air under pressure is then directed to the pressure switch in the lower portion of the chamber, blowing against a diaphragm which trips a switch of electric current to the gas solenoid for the pilot lights. Thus if the fax fails pressure drops, the safety switch cuts off and everything fails safe.

Other configurations are possible and the burner head and angles may for example be designed differently to suit either V-shaped or flat bottomed vessels.

The reader's attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment(s). The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

Claims

1. A gas burning apparatus comprising an elongate gas distribution chamber having a plurality of flame holes in its upper surface, the chamber being divided into at least three compartments, one above the other, by two gas diffusers.

2. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, in which each gas diffuser comprises a perforated plate.

3. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, in which the chambers are of progressively smaller size over the height of the chamber.

4. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which there is a gas inlet to the lower chamber at one end of the chamber.

5. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 4, in which drive apparatus is connected to the inlet to direct gas into the chamber.

6. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 5, in which the drive apparatus comprises a fan.

7. Apparatus as claimed in any one of Claims 4 to 6, in which one or more pilot lights are provided at the other end of the chamber.

8. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which means are provided on top of the chamber to direct gas emitting from the flame holes.

9. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 8, in which the means to direct gas is arranged to define two gas outlet slots extending along the length of the chamber.

10. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 9, in which the width of the slots progressively narrows in the upward direction.

11. Gas burning apparatus constructed and arranged substantially as herein described, with reference to the accompanying drawings.