GB2335266A

GB2335266A - Fluid fuel-fed boilers

Info

Publication number: GB2335266A
Application number: GB9900769A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Hedley Roland Mickleburgh
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1998-03-10
Filing date: 1999-01-15
Publication date: 1999-09-15

Abstract

A fluid fuel fed boiler comprising a pump 5, means to feed fuel to the boiler 2, said means being operatively connected to the pump and boiler and characterised in that the pump is remote from the boiler and wherein the pump is adapted to "push" fuel to the boiler under a positive pressure.

Description

2335266 IMPROVEMENTS IN FLUID FUEL FED BOILERS

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to fluid fuel fed boilers, in particular, but not exclusively, to liquid fuel fed boilers, in particular, to oil fuel fed boilers.

Back-ground Art Known to the Applican Boilers, be they domestic or industrial, are either solid fuel (e.g. coal, wood etc) or, fluid fuel (e.g. oil, gas etc) fed and exist in many forms. The burner unit in such conventional fluid-fed boilers typically comprises a pump. fan, ignition unit and a motor, the motor being used to power both the pump and the fan. Fluid, fuel and air is either gravity fed to, or, is more usually "sucked" (i.e., the fuel is placed under negative pressure) to the burner ignition unit via the pump through either independent pipes or concentric pipes, one supplying the fuel and the other supplying the air. The ignition unit ignites the fuel supplied to the burner and the fan pushes the heated air around the boiler.

The move towards wall mounted or latterly, "through the wall" boilers such as the "Wallstar" produced by the Boiler Company has meant that "gravity-fed" fluid fuefs cannot be used and literally do need to be "sucked" to the burner ignition unit via the pump in the burner unit.

Inevitably, "sucked" fluid fuel traps air bubbles within it as it is being brought to 0 the burner ignition unit. Such trapped air either enters the fluid fuel as a result of vaporisation of the fuel resulting, from the pumping action or through possible 1 leaks in the fluid fuel pipe. This unintentional air in the system means that the burner unit (and as a result, the boiler) does not operate at its maximum efficiency.

Conventional solutions to overcome the problem of unintentional air in the pipes usually involves the use of a so-called "deaerator" fitted in series with the burner unit but is typically not positioned too close to the boiler itself. More often than not, a non-return valve is also be fitted to the deaerator system.

The use of such deaerators presents its own problem because they add to the overall cost of the boiler and as shall become apparent on reading through this specification, the object of the present invention is to alleviate the problems associated with air in the pipes and as a consequence, remove the need for a deaerator in the first place, leading not only to a cheaper, but more efficient boiler.

Furthermore, the prior art systems are a potential fire hazard as it is often difficult to shut off the fuel supply to the boiler if the boiler is on and there is a fire. It is a further object of the present invention to alleviate this particular problem.

is Summan of the Invention According to the present invention in its broadest aspect, there is provided a fluid fuel fed boiler comprising a pump, means to feed fuel to the boiler, said means being operatively connected to the pump and boiler and characterised in that the pump is remote from the boiler and wherein the pump is adapted to "push" fuel to the boiler under a positive pressure.

Preferably, the pump supplies both fuel and air to the boiler under a positive pressure.

More preferably still, the boiler is wall mounted.

Preferably, the pump is located at a lower level to the boiler when the boiler and pump are in their is-use position.

Preferably, the pump is located at the exterior surface of the wall.

7 1 The invention includes within its scope a fluid fuel fed boiler substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in any appropriate selection or combination of Figures 1 - 6 of the accom anying drawings.

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Claims

The invention includes within its scope an industrial or domestic site fitted with a fluid fuel fed boiler as specified in any of the preceding Claims. c Brief Description of the Drawings Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying sheets of drawings wherein.. Figure 1 illustrates a cross-sectional view of one possible embodiment of the invention fitted to a building. Figure 2 illustrates an alternative cross-sectionaI view of another possible embodiment of the invention fitted to a buildincy It> 1 Figure 3 illustrates an alternative cross-sectional view of another possible embodiment of the invention fitted to a buildine, WI Figure 4 illustrates an alternative cross-sectional view of another possible embodiment of the invention fitted to a building. Figure 5 illustrates an alternative cross-sectional view of another possible embodiment of the invention fitted to a building.

1 Figure 6 illustrates an alternative cross-sectional view of another possible embodiment of the invention fitted to a building Description of the Preferred Embodiments Figure 1 illustrates a preferred embodiment of the present invention that is generally referenced 1. The Figure shows an oil fired boiler

2 fitted with a flue 3 and a duct 4 supplying air and oil to the boiler 2 from an air and pressurising unit 5 located remote from the oil fired boiler 2. The air and oil pressurising unit 5 is supplied with fuel which in this embodiment is oil from a fuel line 6 that is linked to a storage tank not illustrated.

As can clearly be seen from Figure 1, the air and oil pressurising unit 5 is fitted to the exterior wall 7 of the dwelling 7, 8, and 9. The oil fired boiler 2 is fitted to the 0 interior walls 7 of the dwelling 7, 8, and 9 and is located between the floor 8 and ceiling 9 of the dwelling 7, 8, and 9.

Fuel from the fuel line 6, is fed to the air and oil pressurising unit 5 under gravity. The fuel is then pushed up the air and oil lines 4, together with the necessary air, to supply the oil fired burner 2 with the correct amounts of both oil and air to sustain the oil fired boiler 2 when in operation.

The air and oil pressurising unit 5 pumps the fuel and air up the air and oil lines 4 under a positive pressure, i.e. the oil and air are "pushed" up the duct 4 as opposed to being "sucked" - under a negative pressure which is typical of most of the prior art systems.

The air and oil pressurising unit 5 also incorporates a fuel shut off valve (not illustrated) to prevent fuel being constantly fed to the oil fired boiler 2 if, for example, there is a fire in dwelling 7, 8 and 9. At least in this way, the first hazard of an oil fired boiler 2 within a dwelling 7, 8 and 9 is dramatically reduced. The valve being located adjacent the air and oil pressurising unit 5.

The remaining Figures illustrate alternative embodiments based around the same general concept, each embodiment having a flue option.

Of course, the embodiments just described are by way of example only and alternative embodiments within the general scope and ambit of the summary of the invention (not illustrated) shall now be described.

For example, the air and oil pressurising unit 5 could pump only fuel to the oil fired boiler 2, air being supplied to the oil fired boiler 2 by conventional means.

In this particular embodiment, the air and oil lines 4 would only be oil lines.

The burner unit (not illustrated) may need to be modified or adapted to utilise each respective one of the embodiments (illustrated and not illustrated) described herein and the person skilled in the art will be deemed to have sufficient knowledge of engineering to modify and/or adapt conventional burner units in such a way as to allow the air and oil lines 4 (or simply oil lines 4) to be fitted to the oil fired boiler 2 in line with the general spirit of the present invention.

Claims A fluid fuel fed boiler comprising a pump, means to feed fuel to the boiler, s'd means b 1 al eing operatively connected to the pump and boiler and characterised in that the pump is remote from the boiler and wherein the pump is adapted to "push" fuel to the boiler under a positive pressure.

A fluid fuel fed boiler as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the pump supplies both fuel and air to the boiler under a positive pressure.

3. A fluid fuel fed boiler as claimed in either claim 1 or claim 2, characterised in that the boiler is wall mounted.

4. A fluid fuel fed boiler as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the pump is located at a lower level to the boiler when the boiler and pump are in their in-use position.

5. A fluid fuel fed boiler as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the pump is located at the exterior surface of the wall.

6. A fluid fuel fed boiler substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in appropriate selection or combination of Figures 1 - 6 of the accompanying drawings.

An industrial or domestic site fitted with a fluid fuel fed boiler as claimed in any of the preceding claims.