GB2381577A

GB2381577A - A gas fired appliance with a catalytic converter.

Info

Publication number: GB2381577A
Application number: GB0126488A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Steve Barson; Duncan Spokes
Original assignee: Burley Appliances Ltd
Current assignee: Burley Appliances Ltd
Priority date: 2001-11-03
Filing date: 2001-11-03
Publication date: 2003-05-07
Also published as: GB0126488D0; WO2003040622A1

Abstract

A gas fired appliance comprising a combustion chamber 8, a gas burner inlet 12, an air inlet 10, an exhaust outlet 18 with a catalytic converter 20 disposed between the outlet and a flue 26. Preferably, a baffle is disposed across the exhaust outlet and constructed to from a labyrinth passage in conjunction with a top plate 24. Preferably, the gas appliance is used for heating a domestic dwelling, the appliance being such as a gas fireplace, a gas boiler or even a gas wall heater.

Description

PATENTS ACT 1977 A10437GB-WL Title: Gas Appliance Description of Invention This invention is concerned with improvements relating to gas appliances, particularly of the kind utilised to heat a living area in a domestic environment. Such appliances are referred to as being of the kind specified.

Heating appliances of the kind specified conventionally fall into two groups, a first being a gas appliance, connected to a source of gas, such as propane or natural gas, in which the products of combustion are vented directly into the living area, conventionally through a catalytic converter to reduce the products of incomplete combustion delivered to the area.

The second type of gas appliance is one having an exhaust outlet which in use is connected to a flue, whereby the products of combustion are vented to the exterior atmosphere. Conventionally such appliances are provided with flow passages to extract residual heat from the exhaust gases, the efficiency of such flow passages is compromised by the need to ensure good"drawing"of the products of combustion up the flue.

Additionally, with gas appliances of the second type, leakage of the products of combustion can often occur into the living area, such leakage is a significant risk to health and results in many deaths and casualties every year.

According to this invention there is provided a gas appliance of the kind specified, for use with a flue, comprising a combustion chamber, a flammable gas inlet to the combustion chamber, an air inlet to the combustion chamber, and an exhaust outlet from the combustion chamber to the chimney, characterised by the provision of a catalytic converter located in the exhaust outlet, through which combustion products flow from the combustion chamber to the flue.

By this invention, a number of benefits may be obtained, as follows: a) the products of combustion which are vented to the external atmosphere have reduced gases of incomplete combustion, such as carbon monoxide, and are thus less damaging to the external environment; b) should the products of combustion enter the living area, for example by a flue blockage or down draught, the levels of the dangerous gases resulting from incomplete combustion will be greatly reduced as they have already passed through the catalytic converter; c) the catalytic converter, by oxidising airborne pollutants or gases which would otherwise be combusted incompletely, extracts further heat from the combustion process; d) a labyrinth flow passage may be utilised to extract heat from the exhaust gases, preferably a baffle is provided to ensure that in the event of a draught down the flue, the products of combustion will continue to be drawn through the catalytic converter ensuring continued safety of operation.

There will now be given a detailed description, to be read with reference to the accompanying drawing, of a gas appliance which has been selected for the purposes of illustrating this invention by way of example.

The accompanying drawing is a schematic sectional view of the gas appliance which is the preferred embodiment of the invention. This invention is shown coupled to an existing chimney opening, but could be directly coupled to a flue or similar.

The gas appliance which is the preferred embodiment of the invention is particularly of the kind specified, being for use in the heating of a domestic living environment, and is specifically for use with a flue 26, comprising a housing 6 defining a combustion chamber 8, within which a gas burner 12 is located. Gas from a supply (not shown) is fed to the burner 12, and is burned thereby, in the presence of air.

The combustion chamber may be defined in part by a rear wall 14, which defines an auxiliary flow path 16, to pass air around the appliance and therefore extract more heat for the living area.

Located in the gas appliance is an exhaust outlet 18, within which outlet a catalytic converter 20 is located. Extending adjacent to the exhaust outlet 18 is a labyrinth passage, comprising a baffle plate 22, and a top plate 24, across which the products of combustion flow as shown by the arrows, towards the flue 26.

By the use of the catalytic converter 20, a higher degree of safety and efficiency may be ensured, the flow of gases up the flue may be slowed allowing more heat to be extracted by the appliance, in the event that some down draught or flue blockage is encountered, causing the products of combustion to enter the living area, since the products of combustion have been passed through the catalytic converter, the appliance will continue to operate safely.

Whilst the invention has been described herein in relation to a gas fire, it will be appreciated that it may be utilised in other appliances, such as gas boilers, walls heaters etc.

In the present specification"comprises"means"includes or consists of and"comprising"means"including or consisting of'.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately, or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A gas appliance for use with a flue comprising: a combustion chamber; a flammable gas inlet to the combustion chamber; an air inlet to the combustion chamber ; an exhaust outlet from the combustion chamber to the flue and characterised by a catalytic converter through which combustion products flow from the combustion chamber to the flue.
2. A gas appliance according to Claim 1 comprising a flow path between the catalytic converter and the flue which causes products of combustion to continue to be drawn through the catalytic converter in the event of a draught down the flue or a flue blockage.
3. A gas appliance according to Claim 2 in which the baffle extends across the exhaust outlet.
4. A gas appliance substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawing.
5. Any novel feature or novel combination of features described herein and/or in the accompanying drawings.