GB2438866A

GB2438866A - Fan flued gas fire comprising a flue flow blocking device

Info

Publication number: GB2438866A
Application number: GB0611191A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter Mintoft
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-06-07
Filing date: 2006-06-07
Publication date: 2007-12-12
Anticipated expiration: 2026-06-07
Also published as: GB2438866B; GB0611191D0

Abstract

A flue flow blocking device for a fan flued gas fire is operated by manual or actuator means not relying on air flow energy or aerodynamic principles for operation. Preferably, the device is interlocked with air flow sensing devices controlling the fire so as to ensure fail safe operation. The device may be operated by a fan control system of the gas fire; the device may be operated automatically when the fire is used; or the device may be operated by a user independently of a fire control system. The invention is designed to close off the flue when the fire is not in use so as to prevent the unwanted flow of air to or from a dwelling. Furthermore, the device is designed to pose no significant restriction to the flow of flue products when in an open position.

Description

Title: Improvements to Fan Flued Gas Fires

Description:

Fan flued gas fires are a common solution to fulfil the need for attractive open fronted fuel effect gas fires in dwellings without any kind of existing flue system. A fan is employed in the exterior terminal which mechanically removes the waste products of combustion from the firebox which is mounted inside the dwelling. Various degrees of sophistication exist in these products in terms of control and safety system variation, burner technology, fuel effects and dampening of mechanical extract fan noise. However a common problem with all currently known products is the admission of air currents to or from the dwelling when the fire is not in use by means of air flow forward or reversed through the firebox, flue pipe and fan terminal. The purpose of this invention is to prevent the unwanted ingress or egress of volumes of air to or from the dwelling when the appliance is not in use and thereby improve its over all thermal efficiency as part of the dwelling, and its performance in terms of comfort levels for the user.

Various known passive means of achieving this aim have been tried before with limited success such as terminals of specific size and shape or aerodynamic profile and or having a multitude of inlets and outlets, baffles, swinging plates etc. Known reasons for failure of these passive solutions include excessive restriction to the flow of flue gases when the fire is in operation due to the use of flue gas flow energy in opening the devices, noise from unwanted device movements due to air pressure or air current changes or the continued existence of air flows from those devices which do not completely close off the flue duct.

This invention uses an actively controlled mechanically activated device to close off the flue duct when the fire is not in use thereby eliminating unwanted flow of air through the flue duct, yet the device poses no significant restriction to the flow of flue products when in the open position. The invention comprises an actuator, a mechanism and a flue closing device together with air flow detection interlocking and control interlocking with the existing known control systems of the fan flued gas fire. Interlocking with the control system of the fire is not essential as the user of the appliance may control the actuator manually or provide the actuation by means of a physical linkage from the interior of the dwelling to the outside fan terminal. Additionally, the flue blocking device need not be mounted on the fan terminal outside the dwelling but may conveniently be mounted within the fire or flue assembly inside the dwelling.

A particular example of the invention shown in Figure 1 of the attached drawings comprises (detailed in section Figure 2) an electrical solenoid (7), link rod (3) and pivoted (4) flap (6) contained within an external housing (1) and provided with an outlet grille (5) to protect the moving parts. When the control system for the fan is activated, the solenoid is energised thereby opening the hinged flap and allowing unrestricted movement to the fan induced flow of flue gases (2). The actuator may be operated by electrical, electro mechanical, hydraulic, air or any other convenient means. If the actuator is of a single acting direction type, a return spring, gravity or any other convenient means may be used to close the device. Alternatively the actuator may be used to close the device when the appliance is not in use and a spring or other suitable means may be used to open the device when the appliance is operating. The flue closure device may be pivoted, sliding or provided with any other convenient method of movement. The mechanism may be gears, chain, wire, rod and link or any other convenient means of operation or the actuator may be directly connected to the flue closing device and or mounted on a flexible or rotating mounting.

Flue gas flow detection is essential for the safe operation of fan flued gas fires therefore in this example the invention is interlocked with the existing control system of the fan flued gas fire. This may be conveniently achieved by an air flow measuring device upstream of the flue closing device, blocking an air flow measuring device when the flue closing device is in the closed position or by using limit switches to indicate when the device is in the open or closed position or any other suitable means of interlock. The device may be conveniently activated when the fan is started by the existing fan flue gas fire control system or simply when power is applied or any other suitable means. The flue gas flow may then be sensed or the closure device position sensed as described before the gas ways are permanently opened to allow the burner to be started. If the actuator or mechanism fails in any way, the flue fan control system will render the appliance safe. In this way a fail safe' mode can be established in all conditions.

Claims

Claims: 1. A flue flow blocking device for a fan flued gas fire

operated by manual or actuator means not relying on air flow energy or aerodynamic principles for operation.

2. A device as claimed in claim I interlocked with air flow sensing devices controlling operation of the fire so as to ensure fail safe'.

3. A device as claimed in claim I operated by the fan control system of the gas fire.

4. A device as claimed in any of the preceding claims that is operated automatically when the fire is operated.

5. A device as claimed in claim 1 that is operated by the user independently of the fire control system.

6. A flue blocking device for a gas fire substantially as herein described above and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.