GB2478350A

GB2478350A - Flue terminal guard

Info

Publication number: GB2478350A
Application number: GB1003669A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jon Simmons
Original assignee: PLUME MAN Ltd
Current assignee: PLUME MAN Ltd
Priority date: 2010-03-05
Filing date: 2010-03-05
Publication date: 2011-09-07
Also published as: GB201003669D0

Abstract

A terminal guard 10 for a flue terminal is presented. The terminal guard comprises venting means 16 adapted to modify the direction of a plume of steam emitted from the flue terminal. Preferably, the venting means comprises a louver vent including a number of Spaced apart parallel blades 18 angled with respect to the direction `P' of an incident plume. The terminal guard may be formed with a front portion 12 and a side portion 14, where the side portion includes a matrix of apertures 14a and the front portion comprises the venting means arranged such that substantially all of the emitted plume passes through the venting means. Preferably, the terminal guard is provided with removable tubing (52, fig. 8) connected between the side portion and the front portion, where the tubing is adapted to modify the direction of a plume of steam emitted from the flue terminal before it is incident on the venting means. The front portion may be rotatable with respect to the side portion. Preferably, the venting means are adjustable so as to enable adjustment of an angle (α, fig.4) by which the venting means modifies the direction of the plume of steam.

Description

TERMINAL GUARD

Field of Invention

The present invention relates to terminal guards for a boiler flue.

Background to the Invention

Combustion gases from domestic or industrial gas or oil fired boilers escape into the atmosphere through purpose built pipes called "flues".

Typically, the flue terminates just beyond the outside wall or roof of the building housing the boiler. In the field of flue engineering and installation, and especially the field of balanced flues for venting combustion products from boilers to atmosphere, "terminal" is the commonly used expression to denote an end of the flue which, typically, protrudes from a side wall of the building in which the boiler is installed. When the boiler is in use, the terminal may become hot.

Accordingly, to avoid possible injury from contact with the flue terminal, these terminals are usually fitted with a terminal guard. The terminal guard also prevents leaves, twigs, balls, or other foreign bodies from entering the flue and possibly damaging the boiler.

Known forms of terminal guard typically comprise a mesh that completely surrounds the terminal when it is fitted to a support surface (such as a wall) through fixing points on the guard.

Figure 1 shows a conventional rectangular terminal guard having a rectangular front or top panel 2, which may be square, and four trapezoidal side panels 3. The terminal guard is fabricated from a plurality of wires 5, by bending and soldering or braising or welding. The array of wires forms a rigid box structure (or wire basket) which can be attached to a wall to enclose and protect a flue terminal. For ease of representation, the figure shows a smaller number of wires than are typically employed in a conventional terminal guard.

The wires from which the guard is formed are typically mild steel or stainless steel (which is preferable for use with condensing boilers) and may be zinc plated for added protection.

Figure 2 shows a conventional round terminal guard. Again, the terminal guard is fabricated from a plurality of wires 5 to form a rigid basket structure with a front/top panel 7.

Summary of the invention

io According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a terminal guard for enclosing a flue terminal, the terminal guard comprising venting means adapted to modify the direction of a plume of steam emitted from the flue terminal. Thus, the invention may be used to reduce or prevent nuisance pluming from condensing boilers whilst protecting the flue terminal for

example.

Embodiments may therefore reduce the projection of a plume emitted from a flue terminal and may also be used to direct a plume away from areas as desired. Accordingly, damage to property caused by acidity of a plume may be reduced through redirection of the plume away from the property.

The terminal guard may be rectangular or rounded in shape, and may also be universal to many different types of boiler systems.

The terminal guard may be manufactured in two or three component parts that snap-fit together so as to facilitate construction and installation. Further, the components parts may also expansion and/or modification of the terminal guard through addition, removal, replacement and/or modification of the component parts.

The venting means may be a louver vent comprising a plurality of spaced apart and substantially parallel blades angled with respect to the direction of an incident plume. The angled blades may then be used to deflect the incident plume in or towards a desired direction.

The terminal guard may comprise a side portion having a plurality of apertures so as to enable the flue terminal to remain visible whilst protecting the terminal from damage.

The terminal may further comprise tubing connected between the side portion and the front portion, the tubing being adapted to modify the direction of a plume of steam emitted from the flue terminal before it is incident on the venting means. In this way, the direction of a plume of steam emitted from the to flue terminal may be deflected by a greater extent whilst maintaining adequate passage of the plume through the venting means of the terminal guard.

Further developments of the invention are the subject-matter of the dependent claims.

Brief description of the drawings

An example of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying diagrams, in which: Figure 1 illustrates a conventional rectangular terminal guard; Figure 2 illustrates a conventional round terminal guard; Figures 3, 4 and 5 show a perspective, side and front view, respectively, of a round terminal guard according to an embodiment of the invention; Figure 6 is a cross sectional view of the embodiment of Figures 3, 4 and 5 taken along line A-A of Figure 5; Figure 7 shows a front panel of the terminal guard according to an embodiment of the invention; Figures 8, 9 and 10 show a perspective, side and front view, respectively, of a round terminal guard according to another embodiment of the invention; and Figure 11 is a cross sectional view of the embodiment of Figures 8, 9 and 10 taken along line B-B of Figure 10.

Detailed description

Figures 3, 4 and 5 show a perspective, side and front view, respectively, of a round terminal guard 10 according to an embodiment. Figure 6 shows a cross section taken along line A-A of Figure 5.

The round terminal guard has circular front or top panel 12 and tapered or conical side section 14. The terminal guard is fabricated from a rigid plastic, such as polycarbonate, and forms a rigid box or basket structure which can be attached to a wall through fixing points 15 around the circular base of the guard to enclose and protect a flue terminal.

The front panel comprises venting means 16 arranged to modify the direction of a plume of steam which is emitted from the flue terminal and through the venting means 16. In particular, the venting means 16 of the embodiment of Figures 3-6 comprise a louver vent 16 comprising a plurality of spaced apart and substantially parallel blades 18 angled with respect to the direction (indicated by arrow P) of a plume incident on the louver vent 16.

The size of the front panel 12 is chosen to give adequate clearance around a flue terminal protruding from a wall. In this way, substantially all of a plume of steam emitted from the flue terminal is incident on front panel 12 and passes through the venting means 16.

The front panel 12 is arranged such that, when the terminal guard 10 is attached to a wall to enclose a flue terminal, the front panel 12 lies in a plane which is substantially orthogonal to the direction (indicated by arrow "F") in which a plume of steam is emitted from the flue terminal. The louver blades then form an angle a between the louver blades 18 and the direction P of the incident plume. The louver blades 18 therefore modify the direction of an incident plume of steam by deflecting the plume by the angle a as it passes through the venting means 16. As a result, the direction F" of the plume of steam exiting the front panel 12 of the terminal guard is modified by angle a with respect to the direction P of the plume emitted from the flue terminal and incident on the front panel 12.

Angle a is approximately 300 in the illustrated embodiment of Figures 3-6.

However, the angle a of the louver blades may be chosen to be any suitable value greater than 0° and less than 90°. It will be understood that, at angle of a=0°, the louver blades 18 will not suitably arranged to deflect an incident plume, whereas at an angle of a=90° the louver blades 18 would prevent passage of the plume through the venting means 16. Thus, a compromise may be made between the degree of the plume deflection and the restriction of plume passage through the venting means. Investigations have shown that is may be preferable to arrange to louver blades 18 at angle a in the range 20°<a<70°, and more preferably in the range of 30°<a<60°.

The side section 14 is tapered (i.e. the diameter of the base ring 19 which contacts the wall is greater than the diameter of the circular front panel 12) to enable stacking when not in use. Also, the side section 14 comprises a matrix of apertures 14a so as to enable the flue terminal to remain visible whilst protecting the terminal from damage. Accordingly, the apertures 14a are sized and arranged so as to prevent interference of the flue terminal from a person's fingers, for example, whilst allowing an adequate view of the flue terminal.

Also, to cater for balanced flue terminals (which draw in air via an outer part of the flue terminal for combustion inside the boiler), the apertures 14a are preferably arranged to provide maximal air flow through the side section 14 of the terminal guard 10.

It should be noted that the size of the apertures 14 in the side section 14 may be subject to official requirements and/or standards, and that such requirements and/or standards may vary across different countries/territories.

As shown by Figure 7, the front panel 12 comprising the louver vent 16 is adapted to be removable from the side section 14 of the guard 10. Here the front panel 12 is adapted to lock into place in the guard due to lugs 22 moulded into the circular rim of the front panel. However, in alternative embodiments, the front panel 12 may be adapted to be rotatable when connected to the side section 14 of the terminal guard 10.

Figures 8, 9 and 10, show a perspective, side and front view, respectively, of a terminal guard 50 according to an alternative embodiment. Figure 11 shows a cross section taken along line B-B of Figure 10.

The terminal guard 50 is similar in construction to the terminal guard 10 of Figures 3-6 and so detailed description of the similar components will be omitted for the purposes of clarity and conciseness. However, the terminal guard further comprises a spigot 52 or short, bent cylindrical projection 52 connected between the side section 54 and the front panel 56 of the terminal guard 50. The spigot 52 is adapted to modify the direction of a plume of steam emitted from the flue terminal before it is incident on the venting means 58 of the front panel 56. In this way, the degree of the plume deflection can be increased whilst not restricting or preventing the passage of the plume through the venting means 58.

The terminal guard 50 is arranged to give adequate clearance around a flue terminal protruding from a wall. In this way, substantially all of a plume of steam emitted from the flue terminal enters the spigot 52 and is incident on front panel 58 SO as to pass through the venting means 58.

One end of the spigot is provided at angle 13 with respect to the other end of the spigot (as shown in Figure 9) so as to deflect the direction of a plume entering the spigot (by the angle 13). To assist such plume deflection, the bend of the spigot 52 is rounded and its internal surface is smoothed. Further, as shown in Figure 11, the end of the spigot into which the plume is provided may comprise a louver vent 60 similar to that of the front panel 56. This additional louver vent 60 comprises spaced apart and parallel blades 62 that are angled with respect to the direction of a plume incident on the louver vent 60.

With the spigot 52 being arranged to deflect the direction of a plume entering the spigot by the angle 13, and the front panel 56 being arranged to deflect the direction of an incident plume by the angle a (in a similar fashion to that described above with reference to Figures 3-6), the embodiment of Figures 8- 11 may deflect the direction of a plume of stem by the angle a+f3.

In other words, the direction P" of the plume of steam exiting the front panel 56 of the terminal guard 50 is modified by angle a--J3 with respect to the direction P of the plume emitted from the flue terminal and entering the spigot 52. For example, by arranging the spigot 52 to deflect a plume by 45°, and further arranging the front panel to deflect an incident plume by 45°, a terminal guard according to the invention may deflect a plume of steam by 900 whilst not restricting or preventing the passage of the plume through the terminal guard.

As shown by Figure 12, the spigot 52 may be adapted to be removable from the side section 54 and the front panel 56 of the guard 50. In this way, side section 54 and the front panel 56 may be connected to each other so as to provide a terminal guard similar to that of Figure 3-6.

While specific embodiments have been described herein for purposes of illustration, various modifications will be apparent to a person skilled in the art and may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

For example, alternative embodiments may be formed from other suitable materials such as (treated or un-treated) metal.

Claims

Claims 1. A terminal guard for a flue terminal, the terminal guard comprising venting means adapted to modify the direction of a plume of steam emitted from the flue terminal.
2. The terminal guard of claim 1 wherein the venting means comprise a louver vent.
3. The terminal guard of claim 2, wherein the louver vent comprises a plurality of spaced apart and substantially parallel blades angled with respect to the direction of an incident plume.
4. The terminal guard of claim 1, 2 or 3, comprising a side portion and a front portion, wherein the front portion comprises the venting means and is arranged such that substantially all of the emitted plume passes through the venting means.
5. The terminal guard of claim 4, wherein the side portion comprises a plurality of apertures.
6. The terminal guard of claim 4 or 5, further comprising tubing connected between the side portion and the front portion, the tubing being adapted to modify the direction of a plume of steam emitted from the flue terminal before it is incident on the venting means.
7. The terminal guard of claim 6, wherein the tubing is removable so as to enable connection of the side portion directly to the front portion.
8. The terminal guard of any of claims 4 to 7, wherein front portion is rotatable with respect to the side portion.
9. The terminal guard of any preceding claim wherein the venting means are adjustable so as to enable adjustment of an angle by which the venting means modifies the direction of the plume of steam.
10. A flue terminal guard substantially as herein described above with reference to and illustrated by any selection or combination of Figures 3 to 11 of the accompanying drawings.