IE20030077A1 - Boiler assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

A boiler assembly (10) comprises a boiler body (12), a removable or openable front cover (14) which provides internal access to the boiler body (12), and a down-fired burner (16) mounted on the top of the boiler body (12). The boiler body (12) has spaced inner and outer shells (18 and 20) which define a main space (22) therebetween through which a liquid to be heated can flow in the sides (24, 26), top(28) and bottom (30) of the boiler body (12). <Figure 1>

Description

This invention relates to a boiler assembly of the type which is used for heating water or other liquids.

It is often a requirement that a boiler assembly be housed in a conventional kitchen unit, enabling it to be hidden from sight when the kitchen unit door is closed. Since the kitchen unit is often floor-mounted, depending on the arrangement of the parts of the boiler assembly, it can be problematic gaining suitable access to the inside of the body of the boiler to perform maintenance and servicing.

The present invention seeks to overcome this problem.

According to the present invention, there is provided a boiler assembly comprising a boiler body, a removable or openable front cover which provides internal access to the boiler body, and a down-fired burner mounted on the top of the boiler body, the boiler body having spaced inner and outer shells which define a main space therebetween through which a liquid to be heated can flow in the sides, top and bottom of the boiler body.

Preferable and/or optional features of the present invention are set forth in claims 2 to 12, inclusive. «τα The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein : Figure 1 is a perspective front view of one embodiment of a boiler assembly, 5 in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 is a another perspective front view of the boiler assembly with the front cover removed; Figure 3 is a perspective rear view of the boiler assembly; Figure 4 is a front view of the boiler assembly; Figure 5 is a sectional side view taken along the line A-A in Figure 4; Figure 6 is a front view of the boiler assembly with the front cover removed; and Figure 7 is a sectional plan view, taken along the line B-B in Figure 4, 20 showing the hollow enclosure.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a boiler assembly 10 which typically feeds a hot water tank and a central heating system (not shown) and which has a front-to-back depth of no more than or substantially no more than 600 millimetres (mm), a width of no more than or substantially no more than 370 mm, and a height of no more than or substantially no more than 855 mm. The boiler assembly 10 comprises a boiler body 12, a front cover 14 and a burner 16.

The boiler body 12 has an inner shell 18 and an outer shell 20 which surrounds or substantially surrounds the inner shell 18. The inner and outer shells 18 and 20 are fixed together in spaced relationship so as to define a fluid-tightly enclosed or sealed main space 22 therebetween. The main space 22 extends along all or the major portions of the sides 24 and 26, top 28 and bottom 30 of the boiler body 12 and in use allows water, which is to be heated, to flow therein. Although not shown, the main space 22 may also extend along all or the major portion of the rear 32 of the boiler body 12.

The front cover 14, which matches or substantially matches the height and width of the boiler body 12, is removably or openably mounted on the front surface of the boiler body 12, typically via screw-threaded fasteners 36 on which a washer and nut (not shown) can be threaded, to fluid-tightly seal the interior 37 of the boiler body 12 from the immediate surroundings. This prevents the release of heated gases from between the front cover 14 and the front surface 34.

Removing the front cover 14 provides unhindered or unobstructed full access to the interior 37 of the boiler body 12.

The burner 16 is any suitable known type of down-fired gas or oil burner which is mounted on, and projects through, the top 28 of the boiler body 12 at or adjacent to the front edge 38.

A flue outlet 40 of a flue 41 is also formed in the top 28 of the boiler body 12, at or adjacent to the rear edge 42. A flue pipe (not shown) can be fitted to the flue outlet 40 in any known manner as required.

Water inlets 44 are formed in the sides 24 and 26 of the boiler body 12, at or adjacent to the corners at which the rear and bottom edges 46 and 48 intersect. Hot water outlets 50 are also formed in the sides 24 and 26 of the boiler body 12, at or adjacent to the corners at which the rear and top edges 46 and 52 intersect. The water inlets and outlets 44 and 50, in use, allow the ingress and egress, respectively, of water to and from the main space 22 defined between the inner and outer shells 18 and 20.

During installation, the water inlets and outlets 44 and 50 can be selectively connected into the system or blocked off depending on requirements.

Although the water inlets and outlets 44 and 50 are formed in the sides 24 and 26, it will be realised that they could be formed in any other suitable surface.

As best shown in Figures 5 to 7, the interior 37 of the boiler body 12 includes a hollow enclosure 54 which extends from the top surface 56 of the inner shell 18 to IE o s oo 7 7 its bottom surface 58 and from close to the rear interior surface 59 (see Figure 7) to part-way towards the front surface 34 so as not to interfere with or obstruct the downwardly projecting burner 16. The hollow enclosure 54 thus acts to partition the interior 37 of the boiler body 12 into two spaces or areas 62 and 64.

The hollow enclosure 54 opens through the top and bottom surfaces 56 and 58 of the inner shell 18 and as such defines a secondary space 66 therein which is in fluid communication with the main space 22 and through which the water can also flow.

A pair of removable baffles 68 (shown in phantom in Figure 7) are slidably received in the boiler body 12. The baffles 68 can be fully accessed and removed through the opening exposed by removal of the front cover 14. Each baffle 68 is hollow and has a front opening 70, which faces the front cover 14 when the baffle 68 is disposed in the boiler body 12. Acoustic insulation (not shown) is positioned in each baffle 68 to dampen operational noise. The free-edges 74 of the longitudinal sides of the baffles 68 are angled in a forwardly converging direction to, in use, funnel heated gas along exterior surfaces of the baffles 68.

Each baffle 68 is dimensioned to be received as a close fit in each partition area 62 and 64 with a small clearance gap 76, typically in the range of 2 mm to 12 mm, being present between exterior surfaces of the baffles 68 and inner surfaces of the inner shell 18 and exterior surfaces of the hollow enclosure 54. The use of baffles to generate this kind of heating arrangement, whereby heated gas is encouraged to IE Ο 3 00 7 7 flow in the clearance gap, and thereby come into close contact with surfaces which require heating, prior to exiting through the flue, is generally known and will not be described in further detail.

The presence of water and/or pressurisation when the boiler assembly 10 is in use may lead to undesirable relative movement, such as bowing, of the inner and outer shells 18 and 20. To prevent or inhibit this undesirable movement, the boiler body 12 includes one or more stay elements 78 which fixedly interconnect the inner and outer shells 18 and 20.

It should be understood that, although typically water will flow in the main and secondary spaces, other liquids could be used. it is thus possible to provide a boiler assembly that is compact enough to fit within a kitchen unit, and/or under a kitchen work-surface, having typical standard dimensions of 855 mm height, 370 mm width and 600 mm depth, and which is configured to enable full front access to the interior of the boiler body for maintenance and servicing.

The embodiment described above is given by way of example only and various modifications will be apparent to persons skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. For example, the boiier assembly could be a combi-type boiler assembly, and more than one hollow enclosure may partition the interior of the boiler body.

Claims (5)

1. A boiler assembly comprising a boiler body, a removable or openable front cover which provides internal access to the boiler body, and a down-fired burner 5 mounted on the top of the boiler body, the boiler body having spaced inner and outer shells which define a main space therebetween through which a liquid to be heated can flow in the sides, top and bottom of the boiler body.

2. A boiler assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the said space extends to the 10 rear of the boiler body so that the liquid can flow therein.

3. A boiler assembly as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the front cover matches or substantially matches the height and width of the boiler body to provide full front access to the inside of the boiler body.

4. A boiler assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, having a depth of no more than 600 millimetres so that the assembly can be incorporated as part of a standard kitchen unit. 20 5. A boiler assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein one or more stay elements connect the inner and outer shells relative to each other to prevent or inhibit undesirable relative movement when boiler assembly is in use. ¢0 3 00 7 7 6. A boiler assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the down-fired burner is mounted at or adjacent to the front edge of the boiler body, and a flue outlet is formed in the top of the boiler body at or adjacent to the rear edge. 5 7. A boiler assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein a liquid inlet is formed in one side of the boiler body at or adjacent to the corner at which the rear and bottom edges intersect, and a liquid outlet is formed in the same side of the boiler body at or adjacent to the corner at which the rear and top edges intersect. 8. A boiler assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein a secondary space, which is in fluid communication with the main space, is defined by a hollow enclosure which partitions the inside of the boiler body. 15 9. A boiler assembly as claimed in claim 8, wherein the hollow enclosure extends from the top interior surface of the boiler body to its bottom interior surface. 10. A boiler assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein one or more baffles are removably receivable in the boiler body through the opening 20 exposed by removal of the front cover. 11. A boiler assembly as claimed in claim 10, wherein the or each baffle is hollow anti incorporates acoustic insulation. *Ε π 3 Ο ο 7 7 12. A boiler assembly as claimed in claim 10, when dependent on claim 8 or claim 9, or claim 11, wherein one said baffle is received as a close fit in each space formed between the hollow enclosure and the inner shell.

5. 13. A boiler assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.