US3308607A

US3308607A - Air-elimination device

Info

Publication number: US3308607A
Application number: US380009A
Authority: US
Inventors: Johannes G Mueller
Original assignee: Weil McLain Co Inc
Current assignee: Marley Wylain Co LLC
Priority date: 1964-07-02
Filing date: 1964-07-02
Publication date: 1967-03-14
Anticipated expiration: 1984-03-14

Description

March 14, 1967 J. G. MUELLER 3,303,607

AIR-ELIMINATION DEVICE Filed Jul 2, 1964 IIIIIIIIA'II lnvemor Johannes G Mueller y fl g wjq United States Patent 01 3,308,607 AIR-ELIMINATION DEVICE Johannes G. Mueller, Michigan City, 1nd,, assignor to Weil-McLain Company, Inc., Michigan City, Ind, a corporation of Indiana Filed July 2, 1964, Ser. No. 380,009 2 Claims. (Cl. 55-201) The present invention relates to an air-elimination device for water supply systems and, more specifically, to a water header constructed to eliminate air from the water in a forced hot water system.

One of the problems encountered in a closed hot water heating system arises from the presence of air in the system. Such air may cause air noises in the system, may form air pockets in the heating elements and decrease their output and, furthermore, the oxygen content of the air may react chemically with the inside of the piping system. Consequently, it is desirable to provide suitable air-elimination devices in suchhot water heating systems.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide an improved air-elimination device adapted to be utilized in closed water supply systems. More specifically, an object is to provide an improved air-elimination device which has maximum efficiency and which can be used in connection with any type of boiler, including a tankless heater boiler.

A more specific object of the present invention is to provide an improved air-elimination device adapted for utilization in connection with a boiler having a vertical out let. Another object is to provide an improved air-elimi nation device adapted for utilization with a boiler having a horizontal outlet.

A general object of the present invention is to provide an improved air-elimination device which requires little or no maintenance. Another general object is to provide such an air-elimination device which is inexpensive to manufacture, which is compact and which may readily be added to existing water supply systems.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds, taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a cross-sectional view of a first embodiment of a water supply header for trapping and bleeding off air in a water supply system;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a compression tank and means for bleeding off air from the supply header shown in FIG. 1 to the compression tank;

FIG. 3 is a partially cut-away view of a second embodiment of a water supply header for trapping and bleeding off air in a water supply system;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the water supply header shown in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a compression tank and means for bleeding off air from the supply header shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 to the compression tank.

While the invention has been described in connection with certain preferred embodiments, it is to be under-- stood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiments but, on the contrary, the invention is intended to cover the various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. For the purposes of this description, it will be assumed that the supply headers disclosed herein are to be used in connection with closed forced hot water heating systems, whereas in actual practice, they may be used in any water supply system.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a supply header elbow is shown which is constructed in accordance with the present invention and which is adapted to be connected 3,308,607 Patented Mar. 14, 1967 between the water supply outlet piping at the top of a boiler and water supply piping which extends to external heating elements' In its exemplary form, the supply header elbow 10 includes a horizontal inlet water opening 11, a vertical outlet water opening 12 and a horizontal outlet water opening 13. Consequently, the elbow It is more suitably adapted for use with a boiler having a horizontal outlet. The supply header elbow also includes a flange portion 15, adjacent the inlet opening 11, which has a plurality of apertures 16 formed therein that allow for securing the supply header elbow to a corresponding flange provided in the boiler water supply outlet piping. Additionally, the supply header elbow includes a flange portion 17, adjacent the outlet opening 12, and a flange portion 19, adjacent the outlet opening 13. The flange 17 has a plurality of apertures 18 formed therein that allow for securing the supply header elbow to a corresponding flange provided in the water supply piping which extends to external heating elements, whereas the flange 19 is adapted for threadably receiving the water supply piping, which extends to external heating elements.

In accordance with the present invention, the supply header elbow 10 is constructed with an air-trap pocket being provided therein which allows for trapping and bleeding 01f air from water passing therethrough. More specifically, the upper portion of the outer housing of the elbow, adjacent the inlet 11, and a baffle plate 20 cooperate to define an air pocket 21. As may be seen, the baffle plate 20 extends vertically downward in facing relationship with the inlet opening 11 into the path of water flow between the inlet opening 11 and the

outlet openings

12 and 13. The cross-sectional area of the supply header elbow 10 is greater adjacent the air pocket 21 than it is adjacent the inlet opening 11 due to the outer housing of the elbow being raised at this point so that the water velocity decreases adjacent the air pocket and, thus, the water pressure is reduced at this point. It is well known that air is released from the water in a supply system when the water is heated or when the water pressure is reduced. Consequently, any air present in water flowing through the elbow 10 bubbles up through the water adjacent the air pocket 21 and is trapped in the air pocket due to the reduction in pressure thereadjacent. The water, in turn, passes under the bafile plate 20 and passes out of the header elbow through

openings

12 and 13 to supply piping.

For the purpose of bleeding off air trapped in the air pocket 21, air outlet ports 22 are provided in opposite sides of the elbow 10, adjacent the top of the air pocket, the outlet ports 22 being adapted to threadably receive air bleeding off piping. In the illustrated embodiment, the ports 22 are connected by means of piping illustrated in FIG. 2 to a compression tank 25 which is partially filled with water and partially filled with air under pressure, Since the details of compression tanks are Well known to those skilled in the art, the details thereof will not be discussed. Suflice it to say that, when air is trapped in the air pocket 21 of the elbow 10, it passes out through openings 22 to the piping illustrated in FIG. 2 and passes therethrough to the compression tank 25 wherein it bubbles up through the water, water from the compression tank filling the gap left by the air as it flows to the compression tank.

Referring to FIGS. 3-5, a second embodiment of a supply header 30 is shown which is also adapted to be connected between the water supply outlet piping at the top of a boiler and water supply piping which extends to external heating elements. The supply header 30 has a vertical inlet water opening 31, a vertical outlet water opening 32 and a horizontal outlet water opening 33, all

adapted for threadably receiving water supply piping. Thus, it will be readily apparent that the supply header 3%? is more suitably adapted for use in connection with a boiler having vertical outlet water supply piping.

In accordance with the present invention, the supply header 30 is also constructed with an air-trap pocket therein which allows for the trapping and bleeding ofi of air from water passing therethrough. For this purpose, an inverted cup, or dome shaped handle 35 is provided in the header 3%). As may be seen by reference to FIG. 4, the battle 35 is secured to opposite side walls of the supply header 3% and is positioned in facing relationship with the inlet opening 31 to form an air pocket 34.

In keeping with the present invention, the cross-sectional area of the supply header 30 is increased adjacent the inlet opening 31'at 36 so that the water velocity is reduced at this point whereby the water pressure is reduced. Additionally, the cross-sectional area of the supply header is then reduced at 37 to a rectangular crosssection having a cross-sectional area corresponding i.e. substantially equal to the cross-sectional area at the inlet opening 31 so that the water velocity is increased at this point to the velocity as it entered the inlet opening 31. Subsequent to passing through the rectangular opening at 37, the water flowing through the supply header 30 flows at right angles to the natural upward direction of air bubble movement (see FIG. 3) so that the water passes up around the baffle 35 and through the

outlet openings

32 and 33 to the supply piping. It follows that any air present in the water flowing through the header 30 bubbles up through the Water into the air pocket 34 formed by the bat-lie 35. In order to prevent the leakage of air to the system, the sides of the baffle 35 are formed to overlap the rectangular opening 37 and the back side of the baflle 35 is secured to the side wall of the supply header 36 below the outlet opening 33 (FIGS. 3 and 4).

For the purpose of bleeding off air trapped in the air pocket formed by the bafile 35, an air outlet port 38 is provided in the side wall of the supply header 30', adjacent the top of the air pocket 34, the outlet port 38 being adapted to threadably receive desired air bleeding ofi piping. In the illustrated embodiment, the opening 38 is, in turn, connected by means of piping illustrated in FIG. to a compression tank 40 which is partially filled with water and partially filled with air under pressure. Again, since the details of compression tanks are well known to those skilled in the art, the details thereof will not be discussed. Sufiice it to say that, when air is trapped in the air pocket 34 formed by the bat-fie 35, it passes out through the opening 38 to the piping illustrated in FIG. 5 and passes therethrough to the compression tank 40 wherein it bubbles up through the water, water from the compression tank filling the gap left by the air as it flows to the compression tank.

In view of the foregoing, it will be seen that air-elimination devices have been provided which are adapted to be utilized in connection with boilers having vertical or horizontal outlet water supply passages and which are adapted to be utilized in systems requiring vertical or horizontal How of the water supply subsequent to passing through the air-elimination devices. While the exemplary headers and 30 are each disclosed with a pair of outlet openings, it will be readily apparent that in many conventional applications, one of the outlet openings will be sealed-oft and only a single outlet opening will actually be used. However, wherever two outlet openings are desired, both outlet openings are employed.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a water header adapted to be connected between the outlet of a boiler or the like and a water supply system for external heating elements together with a compression tank, the combination which comprises, an inlet opening adapted to be connected to said outlet, a vertical outlet opening and a horizontal outlet opening adapted to be connected to said external heating element supply system, the cross-sectional area adjacent said inlet opening being increased for effecting a pressure reduction as water enters said header, means including a vertically extending bafile disposed between the inlet opening and the outlet openings in facing relationship with the inlet opening, said ba-fi'le extending below the top of said inlet opening and into the path of water flow through said in.- let opening, said baffie and increased cross-sectional area defining an air trap pocket between the air trap opening and the bafile, at least one air outlet port formed in the header adjacent the top of the air trap pocket and adapted to be connected to said compression tank so that air bled off and trapped in the pocket may be directed to the compression tank prior to passage of the water past the baffle and said water thereafter being directed to at least one of said external heating element supply outlet openings.

2. In a water header adapted to be connected between the outlet of a boiler or the like and a Water supply sys-' tem for external heating elements, together with a compression tank, the combination which comprises, a pair of vertically spaced apart vertical inlet openings having substantially equal cross-sectional areas, the bottom one of said openings being adapted to be connected to said outlet, a portion of increased cross-sectional area between said openings, a vertical outlet opening and a horizontal outlet opening adapted to be connected to said external heating element supply system, a dome-shaped bafllle disposed above said inlet openings and having a pair of side walls terminating at one of their corresponding ends in a first side wall portion of said header to define an air pocket above said inlet openings and also having an end' wall curved downwardly in front of, and sealingly joined at its base to an opposite side wall portion of said header underneath said horizontal outlet opening, the base area of the bafile overlapping the cross-sectional area of the top one of said vertical inlet openings, and an air outlet port formed in the side Wall of the header adjacent the top of the air pocket and adapted to be connected to said compression tank so that air trapped in the pocket may be bled Oh to said compression tank.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 7/1955 Hencken et al -l99 9/1964 Tidd 55-2O1

Claims

1. IN A WATER HEADER ADAPTED TO BE CONNECTED BETWEEN THE OUTLET OF A BOILER OR THE LIKE AND A WATER SUPPLY SYSTEM FOR EXTERNAL HEATING ELEMENTS TOGETHER WITH A COMPRESSION TANK, THE COMBINATION WHICH COMPRISES, AN INLET OPENING ADAPTED TO BE CONNECTED TO SAID OUTLET, A VERTICAL OUTLET OPENING AND A HORIZONTAL OUTLET OPENING ADAPTED TO BE CONNECTED TO SAID EXTERNAL HEATING ELEMENT SUPPLY SYSTEM, THE CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA ADJACENT SAID INLET OPENING BEING INCREASED FOR EFFECTING A PRESSURE REDUCTION AS WATER ENTERS SAID HEADER, MEANS INCLUDING A VERTICALLY EXTENDING BAFFLE DISPOSED BETWEEN THE INLET OPENING AND THE OUTLET OPENINGS IN FACING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE INLET OPENING, SAID BAFFLE EXTENDING BELOW THE TOP OF SAID INLET OPENING AND INTO THE PATH OF WATER FLOW THROUGH SAID INLET OPENING, SAID BAFFLE AND INCREASED CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA DEFINING AN AIR TRAP POCKET BETWEEN THE AIR TRAP OPENING AND THE BAFFLE, AT LEAST ONE AIR OUTLET PORT FORMED IN THE HEADER ADJACENT THE TOP OF THE AIR TRAP POCKET AND ADAPTED TO BE CONNECTED TO SAID COMPRESSION TANK SO THAT AIR BLED OFF AND TRAPPED IN THE POCKET MAY BE DIRECTED TO THE COMPRESSION TANK PRIOR TO PASSAGE OF THE WATER PAST THE BAFFLE AND SAID WATER THEREAFTER BEING DIRECTED TO AT LEAST ONE OF SAID EXTERNAL HEATING ELEMENT SUPPLY OUTLET OPENINGS.