Patent Application
20160178236
The presently disclosed embodiments generally relate to burner assemblies in use with heat exchangers and more particularly, to an inward fired pre-mix burners with carryover.
Generally, burner assemblies used for reduce NOx emissions are premix burners that are fired directly towards the inlets of a heat exchanger. Usually the use of premix burners requires separate ignition and flame sensing for each burner within the assembly. Moreover, to provide sufficient capacity, the surface area facing the cell panel for non-inward fired premix burners needs to be significantly larger than the inlets of the heat exchanger. As a result, the surface temperature of the cell panel is increased significantly during operation; thus, leading to potential early failures of the heat exchanger. There is therefore a need for a burner assembly that reduces the surface temperature of the cell panel.
In one aspect, a burner assembly for a heating appliance is provided. The burner assembly includes a partition assembly including a partition panel, the partition panel including an upstream side, a downstream side, at least two partition openings, and an intermediate traverse slot in communication with each of the at least two partition openings, wherein each partition opening is located adjacent to one another. In one embodiment, the partition panel further includes a first traverse slot in communication with the first of the at least two partition openings, and a last traverse slot in communication with the last of the at least two partition openings. In one embodiment, the partition panel further includes a screen operably coupled to the downstream side. The partition assembly further includes at least two burners operably coupled to the upstream side of the partition panel, wherein each burner is substantially aligned with each respective partition opening.
In one embodiment, the burner assembly further includes a combustion chamber operably coupled to the downstream side of the partition panel. The combustion chamber includes at least two chamber openings disposed therein, wherein each chamber opening is substantially aligned with each respective partition opening. The combustion chamber further includes an igniter, and a flame sensor disposed therein. In one embodiment, the igniter is disposed adjacent to the first transverse slot, and the flame sensor is disposed adjacent to the last transverse slot. In one embodiment, the igniter may be disposed adjacent to a first of the at least two burners or a last of the at least two burners, and the flame sensor may be disposed adjacent to the first of the at least two burners or the last of the at least two burners.
The burner assembly further includes a mixture distribution box including an upstream wall and opposing side walls to form a cavity therein. The mixture distribution box is operably coupled to the upstream side such that the at least two burners are disposed within the cavity. The burner assembly further includes a mixing tube, including a mixing tube aperture, operably coupled to the mixture distribution box. An orifice is operably coupled to the mixing tube, and the valve is operably coupled to the orifice.
In one aspect, a gas furnace is provided. The gas furnace includes a heat exchanger including at least two heat exchanger inlets, and a burner assembly operably coupled to the heat exchanger. The burner assembly includes a partition assembly, including, a partition panel including an upstream side, a downstream side, at least two partition openings, and an intermediate transverse slot in communication with each of the at least two partition openings, wherein each partition opening is located adjacent to one another other, and at least two burners configured to fire inward, the at least two burners operably coupled to the upstream side, wherein each burner is substantially aligned with each respective partition opening and each respective heat exchanger inlets. In one embodiment, the at least two burners are composed from a woven material configured to be selectively permeated by an air-fuel mixture.
In one embodiment, the gas furnace further includes a combustion chamber including at least two chamber openings, an igniter and a flame sensor disposed therein, the combustion chamber operably coupled to the downstream side, wherein each chamber opening is substantially aligned with each respective partition opening, a mixture distribution box including an upstream wall and opposing side walls to form a cavity therein, wherein the mixture distribution box is operably coupled to the upstream side such that the at least two burners are disposed within the cavity, a mixing tube operably coupled to the mixture distribution box, an orifice operable coupled to the mixing tube, and a valve operably coupled to the orifice.
In one embodiment, wherein the partition panel further includes a first transverse slot in communication with the first of the at least two partition openings and a last transverse slot in communication with the last of the at least two partition openings. In one embodiment, the partition panel further includes a woven material covering the first transverse slot, each intermediate transverse slot, and the last transverse slot.
In one embodiment, the igniter is disposed adjacent to the first transverse slot, and the flame sensor is located adjacent to the last transverse slot. In one embodiment, the igniter is disposed adjacent to a first burner of the at least two burners, and the flame sensor is located adjacent to a last of the at least two burners.
The embodiments and other features, advantages and disclosures contained herein, and the manner of attaining them, will become apparent and the present disclosure will be better understood by reference to the following description of various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the present disclosure, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings, and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of this disclosure is thereby intended.
The relatively cool exhaust gases then pass through the collector box 22 and exhaust vent 24 before being vented to the atmosphere, while the condensate flows from the collector box 22 through a drain line 34 for disposal. Flow of combustion air into the air inlet 28 through the heat exchanger sections 18, 20 and the exhaust vent 24 is controlled by an inducer fan 36. The inducer fan 36 is driven by a motor 38 in response to signals from the integrated furnace control or IFC 40. The household air is drawn into a blower 42 which is driven by a drive motor 44, in response to signals received from the IFC 40. The discharge air from the blower 42 passes over the condensing heat exchanger sections 20 and the primary heat exchanger sections 18, in a counter-flow relationship with the hot combustion gases to thereby heat the indoor air, which then flows from the discharge opening 46 in the upward direction as indicated by the arrows 48 to a duct system (not shown) within the space being heated.
The partition assembly 100 further includes at least two burners 108 operably coupled to the upstream side 102 of the partition panel 101, wherein each burner 108 is substantially aligned with each respective partition opening. Each of the at least two burners 108 are configured to fire inward. In one embodiment, each of the at least two burners 108 are composed from a woven material configured to be selectively permeated by an air-fuel mixture.
For example, the partition assembly 100 shown in
In one embodiment, the burner assembly 12′ further includes a combustion chamber 200 operably coupled to the downstream side 104 of the partition panel 101. The combustion chamber 200 includes at least two chamber openings 202 disposed therein, wherein each chamber opening is substantially aligned with each respective partition opening (not shown). The combustion chamber 200 further includes an igniter 204, configured for igniting the air-gas mixture; and a flame sensor 206, configured for detecting the ignition of the at least two burners 108, disposed therein. In one embodiment, the igniter 204 is disposed adjacent to the first transverse slot 110, and the flame sensor 206 is disposed adjacent to the last transverse slot 112. It will be appreciated that the igniter 204 may be disposed adjacent to the last transverse slot 112, and the flame sensor 206 may be disposed adjacent to the first transverse slot 110. In one embodiment, the igniter 204 may be disposed adjacent to the first burner 108A or the last burner 108D, and the flame sensor 206 may be disposed adjacent to the first burner 108A or the last burner 108D.
The burner assembly 12′ further includes a mixture distribution box 300 including an upstream wall 302 and opposing side walls 304, 306 to form a cavity (not shown) therein. The mixture distribution box 300 is operably coupled to the upstream side 102 such that the at least two burners 108 are disposed within the cavity.
The burner assembly 12′ further includes a mixing tube 308, including a mixing tube aperture 310, operably coupled to the mixture distribution box 300. It will be appreciated that the mixing tube 308 may be coupled to the upstream wall 302, or either of the opposing side walls 304, 306. An orifice 312 is operably coupled to the mixing tube 308, and the valve 26 is operably coupled to the orifice 312. The valve 26 is configured to deliver a fuel, for example natural gas or propane to name a couple of non-limiting examples, through the orifice 312 and into the mixing tube 308.
Referring back to the gas furnace 10 of
It will therefore be appreciated that the present embodiments includes an inward fired burner 108 to reduce the temperature of each cell panel of each primary heat exchanger section 18. It will also be appreciated that the burner assembly 12′ includes a first transverse slot 110 in communication with the first of the at least two partition openings, an intermediate transverse slot 106 in communication with each of the at least two partition openings, and a last transverse slot 112 in communication with the last of the at least two partition openings to allow a flame to pass between each of the burners 108 to reduce the level of NOx produced by the gas furnace 10. It will also be appreciated that each of the transverse slots 106, 110, and 112 allow for a single igniter 204 and a single flame sensor 206; thus reducing the overall cost of the gas furnace 10.
While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only certain embodiments have been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention are desired to be protected.
The present application is related to, and claims the priority benefit of, U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/094,826 filed Dec. 19, 2014, the contents of which are hereby incorporated in their entirety into the present disclosure.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62094826 | Dec 2014 | US |
