Patent Application
20240077203
The present subject matter relates generally to recreational vehicle water heaters, and more particularly baffles therein.
Water heaters for use with recreational vehicles (RV) typically include a water tank in combination with an internal heating element. Most internal heating elements in water heaters used in RV are dual fuel: liquid petroleum gas and electric heating. The water heater is mounted on the recreational vehicle in a convenient position connected to cold water supply and hot water outlet pipes, respectively receiving cold water from a suitable water supply source and for directing heated water for use in cooking, bathing, and the like. In a standard RV water heater, the tank has a cylindrical shape is normally mounted on the vehicle for convenient access through a hinged door or the like to control components like a control valve, drain plug, etc. When using the gas heating system of the water heater, the current industry design uses a completely open flue tube.
Aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the following description, or may be apparent from the description, or may be learned through practice of the invention.
In one example embodiment, a water heater appliance for a recreational vehicle includes a tank and a flue disposed within the tank. The flue forms a U-shape extending to and from an external side of the tank. A burner assembly is disposed at an inlet of the flue. A baffle is disposed within the flue. The baffle includes a plurality of restrictors extending to the flue, and a flue collar configured to secure the baffle to the flue.
In another example embodiment, a water heater appliance for a recreational vehicle includes a tank and a flue disposed within the tank. The flue forms a U-shape that extends to and from an external side of the tank. A burner assembly is disposed at an inlet of the flue, and a gas supply is in fluid communication with the inlet of the flue. A baffle is disposed with the flue. The baffle includes a helical shape that is configured to direct exhaust from the burner assembly in a spiral motion through the flue. A plurality of restrictors is configured to immobilize the baffle within the flue. A flue collar is mounted to the flue and is configured to secure the baffle to the flue.
These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description and appended claims. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.
A full and enabling disclosure of the present invention, including the best mode thereof, directed to one of ordinary skill in the art, is set forth in the specification, which makes reference to the appended figures.
Repeat use of reference characters in the present specification and drawings is intended to represent the same or analogous features or elements of the present invention.
Reference now will be made in detail to embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are illustrated in the drawings. Each example is provided by way of explanation of the invention, not limitation of the invention. In fact, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the scope of the invention. For instance, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be used with another embodiment to yield a still further embodiment. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers such modifications and variations as come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.
As used herein, the terms “first,” “second,” and “third” may be used interchangeably to distinguish one component from another and are not intended to signify location or importance of the individual components. The terms “includes” and “including” are intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising.” Similarly, the term “or” is generally intended to be inclusive (i.e., “A or B” is intended to mean “A or B or both”). In addition, here and throughout the specification and claims, range limitations may be combined and/or interchanged. Such ranges are identified and include all the sub-ranges contained therein unless context or language indicates otherwise. For example, all ranges disclosed herein are inclusive of the endpoints, and the endpoints are independently combinable with each other. The singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
Approximating language, as used herein throughout the specification and claims, may be applied to modify any quantitative representation that could permissibly vary without resulting in a change in the basic function to which it is related. Accordingly, a value modified by a term or terms, such as “generally,” “about,” “approximately,” and “substantially,” are not to be limited to the precise value specified.
Water heater appliance 100 may further include a controller 150 that is configured for regulating operation of water heater appliance 100. Controller 150 is in, for example, operative communication (e.g., electrical communication through one or more conductive wires/busses) with burner assembly 110, the electrical heating element, and temperature sensors (not shown). Thus, controller 150 may selectively activate burner assembly 110 and/or the electrical heating element in order to heat water within an interior volume 324 of tank 300. As an example, controller 150 may activate/deactivate burner assembly 110 and/or the electrical heating element in response to signals from the temperature sensors. The signals from the temperature sensors may be analyzed by controller 150 to determine the temperature of the water within interior volume 324 of tank 300.
In some example embodiments, controller 150 includes memory (e.g., non-transitive media) and one or more processing devices such as microprocessors, CPUs or the like, such as general or special purpose microprocessors operable to execute programming instructions or micro-control code associated with operation of water heater appliance 100. The memory can represent random access memory such as DRAM, or read only memory such as ROM or FLASH. The processor executes programming instructions stored in the memory. The memory can be a separate component from the processor or can be included onboard within the processor. Alternatively, controller 150 may be constructed without using a microprocessor (e.g., using a combination of discrete analog or digital logic circuitry; such as switches, amplifiers, integrators, comparators, flip-flops, AND gates, and the like) to perform control functionality instead of relying upon software.
Referring now to
Flue 302 may extend within frame 107 and tank 300 in the form of a U-shape that extends to and from the external side 301 of tank 300. Flue 302 may have a cylindrical cross-sectional shape, e.g., a flue tube, through which exhaust gas may flow. Flue 302 may have a diameter of up to thirty (30 cm). In some example embodiments, flue 302 may have other cross-sectional shapes, such as rectangular, cylindrical, square, or any combination thereof. In the present example embodiment, as shown in
A baffle 304 may extend through flue 302. Baffle 304 may be a vane or a panel positioned in flue 302 in order to restrict and direct the flow of the combustion products, e.g., exhaust gas, from burner assembly 110. Baffle 304 may be helically shaped, e.g., as a helical vane or corkscrew, such that the baffle 304 may influence the exhaust gas from burner assembly 110 into a spiral flow path through flue 302. The influenced behavior of the exhaust provided by baffle 304 may permit greater heat transfer from the exhaust to flue 302 than the conventional open flue design, without baffle 304. Moreover, baffle 304 may be configured to redirect gas flow through flue 302 to change a flow path of the gas through flue 302 relative to when flue 302 is open and does not include baffle 304. As shown, baffle 304 may be disposed within top flue portion 322. Additionally or alternatively, baffle 304 may extend through both, or either of, top flue portion 322 and bottom flue portion 320. In other example embodiments there may be multiple baffles spaced throughout flue 302.
Since water heater 100 is a recreational vehicle water heater appliance, water heater 100 may undergo various motions as the recreational vehicle is operated by a user. Motion for a water heater appliance is atypical, relative to other water heaters domestically installed in houses, apartments, office buildings, or other buildings of the like. In order to hold and/or secure baffle 304 within flue 302, baffle 304 may include a plurality of restrictors 306 coupled to both baffle 304 and flue 302. The plurality of restrictors may aid in further restricting and directing the flow of the combustion products from burner assembly 110. The plurality of restrictors 306 may restrain baffle 304 from moving in each direction, e.g., one or more of laterally, L, vertically, V, and transversely, T, within flue 302 by contacting outer flue wall 332 within interior volume 326 of flue 302.
For increased rigidity, the plurality of restrictors 306 may be positioned and extend perpendicular to baffle 304 with respect to the helical shape of baffle 304, e.g., the baffle 304 may have a broad side (not shown) on which the plurality of restrictors 306 are positioned, thus securely holding baffle 304 within flue 302. Additionally or alternatively, the plurality of restrictors 306 may be disposed at any point along baffle 304 in order to secure baffle 304 in place. In certain example embodiments, the plurality of restrictors 306 may include as few as two (2) restrictors or as many as fifteen (15) restrictors. Further, each restrictor of the plurality of restrictors 306 may be positioned between three centimeters (3 cm) and thirty centimeters (30 cm) from another adjacent restrictor along a length of baffle 304. In addition to securing baffle 304 to flue 302, each restrictor of the plurality of restrictors 306 may also permit additional heat transfer to flue 302. Individually and in-combination, the increased heat transfer influenced by the helical shape of baffle 304 and heat transfer from the plurality of restrictors 306 may lead to an overall increase in the thermal efficiency of water heater 100. Additionally, the combination of baffle 304 and restrictors 306 may reduce the stand-by heat loss of water heater appliance 100 when water heater appliance 100 is between cycles or heating tank 300 with only the electrical heating element.
In order to further secure baffle 304 to flue 302, a flue collar 308 of baffle 304 may be coupled to frame 107. Additionally or alternatively, flue collar 308 may be coupled directly to flue 302. As shown, baffle 304 may be positioned within top flue portion 322, thus flue collar 308 may at least partially define exhaust outlet 104. Flue collar 308 may be mounted to either frame 107 or flue 302 using fasteners, e.g., screws, bolts, or the like. Alternatively, flue collar 308 may be welded to either frame 107 or flue 302. Thus, with both flue collar 308 and the plurality of restrictors 306, water heater 100 may undergo various motions as the recreational vehicle is operated by the user, and baffle 304 may be immobilized within flue 302. In certain example embodiments, flue collar 308 may be a plate or panel that extends across a width of the flue 302 at or proximate exhaust port 103 and which is perforated or includes opening(s) to form exhaust outlet 104.
Referring still to
As may be seen from the above, water heater 100 may include flue 302 disposed within tank 300. Flue 302 may include a helical shaped baffle 304 that may swirl exhaust gas from burner assembly 110 through flue 302. The rotation of the exhaust gas may spread heat around tank 300 and provide more heat transfer to the water than the traditionally used open flue. Additionally, to hold baffle 304 within flue 302 the plurality of restrictors 306 are used. The plurality of restrictors may further aid in the restriction of baffle 304 and in the directing of the flow of combustion products from burner assembly 110. Thus, individually and in-combination, the increased heat transfer influenced by the helical shape of baffle 304 and heat transfer from the plurality of restrictors 306 in flue 302 may lead to an overall increase in the thermal efficiency of water heater 100.
This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they include structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages of the claims.
