Water heater with flammable vapor sensor

Abstract

A water heater including a water container, a combustion chamber adjacent the water container, a burner associated with the combustion chamber, a blower located to receive combustion products generated by the burner, an intake air conduit connected to the combustion chamber and having a combustion air intake opening, a dilution air conduit connected to the blower and having a dilution air intake opening; and a flammable vapor sensor having at least an operative portion positioned in the blower or the dilution air conduit.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a water heater.

FIG. 2 is a partial sectional view of the water heater of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view, partially taken in section, of the blower assembly of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view, partially taken in section, of the upper portion of a water heater similar to the water heater of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of a representative circuit.

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of an alternative representative circuit.

Claims

1. A water heater comprising: a water container;a combustion chamber adjacent the water container;a burner associated with the combustion chamber;a blower assembly located to receive combustion products generated by the burner;an intake air conduit substantially sealingly connected to the combustion chamber and having a combustion air intake opening located adjacent an upper portion of the water heater;a dilution air conduit substantially sealingly connected to the blower assembly and having a dilution air intake opening; anda flammable vapor sensor having at least an operative portion positioned in and/or at the blower assembly and/or the dilution air conduit.

2. The water heater of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the dilution air conduit substantially concentrically surrounds at least a portion of the intake air conduit.

3. The water heater of claim 1, wherein the combustion air intake opening is located at a level higher than a location where the dilution air conduit connects to the blower assembly.

4. The water heater of claim 1, wherein the dilution air intake opening is at a level higher than the water container.

5. The water heater of claim 1, wherein the intake air conduit comprises a substantially vertically oriented portion extending along at least a portion of the length of the water heater, and a substantially horizontally oriented portion extending from the vertically oriented portion to an opening in the combustion chamber.

6. The water heater of claim 1, wherein the dilution air conduit comprises a substantially vertically oriented portion extending along at least a portion of the length of the water heater, and a connector portion extending between the blower assembly and the substantially vertically oriented portion.

7. The water heater of claim 6, wherein the operative portion of the sensor is located in the connector.

8. The water heater of claim 1, wherein the combustion air intake opening is covered with a perforated cap.

9. The water heater of claim 1, wherein the intake and dilution air conduits are substantially PVC, ABS and/or CPVC.

10. The water heater of claim 1, further comprising another flammable vapor sensor having at least an operative portion positioned in the intake air conduit.

11. A water heater comprising: a water container;a combustion chamber adjacent the water container;a burner associated with the combustion chamber;a blower assembly located to receive combustion products generated by the burner;an intake air conduit substantially sealingly connected to the combustion chamber and having a combustion air intake opening located adjacent an upper portion of the water heater;a dilution air conduit substantially sealingly connected to the blower and having a dilution air intake opening; anda flammable vapor sensor having at least an operative portion positioned in and/or at the blower assembly.

12. The water heater of claim 11, wherein at least a portion of the dilution air conduit substantially concentrically surrounds at least a portion of the intake air conduit.

13. The water heater of claim 11, wherein the combustion air intake opening is located at a level higher than a location where the dilution air conduit connects to the blower assembly.

14. The water heater of claim 11, wherein the dilution air intake opening is at a level higher than the water container.

15. The water heater of claim 11, further comprising another flammable vapor sensor having at least an operative portion positioned in and/or at the intake air conduit.

16. A water heater comprising: a water container;a combustion chamber adjacent the water container;a burner associated with the combustion chamber;a blower assembly located to receive combustion products generated by the burner;an intake air conduit substantially sealingly connected to the combustion chamber and having a combustion air intake opening located adjacent an upper portion of the water heater;a dilution air conduit substantially sealingly connected to the blower and having a dilution air intake opening;a connector positioned between the blower assembly and the dilution air conduit; anda flammable vapor sensor having at least an operative portion positioned in and/or at the connector.

17. The water heater of claim 16, wherein the combustion air intake opening is located at a level higher than a location where the dilution air conduit connects to the blower assembly.

18. The water heater of claim 16, wherein the dilution air intake opening is at a level higher than the water container.

19. The water heater of claim 16, further comprising another flammable vapor sensor having at least an operative portion positioned in and/or at the intake air conduit.

20. A water heater comprising: a water container;a combustion chamber adjacent the water container;a burner associated with the combustion chamber;a blower assembly located to receive combustion products generated by the burner;an intake air conduit connected to the combustion chamber and having a combustion air intake opening;a dilution air conduit connected to the blower assembly and having a dilution air intake opening; anda flammable vapor sensor having at least an operative portion positioned in and/or at the blower assembly or the dilution air conduit.

21. The water heater of claim 20, wherein at least a portion of the dilution air conduit substantially concentrically surrounds at least a portion of the intake air conduit.

22. The water heater of claim 20, wherein the combustion air intake opening is located at a level higher than a location where the dilution air conduit connects to the blower assembly.

23. The water heater of claim 20, wherein the dilution air intake opening is at a level higher than the water container.

24. The water heater of claim 20, further comprising another flammable vapor sensor having at least an operative portion positioned in and/or at the intake air conduit.

25. The water heater of claim 20, wherein the intake air conduit comprises a substantially vertically oriented portion extending along at least a portion of the length of the water heater, and a substantially horizontally oriented portion extending from the vertically oriented portion to an opening in the combustion chamber.

26. The water heater of claim 20, wherein the dilution air conduit comprises a substantially vertically oriented portion extending along at least a portion of the length of the water heater, and a connector portion extending between the blower assembly and the substantially vertically oriented portion.

27. The water heater of claim 26, wherein the operative portion of the sensor is located in the connector.

28. The water heater of claim 20, wherein the combustion air intake opening is covered with a perforated cap.

29. The water heater of claim 20, wherein the intake and dilution air conduits are substantially PVC, ABS and/or CPVC.

30. A water heater comprising: a water container;a combustion chamber adjacent the water container;a burner associated with the combustion chamber;a blower located to receive combustion products generated by the burner;an intake air conduit connected to the combustion chamber and having a combustion air intake opening;a dilution air conduit connected to the blower and having a dilution air intake opening; anda flammable vapor sensor having at least an operative portion positioned in and/or at the intake air conduit.

31. The water heater of claim 30, wherein the intake air conduit comprises a substantially vertically oriented portion extending along at least a portion of the length of the water heater, and a substantially horizontally oriented portion extending from the vertically oriented portion to an opening in the combustion chamber.

32. The water heater of claim 30, wherein the dilution air conduit comprises a substantially vertically oriented portion extending along at least a portion of the length of the water heater, and a connector portion extending between the blower and the substantially vertically oriented portion.

33. The water heater of claim 32, wherein the operative portion of the sensor is located in the connector.

34. The water heater of claim 30, wherein the combustion air intake opening is covered with a perforated cap.

35. The water heater of claim 30, wherein the intake and dilution air conduits are substantially PVC, ABS and/or CPVC.

36. The water heater of claim 30, further comprising another flammable vapor sensor having at least an operative portion positioned in the blower or the dilution air intake.