GB2398622A

GB2398622A - Boiler assembly with baffle

Info

Publication number: GB2398622A
Application number: GB0303731A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Raymond Rennison
Original assignee: Worcester Heat Systems Ltd
Current assignee: Bosch Thermotechnology Ltd
Priority date: 2003-02-19
Filing date: 2003-02-19
Publication date: 2004-08-25
Anticipated expiration: 2023-02-19
Also published as: GB2398622B; IE20030717A1; GB0303731D0

Abstract

A boiler assembly comprises a housing 12 having top and bottom walls 28 and 30, two side walls 24 and 26 and front and rear walls 14 and 32. The housing defines at least one internal compartment, as shown two such compartments 62, 64. The top and bottom walls and the two side walls are formed by spaced inner and outer shells 18 and 20 which define therebetween a main gallery 22 through which a liquid to be heated can flow. A burner 16 is provided for heating the or each internal compartment and a baffle member 68 is provided in the or each internal compartment. The or each baffle member 68 is arranged to promote upwards and downwards movement of heated gases as the gases flow rearwardly from the compartment. The or each baffle member 68 extends rearwardly and laterally between opposite sides of the compartment and makes contact with the two sides of the compartment at positions which are staggered with respect to one another in a rearwards direction.

Description

BOILER ASSEMBLY

This invention relates to a boiler assembly of the type which is used for As other lit uids and more particularly but not exclusively to such a heatmg Waler U1 vat boiler assembly having an oil fired burner.

À - qQ-n--ct of the Resent invention there is provided a boiler AccorOmg to ally "r assembly comprising a housing having top and bottom walls, two side walls and front W^ Q fief at least one internal compartment, the top and bottom walls and and rear ill "I.

the two side walls being formed by spaced inner and outer shells which define therebetween a main gallery through which a liquid to be heated can flow, a burner for heating the or each internal compartment and a baMe member in the or each internal compartment, wherein the or each baffle member is arranged to promote upwards and downwards movement of heated gases as the gases flow rearwardly of the compartment.

Preferred and/or optional features of the invention are set out in claims 2 and 3 and 5 to 13, inclusive.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a boiler assembly comprising a housing having top and bottom walls, two side walls and front and rear walls and at least one internal compartment, the top and bottom walls and the two side walls being formed by spaced inner and outer shells which define therebetween a main gallery through which a liquid to be heated can flow, a burner for heating the or each internal compartment and a baffle member in the or each internal compartment, wherein the or each baffle member extends rearwardly and laterally between opposite sides of the compartment and makes contact with the two sides of the compartment at positions which are staggered with respect to one another in a rearwards direction.

Preferred and/or optional features of the second aspect of the invention are set out in claims 6 to 13, inclusive.

With a boiler made according to the present invention, it is possible to significantly reduce the sound produced by the boiler and, as a result, to do away with a silencer on the exhaust system.

The invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective front view of one embodiment of a boiler assembly, according to the invention, with the front cover removed, Figure 2 is a front view of the boiler assembly with the front cover remove and the burner omitted.

Figure 3 is a sectional plan view, taken along the line A-A of Figure 2, Figure 4 is a side view of the boiler assembly, Figure 5 is an enlarged plan view of one of the baffle members, Figure 6 is a side view of the baffle member shown in Figure 5, and Figure 7 is a plan view of an alternative baffle member.

Referring firstly to Figures 1 and 6 of the drawings, there is shown therein a boiler assembly 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 millimetres and a height of no more than, or substantially no more than, 855 millimetres. The boiler assembly 10 comprises a housing 12, a front cover 14 and a burner 16.

The housing 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 gallery 22 therebetween. The main gallery 22 extends along all of the major portions of the sides 24 and 26, top 28 and bottom 30 of the housing 12 and in use allows water, which is to be heated, to flow therein. Although not shown, the main gallery 22 may also extend along all or the major portion of the rear 32 of the housing 12.

The front cover 14, which matches or substantially matches the height and width of the housing 12, is removably or operably mounted on the front surface 34 of the housing 12, typically via screw-threaded fasteners, to fluid-tightly seal the interior 37 of the housing 12 from the immediate surroundings. This prevents the release of heated gases from between the front cover 14 and the front surface 34 of the housing 12.

Removal of the front cover 14 provides un-hindered or un-obstructed full access to the interior 37 of the housing 12.

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

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

Water inlets 44 are formed in the sides 24 and 26 of the housing 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 housing 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 gallery 22 defined between the inner and outer shells 18and20.

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

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 Figure 3, the interior 37 of the housing 12 includes a hollow enclosure 54 which extends from the top surface 56 of the inner shell 18 to the bottom surface 58 and from close to the rear surface 59 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 housing 12 into two compartments 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 gallery 66 therein which is in fluid communication with the main gallery 22 and through which the water can also flow.

A pair of removable Dames 68 are slidably received in the housing 12. Each baffle 68 can be fully accessed and removed through the opening exposed by removal of the front cover 14.

As best shown in Figures 5 and 6 each baffle 68 is formed in one piece and is of zig-zag configuration having four limbs 70, 72, 74 and 76. The front limb 70 extends laterally and only part way across a respective compartment 62, 64. The 1 S limb 72 extends rearwards from the front limb 70 at an angle of about 50 to the front limb 70. The limb 74 extends rearwardly from limb 72 at an angle of about 80 thereto and the limb 76 extends laterally from the limb 74 almost entirely across the respective space 62, 64. The junctions 78, 80 and 82 between the four limbs 70, 72, 74 and 76 are rounded, the junctions 78 and 82 making contact with one side 24 of the housing 12 or one side of the hollow enclosure 54 and the junction 80 making contact with the other side 26 of the housing 12 or the other side of the hollow enclosure 54. Each baffle 68 is of metal and can be twisted in order that the aforesaid contact is made.

A block 84 of sound absorbing material, typically rock fibre, is attached to the rear of the limb 76 by a stake 86 and clip 88 leaving the end of the stake 86 projecting rearwards to set the gap between the block 84 and the rear 32 of the housing.

Each fame 68 has slots 88 at the junctions 78, 80 and 82 between the four limbs 70, 72, 74 and 76. These slots 88 are provided in the ends of the baffle 68 and the slots 88 at one end are aligned with the slots 88 at the other end. A slot 90 is provided in the lower end of the limb 72 and a slot 92 is provided in the upper end of the limb 74. These slots 90 and 92 promote upwards and downwards movement of heated gases as the gases flow rearwardly of a respective compartment 62, 64.

The hot gases then flow beneath the block 84 of sound absorbing material and exit the housing 12 via the flue outlet 40. The slot 90 could, of course, be in the upper end of the limb 72 and the slot 92 could be in the lower end of the limb 74.

The promotion of upwards and downwards movement of the hot gases achieves an even distribution of heat transfer from gas to water through the inner shell.

The provision of aligned slots 88 at the junctions 78, 80 and 82 is for fitment purposes within the inner shell, because the inner shell does not have square corners.

The slots 88, 90 and 92 could be replaced by other types of openings such as apertures in the baffle member 68 adjacent to the upper and lower ends thereof. s

Figure 7 shows an alternative baffle member 68'. The limb 70 and part of the limb 72 of the baffle member 68 are omitted leaving a shorter inclined limb 72' and limbs 74' and 76'. The junctions 80' and 82' make contact with one side of the housing 12 and one side of the hollow enclosure 54 and upwards and downwards movement of hot gases is still promoted by a slot in the upper end of the limb 74 and by flow below the block 84' of sound absorbing material.

It has been found that the provision of baffle members as described above significantly reduces boiler noise to the extent that it is possible to do away with a silencer on the exhaust system.

It should be understood that, although typically water will flow in the main and secondary galleries, other liquids could be used.

It is thus possible to provide a quiet boiler assembly without the need for a silencer on the flue. Also the boiler assembly can be compact enough to fit within a kitchen unit, and/or under a kitchen work surface and is configured to enable full front access to the interior of the boiler housing 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 deemed by the appended claims. For example, the boiler assembly could be a combi-type boiler assembly. More than one hollow enclosure may partition the interior of the boiler housing. Also, the hollow enclosure could be omitted altogether.

Claims

1. A boiler assembly comprising a housing having top and bottom walls, two side walls and front and rear walls and at least one internal compartment, the top and bottom walls and the two side walls being formed by spaced inner and outer shells which define therebetween a main gallery through which a liquid to be heated can flow, a burner for heating the or each internal compartment and a baffle member in the or each internal compartment, wherein the or each baffle member is arranged to promote upwards and downwards movement of heated gases as the gases flow rearwardly of the compartment.

2. A boiler assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the or each baffle member extends rearwardly and laterally between opposite sides of the compartment and makes contact with the two sides of the compartment at positions which are staggered with respect to one another in a rearwards direction.

3. A boiler assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the or each baffle member has openings at or adjacent to its upper and lower ends to promote the aforesaid upwards and downwards movement of heated gases.

4. A boiler assembly comprising a housing having top and bottom walls, two side walls and front and rear walls and at least one internal compartment, the top and bottom walls and the two side walls being formed by spaced inner and outer shells which define therebetween a main gallery through which a liquid to be heated can flow, a burner for heating the or each internal compartment and a baffle member in the or each internal compartment, wherein the or each baffle member extends rearwardly and laterally between opposite sides of the compartment and makes contact with the two sides of the compartment at positions which are staggered with respect to one another in a rearwards direction.

5. A boiler assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the or each baffle member is of zig-zag configuration as viewed in plan.

6. A boiler assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein a sound absorbing material is connected to the rear end of the or each bame member.

7. A boiler assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein a secondary gallery, which is in fluid communication with the main gallery, is defined by at least one hollow enclosure which partitions the interior of the housing so as to form two or more internal compartments, each containing a said baMe member.

8. A boiler assembly as claimed in claim 7, wherein the or each hollow enclosure extends from the top interior surface to the bottom interior surface of the housing.

9. A boiler assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the front wall of the housing is in the form of a removable cover to provide internal access to the housing.

S

10. A boiler assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the burner is a down-fired burner mounted on top of the housing.

11. A boiler assembly as claimed in claim 10, wherein the down-fired burner is mounted at or adjacent to the front edge of the housing and a flue outlet is provided in the top of the housing at or adjacent to the rear edge.

12. A boiler assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the main gallery extends into the rear wall of the housing so that the liquid can flow therein.

13. 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.

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