Flue baffle for gas-fired hot water tanks

Abstract

A flue baffle for use in a hot water tank flue pipe which is disposed to be in contact with water contained in an inner tank of the hot water heater. A burner chamber is provided at a lower end of the inner tank. The flue baffle is comprised of an elongated rectangular metal strip which has a plurality of spaced circular metal discs disposed substantially transverse to the strip and to the longitudinal axis of the flue pipe. The metal discs are dimensioned to be spaced from an inner surface of the flue pipe. Two or more spacing nipples protrude from a circumferential outer edge of the circular metal discs and are spaced apart from one another for slight frictional engagement with the inner surface of the flue pipe to maintain a substantially constant circumferential passage between the circumferential outer edge of the discs and the inner surface of the flue pipe.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD[0001]The present invention relates to a flue baffle for use in a hot water tank flue pipe through which flue gases from a burner chamber at the base thereof are discharged. The flue baffle creates turbulence and resistance of the flue gases to enhance heat exchange between the hot gases and the flue pipe and between the flue pipe and the water being heated in an inner tank and which is in direct contact with the exterior surface of the flue pipe.BACKGROUND ART[0002]It is known to mount a flue baffle inside a flue pipe of gas- or oil-fired water heater to retard the flow of exhausted hot gas from the lower burner chamber. As the gases escape upwards in the flue pipe they are retarded due to the resistance offered by the flue baffle to enhance heat exchange to transfer heat from the flue gases to the water surrounding a major portion of the flue pipe. At the same time, the flue gases are cooled as they rise up the flue pipe. The more efficient the flue baffle design is...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0006]Another feature of the present invention is to provide a flue baffle which can be automatically constructed at low labour cost and / or low fabrication costs.

[0007]Another feature of the present invention is to provide a flue baffle which is entirely constructed from an elongated rectangular metal strip which is die-cut or laser-cut and then formed in forming dies without the need to assemble and weld parts.

Problems solved by technology

One problem with existing flue baffles that are suspended, such as the flue baffle described in my U.S. Pat. No. 5,544,625 is that during transport of these hot water heaters the transport container containing the hot water heater can be laid down on its side in a transport vehicle, although this is not recommended.

Also, the container can be mishandled.

This often causes the flue baffle to be displaced within the flue pipe or be damaged.

The result is that an improperly aligned or damaged baffle reduces the efficiency of the hot water heater as the flue baffle no longer provides the performance that it was designed to deliver when properly installed.

Because these flue baffles are not inspected at the time of installation of the water heater due to the fact that they are held captive within the flue pipe inside the hot water heater and not accessible, damaged flue baffles are not detected and therefore the hot water heater does not render its full performance as it was designed to do.

The net result is that it becomes more costly in gas or oil consumption to achieve the set water temperatures of the thermostat.

Also, energy is wasted and polluted gases are exhausted in the atmosphere.

Another disadvantage of known flue baffles is that they are usually constructed of different parts which are assembled and welded together.

Accordingly, this adds to the cost due to the amount of material used as well as the labour costs to construct the flue baffle.

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