Gas water heater

Abstract

A gas water heater (10) has: a housing (100) having first and second opposing ends (110 amp; 120) and an axis (X) extending across the two ends; a water channel (200); and a burner (300) that generates heat by burning the gas. The burner is adjacent to a section (230) of the water passage to heat the water flowing therealong. There is also provided an exhaust passage (E) for discharging the exhaust gas generated by the burner; a blower (400) for pushing air towards the burner to support its combustion and directing heat generated by the burner to the water passage section; and an air passage (A) for replenishing air. The housing is mounted in a manner extending in the direction of its axis from its first end through an aperture (22) in a wall (20) to a second end, and preferably horizontally mounted, so as to be supported. The air blower, the combustor and the water channel section are sequentially arranged in the direction of the axis from the first shell tail end to the second shell tail end.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of the patent application with national application number 201510603660.3, invention name “Gas Water Heater” and priority date of March 10, 2015. Technical Field

[0002] The present invention relates to a gas water heater installed through a wall or the like. Background Art

[0003] Typically, gas water heaters used in bathrooms and similar areas must be installed on an exterior wall, that is, a wall exposed to the outside air. This allows a flue to be inserted through the wall to reach the outside air and discharge the exhaust gases. Currently, there is a growing demand to reduce the size of gas water heaters for aesthetic reasons or to save space.

[0004] The present invention provides a new or otherwise modified gas water heater to achieve a more ideal size. Summary of the Invention

[0005] According to the present invention, a gas water heater is provided, comprising: a housing having opposing first and second ends and an axis extending across the first and second ends; a water channel extending within the housing, the water channel having a water inlet and a water outlet; and a burner located within the housing and generating heat by burning gas supplied through the air inlet, the burner being adjacent to a section of the water channel to heat water flowing from the water inlet along the water channel to the water outlet. An exhaust channel is provided within the housing for discharging exhaust gases generated by the burner. A blower is positioned within the housing for pushing air toward the burner to support combustion and directing heat generated by the burner to the section of the water channel. An air duct is provided within the housing for supplying additional air to support combustion of the burner. The housing is adapted to be mounted, extending along its axis, from its first end to its second end through an aperture in a wall, etc., so as to be supported thereby. The blower, burner, and section of the water channel are arranged sequentially along the axis extending from the first end to the second end of the housing. The axis extends horizontally.

[0006] Preferably, the housing is adapted to be supported by extending through a hole in said wall or the like.

[0007] More preferably, the housing has a rectangular shape, with its length being considerably greater than its width and height.

[0008] Preferably, the gas water heater comprises a heat exchanger having an outer shell and arranged inside the housing, wherein the section of the water channel extends transversely inside the outer shell in a serpentine manner.

[0009] More preferably, the housing has an outlet connected to the exhaust passage.

[0010] More preferably, the burner comprises a plurality of burner modules and a casing surrounding the plurality of burner modules, wherein the casing is joined to or integrated with the casing of the heat exchanger, whereby the two casings together define a straight passage extending from the plurality of burner modules to a section of the water channel to maximize heat transfer.

[0011] More preferably, the blower comprises a housing and an impeller within the housing, the housing having an outlet engaged with or integrated with the housing of the burner to maximize air delivery.

[0012] More preferably, the shell portion has an inlet exposed to the interior of the housing.

[0013] It is very advantageous if the exhaust duct has an outlet which is relatively high compared to the inlet of the airway.

[0014] In a preferred embodiment, the interior of the housing has a first compartment for defining an airway.

[0015] More preferably, the blower, the burner and the water channel are housed in the first compartment.

[0016] More preferably, the blower, burner and water channel are exposed to the air in the air duct.

[0017] In a preferred embodiment, the interior of the housing has a second compartment for defining an exhaust passage.

[0018] More preferably, the first compartment extends across the first and second ends of the housing and the second compartment is located at the second end of the housing.

[0019] More preferably, the second compartment is located on or above the first compartment and within an outer cross-sectional periphery of the first compartment transverse to the axis of the housing.

[0020] More preferably, the housing includes a partition dividing the interior of the housing into a first compartment and a second compartment.

[0021] More preferably, the partition separates an upper portion of the interior at the second end of the housing, thereby forming a second compartment.

[0022] More preferably, the partition has a first portion extending parallel to the axis of the housing, and a second portion extending transversely to the axis of the housing.

[0023] In a preferred embodiment, the second end of the housing has an end wall common to the first and second compartments, the end wall having at least one opening serving as an inlet for the air passage and at least one opening serving as an outlet for the exhaust passage.

[0024] More preferably, at least one of the inlet of the vent channel and the outlet of the exhaust channel comprises a baffle and a water trap located inside the at least one opening.

[0025] In a preferred embodiment, the blower, the burner and the water channel are mounted on a bracket which can be slid into and out of the housing along the axis of the housing in two opposite directions through the first end of the housing.

[0026] More preferably, the support comprises a horizontal planar member.

[0027] More preferably, the bracket includes a vertical frame aligned with the first end of the housing when the bracket is slid into the housing.

[0028] More preferably, the water inlet, the water outlet and the air inlet are connected to a portion of the frame.

[0029] Preferably, the gas water heater includes a heat exchanger having a housing and positioned within the housing, wherein a section of the water channel extends laterally within the housing in a serpentine manner. The heat exchanger has an outlet aligned with an inlet of the exhaust channel in a direction of movement of the bracket relative to the housing, thereby enabling convenient connection and disconnection of the heat exchanger from the exhaust channel.

[0030] Preferably, the shell body directly serves as a balancing flue. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] The present invention will now be described in more detail by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0032] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a gas water heater having a through-wall mounted housing according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A partially exploded perspective view of a gas water heater in FIG. 1 , revealing its internal functional units; and

[0034] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 A right side view of a gas water heater, revealing its internal functional units. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] Reference Attachment Figure 1-3, shown is a gas water heater 10 for implementing the present invention, the water heater 10 having a housing 100 having a first end 110 and a second end 120 opposite to each other and an axis X extending to the first and second ends 110 and 120. The water heater 100, which is housed and / or provided within the housing 100, includes a water passage 200, a burner 300, a blower 400, an exhaust passage E for discharging exhaust gas (such as smoke and hot gas) generated by combustion in the burner 300, and an air duct A for supplementary air to support combustion in the burner 300.

[0036] The housing 100 is rectangular in shape, with a length of approximately 400 mm, which is considerably larger than the width and height of approximately 200 mm respectively, and is typically 2 to 3 times the width and height.

[0037] In the designed gas water heater 10, its housing 100 is adapted to extend along axis X from its first end 110 through a rectangular hole 22 in a wall 20 or the like to its second end 120, thereby being supported by the wall 20. Wall 20 is typically the exterior wall of the bathroom in which the water heater 10 is used, and its exterior side is exposed to the atmosphere. In most cases, the housing 100 is adapted to be supported by the hole 22 extending through the wall 20 or the like, with axis X extending in a substantially or approximately horizontal direction. Thus, the first and second ends 110 and 120 of the housing 100 become its front and rear ends 110 and 120, with the rear end 120 protruding outward or otherwise exposed to the atmosphere outside the wall 20.

[0038] As an example, the water channel 200 is provided by a copper tube extending within the housing 100 and has a water inlet 210 and a water outlet 220. To achieve heat transfer, the water channel 200 is associated with a heat exchanger 240, also located within the housing 100 and as part of the gas water heater 10. The heat exchanger 240 has a housing 250 with an inlet and outlets 251 and 252. A section 230 of the water channel 200 extends transversely through the housing 250. Specifically, the section 230 extends across the interior of the housing 250 in a serpentine manner, for example, winding or turning several times to the left and right.

[0039] The burner 300 is composed of a plurality of (e.g., nine) burner modules 330 and a housing 350 surrounding or enclosing the burner 330, and having an inlet and an outlet 351 and 352. The burner 300 is located in the housing 100 to generate heat by burning gas supplied through the gas inlet 310 and the gas valve 320, and is located close to the section 230 of the water channel 200, thereby heating water flowing from the water inlet 210 along the water channel 200 to the water outlet 220.

[0040] The blower 400 has a housing 450 and an impeller 410 (not specifically shown) inside the housing 450. The impeller is rotated by a motor to deliver air from an inlet 451 of the housing 450 to an outlet 452. The blower 400 is also located in the housing 100, thereby pushing air through the burner housing 350 toward the burner 300 to support combustion in the burner 300 and guide heat generated by the burner 300 and carried by flames, smoke and / or hot gases to the section 230 of the water channel 200.

[0041] The blower 400 , the burner 300 , and the section 230 of the water channel 200 are sequentially arranged in the axis X direction from the front end 110 to the rear end 120 of the housing 100 .

[0042] The outlet 452 of the blower housing 450 is joined or integrated with the burner housing 350 to maximize air transfer. The outlet 352 of the burner housing 350 is joined or integrated with the heat exchanger housing 250, so that the two housings 350 and 250 together define a direct passage extending from the burner module 330 to the section 230 of the water channel 200, thereby maximizing heat transfer. The outlet 252 of the heat exchanger housing 250 is connected to the exhaust passage E to discharge exhaust gas from the burner 300 and passing through the housing 250. The inlet of the blower housing 450 is exposed to the interior of the housing 100, thereby extracting (fresh) air from the outside air into the housing 100 via the air duct A.

[0043] The air ducts and exhaust passages A and E are formed as follows: the housing 100 includes a substantially L-shaped partition 130 that divides the interior of the housing 100 into first and second compartments C1 and C2. The partition 130 has a first horizontal portion 131 extending parallel to the axis X of the housing 100 and a second vertical portion 132 extending transversely to the housing axis X. In general, the partition 130 isolates an upper portion of the housing interior space located at the rear end 120 of the housing 100, thereby forming the second compartment C2.

[0044] An aperture 134 is cut into the vertical portion 132 of the partition 130 , which serves as the inlet E1 of the exhaust passage E. The aperture 134 has a shape that matches the outlet 252 of the housing 240 of the heat exchanger 240 , and its position is aligned with the outlet 252 in the horizontal direction, so that the outlet 252 of the heat exchanger can be horizontally inserted into or removed from the aperture 134 in two opposite directions, so as to conveniently connect or disconnect the heat exchanger 240 to the exhaust passage E.

[0045] The first compartment C1 occupies most of the interior of the housing and defines an air passage A. The blower 400, the burner 300, and the water passage 200 are housed in the first compartment C1 together with the heat exchanger 240, wherein the blower 400, the burner 300, and the water passage 200 are exposed to air in the air passage A. In contrast, the second compartment C2 is a much smaller portion of the interior of the housing and defines an exhaust passage E.

[0046] The first / main compartment C1 extends across the front and rear ends 110 and 120 of the housing 100, such that the airway A occupies the entire length and substantially occupies 95% of the volume of the interior of the housing 100. The second compartment C2 is a small rectangular chamber located at the rear end 120 of the housing 100 and is thus located on or above the main compartment C1 and within the perimeter of the outer cross-section of the main compartment C1 transverse to the axis X of the housing 100. By accommodating the second compartment C2 within the cross-section of the main compartment C1, the cross-sectional dimensions of the housing 100 are minimized, and in turn, the size of the aperture 22 in the wall 20 formed to accommodate the housing 100 is minimized.

[0047] At the rear end 120, the housing 100 has an end wall 121 shared by the first and second compartments C1 and C2. End wall 121 is formed with one or more openings 121A serving as inlet A1 for the air duct A, and one or more openings 121E serving as outlet E2 for the exhaust duct E. The outlet E2 of the exhaust duct E is located at a relatively high position compared to the inlet A1 of the air duct A. Because exhaust gas rises due to being hotter than the surrounding air, this arrangement helps separate the exhaust gas from the incoming air.

[0048] Inside the second compartment C2, there is a central partition 133 that does not reach the bottom. This partition acts as a baffle 133 and prevents rainwater from entering directly through opening 121E behind the outlet E2 of the exhaust duct E. The bottom of compartment C2 acts as a water trap, trapping rainwater inside opening 121E. A short distance behind opening 121A, the main compartment C1 has an upright partition 123 that acts as a baffle 123, preventing rainwater from entering directly through opening 121A behind the inlet A1 of the air duct A. This partition 123 also defines a rainwater removal device immediately behind opening 121A.

[0049] Returning to the blower 400, burner 300, water channel 200, and heat exchanger 240 (collectively referred to as the functional unit), these devices are mounted on a bracket 500, which can be slid into and out of the housing 100 along the axis x of the housing 100 in two opposite directions via the front end 110 of the housing 100. The bracket 500 comprises a horizontal planar member in the form of a base plate 510 for supporting the functional units, and includes a vertical frame 520 aligned with the front end 110 of the housing 100 when the bracket 500 is slid into the housing 100. The bottom of the frame 520 is folded 90 degrees, thereby forming a crosspiece 530 that connects to the water inlet 210, the water outlet 220, and the air inlet 310 and secures them in place, facilitating the connection of water and gas pipes.

[0050] A person can grasp the frame 520 to hold and slide the bracket 500, more specifically, the bottom plate 510, so that it slides into and out of the housing 100 along the bottom wall of the housing like a drawer. This allows the functional unit to be slid out of the housing 100 for repair or maintenance without having to remove (or pull out) the housing 100 from the wall 20. In this way, by aligning the outlet 252 of the heat exchanger 240 with the inlet E1 of the exhaust duct E in the horizontal direction as described above, it is possible to easily disconnect the heat exchanger 240 from the exhaust duct E and subsequently reconnect it to the exhaust duct E (the exhaust duct E is part of the housing 100 and is therefore fixed), where the horizontal reverse direction is the direction in which the bracket 500 slides relative to the housing 100.

[0051] The central opening of the frame 520 is used to house a controller 700, and the controller includes an ignition and temperature control circuit, etc. for controlling the operation of the gas water heater 10.

[0052] The gas water heater 10 includes a front cover 600 that is mounted on and covers the frame 520, thereby covering the front end 110 of the housing 100, thereby concealing all internal parts of the water heater 10. The front cover 600 also renders the interior of the housing (particularly the air duct A at the front end 110 of the housing 100) substantially airtight, thereby preventing air leakage, and particularly preventing exhaust gas (which may leak or seep into the main chamber C1) from leaking from the interior of the housing 100 into the bathroom.

[0053] By utilizing the internal space, the housing 100 of the gas water heater 10 directly provides and defines the exhaust passage E and the air duct A. In addition to housing the internal functional units, the housing 100 itself directly serves as a balancing flue. While the housing 100 provides these two key functions, it is also installed by penetrating the wall 20, thereby utilizing the thickness of the wall 20. This minimizes the overall internal space (i.e., all internal space excluding the occupied space of the internal portion) and the dimensions of the housing 100 (particularly its cross-sectional dimensions).

[0054] The present invention is given by way of example only, and those skilled in the art may make various modifications and / or changes to the described embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A gas water heater, comprising: a housing having opposed first and second ends and having an axis extending across the first and second ends; a water channel extending inside the housing, the water channel having a water inlet and a water outlet; a burner located in the housing and generating heat by burning fuel gas supplied through the air inlet, the burner being adjacent to a section of the water passage so as to heat water flowing from the water inlet along the water passage to the water outlet; An exhaust passage provided inside the housing for discharging exhaust gas generated by combustion of the burner; an air blower located in the housing, for pushing air toward the burner to support combustion thereof, and for directing heat generated by the burner to the section of the water channel; as well as An air passage provided inside the housing for supplementing air to support combustion of the burner; The housing is adapted to be mounted in a manner extending in the direction of its axis from a first end thereof through a hole in a wall or the like to a second end thereof so as to be supported thereby; The blower, the burner, and the sections of the water channel are sequentially arranged in a direction of the axis from the first end to the second end of the housing; and The axis extends in a horizontal direction, so that the blower guides the heat generated by the burner and carried by flame, smoke and / or hot gas in a horizontal direction to the section of the water channel for heat exchange.

2. The gas water heater according to claim 1, wherein: The housing is adapted to be supported by penetrating the hole in the wall or the like.

3. The gas water heater according to claim 2, wherein: The housing has a rectangular shape, with its length being considerably greater than its width and height.

4. The gas water heater according to claim 1, comprising a heat exchanger having an outer shell and disposed inside the shell, wherein: The section of the water channel extends laterally within the housing in a serpentine manner.

5. The gas water heater according to claim 4, characterized in that: The housing has an outlet connected to the exhaust passage.

6. The gas water heater according to claim 4, characterized in that: The burner includes a plurality of burner modules and a casing surrounding the plurality of burner modules, the casing being joined or integrated with the casing of the heat exchanger, whereby the two casings together define a direct passage extending from the plurality of burner modules to the section of the water channel to maximize heat transfer.

7. The gas water heater according to claim 6, characterized in that: The blower includes a housing and an impeller within the housing, wherein the housing has an outlet that is engaged with or integrated with the outer shell of the burner to maximize air delivery.

8. The gas water heater according to claim 7, wherein: The shell portion has an inlet exposed to the interior of the housing.

9. The gas water heater according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that: The exhaust passage has an outlet located relatively higher than an inlet of the air passage.

10. The gas water heater according to claim 1, wherein: The interior of the housing has a first compartment for defining the airway.

11. The gas water heater according to claim 10, wherein: The blower, the burner and the water channel are housed in the first compartment.

12. The gas water heater according to claim 11, wherein: The blower, the burner and the water channel are exposed to the air in the air passage.

13. The gas water heater according to any one of claims 10 to 12, characterized in that: The interior of the housing has a second compartment for defining the exhaust passage.

14. The gas water heater according to claim 13, wherein: The first compartment extends across the first and second ends of the housing, and the second compartment is located at the second end of the housing.

15. The gas water heater according to claim 13, wherein: The second compartment is located on or above the first compartment and within an outer cross-sectional perimeter of the first compartment transverse to the axis of the housing.

16. The gas water heater according to claim 13, wherein: The housing includes a partition that divides the interior of the housing into the first compartment and the second compartment.

17. The gas water heater according to claim 16, wherein: The partition separates an upper portion of the interior at the second end of the housing, thereby forming the second compartment.

18. The gas water heater according to claim 17, wherein: The partition has a first portion extending parallel to the axis of the housing and a second portion extending transverse to the axis of the housing.

19. The gas water heater according to claim 13, wherein: The second end of the housing has an end wall shared by the first compartment and the second compartment, the end wall having at least one opening serving as an inlet of the air passage and at least one opening serving as an outlet of the exhaust passage.

20. The gas water heater according to claim 19, wherein: At least one of the inlet of the air duct and the outlet of the exhaust passage includes a baffle and a water trap located within the at least one opening.

21. The gas water heater according to claim 1, wherein: The blower, the burner and the water channel are mounted on a bracket, which can be slid into and out of the housing along the axis of the housing in two opposite directions through the first end of the housing.

22. The gas water heater according to claim 21, wherein: The support includes a horizontal planar member.

23. The gas water heater according to claim 21 or claim 22, characterized in that: The bracket includes a vertical frame that aligns with the first end of the housing when the bracket is slid into the housing.

24. The gas water heater according to claim 23, wherein: The water inlet, the water outlet and the air inlet are connected to a part of the frame.

25. The gas water heater according to claim 21 or claim 22, comprising a heat exchanger having an outer shell and located within the housing, wherein the section of the water channel extends laterally in a serpentine manner within the interior of the outer shell, characterized in that: The heat exchanger has an outlet aligned with the inlet of the exhaust passage in the direction in which the bracket moves relative to the housing, thereby making it easy to connect or disconnect the heat exchanger from the exhaust passage.

26. The gas water heater according to any one of claims 1 to 8, 10 to 12, 21 and 22, characterized in that: The shell body directly serves as a balancing flue.

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