Systems and Methods to Restrict Air Flow in Heating Systems

Abstract

A heating system including an inlet, an outlet and an airflow restriction structure is disclosed. The inlet may be configured to enable air to enter into a system interior portion, and the outlet may be configured to enable air to exit from the system interior portion. The structure may be located at the inlet or the outlet, and may include at least one airflow bend configured to provide resistance to an airflow and cause the air to enter into or exit from the system interior portion at a restricted rate.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] The present application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. provisional application No. 63 / 743,306, filed Jan. 9, 2025, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.FIELD

[0002] The present disclosure relates to systems and methods to restrict air flow into and / or from heating systems and more specifically to systems and methods to restrict air flow into and / or from burner heating systems.BACKGROUND

[0003] Conventional heating systems, such as water heating systems, have inlets to enable ambient air to enter into the systems and outlets to enable air (and / or exhaust gases) to exit the systems. Optimal airflow into and from the system ensures efficient system operation. For example, in a burner heating system, an optimal flow of ambient air enables combustion of the burner and the pilot flame.

[0004] While a relatively higher flow of air may be needed into and from the system when the burner is operating, restricting the airflow when the burner is not operating to minimize residual heat dissipation and to ensure a high system efficiency may be desirable.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0005] The detailed description is set forth with reference to the accompanying drawings. The use of the same reference numerals may indicate similar or identical items. Various embodiments may utilize elements and / or components other than those illustrated in the drawings, and some elements and / or components may not be present in various embodiments. Elements and / or components in the figures are not necessarily drawn to scale. Throughout this disclosure, depending on the context, singular and plural terminology may be used interchangeably.

[0006] FIG. 1 depicts a block diagram of an example heating system in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0007] FIG. 2 depicts a first example construction / assembly of an airflow restriction structure in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0008] FIG. 3 depicts a second example construction / assembly of an airflow restriction structure in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0009] FIG. 4 depicts a flow diagram of an example method to restrict airflow into and / or from a heating system in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0010] The present disclosure is directed towards a heating system that may include an inlet to receive ambient air and an outlet to enable exhaust gases or air from a system interior portion to exit the system. In some aspects, the heating system may be a gas burner-based water heating system (e.g., tank or tankless type water heating system). In other aspects, the heating system may be a gas furnace or any other similar heating system.

[0011] In certain embodiments, the system may further include a gas burner and a pilot flame. The gas burner may be disposed in or about the system's enclosure / housing and may be configured to generate and output combustion flow or heat towards the system interior portion when the gas burner is activated, which may heat the water stored in a water storage tank (e.g., when the heating system is a tank type water heating system). The pilot flame may be configured to enable activation / ignition of the gas burner.

[0012] In some aspects, the system may operate in a normal mode when the gas burner is activated / burning, and the system may operate in a standby mode when the gas burner is deactivated / extinguished. A system controller (e.g., a processor and memory) may automatically activate the gas burner when the water temperature in the water storage tank may be less than a desired temperature and may deactivate the gas burner when the water temperature may be equivalent to or greater than the desired temperature. In certain embodiments, the pilot flame is kept burning in the system irrespective of whether the system is operating in the normal mode or the standby mode.

[0013] It is known that ambient air / oxygen is required to enable combustion of the gas burner and the pilot flame. In some aspects, the gas burner and the pilot flame may receive ambient air via the inlet, which may enable their combustion. The flow of air into the system interior portion via the inlet (and also the flow of exhaust air from the system interior portion via the outlet) may be higher when the gas burner is activated or when the system is operating in the normal mode. This is because the gas burner generates a substantially high amount of heat (e.g., in a range of 30,000 to 40,000 British Thermal Units (BTUs)) when the gas burner is burning, and hence a high quantity of ambient air / oxygen for combustion may be needed. Further, the flow of air into the system interior portion via the inlet (and also the flow of exhaust air from the system interior portion via the outlet) may be lower when the gas burner is deactivated or when the system is operating in the standby mode. The intake of air into the system interior portion facilitates the pilot flame in its combustion when the system is operating in the standby mode. The flow of air into the system is lower during the standby operation because the pilot flame generates less heat (e.g., in a range of 400 to 600 BTUs), and hence less quantity of ambient air / oxygen for combustion may be needed.

[0014] While some amount of ambient air is required to keep the pilot flame burning when the system is operating in the standby mode, it may be desirable that the flow of air into the system interior portion is restricted to limit heat transfer via convection with the flow of air and ensure that the system interior portion stays warm / hot for a longer time duration, which may increase the system's efficiency. In some aspects, the system may additionally include an airflow restriction structure (“structure”, which may be a static damper with no mechanical moving parts) that may be located at or connected to the inlet and / or the outlet. The structure may include at least one airflow bend (or other airflow restriction) configured to provide resistance to the airflow and cause the air to enter into or exit from the system interior portion at a restricted rate. In some aspects, in addition or alternative to the static damper, the system may include an inlet flow restrictor that may restrict the flow of ambient air into the system interior portion and thus retain heat in the system.

[0015] In some aspects, the airflow bends of the airflow restriction structure may be mechanical structures that may be configured to provide resistance to the airflow into (or from) the system interior portion when the airflow rate is low or when the system is in the standby mode. Specifically, depending on the count of airflow bends in the structure, the airflow bends may cause the air to turn one or more times and contact one or more inner walls of the structure. It is known that when a fluid (e.g., air) hits or contacts a surface, pressure forces act on the fluid in a perpendicular direction (perpendicular to the flow of the fluid), which may restrict the fluid's flow. Therefore, by causing the air to turn one or more times, the airflow bends cause more pressure forces to act on the air, thereby increasing the resistance to the flow of air.

[0016] Since the airflow bends provide resistance to the airflow when the airflow rate is low, the airflow bends may ensure that less amount of ambient air enters into (or exits from) the system interior portion when the system is in the standby mode, thereby facilitating the system interior portion to stay warm / hot for a longer time duration by limited the amount of heat transfer with the flow of air through the system. This in turn results in enhanced system efficiency.

[0017] The structure may not include any moving mechanical parts and thus may be less prone to failure or may have less failure points. Further, the airflow bends included in the structure may not provide considerable resistance to the airflow when the airflow rate is high or when the system is operating in the normal mode, thereby ensuring that the combustion of the gas burner is not affected due to presence of the airflow bends. In certain embodiments, a count of airflow bends in the structure is not large (e.g., is not more than two to four) so that the flow of air is not considerably resisted / restricted when the system operates in the normal mode and is an optimal count such that the air is substantially restricted only when the system operates in the standby mode.

[0018] In some aspects, the structure may be used in systems in which the pilot flame is ignited / burning in the system's standby mode. In alternative aspects, the structure may be used in systems in which the pilot flame is turned off in the standby mode. Further, in some aspects, the system may include an inducer blower at the inlet or the outlet of the system for driving ambient air into the system during normal operation.

[0019] The present disclosure discloses a heating system having an airflow restriction structure (or a static damper) located at or connected to the system's inlet and / or outlet. The structure restricts the flow of air into (and from) the system interior portion when the system operates in the standby mode (i.e., when the gar burner is not burning), thereby enabling the system's interior portion to stay warm / hot for a longer time duration, resulting in enhanced system efficiency. Further, the structure does not include any moving mechanical parts, and hence is less prone to failure. Furthermore, the system is designed in such a manner that the airflow rate into (and from) the system interior portion is not restricted much when the system operates in the normal mode, thereby ensuring that the operation of the gas burner is not affected.

[0020] Although certain examples of the disclosed technology are explained in detail herein, it is to be understood that other examples, embodiments, and implementations of the disclosed technology are contemplated. Accordingly, it is not intended that the disclosed technology is limited in its scope to the details of construction and arrangement of components expressly set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The disclosed technology can be implemented in a variety of examples and can be practiced or carried out in various ways. In particular, the presently disclosed subject matter is described in the context of being a system and method for restricting airflow into and / or from a heating system, specifically a water heating system. The present disclosure, however, is not so limited and can be applicable in other contexts. The present disclosure, for example and not limitation, can be applied to operating a gas furnace and other similar heating systems as well. Furthermore, the present disclosure can include other fluid heating systems configured to heat a fluid other than water such as process fluid heaters used in industrial applications. Such implementations and applications are contemplated within the scope of the present disclosure. Accordingly, when the present disclosure is described in the context of being a system and method for restricting airflow into and / or from a water heating system, it will be understood that other implementations can take the place of those referred to.

[0021] Although the term “water” is used throughout this specification, it is to be understood that other fluids may take the place of the term “water” as used herein. Therefore, although described as a system and method to heat water, it is to be understood that the system and method described herein can apply to fluids other than water. Further, it is also to be understood that the term “water” can replace the term “fluid” as used herein unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

[0022] Turning now to the drawings, FIG. 1 depicts a block diagram of an example heating system 100 (or system 100) in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. In some aspects, the system 100 may be a fluid heating system or a water heating system, which may be a tank water heating system or a tankless water heating system. A tankless water heating system is a heating system that does not store water (or stores a minimal amount of water relative to a tank system) and heats the water instantaneously without the use of a storage tank. A tank water heating system, on the other hand, includes a storage tank that stores water, which is heated by the water heating system. The present disclosure is described in the context of a tank water heating system, although the present disclosure is not limited to such an aspect. In alternative aspects, the system 100 may be a gas furnace or any other similar heating system.

[0023] The system 100 may include a housing or an enclosure 102 having a fluid / water storage tank 104 disposed in an interior portion of the enclosure 102. The storage tank 104 may be configured to store water or any other fluid to be heated and may be of any size, shape, or configuration based on the water heating system application. For example, the storage tank 104 may be sized for common residential use or for commercial or industrial use that may require greater amounts of heated water. Furthermore, the storage tank 104 may be made of any suitable material for storing and heating water, including copper, carbon steel, stainless steel, ceramics, polymers, composites, or any other suitable material. The storage tank 104 may also be treated or lined with a coating to prevent corrosion and leakage. The storage tank 104 may be treated or coated with any suitable coating that may be capable of withstanding temperature and pressure of the system 100 and may include, as non-limiting examples, glass enameling, galvanizing, thermosetting resin-bonded lining materials, thermoplastic coating materials, cement coating, or any other suitable treating or coating for the application. Optionally, the storage tank 104 may be insulated to retain heat. For example, the storage tank 104 may be insulated using fiberglass, aluminum foil, organic material, or any other suitable insulation material.

[0024] The system 100 may further include a gas burner 106 that may be disposed in the enclosure 102. In the exemplary aspect depicted in FIG. 1, the gas burner 106 is positioned in proximity to an enclosure bottom portion, below the storage tank 104, although the present disclosure is not limited to such an arrangement. The gas burner 106 may be positioned at any other location within the enclosure 102 (or outside the enclosure 102), without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0025] The gas burner 106 may be configured to generate and output heat or combustion flow 108 in the enclosure 102 towards the storage tank 104 (or a system interior portion / enclosure interior portion) when the gas burner 106 may be ignited or activated. The gas burner 106 may be configured to heat the water stored in the storage tank 104 via the generated combustion flow 108 / heat. In an exemplary aspect, the combustion flow 108 generated by the gas burner 106 may pass through the storage tank 104 via a flue vent (not shown), thereby transferring heat to the water stored in the storage tank 104 and heating the water. The combustion flow 108 (or air inside the system interior portion) may escape the enclosure 102 via an exhaust outlet 110 (or outlet 110). The outlet 110 may be configured to enable air inside the system interior portion or the combustion flow 108 to exit the system interior portion or the enclosure 102, as shown by an arrow 112 in FIG. 1. The outlet 110 may be located anywhere on the enclosure 102, e.g., on an enclosure sidewall in proximity to an enclosure top portion (as shown in FIG. 1), an enclosure top wall or any other portion in the enclosure 102 that enables the air to efficiently escape from the system interior portion.

[0026] The system 100 may be configured to operate in a normal mode when the gas burner 106 may be operating / burning or is activated, and the system 100 may be configured to operate in a standby mode when the gas burner 106 is not activated / burning or is extinguished. The activation or inactivation of the gas burner 106 may be controlled by a system controller (not shown) that may activate the gas burner 106 when there is a call or demand for heat in the system 100 and may deactivate the gas burner 106 when heating is not required in the system 100. In an exemplary aspect, the controller may activate the gas burner 106 when the water temperature in the storage tank 104 may be less than a desired water temperature (that may be desired by a system user), thereby causing the gas burner 106 to heat the water stored in the storage tank 104. Further, the controller may deactivate the gas burner 106 when the water temperature in the storage tank 104 may be equivalent to or greater than the desired water temperature. In such instances, the controller may deactivate the gas burner 106 to conserve energy required to keep the gas burner 106 burning, thereby enhancing the system efficiency.

[0027] The system 100 may further include a pilot flame 114 that may be configured to activate or ignite the gas burner 106. In some aspects, the pilot flame 114 may be located in proximity to the gas burner 106 and may be a small flame that ignites the gas that may be emanating from the gas burner 106 when the gas burner 106 is activated (based on commands obtained from the controller), thereby enabling the gas burner 106 to get ignited. In an exemplary aspect, the pilot flame 114 may keep on burning irrespective of whether the system 100 is operating in the normal mode or the standby mode. In other aspects, the pilot flame 114 may be turned off when the system 100 is operating in the standby mode. Further, in addition to assisting in igniting the gas burner 106, the pilot flame 114 also facilitates in keeping the air inside the system interior portion warm (thereby enhancing the system efficiency), especially when the system 100 is in the standby mode.

[0028] It is known that oxygen or ambient air is required for combustion, e.g., for the combustion of the gas burner 106 and the pilot flame 114. To enable a flow of ambient air into the system interior portion (and hence to the gas burner 106 and the pilot flame 114), the system 100 may include an inlet 116 that may be configured to enable ambient air 118 to enter into the system interior portion. The inlet 116 may be located anywhere on the enclosure 102, e.g., on a bottom enclosure wall in proximity to the gas burner 106 and / or the pilot flame 114, on an enclosure sidewall in proximity to an enclosure bottom portion, or any other enclosure portion that enables efficient intake of the ambient air 118.

[0029] In some aspects, an airflow rate into the system interior portion (and also an exhaust rate from the system interior portion) is high when the system 100 operates in the normal mode. Stated another way, the rate of flow of ambient air 118 into the system interior portion via the inlet 116 (and also the rate of flow of exhaust air from the system interior portion via the outlet 110) is high when the gas burner 106 is activated / burning. This is because the gas burner 106 generates a significantly high amount of heat when the gas burner 106 is burning (which may be in a range of 30,000 to 40,000 British Thermal Units (BTUs)), and hence utilizes a high amount of ambient air for combustion. Further, it is known that hot air in the system interior portion (which is heated by the gas burner 106) flows upwards, thereby creating a negative pressure or suction in proximity to the inlet 116, which causes more ambient air to enter into the system interior portion via the inlet 116. As more ambient air enters the system interior portion via the inlet 116 and the hot air is pushed upwards, more exhaust air exits the system interior portion via the outlet 110. Therefore, the flow of intake air and exhaust air is high when the gas burner 106 is burning, i.e., when the system 100 operates in the normal mode. In some aspects, the system 100 may additionally include an inducer blower (not shown) at the inlet 116 or the outlet 116 for driving ambient air into the system interior portion during the system's normal operation.

[0030] As described above, when the system 100 is in the standby mode, the gas burner 106 is deactivated / extinguished; however, the pilot flame 114 is kept burning. Therefore, even when the system 100 is in the standby mode, the ambient air 118 is still pulled into the system interior portion via the inlet 116, as air is required to keep the pilot flame 114 burning. However, in this case, the airflow rate into the system interior portion (and also the exhaust rate from the system interior portion) is considerably low as the pilot flame 114 generates a lower amount of heat (which may be in a range of 400 to 600 BTUs), and hence utilizes a lower amount of ambient air for combustion. Further, while the pilot flame 114 does keep the air in the system interior portion warm, the pilot flame 114 does not heat the air considerably, and hence the upward flow of air towards the outlet 110 is also considerably lower when the system 100 is in the standby mode.

[0031] In some aspects, to maintain or enhance the system efficiency, it is important to keep the system interior portion warm / hot when the system 100 is in the standby mode (i.e., when the gas burner 106 is not activated / burning). This is because if the system interior portion is not kept warm / hot when the system 100 is in the standby mode, the temperature of the water stored in the storage tank 104 may start to decrease quickly, and hence the gas burner 106 may be required to be ignited more often / frequently, which may result in consumption of considerable amount of energy. Further, if the temperature of the water stored in the storage tank 104 decreases by a significant amount, more energy may be required to heat the water back again to the desired water temperature level. Therefore, to ensure that energy is not unnecessarily and frequently used to ignite the gas burner 106 (and hence to ensure an optimal system efficiency), it is important that the system interior portion is kept warm / hot when the system 100 is in the standby mode.

[0032] As described above, the ambient air 118 enters into the system interior portion via the inlet 116 when the system 100 is in the standby mode, to enable combustion of the pilot flame 114. Although the airflow rate into the system interior portion is considerably low when the system 100 is in the standby mode, the ambient air still mixes with the hot air / environment in the system interior portion and causes the system interior portion (and hence the storage tank 104) to lose heat. As described above, it is important that the system interior portion is kept hot when the system 100 is in the standby mode, to maintain or enhance system's efficiency. To ensure that the flow of ambient air into the system interior portion (and also the flow of exhaust air from the system interior portion) is greatly reduced when the system 100 is in the standby mode, the system 100 may include an airflow restriction structure 120 (or structure 120, which may be a static damper with no mechanical moving parts) that may be located at or connected to the inlet 116 (as shown in FIG. 1) and / or the outlet 110. The description below is provided in the context of the structure 120 being located at or connected to the inlet 116; however, the description should not be construed as limiting. The principles / description described below for restricting the flow of ambient air into the system interior portion also applies to restricting the flow of exhaust air from the system interior portion. Further, although the description below is described in the context of the pilot flame 114 being ignited when the system 100 is in the standby mode, the description should not be construed as limited to only this aspect. In alternative aspects, the structure 120 may also be used in systems in which the pilot flame is turned off during the standby mode. Furthermore, in addition or alternative to using the structure 120, the system 100 may also include an inlet flow restrictor (not shown) that may retain heat of the exhaust in the system interior portion.

[0033] The structure 120 may be made of any material that may withstand a flow of hot or cold air, e.g., a metal, plastic, an alloy, etc. In some aspects, the structure 120 may include at least one airflow bend that may be configured to provide resistance to the airflow as the ambient air 118 enters the system interior portion via the inlet 116 (or exits from the system interior portion via the outlet 110), thereby causing the air to enter into (or exit from the) system interior portion at a restricted or low rate. In some aspects, the airflow bend may be a mechanical structure that may be configured to provide resistance to the airflow into (or from the) system interior portion when the airflow rate is low or when the system 100 is in the standby mode. Since the airflow bend provides resistance to the airflow when the airflow rate is low, the airflow bend ensures that less amount of ambient air enters the system interior portion when the system 100 is in the standby mode, thereby facilitating the system interior portion to stay warm / hot for a longer time duration. This in turn results in enhanced system efficiency, as described above.

[0034] Further, the airflow bend may not provide considerable resistance to the airflow when the airflow rate is high or when the system 100 is operating in the normal mode, thereby ensuring that the combustion of the gas burner 106 is not affected due to the airflow bend.

[0035] In some aspects, the structure 120 may not include any moving mechanical parts, and thus may be less prone to failure or may have less failure points. Example constructions / assemblies of the structure 120 are depicted in FIGS. 2 and 3 and described below. The constructions / assemblies depicted in FIGS. 2 and 3 are for illustrative purpose and should not be construed as limiting. The structure 120 may have any other shape that provides resistance to the flow of air into and / or from the system interior portion.

[0036] FIG. 2 depicts a first example construction / assembly of the structure 120 in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. The structure 120 may include a first portion 202, a second portion 204, and a third portion 206. The third portion 206 may include a hollow interior portion with a closed distal end 208 and an open proximal end 210. In some aspects, the closed distal end 208 may be connected to the inlet 116, and the open proximal end 210 may face the system / enclosure interior portion. In other aspects, the open proximal end 210 may be connected to the inlet 116 and may face the system / enclosure interior portion.

[0037] The third portion 206 may have any shape, e.g., a cuboidal shape, a cylindrical shape, etc. In the exemplary aspect depicted in FIG. 2, the third portion 206 is shown to include three parts, i.e., a first part 212, a second part 214, and a third part 216. The first part 212 and the third part 216 may have cuboidal or cylindrical shapes, and a diameter / width “D1” of the first part 212 may be greater (e.g., 2 or 3 times greater) than a diameter / width “D2” of the third part 216. In an exemplary aspect, the diameter / width “D 1” may be in a range of 1 to 5 inches, depending on the dimensions of the system 100.

[0038] A proximal end of the third part 216 may be same as the open proximal end 210, and a distal end of the first part 212 may be same as the closed distal end 208. Further, the second part 214 may be disposed / connected between the first part 212 and the third part 216. The second part 214 may have a conical shape, with a distal end of the third part 216 connected to a proximal end of the second part 214, and a proximal end of the first part 212 connected to a distal end of the second part 214. In some aspects, the diameter / width of the proximal end of the second part 214 may be equivalent to “D2,” and the diameter / width of the distal end of the second part 214 may be equivalent to “D1.”

[0039] A length “L” of the third portion 206 (which may be a sum of a length “L1” of the first part 212, a length “L2” of the second part 214, and a length “L3” of the third part 216) may be in a range of 2 to 8 inches, depending on the dimensions of the system 100. Further, the length “L1” may be in a range of 25 to 70% of the length “L,” and each of the lengths “L2” and “L3” may be in a range of 25 to 50% of the length “L.”

[0040] The example shape and dimensions of the third portion 206 depicted in FIG. 2 and described above should not be construed as limiting. The third portion 206 may have any other shape, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. For example, the third portion 206 may be cylindrical or cuboidal throughout the length “L” and / or may not include the second part 214 that is conical. In alternative aspects, the third portion 206 may not include the third part 216. Any other similar shape and structure of the third portion 206 is possible, and contemplated within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0041] The second portion 204 may be disposed inside the third portion 206, as shown in FIG. 2. In some aspects, the second portion 204 may be fully disposed inside the third portion 206. Although FIG. 2 depicts that the second portion 204 is fully disposed inside the first part 212, the present disclosure is not limited to such an aspect. In alternative aspects, the second portion 204 may be disposed inside the second part 214 and / or the third part 216, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0042] The second portion 204 may be shaped as a cube, or a cuboid, a cylinder, etc. and may have a hollow interior portion with a closed proximal end 218 and an open distal end 220. A diameter / width “D3” of the second portion 204 may be less than the diameter / width “D1” (e.g., in a range of 30-70% of the diameter / width “D1”). A length of the second portion 204 may also be less than the length “L1” (e.g., in a range of 30-70% of the length “L1”).

[0043] In an exemplary aspect, the second portion 204 may be disposed inside the third portion 206 such that a predefined non-zero distance “D4” may exist between an exterior surface of a sidewall 222 of the second portion 204 and an interior surface of a sidewall 224 of the third portion 206. The second portion 204 is depicted to be disposed at a center position / location in the third portion 206 in FIG. 2, although the present disclosure is not limited to such an aspect. In alternative aspects, the second portion 204 may be disposed towards right or left of the center position / location in the third portion 206, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0044] Further, a predefined non-zero distance “L4” may exist between the open distal end 220 and the closed distal end 208, when the second portion 204 may be disposed inside the third portion 206, as shown in FIG. 2. In an exemplary aspect, the distance “L4” may be in a range of 5-25% of the length “L1.”

[0045] In some aspects, the first portion 202 may also be shaped as a cube, or a cuboid, a cylinder, etc. and may have a hollow interior portion with an open proximal end 226 and an open distal end 228. In some aspects, a diameter / width “D5” of the first portion 202 may be less than the diameter / width “D3” (e.g., in a range of 30-70% of the diameter / width “D3”).

[0046] In the exemplary aspect depicted in FIG. 2, the first portion 202 is shown to include three parts, i.e., a first part 230, a second part 232, and a third part 234. The first part 230 may be disposed inside the second portion 206 such a predefined non-zero distance “L5” may exist between the open proximal end 226 and the closed proximal end 218, and a predefined non-zero distance “D6” may exist between an interior surface of the sidewall 222 and an exterior surface of a sidewall 236 of the first portion 202. Further, the second part 232 and the third part 234 may be disposed outside the second portion 206. In the exemplary aspect depicted in FIG. 2, the third part 234 is shown to be disposed outside the third portion 206; however, the present disclosure is not limited to such an aspect. In other aspects (not shown), the first portion 202 may not include the third part 234 and may only include the first part 230 and the second part 232.

[0047] In some aspects, a length of the first portion 202 may be equivalent to or less than the length “L1.” Further, in one exemplary aspect, individual lengths of the first part 230, the second part 232, and the third part 234 may be equivalent to each other. In other aspects, individual lengths of the first part 230, the second part 232, and the third part 234 may be different from each other.

[0048] In some aspects, the closed distal end 208 may include an opening “O” at a center position or any other position on the closed distal end 208, and the first portion 202 may be connected to or inserted into the opening “O.” The first portion 202 may be connected to or inserted into the opening “O” such that an air-tight connection may be formed, and the air may not flow into the structure via the closed distal end 208 (but may instead flow via the open distal end 228, as described below).

[0049] An example flow of air into and from the structure 120 is depicted as flow 238 is FIG. 2. In some aspects, a first airflow bend may be formed in the flow 238 by the distance “L5,” the closed proximal end 218, the exterior surface of the sidewall 236, the interior surface of the sidewall 222, and the distance “D6.” Further, a second airflow bend may be formed in the flow 238 by the distance “L4,” the closed distal end 208, the exterior surface of the sidewall 222, and the interior surface of the sidewall 224.

[0050] During operation, ambient air may enter into the structure 120 via the open distal end 228 and flow towards the open proximal end 226 via the hollow interior portion of the first portion 202, as shown by the flow 238. The air may exit the first portion 202 and move towards the hollow interior portion of the second portion 204 via the open proximal end 226. The air may then make a first turn “T1” at the first airflow bend after exiting the first portion 202 and may flow towards the closed distal end 208, as shown by the flow 238.

[0051] The air may make a second turn “T2” at the second airflow bend after exiting the second portion 204 and may flow towards the open proximal end 210 after making the second turn “T2.” The air may then exit the structure 120 via the open proximal end 210 and may then enter the system interior portion or the enclosure 102.

[0052] It is known that when a fluid (e.g., air) hits or contacts a surface, pressure forces act on the fluid in a perpendicular direction (perpendicular to the flow of the fluid), which may restrict the fluid's flow. Therefore, when the air makes the first turn “T1” and the second turn “T2,” pressure forces act on the air as the air contacts the closed proximal end 218 and closed distal end 208. Due to this, the first airflow bend and the second airflow bend provides resistance to the flow of air inside the structure 120, which restricts the airflow into and hence from the structure 120 into the system interior portion.

[0053] When the airflow rate is low, i.e., when the system 100 is operating in the standby mode as described above, the first airflow bend and the second airflow bend may provide enough pressure forces to restrict the airflow into and from the structure 120. In this manner, the structure 120 restricts the flow of air into the system interior portion when the system 100 is operating in the standby mode, thereby enabling the system interior portion to stay warm / hot for a longer time duration and hence enhance the system's efficiency.

[0054] When the airflow rate is high, i.e., when the system 100 is operating in the normal mode as described above, the first airflow bend and the second airflow bend may not be able provide enough pressure forces to substantially restrict the airflow into and from the structure 120, due to the high airflow rate. Therefore, the airflow into and from the structure 120 may not get affected or reduced much when the system 100 is operating in the normal mode, thereby ensuring that the operation of the gas burner 106 is not affected in its activated state.

[0055] The example shape of the structure 120 shown in FIG. 2 should not be construed as limiting. The structure 120 may have any other shape that effectively restricts the flow of air when the system 100 is operating in the standby mode. An example of another shape of the structure 120 is depicted in FIG. 3 and described below.

[0056] FIG. 3 depicts a second example construction / assembly of the structure 120 in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. The exemplary aspect of the structure 120 depicted in FIG. 3 includes a housing 302 that may be cuboidal or cylindrical in shape. The structure 120 may include four housing walls, e.g., a first housing wall 304a, a second housing wall 304b, a third housing wall 304c, and a fourth housing wall 304d. In an exemplary aspect, each housing wall may be disposed perpendicular to adjacent housing walls and may have a length in a range of 2-8 inches, depending on the dimensions of the system 100.

[0057] The structure 120 may further include one or more internal walls that may form one or more airflow bends in conjunction with the housing walls. In an exemplary aspect, the structure 120 may include a first internal wall 306a, a second internal wall 306b, a third internal wall 306c, and a fourth internal wall 306d. The first internal wall 306a may be perpendicular to the second, third and fourth internal walls 306b, 306c, 306d. Further, one edge of the first internal wall 306a may be connected to the second housing wall 304b, and the second edge of the first internal wall 306a may be connected to one edge of the second internal wall 306b. The second edge of the second internal wall 306b may not be attached to any wall.

[0058] Further, one edge of the third internal wall 306c may be attached to the first housing wall 304a, and the second edge of the third internal wall 306c may not be attached to any wall. Furthermore, one edge of the fourth internal wall 306d may be attached to the first housing wall 304a, and the second edge of the fourth internal wall 306d may be attached to the first internal wall 306a.

[0059] Each internal wall may have a length in a range of 50-80% of the length of the housing walls. The second housing wall 304b may include a first opening 308 through which air may enter the structure interior portion. Further, the first housing wall 304a may include a second opening 310 through which air may exit from the structure interior portion and enter into the system interior portion or the enclosure 102.

[0060] A first airflow bend 312 may be formed by the gaps between the internal surfaces of the third and fourth housing walls 304c, 304d, and the first and second internal walls 306a, 306b, as shown in FIG. 3. Further, a second airflow bend 314 may be formed by the gaps between the internal surfaces of the first and fourth housing walls 304a, 304d and the second and third internal walls 306b, 306c. Furthermore, a third airflow bend 316 may be formed by the gaps between first, third, and fourth internal walls 306a, 306c, 306d.

[0061] During operation, air may enter into the structure interior portion via the first opening 308, as shown by an airflow 318. The air may make a first turn at the first airflow bend 312, a second turn at the second airflow bend 314, and a third turn at the third airflow bend 316 before exiting the structure interior portion and entering the system interior portion / enclosure 102 via the second opening 310. As described above in conjunction with FIG. 2, each airflow bend provides resistance to the airflow, and thus restricts the flow of air into the system interior portion / enclosure 102.

[0062] In a manner similar to the one described above, the structure 120 may be of any shape that includes one or more airflow bends that facilitates in restricting the flow of air into the system interior portion / enclosure 102 when the system 100 is in the standby mode. In some aspects, a count of airflow bends in the structure 120 should not be large (e.g., should not be more than two or three) so that the flow of air is not considerably resisted when the system 100 operates in the normal mode and should be an optimal count such that the air is substantially restricted only when the system 100 operates in the standby mode.

[0063] FIG. 4 depicts a flow diagram of an example method 400 to restrict airflow into and / or from the system 100 in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 4 may be described with continued reference to prior figures. The following process is exemplary and not confined to the steps described hereafter. Moreover, alternative embodiments may include more or less steps than are shown or described herein and may include these steps in a different order than the order described in the following example embodiments.

[0064] The method 400 may start at step 402. At step 404, the method 400 may include connecting the structure 120 to the inlet 116 and / or the outlet 110. At step 406, the method 400 may include causing the air to flow through the first airflow bend, as described above in conjunction with FIGS. 2 and 3. At step 408, the method 400 may include causing the air to flow through the second airflow bend, thereby providing resistance to the airflow when the system 100 operates in the standby mode. At step 410, the method 400 may include causing the air to exit the structure 120 and enter into the system interior portion / enclosure 102.

[0065] At the step 412, the method 400 may end.

[0066] In the above disclosure, reference has been made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, which illustrate specific implementations in which the present disclosure may be practiced. It is understood that other implementations may be utilized, and structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. References in the specification to “one embodiment,”“an embodiment,”“an example embodiment,” etc., indicate that the embodiment described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but every embodiment may not necessarily include the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Moreover, such phrases are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. Further, when a feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, one skilled in the art will recognize such feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with other embodiments whether or not explicitly described.

[0067] It should also be understood that the word “example” as used herein is intended to be non-exclusionary and non-limiting in nature. More particularly, the word “example” as used herein indicates one among several examples, and it should be understood that no undue emphasis or preference is being directed to the particular example being described.

[0068] With regard to the processes, systems, methods, heuristics, etc. described herein, it should be understood that, although the steps of such processes, etc. have been described as occurring according to a certain ordered sequence, such processes could be practiced with the described steps performed in an order other than the order described herein. It further should be understood that certain steps could be performed simultaneously, that other steps could be added, or that certain steps described herein could be omitted. In other words, the descriptions of processes herein are provided for the purpose of illustrating various embodiments and should in no way be construed so as to limit the claims.

[0069] Accordingly, it is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative and not restrictive. Many embodiments and applications other than the examples provided would be apparent upon reading the above description. The scope should be determined, not with reference to the above description, but should instead be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. It is anticipated and intended that future developments will occur in the technologies discussed herein, and that the disclosed systems and methods will be incorporated into such future embodiments. In sum, it should be understood that the application is capable of modification and variation.

[0070] All terms used in the claims are intended to be given their ordinary meanings as understood by those knowledgeable in the technologies described herein unless an explicit indication to the contrary is made herein. In particular, use of the singular articles such as “a,”“the,”“said,” etc., should be read to recite one or more of the indicated elements unless a claim recites an explicit limitation to the contrary. Conditional language, such as, among others, “can,”“could,”“might,” or “may,” unless specifically stated otherwise, or otherwise understood within the context as used, is generally intended to convey that certain embodiments could include, while other embodiments may not include, certain features, elements, and / or steps. Thus, such conditional language is not generally intended to imply that features, elements, and / or steps are in any way required for one or more embodiments.

Claims

1. A system comprising:an inlet configured to enable air to enter into a system interior portion;an outlet configured to enable air to exit from the system interior portion; anda structure located at the inlet or the outlet, wherein the structure comprises at least one airflow bend configured to provide resistance to an airflow and cause the air to enter into or exit from the system interior portion at a restricted rate.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a gas burner and a pilot flame, wherein the gas burner is configured to generate and output combustion flow or heat towards the system interior portion when the gas burner is activated, and wherein the pilot flame is configured to activate or ignite the gas burner.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the system is configured to operate in a normal mode and a standby mode, wherein the gas burner is activated when the system is in the normal mode, and wherein the gas burner is not activated when the system is in the standby mode.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein an airflow rate into the system interior portion is high when the system operates in the normal mode, wherein the airflow rate is low when the system operates in the standby mode, and wherein the at least one airflow bend is configured to provide resistance to the airflow into or from the system interior portion when the airflow rate is low.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the structure comprises a first portion, a second portion and a third portion, wherein a first diameter or width of the first portion is less than a second diameter or width of the second portion, and wherein the second diameter or width is less than a third diameter or width of the third portion.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the second portion is disposed inside the third portion.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the first portion comprises a hollow first interior portion with an open first distal end and an open first proximal end, wherein the open first distal end is configured to receive air, and wherein the air is configured to exit the hollow first interior portion via the open first proximal end.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the second portion comprises a hollow second interior portion with an open second distal end and a closed second proximal end, and wherein the third portion comprises a hollow third interior portion with a closed third distal end and an open third proximal end.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the closed third distal end comprises an opening, and wherein the first portion is connected to the third portion via the opening.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein a first part of the first portion is disposed inside the second portion and a second part of the first portion is disposed outside the second portion, wherein a first predefined distance exists between the open first proximal end and the closed second proximal end, and a second predefined distance exists between the open second distal end and the closed third distal end.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein a first airflow bend is formed by the first predefined distance, the closed second proximal end, an exterior sidewall of the first part and an interior sidewall of the second portion.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein a second airflow bend is formed by the second predefined distance, the closed third distal end, an interior sidewall of the third portion, and an exterior sidewall of the second portion.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the air is received into the hollow first interior portion via the open first distal end and the air exits the hollow first interior portion towards the hollow second interior portion via the open first proximal end, and wherein the air makes a first turn at the first airflow bend after exiting the hollow first interior portion and a second turn at the second airflow bend.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the air exits the hollow second interior portion and flows towards the open third proximal end responsive to making the second turn, and wherein the air exits the structure via the open third proximal end.

15. A fluid heating system comprising:an inlet configured to enable air to enter into a system interior portion;an outlet configured to enable air to exit from the system interior portion;a gas burner configured to generate and output combustion flow or heat towards the system interior portion when the gas burner is activated, wherein the fluid heating system operates in a normal mode when the gas burner is activated, and wherein the fluid heating system operates in a standby mode when the gas burner is not activated; anda structure located at the inlet or the outlet, wherein the structure comprises at least one airflow bend configured to provide resistance to an airflow and cause the air to enter into or exit from the system interior portion at a restricted rate when the fluid heating system operates in the standby mode.

16. The fluid heating system of claim 15 further comprising a pilot frame configured to activate or ignite the gas burner.

17. The fluid heating system of claim 15, wherein an airflow rate into the system interior portion is high when the fluid heating system operates in the normal mode, and wherein the airflow rate is low when the fluid heating system operates in the standby mode.

18. A fluid heating system comprising:an inlet configured to enable air to enter into a system interior portion;an outlet configured to enable air to exit from the system interior portion; anda structure located at the inlet or the outlet, wherein:the structure comprises a first airflow bend and a second airflow bend configured to provide resistance to an airflow and cause the air to enter into or exit from the system interior portion at a restricted rate, andthe air entering the structure makes a first turn at the first airflow bend and a second turn at the second airflow bend before exiting the structure.

19. The fluid heating system of claim 18 further comprising a gas burner configured to generate and output combustion flow or heat towards the system interior portion when the gas burner is activated.

20. The fluid heating system of claim 19, wherein:the fluid heating system is configured to operate in a normal mode and a standby mode,the gas burner is activated in the normal mode, and the gas burner is not activated in the standby mode,an airflow rate into the system interior portion is high when the fluid heating system operates in the normal mode,the airflow rate is low when the fluid heating system operates in the standby mode, andthe first airflow bend and the second airflow bend are configured to provide resistance to the airflow into or from the system interior portion when the airflow rate is low.

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