Concentric Air Supply Silencer for Compact Premix Heaters

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing silencers for heaters are bulky, visually intrusive, and difficult to integrate into compact heater designs, especially when dealing with varying mass flows of combustion air, which complicates installation and operation.

Innovation Solution

A silencer design featuring concentrically arranged pipe sections that create a flow path with axial deflections, allowing for compact integration and efficient noise reduction across varying air flows.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If a conventional silencer is installed in a T-piece of the air supply and exhaust pipe, then noise reduction is achieved, but the silencer has a large volume and is visually disturbing

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovenoiseVSAvoidsilencer volume
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The silencer is nested within the heater housing structure, with concentric pipe sections (inner pipe section 29 and outer pipe section 28) that are arranged one inside the other. This nesting approach allows the silencer to occupy minimal space while still providing effective noise reduction across the modulation range.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention transitions from a traditional lateral T-piece installation to a compact axial arrangement within the housing. The flow path guides air through concentric sections in a compact three-dimensional configuration, reducing the silencer's footprint from a large lateral extension to a compact integrated component.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Stability of the object's composition

If an intake manifold is used to ensure stable combustion and low noise, then combustion stability is improved, but the required length becomes considerable making integration into compact heaters difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecombustion stabilityVSAvoidintake manifold length
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSLength of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The concentric pipe sections create multiple flow paths within a compact structure. The inner pipe section 29 and outer pipe section 28 with intermediate spaces provide sufficient flow path length for stable combustion while maintaining a compact overall dimensions suitable for modern heater housings.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The silencer is divided into multiple functional sections: inner pipe section 29, outer pipe section 28, and intermediate spaces 32 and 33. This segmentation allows the flow path to be extended through multiple deflections while keeping the external dimensions compact, ensuring stable combustion without excessive length.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Object-affected harmful factors

If existing heaters are retrofitted with a conventional silencer, then noise reduction is achieved, but the installation requires significant technical modifications

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovenoiseVSAvoidretrofit complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The silencer is designed as a universal component that can be integrated into both new and existing heater models. The concentric pipe configuration with standardized connections allows it to function in various heater types (wall-mounted and upright) without requiring extensive modifications to the existing air supply and exhaust systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of modifying the existing air supply system to accommodate a traditional silencer, the invention inverts the approach by designing a compact silencer that adapts to the existing heater structure. The silencer integrates with the housing and existing pipe connections, minimizing retrofit complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Enables a compact, efficient, and easily retrofittable silencer that maintains stable combustion and reduces noise across modulation ranges, facilitating integration into compact heater housings.

Implementation Method 1

The silencer has at least two concentrically arranged and at least partially overlapping pipe sections, which form a flow path for air at least in a first axial direction of the silencer, a subsequent deflection, and a subsequent flow in a second axial direction

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFlow deflection:

Data Source

PatentEP4592594A1Silencer for an air supply of a heating device and heating device
Publication Date: 2025.07.30 VAILLANT GMBH(DE)
  • EP4592594A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4592594A1 patent drawingFigure 2~3b
  • EP4592594A1 patent drawingFigure 4a~4b

AI summary

The invention proposes a silencer (19) for arrangement in an air supply (4) of a premixing gas heater (1). It comprises at least two pipe sections (28, 29) arranged concentrically to one another and at least partially overlapping, which create a flow path (23) at least in a first axial direction (24) of the silencer (19), a subsequent deflection (25), and a subsequent flow in a second axial direction (26). Furthermore, a heater (1) is proposed, comprising such a silencer (19) arranged within a housing (18) of the heater (1).