초록 ▼

An apparatus for heating a medium includes a combustion chamber; a burner within the combustion chamber and operable to create products of combustion for heating the medium to be heated; a conduit for the exhaust of the products of combustion; and an airflow apparatus capable of creating airflow in

An apparatus for heating a medium includes a combustion chamber; a burner within the combustion chamber and operable to create products of combustion for heating the medium to be heated; a conduit for the exhaust of the products of combustion; and an airflow apparatus capable of creating airflow in the absence of any opposition to the airflow, the airflow having a pressure, the airflow apparatus communicating with the conduit and operable such that the pressure of the airflow resists standby convection flow of gases out of the conduit when the burner is not operating, and wherein the airflow apparatus is adjustable to vary the magnitude of the airflow to substantially equalize the airflow and the standby convection flow of gases to create a substantially stagnant state within the conduit when the burner is not operating.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An apparatus for heating a medium, the apparatus comprising:a combustion chamber; a burner within the combustion chamber and operable to create products of combustion for heating the medium to be heated; a conduit for the exhaust of the products of combustion; and an airflow apparatus capable of

1. An apparatus for heating a medium, the apparatus comprising:a combustion chamber; a burner within the combustion chamber and operable to create products of combustion for heating the medium to be heated; a conduit for the exhaust of the products of combustion; and an airflow apparatus capable of creating airflow in the absence of any opposition to the airflow, the airflow having a pressure, the airflow apparatus communicating with the conduit and operable such that the pressure of the airflow resists standby convection flow of gases out of the conduit when the burner is not operating, and wherein the airflow apparatus is adjustable to vary the magnitude of the airflow to substantially equalize the airflow and the standby convection flow of gases to create a substantially stagnant state within the conduit when the burner is not operating. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a water tank, wherein the medium to be heated is water in the water tank, and wherein the conduit includes a flue extending vertically through the water tank such that the hot products of combustion heat the water through the flue walls.3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the airflow apparatus includes a gate at least partially restricting the airflow and wherein the magnitude of the airflow is varied by adjusting the gate.4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a power source adapted to supply power to the airflow apparatus, wherein the magnitude of the airflow is varied by adjusting the magnitude of the power supplied to the airflow apparatus by the power source.5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising means for adjusting the airflow created by the airflow apparatus based on the temperature of the medium to be heated.6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising means for adjusting the airflow created by the airflow apparatus based on the temperature of the gas within the conduit.7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising means for adjusting the airflow created by the airflow apparatus based on the velocity of the standby convection flow of gases in the conduit.8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a fuel valve adjustable between settings to variably provide fuel to the burner, and further comprising means for adjusting the airflow created by the airflow apparatus based on the setting of the fuel valve.9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the airflow apparatus includes a fan capable of rotating at a speed to create the airflow and wherein the magnitude of the airflow is varied by adjusting the speed of the fan.10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the airflow apparatus includes first and second electrodes having opposite polarities and spaced from each other, the apparatus further comprising a power source interconnected between the first and second electrodes to create a voltage difference between the first and second electrodes, the first electrode creating ions, the ions being biased for movement toward the second electrode to generate the airflow, and wherein the magnitude of the airflow is varied by adjusting the voltage difference.11. An apparatus for heating a medium, the apparatus comprising:a combustion chamber; a burner within the combustion chamber and operable to create products of combustion for heating the medium to be heated; a conduit for the exhaust of the products of combustion; and an airflow apparatus capable of creating first airflow in the absence of any opposition to the first airflow, the first airflow having a first pressure, the airflow apparatus communicating with the conduit and operable such that the first pressure of the first airflow resists standby convection flow of gases out of the conduit when the burner is not operating, and wherein the airflow apparatus is also capable of creating a second airflow in the absence of any opposition to the second airflow, the second airflow having a second pressure, the airflow apparatus operable such that the second pressure of the second airflow assists the flow of gases out of the conduit when the burner is operating. 12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a water tank, wherein the medium to be heated is water in the water tank, and wherein the conduit includes a flue extending vertically through the water tank such that the hot products of combustion heat the water through the flue walls.13. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a power source adapted to supply power to the airflow apparatus, wherein the airflow apparatus includes first and second electrodes alternately connectable to the power source, and a third electrode positioned between the first and second electrodes, the third electrode having an opposite polarity to the first electrode when the power source supplies power to the first electrode thereby creating a voltage difference between the first and third electrodes, and wherein the first electrode creates ions that are biased toward the third electrode to create the first airflow.14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the third electrode has an opposite polarity to the second electrode when power source supplies power to the second electrode thereby creating a voltage difference between the second and third electrodes, and wherein the second electrode creates ions that are biased toward the third electrode to create the second airflow.15. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a switch that alternately connects the power source to the first and second electrodes.16. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising an over current device electrically connecting the airflow apparatus to the power source, the over current device electrically disconnecting the power source and the airflow apparatus when the airflow apparatus produces an arc-over event.17. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the power source is a DC power source.18. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising an ignitor positioned within the combustion chamber and adapted to intermittently generate a spark, wherein both the ignitor and the airflow apparatus are electrically connected to the power source.19. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a catalytic converter communicating with the conduit, wherein the airflow apparatus communicates with a source of air outside of the conduit such that when the airflow apparatus assists the flow of gases out of the conduit when the burner is operating, the airflow apparatus adds air from the source of air to the products of combustion within the conduit when the burner is operating to increase the effectiveness of the catalytic converter.