Water heater

Abstract

A water heater having a combustion air inlet and a flue gas outlet. A manifold assembly is provided which includes a box section, a flue gas port, a combustion air port and a combustion air inlet collar. The combustion air inlet collar communicates with the combustion air port through the interior of the box section. A combination combustion air inlet and flue gas outlet assembly is provided and includes a combustion air inlet tube and a flue gas outlet tube mounted concentrically inside the combustion air tube. The combustion air tube is connected at one end to the box section of the manifold and is connected at the other end with the atmosphere. The flue tube is connected at one end to the flue gas inlet port on the manifold and communicates with the atmosphere at the other end. An air blower is mounted on the water heater. A combustion air tube is connected at one end to the combustion air port of the manifold and is connected at its other end to an air assembly box mounted on the top of the water heater. The air blower is operable to draw fresh combustion air through the combustion air tube and then into the combustion chamber of the water heater. A flue gas tube is connected at one end to the flue gas port of the manifold and is connected at the other end to the blower, which is operable to exhaust the flue gases from the combination combustion air inlet and flue gas outlet assembly.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A water heater having a combustion chamber, a combustion air inlet and a flue gas outlet located at the top of the water heater, comprising: 
 (a) a manifold assembly ( 16 ) including a box section ( 30 ), a flue gas port ( 32 ), a combustion air port ( 34 ) and a combustion air inlet collar ( 36 ), said combustion air inlet collar ( 36 ) communicating with said combustion air port ( 34 ) through the interior of said box section ( 30 );    (b) a combination combustion air inlet and flue gas outlet assembly ( 14 ) including a combustion air inlet tube member ( 18 ), a flue gas outlet tube member ( 20 ) mounted concentrically inside said tube member ( 18 ), said tube member ( 18 ) connected at one end to said box section ( 30 ) at said combustion air inlet collar ( 36 ), said tube member ( 18 ) communicating with the atmosphere and its other end, said tube member ( 20 ) connected at one end to said flue gas inlet port ( 32 ) and communicating with the atmosphere at its other end;    (c) a combustion air assembly box ( 44 ) mounted on the top of the water heater;    (d) a combustion air tube ( 42 ) connected at one end to said combustion air port ( 34 ) and connected at its other end to said combustion air assembly box ( 44 );    (e) a flue gas tube ( 38 ) communicating at one end with the flue gas outlet of the water heater and connected at the other end to said flue gas port ( 32 ); and    (f) an air blower ( 40 ) operable to draw combustion air into the water heater through said combustion air tube ( 42 ) and further operable to draw flue gas out of the water heater through flue gas outlet tube ( 38 ).    
     
     
         2 . A combination combustion air and flue gas exhaust system for a water heater comprising: 
 (a) a manifold assembly ( 16 ) including a box section ( 30 ), a flue gas port ( 32 ), a combustion air port ( 34 ) and a combustion air inlet ( 36 ), said combustion air inlet collar ( 36 ) communicating with said combustion air port ( 34 ) through the interior of said box section ( 30 );    (b) a combination combustion air inlet and flue gas outlet assembly ( 14 ) including a combustion air inlet tube member ( 18 ), a flue gas outlet tube member ( 20 ) mounted concentrically inside said tube member ( 18 ), said tube member ( 18 ) connected at one end to said box section ( 30 ), said tube member ( 18 ) communicating with the atmosphere and its other end, said tube member ( 20 ) connected at one end to said flue gas port ( 32 ) and communicating with the atmosphere at its other end;    (c) a combustion air assembly box ( 44 ) mounted on the top of the water heater;    (d) a combustion air tube ( 42 ) connected at one end to said combustion air port ( 34 ) and connected at its other end to said air assembly box ( 44 );    (e) a flue gas tube ( 38 ) communicating at one end with the flue gas outlet of the water heater and connected at the other end to said flue gas port ( 32 ); and    (f) an air blower operable to draw combustion air into the water heater through said combustion air tube ( 42 ) and further operable to draw flue gas out of the water heater through flue gas outlet tube ( 38 ).    
     
     
         3 . A combination combustion air and flue gas exhaust system for a water heater according to  claim 1  in which there is a combustion air assembly box ( 44 ) through which combustion air is drawn into the combustion chamber of the water heater by the operation of said air blower ( 40 ).  
     
     
         4 . A water heater having a combustion chamber, a combustion air inlet and a flue gas outlet located at the top of the water heater comprising: 
 (a) a manifold assembly ( 16 ) including a box section ( 30 ), a flue gas port ( 32 ), a combustion air port ( 34 ) and a combustion air inlet ( 36 ), said combustion air inlet ( 36 ) communicating with said combustion air port ( 34 ) through the interior of said box section ( 30 );    (b) a combination combustion air inlet and flue gas outlet assembly ( 14 ) including a combustion air inlet tube member ( 18 ), a flue gas outlet tube member ( 20 ) mounted concentrically inside said tube member ( 18 ), said tube member ( 18 ) connected at one end to said box section ( 30 ), said tube member ( 18 ) communicating with the atmosphere and its other end, said tube member ( 20 ) connected at one end to said flue gas port ( 32 ) and communicating with the atmosphere at its other end;    (c) a combustion air assembly box ( 44 ) mounted on the top of the water heater;    (d) a combustion air tube ( 42 ) connected at one end to said combustion air port ( 34 ) and connected at its other end to said air assembly box ( 44 );    (e) a flue gas tube ( 38 ) communicating at one end with the flue gas outlet of the water heater and connected at the other end to said flue gas port ( 32 ); and    (f) an air blower operable to draw combustion air into the water heater through said combustion air tube ( 42 ) and further operable to draw flue gas out of the water heater through flue gas outlet tube ( 38 ).    
     
     
         5 . A water heater having a combustion chamber, a combustion air inlet and a flue gas outlet comprising: 
 (a) an air blower ( 40 ) mounted on a water heater;    (b) a combustion air tube ( 38 ) connected to said air blower ( 40 ), said air blower ( 40 ) operable to draw fresh combustion air through said tube ( 42 ) and then into the combustion chamber of the water heater;    (c) a flue gas tube ( 38 ) connected to the flue gas outlet of the water heater;    (d) a manifold assembly ( 16 ) communicating with said flue gas tube ( 38 ) and said combustion air tube ( 42 ), said manifold assembly ( 16 ) adapted to receive and conduct combustion air to said combustion air tube ( 42 ), said manifold assembly ( 16 ) further adapted to receive flue gas from said flue gas tube ( 38 ); and    (e) a combination combustion air inlet and flue gas outlet assembly ( 14 ) adapted to receive combustion air from the atmosphere and conduct said combustion air to said manifold assembly ( 16 ), said combination combustion air inlet and flue gas outlet assembly ( 14 ) further adapted to receive flue gas from said manifold assembly ( 16 ) and conduct said flue gas to the atmosphere.    
     
     
         6 . A water heater according to  claim 3  in which said combination combustion air inlet and flue gas outlet assembly ( 14 ) includes a combustion air inlet tube member ( 18 ) and a flue gas outlet tube member ( 20 ) mounted concentrically inside said tube member ( 18 ), said tube member ( 18 ) adapted to conduct atmospheric air to said manifold assembly ( 16 ), said tube member ( 20 ) adapted to conduct flue gas from said manifold assembly ( 16 ) to the atmosphere.  
     
     
         7 . A water heater according to  claim 5  in which said manifold assembly ( 16 ) includes a box section ( 30 ) through which combustion air flows from said combination combustion air inlet and flue gas outlet assembly ( 14 ) to said combustion air tube ( 42 ).  
     
     
         8 . A method of heating water in a water heater, including a water-tight tank ( 11 ), a combustion chamber ( 19 ), a gas burner ( 13 ) in the combustion chamber, a flue gas outlet tube ( 17 ) connected to the combustion chamber ( 19 ), a blower ( 40 ), a manifold assembly ( 16 ) having a combustion air port ( 34 ) and a flue gas port ( 32 ), a combustion air tube ( 42 ) connected to the combustion air port ( 34 ) at one end and communicating with the combustion chamber ( 19 ) at the other end, a flue gas tube ( 38 ) connected to the flue gas port ( 32 ) at one end and communicating with the flue gas outlet tube ( 17 ) of the water heater at the other end, comprising the steps of: 
 (a) energizing the blower ( 40 ) to draw combustion air into the manifold assembly ( 16 ) and then from the manifold assembly ( 16 ) through the combustion air tube ( 42 ) to the combustion chamber ( 19 ) of the water heater;    (b) mixing combustion air with gas produced by the gas burner ( 13 ) and burning the mixture in the combustion chamber ( 19 ) to produce heat;    (c) energizing the blower ( 40 ) to draw flue gases out of the water heater and into the flue gas tube ( 38 ) which carries the flue gases to the manifold assembly ( 16 ).    
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  in which combustion air flows out the manifold assembly ( 16 ) and into the combustion air tube ( 42 ) through a combustion air port ( 34 ) on the manifold assembly ( 16 ).  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  in which flue gases flowing from the flue gas tube ( 38 ) to the manifold assembly ( 16 ) flow through the flue gas port ( 32 ) of the manifold assembly ( 16 ).