Sealed combustion gas-fired infrared heater

Abstract

A gas fired infrared heater is provided that includes a burner, a combustion chamber, a cooling air passage for supplying cooling air to the combustion chamber, a combustion air passage for supplying combustion air to the burner; and an outlet passage allowing combustion product gases to exit the combustion chamber. The cooling air passage is separate from the combustion air passage. The cooling air passage and the combustion air passage both draw from the same pressure zone into which combustion products exit.

1 . A gas fired, infrared heating apparatus, comprising: 
 a burner;    a combustion chamber;    a cooling air passage for supplying cooling air to the combustion chamber;    a combustion air passage for supplying combustion air to the burner; and    an outlet passage allowing combustion product gases to exit the combustion chamber, wherein    the cooling air passage is separate from the combustion air passage.    
   
   
       2 . A heating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said cooling air passage and said combustion air passage derive from the same pressure zone into which the outlet passage empties.  
   
   
       3 . The heating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the combustion chamber further comprises a lower wall providing a generally downwardly open port closed by a sealing barrier that is over 80% transmissive of infrared radiation and prevents gaseous interchange between the combustion chamber and a heated space.  
   
   
       4 . The heating apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein said sealing barrier is made of a material which melts below 1000° F.  
   
   
       5 . The heating apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein said sealing barrier is made of Teflon.  
   
   
       6 . The heating apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the cooling air enters the combustion chamber through an opening in the cooling air passage adjacent to an inner upper surface of the sealing barrier.  
   
   
       7 . The heating apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a compound vent cap provided above an upper side of the outlet port, wherein said compound vent cap draws outside air for the cooling air passage and the combustion air passage without allowing any admixture of outgoing combustion products with incoming air.  
   
   
       8 . The heating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the outlet passage extends in a vertical direction from the burner.  
   
   
       9 . The heating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the combustion air enters into a burner venturi.  
   
   
       10 . The heating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the combustion air passage is located along the back of the burner.  
   
   
       11 . The heating apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein an infrared-reflective wire adjacent to an inner surface of the sealing barrier prevents the sealing barrier from displacing inward.  
   
   
       12 . The heating apparatus of  claim 3 , further comprising a heat sensor device positioned within the combustion chamber and positioned above the sealing barrier, wherein the heat sensor device is capable of cutting off a gas supply to the burner.  
   
   
       13 . The heating apparatus, according to  claim 1 , wherein said heating apparatus is provided outside of a structure to be heated, whereby said heating apparatus projects an infrared ambient through an infrared transmissive window into said structure.  
   
   
       14 . A gas-fired heating apparatus, comprising: 
 a burner;    a combustion chamber;    an outlet passage allowing combustion gases to exit the combustion chamber;    means for supplying combustion air from the same pressure zone to which combustion products exit from the burner;    means for preventing said entering combustion air from mixing with gases in the combustion chamber; and    means for segregating combustion air from cooling air prior to entry into the combustion chamber.    
   
   
       15 . A heating apparatus, according to  claim 14 , wherein said supplying means is a combustion air passage.  
   
   
       16 . A heating apparatus, according to  claim 14 , wherein said cooling air is supplied to the combustion chamber in a cooling air passage, from the same pressure zone to which combustion products exit from the burner.  
   
   
       17 . A heating apparatus, according to  claim 14 , wherein said outlet passage is provided outside a room to be heated so that said heating apparatus is more compact.  
   
   
       18 . The heating apparatus, according to  claim 14 , wherein said heating apparatus is provided outside of a structure to be heated, whereby said heating apparatus projects an infrared ambient through an infrared transmissive window into said structure.