Water heater blower housing

Abstract

A fuel-fired water heater includes a water storage tank, a flue positioned to receive combustion gases and transfer heat from combustion gases to water in the water storage tank, and a blower assembly. The blower assembly includes a housing defining an inlet positioned to receive combustion gases from the flue, an interior defined by the housing, and an outlet positioned to exhaust combustion gases from the interior of the housing. The blower assembly further includes a motor/impeller assembly that is positioned in the interior of the housing and is configured to direct combustion gases from the inlet of the housing toward the outlet of the housing. The housing of the blower assembly includes an interior wall portion, an exterior wall portion, and sound-absorbing material interposed between the interior and exterior wall portions. The interior wall portion defines perforations extending between the sound-absorbing material and the interior of the housing.

1 . A fuel-fired water heater comprising:
 a water storage tank;   a flue positioned to receive combustion gases and transfer heat from combustion gases to water in the water storage tank; and   a blower assembly having a housing defining an inlet positioned to receive combustion gases from the flue, an interior defined by the housing, and an outlet positioned to exhaust combustion gases from the interior of the housing, the blower assembly also having a motor/impeller assembly positioned in the interior of the housing and configured to direct combustion gases from the inlet of the housing toward the outlet of the housing;   the housing of the blower assembly comprising an interior wall portion, an exterior wall portion, and sound-absorbing material interposed between the interior and exterior wall portions, the interior wall portion defining perforations extending between the sound-absorbing material and the interior of the housing.   
     
     
         2 . The fuel-fired water heater of  claim 1 , wherein the housing of the blower assembly further comprises an air inlet port positioned to deliver air into the interior of the housing. 
     
     
         3 . The fuel-fired water heater of  claim 2  further comprising a perforated wall that is positioned to at least partially conceal the air inlet port of the housing. 
     
     
         4 . The fuel-fired water heater of  claim 1 , wherein the sound-absorbing material comprises fiberglass or mineral wool. 
     
     
         5 . The fuel-fired water heater of  claim 1 , wherein the interior wall portion is composed of a metallic material. 
     
     
         6 . The fuel-fired water heater of  claim 1 , wherein an aperture is formed in the interior wall portion, the exterior wall portion, and the sound-absorbing material to form the inlet of the housing. 
     
     
         7 . The fuel-fired water heater of  claim 1 , wherein an aperture is formed in the interior wall portion, the exterior wall portion, and the sound-absorbing material to form the outlet. 
     
     
         8 . A blower assembly for a fuel-fired water heater having a water storage tank and a flue positioned to receive combustion gases and transfer heat from combustion gases to water in the water storage tank, the blower assembly comprising:
 a blower housing assembly including:
 a perforated sheet having an interior surface that defines a hollow interior region configured to receive combustion gases from the flue; 
 a sound-absorbing material positioned adjacent an entire exterior surface of the perforated sheet that is opposite the interior surface of the perforated sheet; and 
 a housing encapsulating both the sound-absorbing material and the perforated sheet, wherein an exterior surface of the sound-absorbing material and an interior surface of the housing together define an air gap between the sound-absorbing material and the housing, 
   a motor/impeller assembly positioned within the hollow interior region defined by the perforated sheet;   wherein the arrangement of the sound-absorbing material, the perforated sheet and the air-gap dampens audible noise emitted by the motor/impeller assembly.   
     
     
         9 . The blower assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the sound-absorbing material comprises fiberglass or mineral wool. 
     
     
         10 . The blower assembly of  claim 8  further comprising an air intake port and another perforated sheet mounted to the air intake port. 
     
     
         11 . The blower assembly of  claim 8  further comprising an air intake plenum mounted to the housing, an air intake port positioned to deliver air into the air intake plenum, and another perforated sheet mounted to the air intake port of the air intake plenum. 
     
     
         12 . The blower assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the sound-absorbing material is positioned adjacent an entire exterior surface of the perforated sheet. 
     
     
         13 . The blower assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the perforated sheet is composed of a metallic material. 
     
     
         14 . The blower assembly of  claim 8  further comprising a passageway that is positioned to receive combustion gases from the flue tube of the water heater, said passageway being defined in the housing, the sound-absorbing material and the perforated sheet. 
     
     
         15 . The blower assembly of  claim 8  further comprising an exhaust passageway that is positioned to exhaust combustion products from the housing, said passageway being defined in the housing, the sound-absorbing material and the perforated sheet. 
     
     
         16 . The blower assembly of  claim 8  further comprising an air passageway through which atmospheric air is delivered into the housing of the blower assembly, said passageway being defined in the housing, the sound-absorbing material and the perforated sheet. 
     
     
         17 . A housing assembly for a water heater, said housing assembly comprising:
 a perforated sheet having an interior surface that defines a hollow interior region for encapsulating a noise producing component of the water heater;   a sound-absorbing sheet, which is composed of sound-absorbing material, positioned adjacent an exterior surface of the perforated sheet that is opposite the interior surface of the perforated sheet; and   a housing encapsulating the sound-absorbing sheet and the perforated sheet, wherein the sound-absorbing sheet is separated from an interior surface of the housing by a pre-determined distance thereby defining an air gap between the sound-absorbing sheet and the housing,   wherein the arrangement of the sound-absorbing sheet, the perforated sheet and the air-gap dampens audible noise emitted by the noise producing component positioned within the hollow interior region.   
     
     
         18 . The housing assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the sound-absorbing sheet comprises fiberglass or mineral wool. 
     
     
         19 . The housing assembly of  claim 17  further comprising an air intake port and another perforated sheet mounted to the air intake port. 
     
     
         20 . The housing assembly of  claim 17  further comprising an air intake plenum mounted to the housing, an air intake port positioned to deliver air into the air intake plenum, and another perforated sheet mounted to the air intake port of the air intake plenum. 
     
     
         21 . The housing assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the sound-absorbing material is positioned adjacent an entire exterior surface of the perforated sheet. 
     
     
         22 . The housing assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the perforated sheet is composed of a metallic material.