Dual fuel heater

• US 8,516,878 B2
• Filed: 06/07/2010
• Issued: 08/27/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bluegrass Living, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Continental Appliances Incorporated
• Inventors: Deng, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Hezron E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Frank, Rodney T
• Application Number:
  US12/795,472
• Publication Number:
  US 20110081620A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,177 Days
• Field of Search: 73/232
• US Class Current: 73/23.2
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 5/003 using detectors sensitive to combustion gas properties F23N5/02, F23N5/18 - F23N5/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 5/10 using thermocouples

Abstract

In certain embodiments, an apparatus includes an oxygen depletion sensor (ODS) includes a thermocouple, a first nozzle configured to direct heat from combustion of a first gas, liquid, or combination thereof to the thermocouple, a second nozzle configured to direct heat from combustion of a second gas, liquid, or combination thereof to the thermocouple, and a first igniter.

Claims

1. A dual fuel heater comprising:

a housing at least partially defining the dual fuel heater;

a combustion chamber within the housing for combustion of either the first gas, liquid, or combination thereof or the second gas, liquid, or combination thereof;

at least one nozzle configured to direct either the first gas, liquid, or combination thereof or the second gas, liquid, or combination thereof to the combustion chamber;

a first oxygen depletion sensor nozzle configured to deliver the first gas, liquid, or combination thereof for combustion at or near the combustion chamber;

a first electrode configured to instigate combustion of the first gas, liquid, or combination thereof from the first oxygen depletion sensor nozzle;

a second oxygen depletion sensor nozzle configured to deliver a second gas, liquid, or combination thereof for combustion, the first gas, liquid, or combination thereof being different from the second gas, liquid, or combination thereof at or near the combustion chamber;

a second electrode configured to instigate combustion of the second gas, liquid, or combination thereof from the second oxygen depletion sensor nozzle;

a frame for positioning the first oxygen depletion sensor nozzle, the first electrode, the second oxygen depletion sensor nozzle, and the second electrode all within the housing, wherein the frame positions the first electrode closer to the first oxygen depletion sensor nozzle than to the second oxygen depletion sensor nozzle and the frame positions the second electrode nearer to the second oxygen depletion sensor nozzle than to the first oxygen depletion sensor nozzle; and

an igniter switch to activate the first and second electrodes;

wherein the frame is attached to the combustion chamber to position the first oxygen depletion sensor nozzle, the first electrode, the second oxygen depletion sensor nozzle, and the second electrode in proximity to the combustion chamber within the housing.

2. The dual fuel heater of claim 1, wherein the first and second electrodes are piezoelectric igniters.

3. The dual fuel heater of claim 1, wherein the first oxygen depletion sensor nozzle comprises a first injector.

4. The dual fuel heater of claim 3, wherein the second oxygen depletion sensor nozzle comprises a second injector.

5. The dual fuel heater of claim 1, wherein the first oxygen depletion sensor nozzle comprises a first air inlet aperture.

6. The dual fuel heater of claim 5, wherein the second oxygen depletion sensor nozzle comprises a second air inlet aperture.

7. The dual fuel heater of claim 6, wherein the second air inlet aperture is larger than the first.

8. The dual fuel heater of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a window configured to allow at least one of heated air and radiant energy to pass therethrough.

9. A dual fuel heater comprising:

a housing at least partially defining the dual fuel heater;

a combustion chamber connected to the housing;

a nozzle configured to direct either a first fuel or a second fuel to the combustion chamber;

an oxygen depletion sensor (ODS) system comprising;

a first ODS nozzle configured for the first fuel;

a first electrode configured to instigate combustion of the first fuel;

a second ODS nozzle configured for the second fuel, the first fuel being different from the second fuel;

a second electrode configured to instigate combustion of the second fuel;

a frame for positioning the first ODS nozzle, the first electrode, the second ODS nozzle, and the second electrode, wherein the frame positions the first electrode closer to the first ODS nozzle than to the second ODS nozzle and the frame positions the second electrode nearer to the second ODS nozzle than to the first ODS nozzle; and

an igniter switch to activate the first and second electrodes;

wherein the ODS system is attached to the combustion chamber so that the first ODS nozzle, the first electrode, the second ODS nozzle, and the second electrode are all adjacent the combustion chamber.

10. The dual fuel heater of claim 9, wherein the first and second electrodes are piezoelectric igniters.

11. The dual fuel heater of claim 9, wherein the first ODS nozzle comprises a first air inlet aperture.

12. The dual fuel heater of claim 11, wherein the second ODS nozzle comprises a second air inlet aperture, wherein the second air inlet aperture is larger than the first.

13. The dual fuel heater of claim 9, wherein the housing comprises a window configured to allow at least one of heated air and radiant energy to pass therethrough.

14. A dual fuel heating assembly comprising:

a housing at least partially defining the dual fuel heater;

a combustion chamber coupled to the housing;

a nozzle configured to direct either a first fuel or a second fuel different from the first to the combustion chamber;

a first oxygen depletion sensor (ODS) nozzle configured for the first fuel;

a first igniter configured to instigate combustion of the first fuel at the first ODS nozzle;

a second ODS nozzle configured for the second fuel;

a second igniter configured to instigate combustion of the second fuel at the second ODS nozzle; and

a frame attached to the combustion chamber to position the first ODS nozzle, the first electrode, the second ODS nozzle, and the second electrode in proximity to the combustion chamber, wherein the frame secures the first ODS nozzle next to the first igniter on a first side of the frame and the second ODS nozzle next to the second igniter on a second side of the frame opposite the first side.

15. The dual fuel heating assembly of claim 14, wherein the first and second igniters are piezoelectric igniters.

16. The dual fuel heating assembly of claim 14, wherein the first side of the frame is a mirror image of the second side.

17. The dual fuel heating assembly of claim 14, wherein the housing comprises a window configured to allow at least one of heated air and radiant energy to pass therethrough.