WO2020065357A1

WO2020065357A1 - Safety terminal element

Info

Publication number: WO2020065357A1
Application number: PCT/HU2019/000028
Authority: WO
Inventors: Zoltán KATONA; Jan KAJTÁR; Tamás MÉSZÁROS; István SOMOGYVÁRI
Original assignee: Katona Zoltan; Kajtar Jan; Meszaros Tamas; Somogyvari Istvan
Priority date: 2018-09-27
Filing date: 2019-09-24
Publication date: 2020-04-02

Abstract

The invention relates to a safety terminal element (1) for facilitating the unidirectional flow of a medium, particularly for discharging flue gases and for preventing flue gas backdrafting. The safety terminal element (1) according to the invention comprises a retaining member (12, 16) attached to the chimney body (3) and/or to the capstone (2) of the chimney, bottom and upper guide members (13a, 13b, 17a, 17b), spacers (14, 18), and a closure member (15, 19) connected to the upper guide member (13b, 17b).

Description

SAFETY TERMINAL ELEMENT

Technical field

The invention relates to a safety terminal element for facilitating the unidirectional flow of a medium, particularly for discharging flue gases and for preventing flue gas backdrafting. Background art

Due to the differences in the configuration and technical state of heating appliances utilized for heating houses, buildings, factories and other industrial facilities, the flue gases produced therein have different composition and properties. In order to remove harmful substances, the exhaustion of flue gases is crucial. In the case of chimneys adapted for exhausting flue gas it is very important that backdrafting is prevented.

The safety valve system disclosed in Hungarian patent description No. 187,490 is adapted for eliminating problems arising from faulty operation. The essential component of the system is a sensor built into the flue pipe that is connected to an inlet-side valve of the combustion appliance. The system is adapted for interrupting gas flow in case of detecting a malfunction in the chimney, and thus for preventing the backdrafting of harmful combustion products.

The disadvantage of this known solution is that its operation is complex and the components themselves are prone to failure.

In technical solution disclosed in the document EP0641973 an upper and a bottom element are interconnected rigidly, the guide elements have a conical configuration, and are connected to the outlet of the chimney by a bottom connection element. A diameter-reducing element is introduced perpendicular to the axis of the chimney.

A similar solution is disclosed in CN 24277444.

The common disadvantage of known technical solutions is that they are prone to fail easily.

The objective of the present invention is to eliminate the drawbacks of known solutions and provide a simple safety terminal element.

The technical solution according to the invention is based on the recognition that, as it is of common knowledge, based on Bernoulli’s law, a velocity-depression transformer can be made applying two mutually perpendicular pipe sections (horizontal and vertical). The velocity of air flowing in the horizontal pipe generates a depression in the vertical pipe.

If we replace the horizontal pipe with a shape that is capable of“substituting” the pipe in all directions in the horizontal plane, then a pipe section extending in an arbitrary horizontal direction can be realized. Furthermore, if the pipe behaves as a replacement funnel towards the vertical pipe, then the desired depression can be provided as a function of wind speed, by selecting an appropriate cross section.

Furthermore, the configuration of an expedient shape allows that the air flow can be transformed not only in a horizontal direction, but also vertically, and the desired operation can also be provided for combinations thereof. Still further, inside the pipe the product of the volume and the pressure of air can be regarded as an integrator for the pressure variations caused by intermittent and variable-direction winds. A properly dimensioned terminal element is capable of not taking up an excess amount of wind energy, and therefore the system preferably operates as a self-regulating element, without utilizing auxiliary electric energy or control electronics. According to a further recognition, older but still functioning combustion systems that are not standards-compliant any more due to their efficiency can also be made to fulfil modem requirements by applying an expediently configured terminal element.

Disclosure of the invention

The objective of the invention is fulfilled by providing a safety terminal element that is adapted for facilitating the unidirectional flow of a medium, particularly for discharging flue gases and for preventing flue gas backdrafting, and is characterised by comprising a retaining member attached to the chimney body and/or to the capstone of the chimney, bottom and upper guide members, spacers and a closure member connected to the upper guide member.

In a preferred embodiment of the safety terminal element, the retaining member is formed of a portion seated on the capstone of the chimney, and an upper portion connected to the bottom guide member.

In a further preferred embodiment of the safety terminal element according to the invention, the bottom and upper guide members lie at an angle of between 0-70° relative to the horizontal, and the closure member is removable.

In an expedient embodiment of the safety terminal element, the retaining member is adapted to be engaged in a seat formed in the bottom guide member.

In another expedient embodiment of the safety terminal element according to the invention, the retaining member and the bottom guide member are firmly fixed to each other, or the retaining member and the bottom guide member are interconnected releasably.

All preferred and expedient embodiments of the safety terminal element according to the invention comprise a removable closure member, wherein the terminal element is made of the same material as the flue outlet pipe.

Brief description of drawings The safety terminal element according to the invention is explained in detail referring to the attached drawings, where

Fig. 1 is a partial sectional view of a chimney fitted with a preferred embodiment of the terminal element according to the invention,

Fig. 2 is an exploded front view of another embodiment of the terminal element according to the invention, and

Fig. 3 is a sectional view showing the terminal element of Fig. 2 connected to a chimney. Best mode of carrying out the invention

As can be seen in Fig. 1, the terminal element according to the invention is arranged on a chimney capstone 2 adapted for capping a chimney body 3, and is attached to a flue outlet pipe 4 situated inside the chimney body 3.

The terminal element 1 according to the invention is essentially formed of two funnel- shaped members with an axis parallel to the plane of the capstone 2, by means of which it implements a velocity-to-pressure transformation, and, making use of the airflow prevailing at the height level of the capstone 2, generates a depression that forces the flue gases discharged from the flue outlet pipe 4 towards the outside space.

The terminal element 1 according to the invention thus essentially functions as a rectifier.

Along its entire length, the cross-sectional area of the terminal element 1 is equal or greater than the cross-sectional area of the flue outlet pipe 4, the terminal element 1 comprising a retaining member 12 that is connected to the flue outlet pipe 4, is configured symmetrically with respect to the axis of the chimney body 3, and is attached to the capstone 2 or to the chimney body 3, wherein a portion l2a of the retaining member 12 is seated on the capstone 2, while another portion 12b thereof lies at an angle b relative to the plane of the capstone 2, with a bottom guide member l3a being seated against said portion l2b.

An upper guide member l3b is disposed, lying at an angle a to the horizontal, above the bottom guide member l3a spaced apart therefrom by means of spacers 14.

The bottom and upper guide members l3a and 13b are configured to have an essentially funnel shape, with a closure member 15 adapted for closing off the spatial region formed by the upper guide members 13b being removably attached to the upper guide member 13b.

It can thereby be ensured that the outside air (i.e. wind) flowing between the bottom and upper guide members 13 a, l3b carries off the flue gases exiting the flue outlet pipe 4, preventing backdrafting into the flue outlet pipe 4. The angle of inclination - a and b - of the bottom and upper guide members 13 a and 13b is between 0 and 70°, depending on the parameters of the particular installation location of the terminal element according to the invention (such as the diameter of the flue outlet pipe 4).

After removing the closure member 15, the chimney can be cleaned in a traditional fashion.

The number of the spacers 14 included can be different from the number included in the embodiment shown in Fig. 1 , and may range from three up to even 30-50, depending on the configuration of the guide members.

Fig. 2 shows an exploded view of another embodiment of the terminal element 1 according to the invention, wherein the terminal element 1 is formed of a bottom retaining member 16, a guide member 17 consisting of guide member portions l7a and l7b that are interconnected by spacers 18 and are connected to the retaining member 16, and a closure member 19 that is adapted to close off the guide member 17 from above and is connected to the upper guide member portion l7a.

Fig. 3 illustrates the attachment of the terminal element 1 according to Fig. 2 to the capstone 2 of the chimney body 3; for clarity the terminal element 1 is shown in an exploded drawing also in this figure.

The retaining member 16 is configured essentially identically to the retaining member 12 of Fig. 1, where the portion l6a of the retaining member 16 is seated on the capstone 2, while the portion l6b lies at an angle of b with respect to the plane of the capstone 2.

The bottom portion l7a of the guide member 17 is attached to the retaining member 16. Attachment is performed by the retaining member 16 being engaged in a seat 20 formed in the portion l7a of the guide member.

The retaining member 16 and the guide member 17 can be interconnected firmly or releasably.

The portions l7a and l7b of the guide member 17 are interconnected by ribs 18, the number of flow channels in the guide member 17 being determined by the number of the ribs 18.

In the case of the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, the flow channels of the terminal element 1 have an angular separation of 60° between their openings.

The depth c of the spacer 18 member measured in the axial direction decisively affects the operation of the arrangement. As with a funnel, the vertical wall of the spacer 18 member guides the airflow in the indicated direction. The minimum value of the depth c is determined by the configuration of the funnel, while the maximum value thereof depends on the internal diameter of the retaining member 16, c < d. Outside air flowing between the guide member portions 17a and 17b - as with the bottom and upper guide members l3a and l3b in the embodiment of Fig. 1 - carries off the flue gases exiting the flue outlet pipe 4, preventing backdrafting into the flue outlet pipe 4.

The closure member 19 is adapted to close off the guide member 17 (consisting of the guide member portions l7a and l7b) from above, the closure member 19 being releasably connected to the upper guide member portion 17b such that it allows the cleaning of the chimney.

The configuration of the terminal element according to the invention conforms to the cross-section of the flue outlet pipe 4 of the chimney 3, so its d/D ratio is greater than 0.8.

In both of the above-described embodiments, in addition to providing the desired flow direction, the closure member 15 or 19 can also be applied as a safety flue gas and heat discharge element that is adapted to release the primary pressure wave by flying off from its place.

It has to be noted that the above-described embodiments are only non-limiting exemplary implementations of the terminal element according to the invention.

The terminal element according to the invention essentially provides the functionality of a chimney comprising an exhaust fan, but without the disadvantages of the latter because it does not contain any moving and wearing parts.

Consequently, it provides better flue gas removal compared to gravity-draft systems. Thus, the amount of air in the combustion chamber, and also the amount of oxygen therein, can be increased. Thanks to the increased amount of oxygen, monoxide formation is reduced to minimum, the composition of the flue gas is improved, and fuel consumption (and thus the amount of flue gas) is also reduced.

The terminal element according to the invention can be made of any suitable material, i.e. it can be made of ceramics, cast stone, aluminum, and preferably of the same material as the flue outlet pipe.

The terminal element according to the invention has the following advantages:

- it performs the functions of an active or passive terminal element,

- it can be applied with any combustion system,

- it reduces harmful carbon monoxide formation,

- it reduces the amount of flue gases and improves their quality,

- it increases the efficiency of the combustion appliance. LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

1 terminal element

2 chimney capstone

3 chimney body

4 flue outlet pipe

12 retaining member

l2a portion

l2b portion

13 a guide member

13b guide member

14 spacer

15 closure member

16 retaining member

16a portion

16b portion

l7a guide member

l7b guide member

18 spacer

19 closure member

20 groove

21 groove

Claims

6 CLAIMS

1. Safety terminal element (1) for facilitating the unidirectional flow of a medium, particularly for discharging flue gases and for preventing flue gas backdrafting, characterised in that it comprises a retaining member (12, 16) attached to the chimney body (3) and/or to the capstone (2) of the chimney, bottom and upper guide members (13a, 13b, 17a, 17b), spacers (14, 18), and a closure member (15, 19) connected to the upper guide member (13b, l7b).

2. The safety terminal element (1) according to Claim 1 , characterised in that the retaining member (12, 16) is formed of a portion (l2a, l6a) seated on the capstone (2) of the chimney (3), and an upper portion (l2b, l6b) connected to the bottom guide member (l3a, l7a).

3. The safety terminal element (1) according to Claims 1 or 2, characterised in that the bottom and upper guide members (l3a, l3b) lie at an angle (a, b) of between 0-70° relative to the horizontal.

4. The safety terminal element (1) according to Claims 1 or 2, characterised in that the retaining member (16) is adapted to be engaged in a seat (20) formed in the bottom guide member (17b).

5. The safety terminal element (1) according to Claim 4, characterised in that the retaining member (16) and the bottom guide member (l7b) are firmly fixed to each other.

6. The safety terminal element (1) according to Claim 4, characterised in that the retaining member (16) and the bottom guide member (17b) are connected releasably.

7. The safety terminal element (1) according to any one of Claims 1-6, characterised in that the closure member (15, 19) is removable.

8. The safety terminal element (1) according to any one of Claims 1-7, characterised in that it is made of the same material as the flue outlet pipe (4).