GB2258914A

GB2258914A - Solid fuel effect gas fire

Info

Publication number: GB2258914A
Application number: GB9115730A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Alan Thurlow
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1991-07-20
Filing date: 1991-07-20
Publication date: 1993-02-24
Also published as: GB9115730D0

Abstract

A solid fuel effect gas fire comprises a burner tray containing refractory particulate material and a gas air mixing tube, a fire back (4) made of ceramic material, the tray being sealed to the fire back (4) by means of a ceramic pad (8), which pad comprises two aeration tubes (7) for secondary air. <IMAGE>

Description

GAS FIRE This invention relates to a solid fuel effect gas fire, and particularly to a coal effect fire.

Solid fuel effect fires have been known for some time and generally comprise a base or tray which holds refractory particulate material. Gas fed to the particulate material is ignited and burns around the material to give a real fire effect. The tray forms the base of a fire place, the back of which comprises a fire back.

According to the invention there is provided a solid fuel effect gas fire comprising: a tray for receiving refractory particulate material and forming a base of a fire place; burner means disposed within the said tray for introducing gas into the refractory material; a ceramic fire back forming a back wall of the fireplace, and wherein the tray is sealed to a bottom end of the fire back by means of a ceramic pad having at least one aeration tube extending through the pad.

In use, secondary air is drawn from the inlets in the side of the front of the fire through the or each aeration tube and across the front of the fire back. Thus air is drawn from the back of the tray, and in front of the fire back.

In addition, the fact that the tray may be sealed to the fire back prevents cool air passing over the front of ceramic fire back and thus cooling it down. By means of the ceramic pad therefore, the fire back is caused to glow red due to radiation heating, which pushes more heat back into the fire and then into the room being heated by the fire.

Preferably, the fire back is ribbed with substantially horizontal ribs.

The ribs increase the surface area of the fire back, and thus allow the fire back to absorb more heat from the secondary air. This reduces the temperature of air exiting the fire and thus improves the efficiency of the fire.

Advantageously, the fire comprises a first convection chamber extending behind the fire back, and second convection extending towards the top of the fireplace, both of which have inlets at the side of the fireplace.

The invention will now be further described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a exploded perspective view of a gas fire according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a schematic representation showing the front of the gas fire illustrated in Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a side view of the gas fire illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. Referring to the figures a gas fire according to the invention is designated generally by the reference numeral 100.

Referring to the Figures the fire comprises a burner tray 1 in which refractory material may be placed, such as material which looks like coal. The burner further comprises a gasair mixing tube 20 which supplies gas to the tray, and in use supplies gas to the refractory material. The mixing tube comprises a burner head 21 and an air inlet 22 which allows primary air to enter the gas fire. Fire 100 further comprises a fire back 4 made of ceramic material, which forms the back of a fireplace of which the tray 1 forms the base.

The fireplace is further defined by surround 23. The surround 23 is shaped to fit over a lip 24 of a back portion 25 of the gas fire 100. A convection chamber 26 is thus formed in the channel formed between the back portion 25 and the surround 23. The surround 23 further comprises a vent 5 which allows secondary air to enter the chamber 26. The back portion 25 comprises a duct 27 and a plate 28 positioned over the duct 27 in order to avoid air entering the duct at this point. The surround 23 is further shaped to include a second convection chamber 13 having outlets 11. The air vents 5 are formed into two sub-vents for the routing of convection air and also secondary air to the fire.

The tray 1 is sealed to the fire back by means of a ceramic pad 8. The ceramic pad comprises two aeration tubes 7 which in this example each have a diameter of one and a half inches. For other fires, different numbers of tubes of different sizes may be more appropriate.

In use, a measured amount of secondary air is drawn into the centre of the fire through the two side vents 5 in the surround 23. The air then passes under the burner tray 1 to the rear of the tray 1 where an air scoop 6 collects it and feeds it through the tube 7. This arrangement improves the combustion, and more importantly means that the burner tray 1 may be sealed to the ceramic fireback 4. The ceramic fireback 4 may be ribbed or plain. The fact that the tray 1 is sealed to the ceramic back 4 in this way prevents cool secondary air from passing over the ceramic fireback and cooling it down. This therefore improves the efficiency of the fire as the radiant heat emitting from the fireback is increased, due to the fact that the fireback is allowed to glow red and thus pushes more heat back into the fire and thus into the room to be heated. The gas then passes up into the flue 9 and exits the fire.

The gas fire 100 according to the present invention, not only functions as a radiant heater, but also as a convection heater as will now be described. Room air is drawn in through the top portion of the side vent 5 which has been separated from the secondary air vent by a plate 10. The air then passes up channels at either side of the surround 23 and in doing so is heated up and emerges from the top vents 11 at a high temperature. The fire 100 draws its air for convection through the air vent 12 the base of the fire. It then passes under the base of the fire, up the back of the fireback, and around the hot flue 4 before passing out into the room as hot convected air through the front exit of the rear convection chamber 13.

Claims

1. A solid fuel effect gas fire comprising: a tray for receiving refractory particulate material and forming a base of a fire place; burner means disposed within the said tray for introducing gas into the refractory material; a ceramic fire back forming a back wall of a fire place, and wherein the tray is sealed to a bottom end of the fire back by means of the ceramic pad, having at least one aeration tube extending through the pad.

2. A fire according to claim 1 wherein the fire back is ribbed with substantially horizontal ribs.

3. A fire according to claim 1 or claim 2 further comprising a first convention chamber, extending behind the fire back, and second convection chamber extending towards the top of the fire place, both of which have inlets at the side of the fireplace.

4. A fire substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.