Blower and method of conveying fluids
View Patent ↗A blower for a water heater having a flue defining a flue axis. The blower includes a housing at least partially defining a first chamber and a second chamber and having an inlet opening into the first chamber and an outlet communicating between the second chamber and atmosphere, the inlet being alignable with the flue, a ramp extending through the second chamber and having a surface, the surface being oriented at an acute angle with respect to the flue axis, and an impeller positioned in the second chamber and being operable to draw exhaust from the flue into the first chamber through the inlet and being operable to direct the exhaust through the second chamber and across the surface of the ramp, the surface of the ramp directing the exhaust through the outlet in a direction substantially parallel to the flue axis.
1. A blower for a water heater having a flue defining a flue axis, the blower comprising:
a housing at least partially defining a first chamber and a second chamber and having an inlet opening into the first chamber and an outlet communicating between the second chamber and atmosphere, the inlet being alignable with the flue;
a ramp extending through the second chamber and having a surface, the surface being oriented at an acute angle with respect to the flue axis; and
an impeller positioned in the second chamber and being operable to draw exhaust from the flue into the first chamber through the inlet and being operable to direct the exhaust from the first chamber through the second chamber and across the surface of the ramp, the surface of the ramp directing the exhaust through the outlet in a direction substantially parallel to the flue axis.
2. The blower of claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a second inlet opening into the first chamber for receiving ambient air.
3. The blower of claim 1 , wherein the ramp includes a second surface opposite the first surface, the second surface being oriented at an obtuse angle with respect to the flue axis.
4. The blower of claim 3 , wherein the housing defines a second inlet opening into the first chamber for receiving ambient air, and wherein the second surface is positioned adjacent to the second inlet for directing the ambient air toward the first inlet.
5. The blower of claim 1 , wherein the housing defines a second inlet opening into the first chamber for receiving ambient air, and wherein the ambient air cools the exhaust before the exhaust enters the second chamber.
6. The blower of claim 1 , wherein the housing defines a second inlet opening into the first chamber, and wherein the second inlet directs ambient air into the flue.
7. The blower of claim 1 , wherein the impeller directs exhaust through the second chamber in a direction substantially normal to the flue axis.
8. A blower for a water heater having a flue defining a flue axis, the blower comprising:
a housing at least partially defining a first chamber and a second chamber and having a first inlet opening into the first chamber, a second inlet opening into the first chamber for receiving ambient air, and an outlet communicating between the second chamber and atmosphere, the first inlet being alignable with the flue;
an impeller positioned in the second chamber, the impeller being operable to draw exhaust from the flue into the first chamber through the first inlet and being operable to draw the exhaust into the second chamber before directing the exhaust through the outlet; and
a ramp extending through the first chamber adjacent to the second inlet for directing ambient air from the second inlet toward the first inlet.
9. The blower of claim 8 , wherein the impeller directs exhaust through the second chamber in a direction substantially normal to the flue axis.
10. The blower of claim 8 , wherein the ramp includes a surface oriented at an obtuse angle with respect to the flue axis.
11. The blower of claim 8 , wherein the ramp includes a surface oriented to direct the exhaust through the outlet in a direction substantially parallel to the flue axis.
12. The blower of claim 8 , wherein the ramp includes a first surface oriented at an acute angle with respect to the flue axis and a second surface oriented at an obtuse angle with respect to the axis.
13. The blower of claim 8 , wherein the ambient air cools the exhaust before the exhaust enters the second chamber.
14. A water heater comprising:
a flue defining a flue axis; and
a blower including
a housing at least partially defining a first chamber and a second chamber and having an inlet opening into the first chamber and an outlet communicating between the second chamber and atmosphere, the inlet being alignable with the flue;
a ramp having a first surface extending through the second chamber and being oriented at an acute angle with respect to the flue axis, and a second surface extending through the first chamber and positioned opposite the first ramp surface, the second surface being oriented at an obtuse angle with respect to the axis; and
an impeller positioned in the second chamber and being operable to draw exhaust from the flue into the first chamber through the inlet and being operable to direct the exhaust through the second chamber and through the outlet.
15. The water heater of claim 14 , wherein the first surface is positioned adjacent to the outlet to direct exhaust toward the outlet in a direction substantially parallel to the flue axis.
16. The water heater of claim 14 , wherein the housing defines a second inlet opening into the first chamber for receiving ambient air, and wherein the second surface is positioned adjacent to the second inlet for directing the ambient air toward the first inlet.
17. The water heater of claim 14 , wherein the impeller directs the exhaust through the second chamber in a direction substantially normal to the flue axis.
18. The water heater of claim 14 , wherein ambient air cools the exhaust before the exhaust enters the second chamber.
19. The water heater of claim 14 , wherein the impeller is operable to direct the exhaust through the second chamber and across the first surface, and wherein the first surface directs the exhaust through the outlet in a direction substantially parallel to the flue axis.
20. The water heater of claim 14 , wherein the second surface directs ambient air into the flue.
21. A method of operating a blower for a water heater, the water heater including a flue defining a flue axis, the blower including a housing at least partially defining a first chamber and a second chamber and having an inlet opening into the first chamber and an outlet communicating between the second chamber and atmosphere, and an impeller positioned in the second chamber, the method comprising the acts of:
moving the impeller with respect to the housing to draw exhaust from the flue through the inlet into the first chamber and from the first chamber into the second chamber; and
directing the exhaust through the outlet along a path substantially coaxial with the flue axis.
22. The method of claim 21 , wherein the housing includes a second inlet opening into the first chamber, and further comprising the act of drawing ambient air into the first chamber through the second inlet.