Method of producing hot air and hot water for sanitary purposes and apparatus for carrying out the said method

Claim 1

An apparatus for producing hot air and hot water for the supply of sanitary fittings, comprising the combination of: a heat-insulated central portion or casing (1) for the heating of sanitary water, including a water storage tank (7) and a chamber (8) located above said tank which comprises a lower portion (7a) and an upper portion (7b) above which said chamber is situated; a first exchanger (10) located in said tank and including sinuous tube means (11) which opens at the upper portion (7b) of said tank into said chamber; a pre-exchanger (14) disposed inside said chamber and a cold-water intake tube (9) associated with said pre-exchanger, extending through said chamber and opening into said tank; a heat-insulated external casing (2) completely surrounding the central portion of the apparatus and defining therewith an annular space (3) which contains a second exchanger (19) including a finned wall arranged concentrically around said central portion and forming a first annular passageway (20) between said finned wall and said central portion (1), and a second annular passageway (21) between said wall and said external casing (2); duct means (4,6) connected to said external casing and adapted to blow air through said second passageway (21); a burner (13) and a conduit (23) associated with said burner and communicating with said tube means, for conveying the combustion gas through said sinuous tube means (11) inside said tank and through said chamber (8) above said tank; flap means (26) hinged onto said conduit (23) for directing the combustion gas either towards said sinuous tube means and chamber for heating the stored water or towards said first passageway (20) for heating the blown air passing through said second passageway (21) by counterflow heat exchange with the combustion products flowing in said first passageway; and openings (27,28) provided in said chamber (8) and said first passageway (20) respectively, for discharging the combustion gas flowing either through said central portion (1) or through said first passageway (20).

Claim 2

An apparatus for producing hot air and hot water for the supply of sanitary fittings, comprising the combination of: a heat-insulated central portion or casing (1) for the heating of sanitary water, including a water storage tank (7) and a chamber (8) located above said tank which comprises a lower portion (7a) and an upper portion (7b) above which said chamber is situated; a first exchanger (10) located in said tank and including sinuous tube means (11) which opens at the upper portion (7b) of said tank into said chamber; a pre-exchanger (14) disposed inside said chamber and a cold-water intake tube (9) associated with said pre-exchanger, extending through said chamber and opening into said tank; a heat-insulated external casing (2) completely surrounding the central portion of the apparatus and defining therewith an annular space (3) which contains a second exchanger (19) including a finned wall arranged concentrically around said central portion and forming a first annular passageway (20) between said finned wall and said central portion (1), and a second annular passageway (21) between said wall and said external casing (2); duct means (4,6) connected to said external casing and adapted to blow air through said second passageway (21); a burner (13) and a conduit (23) associated with said burner and communicating with said tube means, for conveying the combustion gas through said sinuous tube means (11) inside said tank and through said chamber (8) above said tank; flap means (26) hinged onto said conduit (23) for directing the combustion gas either towards said sinuous tube means and chamber for heating the stored water or towards said first passageway (20) for heating the blown air passing through said second passageway (21) by counterflow heat exchange with the combustion products flowing in said first passageway; and openings (27,28) provided in said chamber (8) and said first passageway (20) respectively, for discharging the combustion gas flowing either through said central portion (1) or through said first passageway (20).