US 12,366,357 B2
Fuel/air mixture and combustion apparatus and associated methods for use in a fuel-fired heating apparatus
Amin Akbarimonfared, Fort Smith, AR (US); Timothy J. Shellenberger, Tyronne, GA (US); Robert Steven Neihouse, Fort Smith, AR (US); Scott Alan Willbanks, Fort Smith, AR (US); Darryl Farley, Fort Smith, AR (US); Nathan Taylor Whalen, Alma, AR (US); and Shawn Allan Reed, Charleston, AR (US)
Assigned to Rheem Manufacturing Company, Atlanta, GA (US)
Filed by Rheem Manufacturing Company, Atlanta, GA (US)
Filed on Jul. 29, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/877,493.
Application 15/649,454 is a division of application No. 14/084,095, filed on Nov. 19, 2013, granted, now 9,739,483, issued on Aug. 22, 2017.
Application 17/877,493 is a continuation of application No. 16/799,265, filed on Feb. 24, 2020, granted, now 11,402,093.
Application 16/799,265 is a continuation of application No. 15/649,454, filed on Jul. 13, 2017, granted, now 10,571,122, issued on Feb. 25, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/883,031, filed on Sep. 26, 2013.
Prior Publication US 2022/0381432 A1, Dec. 1, 2022
Int. Cl. F23D 14/70 (2006.01); F23D 14/08 (2006.01); F24H 9/00 (2022.01)
CPC F23D 14/70 (2013.01) [F23D 14/08 (2013.01); F24H 9/0052 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of mixing fuel and air in a fuel-fired heating apparatus, the method comprising:
providing a venturi structure having a longitudinal axis extending through its interior, sidewall perforations, and first and second opposite end portions;
forming around the venturi structure a chamber that communicates with the interior of the venturi structure through its sidewall perforations;
creating a flow of air that flows through the interior of the venturi structure from its first end portion to its second end portion while swirling about its longitudinal axis;
creating, via radially directed interior fuel jets, a flow of gaseous fuel that interiorly impacts and mixes with the swirling flow of air creating a fuel/air mixture in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis; and
permitting the fuel/air mixture traversing the venturi structure to enter the chamber to damp pressure oscillations within the venturi structure in a manner attenuating fuel/air mixing noise generated within the venturi structure.