Heat Transfer Tubes, Combustion Gas Eductors, And Cooking Medium Heating Systems Including Such Tubes And Eductors

Abstract

A cooking medium heating system includes a cooking vessel for holding a cooking medium, at least one heat transfer tube for transferring heat generated by combustion to the cooking medium, and a combustion gas eductor for venting combustion gas exhausted from a combustion gas exhaust opening. Each heat transfer tube includes a bottom wall, a pair of side walls, a top wall, and a combustion gas entry opening and a combustion gas exhaust opening formed therein at opposite ends thereof. The tubes may include at least one heat transfer fin and a combustion gas flow separator dividing the tube into two spaces between the separator and the pair of side walls. The combustion gas eductor includes a flue including a narrower, exhaust gas receiving end disposed adjacent to the combustion gas exhaust opening, a nozzle including a nozzle inlet and a nozzle outlet, and a blower.

1 . A heat transfer tube for transferring heat generated by combustion to a cooking medium, comprising:
 a bottom wall;   a pair of side walls;   a top wall;   a combustion gas entry opening and a combustion gas exhaust opening formed at opposite ends of the heat transfer tube; and   at least one heat transfer fin extending from a position proximate to the combustion gas exhaust opening toward the combustion gas entry opening.   
     
     
         2 . The heat transfer tube of  claim 1 , wherein the top wall is concave, each of the pair of side walls is substantially parallel to the other side wall, and the bottom wall is substantially perpendicular to each of the pair of side walls. 
     
     
         3 . The heat transfer tube of  claim 2 , wherein the top wall further comprises a first top wall portion and a second top wall portion and the first top wall portion and the second top wall portion intersect to form an obtuse, interior angle. 
     
     
         4 . The heat transfer tube of  claim 2 , wherein the top wall is arcuate. 
     
     
         5 . The heat transfer tube of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom wall is concave. 
     
     
         6 . The heat transfer tube of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one heat transfer fin extends from the combustion gas exhaust opening toward the combustion gas entry opening. 
     
     
         8 . The heat transfer tube of  claim 1 , wherein a height of the at least one heat transfer fin decreases as the at least one heat transfer fin approaches the combustion gas entry opening. 
     
     
         9 . The heat transfer tube of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one heat transfer fin comprises a plurality of fin segments. 
     
     
         10 . The heat transfer tube of  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of fin segments of the at least one heat transfer fin are substantially aligned with a longitudinal axis of the heat transfer tube. 
     
     
         11 . The heat transfer tube of  claim 9 , wherein a height of the at least one heat transfer fin decreases as the at least one heat transfer fin approaches the combustion gas entry opening. 
     
     
         12 . The heat transfer tube of  claim 9 , wherein a height of the at least one heat transfer fin decreases substantially uniformly as the least one heat transfer fin approaches the combustion gas entry opening. 
     
     
         13 . The heat transfer tube of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one heat transfer fin extends from one of the pair of side walls. 
     
     
         14 . The heat transfer tube of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one heat transfer fin extends from the top wall. 
     
     
         15 . The heat transfer tube of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one heat transfer fin extends from the bottom wall. 
     
     
         16 . A heat transfer tube for transferring heat generated by combustion to a cooking medium, comprising:
 a bottom wall; a pair of side walls; a top wall, the heat transfer tube comprising a combustion gas entry opening and a combustion gas exhaust opening formed therein at opposite ends thereof; and   a plurality of heat transfer fins extends from the pair of side walls and the top wall toward the interior of the heat transfer tube and each of the plurality of heat transfer fins extends from a position proximate to the combustion gas exhaust opening toward the combustion gas entry opening, each of the plurality of heat transfer fins further comprises a plurality of fin segments that are substantially aligned with a longitudinal axis of the heat transfer tube, and a height of each of the plurality of heat transfer fins decreases as that heat transfer fin approaches the combustion gas entry opening.   
     
     
         17 . The heat transfer tube of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one heat transfer fin extends from one of the pair of side walls. 
     
     
         18 . The heat transfer tube of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one heat transfer fin extends from the top wall. 
     
     
         19 . The heat transfer tube of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one heat transfer fin extends from the bottom wall. 
     
     
         20 . The heat transfer tube of  claim 1 , further comprising a combustion gas flow separator extending from a position proximate to the combustion gas exhaust opening toward the combustion gas entry opening and dividing the heat transfer tube into two spaces between the separator and each of the pair of side walls along a length of the separator. 
     
     
         21 . The heat transfer tube of  claim 20 , wherein the separator is formed from a high-temperature resistant, insulating material. 
     
     
         22 . The heat transfer tube of  claim 21 , wherein the high-temperature resistant, insulating material is alumina silica. 
     
     
         23 . The heat transfer tube of  claim 20 , wherein the separator further comprises at least one spacer, which contacts at least one of the bottom wall and the pair of side walls to position and limit the movement of the separator within the heat transfer tube. 
     
     
         24 . The heat transfer tube of  claim 20 , wherein the separator further comprises a leading edge configured to direct a flow of combustion gases around the separator and toward at least the pair of side walls. 
     
     
         25 . The heat transfer tube of  claim 20 , further comprising a separator positioning abutment disposed proximate to the combustion gas exhaust opening and wherein the separator further comprises a separator positioning groove, such that the separator positioning abutment engages the separator positioning groove to limit axial movement of the separator with a flow of combustion gases within the heat transfer tube. 
     
     
         26 . A combustion gas eductor for venting combustion gas exhausted from a combustion gas exhaust opening of a heat transfer tube, comprising:
 a flue comprising a narrower, exhaust gas receiving end disposed adjacent to the combustion gas exhaust opening of the heat transfer tube;   a nozzle comprising a nozzle inlet and a nozzle outlet, wherein the nozzle outlet is disposed within the exhaust gas receiving end of the flue; and   a blower disposed adjacent to the nozzle inlet for delivering a flow of air to the nozzle inlet.   
     
     
         27 . A cooking medium heating system comprising:
 a cooking vessel for holding a cooking medium;   at least one heat transfer tube extending through the cooking vessel for transferring heat generated by combustion to the cooking medium, comprising:   a bottom wall, a pair of side walls, and a top wall, wherein each of the at least one heat transfer tube comprises a combustion gas entry opening and a combustion gas exhaust opening formed therein at opposite ends thereof;   at least one heat transfer fin extending from a position proximate to the combustion gas exhaust opening toward the combustion gas entry opening;   a combustion gas flow separator extending from a position proximate to the combustion gas exhaust opening toward the combustion gas entry opening and dividing the heat transfer tube into two spaces between the separator and each of the pair of side walls along a length of the separator; and   a combustion gas eductor for venting combustion gas exhausted from a combustion gas exhaust opening of each of the at least one tube, comprising:   a flue comprising a narrower, exhaust gas receiving end disposed adjacent to the combustion gas exhaust opening of the at least one tube;   a nozzle comprising a nozzle inlet and a nozzle outlet, wherein the nozzle outlet is disposed within the exhaust gas receiving end of the flue; and   a blower disposed adjacent to the nozzle inlet for delivering a flow of air to the nozzle inlet.