A POST-WAR ENGINEERING DEVELOPMENT – THE ASCOT 715" MULTIPOINT GAS WATER HEATER
The most important feature of gas water heaters is that the user has an immediate and continuous supply of hot water to the bath, basin, shower or sink, without any limitations of storage capacity or unnecessary heat losses; or the expense of heating water that may not be required.
Although there are many manufacturers of multipoint gas water appliances, there are usually three main types available, classified according to their maximum rate of delivering hot water at a given rise in temperature. These are: (1) 2 gallons per minute, (approximately), (2) 3 gallons per minute, and (3) 4 gallons per minute.
It is generally accepted that a bathroom with a bath, basin and shower requires a flow of not less than 3 gallons per minute, and although the average 3 gallons heater is slightly more expensive than the 21 gallons appliance (between 7 p.c. and 15 p.c.), the great advantage of the 31 gallons heaters is that it gives a larger flow (30 p.c.) of hot water, and therefore a quicker supply. Drawing a hot bath from a 4 or 3 gallons per minute appliance costs no more than drawing hot water from the smaller 2 gallons per minute appliance. It might be said, in fact, that it is cheaper, since filling the bath quickly gives less time for the water to cool.
In Hong Kong, where the temperature of water at the cold tap is around 70 degrees F. for two-thirds of the year, an appliance does not have to raise the tem- perature much more than 45 degrees F. to obtain a hot bath of about 115 degrees
F.
The large heater fills a 20 gallon bath at this temperature in 5 minutes, the medium heater in 7 minutes, while the smaller heater will take 10 minutes, the two latter taking respectively 50 p.c. and 100 p.c. longer for the same cost. The 4 gallons per minute appliance however, is usually reserved for heavy duties in con- nection with industrial installations, but for domestic use it can supply an additional point such as a cloakroom basin or shower as well as the bathroom.
The need to observe the dictates of hygiene is of paramount importance to the standard of living, and in this connection the instantaneous gas water heater is play- ing a leading part by providing hot water services to cloakrooms, factory washrooms, etc. etc.
The 3 gallons per minute appliance will give unlimited supply to three hand-basins, while the 4 gallons per minute appliance will give the same service to five. Shower baths in sports pavilions can also be supplied from the multipoint heater.
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TAGS:
The only part of the heater visible in
the room.
The flue terminal on the outside wall.
Since the last war architects have stressed
more and more the aesthetic appeal of their buildings. Though recognising the many advantages of instantaneous gas water heating, they raised objections to the visual impact of flue fittings, and a totally new approach to designing gas water heaters became necessary to meet architects' requirements.
A special team of development engineers went to work soon after the wai on the design of an appliance which would give the answer to the problem. The task was a formidable one. A multipoint gas water heater had to be produced which would take all its air for combustion from the outside atmosphere, without any de- terioration in its performance characteris- tics and, at the same time, have sufficient up-draught to ensure the complete evacua- tion of the flue products. Furthermore, the development of a wall terminal which was capable of leaving the function of the heater undisturbed under the widest varia- tions of wind and weather, was no mean task. This was accomplished in a most unobtrusive way as can be seen from the
new
illustrations. There were many other intricate problems to be solved as well as aesthetic considerations relating to the
of the heater. The appearance appliance, given the name of the Ascot Balanced Flue multipoint gas water heater, Type 715, incorporates the following salient
features:
The air for combustion is taken from the outside atmosphere via a specially designed wall terminal, so that the ap- pliance can be fixed anywhere in the building in an outside wall.
No visible internal flue and no draught diverter are required.
Projection into the room is slight, the heater being partially recessed into the wall. It can, in fact, be completely recessed where the wall is deep enough, or it can be installed in a cupboard.
The heater is completely sealed from, and independent of, the air in the room which it does not use for combustion. Consequently, there is no back draught and no condensation of flue products.
In appearance, the balanced flue multi- point is particularly attractive and its small projection into the room makes it over the draining possible to install it board Ог bath without inconvenience to the user.
Elimination of a visible flue and the provision of an inconspicuous wall ter- minal, provide a complete answer to dis- cerning architects. Yet another all-impor- tant feature of the 715 is its adaptability. When necessary, it can be fitted into the plumbing duct or under the draining board; in such cases, it is supplied without its outer shell. The builder then provides an outer panel to the architect's specification. This panel must be designed with proper apertures for the pilot lighting window and the rotary gas cock.
The manufacturers' representatives pro- vide dimensional drawings for contractors, and the services of their technical staff are always available for providing the com- of the installation, plete specification including gas and cold water services, and hot water draw-offs.
Since its first appearance on the market, the balanced flue multipoint has been In the U.K. many extremely popular. thousands have been installed by the local authorities and builders for flat schemes, etc.
Many European countries are also interested in the 715 and there is a steady increase in the number of installations now in progress.
Hong Kong took an early interest in the appliance, and among the many instal- lations completed or contracted for are the following: The New Ritz Hotel, North Point, 41 appliances; Mountain Court, The Peak, 40; Waterloo Apartments, Waterloo Road, 44; Kwong Wah Hospital, Kowloon, 59: Estoril Court, B & C Blocks, 80; Lincoln Court, Tai Hang Road, 28; Pine Court, K Block, H.K., 24.
THE HONG KONG & FAR EAST BUILDER — VOLUME 14, NUMBER 4