Upright direct fired water bath propane vaporizer

Abstract

A water bath vaporizer for converting liquid propane into gaseous propane includes a propane-carrying heat transfer pipe in the form of a helix immersed in a water bath in an insulated upright cylindrical water chamber. Multiple straight vertical flues are integral with a bottom plate and a top plate of the water chamber and are open through the water bath and the center of the helix to carry combustion products and heated air from a combustion chamber to a stack above. Liquid propane is introduced at the top of the helix and gaseous propane is removed from the bottom and is discharged vertically upwardly through a liquid cut-off float valve which prevents flow of liquid propane out of the vaporizer. A breather attachment includes a breather pipe having a first section extending outwardly from a top portion of the water chamber at a slight upward angle and having a vertical second section terminating in an upwardly opening outer end. A vent cap over this open end is removable to add make-up water to the water chamber. Spaced apart heat conducting fins extend outwardly from the first section and cool it so that vapors from the water bath will be condensed and flow back into the bath. The vaporizer and a control box are located within an enclosure. The control box is located above the fire box and has a removable control box access panel or door which is louvered top and bottom to provide drying and ventilation of the controls and to provide combustion air to the burner.