Patent Application
20180094821
The invention disclosed herein generally relates to heating systems. More particularly, the invention relates to a closed loop heating system for heating air of any given space.
Heating systems maintain temperatures of living spaces in cold regions at a level that ensures the occupant comfort. Typically, heating systems use thermal energy to warm the interior of a room or building. Traditionally, warm air furnaces would heat its heat exchanger directly with a gas or oil flame. Additionally, furnaces distributing heat from the combustion of fossil fuels are also popular. Steam heating systems are also used for heating larger buildings. These systems utilize the thermal energy generated by the combustion of coal, oil, or gas. There exists also air handlers that can be equipped with hot water coils using a near by boiler to circulate its water. Although, there exists multiple steam heating systems, the amount of heat or thermal energy required to generate sufficient steam to heat a given space is high. A system, which reduces the amount of heat required to generate sufficient steam to heat a given space, is required.
Hence, there is a long felt but unresolved need for a system, which reduces the amount of heat required to generate sufficient steam to heat a given space. Moreover, there is a need for a system, which is safer and cleaner to operate than existing systems. Furthermore, there is a need for a system, which requires less maintenance.
This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further disclosed in the detailed description of the invention. This summary is not intended to identify key or essential inventive concepts of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended for determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.
The closed loop heating system for heating air of a given space, disclosed herein, addresses the above-mentioned need for a system, which reduces the amount of heat required to generate sufficient steam to heat a given space. Moreover, the invention addresses a need for a system, which is safer and cleaner to operate than existing systems. Furthermore, the invention addresses the need for a system, which requires less maintenance. The closed loop heating system comprises a vacuum pump, a boiler, a heat exchanger, a blower, and a piping network. The vacuum pump maintains a low pressure in the piping network. The boiler is in fluid communication with the vacuum pump via the piping network for heating a working fluid. The boiler heats the working fluid to a heated vapor. The heat exchanger is in fluid communication with the boiler for receiving the heated vapor via the piping network. The blower is positioned proximal to the heat exchanger for receiving air from the given space. The blower blows the received air over the heat exchanger for heating the air of the given space.
The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of the invention, is better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the invention, exemplary constructions of the invention are shown in the drawings. However, the invention is not limited to the specific methods and structures disclosed herein. The description of a method step or a structure referenced by a numeral in a drawing is applicable to the description of that method step or structure shown by that same numeral in any subsequent drawing herein.
The blower 104 blows the received air over the heat exchanger 103 for heating the air of the given space. The boiler 102 boils the working fluid, for example, water in vacuum. This reduces the amount of heat needed to make steam as the boiling temperature of steam is drastically reduced at pressure levels of vacuum. Since, steam has a high heat output; steam moves itself without the use of pumps. Moreover, the generated steam only moves around a small area speeding up the entire process. The closed loop heating system 100 lowers energy cost as only a small amount of water is required to make steam for the steam cycle through the heat exchanger 103. The water circulating in the closed loop heating system 100 is not lost as the water is contained in a vacuum tight system. This eliminates the need to add new water to the boiler 102 often, which in turn reduces the impurities put into the boiler 102 keeping it cleaner inside the closed loop heating system 100. In an embodiment, the boiler 102 and the piping network 105 is made of, for example, a stainless steel material, copper material, etc., to cut down, or completely eliminate the rust and slug that plagues steam systems.
In an embodiment, the boiler 102 of the closed loop heating system 100 operates under ounces of pressure as opposed to pounds in other systems. This increases safety of the boiler 102. The closed loop heating system 100 is a central heating system that uses a small steam boiler 102 fueled by an energy source, for example, electricity, natural gas, propane, oil, condensing coil in a refrigeration system, etc., to boil water under a vacuum to heat a single heat exchanger 103. The purpose of boiling water while in a vacuum is to drop the saturation temperature so water turns to steam under 212° F. at a vacuum pressure of about 20 inches of Hg. Vacuum is measured on a scale from 0-30 and represents inches of mercury. The steam moves at about 160° F. and the volume of steam increases from about 27 cubic feet to 75 cubic feet per pound of water. The closed loop heating system 100 heats the heat exchanger 103 of various sizes based on varying quantities of water in the boiler 102. Furthermore, with no air in the piping network 105, the steam does not have to build pressure to push the air out, allowing the gas to fill the piping network 105 with lighting speed.
The boiler 102 is a tank where water is boiled. The boiler 102 has tapping for the steam to rise out of the boiler 102 and the steam condensate to return to the boiler 102. The boiler 102 comprises various components, for example, the boiler relief valve, the pressure troll, the vacuum gauge, the sight glass, the skim tapping, the drain, the heat source 108, etc. The boiler relief valve opens if the boiler pressure is over 15 psi, which is the standard for a low-pressure steam system. The boiler relief valve regulates the pressure of the boiler 102. The vacuum gauge measures the vacuum in the closed loop heating system 100. The sight glass shows the water level in the boiler 102.
In an embodiment, the boiler 102 is made from a stainless steel material. In an embodiment, the piping network 105 to and from the boiler 102 is made of a copper material to keep corrosion and rust particles out of the closed loop heating system 100. In residential applications, the boiler 102 requires about two gallons of water to heat the given space by exchanging heat in the heat exchangers 103. In an embodiment, the boiler 102 heats a single heat exchanger 103 in the closed loop heating system 100 or several radiators in the space. In an embodiment, the closed loop heating system 100 comprises a cut off device 106 for turning off the heat source 108 if the level of working fluid in the boiler 102 is low.
The cut off device 106 shuts the heat source 108 down in the event that, the water level drops below a safe point for the boiler 102 to function properly. In an embodiment, the boiler 102 is heated using the heat source 108, for example, an electric heating element, a refrigeration system-condensing coil, etc. When the cut off device 106 is activated the heat source 108 is shut off for about three minutes to allow the proper amount of condensate to return to the boiler 102. When this process is completed, the cut off device 106 signals an automatic water feed 107 to top off the water level. After the cut off device 106 is re-submerged, the boiler 102 returns to normal operation. In an embodiment, the cut off device 106 is powered by 24 volts. The automatic water feed 107 adds water to the boiler 102 when the cut off device 106 is signaled and is cycling or the boiler 102 is low on water. In an embodiment, 24 volts power the automatic water feed 107. When the steam condenses back to water, the condensate drains back to the boiler 102 for the process to happen again through the condensate return.
The Hartford loop 109 is the name for the water trap made to maintain a proper water level in the boiler 102 and prevent the boiler water from backing up into the return. A float and thermostatic trap is mounted to the exit side of the heat exchanger 103. In an embodiment, the float and thermostatic trap has three ports. The float and thermostatic trap has a steam connection in port, a steam connection out port, and an air vent. The vacuum line port leading to the vacuum pump, which pulls air from the piping. The steam works its way back around the heat exchanger 103. The steam condenses into water and fills the trap. A ball float lifts to drain the condensate back to the boiler 102 through the Hartford loop 109. The blower 104 pulls air out of the conditioned space and across the heat exchanger 103 and then recirculates the heated air into the conditioned space via a duct network in the closed loop heating system 100. The vapor stat is a pressure control device that regulates the steam pressure of the boiler 102 within ounces of pressure opposed to whole or half pounds. Existing steam systems control the firing of their burners with these controls. The steam separator is used to protect the vacuum pump 101 from moisture
The foregoing examples have been provided merely for the purpose of explanation and are in no way to be construed as limiting of the closed loop heating system 100, disclosed herein. While the closed loop heating system 100 has been described with reference to various embodiments, it is understood that the words, which have been used herein, are words of description and illustration, rather than words of limitation. Further, although the closed loop heating system 100, has been described herein with reference to particular means, materials, and embodiments, the closed loop heating system 100 is not intended to be limited to the particulars disclosed herein; rather, the closed loop heating system 100 extends to all functionally equivalent structures, methods and uses, such as are within the scope of the appended claims. Those skilled in the art, having the benefit of the teachings of this specification, may effect numerous modifications thereto and changes may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the closed loop heating system 100 disclosed herein in their aspects.
