Patent Application
20110127253
The present disclosure generally relates to electric heating systems. In particular, in one or more embodiments, the present disclosure relates to electric heating systems and associated methods for central heating and/or space heating that circulate a heating medium (e.g., antifreeze) and may comprise a tank, a pump, a motor blower, and a heater core.
A variety of different heating systems have been used heretofore for both central heating and space heating. In a typical central heating system, the system generates heat at a single location and then distributes that heat to the interior of a building. Such systems may be used in private homes, public buildings, and commercial buildings. Central heating systems may be combined with other systems that provide ventilation and air conditioning to a building. These combined heating, ventilating, and air conditioning systems are commonly referred to by the acronym “HVAC.” Fossil fuels, electricity, solar energy, and heat pumps may be used to provide the heat needed in a central heating system. This heat may be distributed through the house by heating a fluid (e.g., air, steam, water) that is circulated through the building. By way of example, a duct system may be used to distribute heated air through a building. By way of further example, pipes may be used to distribute heated water/steam through a building to radiators that transfer the heat from the heated water/steam to the building's air. Drawbacks to these conventional heating systems may include energy consumption, as well as environmental hazards, such as potentially undesirable levels of oxygen consumption.
Thus, there is a need for improved heating systems that can be used for central heating and/or space heating.
An embodiment of the present invention provides an electric heating system. The electric heating system may comprise a tank for storing a heating medium. The electric heating system further may comprise an electric heating element disposed in the tank for heating the heating medium in the tank. The electric heating system further may comprise a pump for circulating the heating medium in the electric heating system. The electric heating system further may comprise a heater core in fluid connection with the tank for exchanging heat between the heating medium and air. The electric heating system further may comprise a motor blower for forcing the air across the heater core.
Another embodiment of the present invention provides an electric heating system. The electric heating system may comprise an un-insulated rectangular tank that comprises a heating medium and that is constructed from a material comprising black iron. The heating medium may comprise antifreeze. The electric heating system further may comprise an electric heating element disposed in the tank for heating the heating medium in the tank. The electric heating system further may comprise a circulating pump for circulating the heating medium in the electric heating system. The electric heating system further may comprise a heater core in fluid connection with the tank for exchanging heat between the heating medium and air. The electric heating system further may comprise a motor blower for forcing the air across the heater core and having an air intake. The air intake for the motor blower may be located a distance of about ½ inch to about 1 inch from a side of the tank.
Another embodiment of the present invention provides a heating method. The heating method may comprise heating a liquid in a tank with an electric heating element. The heating method further may comprise directing the liquid from the tank to a heater core. The heating method further may comprise forcing air across the heater core with a motor blower, whereby heat is exchanged from the liquid to the air. The method further may comprise returning the liquid from the heater core to the tank.
The features and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. While numerous changes may be made by those skilled in the art, such changes are within the spirit of the invention.
The present disclosure generally relates to electric heating systems. In particular, in one or more embodiments, the present disclosure relates to electric heating systems and associated methods for central heating and/or space heating that circulate a heating medium (e.g., antifreeze) and may comprise a tank, a pump, a motor blower, and a heater core. In accordance with embodiments of the present invention, the electric heating system may be used for central heating, space heating, or any other suitable heating purpose. For example, the electric heating system may used in a central heating system to provide heat for a private home, public building, or commercial building. By way of further example, the electric heating system may be used locally to provide heat to a space, such as a room, warehouse, or the like.
There may be several potential advantages to the systems and methods of the present invention, only some of which may be alluded to herein. One of the many potential advantages of the systems and methods of the present invention is that the embodiments of the electric heating systems of the present invention may utilize less energy than conventional heating systems, whether the conventional systems rely on electricity, heating oil, propane, or the like to provide energy. For example, embodiments of the present invention may utilize up to six times less energy than a conventional electric heater. Another potential advantage of the systems and methods of the present invention may be reduced environmental hazards, in that embodiments of the present invention may consume less (or potentially no) oxygen when compared to conventional heating systems. Yet another potential advantage may be that embodiments of the present invention may have reduced risk of fire as compared to heating systems, for example, that rely on fossil fuels for energy.
Referring now to
Any of a variety of suitable materials may be used to construct the tank 20. Examples of suitable metals include black iron, cast iron, and aluminum. Black iron generally refers to a type of metal constructed from steel that is not galvanized. Black iron tanks may be preferred in certain applications due to their improved heat absorption, for example, as compared with galvanized metals. Improved heat absorption may be preferred, in certain embodiments, to provide increased passive heat loss from the tank 20. Passive heat loss from the tank 20 may be captured, for example, in air that is drawn into the motor blower 50 and/or in a metal strap (as discussed below) that may connect the tank 20 and the motor blower 50. In accordance with embodiments of the present invention, the tank 20 may constructed from a material comprising black iron and having a thickness of about ⅛ inch.
The tank 20 may be of any general shape, including, for example, rectangular, square, cylindrical, oval, and a variety of other shapes that may be suitable for a particular application. In certain embodiments, the tank 20 may be a horizontal rectangular tank. Rectangular tanks may be desired in certain applications due to their case of construction, cost, and passive heat loss, as compared to cylindrical tanks. As mentioned above, passive heat loss from the tank 20 may be desired in certain applications. The tank 20 generally should be sized based a number of factors, including the volume of the heating medium needed to provide the desired heat generation. In one particular embodiment, the tank 20 may be about 15 inches in length, about 8 inches in width, and about 14 inches in height.
A heating medium for circulation in the electric heating system 10 may be stored in the tank 20. As illustrated by
As illustrated by
The temperature of the heating medium in the tank 20 may be controlled, in certain embodiments, by the thermostat 120. In certain embodiments, the thermostat 120 may be a digital thermostat. The thermostat 120 may have, for example, a breaker. The thermostat 120 may be set to maintain the temperature of the heating medium at a desired temperature. In this manner, the thermostat 120 may turn off the heating element 100 when the heating medium in the tank 20 reaches or exceeds the desired temperature. For example, the thermostat 120 may turn off the heating element 100 when the temperature of the heating medium reaches about 150° F. Controlling the temperature of the heating medium in the tank 20 is a safety measure that can be used to prevent overheating in the tank 20. As illustrated, the heating element 100 and the temperature sensor 110 may be coupled to the thermostat 120. In the illustrated embodiment, the thermostat 120 is coupled to the side of the tank 20. However, while the thermostat 120 is illustrated on the side of the tank 20, it should be understood that the thermostat 120 may be placed in any suitable location for controlling the temperature of the heating medium.
The relief valve 130 may be disposed in the top of the tank 20, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. The relief valve 130 generally may serve as an additional safety feature for the electric heating system 10. While the thermostat 120 should control the temperature inside the tank 20, in certain embodiments, the relief valve 130 may be a temperature relief valve, opening to relieve excessive temperature that may be built up inside the tank 20. If there is any exhaust heat from the relief valve 130, this heat should remain within system 10 such that no heat loss occurs, maintaining the system's efficiency. Alternatively, the relief valve 130 may be a pressure relief valve 130, opening to relieve excessive pressure that may be built up inside the tank 20. In certain embodiments, the relief valve 130 may be a temperature/pressure relief valve. The temperature/pressure relief valve may be set to relieve excessive temperature and/or pressure inside the tank 20 if it approaches the limits of the tank 20. The relief valve 130 does not need to be permanently welded to the tank 20. By way of example, the relief valve 130 may be screwed into a nipple that is welded in the top of the tank 20. When needed, the relief valve 130 may be unscrewed for adding and/or replacing the heating medium in the tank 20, for example, during system maintenance.
Referring again to
As illustrated by
Referring again to
The motor blower 50 may be controlled by blower thermostat 180, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. The blower thermostat 180 may include, for example, a temperature sensor (not illustrated) for sensing the room temperature. The blower thermostat 180 may be set to turn on the motor blower 50 and, thus, the motor 170 at a specified temperature. Any of a variety of different motor blowers may be used in accordance with embodiments of the preset invention. An example of a suitable motor blower is Dayton High Temperature Blower 1TDV4, available from W. W. Grainger, Inc.
As previously mentioned, the electric heating system 10 may be enclosed by cover 60, such as a metal cover. In certain embodiments, the cover 60 may be an enclosure having four sides, a base, and a top. The cover 60 may be sized for enclosing the system 10. In certain embodiments, the cover 60 may be have a width of about 22 inches, a length of about 22 inches, and a height of about 16 inches. Optionally, wheels (e.g., 4 wheels) may be attached to the bottom of the cover 60, providing added mobility to the system 10. The cover 60 may include several openings as desired for particular applications. For example, the cover 60 may include an opening (e.g., a square opening) sized for the heater core 40. By way of further example, the cover 60 may include an opening (e.g, a circular opening) sized for the motor-blower 50. The opening for the motor blower 50 may be provided to prevent and/or reduce overheating of the motor blower 50. By way of further example, there may also be an additional small vent opening in the cover 60 at the back of the motor blower 50.
A variety of suitable wiring configurations may be used for connecting the pump 30, the motor blower 50, the heating element 100, the thermostat 120, and the blower thermostat 180 to an electric power supply. Provided herein is a description of an example wiring configuration that may be used in accordance with one embodiment of the present technique. It should be understood that other suitable wiring configurations may also be used in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. The electric heating system 10 may be placed on a dedicated circuit with a separate breaker, for example, a 20-amp breaker. This circuit may be similar, for example, to a dedicated circuit that may be used for a residential washing machine. There may be a common on/off switch to control the supply of power to the system 10. The pump 30, the thermostat 120, and the blower thermostat 180 may each be separately wired to the power supply. The heating element 100 may be wired to the motor blower 50 with the motor blower 50 wired to the blower thermostat 180. In this manner, the blower thermostat 180 may help to control the temperature of the heating medium. In other words, the blower thermostat 180 may be set to turn on the motor blower 50 when the room temperature reaches a preset temperature. For example, if the blower thermostat 180 is set at 65° F., the motor blower 50 and, thus, the heating element 100 may turn on if the room is at a temperature of 65° F. or less. The pump 30 may also be wired to the motor blow 50, in certain embodiments of the present invention. The thermostat 120 may be separately wired to the electrical outlet.
As previously mentioned, embodiments of the electric heating system 10 of the present invention may be used for central heating and/or space heating. In central heating embodiments, the heater core 40 may be connected to a duct. By way of example, the heater core 40 may be connected in the duct of an HVAC system.
The heating medium may be returned to the tank 20 by heating return 80. Air may be forced across the heater core 40 by the motor blower 50. More particularly, air from the blower outlet 160 may be directed across the heater core 40 in the duct 200. Heat may be transferred from the heating medium in the heater core 40 to the air from the blower outlet 160. Duct 200 may then distribute the heated air passing across the heater core 40, as needed for a particular application. For example, the duct 200 may be incorporated into an HVAC system, distributing the heated air throughout a building.
Although the present invention and its advantages have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations may be made herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. While systems and methods are described in terms of “comprising,” “containing,” “having,” or “including” various components or steps, the systems and methods can also “consist essentially of” or “consist of” the various components and steps.
