The present disclosure relates, generally, to heating systems and, in particular, to a heat transfer of a heating system.
Various heating systems, including fireplaces and furnaces for home installations, may have been made available to consumers in recent years with improved control systems. Despite improvements, such heating systems may be limited in the ability to control the heat distribution from the heating system to the area to be heated.
For example, while current heating systems have frequently utilized various techniques to separate the combustion air from the room air, such as direct air venting systems, very little has been done to improve heat transfer and distribution, and/or increase the efficiency of the system. This efficiency may include the amount of heat transferred to the surrounding area.
In accordance with various aspects of exemplary embodiments, a heating system may include heat exchangers, such that the heating system may operate more efficiently. In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, an exemplary heating system may include a combustion air path, a convection air path, as well as other pathways for air and/or heat exchanging configurations. The heating system may include various types of heating configurations, such as fireplaces, stoves, furnaces or other like heating systems. An air intake is configured to receive external air into the heating system, while an exhaust vent is configured to remove exhaust from within the heating system. Both the air intake and exhaust vent can be configured in various manners, shapes and sizes for providing the respected air intake and exhaust removal functions, as well as heat exchange.
In accordance with one aspect of exemplary embodiments, the heating system may be configured to include heat exchangers to increase the efficiency of the system.
The exemplary embodiments may be described in conjunction with the appended drawing figures in which like numerals denote like elements and:
The present disclosure may describe various functional components. It should be appreciated that such functional components may be realized by any number of hardware components, electrical and mechanical, configured to perform the specified functions. In addition, exemplary embodiments may be practiced in any number of heating system contexts, and the fireplace systems described herein are merely one exemplary application.
Referring now to
In an embodiment, the convection, combustion and/or air inlet air flow pathways and/or systems may also be used in other manners by utilizing heat transfer devices to extract heat, including flat and/or accordion plate heat exchangers, air flow passages for exhaust and/or convection air, casting, hot air intake, and/or other methods and systems for discharging heat to the surrounding area. The utilization of heat exchangers with a stove may increase the efficiency of the system, increase the convection temperature, and/or lower the exhaust temperature, and/or combinations thereof. Heat exchangers may be utilized in many portions of the heating system to generally reduce inefficiencies.
Furthermore, combustion and convection air flow may be configured to be parallel, counter, and/or cross flow, and/or combinations thereof to further increase efficiency. In an embodiment, heat exchange between the convection and combustion air, heat exchange between the air intake and the exhaust air, mixing the exhaust air with the air intake, etc. may make the system more efficient.
Heating system 10, as herein illustrated in the exemplary embodiment, may be a biomass pellet, fuel, and/or grain-fed, and/or other fuel, and/or combinations thereof, space-heating stove. The system may include a “key,” which may allow the system to utilize different fuels. The key may be added to allow the use of various type of fuel. The system may allow a user to switch fuel type without shutting down the system.
In an embodiment, system 10 may include a hopper 23. Hopper 23 may be configured for storage of fuel sources, such as solid fuel pellets 24, for example. Hopper 23 may be various sizes, shapes, and configurations for storage of fuel. In an exemplary embodiment, fuel pellets 24 may be fed into a fuel bed 25 of combustion chamber 12 by an auger 26 feeding a chute 27.
In the exemplary embodiment, solid fuel pellets 24 entering combustion chamber 12 may be projected into fuel bed 25 by gravity and supported by a support mechanism in the form of a support tray 28. Support tray 28 may be fixedly secured under the bottom, open end of the inner wall 16. An ash collecting tray 29 may be removably secured under this support tray 28 and accessible through a door 30. A sensor may be included, which may alert a user that the ash pan is full. This may indicate that the pan should be emptied. If the pan is not emptied, the system may shut down, or other sequence, to protect the system.
Solid fuel pellets and grains (fuel) 24 may also be fed from the bottom or the side of the unit, or any other configuration for providing fuel, and the like, onto fuel bed 25. For example, rather than hopper 23 and/or auger 26, many other mechanisms or systems for conveying materials may be suitably implemented.
The system may be capable of operating a high-efficiency burn mode, or a clean burn mode, which may be user selectable.
Shown in
As seen in
In operation, cool convection air passes thru an internal part of this device 100. The convection air is then heated by the exhaust passing thru the irregular surfaced portion 104. The design of the irregular surfaced portion 104 provides more heat transfer than standard somewhat smooth and/or regular surfaced heat exchangers. As such, the design of the irregular surfaced portion 104 allows more heat to be transferred generally from the interior of the device 100 to the exterior of the device 100.
It should be understood that the device 100 can be made by extrusion method using aluminum. The device 100 may also be cast into various shapes using different materials based on the geometry that meets the design needs. As such it should further be understood that multiple configurations of the irregular surfaced portion 104 may be used based on design configurations. Some examples include but are not limited to accordion-type, flat-type, corrugated-type, heat pipe-type, and spiral plated-type configurations.
Many different types and configurations of heat exchangers may be utilized with the system. A corrugated surface plate, or a casting made from copper or other high heat transfer coefficient material may be positioned between different air flows to enhance heat transfer. Utilizing finned tubes may further increase the surface area and increase the heat transfer characteristics of the system. Furthermore, the alteration of the air flow devices to create turbulence or other disruption may further increase efficiency.
Other types of heat exchangers, such as heat pipes, or condensers may also be utilized to enhance heat transfer, as they may utilize the phase shifts of fluids to release heat at a much higher rate. Furthermore, there may be other heat exchangers that enhance heat transfer such as coaxial venting, radiator, spiral plated exchangers, and/or any other heat exchanger that may enhance heat transfer.
Referring now to
Furthermore, user interface 61 may be configured to allow a user to control and/or manipulate the operation of the solid fuel biomass pellet heating device 10, such as the system illustrated in
Controller 60 may be configured to control the motor(s) and the fans, and inputs and operating parameters utilizing information from sensors located throughout the system. To start the operation of a biomass pellet device 10, a user may actuate the button labeled “Start” 78. This may cause the pellets to be automatically fed to the burner and ignited by an ignition device, to create an initial fuel bed. Other steps may then be accomplished to start the operation of heating system 10, such as starting the system with a fire starter, and/or starting with one fuel and continuing the burn with another fuel. Other ignition methods may be utilized, including utilization of an air pump and/or an igniter to assist in creating a torch effect, and/or more than one ignition source. Furthermore, a user may turn off the heating deice by depressing the button labeled “Stop” 80.
In an embodiment, the “Service” actuator 82 may activate diagnostics for the system. The diagnostics may include tuning the bum to compensate for atmospheric conditions, and/or variations in fuel, and fuel quality. It will be appreciated that the diagnostics of the system may include many other diagnostics.
In an embodiment, the user may select a desired mode of operation of device 10 by inputting desired parameters into the controller by the use of interface pad 61. Interface pad 61 can also be provided with heat level buttons 73, which may control the amount of heat produced by the system. This may increase or decrease the temperature in combustion chamber 12. This increase may cause an increase in the temperature of the heated air released by the biomass pellet device through the heat exchanger located above the flame, which may be regulated by a separate fan. All of these operating parameters may be capable of being stepped up or down, to maintain relatively optimum performance levels and/or to decrease inefficiencies of the system, according to the desired heat performance required of the device.
Additionally, the entire system can operate from a remote thermostat to regulate all of these operating parameters based at least in part upon the setting(s) of the thermostat. User interface 61 may also be removed from the system and be used remotely. A “Prime Stove” actuator 72 may be provided, which may be capable of activating a method for manually priming the heating device. This may be due to the various types and/or qualities of the fuel being utilized. Priming may not be necessary for all fuels, types, and/or qualities.
Inputs from actuators may be sent to the controller, which may regulate the speed of the motor, which drives the ash auger. Control switches 73 may also be utilized to set a desired BTU output of the pellet stove. Through the software of the controller, the type of fuel and substantially optimal operating conditions of the device may be regulated and maintained.
User interface 61 may also include a fuel selection button 70, which may be configured to indicate to the controller the fuel that will be used. Different choices for fuel may appear within display 64. The user may then depress “Heat” actuator 74, which may allow a user to adjust the heat level using buttons 73. This may allow the controller to control various aspects of the system based at least in part upon the type of fuel being used by the system. In an embodiment, the types of fuel shown are solid fuels. However, other fuels, such as non-solid fuels, may also be utilized.
User interface 61 may be attached to the system, or may be a remote control. Furthermore, user interface 61 may also be capable of communicating with other devices within the heating environment to further control the operation of the system. In one embodiment, another device may be a temperature sensor that may interface with the system.
The present invention sets forth a heat transfer controller that is applicable to various heating system applications. It will be understood that the foregoing description is of exemplary embodiments of the invention, and that the invention is not limited to the specific forms shown. Various modifications may be made in the design and arrangement of the elements set forth herein without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure. For example, the sensors utilized are not limited to those shown herein. Furthermore, other user interfaces may be utilized as well. Many other processors/controllers, as well as sensors may be utilized without straying from the concepts disclosed herein. These and other changes or modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention, as set forth in the following claims.
This application claims priority to and benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/894,409, entitled “Heat Exchanger” and filed on Mar. 12, 2007.
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
60894409 | Mar 2007 | US |