Patent Grant
9188347
None
None
This invention relates to apparatus and method of auxiliary heat exchange module used to integrate a remote heating source into sharing ductwork with another heating system. More particularly, the present invention relates to modular heat ejection units configured to distribute heat to a living space by sharing existing ductwork and blower.
The supply and cost economics of meeting domestic energy needs points to alternative sources. There is not one clear dominant alternative source of energy at the present time. However, what appear clear are diversifications in all direction. While pursuing diversification, the cost of the main energy source (fossil) is rising rapidly. Some of the diversification leads to supplemental energy sources instead. Some supplemental energy sources such as fireplaces eject the heat in the vicinity of their location. Traditionally, it makes the location space of the fireplace, say family room, to be excessively warm while farther locations are colder. With increase in auxiliary energy sources comes the need to position and integrate them into existing main ductworks.
An efficient integration would have sole and simultaneous sharing of a distribution ductwork and return system. Various methods have been presented in prior art for integrating and circulating auxiliary heat derived from solid fuel combustion and solar cells into all section of a living space.
The following review of prior art represents some of the efforts and deficiencies that have been made in the auxiliary heat exchange integration into one shared ductwork. U.S. Pat. No. 4,360,152 illustrates a solid fuel heat exchanger adapted to preheating cold intake air feeding a conventional heating furnace. This system would require the conventional furnace to be in continuous operation at the same time as the solid fuel fireplace, to use the hot intake air. Substantial shorter life to electrical blower motor always exists when hot auxiliary heat is blown through it. Using an auxiliary heat to preheat a cold air return duct does not present a great value and safety. There is need for a seamless integration for two heaters sharing one ductwork system. U.S. Pat. No. 4,049,194 teaches the system and method of integration of auxiliary fireplace and solar heating systems with air and fluid exchangers for heat storage. The air exchanger is large and laborious to install on an existing chimney brick wall. There is need for integrating a heat source that does not require extensive labor and construction.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,130,105 illustrated an auxiliary forced air exchanger for wood furnace connected to hot air distribution and cold air return duct of a conventional forced air furnace. This system has a pre-fireplace blower and ducts leading into the existing main furnace circulation ductwork. Four large ducting holes will be made through existing chimney brick wall during installation. Additionally, most fireplaces are located in the family or living room where ductwork will be unsightly. It is also noted that the flue of the fireplace and main furnace are joined which is against both National Fire Protection Association and Chimney Safety Institute of America rules. The result could be deadly. There is need for auxiliary heat ejector integration that will meet standards of safety, be cost effective, out of sight and less labor intensive.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,550,687 describes a system and a method for exchanging heat from fireplace to heating air intake of a structure. This art implies that the central hot air furnace and the fireplace heat source must be operated at the same time to utilize or get any benefit of this method. There is need for an auxiliary heater that can perform at high efficiency when main system is idle or down.
Collectively, the prior art present permanent intrusive and obstructive presence in the air circulation system. Particularly when they are not in operation and contributing as energy source in the ductwork system, their presence are not minimized. The presence of these auxiliary heat ejectors creates circulation system turbulence and resistance to air flow without compensation. The rate of flow is diminished unnecessarily. There is need to minimize obstruction and presence of auxiliary heat ejectors in an existing main ductwork.
Many of the prior art use hot air to transport heat energy from heat source to a plenum. Air would not be efficient for long distant transfer of heat because it is voluminous and low in heat capacity. In addition, a very tedious construction work is needed to bore two (in some cases four) large holes through brick chimney walls for air ducts that will connect fireplace heat exchanger and main heater plenum in a distant location. Also, air is inefficient and does not retain heat content over a long distance, say from the fireplace to central heater plenum in the basement of a house. There is the need to reduce construction and installation cost, eliminate labor, increase effectiveness and efficiency.
Some of the prior art supply the auxiliary heat to the return air of a primary heating unit. The auxiliary heated air goes through the blower electric motor of the main heating unit. Electric motors are typically not designed to intake non-ambient (hot) temperatures. Such installation could cause electric motor overheat, and short life or burnout of the motor. On another review, passing heated air from an auxiliary heat source through the main heater elements is inefficient. Where the main heating unit is off and only the blower is on, the auxiliary heat energy input from the return air will be absorbed by the main heating unit elements, radiator and blower before the heat reaches the desired living space. Therefore, the net value of the energy gained is diminished. There is the need for auxiliary heat exchanger that ejects heat directly into the distribution ductwork of the main or primary heating unit.
The embodiments of the auxiliary, remote distance transporting and integrating heat ejectors of the present invention are directed generally to devices used to integrate hot fluid source to share a ductwork system for supply and distribution of thermal energy. More particularly, this invention relates to an alternate heating source (or supplemental heating source), sharing ductwork and blower solely, alternately and simultaneously with another heating source in a ductwork circulation system to provide efficient additional heating for multiple sections of space to be heated. One flexible auxiliary heater of the present invention consist of and embodies: a flexible body; a heat ejector; connection means and mount for connecting to a ductwork having a primary heater with blower and return air; a short shared and a long sole partition of the ductwork stream; a fluid pump; and an actuator with recoil spring that opens and closes the shared/sole partition.
An alternate projection auxiliary heat ejector embodies telescopic insertion and retraction means into the ductwork air flow path. The projection auxiliary heater actuates the shared or sole partitioning and activates a fluid pump. The projection auxiliary heater further embodies radiators in a cart on wheels. For heat exchange efficiency, the heat carrying fluid in the radiators flow counter-current to the ductwork air blowing direction through the auxiliary heater.
Another embodiment is an optional independent circulator module to connect the auxiliary heaters to air return for independent operation. The independent circulator module comprises of a flexible body with blower, support, and flanges for connection. The independent circulator module has backflow check guard in the inlet end that connects to the air-return ductwork system to prevent backflow.
In another embodiment, a hollow helical heat reclaimer smoke condenser, incorporated by reference, is used inversely as a heater and the draft inducer, incorporated by reference, is used as a blower at the inlet position of the heater. In yet another embodiment, a modified universal flue pipe connector with damper and sweep access, incorporated by reference, is used in both inlet and outlet to connect one or multiple heater and heat sources to ductworks.
The present embodiment presents apparatus with capability of sole, partial or simultaneously utilization of the existing ductwork. These auxiliary heaters eject heat directly into the distribution ductwork, reduce installation cost and labor and minimize presence or obstruction in a ductwork.
Accordingly, one or more of the embodiments offer several advantages as follows: providing auxiliary, transporting heat ejector apparatus with capability of sole, partial or simultaneously utilization of shared ductwork, having on-demand or no presence in a ductwork, ejects heat directly into the distribution ductwork, can be easily manufactured, reduces installation cost and labor and minimize obstruction and presence of auxiliary heat ejectors in a shared main ductwork. These and other advantages of one or more aspects of the instant disclosure will be more readily apparent in light of the following drawing and representative illustrations:
Construction:
One embodiment is illustrated in
The transporting heat ejector 380A has two sole-partitions 37e sliding over two share-partitions 35e. The two sliding sole-partitions 37e are adjusted and held in desired position by with a sole-share adjusters 33e. The heat ejector 380A can use the ductwork in a sole S or shared t position by adjusting with the sole-share adjuster 33e. The Two share partitions 35e are pivotally connected to actuator piston 27e and to two partition controllers 29e and 31e which are also connected to the actuator piston 27e. The actuator piston 27e is connected to an actuator 23e. The actuator 23e is attached to the corrugated body 53e by actuator fasteners 51e. A pump 49e is connected to the cold fluid outlet line 47e which pumps the fluid to optionally through the actuator 23e to cold fluid inlet line 22e of a heat source. A heating source outlet connects heated fluid inlet line 21e. As another option, the fluid inlet line 21e is connected through the actuator 23e to a hot fluid intake line 39e. The hot fluid intake line 39e is connected to the first heat exchange radiators 41e which is connected in head-to tail series by tubular coils 43e. The last heat exchange radiator 41e connects to exchange cold fluid outlet line 47e which connects to the pump 49e to complete a closed-loop. The actuator 23e has power options such as electric or hydraulic or both. Where the actuator is hydraulic powered, the pump 49e provide the fluid force from the inlet line 21e or alternatively the outlet line 47e which is connected to actuates the actuator 23e. After the actuator, the fluid passes to connects to the hot fluid intake line 39e and then to the heat exchange tunnel of radiators 41e and coils 43e. The pump may be optionally powered by a higher utility AC volts or step down transformed and rectified volt DC with a backup rechargeable battery which provides for operation in event of power failure. The share partitions 35e opens from Y to X position as the actuator piston 27e and the partition controllers 29e, 31e move forward. When the actuator 23e is turned off or there is a system power failure, a recoil spring 25e pulls back the actuator piston 27e which closes share partitions 35e from X to Y. The auxiliary heater 380A is then out of the way and the ductworks is turned over to the other heater's sole operation.
An alternate embodiment is illustrated in
A pump 49f is connected in the exchange cold fluid outlet line 47e which takes the fluid optionally to a hydraulic actuator and then to inlet of any heat source and subsequently to a heated fluid inlet line 21f. The pump operates with utility AC volts or optional step down transformed and rectified DC current and backup rechargeable battery which provides for operation in event of power failure. The fluid inlet line 21f passes the actuator 23f and is connected through hot fluid intake line 39f to the heat exchange radiators 41f and exit back to exchange cold Fluid outlet line 47f in a closed loop. The actuator 23f has power options such as electric or hydraulic. Where the actuator is hydraulic powered, the pump 49f provides hydraulic force from the heated fluid inlet line 21f to flow into and actuates the actuator 23f. The fluid then passes the actuator through a coil of hot fluid inlet 39f into the top stack of heat exchange radiators 41f and exit at the bottom through exchange cold Fluid outlet 47f line. The projection auxiliary heater 390 can use a ductwork in sole or shared partition of the duct by adjusting the length of the first stage partition telescopic piston 31f. Adjusting the length of first stage partition telescopic piston 31f changes the maximum angle of the sole-share partition 37f which corresponds to usage from 0 to 100% of the ductwork. Controlled by the partition telescopic piston 31f, the sole-share partitions 37f opens completely from Y to X or anywhere in between for sharing ratio. When the actuator 23f is turned off, the recoil spring of partition telescopic piston 31f pulls back the piston which closes sole-share partitions 37f from X to Y and R to L. The auxiliary heater 390 is then out of the way and the ductwork is turned over to the other heater's sole 100% usage.
An optional embodiment is illustrated in
The independent circulator module provides compliments to the versatile operation of the heat ejector 380A and heat ejector 390. It provides an on-demand module which provides for operation in event of power failure. When projection auxiliary heat ejector 390 is connected to the independent circulator module, projection auxiliary heat ejector 390 has the capability and choice of using the primary heater blower or the independent circulator module 380D. This choice and capability is not available with the pairing of flexible auxiliary heat ejector 380A and independent circulator module 380D without a third opening modification.
Applications:
One application of the embodiments of the flexible auxiliary heat ejector 380A is illustrated in
Another application of the embodiments of the transporting heat ejector 380A using the independent circulator module 380D is illustrated in
An auxiliary heater is obtained in another application of my referenced prior art comprising: hollow inducers claimed 50, heat reclaimer smoke condenser 110, and flexible universal flue pipe connector with damper and sweep access 710. In
Some advantages are that pluralities of heat sources and ductworks or plenums can be connected to the flexible universal flue pipe connector with damper and sweep access 710 and more laminar flow when the inducer 50 with no motor in the stream is used.
As can be seen from the description above, some embodiments of the auxiliary heater have a number of advantages:
The auxiliary heater includes a heat rejection element that radiates heat from a heated fluid, rejects the heat into the shared circulating ductwork.
It further provides a different kind of auxiliary heat ejection means into main distribution duct outlets directly to all living space.
In another embodiment, the heat exchange apparatus includes a hydraulic and/or electric actuator that that engages the air stream to flow through the heat rejection element and return back to the circulation duct.
In another embodiment, the heat exchange apparatus includes sharing the circulation blower of the primary heating system from the return air.
The heat exchange apparatus is attachable to air circulating ductwork and does not affect the circulation flow in the duct until the actuator is actuated by the heated auxiliary hydraulic fluid flow from the pump.
When the share partition is actuated, half midstream of the return ductwork, a portion or the air stream passes thru the auxiliary heater to collect heat while the other half air stream continues from the primary heater.
Accordingly, it can be appreciated by the reader that the heat ejector with various modulating embodiments can be used to safely transport thermal energy from any remote fluid heat source to a general ductwork. It can also be appreciated that the auxiliary heater can use the ductwork in a shared mode, a dependent mode and independent mode. It can be seen that the auxiliary heater has on-demand presence in the ductwork, and no obstruction or increased pressure on another blower in the system. Additional advantages of the auxiliary heater are:
The embodiments illustrated in this invention are in no way restricted to changes and modification that may be made without departing from the scope of this invention. Although the drawings and detailed descriptions above contain much specificity, those should not be construed as limiting the scope of the embodiments but as merely providing illustration of some of the embodiments. For example, the inverse substitution use of the hollow heat reclaimer smoke condenser 110 in place of the transporting heat ejector 380A and reverse use of the hollow inducer 50 in place of the independent circulator module has been mentioned 380D. The embodiments are modular and capable of numerous modifications, rearrangements, and substitutions of parts and elements without departing from the scope of the invention. Thus the scope of the embodiment should be determined by the appended claims and the legal equivalents, rather than the examples given.
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