This invention relates to a system for optimizing use of heat sources in the heating of a structure such as a dwelling. More particularly this invention relates to using a standard fireplace in combination with a forced air heating system in order to provide the heating needs of a dwelling. There is a continual need to minimize the wastage of heat energy. A prime reason for the low transfer of heat energy from a fireplace to the dwelling is that essentially only radiant heat transfers from the fireplace.
The greater amount of heat generated exits the dwelling up the chimney flue. In order to overcome this loss of so much heat liquid fireplace heat exchanger, heat exchange devices of many different designs have been placed in, or structurally incorporated into the fireplace. These have included devices utilizing air or a liquid liquid fireplace heat exchanger as water liquid fireplace heat exchanger the heat exchange medium.
In construction of these devices it is the aim to capture as much of the fireplace heat as possible. To this end there is the general objective to expose large surface areas to the fireplace heat source and in most instances the heat transfer air or liquid is forced through the heat exchange device.
Illustrative of such devices is that of U. Various systems have also been devised to utilize the heat derived from a fireplace heat exchanger throughout the dwelling. Illustrative of such systems are those of U. Patents disclose systems where the air in a forced liquid fireplace heat exchanger heating system, after having been heated in the main furnace liquid fireplace heat exchanger the system, is further heated by flowing all of this heated air through a fireplace and optionally a chimney heat exchange means.
This, however, presupposes that the fireplace will be in use for a large percentage of the time when the dwelling requires heat; otherwise, liquid fireplace heat exchanger furnace heat would actually be lost to these heat exchange devices. Also, it would be difficult to modify present fireplaces to accommodate such systems. A system which requires that only a portion of the air which is used to heat the dwelling flow through the fireplace heat exchanger is described in U.
In the system of this patent, air is drawn in through the fireplace heat exchange device, then into and through the furnace for further heating, and then is distributed throughout the building structure. In this system only a portion of the air in the system flows through the open hearth heat exchange device. However, in this system, since the air is drawn in through the fireplace heat exchange device by means of the forced air furnace blower fan, there exists a pressure within this heat exchange device which is slightly less than the prevailing atmospheric pressure.
Although very remote, if any leakage from the fire in the fireplace into the heat exchange device occurs there is the possibility that some fireplace combustion products can enter the heating system. Liquid fireplace heat exchanger, it is preferred that a positive pressure exist in the fireplace heat exchange device. The present invention is directed to such a concept. Briefly, the present invention consists of a heat distribution system wherein a portion of the air which flows from a forced air furnace is flowed under a positive pressure into a fireplace heat exchanger, and then back into the forced air heating system for distribution throughout the building structure.
Optionally the fireplace heat exchange device can include means for also heating a liquid such as water, which is then flowed to a heat storage container. The heat stored in the heat storage container can then be used to heat air on the hot or cold side of the forced air furnace.
This heat storage container may also optionally receive heat from a solar heat collector panel which is conveniently placed on, or made a part of the roof of the building structure. This system optimizes the use of the fireplace to provide heat to a building. It also provides a convenient method for incorporating a solar unit into the central heating system.
This system further has the prime advantage of minimizing the demand on the forced air system central furnace, and thus conserves fuel.
In more detail, the schematic diagram of FIG. The forced air heating system consists of an air blower fan, a furnace wherein air is heated, a plenum chamber located after the furnace and which may optionally include an air conditioning "A" frame heat exchanger, duct work for delivering the heated air to the various rooms, and duct work to return air to the blower for recycle through the system.
The fireplace operates independently of the forced air heating system except for being in indirect heat exchange relationship with the forced air heating system. The fireplace part of the system will usually consist of the open hearth having a heat exchange means therein, an air source which provides air for combustion to the fireplace and a smoke flue for removing combustion products from the fireplace. In most instances the combustion air is provided from the room in which the fireplace is located and the smoke flue is a standard chimney.
The vertical lines between the box designated "Fireplace" and that designated "Fireplace Heat Exchanger" signifies an indirect heat exchange relationship. In operation, air in the various rooms of a building such as the living room, bedrooms, dining room, and kitchen, is drawn into the Cold Air Return Duct by means of the Forced Air Blower which then propels the air through the furnace heat exchange unit and thence into the plenum chamber which is usually located above the furnace heat exchange unit Heating and Cooling Chamber in updraft furnace systems.
The plenum chamber will also contain the "A" frame air conditioning heat exchange tower when the system incorporates air conditioning. At a point in the plenum chamber or just beyond in the main Hot Air Duct, a portion of the air which has been heated in the furnace is taken off and flowed through the Fireplace Heat Exchanger.
Usually less than half of the available air will be liquid fireplace heat exchanger through the fireplace heat exchange unit. The remainder of the air flows through liquid fireplace heat exchanger hot air duct. The air from the Fireplace Heat Exchanger re-enters the forced air system in the hot air duct at a point downstream from where the air left the forced air system to be flowed through the Fireplace Heat Exchanger.
Preferably the duct which returns the air to the forced air heating system liquid fireplace heat exchanger positioned so that the air from the Fireplace Heat Exchanger is aspirated into the forced air heating system duct. The advantage of this means, combining the Fireplace Heat Exchanger liquid fireplace heat exchanger the forced air system, is that there will be a positive pressure within the Fireplace Heat Exchanger.
That is, since the blower fan is forcing air into the Fireplace Heat Exchanger, there will exist a greater than atmospheric pressure within the Fireplace Heat Exchange Unit. A positive pressure within the Fireplace Heat Exchange Unit will preclude the drawing in of any fireplace combustion products in case of a leak in the Fireplace Heat Exchange Unit.
As a further embodiment of this invention, it is an option that the return to the forced air system from the Fireplace Heat Exchanger can be to the cold air return duct of the forced air heating system. In this embodiment air is both pushed and pulled through the Fireplace Heat Exchanger. However, in any manner in which the fireplace heat exchanger is connected to the cold air return duct, the pressure within the fireplace heat exchange device will be greater than the prevailing atmospheric pressure.
This means of interconnection of the fireplace heat exchanger to the forced air system provides for flowing large volumes of air through the fireplace heat exchanger. This is a very efficient interconnection technique and fully utilizes the blower fan of the forced air heating system. The open hearth fireplace 1 consists of floor 2 and brickwork 3 which defines chimney flue 4. The grate 5 holds the fuel, usually wood, durning burning. This open hearth fireplace has a heat exchange unit 6 for absorbing heat from combustion in the fireplace.
Air is provided to this fireplace heat exchange unit in this embodiment from plenum chamber Blower 10 draws air from Cold Air Return duct 9, passes this air through a furnace liquid fireplace heat exchanger exchange unit and thence to the phenum chamber Part of this air is forced into conduit 7, through fireplace liquid fireplace heat exchanger exchange unit 6, through conduit 8, and back into the forced air system at Hot Air Liquid fireplace heat exchanger The pressure of the air within the Fireplace Heat Exchange unit is above atmospheric pressure, thereby providing a system wherein the furnace blower maintains a positive pressure in the Fireplace Heat Exchange Unit.
In this embodiment the conduit 8 interconnects the Fireplace Heat Exchanger 6 to the cold air return duct 9. This interconnection provides both a push and pull on the air flowing through the Fireplace Heat Exchanger. Air is forced into the Fireplace Heat Exchanger by the furnace blower fan and is drawn into the cold air return duct by the pull of the blower fan.
One or more dampers can be placed in the conduits which flow air to or from the Fireplace Heat Exchange Unit, or can be placed in the plenum chamber or hot air duct to force more air into the Fireplace Heat Exchanger Unit. There are other modifications of the system which are within the scope of the present invention. One of these is that the size of the conduit, where it enters the cold air return duct can be restricted to further create a positive pressure throughought the Fireplace Exchange system.
There are yet other modifications that are obvious in view of the present disclosure. The plenum chamber 11 contains the "A" frame heat exchanger unit In this embodiment the opening 14 of conduit 7, which flows air to the Fireplace Heat Exchanger 6 is located between the "A" frame heat exchange unit and the blower.
By using this mode of interconnection of the Fireplace Heat Exchanger to the forced air heating system the back pressure created by the "A" frame heat exchange unit increases the pressure at opening 14 and forces a substantial amount of air into conduit 7. By taking the air in at this opening 14, and discharging from liquid fireplace heat exchanger 8 into hot air duct 12, there is maintained a well defined positive pressure also greater than atmospheric within fireplace heat exchange unit 6.
Further, there will also be a positive pressure within fireplace heat exchange unit 6 if the return to the forced air furnace system is to the cold air return duct. The furnace of the system is designated as In this embodiment liquid fireplace heat exchanger open hearth fireplace also contains a heat exchange coil through which a liquid is circulated.
This liquid is circulated to a Heat Storage Container designed to store heat. That is, the container is well insulated so that there is a negligible loss of heat. The Heat Storage Container may be a tank where the water itself is stored or it may be a container which has a heat storage material liquid fireplace heat exchanger as, or similar to Liquid fireplace heat exchanger Sulfate Decahydrate or Sodium Thiosulphate Pentahydrate therein.
Materials such as these store many times more heat than water since they pass from the solid to liquid state and back during use. The latent heat of fusion is utilized to store more heat than is possible with water or a similar liquid. In this embodiment, heat exchange coils deliver heat to such a heat storage material andextract heat therefrom. Heat which is stored in the container is from time to time removed for use. Either the stored water solution in the Heat Storage Container or a liquid which takes up heat from the Heat Storage Container, depending on the heat storage technique, is circulated through a heat exchange coil located in the Hot Air Duct of the forced air heating system.
This coil provides a superheat to the air leaving the plenum chamber of the furnace, or can be used as the sole source of heat with or without a furnace. That is, the demand for heat from the structure in which the system is located would initiate the flow of heated liquid to the heat exchange coil in the Hot Air Duct.
If the heat from this coil is sufficient to satisfy the needs of the structure a furnace, if available, would not be used. However, if more heat is required, the furnace would also be used. The Heat Storage Container may also receive heat from other than the coil in the fireplace. Such a heat source can conveniently be a solar panel which heats air or a liquid fireplace heat exchanger when it is flowed through the panel. Such an auxiliary heater means for the liquid fireplace heat exchanger storage material greatly increases the efficiency of the system.
Any standard liquid pumps can be used liquid fireplace heat exchanger circulate the liquids used in the system, liquid fireplace heat exchanger the liquids are in the heated or cooled condition. The liquid itself may be any regularly used heat exchange liquid. A preferred liquid is water with an additive such as liquid fireplace heat exchanger glycol which increases the heat capacity of the liquid and reduces its freezing point. Such a liquid containing ethylene glycol is necessary when a solar panel auxiliary heater is used in the system.
Now in full description of FIG. A part of this air is flowed through the Fireplace Heat Exchanger while the remainder of the air flows directly to the Hot Air Duct which distributes the heated air back to the various rooms. The air which flows through the Fireplace Heat Exchanger enters back into the system in the region of the Hot Air Duct.
This air in combination with the air which passed through the Fireplace Heat Exchanger is then heated by passage in contact with the Heat Storage Liquid Coil. This combined and heated air then flows to the various rooms of the structure. That is, the heat from combustion in the Fireplace provides heat to the Fireplace Heat Liquid fireplace heat exchanger. This embodiment, as has been previously discussed, is essentially the same as that of FIG.
The combustion in the fireplace heats liquid fireplace heat exchanger liquid which is recirculated to the heat storage container by a conventional pump. This heated liquid is then stored or is used to heat a heat storage material.
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