# US 11,029,040 B2 · Heating system including a refrigerant boiler > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,029,040 B2 - Document ID: US11029040B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/925,058 - Filed: 2018-03-19 - Published: 2018-07-26 - Granted: 2021-06-08 - Earliest claimed: 2011-11-18 - Assignees: Carrier Corporation - Applicants: Carrier Corporation - Inventors: Richard G. Lord; Michael F. Taras; Alexander Lifson; Eugene Duane Daddis, Jr.; Ludgina Fils Dieujuste; Kenneth J. Nieva - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11029040B2 ## CPC - F24D 19/00: Details (of water or air heaters F24H9/00; of heat-exchange or heat-transfer apparatus, of general application F28F) - F22B 35/00: Control systems for steam boilers (for regulating feed-water supply F22D5/00; for controlling superheat temperature F22G5/00) - F24D 7/00: Central heating systems employing heat-transfer fluids not covered by groups F24D1/00 - F24D5/00, e.g. oil, salt or gas (district heating systems F24D10/00; central heating systems using heat accumulated in storage masses F24D11/00) - F24D 19/1015: {using a valve or valves} - F24H 15/20: characterised by control inputs - F24H 15/208: Temperature of the air after heating - F24H 15/227: Temperature of the refrigerant in heat pump cycles - F24H 15/242: Pressure - F24H 15/31: of valves having only one inlet port and one outlet port, e.g. flow rate regulating valves - F24H 15/35: Control of the speed of fans - F24H 15/36: of burners - F25B 23/006: {boiling cooling systems} - F24D 2200/04: Gas or oil fired boiler - F24D 2200/046: Condensing boilers - F24D: DOMESTIC- OR SPACE-HEATING SYSTEMS, e.g. CENTRAL HEATING SYSTEMS; DOMESTIC HOT-WATER SUPPLY SYSTEMS; ELEMENTS OR COMPONENTS THEREFOR (using steam or condensate extracted or exhausted from steam engine plants for heating purposes F01K17/02) - F22B: METHODS OF STEAM GENERATION; STEAM BOILERS - F24H: FLUID HEATERS, e.g. WATER OR AIR HEATERS, HAVING HEAT-GENERATING MEANS, e.g. HEAT PUMPS, IN GENERAL (steam generation F22) - F25B: REFRIGERATION MACHINES, PLANTS OR SYSTEMS; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS ## Abstract A heating system includes a refrigerant boiler including a heat source for heating a refrigerant from a liquid state to a vapor state, a boiler outlet and a boiler inlet; a heat exchanger in fluid communication with the refrigerant boiler, the heat exchanger including a upper manifold having a heat exchanger inlet coupled to the boiler outlet, a lower manifold having a heat exchanger outlet coupled to the boiler inlet and a plurality of tubes connecting the upper manifold and the lower manifold, wherein refrigerant passes from the upper manifold to the lower manifold via gravity; and a fan moving air over the heat exchanger to define supply air for a space to be heated. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A heating system comprising: a refrigerant boiler including a heat source for heating a refrigerant from a liquid state to a vapor state, a boiler outlet and a boiler inlet, a first section and a second section arranged in counterflow manner with respect to flue gas flow from the boiler: a heat exchanger in fluid communication with the refrigerant boiler, the heat exchanger including an upper manifold having a heat exchanger inlet coupled to the boiler outlet, a lower manifold having a heat exchanger outlet coupled to the boiler inlet and a plurality of tubes connecting the upper manifold and the lower manifold, wherein refrigerant passes from the upper manifold to the lower manifold via gravity; a liquid-vapor separator positioned between the first section and the second section, a vapor portion of the liquid-vapor separator being coupled to an inlet of the heat exchanger, a liquid portion of the liquid-vapor separator being coupled to an inlet of the first section; a fan moving air over the heat exchanger to define supply air for a space to be heated; a first valve downstream of the boiler and upstream of the heat exchanger controlling flow of vapor refrigerant to the heat exchanger inlet; a second valve downstream of the heat exchanger and upstream of the boiler controlling flow of liquid refrigerant to the boiler inlet; and a controller for selectively opening and closing the first valve and second valve to control flow of refrigerant between the boiler and heat exchanger. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The heating system of claim 1 further comprising: an accumulator positioned between the outlet of the heat exchanger and the inlet of the boiler. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The heating system of claim 2 further comprising: a check valve is positioned upstream of the accumulator. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The heating system of claim 1 further comprising: a receiver positioned between the outlet of the heat exchanger and the inlet of the boiler. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The heating system of claim 4 further comprising: a check valve is positioned downstream of the receiver. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The heating system of claim 1 further comprising: a temperature sensor positioned to monitor temperature of the supply air; and the controller receiving a temperature signal from the temperature sensor and controlling a speed of the fan in response to the temperature signal. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The heating system of claim 1 further comprising: a sensor detecting an operational parameter of the refrigerant boiler; a flue gas fan directing flue gas over a boiler heat exchanger of the refrigerant boiler; and the controller for controlling at least one of the heat source of the refrigerant boiler and the flue gas fan in response to the sensor. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The heating system of claim 7 wherein: the heat source is a staged burner having a burner stage valve to control fuel flow to an additional burner stage; the controller controls the burner stage valve in response to the sensor. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The heating system of claim 7 further comprising: a fuel flow control device to control fuel flow to the heat source; the controller controlling the fuel flow control device in response to the sensor. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The heating system of claim 9 wherein: the controller controls the fuel flow control device to one of modulate or pulsate fuel to the heat source. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The heating system of claim 1 further comprising: a trap positioned between the lower manifold and the heat exchanger outlet, the trap holding liquid refrigerant. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The heating system of claim 1 wherein: the heat exchanger inlet and the heat exchanger outlet are coupled to a single pipe carrying both vapor refrigerant and liquid refrigerant. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The heating system of claim 12 further comprising: an internal tube coupled to the heat exchanger outlet, the internal tube positioned inside a portion of the single pipe. ### Claim 14 A heating system comprising: a refrigerant boiler including a heat source for heating a refrigerant from a liquid state to a vapor state, a boiler outlet and a boiler inlet, a first section and a second section arranged in counterflow manner with respect to flue gas flow from the boiler; a heat exchanger in fluid communication with the refrigerant boiler, the heat exchanger including an upper manifold having a heat exchanger inlet coupled to the boiler outlet, a lower manifold having a heat exchanger outlet coupled to the boiler inlet and a plurality of tubes connecting the upper manifold and the lower manifold, wherein refrigerant passes from the upper manifold to the lower manifold via gravity; a liquid-vapor separator positioned between the first section and the second section, a vapor portion of the liquid-vapor separator being coupled to an inlet of the heat exchanger, a liquid portion of the liquid-vapor separator being coupled to an inlet of the first section; a fan moving air over the heat exchanger to define supply air for a space to be heated; a first valve downstream of the boiler controlling flow of vapor refrigerant to the heat exchanger inlet; a second valve upstream of the boiler controlling flow of liquid refrigerant to the boiler inlet; and a controller for selectively opening and closing the first valve and second valve to control flow of refrigerant between the boiler and heat exchanger; wherein in a first state the first valve and second valve are closed, the controller opening the first valve in response to at least one of temperature and pressure in the boiler. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The heating system of claim 14 wherein: the controller opens the second valve after the first valve is opened. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The heating system of claim 15 wherein: the controller closes the first valve and closes the second valve after a predetermined period of time. ### Claim 17 A heating system comprising: a refrigerant boiler including a heat source for heating a refrigerant from a liquid state to a vapor state, a boiler outlet and a boiler inlet; a heat exchanger in fluid communication with the refrigerant boiler, the heat exchanger including an upper manifold having a heat exchanger inlet coupled to the boiler outlet, a lower manifold having a heat exchanger outlet coupled to the boiler inlet and a plurality of tubes connecting the upper manifold and the lower manifold, wherein refrigerant passes from the upper manifold to the lower manifold via gravity; a fan moving air over the heat exchanger to define supply air for a space to be heated; a first valve downstream of the boiler controlling flow of vapor refrigerant to the heat exchanger inlet; a second valve upstream of the boiler controlling flow of liquid refrigerant to the boiler inlet; and a controller for selectively opening and closing the first valve and second valve to control flow of refrigerant between the boiler and heat exchanger; wherein the boiler includes a first section and a second section arranged in a counterflow manner with respect to flue gas flow from the boiler, the second heat exchanger section including a tray for collecting flue gas condensate and a condensate drain coupled to the tray; and a liquid-vapor separator positioned between the first section and the second section, a vapor portion of the liquid-vapor separator being coupled to an inlet of the heat exchanger, a liquid portion of the liquid-vapor separator being coupled to an inlet of the first section. ### Claim 18 A heating system comprising: a refrigerant boiler including a heat source for heating a refrigerant from a liquid state to a vapor state, a boiler outlet and a boiler inlet, a first section and a second section arranged in counterflow manner with respect to flue gas flow from the boiler; a heat exchanger in fluid communication with the refrigerant boiler, the heat exchanger including an upper manifold having a heat exchanger inlet coupled to the boiler outlet, a lower manifold having a heat exchanger outlet coupled to the boiler inlet and a plurality of tubes connecting the upper manifold and the lower manifold, wherein refrigerant passes from the upper manifold to the lower manifold via gravity; a liquid-vapor separator positioned between the first section and the second section, a vapor portion of the liquid-vapor separator being coupled to an inlet of the heat exchanger, a liquid portion of the liquid-vapor separator being coupled to an inlet of the first section; a fan moving air over the heat exchanger to define supply air for a space to be heated; a first valve downstream of the boiler controlling flow of vapor refrigerant to the heat exchanger inlet; a second valve upstream of the boiler controlling flow of liquid refrigerant to the boiler inlet; and a controller for selectively opening and closing the first valve and second valve to control flow of refrigerant between the boiler and heat exchanger; a sensor detecting an operational parameter of the refrigerant boiler; a flue gas fan directing flue gas over a boiler heat exchanger of the refrigerant boiler; and the controller for controlling at least one of the heat source of the refrigerant boiler and the flue gas fan in response to the sensor; wherein the flue gas fan is one of a two speed fan, a variable speed fan, and multiple fans, controlled by the controller in response to the sensor.