Atmospheric hot water heating system
AssigneeNew England Wood Pellet LLC
InventorSteven J. Walker
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An atmospheric water heating system is presented, where hot gasses from a burner are introduced directly to water. The water is exposed to the burner exhaust gasses as a film upon a series of rotating discs partially submerged in a reservoir. The water vaporizes and then re-condenses on subsequent discs, cooling the exhaust gas and heating the reservoir water. The heated reservoir water may be used to heat space heating water with a water-to-water heat exchanger. The water vapor may be used to heat environmental forced hot air with a vapor-to-air heat exchanger.
Claims20
An atmospheric water heater connected to a burner with an exhaust gas portal, comprising;
- a first heat exchanger comprising:
- a reservoir chamber comprising a water reservoir and a gas channel in contact with the water reservoir, the gas channel further comprising a burner side and an egress side, the egress side disposed substantially opposite the burner side, the burner exhaust gas portal in communication with the reservoir chamber gas channel burner side;
- a rotatable axle disposed within the gas channel, at least partially spanning the reservoir chamber gas channel from the burner side to the egress side;
- and
- a plurality of spaced discs disposed upon the axle configured to rotate in rigid accompaniment with the axle, the axle disposed within the reservoir chamber such that the plurality of discs are partially submerged in the water reservoir and partially within the air chamber;
- and
- a second heat exchanger.
A method for heating water with hot gas from a burner, comprising the steps of:
- providing a water heater comprising:
- a reservoir chamber comprising a water reservoir and a gas channel above the water reservoir, wherein the gas channel is in direct physical contact with the water reservoir, the gas channel comprising a hot gas ingress end, and a vent end;
- a rotatable axle at least partially spanning the reservoir chamber, the axle disposed substantially through the gas channel;
- a first disc disposed upon the axle, the first disc disposed partially submerged in the water reservoir, the first disc configured to rotate in rigid conformity with the axle, the first disc disposed substantially at the hot gas ingress end of the gas channel;
- and
- a second disc disposed upon the axle, the second disc disposed partially submerged in the water reservoir, the second disc configured to rotate in rigid conformity with the axle, the second disc disposed substantially at the vent end of the axle;
- receiving hot gas into the hot gas ingress portal;
- rotating the axle, thereby partially coating the first disc and the second disc with a water film from the water reservoir,
- drawing gas from the hot gas ingress portal through the gas channel;
- and
- expelling exhaust gas through the gas channel vent end.
A pelletized fuel burning space heating system comprising:
- a pelletized fuel burner comprising:
- an angle of repose pelletized fuel feeder;
- and
- an agitating burner grate configured to receive pellets from the fuel feeder;
- and
- an atmospheric water heater comprising:
- a reservoir chamber partially filled with water configured to receive exhaust gas from the fuel burner;
- and
- an axle comprising a plurality of partially submerged spaced discs rotatably disposed within the reservoir chamber.
An atmospheric water heater, comprising;
- a water tank;
- a solid fuel burner configured to transfer heat from the burner to the water tank;
- and
- means for transferring spent fuel from the fuel burner into the water tank.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.