Methods and apparatus for heating air with hot water
AssigneeRinnai America Corporation
InventorsJames York, Hugh L. Allen-Magande
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method controls an air handler that generates heated air from hot water generated by a water heater. The method includes generating a signal in the presence or absence of an indicia of water flow associated with the water heater; initiating operation of a pump associated with the air handler when the signal indicates that water flow associated with the water heater is at least at a selected level to supply hot water to the air handler sufficient to generate heated air; and/or terminating operation of the pump and/or a blower/fan associated with the air handler when the presence or absence signal indicates that the water flow associated with the water heater is less than the selected level.
Claims13
-22. (canceled)
A method of heating air in an air handler from hot water generated in a water heater comprising:
- a. receiving a call to produce heated air from the air handler;
- b. monitoring presence or absence of a signal received from the air handler, the signal being an indicia of a selected water flow associated into the air handler;
- said signal being generated when the water flow in the air handler is greater than a predetermined value equal to the flow level needed to produce a heat output from the air handler;
- c. initiating operation of a water pump associated with the air handler in response to the signal of the signal;
- d. terminating operation of a water pump associated with the air handler in response to the signal of the signal and after a period of time, repeating steps b and c if a call for heated air is still being received;
- e. initiating operation of a blower/fan to supply heated air generated by heat exchange with the hot water;
- and
- f. terminating operation of the pump and/or the blower/fan when the call for heated air is satisfied and/or in response to the presence or absence of the signal to provide hot water to the air handler.
A system for generating heated air comprising:
- a water heater comprising a burner and a water heater exchanger to produce hot water, a pump operative to flow water out of the water heater and into the air handler, and a controller connected to monitor water flow indicia and generate a signal associated with the water flow indicia;
- an air handler comprising a blower/fan and an air handler heat exchanger to generate heated air from hot water, a pump operative to receive hot water from the water heater for passage to the air handler heat exchanger, and a controller operative to control the air handler pump and/or the blower/fan in response to the signal or absence of the signal;
- said system further including a controller for
- a. receiving a call for heated air;
- b. initiating operation of a pump associated with the air handler;
- c. continuing operation of the pump for a predetermined first period of time;
- d. detecting whether a flow of water through the pump is at a second predetermined level to generate heated air from the hot water;
- e. responsive to detecting that flow of water through the pump, if the flow is not at or above said predetermined second level, terminating operation of the pump for a period of time
- f. repeating the initiating, continuing and detecting steps;
- g. responsive to detecting that flow of water through the pump, if below said predetermined level sufficient to generate heated air from the hot water, maintaining the pump in operation;
- h. initiating operation of a fan to supply heated air generated by heat exchange with the hot water;
- and
- i. terminating operation of at least one of the pump, and the fan when the call for heat is satisfied.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.