US 2015/0165871 A1Published application

Vehicle heating apparatus and system and method of doing the same

AssigneeAqua-Hot Heating Systems, LLC

InventorsGerard Miller, Timothy Morse

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Abstract

An auxiliary or supplemental vehicle heating system that operates on natural gas or propane is provided for use with a vehicle engine having a liquid cooling/heating circuit. A propane- or natural gas-fired burner supplies heat during the operation or non-operation of the engine and the heat produced is used to supply heat to the engine, passenger compartment(s), mobile work areas, cargo containers and in the case of natural gas vehicles, provide heat to the on-board fuel system regulator. Thus, the auxiliary or supplemental heating system supplies heat independent of the engine's liquid cooling/heating circuit. In some embodiments, the cooling/heating circuit uses the heat produced from the natural gas or propane auxiliary heating system to supply heat to the engine via a heat exchanger.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A motor vehicle with a heating system, the motor vehicle comprising:

an engine comprising a first port through which a fluid exits the engine and a second port through which the fluid enter the engine, wherein the engine employs a source of fuel selected from the group consisting of propane and natural gas;
a compartment heater having an inlet port through which the fluid enters, an outlet port through which the fluid exits, and a heat exchanger;
an auxiliary coolant heater comprising:
an inlet port through which the fluid enters the auxiliary coolant heater;
an outlet port through which heated fluid exits the auxiliary coolant heater;
a blower;
a combustion chamber comprising an igniter and a burner tube;
a plenum;
a heat transfer medium;
an exhaust port;
and
wherein the engine and the auxiliary coolant heater employ the same fuel source;
and
a coolant flow system comprising:
a first flow path that interconnects the compartment heater inlet port, the compartment heater outlet port, the auxiliary coolant heater inlet port, and the auxiliary coolant heater outlet port, wherein the first flow path provides for the fluid to flow from the auxiliary coolant heater outlet port through the compartment heater and back to the auxiliary coolant heater inlet port;
a second flow path that interconnects the engine first port, the engine second port, the auxiliary coolant heater inlet port, and the auxiliary coolant heater outlet port, wherein the second flow path provides for heated fluid to flow from the auxiliary coolant heater outlet port to the engine second port to heat the engine;
a fluid pump in fluid communication with at least one of the first flow path and the second flow path;
a valve assembly having a first state and a second state, wherein the valve assembly is in fluid communication with the first flow path and the second flow path;
and
a control system interconnected to the valve assembly, wherein the control system moves the valve assembly between the first state and the second state.

17 more elements

A method of heating one or more vehicle components comprising:

providing the one or more vehicle components, wherein the vehicle components are selected from the group consisting of an engine, a compartment, a hydraulic system, an oil pan, and a fuel regulator;
providing a compartment heater having an inlet port through which the fluid enters, an outlet port through which the fluid exits, and a heat exchanger;
providing an auxiliary coolant heater system, wherein the auxiliary coolant heater employs a source of fuel selected from the group consisting of propane and natural gas, and wherein the auxiliary coolant heater system comprises:
an inlet port through which the fluid enters the auxiliary coolant heater system for heating;
an outlet port through which heated fluid exits the auxiliary coolant heater system;
a combustion chamber comprising an igniter and a burner tube;
a heat transfer medium;
and
an exhaust;
providing one or more flow paths between the auxiliary coolant heater system and at least one of the one or more vehicle components;
providing a fuel source selected from the group comprising propane fuel and natural gas fuel;
burning a mixture of air and the fuel source in the combustion chamber;
transferring heat from the mixture to the heat transfer medium;
and
transferring heat from the heat transfer medium to at least one of the one or more vehicle components.

12 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 14/569,151Filed 12 Dec 2014
Priority: 13 Dec 2013
Published: 18 Jun 2015
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification3 codes

B60H 1/2209
The heat being derived from burners: arrangements of burners for heating an intermediate liquid
B60H 1/032
And from a source other than the propulsion plant: from the cooling liquid of the propulsion plant and from a burner
B60H
Arrangements of heating, cooling, ventilating or other air-treating devices specially adapted for