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US 4,079,885 AGranted
Apparatus and method of utilizing waste heat from furnace combustion
OwnerJ. William Deckerinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
This invention pertains to apparatus and a method for utilizing waste heat as produced in furnaces, particularly boilers. This apparatus and method is equally useful in hot air furnaces. After heating the water or air the heat that passes into the plenum is caused to pass over and around a heat exchanger which moves air by a blower means through this exchanger into the house or basement. This air can be humidified, if desired. The exhaust stack during the combustion period is open to the chimney. At other times it is closed to prevent heat escape from the boiler. A collecting means is provided for moisture that may collect on the heat exchanger.
Claims11
Apparatus for utilizing the heat in a plenum of a furnace by passing air through a heat exchanger and emerging from this exchanger as heated air which assists in the heating of the living area served by a furnace, said apparatus including:
- (a) a firebox and burner of conventional construction and function in which the burner is controlled by opening and closing a valve, the opening of said valve producing a combustion in cooperation and combination with conventional ignition means;
- (b) a plenum area provided above the furnace firebox and above the conventional area for the boiler, hot water heat exchanger, hot air exchanger and the like;
- (c) a heat exchanger mounted in said above plenum area, the inlet of this exchanger being supplied by room air from the basement, furnace room and the like, the air in this exchanger being moved by a blower through the exchanger where it is heated and after being heated delivered to a living area of the dwelling being supplied by the furnace;
- (d) a thermostat provided at the bottom of the plenum area containing the heat exchanger, this treatment responsive to the determined level of heat in said plenum so that when the heat above this level is reached the thermostat controlling the blower serving the heat exchanger is closed and the blower is actuated and when the heat level has dropped below that established by said thermostat the blower is deactivated;
- (e) a low velocity blower disposed to move that gas produced by combustion after passing through the plenum, this gas moved by the blower to and through a flue and to a chimney leading to the outer air;
- (f) a vent in association with said low velocity blower, this vent open to the area in which the furnace is located, this vent closed by a selectively movable door actuated into vent closing condition when the low velocity blower is actuated and into vent open condition when the low velocity blower is deactivated, the movement of the door opening the vent and permitting air from the furnace area to flow to and through the chimney and while the vent is open this moved door closes the firebox to a flow of heat, gas and the like during absence of combustion, and (g) thermostat means disposed in the living area and adapted to send a signal to a furnace control box means for producing a combustion when heat is desired and indicated by said thermostat means, the low velocity blower being actuated and the vent being closed before the signal from the living area thermostat means actuates a combustion, the products of combustion passing from the firebox to and by the conventional heating area and to and around the heat exchanger to warm the air as moved through this exchanger by a blower and with a low velocity blower moving this now cooled gas past a closed vent and to and out a connected chimney.
3 more elements
A method for utilizing the heat in a plenum of a furnace by heating the air as passed through a heat exchanger and with the air emerging from this exchanger as heated air assisting and supplementing the heating of the living area served by the furnace, said method including the steps of:
- (a) providing a firebox and burner of conventional construction and function in which the burner is controlled by opening and closing a valve, the opening of said valve producing a combustion in cooperation and combination with conventional ignition means;
- (b) forming a plenum area above the furnace firebox and above the conventional area for the boiler, hot water heat exchanger, hot air exchanger and the like;
- (c) mounting a heat exchanger in said above plenum area and supplying the inlet of this exchanger with room air from the basement, furnace room and the like and in which the furnace is positioned and moving this room air by a blower which moves this air through the exchanger where it is heated and delivered to a living area of the dwelling being supplied heat by the furnace;
- (d) positioning and providing a thermostat at the bottom of the plenum area containing the heat exchanger and making this thermostat responsive to the determined level of heat in said plenum so that when the heat above this level is reached the thermostat controlling the blower serving the heat exchanger is closed and the blower is actuated, and when the heat level has dropped below that established by said thermostat the blower is deactivated;
- (e) providing a low velocity blower disposed to move that gas produced by combustion after passing through the plenum, this gas moved by the blower to and through a flue and to a chimney leading to the outer air;
- (f) forming and providing a vent in association with said low velocity blower, this vent open to the area in which the furnace is located, this vent closed by a selectively movable door actuated into vent closing condition when the low velocity blower is actuated and into vent open condition when the low velocity blower is deactivated, the movement of the door opening the vent and permitting air from the furnace area to flow to and through the chimney and while the vent is open this moved door closes the firebox to a flow of heat, gas and the like during absence of combustion, and (g) providing thermostat means disposed in the living area and adapted to send a signal to a furnace control box means for producing a combustion when heat is desired and indicated by said thermostat means, the low velocity blower being actuated and the vent being closed before the signal from the living area thermostat means actuated a combustion, the products of combustion passing from the firebox to and by the conventional heating area and to and around the heat exchanger to warm the air therein as moved through this exchanger by a blower and with a low velocity blower moving this now cooled gas past a closed vent and to and out a connected chimney.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.