US 4,178,907 AGranted

Unified hot water and forced air heating system

OwnerJames R. Sweat, Jr.inventor

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Abstract

A water heating and forced air heating system that provides potable hot water and that also provides heated air for heating enclosed spaces within buildings, including: a water heater including a water tank filled with water, a burner for heating the water in the tank, and an exhaust flue for removing hot gases generated by the burner; a gas-to-liquid heat exchange unit disposed within the flue; a forced air heater having a casing that defines a chamber, a liquid-to-gas heat exchange unit disposed within the chamber, a gas-to-gas heat exchange unit also disposed within the chamber, and a blower for pulling fresh air into the chamber and blowing it past the heat exchange units to absorb heat; a pump for pumping water through the gas-to-liquid heat exchange unit so that the water becomes heated by the hot gases within the flue; another pump for pumping heated water through the liquid-to-gas heat exchange unit to heat the air flowing within the chamber; and a conduit for connecting the terminal end of the flue to the gas-to-gas heat exchange unit in order to further heat the air flowing through the chamber.

Claims12

Dependent claims

A water heating and forced air heating system, the combination comprising:

a water heater including
a water tank substantially filled with water and having an inflow port and an outflow port,
heating means for heating the water contained by said tank, and
water heater exhaust flue means for removing hot gases generated by said heating means;
a gas-to-liquid heat exchange unit disposed within said exhaust flue means and having a first water inflow end and a first water outflow end, said first water outflow end being coupled to said outflow port, whereby water flowing through said gas-to-liquid heat exchange unit is heated by the hot gases within said flue;
a forced air heater including
a casing means having an inflow duct and an outflow duct and defining an air chamber,
a liquid-to-gas heat exchange unit disposed within said chamber and having a second water inflow end and a second water outflow end,
a gas-to-gas heat exchange unit disposed within said chamber and having a gas inflow end and a gas outflow end, and
blower means for moving air through said inflow duct into said chamber, past said liquid-to-gas heat exchange unit and said gas-to-gas heat exchange unit and out said outflow duct;
a first pump means coupling said inflow port to said first water inflow end to pump water into said first water inflow end;
a second pump means coupling said outflow port to said second water inflow end to pump water into said second water inflow end;
means coupling both said inflow port and said second water outflow end to a source of pressurized water;
and
means connecting the terminal end of said water heater exhaust flue means to said gas inflow and;
whereby said air flowing through said chamber and out said outflow duct is heated by the hot water flowing through said liquid-to-gas heat exchange unit from said hot water heater and by the hot gases flowing through said gas-to-gas heat exchange unit from said exhaust flue and whereby hot water is always present at said outflow port due to rapid water heating by said gas-to-liquid heat exchange unit.

13 more elements

A forced air heating system comprising:

a gas-to-liquid heat exchange unit disposed within an exhaust flue of a water heater of the type having an inflow port, an outflow port and a hot gas exhaust flue, said heat exchange unit having a water inflow end and a water outflow end, said water outflow end being coupled to said water heater outflow port, whereby water flowing through said gas-to-liquid heat exchange unit is heated by hot gas within said flue;
a forced air heater including
a casing means having an inflow duct and an outflow duct and defining an air chamber,
a liquid-to-gas heat exchange unit disposed within said chamber and having a water inflow end and a water outflow end,
a gas-to-gas heat exchange unit disposed within said chamber and having a gas inflow end and a gas outflow end, and
blower means for moving air through said inflow duct into said chamber, past said liquid-to-gas heat exchange unit and said gas-to-gas heat exchange unit and out said outflow duct;
a first pump means coupling said inflow port to said first water inflow end to pump water into said first water inflow end;
a second pump means coupling said outflow port to said second water inflow end to pump water into said second water inflow end;
means coupling both said inflow port and said second water outflow end to a source of pressurized water;
and
means connecting the terminal end of said exhaust flue to said gas inflow end;
whereby said air flowing through said chamber and out said outflow duct is heated by the hot water flowing through said liquid-to-gas heat exchange unit from said water heater and by the hot gases flowing through said gas-to-gas heat exchange unit from said exhaust flue and whereby hot water is always present at said outflow port due to the rapid heating of the water within said gas-to-liquid heat exchange unit.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.