US 4,202,406 A · Heat exchange system

Abstract

A heat exchange system is provided which transfers the heat from a fluid discharged from a device that utilizes a heated fluid, to fresh fluid in order to increase the temperature of the fresh fluid prior to feeding it into a heating tank. Thus, less energy is required to heat the fluid in the heating tank prior to its introduction into the device which utilizes heated fluid. After the heat has been exchanged, the discharged fluid is then expelled from the system. A fluid trap controls the fluid level in the heat exchanger to assure maximum heat transfer capability. An antisiphon valve is provided in the fresh fluid input of the heat exchange coil in order to prevent discharged fluid from contaminating the fresh fluid source in the event of a rupture in the heat exchance coil. The fluid trap is provided with a pressure activated gate valve which deactivates the fluid trap in the event that the fresh fluid intake pressure decreases below a predetermined level, and thus further prevents contamination of the fresh input fluid by the discharged fluid.

Claims9

Dependent claims

A heat exchanger system comprising

a fluid
a heat exchange tank having an outer housing which encloses an inner chamber and having a coil of tubing disposed in said chamber, said tubing having an inlet portion and an outlet portion both of which extend exteriorly of said tank, and said housing having inlet and outlet portions which communicate with said chamber,
a fluid trap communicating with the outlet of said heat exchange tank housing to receive fluid from the chamber and elevate it to a height sufficient to provide adequate fluid pressure in the chamber to maintain the fluid in the chamber at substantially the same height as the top of said coil,
a fluid supply tank having means for heating the fluid disposed therein and communicating with the outlet of said coil,
means for extracting and utilizing the fluid from said fluid heater supply tank,
a first pipe communicating with said last-mentioned means to transfer the used fluid from said last-mentioned means to the inlet of said heat exchanger tank housing, and
means for providing fluid from an external source and introducing it into the inlet of said coil.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Heat exchange system

Life of this patent

Heat exchange system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims9