US 5,086,493 A · Electric thermal storage boosted heat pump air heating apparatus

Abstract

An electric thermal storage heater with a heat storage brick assembly enclosed within an insulating sheath and an outer shell or housing; there is a space between the outer shell and the insulating sheath through which low temperature air is passed; the brick assembly has air flow openings therethrough into which the electric heating elements may be slipped during installation, and the openings communicate with entrance and exit passages which supply air to and through the brick assembly; air valving is provided to close and modulate the air flowing through the brick assembly and through the low temperature air path; the heating elements maintain the temperature of the bricks between 500.degree. F. and 1300.degree. F., depending upon the expected heating load; and air ducts and a fan move air from the storage heater to the duct system of a heat pump or similar forced air heating device.

Claims10

Dependent claims

An electric thermal storage heater comprising

an assembly of heat storage bricks with a multiplicity of elongate openings traversing the assembly to pass air therethrough to be heated, the assembly having electric resistance heating means therein to heat the bricks,
enclosure means comprising insulating media and confining said storage brick assembly, said enclosure means defining entrance and exit flow passages to carry air to and from the flow openings, the air flowing longitudinally through the elongate flow openings from the entrance passage to the exit passage,
fan means moving air through flow passages and openings,
and the assembled heat storage bricks comprising heated facing surfaces each confronting a facing surface of an adjoining storage brick, one of the facing surfaces of each pair of confronting facing surfaces having an elongate channel shaped recess portion defining a portion of one of said flow openings, said one facing surface also having an elongate supporting shelf portion along one side of the channel shaped recess portion and extending parallel to the direction of air flow in the flow opening, said bricks also comprising end portions through which the recess portions extend, the electric resistance heating means comprising an elongate heating element portion extending parallel to the direction of air flow and lying on the shelf portion and in close proximity to the facing surface of an adjoining brick.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Electric thermal storage boosted heat pump air heating apparatus

Life of this patent

Electric thermal storage boosted heat pump air heating apparatus

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims10