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US 5,772,113 AGranted
Two-pipe heat pump system with isolated tank coil for domestic hot water
AssigneeAdvanced Mechanical Technology, Inc.
InventorsJoseph Gerstmann, Paul F. Swenson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An engine-driven heat pump system is disclosed in which the waste heat from the engine is used to only heat the water contained in a water heater. Space heating may be then provided by circulating the water through an air-handling unit. In order to simplify the operation, the engine's coolant is circulated through a tube surrounding the heater's storage tank. Any risk of contamination to the potable water supply is removed by venting the region surrounding the coolant-to-water heat exchanger. This is achieved by assuring that a surrounding insulation layer does not form a seal over the heat exchanger and by using a non-setting thermally conductive paste between the tube and tank.
Claims23
A heat pump system comprising:
- a compressor which supplies a refrigerant for air conditioning;
- an internal combustion engine which drives the compressor and passes its waste heat to an engine coolant;
- a water heater which supplies hot water;
- a coolant-to-water heat exchanger through which the engine coolant is circulated to transfer its heat to water in the water heater;
- and
- a water-to-air coil through which water from the water heater is circulated to transfer its heat to air.
3 more elements
A heat pump system comprising:
- a compressor which supplies a refrigerant for air conditioning;
- an internal combustion engine which drives the compressor and passes its waste heat to an engine coolant;
- a water heater which supplies hot water;
- a coolant-to-water heat exchanger through which the engine coolant is circulated to transfer its heat to water in the water heater;
- and
- an engine coolant circulating pump which circulates the engine coolant from the engine only to the coolant-to-water heat exchanger within a space where heating is desired.
3 more elements
A heat pump system comprising:
- a compressor which supplies a refrigerant for air conditioning;
- an internal combustion engine which drives the compressor and passes its waste heat to an engine coolant;
- a water heater which supplies hot water;
- a coolant-to-water heat exchanger through which the engine coolant is circulated to transfer its heat to water in the water heater;
- a water-to-air coil through which water from the water heater is circulated to transfer its heat to air;
- and
- a water circulating pump which circulates the water from the water heater through the water-to-air coil.
4 more elements
A heat pump system comprising:
- a compressor which supplies a refrigerant for air conditioning;
- an internal combustion engine which drives the compressor and passes its waste heat to an engine coolant;
- a water heater which supplies hot water;
- a coolant-to-water heat exchanger through which the engine coolant is circulated to transfer its heat to water in the water heater;
- and
- a coolant-to-air coil through which the coolant is circulated when the water stored in the water heater does not require further heating.
3 more elements
A space heating method comprising:
- driving a compressor, which supplies a refrigerant for air conditioning, with an internal combustion engine;
- capturing waste heat from the engine in an engine coolant;
- circulating the engine-heated coolant through a coolant-to-water heat exchanger that is in a thermally conductive association with a water heater;
- and
- circulating water from the water heater through a water-to-air heat exchanger to provide heat to a space.
2 more elements
A space heating method comprising:
- driving a compressor, which supplies a refrigerant for air conditioning, with an internal combustion engine;
- capturing waste heat from the engine in an engine coolant;
- and
- circulating the engine-heated coolant from the engine only through a coolant-to-water heat exchanger that is in a thermally conductive association with a water heater.
1 more element
A space heating method comprising:
- driving a compressor, which supplies a refrigerant for air conditioning, with an internal combustion engine;
- capturing waste heat from the engine in an engine coolant;
- circulating the engine-heated coolant through a coolant-to-water heat exchanger that is in a thermally conductive association with a water heater;
- and
- circulating water from the water heater through a water-to-air coil through which air is circulated to heat the air in response to a temperature of the water in the water heater exceeding a high temperature set point.
2 more elements
A space heating method comprising:
- driving a compressor, which supplies a refrigerant for air conditioning, with an internal combustion engine;
- capturing waste heat from the engine in an engine coolant;
- circulating the engine-heated coolant through a coolant-to-water heat exchanger that is in a thermally conductive association with a water heater;
- and
- circulating water from the water heater through a water-to-air coil to heat air to supplement or replace air heating by the compressor in response to inadequate heating capacity or malfunction of the compressor.
2 more elements
A water heater system, comprising:
- a water storage tank which is adapted to contain water;
- a heating element for heating the water storage tank;
- a liquid-to-water heat exchanger surrounding and in a thermally conductive arrangement with the water storage tank;
- and
- a vented insulation layer surrounding the water storage tank and the liquid-to-water heat exchanger.
2 more elements
A water heater system comprising:
- a water storage tank which is adapted to contain water;
- a heating element for heating the water storage tank;
- a liquid-to-water heat exchanger surrounding and in a thermally conductive arrangement with the water storage tank;
- a vented insulation layer surrounding the water storage tank and the liquid-to-water heat exchanger;
- and
- a film layer that separates the insulation from the water storage tank and the liquid-to-water heat exchanger so that the water storage tank and the liquid-to-water heat exchanger are exposed to a surrounding environment.
3 more elements
A water heater system comprising:
- a water storage tank which is adapted to contain water;
- a heating element for heating the water storage tank;
- a liquid-to-water heat exchanger surrounding and in a thermally conductive arrangement with the water storage tank;
- and
- a thermally conductive paste located between an inner surface of the liquid-to-water heat exchanger and an outer surface of the water storage tank.
2 more elements
A water heater system comprising:
- a water storage tank which is adapted to contain water;
- a heating element for heating the water storage tank;
- a liquid-to-water heat exchanger surrounding and in a thermally conductive arrangement with the water storage tank, the heat exchanger comprising a coil that is wrapped around the water storage tank and has an obrotund cross-section to increase thermal conduction with the water storage tank.
A water heater system comprising:
- a water storage tank which is adapted to contain water;
- a heating element for heating the water storage tank;
- a liquid-to-water heat exchanger surrounding and in a thermally conductive arrangement with the water storage tank;
- and
- an engine coolant pump which circulates heated coolant from an internal combustion engine through the liquid-to-water heat exchanger.
2 more elements
A method for manufacturing a water heater comprising:
- attaching an end of a liquid-to-water tube to a water storage tank of the water heater;
- winding the tube around the storage tank;
- attaching another end of the tube to the water storage tank;
- and
- shrouding the water storage tank and the liquid-to-water tube in a vented insulation layer.
2 more elements
A method for manufacturing a water heater comprising:
- attaching an end of a liquid-to-water tube to a water storage tank of the water heater;
- winding the tube around the storage tank;
- attaching another end of the tube to the water storage tank;
- shrouding the water storage tank and the liquid-to-water tube in a vented insulation layer;
- and
- applying a thermally conductive paste between the liquid-to-water tube and the water storage tank.
3 more elements
A method for manufacturing a water heater comprising:
- flattening a liquid-to-water tube;
- attaching an end of the liquid-to-water tube to a water storage tank of the water heater;
- winding the tube around the storage tank;
- attaching another end of the tube to the water storage tank;
- and
- shrouding the water storage tank and the liquid-to-water tube in a vented insulation layer.
3 more elements
A method for manufacturing a water heater comprising:
- attaching an end of a liquid-to-water tube to a water storage tank of the water heater;
- winding the tube around the storage tank;
- attaching another end of the tube to the water storage tank;
- shrouding the water storage tank and the liquid-to-water tube in a vented insulation layer;
- and
- separating the insulation layer from the liquid-to-water tube and the water storage tank with a film layer.
3 more elements
A method for manufacturing a water heater comprising:
- attaching an end of a liquid-to-water tube to a water storage tank of the water heater;
- winding the tube around the storage tank under tension;
- attaching another end of the tube to the water storage tank;
- and
- shrouding the water storage tank and the liquid-to-water tube in a vented insulation layer.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.