Passive back-flushing thermal energy system
AssigneeQueen's University at Kingston
InventorStephen J. Harrison
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A thermal energy system including a heat exchanger for transferring thermal energy between a source and a load, the heat exchanger having a primary side associated with the source, and a secondary side for conducting a fluid associated with the load, wherein the secondary side of the heat exchanger is passively back-flushed upon consumption of a portion of the fluid. Passive back-flushing prevents fouling of the heat exchanger due to sediments, scale, and mineral deposits which may be present in the circulating fluid.
Claims35
A thermal energy system, comprising:
- a heat exchanger for transferring thermal energy between a source and a load, the heat exchanger having a primary side associated with said source, and a secondary side for conducting a fluid associated with said load;
- and
- a means for passively backflushing the secondary side of the heat exchanger upon consumption of a portion of said fluid.
A thermal energy system comprising:
- a heat exchanger for transferring thermal energy between a source and a load, the heat exchanger having a primary side associated with said source, and a secondary side for receiving fluid to be heated or cooled and outputting said heated or cooled fluid, the fluid flowing through the secondary side of the heat exchanger in a first direction;
- an input for receiving mains fluid;
- and
- a back-flushing valve for controlling flow of the heated or cooled fluid and the mains fluid;
- wherein, upon consumption of a portion of the heated or cooled fluid, the back-flushing valve passively directs mains fluid through the secondary side of the heat exchanger in a second direction opposite to that travelled by the heated or cooled fluid.
A module for a thermal energy system including a storage tank associated with a load, said module comprising:
- a heat exchanger for transferring heat from a heat source to a load, the heat exchanger having a primary side for receiving heat from a heat source and a secondary side for receiving water to be heated and outputting said heated water to the load, the heated water flowing through the secondary side of the heat exchanger in a first direction;
- an input for receiving mains water;
- and
- a back-flushing valve for controlling flow of the water to be heated and the mains water;
- wherein, upon consumption of a portion of the water to be heated, the back-flushing valve passively directs mains water through the secondary side of the heat exchanger in a second direction opposite to that travelled by the water to be heated.
A method for passively back flushing a heat exchanger in a thermal energy system, comprising:
- providing a heat exchanger for transferring thermal energy between a source and a load, the heat exchanger having a primary side associated with said source, and a secondary side for conducting a fluid associated with said load;
- providing a source of excess fluid;
- flowing the fluid through the secondary side of the heat exchanger in a first direction;
- and
- upon consumption of at least a portion of the fluid by the load, passively flowing said excess fluid through the secondary side of the heat exchanger in a second direction opposite to the first direction to back flush said heat exchanger.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.