Heat exchanger

Claim 2

Apparatus for heating water by steam comprising a heat exchanger having a steam chamber, fluid conduit means for directing water through said steam chamber to a water outlet chamber, inlet steam conduit means for delivering steam to said steam chamber, a member located in said water outlet chamber and movable therein in response to a change in the demand for hot water, and bypass valve means controlled by movement of said member for continuously directing some cold water to said outlet chamber without flowing through said fluid conduit means so as to continuously mix with heated water during flow conditions.

Claim 3

An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said bypass valve means includes a relatively fixed valve part and a second valve part carried by said member, and said valve parts having cooperable openings which provide a variable flow depending on the extent of member movement.

Claim 4

An apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said member is of a generally cylindrical shape and is rotatable within said water outlet chamber to adjust the position of the opening in said second valve part relative to the opening in the first valve part and thereby adjusts the amount of mixing of cold water with heated water upon movement of the member.

Claim 5

An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said fluid conduit means includes at least four sets of conduits for directing the water through the steam chamber in four passes, said fluid conduits comprising first, second and third groups disposed outwardly from the center of the heat exchange chamber and a fourth group of fluid conduits which is located centrally of the heat exchange chamber and surrounded by the first, second and third groups, said fourth group of fluid conduits directing the flow of fluid from the outlet thereof into the water outlet chamber portion into which the bypass valve means directs cold water.

Claim 6

An apparatus as defined in claim 4 further including a pair of annular baffles, one of the annular baffles being located at each end of the groups of conduits, the one annular baffle definIng in part said inlet chamber which communicates with the inlet ends of the first group of conduits, the other annular baffle defining in part a chamber communicating with the outlet end of the first group of fluid conduits and the inlet end of the second group of fluid conduits, said first annular baffle defining a chamber communicating with the outlet of the second group of fluid conduits and the inlet ends of the third group of fluid conduits, and said other annular baffle defining a chamber communicating the outlet of the third group of fluid conduits with the inlet of the fourth group of fluid conduits.

Claim 7

An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said member has a no-flow position from which it moves in response to a demand for hot water, and means for directing cold water to said outlet chamber when said piston member is in its no-flow position to minimize the temperature of water leakage therefrom.

Claim 8

An apparatus as defined in claim 1 further including a steam valve for controlling the application of steam pressure to said steam chamber, means for actuating said steam valve in response to movement of said member, said means including a pin member engageable with the member and movable upon movement of the member and a lever member operatively connected with the pin member and pivotal upon movement of the member, and means operatively interconnecting said lever member and said steam valve for controlling said steam valve upon movement of said lever.

Claim 9

An apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein said means operatively interconnecting the lever member and said steam valve comprises a valve means which is opened upon movement of said lever member and which when opened directs water pressure from said inlet chamber to said steam valve.

Claim 12

An apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein said bypass valve means comprises a relatively fixed valve part and a second valve part carried by said member, said valve parts have cooperable first and second openings respectively which provide a variable area of flow depending upon the extent of piston movement, and said means for directing cold water to said outlet chamber when said member is in its no-flow position comprises a third opening in said second valve part which directs cold water to said outlet chamber when said first and second openings are not overlapping.

Claim 13

An apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein said fluid conduit means includes at least four sets of conduits for directing the water through the steam chamber in four passes, said fluid conduits comprising first, second and third groups disposed outwardly from the center of the heat exchange chamber and a fourth group of fluid conduits which is located centrally of the heat exchange chamber and surrounded by the first, second and third groups, said fourth group of fluid conduits directing the flow of fluid from the outlet thereof into the water outlet chamber portion into which the bypass valve means directs cold water.

Claim 16

An apparatus as defined in claim 12 wherein said fluid conduit means includes at least four sets of conduits for directing the water through the steam chamber in four passes, said fluid conduits comprising first, second and third groups disposed outwardly from the center of the heat exchange chamber and a fourth group of fluid conduits which is located centrally of the heat exchange chamber and surrounded by the first, second and third groups, said fourth group of fluid conduits directing the flow of fluid from the outlet thereof into the water outlet chamber portion into which the bypass valve means directs cold water.

Claim 17

An apparatus as defined in claim 12 further including a steam valve for controlling the application of steam on said heat exchanger, said steam valve having an open position for directing steam pressure to the steam chamber and a closed position blocking steam pressure being applied to the steam chamber, said steam valve being moved from its open position to its closed position in response to water pressure being applied thereto, control valve means for directing water pressure to said steam valve, and means for opening said control valve means in response to movement of said piston member.

Claim 18

An apparatus as defined in claim 14 wherein said control valve means has a hollow housing portion communicating with said water inlet chamber and a lever extending from said piston member through said hollow housing portion, a valve member operatively associated with the lever member and which is opened upon movement of the lever member in one direction and which is closed upon movement of the lever member in the opposite direction.

Claim 19

A heat exchanger for heating a first fluid by a second fluid comprising a heat exchange chamber for receiving the second fluid, a first group of fluid conduit means for directing the first fluid through said heat exchange chamber in a first direction, a second group of fluid conduits for directing the first fluid through said heat exchange chamber in a second direction opposite said first direction after the first fluid has exited from said first fluid conduits, a third group of fluid conduits for directing the first fluid through said heat exchange chamber in the first direction after the first fluid has exited from said second fluid conduits, a fourth group of fluid conduits for directing the first fluid through said heat exchange chamber in the second direction after the first fluid has exited from said third group of fluid conduits, said first, second and third groups of fluid conduits being disposed outwardly from the center of said heat exchange chamber, said fourth group of fluid conduits being located centrally of said heat exchange chamber and surrounded by said first, second and third groups of fluid conduits, annular baffle means for directing the flow of said first fluid sequentially between said first, second, third and fourth groups of fluid conduits and blocking the flow of said first fluid between other of said groups of conduits said annular baffle means including a pair of annular baffles, one of said annular baffles being located at one end of said groups of fluid conduits, and the other of said annular baffles being located at The opposite end of said groups of fluid conduits, said one annular baffle including a first chamber in fluid communication with said first group of fluid conduits, a second chamber in fluid communicawith said second and third groups of fluid conduits and a third chamber in fluid communication with said fourth group of fluid conduits and wherein said plurality of chambers are operable to direct the flow of said first fluid through said groups of fluid conduits in predetermined sequence, said other annular baffle including a first chamber in fluid communication with said first and second groups of conduits, a second chamber in fluid communication with said third group of fluid conduits, and a third chamber in fluid communication with said fourth group of fluid conduits, outlet means for directing the first fluid from said heat exchange chamber and communicating with said third chamber of said one annular baffle.

Claim 20

A heat exchanger for heating a first fluid by a second fluid comprising a heat exchange chamber for receiving the second fluid, a first group of fluid conduit means for directing the first fluid through said heat exchange chamber in a first direction, a second group of fluid conduits for directing the first fluid through said heat exchange chamber in a second direction opposite said first direction after the first fluid has exited from said first fluid conduits, a third group of fluid conduits for directing the first fluid through said heat exchange chamber in the first direction after the first fluid has exited from said second fluid conduits, a fourth group of fluid conduits for directing the first fluid through said heat exchange chamber in the second direction after the first fluid has exited from said third group of fluid conduits, said first, second and third groups of fluid conduits being disposed outwardly from the center of said heat exchange chamber, said fourth group of fluid conduits being located centrally of said heat exchange chamber and surrounded by said first, second and third groups of fluid conduits, annular baffle means for directing the flow of said first fluid sequentially between said first, second, third and fourth groups of fluid conduits and blocking the flow of said first fluid between other of said groups of conduits said annular baffle means including a pair of annular baffles, one of said annular baffles being located at one end of said groups of fluid conduits, and the other of said annular baffles being located at The opposite end of said groups of fluid conduits, said one annular baffle including a first chamber in fluid communication with said first group of fluid conduits, a second chamber in fluid communicawith said second and third groups of fluid conduits and a third chamber in fluid communication with said fourth group of fluid conduits and wherein said plurality of chambers are operable to direct the flow of said first fluid through said groups of fluid conduits in predetermined sequence, said other annular baffle including a first chamber in fluid communication with said first and second groups of conduits, a second chamber in fluid communication with said third group of fluid conduits, and a third chamber in fluid communication with said fourth group of fluid conduits, outlet means for directing the first fluid from said heat exchange chamber and communicating with said third chamber of said one annular baffle.

Claim 21

A heat exchanger as defined in claim 16 further including bypass means for bypassing the flow of fluid from said first chamber of said one annular baffle in order to mix cold water with hot water exiting therefrom.

Claim 22

A heat exchanger as defined in claim 16 further including a member movable in response to a demand for said first fluid, and valve means operatively connected with said member and actuated thereby to effect a flow of the first fluid into the outlet chamber which bypasses said fluid conduit means so that cold first fluid is blended with heated first fluid under control of said member.

Claim 23

A heat exchanger as defined in claim 18 wherein said member has a no-flow position in which said valve means is closed and means for directing cold water from said first chamber of said one annular baffle to said third chamber of said one annular baffle when said means is in its no-flow position.

Claim 26

An apparatus as defined in claim 20 wherein said means operatively interconnecting the lever member and steam valve means comprises a control valve operated by said lever member and for directing water pressure to said steam valve to effect opening of the steam valve upon opening of the control valve.

Claim 27

An apparatus as defined in claim 21 wherein said control valve has means for communicating inlet water pressure thereto and when opened directs said pressure to said steam valve to effect opening thereof.

Claim 28

An apparatus as defined in claim 22 wherein said valve is spring-biased by a first spring means to an open position for directing water pressure to said steam valve means and said piston member through said lever moves said valve means to said closed position and second spring means acting on said piston member urging said piston member to its no-flow position in which said control valve is in its closed position, and means for adjusting said second spring means which acts on said piston.

Claim 29

An apparatus as defined in claim 20 wherein said means operatively interconnecting the lever member and steam valve means comprises a control valve operated by said lever member for directing an adjustablE fluid pressure to said steam valve to effect opening of the steam valve upon opening of the control valve.

Claim 30

An apparatus as defined in claim 24 wherein said steam valve is a differential diaphragm type so that the adjustable fluid pressure produces an adjustable steam pressure to the heat exchanger.