Patent US4079885A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4079885A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Apparatus and method of utilizing waste heat from furnace combustion
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1977-01-11
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Granted: 1978-03-21
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Expires: 1997-01-11
Abstract
Abstract This invention pertains to apparatus and a method for utilizing waste heat as produced in furnaces, particularly boilers. This apparatus and method is equally useful in hot air furnaces. After heating the water or air the heat that passes into the plenum is caused to pass over and around a heat exchanger which moves air by a blower means through this exchanger into the house or basement. This air can be humidified, if desired. The exhaust stack during the combustion period is open to the chimney. At other times it is closed to prevent heat escape from the boiler. A collecting means is provided for moisture that may collect on the heat exchanger.
Inventors
- 👤 J. William Decker
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 22:37
CPC Classifications
F; F24; F24H; F24H8/00; F24H8/006; F24D; F24D19/00; F24D19/10; F24D19/1084; F24H15/00; F24H15/20; F24H15/235; F24H15/238; F24H15/30; F24H15/305; F24H15/31; F24H15/33; F24H15/345; F24H15/355; F24H15/36; F24H3/00; F24H3/12; F24H9/00; F24H9/20; F24H9/2064; F24H9/2085; F24H15/395; Y; Y02; Y02B; Y02B30/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
492 words
Apparatus for utilizing the heat in a plenum of a furnace by passing air through a heat exchanger and emerging from this exchanger as heated air which assists in the heating of the living area served by a furnace, said apparatus including: (a) a firebox and burner of conventional construction and function in which the burner is controlled by opening and closing a valve, the opening of said valve producing a combustion in cooperation and combination with conventional ignition means; (b) a plenum area provided above the furnace firebox and above the conventional area for the boiler, hot water heat exchanger, hot air exchanger and the like; (c) a heat exchanger mounted in said above plenum area, the inlet of this exchanger being supplied by room air from the basement, furnace room and the like, the air in this exchanger being moved by a blower through the exchanger where it is heated and after being heated delivered to a living area of the dwelling being supplied by the furnace; (d) a thermostat provided at the bottom of the plenum area containing the heat exchanger, this treatment responsive to the determined level of heat in said plenum so that when the heat above this level is reached the thermostat controlling the blower serving the heat exchanger is closed and the blower is actuated and when the heat level has dropped below that established by said thermostat the blower is deactivated; (e) a low velocity blower disposed to move that gas produced by combustion after passing through the plenum, this gas moved by the blower to and through a flue and to a chimney leading to the outer air; (f) a vent in association with said low velocity blower, this vent open to the area in which the furnace is located, this vent closed by a selectively movable door actuated into vent closing condition when the low velocity blower is actuated and into vent open condition when the low velocity blower is deactivated, the movement of the door opening the vent and permitting air from the furnace area to flow to and through the chimney and while the vent is open this moved door closes the firebox to a flow of heat, gas and the like during absence of combustion, and (g) thermostat means disposed in the living area and adapted to send a signal to a furnace control box means for producing a combustion when heat is desired and indicated by said thermostat means, the low velocity blower being actuated and the vent being closed before the signal from the living area thermostat means actuates a combustion, the products of combustion passing from the firebox to and by the conventional heating area and to and around the heat exchanger to warm the air as moved through this exchanger by a blower and with a low velocity blower moving this now cooled gas past a closed vent and to and out a connected chimney.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
492 words
Apparatus for utilizing the heat in a plenum of a furnace by passing air through a heat exchanger and emerging from this exchanger as heated air which assists in the heating of the living area served by a furnace, said apparatus including: (a) a firebox and burner of conventional construction and function in which the burner is controlled by opening and closing a valve, the opening of said valve producing a combustion in cooperation and combination with conventional ignition means; (b) a plenum area provided above the furnace firebox and above the conventional area for the boiler, hot water heat exchanger, hot air exchanger and the like; (c) a heat exchanger mounted in said above plenum area, the inlet of this exchanger being supplied by room air from the basement, furnace room and the like, the air in this exchanger being moved by a blower through the exchanger where it is heated and after being heated delivered to a living area of the dwelling being supplied by the furnace; (d) a thermostat provided at the bottom of the plenum area containing the heat exchanger, this treatment responsive to the determined level of heat in said plenum so that when the heat above this level is reached the thermostat controlling the blower serving the heat exchanger is closed and the blower is actuated and when the heat level has dropped below that established by said thermostat the blower is deactivated; (e) a low velocity blower disposed to move that gas produced by combustion after passing through the plenum, this gas moved by the blower to and through a flue and to a chimney leading to the outer air; (f) a vent in association with said low velocity blower, this vent open to the area in which the furnace is located, this vent closed by a selectively movable door actuated into vent closing condition when the low velocity blower is actuated and into vent open condition when the low velocity blower is deactivated, the movement of the door opening the vent and permitting air from the furnace area to flow to and through the chimney and while the vent is open this moved door closes the firebox to a flow of heat, gas and the like during absence of combustion, and (g) thermostat means disposed in the living area and adapted to send a signal to a furnace control box means for producing a combustion when heat is desired and indicated by said thermostat means, the low velocity blower being actuated and the vent being closed before the signal from the living area thermostat means actuates a combustion, the products of combustion passing from the firebox to and by the conventional heating area and to and around the heat exchanger to warm the air as moved through this exchanger by a blower and with a low velocity blower moving this now cooled gas past a closed vent and to and out a connected chimney.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
48 words
An apparatus for utilizing escaped heat as in claim 1 in which there is provided in the plenum area a condensate collector positioned below the heat exchanger and a discharge means for carrying any resulting condensate from the interior of the furnace to the exterior of the furnace.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
57 words
An apparatus for utilizing escaped heat as in claim 2 in which the condensate collector includes a conical baffle and a circular channel member in close proximity to the outer edges of the baffle, this channel member adapted to collect the run-off from the baffle and carry this condensate to and through a drain from the furnace.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
49 words
An apparatus for utilizing escaped heat as in claim 2 in which the condensate collector includes a plate disposed below the heat exchanger and tilted toward one side of the furnace from whence the accumulated condensate is carried to and through a drain to the outside of the furnace.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
38 words
An apparatus for utilizing escaped heat as in claim 1 in which the heat exchanger is serpentine in form and has the inlet portion thereof further from the firebox than the outlet portion which is nearer the firebox.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
100 words
An apparatus for utilizing escaped heat as in claim 1 in which the vent is positioned at the top of the plenum and the movable door is secured to an actuator and is movable to close the plenum when the low pressure blower is deactivated, the movement of this actuator opening a switch which is further in series communication with a switch actuated by an air flow actuator disposed in a flue by and through which the exhaust gases are conducted, this flue actuated switch closed when air flow in the flue is developed by an activated low pressure blower.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
81 words
An apparatus for utilizing escaped heat as in claim 1 in which the vent is formed in a flue portion and the selectively movable door is disposed to be moved by the velocity of the air provided by the low velocity blower and as the vent is closed by this door a switch in series with the burner valve is closed so that combustion cannot be achieved except and when said vent is closed and the low velocity blower is actuated.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
50 words
An apparatus for utilizing escaped heat as in claim 1 in which the heated air from the heat exchanger is in flow communication with a humidifier which is actuated to humidify the heated air by and with a signal from a humidistat in the living area served by the furnace.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
520 words
A method for utilizing the heat in a plenum of a furnace by heating the air as passed through a heat exchanger and with the air emerging from this exchanger as heated air assisting and supplementing the heating of the living area served by the furnace, said method including the steps of: (a) providing a firebox and burner of conventional construction and function in which the burner is controlled by opening and closing a valve, the opening of said valve producing a combustion in cooperation and combination with conventional ignition means; (b) forming a plenum area above the furnace firebox and above the conventional area for the boiler, hot water heat exchanger, hot air exchanger and the like; (c) mounting a heat exchanger in said above plenum area and supplying the inlet of this exchanger with room air from the basement, furnace room and the like and in which the furnace is positioned and moving this room air by a blower which moves this air through the exchanger where it is heated and delivered to a living area of the dwelling being supplied heat by the furnace; (d) positioning and providing a thermostat at the bottom of the plenum area containing the heat exchanger and making this thermostat responsive to the determined level of heat in said plenum so that when the heat above this level is reached the thermostat controlling the blower serving the heat exchanger is closed and the blower is actuated, and when the heat level has dropped below that established by said thermostat the blower is deactivated; (e) providing a low velocity blower disposed to move that gas produced by combustion after passing through the plenum, this gas moved by the blower to and through a flue and to a chimney leading to the outer air; (f) forming and providing a vent in association with said low velocity blower, this vent open to the area in which the furnace is located, this vent closed by a selectively movable door actuated into vent closing condition when the low velocity blower is actuated and into vent open condition when the low velocity blower is deactivated, the movement of the door opening the vent and permitting air from the furnace area to flow to and through the chimney and while the vent is open this moved door closes the firebox to a flow of heat, gas and the like during absence of combustion, and (g) providing thermostat means disposed in the living area and adapted to send a signal to a furnace control box means for producing a combustion when heat is desired and indicated by said thermostat means, the low velocity blower being actuated and the vent being closed before the signal from the living area thermostat means actuated a combustion, the products of combustion passing from the firebox to and by the conventional heating area and to and around the heat exchanger to warm the air therein as moved through this exchanger by a blower and with a low velocity blower moving this now cooled gas past a closed vent and to and out a connected chimney.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
520 words
A method for utilizing the heat in a plenum of a furnace by heating the air as passed through a heat exchanger and with the air emerging from this exchanger as heated air assisting and supplementing the heating of the living area served by the furnace, said method including the steps of: (a) providing a firebox and burner of conventional construction and function in which the burner is controlled by opening and closing a valve, the opening of said valve producing a combustion in cooperation and combination with conventional ignition means; (b) forming a plenum area above the furnace firebox and above the conventional area for the boiler, hot water heat exchanger, hot air exchanger and the like; (c) mounting a heat exchanger in said above plenum area and supplying the inlet of this exchanger with room air from the basement, furnace room and the like and in which the furnace is positioned and moving this room air by a blower which moves this air through the exchanger where it is heated and delivered to a living area of the dwelling being supplied heat by the furnace; (d) positioning and providing a thermostat at the bottom of the plenum area containing the heat exchanger and making this thermostat responsive to the determined level of heat in said plenum so that when the heat above this level is reached the thermostat controlling the blower serving the heat exchanger is closed and the blower is actuated, and when the heat level has dropped below that established by said thermostat the blower is deactivated; (e) providing a low velocity blower disposed to move that gas produced by combustion after passing through the plenum, this gas moved by the blower to and through a flue and to a chimney leading to the outer air; (f) forming and providing a vent in association with said low velocity blower, this vent open to the area in which the furnace is located, this vent closed by a selectively movable door actuated into vent closing condition when the low velocity blower is actuated and into vent open condition when the low velocity blower is deactivated, the movement of the door opening the vent and permitting air from the furnace area to flow to and through the chimney and while the vent is open this moved door closes the firebox to a flow of heat, gas and the like during absence of combustion, and (g) providing thermostat means disposed in the living area and adapted to send a signal to a furnace control box means for producing a combustion when heat is desired and indicated by said thermostat means, the low velocity blower being actuated and the vent being closed before the signal from the living area thermostat means actuated a combustion, the products of combustion passing from the firebox to and by the conventional heating area and to and around the heat exchanger to warm the air therein as moved through this exchanger by a blower and with a low velocity blower moving this now cooled gas past a closed vent and to and out a connected chimney.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
56 words
A method for utilizing escaped heat as in claim 9 in which there is provided the additional step of positioning in the plenum area a condensate collector below the heat exchanger and forming a discharge means for carrying the condensate from the heat exchanger from the interior of the furnace to the exterior of the furnace.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
43 words
A method for utilizing escaped heat as in claim 9 which further includes the step of forming the heat exchanger to have a serpentine array with the inlet portion thereof further from the firebox than the outlet portion which is nearer the firebox.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1981-03-20 | 1981-09-19 | 1982-03-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1985-03-20 | 1985-09-19 | 1986-03-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1989-03-20 | 1989-09-19 | 1990-03-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |