US4408715A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Heating installation for premises for dwelling or industrial use
Assignee: Societe National Elf Aquitaine
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Filing: 1981-03-17
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Granted: 1983-10-11
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Expires: 2001-03-17
Abstract
Abstract The invention relates to a heating installation for home or industrial use. It is of the type including a heat source associated with a heat pump of which the heat produced is given up to a heating fluid contained in an enclosure connected to heating members placed in the premises to be heated. It is characterized in that at least one part of the heat produced by the exhaust heat source is capable of being transferred to the heating fluid and of being added to that given up by the heat pump. The invention is particularly useful as a boiler for a heating system.
Inventors
- 👤 Michel Gueneau
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 09:38
CPC Classifications
F; F24; F24D; F24D11/00; F24D11/02; F24D11/0214; F24D11/0235; F24H; F24H4/00; F24H4/02; Y; Y02; Y02B; Y02B10/00; Y02B10/70; Y02B30/00; Y02B30/12; Y02B30/52; Y02P; Y02P80/00; Y02P80/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
242 words
A heating installation for home or industrial use, comprising: a boiler enclosure containing an intermediate liquid to be heated; an internal combustion engine suspended in said boiler and at least partially submerged in said intermediate liquid for operating in said submerged condition so that heat generated by the operation of said engine is transferred directly to said intermediate liquid; an exhaust pipe means for removing exhaust gases connected to said internal combustion engine and at least partially submerged in said intermediate liquid; an exhaust heat exchanger located within the boiler enclosure and operatively connected to said exhaust pipe, so that heat from the submerged portions of the exhaust is transferred to the intermediate liquid; a heat pump having a condenser, an evaporator, and a compressor which is driven by said internal combustion engine, said compressor being the only load of said internal combustion engine, so that at lower temperatures the amount of required compression and resulting load increases, producing therefore a greater thermal dissipation from said internal combustion engine, while heat from said condenser is transferred to said intermediate liquid within the condenser; heating members located in the premises to be heated and supplied with a heating fluid heated by the intermediate liquid of said boiler; and said condenser being situated downstream from the heating members and upstream from the boiler so that the heating fluid flowing from said heating members to said boiler is heated during its passage through the condenser.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
242 words
A heating installation for home or industrial use, comprising: a boiler enclosure containing an intermediate liquid to be heated; an internal combustion engine suspended in said boiler and at least partially submerged in said intermediate liquid for operating in said submerged condition so that heat generated by the operation of said engine is transferred directly to said intermediate liquid; an exhaust pipe means for removing exhaust gases connected to said internal combustion engine and at least partially submerged in said intermediate liquid; an exhaust heat exchanger located within the boiler enclosure and operatively connected to said exhaust pipe, so that heat from the submerged portions of the exhaust is transferred to the intermediate liquid; a heat pump having a condenser, an evaporator, and a compressor which is driven by said internal combustion engine, said compressor being the only load of said internal combustion engine, so that at lower temperatures the amount of required compression and resulting load increases, producing therefore a greater thermal dissipation from said internal combustion engine, while heat from said condenser is transferred to said intermediate liquid within the condenser; heating members located in the premises to be heated and supplied with a heating fluid heated by the intermediate liquid of said boiler; and said condenser being situated downstream from the heating members and upstream from the boiler so that the heating fluid flowing from said heating members to said boiler is heated during its passage through the condenser.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
The installation of claim 1 wherein heat is transferred from the intermediate liquid to the heating fluid by an exhaust heat exchanger.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
13 words
The installation of claim 1 wherein the heating fluid is the intermediate liquid.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
99 words
The installation of claim 1 further comprising means for reducing the apparent power of the boiler constituted by the enclosure containing the heating fluid, said means comprising on the one hand a heating fluid reserve tank brought to a predetermined high temperature when the engine is in operation, and on the other hand members adapted to transfer from the reserve tank said heating fluid into heating members when said engine is stopped, and wherein means are also provided to reengage said engine when the reserve tank is emptied of all or part of its heating fluid at high temperature.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
56 words
The installation of claim 1 wherein a fluid is associated with the evaporator of the heat pump in a heat exchange relationship, said fluid consisting essentially of ambient air circulated by a blower, and wherein a delivery duct is mounted on the blower, said evaporator being inserted between the inlet and the outlet of said duct.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
36 words
The installation of claim 5 further comprising an envelope connected to the external ambient medium and constituting an air duct for the blower and in which are housed all the essential constituent members of said installation.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
16 words
The installation of claim 6 wherein the envelope and the enclosure are sound-proofed and heat insulated
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
32 words
The installation of claim 1 wherein an outlet for the exhaust heat exchanger is connected by a conduit to a general evacuation conduit for condensate deposited at the base of the envelope.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
57 words
The installation of claim 8 wherein the general evacuation conduit for condensation is inclined to the horizontal and opens at one of its ends into a trough formed at the base of the delivery duct, said trough extending transversely with respect to the direction of the general evacuation duct whose other end is connected to a siphon.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
The installation of claim 4 wherein the removal of water from the boiler is effected by means of thermostatic valves.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
20 words
The installation of claim 1 wherein circulation of the intermediate liquid in the exchanger is counter-current to the exhaust gases.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
17 words
The installation of claim 1 wherein the temperature of the intermediate liquid around the engine is constant.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
16 words
The installation of claim 1 wherein the exhaust exchanger is a cylinder filled with metal shavings.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
27 words
The installation of claim 6 wherein an air regulating shutter is mounted in a delivery duct between the inside of the envelope and the external ambient medium.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
21 words
The installation of claim 5 wherein a shutter for recycling air or air exhaust-gas mixture is mounted in the delivery duct.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
22 words
The installation of claim 1 wherein frost which is possibly formed on the evaporator is removed by means of the exhaust gas.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
30 words
The installation of claim 5 wherein the blower consumes the major portion of the power of the engine for the removal of frost which is possibly formed on the evaporator.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
19 words
The installation of claim 17 wherein the defrosting function is operable during the period of idling of the engine.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
33 words
The installation of claim 1 wherein the power of the engine for low temperatures is between 1 and 5 times the power necessary for the operation of the heat pump at 0° C.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
115 words
The installation of claim 4 wherein a first three-way valve is inserted between (a) the outlet of the condenser of the heat pump, (b) the enclosure containing the heating fluid and (c) a duct connected to one passage of a second three-way valve of which the two other passages are connected (a) to a duct for supplying the heating members and (b) to the reserve tank which is connected to said enclosure and through a branch duct to the duct linking the two valves, the engine and the valves being actuated by at least two servomotors themselves actuated by the difference in temperature of the fluid circulating in the heating members and a predetermined value.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
20 words
The installation of claim 1 wherein a major portion of the internal combustion engine is submerged in the intermediate liquid.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
11 words
The installation of claim 1 wherein the intermediate liquid is water.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
16 words
The installation of claim 1 wherein both the intermediate liquid and the heating fluid are water.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1986-10-10 | 1987-04-11 | 1987-10-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1990-10-10 | 1991-04-11 | 1991-10-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1994-10-10 | 1995-04-11 | 1995-10-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |