Waste heating recovery system

Claim 1

An apparatus for recovering waste heat from a refrigeration system having a compressor, condensor and evaporator coupled together for circulating a refrigerant comprising: heat exchanger means adapted to be connected to said system between said compressor and condensor and having an inlet for receiving said refrigerant from said compressor and an outlet for supplying said refrigerant to said condensor and a water line passing therethrough to which heat is transferred from said refrigerant, said water line being adapted to be connected at one end to a source of cold water; a holding tank connected to the other end of said water line for receiving at an inlet water to which heat has been transferred and storing said water and having an outlet; means connected to said holding tank outlet and adapted to be connected to a water storage tank having a capacity greater than the capacity of said holding tank by means of one way valve means so that heated water flows from said holding tank to said storage tank when the pressure in said storage tank drops below the pressure in said holding tank upon removal of water from said storage tank; and pump means connected between said holding tank outlet and connected to said heat exchanger means inlet by said water line for circulating heated water from said holding tank; means for sensing the temperature of said refrigerant prior to passage through said heat exchanger; means for sensing the temperature of said heated water prior to passage through said pump means; solenoid valve means connected between said water line and said source of cold water; and a central control unit means for causing said pump means to circulate water when either the temperature sensed by said refrigerant temperature sensing means is above a predetermined value, or the temperature sensed by said water temperature sensing means is below a predetermined value, and for opening said solenoid valve means when said pump means is not operating to circulate water.

Claim 2

An apparatus for recovering waste heat from a refrigeration system having a compressor, condensor and evaporator coupled together for circulating a refrigerant comprising: heat exchanger means adapted to be connected to said system between said compressor and condensor and having an inlet for receiving said refrigerant from said compressor and an outlet for supplying said refrigerant to said condensor and a water line passing therethrough to which heat is transferred from said refrigerant, said water line being adapted to be connected at one end to a source of cold water; a holding tank connected to the other end of said water line for receiving at an inlet water to which heat has been transferred and storing said water and having an outlet; means connected to said holding tank outlet and adapted to be connected to a water storage tank having a capacity greater than the capacity of said holding tank by means of one way valve means so that heated water flows from said holding tank to said storage tank when the pressure in said storage tank drops below the pressure in said holding tank upon removal of water from said storage tank; and pump means connected between said holding tank outlet and connected to said heat exchanger means inlet by said water line for circulating heated water from said holding tank; means for sensing the temperature of said refrigerant prior to passage through said heat exchanger; means for sensing the temperature of said heated water prior to passage through said pump means; solenoid valve means connected between said water line and said source of cold water; and a central control unit means for causing said pump means to circulate water when either the temperature sensed by said refrigerant temperature sensing means is above a predetermined value, or the temperature sensed by said water temperature sensing means is below a predetermined value, and for opening said solenoid valve means when said pump means is not operating to circulate water.