Integrated energy recovery systems

Abstract

An energy efficient laundry facility comprises a space heating system, an air conditioning system, a plurality of clothes washers, a plurality of clothes dryers, a hot water storage tank supplying the washers, a source of cold water and conduit means interconnecting the aforesaid. Dedicated heat recovery units are associated respectively with the dryers and employ high temperature dryer exhaust air to heat water for supply to the storage tank. A controller and temperature sensing means regulate the flow of hot water from the dryers to the storage tank. High temperature water is directed to the top of the storage tank and lower temperature water to an intermediate point in the storage tank. Hot water from the dryers is also directed to the space heating system. Each heat recovery unit comprises a heat exchanger, a blower, a water circulation pump, a water temperature sensor, and a dedicated controller. The controller may also include a dryer exhaust pressure monitor, a pressure controller, and a variable speed blower drive. The heat exchanger is of the counterflow type and each recovery unit has its heat exchanger and blower arranged to provide for right angle air flow resulting in a compact unit for mounting atop a clothes dryer. Hot water may also be drawn from the storage tank for use in either an air or hydronic space heating system.

Description

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION[0001]Reference is had to Provisional Patent Application entitled Integrated Energy Recovery Systems, inventor Michael Goldberg, filed Jun. 18, 2009, hereby incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]Energy cost and availability are currently forefront issues well known to all. Research and investment are focused intensely on many facets of this dilemma, and much is being accomplished. In many industries, energy recovery is a key area of development. Typically, unused process heat that has historically been vented to the atmosphere or discharged into waterways, is now being captured. The captured heat may be used to preheat a target process and reduce energy consumption, or it may be used as the source heat for other processes in the same facility.[0003]While heat recovery is an elegant way to reduce energy consumption, it can only work where the waste heat is discharged at sufficient temperature to be useful. It is also essenti...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0006]In accordance with the present invention and in fulfillment of the foregoing object, the improved heat recovery system takes advantage of two key factors; compatible energy consumption and temperature in the separate processes, and very high water consumption. One function of the disclosed systems is recovery of waste heat from the dryer exhaust. This recovered heat is preferably used for hot water production, and may also be used for heating dryer makeup air and / or for facility space heat. In the event the facility Air Conditioning is water cooled, additional waste heat may be recovered, and Air Conditioning electrical consumption may be materially reduced.

Problems solved by technology

Energy cost and availability are currently forefront issues well known to all.

While heat recovery is an elegant way to reduce energy consumption, it can only work where the waste heat is discharged at sufficient temperature to be useful.

However, their domestic hot water consumption is low, and only a small portion of the A / C waste heat is recovered.

This is unfortunately often the case.

The key processes that discharge and employ waste heat occur at temperatures that are compatible with each other, and laundries consume large quantities of water.

Laundries are extremely energy intensive, so much so that utility costs present an imminent threat to the industry's survival.

Despite the urgency of its need, the laundry industry has largely fallen under the research radar, and little energy efficiency innovation has occurred to date.

However, the improvements offered by these products are incremental and do not offer tangible relief to the industry.

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