Recreational vehicle heating system

Solution Overview

Problem

Recreational vehicle heating systems fail to efficiently manage and reassign heating medium flow rate priorities, leading to increased energy consumption.

Innovation Solution

A heating medium tank compartmented by vertical partitions allows sequential flow of heating medium, with priority-based distribution controlled by a pump in the heating medium circuit, including a heater, hot water supply heat exchanger, and waste heat exchanger, to optimize flow rates for engine preheating, hot water provision, and space heating.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the heating medium flow rate is increased for hot water heating, then hot water supply efficiency is improved, but energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehot water supply efficiencyVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The heating medium tank is divided into multiple compartments separated by vertical partitions. Each compartment can independently supply heating medium to different heating circuits (hot water heating, space heating, engine preheating), allowing selective activation of only the required compartments based on priority needs, thus avoiding unnecessary energy consumption while maintaining productivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts the heating medium flow rate distribution among different heating circuits based on priority-based control. The controller selectively activates pumps and opens/closes valves to direct heating medium flow to specific circuits according to their current priority levels, enabling flexible adaptation to changing heating demands without wasting energy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Productivity

If the heating medium flow rate is increased for engine preheating, then engine preheating efficiency is improved, but energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveengine preheating efficiencyVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The heating medium tank is divided into multiple compartments separated by vertical partitions. Each compartment can independently supply heating medium to different heating circuits (hot water heating, space heating, engine preheating), allowing selective activation of only the required compartments based on priority needs, thus avoiding unnecessary energy consumption while maintaining productivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts the heating medium flow rate distribution among different heating circuits based on priority-based control. The controller selectively activates pumps and opens/closes valves to direct heating medium flow to specific circuits according to their current priority levels, enabling flexible adaptation to changing heating demands without wasting energy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Productivity

If the heating medium flow rate is increased for space heating, then space heating efficiency is improved, but energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespace heating efficiencyVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The heating medium tank is divided into multiple compartments separated by vertical partitions. Each compartment can independently supply heating medium to different heating circuits (hot water heating, space heating, engine preheating), allowing selective activation of only the required compartments based on priority needs, thus avoiding unnecessary energy consumption while maintaining productivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts the heating medium flow rate distribution among different heating circuits based on priority-based control. The controller selectively activates pumps and opens/closes valves to direct heating medium flow to specific circuits according to their current priority levels, enabling flexible adaptation to changing heating demands without wasting energy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

4Use of energy by moving object

If priority-based heating medium flow rate control is implemented, then energy consumption is reduced, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenergy consumptionVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The heating medium tank is divided into multiple compartments separated by vertical partitions. Each compartment can independently supply heating medium to different heating circuits (hot water heating, space heating, engine preheating), allowing selective activation of only the required compartments based on priority needs, thus avoiding unnecessary energy consumption while maintaining productivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts the heating medium flow rate distribution among different heating circuits based on priority-based control. The controller selectively activates pumps and opens/closes valves to direct heating medium flow to specific circuits according to their current priority levels, enabling flexible adaptation to changing heating demands without wasting energy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This configuration reduces overall energy consumption by automatically redistributing heating medium flow rates based on priority, ensuring efficient energy use across different heating applications in recreational vehicles.

Implementation Method 1

a heating medium tank compartmented by vertical partitions configured to allow for the heating medium flow over the partitions from one compartment to another in a sequential order

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGravity: Gravitation

Implementation Method 2

a heating medium heater

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeating: Heating

Implementation Method 3

a hot water supply heat exchanger

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat exchange: Heat Exchanger

Implementation Method 4

a waste heat exchanger

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat exchange: Heat Exchanger

Data Source

PatentUS11850916B2Recreational vehicle heating system

Publication Date: 2023.12.26 KORDIT EVSEY AVRUMOVICH

AI summary

A recreational vehicle heating system comprises: a heating medium heater, a hot water supply heat exchanger, a heating medium circuit including a pump and a waste heat exchanger, and a heating medium tank compartmented by vertical partitions configured to allow for the heating medium flow over the partitions from one compartment to another in a sequential order, the hot water supply heat exchanger being arranged in one of the tank compartments, while the other tank compartments are part of heating medium circuits each including a pump and a waste heat exchanger. The first tank compartment in said sequential order is connected, via a conduit, to the heating medium heater, while the last tank compartment in said sequential order is configured to allow for the heating medium flow over to the conduit for the heating medium transfer by a pump via the heater to the first compartment.