High-efficiency heating apparatus
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing heating systems face challenges in achieving high seasonal efficiency without the need for condensate disposal and impermeable flues, particularly when replacing old boilers in existing systems lacking these features.
Innovation Solution
Integration of a conventional boiler with an atmospheric burner and an air-water heat pump within a single casing, utilizing a single air feeding and combustion product draining duct, which enhances energy efficiency by diluting combustion products and avoiding condensate formation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a conventional boiler with atmospheric burner is used, then the installation is simpler and does not require impermeable flues or condensate drainage systems, but the seasonal efficiency is lower (75-82%) compared to condensing boilers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines a conventional boiler with an atmospheric burner and an air-water heat pump into a single integrated heating system. The boiler and heat pump share common components including the air feeding duct, combustion chamber, and heat exchanger, allowing the system to achieve high efficiency comparable to condensing boilers while maintaining installation simplicity and avoiding the need for impermeable flues or condensate drainage systems.
2Use of energy by moving object
If a condensing boiler is used to achieve high seasonal efficiency (>86%), then the energy efficiency is improved, but the system requires impermeable flues and condensate drainage systems which complicates installation in existing systems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the condensing function from the boiler system by integrating an air-water heat pump that recovers heat from the combustion products and atmospheric air. This allows the system to achieve high seasonal efficiency without requiring the combustion products to be condensed, thereby eliminating the need for impermeable flues and condensate drainage systems while maintaining installation simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an air-water heat pump as an intermediary device between the combustion chamber and the heating system. The heat pump acts as a mediator that recovers thermal energy from the combustion products and atmospheric air, transferring it to the heating water without requiring condensation of the combustion products, thus avoiding the complexity of impermeable flues and condensate drainage.
3Ease of manufacture
If the combustion products are diluted with atmospheric air, then condensate formation is avoided and simpler flues can be used, but the volume of combustion products to be evacuated increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful effect of diluting combustion products (which increases the volume to be evacuated) into a beneficial effect by using the diluted combustion products as the source of thermal energy for the heat pump. The heat pump recovers heat from the diluted combustion products and atmospheric air, thereby converting the increased volume into a larger heat recovery potential while still avoiding condensate formation and enabling the use of simpler flues.
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
The integrated system achieves seasonal energy efficiency comparable to condensing boilers without condensate production or the need for impermeable flues, reducing installation complexities and costs while maintaining high performance.
Implementation Method 1
They are provided with so-called atmospheric burners, namely burners that get the air needed for the combustion from the surrounding atmosphere, partly thanks to the air dragged into the Venturi tubes provided therein by the gas injected into the Venturi tubes themselves
Implementation Method 2
partly thanks to the natural convection of the burning combustion products generated by the burner itself, which, by flowing upwards, determine a natural suction of air in the space surrounding the burner
Implementation Method 3
a primary heat exchanger (10), which permits the exchange of heat between the combustion products coming from a burner (15) and the water flowing in a hydraulic distribution system (17)
Implementation Method 4
which permits the exchange of heat between the combustion products coming from a burner (15) and the water flowing in a hydraulic distribution system (17)
Implementation Method 5
a water circulation pump (19) for the circulation of water in the hydraulic distribution system (17)
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
A high-efficiency heating apparatus (1000) for hot water systems. The apparatus comprises: - a non-condensing boiler (100); and - an air-water heat pump (200). The boiler (100) and the heat pump (200) comprise one single fan (21), which is designed to fulfil the double function of extracting the combustion products from the boiler (100) and of extracting air from the heat pump (200). The apparatus (100) comprises, furthermore, a vaporizing device (41), which is able to collect and vaporize the condensate formed in the area of an evaporator (40) belonging to the heat pump (200).