Indirect Water Heater
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing indirect water heaters face inefficiencies in energy usage due to the need for further optimization of heat transfer and energy recovery from heating fluids, particularly in condensing boilers, leading to increased energy costs and carbon footprints.
Innovation Solution
An indirect water heater design that preheats incoming domestic water using the heat from discharged heating fluids before it enters the storage tank, utilizing a secondary heat exchanger to enhance heat transfer and reduce the temperature of returning heating fluids, thereby improving the efficiency of condensing boilers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If a traditional indirect water heater heats water using a single heat exchanger connected to a boiler, then the water is heated and stored for on-demand use, but energy efficiency is limited because the discharged heating fluid retains usable heat that is not recovered
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by preheating the incoming cold water using the discharged heating fluid before it enters the main heat exchanger. The preheater is positioned to receive cold water and heat it with the discharged heating fluid, so that the water enters the tank already warmed, reducing the energy burden on the boiler.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements discarding and recovering by capturing the thermal energy that would otherwise be discarded in the discharged heating fluid. The preheater recovers this waste heat to preheat the incoming water, converting what was previously a loss into a useful heating function.
2Volume of stationary object
If the water tank size is reduced to lower costs and save space, then the storage capacity decreases, but the system must still meet hot water demand requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The preheater performs preliminary heating of incoming water before it enters the tank. This means that less energy is required to heat the water to the desired temperature, allowing the tank to be smaller while still meeting hot water demands, as the preheated water requires less additional heating.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the temperature parameter of the incoming water through preheating. By raising the initial temperature of the water before it enters the tank, the effective storage capacity is enhanced because the water requires less energy to reach the target temperature, effectively increasing productivity without increasing volume.
3Loss of energy
If the heating fluid temperature is maintained high to ensure adequate hot water heating, then heat transfer efficiency improves, but the energy consumption and carbon footprint increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent recovers thermal energy from the discharged heating fluid that would otherwise be wasted. By using this recovered heat to preheat incoming water, the system maintains effective heat transfer without requiring additional fuel consumption, thus improving efficiency while reducing energy use.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful waste heat in the discharged heating fluid into a beneficial resource. The discharged fluid, which would normally represent energy loss, is instead used to preheat incoming water, transforming a negative (energy waste) into a positive (energy recovery).
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 design significantly increases energy efficiency and reduces the carbon footprint by preheating incoming water and lowering the temperature of returning heating fluids, allowing for a smaller tank size and reduced fuel consumption while maintaining or enhancing hot water output.
Implementation Method 1
The indirect water heater preheats the cold influent water before it even enters the tank, and heats the water more efficiently
Implementation Method 2
heats the water more efficiently
Implementation Method 3
The boiler heats a heating fluid that is circulated through the heat exchanger to heat the water in the water tank
Data Source
AI summary
An example indirect water heater is disclosed having a water storage tank with a primary heat exchanger. A heating fluid inlet of the primary heat exchanger receives a heating fluid from an external heat source into the primary heat exchanger. A heating fluid outlet of the primary heat exchanger returns the heating fluid to the external heat source after traveling through the primary heat exchanger. A secondary heat exchanger has a water source inlet and a water source outlet. The secondary heat exchanger is provided in thermal connection with the primary heater exchanger to preheat a source water before discharging the source water from the water source outlet into the water storage tank.