Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
CA 02735228 2011-03-21
BOILER HOUSING FOR ELECTRO-THERMAL HEATING SYSTEM
This invention relates generally to a boiler housing, and more particularly to
an improved boiler
housing for an electro-thermal heating system which is durable and reliable,
that is constructed and
arranged to receive easily removable or replaceable heating elements, and
which can be easily
installed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
It is well known that, for example, furnaces can be used to heat spaces such
as homes.
Traditionally, such furnaces were oil furnaces. However, as the demand for oil
has risen sharply in
the last decade, the price has correspondingly risen sharply, reducing the
ability of such furnaces to
be economical to the home or business owner. Recently, gas-fired applications,
using natural gas,
have been much in demand for homeowners in economically heating their home.
However, much
as has occurred with oil, natural gas has also seen large price increases in
the last couple of years,
which has also reduced the economical viability of gas-fired applications.
It is also well known to heat homes or spaces using, for example, electrical
baseboards, but, as
hydro rates have risen quite sharply recently, and can be expected to continue
upwardly in the
future, these types of devices are not necessarily economical also. In
addition, heating systems
such as furnaces can require a large footprint, and take up an inordinate
amount of space.
In addition, certain types of pre-heaters have utilized electrical elements
internally positioned
within the pre-heater, whereby coolant can be heated by an electrical element
so as to heat an area.
United States Patents Nos. 5,408,960 (Woytowich) and 4,770,134 (Foreman el al)
are examples of
such devices. However, these arrangements feature electrical elements that are
internally
positioned and firmly set within a tank or chamber, and do not allow for easy
removal of the
electrical element from the pre-heater without complete disassembly, or
destruction, of the pre-
heater, should maintenance or replacement of the electrical element be
required. In such
maintenance or replacement situations, the entire pre-heater would be required
to be removed to
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access the internal electrical element, thereby making maintenance and
replacement of such pre-
heater components difficult and complicated.
What is required is a boiler housing for an electro-thermal heating system
which is very
economical, and which can generate substantial amounts of heat to heat larger
spaces, such as in a
home or business. Thus, there is a need for an improved environmentally
friendly boiler housing
for an electro-thermal heating system for heating a space which has a
generally uncomplicated and
simple design, which may be installed easily, and is durable and reliable, and
which possesses
easily removable or replaceable heating elements. Further there is a need for
a boiler housing for
an electro-thermal heating system which possesses a minimal footprint, and
which can be utilized
in a variety of applications, from heating a home to radiant floor heating.
Finally, there is a need for an improved environmentally friendly boiler
housing for an electro-
thermal heating system that has a heat conductive tube therein constructed and
arranged for
detachable connection with an inlet of the tube for permitting the flow of
coolant
into the housing, the heat conductive tube allowing the temperature of the
coolant to be brought up
in a faster and more efficient manner. In this regard, the present invention
substantially fulfills this
need.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved,
environmentally friendly
boiler housing for an electro-thermal heating system which has a generally
uncomplicated and
simple design, which possesses a minimal footprint, and which has a housing
with an inlet and
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outlet for permitting a flow of coolant therein, which can then be
interconnected with piping to
form a closed fluid flow circuit.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved boiler
housing for an electro-
thermal heating system wherein the housing has openings defined therein
whereby easily
removable electric heating elements can be inserted to project into the
housing and be in direct
contact with the coolant to heat it.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved boiler
housing for an electro-
thermal heating system wherein a diameter of the inlet of the housing is
greater than a diameter of
the outlet, so as to temporarily inhibit and keep coolant in the housing
longer to heat it in a faster
and more efficient manner.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved
environmentally friendly boiler
housing for an electro-thermal heating system that has a heat conductive tube
therein constructed
and arranged for detachable connection with an inlet of the tube for
permitting the flow of coolant
into the housing, the heat conductive tube allowing the temperature of the
coolant to be brought up
in a faster and more efficient manner.
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a housing
for an electro-thermal
heating system comprising at least one opening constructed and arranged to
receive at least one
electric heating element for insertion into the at least one opening, and
constructed and arranged to
allow removal of the at least one electric heating element without disassembly
of the housing; an
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inlet for permitting a flow of coolant carried by an inlet pipe into the
housing; an outlet constructed
and arranged for interconnection with an outlet pipe for permitting a transfer
of heated coolant out
of the housing, a diameter of the outlet being less than a diameter of the
intlet; a tube
constructedand arranged for detachable connection with the inlet, a first end
of the tube projecting
into an interior of the housing and a second end of the tube constructed and
arranged for
interconnection with the inlet pipe for permitting the flow of coolant into
the housing; and at least
one access opening in the housing, the access opening being sealed by a
selectively
detachable plate for covering and sealing the at least one access opening;
whereby the at least one
opening is constructed and arranged to permit the at least one electric
heating element to project
into the interior of the housing whereby the at least one electric heating
element is in direct contact
with the tube.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a
housing for an electro-
thermal heating system comprising at least one opening constructed and
arranged to receive at
least one electric heating element for insertion into the at least one
opening, and constructed and
arranged to allow removal of the at least one electric heating element without
disassembly of the
housing; an inlet for permitting a flow of coolant carried by an inlet pipe
into the housing; an outlet
constructed and arranged for interconnection with an outlet pipe for
permitting a
transfer of heated coolant out of the housing, a diameter of the outlet being
less than a diameter
of the intlet; a tube constructed and arranged for detachable connection with
the inlet, a first end of
the tube projecting into an interior of the housing and a second end of the
tube constructed and
arranged for interconnection with the inlet pipe for permitting the flow of
coolant into the housing,
the first end of the tube permitting release of the flow of coolant into the
housing to be heated by
the at least one electric heating element; a thermostatic control in
association with the at least one
electric heating element and the coolant in the housing, wherein the
thermostatic control is adapted
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to turn the at least one electric heating element off when a temperature of
the coolant exceeds a
pre-determined level; and at least one access opening in the housing, the
access opening being
sealed by a selectively detachable plate for covering and sealing the at least
one access opening;
whereby the at least one opening is constructed and arranged to permit the at
least one electric
heating element to project into the interior of the housing whereby the at
least one electric
heating element is in direct contact with the tube.
The advantage of the present invention is that it provides an improved,
environmentally friendly
boiler housing for an electro-thermal heating system which has a generally
uncomplicated and
simple design, which possesses a minimal footprint, and which has a housing
which can circulate
and heat a flow of coolant therein. The housing can then be interconnected
with piping to form a
closed fluid flow circuit, whereby heat from the heated coolant can be used to
heat a space remote
from the housing. Further, the system can be integrated with pumps, and
connected to a power
source, whereby the closed fluid flow circuit can be used to circulate and
radiate heat in a variety
of applications, such as radiant floor heating, home heating, and so forth.
Yet another advantage of the present invention is to provide an improved
boiler housing for an
electro-thermal heating system wherein the housing has an inlet for permitting
a flow of coolant
into and throughout the housing and an outlet for permitting a transfer of
heated coolant out of the
housing, wherein a diameter of the inlet is greater than a diameter of the
outlet so as to keep
coolant in the housing longer to heat it, therefore heating the coolant in a
faster and more efficient
manner.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved
environmentally friendly boiler
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housing for an electro-thermal heating system that has a heat conductive tube
therein constructed
and arranged for detachable connection with an inlet of the tube for
permitting the flow of coolant
into the housing, the heat conductive tube allowing the temperature of the
coolant to be brought up
in a faster and more efficient manner.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
A preferred embodiment of the present invention is described below with
reference to the
accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a side perspective view of an embodiment of the housing of the
electro-thermal
heating system of the present invention, illustrating the upper, middle and
lower plates for
covering and sealing top and bottom surfaces of the housing; and
Figure 2 is a side perspective view of the embodiment of the housing of the
electro-thermal
heating system shown in Figure 1, and having a heating element inserted
therein.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
In overview of operation, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the boiler housing 1 of
the present
invention is, in an exemplary embodiment, designed for use in an electro-
thermal heating system,
and is substantially hollow. The housing 1 has an inlet 5 and an outlet 7 for
a flow of coolant 4 to
enter into and leave the housing 1, and has at least two or more openings 9
defined therein, for
insertion of electric heating elements 8 therein to project into the housing 1
and be in direct contact
with the coolant 4 to heat it, as herinafter described.
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The housing, as can be seen in Figure 1, is hollowed out to allow a length of
tube 3 to be
inserted through inlet 5 to reside substantially within the interior of the
housing 1. Preferably, the
tube 3 is copper, but it will be understood that variations to this are
possible. In an exemplary
embodiment the material chosen will be suitable for the conduction of heat,
and a first end 2 of the
tube 3 resides substantially within the interior of the housing 1, and a
second end 11 of the tube 3
resides outside of inlet 5 of the housing 1.
In this manner, the second end 11 of the tube 3 (which resides outside of
inlet 5) and the outlet 7
can then be interconnected with piping (14,13, respectively) to form a closed
fluid flow
circuit, which can be utilized in a variety of electro-thermal heating
applications. Coolant 4
entering the housing 1 through tube 3 exits the first end 2 of the tube 3 to
flow freely
within the housing 1, where it comes into contact with the electric heating
elements 8 projecting
into the housing 1 from the openings 9, whereby the water is heated by the
electric heating
elements 8 before exiting the housing 1 via outlet 7 to enter into and
circulate within the closed
fluid flow circuit. In an exemplary embodiment a diameter of the inlet 5 is
greater than a diameter
of the outlet 7, so as to temporarily inhibit and retain coolant 4 in the
housing 3 longer to allow it
to be heated by the electric heating elements 8 in a faster and more efficient
manner.
Further, the electric heating elements 8 projecting into the housing 1 come
into close adjacent
proximity to the upper surface of the heat conductive tube 3, as can be seen
in Figure 2, whereby
the tube 3 (and the coolant 4 flowing within) is additionally heated to allow
the temperature of the
coolant 4 to be brought up in a faster and more efficient manner. Radiator
panels (not shown) can
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then be connected to the closed fluid flow circuit to radiate the heat from
the coolant 4 flowing in
the circuit to a space (not shown) to be heated by an electro-thermal heating
system. Such a space
could be, for example, a home, a room, an office, radiant flooring or a
building. If desired, such
generated heat can be circulated by means of a conventional fan or blower. A
pump (not shown)
and a power source (not shown) can be interconnected to the electro-thermal
heating system to
circulate the coolant 4 in the closed fluid flow circuit.
In terms of describing the individual components of the system in greater
detail, and with
reference to Figures 1 and 2, there is shown an embodiment of the housing 1 of
the electro-
thermal heating system of the present invention. In an exemplary embodiment,
the
housing 1 through which coolant 4 may pass through enters by means of inlet 5.
The
housing 1 can be made of, for example, metal (such as stainless steel and
aluminum), though of
course it will be understood that variations to this, such as plastic, are
possible, and that other
materials could also be utilized, as would be apparent to one skilled in the
art. The size of the
housing can be varied, such as three to four inches high by four inches to
twenty inches long, for
example only.
Further, the housing 1, again with reference to Figure 1, is substantially
hollow, and possesses an
outlet 7 for a flow of heated coolant 4 to leave the housing 1, as hereinafter
described. The inlet 5
and the outlet 7 are constructed and arranged for interconnection with piping
to form a closed
fluid flow circuit. With reference to Figure 1, the inlet pipe, with coolant 4
flowing therethrough,
can be seen as "14", and the outlet pipe, with heated coolant flowing
therethrough leaving the
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housing, can be seen as "13".
In a still further exemplary embodiment, the housing 1 possesses openings on
either side of the
housing 1, one of the side openings being shown as "17" in Figure 1. The
housing 1 has
detachable side plates 15 for covering and sealing the side openings 17 of the
housing 1. The front
plate 15 is preferably secured to the housing 1 with screws or the like).
These side openings 17
can be utilized, for example, if electric heating elements 8 need to be
replaced, or for inspection
purposes, or if the tube 3 also needs to be removed for maintenance or
replacement.
Once inlet pipe 14 and outlet pipe 13 are interconnected to the housing 1, a
pump and a power
source (each not shown) can be interconnected to the system to circulate the
coolant 4 in the closed
fluid flow circuit, and through the system, it being understood that
conventional power sources or
pumps could be utilized. For example, in one embodiment, the power source can
be an electrical
type power source, or a power pack that can be plugged in by means of a power
cord (not shown),
though it is conceivable that, alternatively, other types of power sources
could be utilized, such
as solar power cells, NC power, DC power pack, battery, wind generated power
sources or the
like, as would be apparent to one skilled in the art. It will be understood
that the power source
can be activated conventionally, or, for example, by a remote device (not
shown), as would be
understood by one skilled in the art.
The housing 1, with further reference to Figure 1, has openings 9 defined
therein, for insertion
of electric heating elements 8 therein (shown in Figure 2) to project inwardly
into the housing 1
and be positioned so as to come into direct contact with the coolant 4 in the
housing and in close
adjacent proximity to the tube 3 to heat it. The number of electric heating
elements 8 which could
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be utilized could be varied, depending upon the application of the system, and
the size requried of
the system. For example, as few as two heating elements could be used, or up
to twenty, or more.
Preferably, the coolant 4 will be water, though it is conceivable that other
fluids could be utilized,
as would be apparent to one skilled in the art. Of course, electric heating
elements 8 are
connected to, and supplied with, power from the power source (not shown) for
enabling the
electric heating elements 8 to heat the coolant 4, the coolant of course being
circulated throughout
the system by the pump. The electrical connection portion (not shown) of
electric heating elements
8 can, as an example, be made of Inconel TM, it being understood that this
refers to a family of
austenitic nickel chromium-based super-alloys, which are typically used in
high temperature
applications. Common trade names for Inconel TM include: Inconel 625 TM,
Chronin 625 TM,
Altemp 625 Tm,Haynes 625 TM, Nickelvac 625 TM and Nicrofer 6020 TM, for
example.
Preferably, any of the electric heating elements 8 are easily removable and
replaceable if required
from the housing 1, either by removing them from openings 9 in the housing 1,
or, alternatively, by
detaching the side plates 15 from the housing 1 and removing the electric
heating elements 8.
In an exemplary embodiment, a diameter of the inlet 5 is greater than a
diameter of the outlet 7,
with a view to temporarily inhibiting the release of coolant 4 from the
housing 3, through outlet
7, thus keeping coolant 4 in the housing 1 longer so as to be heated by
electric heating
elements 8. Further, in an additional embodiment, the tube 3 the tube can
beconstructed and
arranged to extend substantially into the interior of the housing, or,
alternatively, the tube can be
integrally connected to the inlet of the housing.
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As noted previously, radiator panels (not shown) can be connected to the
closed fluid flow circuit
to radiate the heat from the coolant 4 flowing in the circuit to a space (not
shown) to be heated by
the electro-thermal heating system. Such a space could be, for example, a
home, a room, an
office, radiant flooring or a building, or other applications, as could be
contemplated by one
skilled in the art. If desired, such generated heat can be circulated by means
of a conventional fan
or blower.
The electro-thermal heating system can be activated by a remote device (not
shown) by a user,
whereby the power source can be activated to heat the electric heating
elements 8, and the
interconnected system, remotely at a distance, and this heat can then be
transferred by way of the
radiator panels (not shown) into the space to be heated.
In another alternative embodiment of the present invention (not shown),
coolant can be omitted,
and dry heat, provided from the electric heating elements 8, can be utilized.
In this embodiment
(not shown) the housing 1 would preferably have an air passageway extending
therethrough for
passage of air through the housing 1. Electric heating elements would be
inserted and mounted into
the openings 9, so as to project into the housing whereby the electric heating
elements are in direct
contact with air in the air passageway. A power source in communication with
the electro-thermal
heating system would supply the electric heating elements with power, for
enabling the electric
heating elements to heat the air. An air blower, for example, or other such
device, could then direct
the heated air device would direct heat to an area external to the electro-
thermal heating system,
such as a house or other enclosed structure, the air blower being supplied
with power from the
power source.
In an alternative embodiment, the housing 1 can further comprise a
thermostatic control (not
shown) in association with the electric heating elements 8 and the coolant in
the housing 1,
wherein the thermostatic control is adapted to deactivate the electric heating
elements 8 when a
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temperature of the coolant 4 exceeds a pre-determined level. Further, the
thermostatic control
can also thus turn the electric heating elements 8 on when a temperature of
the coolant 4 falls
below a pre-determined level.
The present invention has been described herein with regard to preferred
embodiments.
However, it will be obvious to persons skilled in the art that a number of
variations and
modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as
described
herein.
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