Combination diesel/electric heating appliance systems

• US 20050139690A1
• Filed: 11/29/2004
• Published: 06/30/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Thermal Investments Ltd.
• Original Assignee: International Thermal Investments Ltd.
• Inventors: Robinson, Edgar C., Wilnechenko, Bruce Conrad
• Granted Patent: US 7,766,247 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 237/12
• CPC Class Codes: B63J 2/12 Heating; Cooling
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 9/005 the plates having openings therein for both heat-exchange media
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 9/0093 Multi-circuit heat-exchangers, e.g. integrating different heat exchange sections in the same unit or heat-exchangers for more than two fluids

Abstract

A diesel/electric appliance for heating coolant within an auxiliary heater circuit and for heating potable water within a potable water circuit. The appliance includes a diesel powered auxiliary heater and a coolant jacket surrounding the burner of the auxiliary heater. Electrical resistance elements are immersed within the coolant jacket to maintain the temperature of the potable water circuit by transferring heat through a heat exchanger to the potable water circuit.

Claims

1. A heat exchanger for a boat or vehicle utilising at least three circuits for circulating fluid, said heat exchanger allowing heat transfer from at least one of said circuits to at least one of said remaining circuits during circulation of said fluid through at least two of said circuits.

2. A heat exchanger as in claim 1 wherein one of said circuits is a potable water circuit, one of said circuits is an auxiliary heater circuit and one of said circuits is an engine circuit.

3. A heat exchanger as in claim 2 wherein one of said auxiliary heater circuit or engine circuit provides heat to said potable water circuit within said heat exchanger.

4. A heat exchanger as in claim 3 and further comprising a flow sensor in said potable water circuit, said flow sensor being operably connected to a controller, said controller initiating operation of said auxiliary heater circuit following a predetermined flow of said potable water being reached.

5. A heat exchanger as in claim 4 wherein said auxiliary heater further comprises an electrical resistance element immersed in coolant fluid associated with said auxiliary heater circuit.

6. A heat exchanger as in claim 5 wherein said auxiliary heater has a burner and said electrical resistant element is immersed within a coolant jacket surrounding said burner.

7. Auxiliary heater for a boat or vehicle having a burner and a fluid jacket surrounding said burner for circulating said fluid through said auxiliary heater, said fluid jacket having a peripheral water retaining surface in contact with said fluid, said water retaining surface being a plurality of convex and concave surfaces smoothly joined together, said concave surfaces being located at the corners of said fluid jacket and said convex surfaces being located between said corners of said fluid jacket.

8. A potable water circuit for a boat or vehicle, said potable water circuit comprising at least one tap, at least one source of heat with a coolant pump for heating said potable water, a mixer valve for regulating the temperature of said water at said tap, a source of potable water for said potable water circuit and a flow sensor within said potable water circuit to initiate operation of said coolant pump when water is emitted from said tap.

9. A potable water circuit as in claim 8 and further comprising a coolant reservoir and an electrical resistance heater immersed within said coolant reservoir, said electrical resistance heater maintaining the temperature of said water within said coolant reservoir.

10. A potable water circuit as in claim 9 wherein said at least one source of heat is an auxiliary heater coolant circuit extending through a heat exchanger, said potable water circuit circulating potable water through said heat exchanger to receive heat from said coolant of said auxiliary coolant circuit.

11. A potable water circuit as in claim 10 wherein said flow sensor initiates operation of said pump of said auxiliary heater circuit following the use of potable water from said tap.

12. An auxiliary heater circuit used to provide heat to a boat or vessel, said auxiliary heater circuit comprising quick connect connections for attachment to a fill and purge assembly, said quick connect connections having check valves to prevent the flow of fluid and/or air from said connections when said connections between said auxiliary heater circuit and said fill and purge assembly are no longer connected.

13. An auxiliary heater circuit as in claim 12 wherein said fill and purge assembly comprises a coolant tank, a pump to circulate coolant from said coolant tank into said auxiliary heater circuit, a pressure gauge to monitor the pressure of said coolant circulated into said auxiliary heater and an air purge device to allow air embedded within said auxiliary heater circuit to be purged from said auxiliary heater circuit.

14. An auxiliary heater circuit as in claim 13 wherein said fill and purge assembly further comprises quick connect connections to complement said quick connections of said auxiliary heater circuit.

15. Electrical resistance elements for supplemental electrical heating of auxiliary heater coolant, said electrical resistance elements comprising at least one 120 VAC element and at least one 240 VAC element, each of said elements being connected to a controller, said controller initiating operation of either said 120 VAC element or said 240 VAC element according to electrical power available for said electrical resistance elements.

16. Electrical resistance elements as in claim 15 wherein said elements are immersed within a reservoir of coolant fluid, said 240 VAC element comprising at least two electrical heating elements, each of said at least two electrical heating elements being a 120 VAC element, said controller initiating operation of either said 240 VAC elements or said 120 VAC element according to said electrical power available for said electric resistance elements.