Computer controlled waste heat reclaimer

• US 4,928,751 A
• Filed: 05/25/1988
• Issued: 05/29/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Eldon Corporation The Jefferson Louisiana
• Original Assignee: The Eldon Corporation
• Inventors: Fischer, Frank P. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ford, John
• Application Number:
  US07/198,506
• Time in Patent Office: 734 Days
• Field of Search: 165/12, 165/11.1, 165/34, 165/47, 374/39, 374/40, 374/41, 417/63, 55/228, 55/20, 55/73, 261/130, 261/131
• US Class Current: 165/11.1
• CPC Class Codes: F23J 15/06 of coolers
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 12/02 having more than one heat source using heat pumps, in water central heating systems F24D3/18; in air central heating systems F24D5/12; in systems using heat storage masses F24D11/02
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 2200/043 More than one gas or oil fired boiler
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 2200/18 Flue gas recuperation
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 21/0007 Water heaters
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 5/00 Heat-exchange apparatus having stationary conduit assemblies for one heat-exchange medium only, the media being in contact with different sides of the conduit wall, using the cooling effect of natural or forced evaporation
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 27/00 Control arrangements or safety devices specially adapted for heat-exchange or heat-transfer apparatus control arrangements in general G05
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/70 Hybrid systems, e.g. uninterruptible or back-up power supplies integrating renewable energies
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/00 Energy efficient heating, ventilation or air conditioning [HVAC]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 20/30 Technologies for a more efficient combustion or heat usage
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 165/002 Energy, efficiency, performance or malfunction

Abstract

A waste heat reclaimer takes in hot waste gases from stacks or flues, associates them with a primary flow of water, heating the water and cooling the gases. The heated water flows through a heat exchanger transferring that heat to a secondary flow of water. A logic and control unit receives signals from sensors located in the sources of the waste gases, the delivery system of the gases, and the two flows of water. These signals are used to give warnings of insufficient flows, insufficient heat energy gains, and to control the sources of the gases, and to provide the operator with other indications which permit him to obtain more efficiency from the unit while devoting less attention to it.

Claims

1. A control device for a heat reclaiming unit, which heat reclaiming unit is of the type which includes:

a primary heat exchanger for receiving waste gases from a stack or other source and for receiving cool water from a primary source of water and for mixing said gases and water to heat the primary water while cooling the gases,

a secondary heat exchanger having a secondary flow of water,

means for delivering the heated primary water to the secondary heat exchanger and into heat exchanging relation with the secondary flow of water to heat the secondary flow of water,

means for delivering waste gases to said primary heat exchanger, said control unit including;

means for sensing the temperature of said gases being delivered to said primary heat exchanger and for creating a signal indicative of said temperature,

means for sensing the temperatures of said secondary flow of water both before it enters heat exchanging relation with said primary flow and after it leaves such heat exchanging relation and for creating electrical signals indicative of said termperatures,

means for sensing the flow pressure of said secondary flow of water and for creating an electrical signal indicative of said flow pressure,

means for sensing the flow pressure of the heated primary water and for creating an electrical signal indicative of said flow pressure,

logic and control means for receiving said signals and displaying indications of the flow pressures and temperatures, said logic and control further including

means responsive to the sensed temperature of the gases being delivered to the primary heat exchanging means for warning an operator if the gases are below a given low temperature and for shutting off said means for delivering waste gases and said means for delivering primary water if said temperature is above a given high temperature,

means for warning the operator if the flow pressure in either said means for delivering waste gases or said means for delivering primary water is below a given level indicative that the respective flow has ceased,

means responsive to said signals indicative of the temperatures and flow pressure of the secondary source of water for calculating the rate of heat energy gain in said secondary flow of water as a result of passing through said secondary heat exchanger, and for displaying the rate of heat energy gain calculated

means for indicating to an operator that said heat gain amount is below a given amount, and

means to display an indication of the time since a particular component of said unit has been serviced.

2. The control device according to claim 1 for use to control a unit which includes at least two sources of waste gases, said control device including means for sensing the temperature of gases in each source and for creating an electrical signal indicative of each temperature, and said logic and control including means for comparing the temperatures of gases from said sources and for providing a signal indicative of the source which has the highest temperature gases, and said control device further includes means responsive to said signal for controlling said unit to draw gases only from said hottest source.