Method and system for improving the efficiency of a boiler power generation system

• US 5,730,356 A
• Filed: 08/01/1995
• Issued: 03/24/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Distributed Power Systems, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Stephen Francis Mongan
• Inventors: Mongan, Stephen Francis
• Primary Examiner(s): Bennett, Henry A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BOLES, DEREK
• Application Number:
  US08/510,054
• Time in Patent Office: 966 Days
• Field of Search: 237/19, 237/12.3 C, 237/2 A
• US Class Current: 237/19
• CPC Class Codes: F23K 2300/101 Application of magnetism or electricity
• 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 19/0092 Devices for preventing or removing corrosion, slime or scale
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 2200/043 More than one gas or oil fired boiler
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 2200/16 Waste heat
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 2200/18 Flue gas recuperation
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 15/06 the refrigerant being water vapour evaporated from a salt solution, e.g. lithium bromide F25B15/025 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 27/02 using waste heat, e.g. from internal-combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 15/02 in which the medium condenses and evaporates, e.g. heat pipes heat pipes used in solar heat collectors F24S10/95; in radiators F28D1/0226; in nuclear reactors G21C15/257
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 21/0003 the heat being recuperated from exhaust gases F28D21/0014 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 21/0012 the heat being recuperated from waste water or from condensates
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 30/274 using waste energy, e.g. from internal combustion engine
• 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: Y02B 30/56 Heat recovery units
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/625 combined with heat or power generation [CHP], e.g. trigeneration

Abstract

A system and method for recovering heat from waste fluids and gases and for improving the combustion of hydrocarbon fuels and the heat transfer within a boiler. The system comprises a controller, a distribution manifold, a plurality of heat recovery modules and a plurality of magnetic ionization modules. The system possesses the ability to monitor heated water demands within a building and to response by matching the demands with the most cost effective heated water supply source. The plurality of the heat recovery modules includes a flue heat recovery module, a waste water heat recovery module and a cooker heat recovery module for the recovery of heat from waste gases or liquids. The plurality of magnetic ionization modules includes a fuel magnetic ionization module and a water magnetic ionization module for charging fuel molecules to effect a more complete and efficient combustion and for charging the mineral molecules in water to prevent crystallization respectively.

Claims

1. A system for a building having a plurality of heated water demand circuits and heated water supply circuits, said system comprising;

a distribution manifold, coupled between the plurality of heated water demand circuits and heated water supply circuits, for exchanging a working fluid between the demand circuits and the supply circuits; and

a heat recovery module, coupled to one of the plurality of supply circuits, for heating said working fluid from waste heat of the building; and

a controller, electrically coupled to said heat recovery module, for determining a heated water demand of the building and for controlling said heat recovery module to satisfy said heated water demand.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a heat generating means, coupled to said controller and to one of said plurality of supply circuits, for heating said working fluid, wherein said controller selects between said heat generating means and said heat recovery module to satisfy said heated water demand.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said heat generating means is a boiler.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein said heat recovery module is a flue heat recovery module for recovering heat from hot gases within a flue of said heat generating means.

5. The system of claim 4, further comprising a waste water heat recovery module, coupled to one of said plurality of supply circuits, for recovering heat from waste water of the building.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising a cooker heat recovery module, coupled to one of said plurality of supply circuits, for recovering heat from hot gases around a burner of a cooking range.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein said heat recovery module is a waste water heat recovery module for recovering heat from waste water of the building.

8. The system of claim 2 wherein said heat recovery module is a cooker heat recovery module for recovering heat from hot gases around a burner of a cooking range.

9. The system of claim 2 further comprising a hot water tank, coupled to one of said plurality of heated water demand circuits, for holding hot water.

10. The system of claim 9 further comprising a supplemental tank, coupled to said hot water tank, for supplying and receiving water to and from said hot water tank.

11. The system of claim 10 further comprising a second heat recovery module, coupled to said supplemental tank, for providing heated water from waste heat of the building.

12. The system of claim 2 further comprising a heating system, coupled to one of said plurality of heated water demand circuits, for heating a space.

13. The system of claim 2, wherein said distribution manifold comprises:

a first chamber, coupled to said plurality of heated water demand circuits;

a second chamber, coupled to said plurality of heated water supply circuits;

a first pipe, coupled between said first chamber and said second chamber; and

a second pipe, coupled between said first chamber and said second chamber, where a flow of heated working fluid destined for the plurality of demand circuits, is directed from said second chamber to said first chamber through said first pipe, where contemporaneously, a flow of cooled working fluid destined for the plurality of supply circuits, is directed from said first chamber to said second chamber through said second pipe.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

a first temperature sensor, coupled to said first pipe, for measuring the temperature of the working fluid within said first pipe;

a second temperature sensor, coupled to said second pipe, for measuring the temperature of the working fluid within said second pipe; and

a flow sensor, coupled to said second pipe, for measuring the flow rate of the working fluid within said distribution manifold, wherein said controller, electrically coupled to said temperature and flow sensors, determines said heated water demand.

15. The system of claim 2, further comprising a magnetic module, coupled to said heat generating means, for charging a flow of hydrocarbon fuel used by said heat generating means.

16. The system of claim 2, further comprising a magnetic module, coupled to said heat generating means, for charging said working fluid to prevent crystallization of minerals within said working fluid.

17. The system of claim 2, further comprising a communication apparatus, coupled to said controller, for managing an energy need of the building from a remote location.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein said heat recovery module is, further coupled to an absorption chiller, for providing cooled water to an air conditioning system by providing heated water to operate said absorption chiller.

19. A method for recovering thermal energy from a building having a plurality of heated water demand circuits and heated water supply circuits, comprising the steps of:

heating a working fluid with a source of waste heat;

determining a heated water demand of the building;

determining a heated water supply of the building;

exchanging said working fluid between the demand circuits and the supply circuits through a distribution manifold; and

controlling said exchanging of working fluid by matching said heated water demand with said heated water supply.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of heating said working fluid with a combustion process and wherein said controlling step includes matching said heated water demand with one of said heating steps.

21. A heat recovery apparatus for recovering heat from the hot gases within a flue, said apparatus comprising:

a gas manifold, coupled to the flue, for receiving the hot gases;

a liquid manifold, coupled to said gas manifold, for receiving a working fluid;

a plurality of heat pipes having an evaporation section and a condensation section, where said heat pipes extend through a metal plate separating said gas manifold from said liquid manifold, where said evaporation sections of said heat pipes are disposed within said gas manifold and said condensation sections of said heat pipes are disposed within said liquid manifold, where heat is extracted from the hot gases within the flue to heat said working fluid; and

a fluid storage section extending from said liquid manifold, for storing said heated working fluid.

22. The heat recovery apparatus of 21, further comprising a release valve, coupled to said fluid storage section, for releasing excessive pressure automatically within said fluid storage section, and wherein said fluid storage section extends vertically from said liquid manifold.

23. A heat recovery apparatus for recovering heat from the hot gases around the burners of a cooking range, said apparatus comprising:

a first plate having a plurality of apertures;

a liquid manifold, coupled to said first plate, for receiving a working fluid;

a second plate having a plurality of apertures,. coupled to said water manifold, where said plates and said liquid manifold defines a substantially enclosed space around the burners of the cooking range; and

a plurality of heat pipes having an evaporation section and a condensation section, where said heat pipes extend through said liquid manifold, where said evaporation sections of said heat pipes are disposed within said substantially enclosed space and said condensation sections of said heat pipes are disposed within said liquid manifold, where heat is extracted from the hot gases around the burners to heat said working fluid.

24. The heat recovery apparatus of 23, wherein each of said apertures of said first plate includes an angled extension for deflecting heat toward the substantially enclosed space.

25. A heat recovery apparatus for recovering heat from waste fluids, said apparatus comprising:

a first liquid manifold having a substantial cone shape, coupled to a sewage pipe, for receiving the waste fluids;

a second liquid manifold, coupled to said first liquid manifold, for receiving a working fluid; and

a plurality of heat pipes having an evaporation section and a condensation section, where said heat pipes extend through a metal plate separating said first liquid manifold from said second liquid manifold, where said evaporation sections of said heat pipes are disposed within said first liquid manifold and said condensation sections of said heat pipes are disposed within said second liquid manifold, where heat is extracted from the waste fluids to heat said working fluid.

26. The heat recovery apparatus of 25, further comprising a coiled pipe having an ever decreasing diameter, coupled between said sewage pipe and said first liquid manifold, for applying an acceleration and a centrifugal force to the waste fluid to prevent fouling of said heat pipes.

27. The heat recovery apparatus of 26, further comprising a plurality of storage sections for holding the waste fluid and said working fluid, where the waste fluid and said working fluid are selectively recirculated into the heat recovery apparatus.