Energy system for dwelling support

• US 9,097,152 B2
• Filed: 08/16/2010
• Issued: 08/04/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Advanced Green Innovations, LLC
• Original Assignee: McAlister Technologies, LLC
• Inventors: McAlister, Roy E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tompkins, Alissa
• Assistant Examiner(s): DECKER, PHILLIP
• Application Number:
  US12/857,502
• Publication Number:
  US 20110041784A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,814 Days
• Field of Search: 237/19, 123/3, 290/2, 603/20
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: C25B 1/00 Electrolytic production of inorganic compounds or non-metals
• CPC Class Codes: C25B 1/02 Hydrogen or oxygen
• CPC Class Codes: C25B 13/02 characterised by shape or form
• CPC Class Codes: C25B 15/00 Operating or servicing cells
• CPC Class Codes: C25B 3/00 Electrolytic production of organic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C25B 9/17 Cells comprising dimensionally-stable non-movable electrodes; Assemblies of constructional parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 5/02 the devices using heat
• CPC Class Codes: F02G 5/04 in combination with other waste heat from combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 11/005 with recuperation of waste heat
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 2200/26 Internal combustion engine
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 2200/29 Electrical devices, e.g. computers, servers
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 2200/30 Friction
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 20/20 Solar heat collectors for receiving concentrated solar energy, e.g. receivers for solar power plants
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 7/103 consisting of more than two coaxial conduits or modules of more than two coaxial conduits
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/40 Solar thermal energy, e.g. solar towers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to a system and method of providing energy to a dwelling. An engine is housed within an inner tank, which is in turn housed within an outer tank. The engine provides electricity which is used for a dwelling. Exhaust fumes from the engine are piped through a series of heat-exchanging tubes within the outer tank to heat potable water within the outer tank. Water enters the potable tank at a bottom of the tank, and warms as it rises through the outer tank toward an outlet near a top of the outer tank. Hot, potable water is provided from the top of the outer tank to the dwelling. Condensate from the exhaust is captured and used as potable water. Heat, vibration, and acoustic energy from the engine is captured by the fluid in the inner tank and transferred to the outer tank.

Claims

1. An energy system for a dwelling, comprising:

an inner tank;

a generator within the inner tank, wherein the inner tank contains a first fluid surrounding at least a portion of the generator, the generator being configured to produce electricity for the dwelling;

an outer tank having an open cavity that extends between opposite first and second end portions;

the first end portion of the outer tank containing at least a portion of the inner tank, which is at least partially submerged within a second fluid disposed within the open cavity of the outer tank;

an exhaust port operably coupled to the generator to receive exhaust fumes from the generator, the exhaust port passing through the second fluid to exchange heat from the exhaust fumes to the second fluid;

the exhaust port comprising an elongated tube having a crescent-shaped cross section, with opposite end portions and a middle portion, to improve heat transfer from the exhaust fumes to the second fluid;

the elongated tube being shaped to helically wind along a substantial length of a long axis of the outer tank and positioned such that the middle portion of the crescent-shaped cross section is bowed in an upward direction toward the upper end portion of the outer tank, the elongated tube extending between the generator and an exit port associated with the second end portion of the outer tank such that an exhaust pathway is directed from the generator toward the exit port;

a fluid outlet operably coupled with the first end portion of the outer tank to deliver the heated second fluid from the outer tank for use by the dwelling; and

a fluid inlet operably coupled with the second end portion of the outer tank such that an outer tank fluid pathway is directed from the fluid inlet at the second end portion of the outer tank toward the fluid outlet at the first end portion of the outer tank.

2. The energy system of claim 1 wherein the fluid in the outer tank comprises potable water.

3. The energy system of claim 1 wherein the first fluid comprises at least one of high-temperature silicone, fluorocarbon, a eutectic solution, a self-extinguishing fluid, a dielectric fluid, sulfur hexafluoride, sand, potassium hydroxide, or metal balls.

4. The energy system of claim 1 wherein the exhaust port comprises a fluid collector configured to collect water from the exhaust fumes.

5. The energy system of claim 1, further comprising

a fuel line configured to deliver fuel to the generator;

and

an air intake configured to deliver air to the generator, wherein the generator comprises a combustion engine.

6. The energy system of claim 1 wherein:

the outer tank comprises a generally cylindrical, upright tank;

the inner tank is positioned generally centrally within the outer tank near a top of the outer tank.

7. The energy system of claim 1 wherein the inner tank comprises an upper vent, and wherein vapors from the first fluid migrate toward a surface of the first fluid and out of the upper vent.

8. The energy system of claim 1 wherein the fluid outlet further comprises a pressure sensor configured to release a portion of the second fluid from the outer tank if pressure within the outer tank reaches a threshold pressure.

9. The energy system of claim 1 wherein the inner tank is configured to absorb heat, vibration, and acoustic energy from the generator and transfer the energy to the second fluid as heat.

10. The energy system of claim 1 wherein the generator receives energy from an engine, and stores at least a portion of the energy in a flywheel.

11. The energy system of claim 1, further comprising a solar panel and a heat exchanger configured to remove heat from the solar panel and transfer the heat to the second fluid.

12. The energy system of claim 1, further comprising a heat exchanger configured to receive the second fluid and transfer heat from the second fluid to a dwelling.

13. The energy system of claim 12 wherein the heat exchanger comprises a series of tubes through which the second fluid passes, and wherein the series of tubes are positioned in an interior surface of the dwelling.

14. The energy system of claim 1 wherein the outer tank comprises a cover wrapped over an outer circumference of the helical shape.

15. The energy system of claim 14 wherein the cover is made from at least one of fiberglass, oriented polyolefin, oriented polyester, and graphite fiber in a thermoset epoxy.

16. The energy system of claim 1, further comprising a thermal storage tank configured to receive heat from the exhaust fumes and store the heat, wherein the thermal storage tank is made of at least one of Glaber salt (Na2SO4.10H2O) or paraffin.

17. The energy system of claim 1 wherein the exhaust port is configured to transfer heat from the exhaust to an oven.

18. The energy system of claim 17 wherein the oven comprises a plurality of ovens, and wherein the ovens are connected by a heat exchanger network configured to exchange heat between the plurality of ovens.

19. The energy system of claim 1 further comprising an exhaust outlet adjacent a terminal end portion of the elongated tube and associated with the second end portion such that an exhaust fluid pathway extends from the generator toward the exhaust outlet;

the exhaust fluid pathway running counter to the outer tank fluid pathway.

20. An energy system for a dwelling, comprising:

an inner tank;

a generator within the inner tank, wherein the inner tank contains a first fluid surrounding at least a portion of the generator, the generator being configured to produce electricity for the dwelling;

an outer tank having an open cavity that extends between opposite upper and lower end portions;

the outer tank containing at least a portion of the inner tank, adjacent the upper end portion, at least partially submerged within a second fluid;

an exhaust port operably coupled to the generator to receive exhaust fumes from the generator, the exhaust port passing through the second fluid to exchange heat from the exhaust fumes to the second fluid;

the exhaust port comprising an elongated tube having a crescent-shaped cross section, with opposite end portions and a middle portion, to improve heat transfer from the exhaust fumes to the second fluid;

the elongated tube being shaped to helically wind along a substantial length of a long axis of the outer tank and positioned such that the middle portion of the crescent-shaped cross section is bowed in an upward direction toward the upper end portion of the outer tank; and

a fluid outlet operably coupled to the outer tank to deliver the heated second fluid from the outer tank for use by the dwelling.

21. The energy system of claim 20 wherein the elongated tube extends helically about a long axis that extends between the opposite upper and lower end portions of the outer tank;

the elongated tube having a length and shape that substantially spans a length of the long axis between the opposite upper and lower end portions of the upright outer tank.

22. The energy system of claim 21 wherein the outer tank further includes a fluid inlet, coupled with the lower end portion of the outer tank;

the fluid outlet being coupled with the upper end portion of the outer tank such that an outer tank fluid pathway extends from the fluid inlet at the lower end portion of the outer tank toward the fluid outlet at the upper end portion of the outer tank.

23. The energy system of claim 22 further comprising an exhaust outlet adjacent a terminal end portion of the elongated tube and associated with the lower end portion such that an exhaust fluid pathway extends from the generator toward the exhaust outlet;

the exhaust fluid pathway running counter to the outer tank fluid pathway.

24. An energy system, comprising:

means for generating electricity and heat;

an exhaust line operably coupled to and configured to receive exhaust from the means for generating electricity and heat;

the exhaust line extending along an exhaust pathway from the means for generating electricity and heat to an exhaust outlet, the exhaust line passing through a fluid to exchange heat from the exhaust to the fluid;

a fluid storage tank configured to store the fluid, wherein the exhaust line passes through the fluid storage tank, the exhaust line comprising an elongated tube having a crescent-shaped cross section, with opposite end portions and a middle portion, to improve heat transfer from the exhaust to the fluid, the elongated tube being shaped to helically wind along a substantial length of a long axis of the fluid storage tank and positioned such that the middle portion of the crescent-shaped cross section is bowed in an upward direction toward an upper end portion of the fluid storage tank, the fluid storage tank having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet that define a fluid pathway through the fluid storage tank;

the fluid pathway running counter to the exhaust pathway;

means for collecting water condensed in the exhaust line; and

a heat exchanger operably connected to the fluid storage tank and configured to receive the fluid from the fluid storage tank and deliver heat from the fluid to a dwelling.

25. The energy system of claim 24 wherein the heat exchanger is within an interior surface of the dwelling.

26. The energy system of claim 24, further comprising an inverter operably coupled to the means for generating electricity, the inverter being configured to deliver the electricity to the dwelling.

27. The energy system of claim 24 wherein the heat exchanger comprises a geothermal storage return bend extending into the earth and configured to transfer heat from the dwelling to the earth through the geothermal storage return bend.

28. The energy system of claim 24 wherein the means for generating electricity and heat is held within the fluid storage tank, and wherein the fluid storage tank is configured to absorb heat and vibration energy from the means for generating electricity and heat.