Classifications

• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
  • F24H—FLUID HEATERS, e.g. WATER OR AIR HEATERS, HAVING HEAT-GENERATING MEANS, e.g. HEAT PUMPS, IN GENERAL
  • F24H8/00—Fluid heaters characterised by means for extracting latent heat from flue gases by means of condensation
  • F24H8/003—Fluid heaters characterised by means for extracting latent heat from flue gases by means of condensation having means for moistening the combustion air with condensate from the combustion gases
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
  • F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
  • F24F6/00—Air-humidification, e.g. cooling by humidification
  • F24F6/02—Air-humidification, e.g. cooling by humidification by evaporation of water in the air
  • F24F6/04—Air-humidification, e.g. cooling by humidification by evaporation of water in the air using stationary unheated wet elements
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
  • F24H—FLUID HEATERS, e.g. WATER OR AIR HEATERS, HAVING HEAT-GENERATING MEANS, e.g. HEAT PUMPS, IN GENERAL
  • F24H1/00—Water heaters, e.g. boilers, continuous-flow heaters or water-storage heaters
  • F24H1/10—Continuous-flow heaters, i.e. heaters in which heat is generated only while the water is flowing, e.g. with direct contact of the water with the heating medium
  • F24H1/107—Continuous-flow heaters, i.e. heaters in which heat is generated only while the water is flowing, e.g. with direct contact of the water with the heating medium using fluid fuel
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
  • Y02B—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS
  • Y02B30/00—Energy efficient heating, ventilation or air conditioning [HVAC]

Definitions

• the present invention relates to an air heater and humidifier using direct contact heating principles and to the method of operation of the system.
• the present invention concerns the use of such direct contact water heater principles in a novel system whereby to provide sources of hot humidified air originating from fresh air which is fed in a direct contact air treating chamber where it is heated and humidified by hot water. It is mandatory in many countries of the world to admit fresh air in the heating system of a building for the comfort of people who work or live therein. It is known that fresh air penetrates and can be admitted in a building through cracks or other type openings and this constitutes a source of fresh air for its occupants. However, with today's building construction standards, such openings are insufficient and therefore fresh air from the outside must be brought into the heating system. Because outside air is very dry in the winter months and most humidification systems are insufficient, it is necessary to humidify this air as it is heated. SUMMARY OF INVENTION
• Another feature of the present invention is to provide an air heating and humidifying system using direct contact heating apparatus capable of also producing hot water supplies for feeding heat exchangers used in domestic or commercial applications.
• Another feature of the present invention is to provide an air heating and humidifying system using direct contact heating apparatus and employing a single gas burner and wherein the flue gases from the burner are efficiently cooled to provide a high efficiency direct contact water heating system.
• Another feature of the present invention is to provide a method of producing hot humidified fresh air using the direct contact water heating principles.
• Another feature of the present invention is to provide a method of producing hot humidified air using the direct contact water heating principle while at the same time producing sources of hot water capable of being used in heat exchangers used in domestic or commercial applications .
• Another feature of the present invention is to provide a method of producing hot humidified air using the direct contact water heating principles and simultaneously producing a source of hot water as well as efficient cooling of the hot flue gases to produce a very high efficient direct contact water heating system.
• the present invention provides an air heating and humidifying system using direct contact heating apparatus.
• the system comprises a direct contact water heater having heat exchange means therein.
• a water spray means is disposed above the heat exchange means to supply water thereto and to cause water to percolate through the heat exchange means and heat by contact therewith.
• a hot gas heat supply is provided below the heat exchange means for heating the heat exchange means and water percolating downwards to a reservoir below the heat supply to produce a supply of hot water.
• the cooled flue gases rising through the heater are exhausted through a flue.
• Pump means is provided to direct hot water from the reservoir above a further heat exchange means in a direct contact air treating chamber to heat and humidify dry air passing through a further heat exchange means to provide a supply of hot fresh moist air at an outlet port of the air treating chamber.
• a method of producing hot humidified air using direct contact heating principles comprises the steps of providing a source of hot flue gases as a heat source for a direct contact water heater whereby to produce a supply of hot water from a source of cooler water released over a packing of heat exchange bodies to extract heat from the hot flue gases rising through the direct contact water heater prior to be exhausted through an exhaust flue.
• Hot water is fed from the supply of hot water to a further direct contact water heater to release same on a further packing of heat exchange bodies in the further direct contact water heater.
• a supply of cool dry air is fed below the further packing to extract heat and humidity from water released in the further direct contact water heater and percolating through the packing whereby to provide a supply of hot moist fresh air at an outlet port of the further direct contact water heater to feed an air conditioning conduit network of a building.
• FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the air heating and humidifying system of the present invention using direct contact air heating principles
• FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a modification of Figure 1;
• FIG. 3 is a fragmented perspective view showing a typical direct contact water heater column of the prior art.
• a typical direct contact water heater of the prior art which consists of a casing 11 in which a packing 12 of heat exchange bodies 13 is supported elevated therein by a support platform 14 through which hot gases emanating from the burner flame 15 rise.
• the casing 11 may have various workable shapes such as cylindrical, rectangular, etc.
• a spray nozzle 16 is supplied with water through an inlet conduit 17 and this water is sprayed at 18 over the packing 12 whereby water droplets will be exposed to rising hot gases and percolate through the heat exchange bodies 13 which have been heated by the hot flue gases rising through the packing and exiting through the outlet flue 19.
• the hot water droplets 20 are collected at the bottom of the casing 11 in a reservoir 21.
• a pump 22 feeds the hot water for domestic or commercial use.
• the temperature of the hot flame 15 is controlled by a control panel 23 which monitors the gas burner 24.
• This principle of producing hot water is integrated in a novel air heating and humidifying system as will now be described with reference to Figures 1 and 2.
• the system utilizes a first direct contact water heater 31 which is provided with a packing 32, as in the prior art, constituting a heat exchange means.
• a water spray nozzle 33 is disposed above the packing and sprays water over the hot flue gases 34 rising through the packing.
• a gas burner 35 is positioned below the packing 32 and generates a hot flame 36 which produces these hot gases. Heated percolating water droplets are collected at the base of the direct contact water heater 31 in a reservoir 37.
• the hot flue gases 34 at the outlet port 38 of the first direct contact water heater 31 are directed to a further direct contact water heater 40 which is also provided with a packing 41 but this time the heat exchange bodies within the packing 41 are heated by the exhaust flue gases entering the housing 40', as indicated by arrow 42, and present at the outlet duct 38 of the first direct contact water heater 31.
• a conduit 43 interconnects the outlet duct 38 to an inlet duct 44 positioned below the packing 41 of the further direct contact water heater 40.
• a spray nozzle 45 releases cool water droplets over the packing 41 whereby to cool the hot flue gases 42 as they rise within the cylindrical casing 40' of the further direct contact water heater whereby the flue gases released from the outlet port 46 are cooled sufficiently to provide exhaust gases at 47 from which heat has been effectively extracted thereby resulting in an efficiency which could reach 100%.
• the water droplets released from the spray nozzle 45 are heated and dried as they come in contact with the hot rising flue gases and heat exchange bodies in the packing
• the hot water collected in the reservoir 48 is fed to a nozzle 51 located in the top end of a direct contact air treating housing or chamber 50 where it is released over a still further packing 52 of heat exchange bodies which are heated by the water spray.
• This hot water is fed to the nozzle 51 through a conduit 53 having a pump 54 connected thereto.
• the direct contact air treating chamber 50 is provided with a dry air inlet chamber 55 below the packing 52.
• a fresh air inlet conduit 56 is connected to a fan 57 which blows fresh outside air, as indicated by arrows 58, within the dry air inlet chamber 55.
• the fresh air rises through the packing and comes in contact with the hot water droplets emanating from the spray nozzle 51, it is heated and humidified whereby to be released through an outlet duct 59 and within an air conditioning conduit network (not shown) of a building to be air conditioned.
• the fresh air rises through the cylindrical casing 50', it is heated and the water percolating through the packing is cooled by heat exchange with the cold fresh air.
• This cooled water is collected in a reservoir 60 formed at the base of the cylindrical casing 50'.
• This reservoir of cooler water is connected by conduit 61 and pump 62 to the spray nozzle 45 of the further or second direct contact water heater 40 to provide the supply of cold water.
• the reservoir of hot water 48 in the further direct contact water heater 40 is connected in a closed circuit with its spray nozzle 45 through the spray nozzle 51 and reservoir 60 of the direct contact air treating chamber 50, and this water is continuously circulated when the fresh outside air needs to be warmed and humidified.
• these pumps 54 and 62 are rendered inoperative and fresh air is admitted to the conduit network by the fan 57 which blows outside air directly to the outlet conduit 59 and into the duct network.
• a damper 63 is mounted in the outlet conduit 59 to control the volume of fresh conditioned air admitted into the duct network.
• a feedback conduit 65 is connected between the outlet port 59, below the damper 63, and the dry air conduit 56 whereby to admit a controlled quantity of hot humid air from the outlet port 59 back into the dry air conduit 56 to warm the conduit and the fan 57 to prevent icing when the supply of fresh air is at a temperature below freezing.
• a further damper 66 is secured within the feedback conduit 65 to control the feedback volume.
• Each of the dampers 63 and 66 are connected to control motors 63 ' and 66' respectively and these may be automatically controlled from a central control panel (not shown).
• one or more external heat exchangers 70 may be branched in a closed loop circuit formed by conduit 71 and pump 72 and connected between the hot water reservoir 37 and the spray nozzle 33. Accordingly, the very hot water present in the reservoir 37 is pumped through the heat exchanger 30 where heat from the water is exchanged with cold water fed through the heat exchanger 70 from conduit 73 which may be connected to the city supply line 74 through a valve 75. Hot water at the outlet conduit 76 of the heat exchanger 70 can then be fed to feed a a hot water tank for domestic use or may be fed to other commercial devices such as laundry apparatus or other processes. As pointed out one or more of these heat exchangers 70 may be connected in seriesor in parallel arrangment . The heat exchangers 70 may also be a series of radiators to heat air.
• the hot exhaust flue gases 42 fed to the inlet conduit 44 of the cylindrical casing 40' herein originate from an external boiler 80 which serves in another application, such as a laundry.
• the hot flue gases 42 at the outlet flue 81 of the boiler can be directed through an interconnecting flue pipe 82 to the inlet port 44 of the further direct contact water heater 40 by closing a damper valve 83 in the outlet flue 81 above the conduit connection 82.
• the system becomes very efficient as the exhaust flue gases from the boiler are recovered and provide the heating source for the further direct contact water heater 40.
• These flue gases are sufficiently cooled to produce a system of very high efficiency in the range of 100%.
• a heat source which generates hot flue gases 42 while producing a supply of hot water 48 from a source of cooler water released through the spray nozzle 45 and released over the packing 41 of heat exchange bodies whereby to extract heat from the hot flue gases 42 rising through the direct contact water heater cylindrical casing 40'.
• These hot flue gases are released through the exhaust flue 46 and these have been sufficiently cooled to achieve high efficiency.
• the hot water from the supply of hot water 48 is fed to a further spray nozzle 51 to be released over a further packing 52 of heat exchange bodies in a further direct contact air treating chamber or casing 50, 50 'as shown in Fig. 1.
• a supply of fresh air 58 is fed below the packing 52 to extract heat and humidity from hot water which is released in a spray into cylindrical casing 50' and which percolates through the packing 52 to provide a supply of hot moist fresh air at 58' at the outlet port 59 of the air trating chamber 50 whereby to feed an air conditioning duct network of a building.
• the method also encompasses all of the other aspects of the operation of the system above-described.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Thermal Sciences (AREA)
• Air Humidification (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (5)

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• 1997
  • 1997-09-16 AU AU42917/97A patent/AU4291797A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1997-09-16 WO PCT/CA1997/000678 patent/WO1998012485A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1997-09-16 EP EP97918855A patent/EP0928403A1/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 1997-09-16 HU HU0000293A patent/HUP0000293A3/hu unknown

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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