TH60912A - Combined heating and power units in the house - Google Patents

Abstract

DC60 (06/01/46) In a DCHP unit with Stirling engine 1, combustion chamber 3, and auxiliary combustion chamber 11, water is heated by exhaust gases from both the Stirling engine and the auxiliary combustion chamber. If sensor 18 detects a rise in water temperature, indicating insufficient heat demand in the exhaust gases, fans 15 and 20, which normally provide airflow to the auxiliary combustion chamber, are used without igniting the combustion chamber to create an airflow for cooling the water.

Claims (4)

1. A home-based integrated heat and power unit consists of a Stirling engine with a combustion chamber to supply heat to the engine head, which then drives moving parts. These moving parts produce electrical power, which is then passed through an alternator. Other components include a heat exchanger where a fluid absorbs heat from the combustion chamber's exhaust gases, an auxiliary heater to reheat the fluid in the heat exchanger, and a fan to generate a stream of hot gases from the auxiliary heater through the heat exchanger. A unique feature is a controller that detects when the heat produced by the Stirling engine exceeds a predetermined requirement, activating the fan and eliminating the auxiliary heater to produce an unheated air stream through the heat exchanger. 2. The unit under claim 1, whereby the fan will also generate an airflow to the Stirling engine combustion chamber and is provided with separate valves to control the amount of air supplied to the Stirling engine combustion chamber and the auxiliary heater. 3. The unit under claim 1, where a second fan directs airflow to the combustion chamber of a Stirling engine. 4. A unit under one of the preceding claims, whereby the controller is part of the engine control system.