초록 ▼

A method and control arrangement for a heating system including solar heating apparatus and a conventional fuel-fired heating apparatus wherein heat load of the heating system and solar heating source capability are compared, and the heating system is switched to solar heating whenever the heating c

A method and control arrangement for a heating system including solar heating apparatus and a conventional fuel-fired heating apparatus wherein heat load of the heating system and solar heating source capability are compared, and the heating system is switched to solar heating whenever the heating capability of the solar heating apparatus exceeds the heat load of the system, the heating system being switched to the conventional heating apparatus only when the heat load exceeds the heating capability of the solar heating apparatus. The control arrangement includes a first sensor which provides a first output indicative of heat load for the system as indicated by average fuel consumption by a burner of the conventional heating apparatus or the duty cycle of a thermostat of the system, a second sensor which provides a second output indicative of the temperature of a solar heated medium, and a controller which responds to the first and second outputs to provide heat for the system from the solar heated medium whenever possible. In one embodiment, the controller includes a differential temperature sensing device, and in a second embodiment, the controller includes a microprocessor system.

대표청구항 ▼

In a heating system for a building including fuel-fired heating apparatus having a burner means operable when energized to supply heat to a first medium, and circulating means operable when energized to circulate said heated medium through areas of said building, and solar heating apparatus includin

In a heating system for a building including fuel-fired heating apparatus having a burner means operable when energized to supply heat to a first medium, and circulating means operable when energized to circulate said heated medium through areas of said building, and solar heating apparatus including storage means for storing a second medium and means for heating said second medium through solar energy, a control arrangement for enabling said first medium to be heated selectively by said burner means and said second medium, said control arrangement comprising first sensing means for providing a first output indicative of the heat load for said heating system, second sensing means for providing a second output indicative of the heating capability of said solar heating apparatus, controller means including comparator means responsive to said first and second outputs for providing a control output whenever said second outPut is greater than said first output, and switching means responsive to said control output to disable said burner means and to enable said first medium to be heated by said second medium prior to circulation through said areas by said circulating means.