초록 ▼

A heating system and method are provided in which a defined area to be heated or to be used for drying crop material may be connected through adjustable ducting to either a primary heat source, such as an oil or gas furnace, or to an alternate heat source comprising a shrouded engine, such as an int

A heating system and method are provided in which a defined area to be heated or to be used for drying crop material may be connected through adjustable ducting to either a primary heat source, such as an oil or gas furnace, or to an alternate heat source comprising a shrouded engine, such as an internal combustion or turbine engine, from which heat may be extracted. A control system allows the engine heat source to be automatically activated in the event of an electric power failure or to be selectively used as the sole source or as a supplementary back up source of heat. The control system further allows the automatic activation of the electric system, should the engine system fail, thus cycling from one mode to the other when either is selected as the primary mode.

대표청구항 ▼

The method of heating a space, comprising: (a) establishing a first primary heat source comprising a fuel-fired furnace with electrically-powered control and operational means; (b) establishing a second auxiliary heat source comprising an engine productive of recoverable heat and having a mechanical

The method of heating a space, comprising: (a) establishing a first primary heat source comprising a fuel-fired furnace with electrically-powered control and operational means; (b) establishing a second auxiliary heat source comprising an engine productive of recoverable heat and having a mechanically-driven shaft and a suitable shroud enabling the engine heat to be recovered by moving air past the engine through the shroud; (c) establishing a duct system connected at one end to a space to be heated and at the other end through duct branches to each of said heat sources and with damper means enabling the space to be selectively connected to such heat sources; (d) locating a fan in operative association with said duct system and having one drive connection to an electric motor and another drive connection to said engine shaft and associated with electric control means operable in a first mode to drive said fan with said motor, in a second mode to drive said fan with said engine and with means to automatically sense the failure of operation in one mode and to switch both the source of power and fan connection to the other mode; and (e) at least periodically operating in said second mode and heating said space with a source of pressurized air by associating said fan with said shroud and duct associated with said engine to extract the engine heat to provide a source of pressurized heated air for heating said space.