초록 ▼

A heating unit (10) transfers energy via vaporized working fluid exclusively. The unit operates at sub-atmospheric pressure and a unique heat transfer apparatus (84) is provided to serve as an energy absorber panel (12) and/or a heat exchange unit (44). Since vaporized working fluid is utilized to t

A heating unit (10) transfers energy via vaporized working fluid exclusively. The unit operates at sub-atmospheric pressure and a unique heat transfer apparatus (84) is provided to serve as an energy absorber panel (12) and/or a heat exchange unit (44). Since vaporized working fluid is utilized to transfer energy several hundred times the amount of energy can be transferred per unit weight of working fluid as compared to systems which transfer energy via liquid working fluid. Thus, a minimal amount of working fluid can be utilized. The heating unit (10) is constructed so as to prevent the delivery of working fluid to the interior cavity (18) of the energy absorber panel (12) in response to the working fluid within the cavity (18) reaching a selected level. Vapor is conducted from a location in the cavity (18) above that selected level to the heat exchange unit (44). The working fluid is selected to boil at a sub-atmospheric pressure within the cavity (18) at a temperature which falls within a range from about 27°C. to about 99.5°C.

대표청구항 ▼

A heating unit (10), comprising: an energy absorber panel (12) having an upper periphery (14) and a lower periphery (16) and defining an interior cavity (18); fluid delivery means (34) for delivering working fluid to the cavity (18); a heat exchange unit (44); means (38) for preventing the deliverin

A heating unit (10), comprising: an energy absorber panel (12) having an upper periphery (14) and a lower periphery (16) and defining an interior cavity (18); fluid delivery means (34) for delivering working fluid to the cavity (18); a heat exchange unit (44); means (38) for preventing the delivering of working fluid to the cavity (18) in response to the working fluid within the cavity (18) reaching a selected level; conducting means (42) for conducting a vapor formed in the cavity (18) due to vaporizing of the working fluid from a location in the cavity (18) above the selected level to the heat exchange unit (44); a fluid (48) in contact with an exterior (50) of the heat exchange unit (44), the fluid (48) being in a quantity sufficient and the heat exchange unit (44) being of a construction sufficient to normally condense the vapor into the liquid working fluid; fluid conducting means (52) for conducting the condensed working fluid from the heat exchange unit (44) to the fluid delivery means (34), the unit (10) being sealed and having sub-atmospheric pressure therein, the working fluid being selected to boil at said sub-atmospheric pressure at a temperature in a range from about 27°C. to about 99.5°C.; a space heating unit (74); vapor directing means (75) for directing vapor formed from said working fluid to said space heating unit (74) in response to ambient temperature adjacent said space heating unit (74) being below a selected value; means (72) for conducting fluid condensed from said vapor in said space heating unit (74) to said fluid delivery conduit (34); an auxiliary heat exchange unit (44″) having an auxiliary interior cavity; an auxiliary fluid delivery conduit (142) for delivering working fluid to said auxiliary cavity; an auxiliary valve (144) in the auxiliary fluid delivery conduit (142), said auxiliary valve (144) being of a construction sufficient for preventing the delivery of working fluid to the auxiliary cavity in response to the working fluid within the auxiliary cavity reaching an auxiliary selected level; auxiliary conducting means (140) for conducting vapor formed in the auxiliary cavity due to vaporization of the working fluid from a location in the auxiliary cavity above the auxiliary selected level to the vapor directing means (valve in 72); means (76) for heating the auxiliary heat exchange unit (44″) sufficiently for vaporizing the working fluid within the auxiliary cavity; connecting means (62) for connecting the fluid conducting means (52) with the energy absorber panel (12); and sensor means (65) for sensing a condition within the cavity (18) and for controlling the connecting means (62) to connect the fluid conducting means (52) with the energy absorber panel (12) in response to said condition indicating vaporization of working fluid is occurring in said cavity (18) and for controlling the connecting means (62) to connect the fluid conducting means (52) with the auxiliary heat exchange unit (44″) in response to said condition indicating non-vaporization of working fluid is occurring in said cavity (18). A heat transfer apparatus (84) which comprises a flexible first wall member (86a) having first member upper (88a), lower (90a), first end (92a), and second end (94a) portions (88a, 90a, 92a, 94a) a second wall member (86b) having second member upper (88b), lower (90b), first end (92b) and second end (94b) portions (99b, 90b, 92b, 94b), said second wall member (86b) being generally parallel to and adjacent to said first wall member (86a), said respective first (86a) and second (86b) member upper (88a, 88b), lower (90a, 90b), first end (92a, 92b) and second end (94a, 94b) portions (88a, 88b, 90a, 90b, 92a, 92b, 94a, 94b) being sealed together to form upper (102), lower (104), first end (106), and second end (108) peripheries (102, 104, 106, 108) and to define an interior cavity (110) and said first (86a) and second (86b) wall members (86a, 86b) forming the major heat exchange portions of said heat transfer apparatus (84), said heat transfer apparatus (84) further including a liquid inlet (112) communicating with said interior cavity (110) and a vaporized fluid outlet (114) communicating with said interior cavity (110) adjacent said upper periphery (102), a structure (118) extending from a respective one (86a or 86b) of said first (86a) and second (86b) wall members (86a, 86b) and contacting a respective other (86a or 86b) thereof, said structure (118) being of a construction sufficient to provide such contacting over no more than about 15% of the surface area of said respective other (86a or 86b) of said first (86a) and second (86b) wall members (86a, 86b) and to allow a fluid in said interior cavity (110) to flow with substantially no impedence both from said lower periphery (104) towards said upper periphery (102) and from said first end periphery (106) towards said second end periphery (108), said first (86a) and second (86b) wall members (86a, 86b) being of sufficient rigidity to not collapse together when said interior cavity (110) has a pressure of as little as about one-fifth atmosphere.