초록 ▼

A water heating system includes a burner assembly for providing a source of thermal energy to a heat exchanger. A water inlet conduit is coupled to the heat exchanger assembly for supplying fresh water to be heated, and a water exit conduit is coupled to the heat exchanger assembly for delivering th

A water heating system includes a burner assembly for providing a source of thermal energy to a heat exchanger. A water inlet conduit is coupled to the heat exchanger assembly for supplying fresh water to be heated, and a water exit conduit is coupled to the heat exchanger assembly for delivering the heated water to a point of use. A bypass conduit connects the water exit conduit to the water inlet conduit, and a pump disposed in the bypass conduit circulates at least a portion of the heated water from the water exit conduit to the water inlet conduit. A feed-forward sensor positioned in the water inlet conduit between the heat exchanger assembly and the bypass conduit monitors a parameter of the water entering the heat exchanger assembly, and a processor controls the operation of the of the burner assembly in response to the feed-forward sensor.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A water heating system, comprising: a burner assembly for providing a source of thermal energy, the burner assembly comprising a combustion chamber, an air intake to supply an air stream to an air fuel delivery system, and a fuel inlet to supply fuel to said air fuel delivery system wherein said

1. A water heating system, comprising: a burner assembly for providing a source of thermal energy, the burner assembly comprising a combustion chamber, an air intake to supply an air stream to an air fuel delivery system, and a fuel inlet to supply fuel to said air fuel delivery system wherein said air stream and said fuel are mixed to form an air/fuel mixture, and a blower to blow said air fuel mixture into the combustion chamber where said air/fuel mixture is ignited to produce products of combustion;a water inlet conduit coupled to a heat exchanger assembly for supplying fresh water to be heated, said heat exchanger assembly operatively coupled to the burner assembly, the heat exchanger assembly comprising a first fluid conduit in heat exchange relationship with a second fluid conduit, wherein said water to be heated flows in either of said first fluid conduit or said second fluid conduit and said products of combustion flow in the other of said first fluid conduit or said second fluid conduit;a water exit conduit coupled to the heat exchanger assembly for delivering the heated water to a point of use;a bypass conduit connecting the water exit conduit to the water inlet conduit and circulating only water flows from the water exit to the water inlet conduit;a constant flow pump disposed in the bypass conduit to circulate at least a portion of the heated water from the water exit conduit to the water inlet conduit, that continuously circulates a constant flow rate through the bypass conduit thereby providing a mix of fresh water and recirculated water to the heat exchanger assembly;a feed-forward sensor positioned in the water inlet conduit having flowing within said water inlet conduit said mix of fresh water and recirculated water, said feed-forward sensor disposed between the heat exchanger assembly and the bypass conduit for monitoring a parameter of said mix of fresh water and recirculated water entering the heat exchanger assembly; anda processor for controlling the operation of the burner assembly by a feed-forward control system to maintain a temperature of the heated water to the point of use in response to the feed-forward sensor. 2. The water heating system according to claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger assembly is a tankless design. 3. The water heating system according to claim 1, wherein the burner assembly comprises a combustion chamber adapted to burn a fuel and an oxidizer to form gaseous combustion products, the water heating system further comprising a combustion exhaust manifold to channel the combustion products out of the water heating system. 4. The water heating system according to claim 3, wherein the first fluid conduit comprises a heat exchange tube, a first end of the heat exchange tube coupled to the combustion products of the burner assembly and at a second, opposing end of the heat exchange tube coupled to the combustion exhaust manifold. 5. The water heating system according to claim 4, wherein the heat exchange tube is helical. 6. The water heating system according to claim 5, wherein the heat exchange tube comprises an outer helical tube in surrounding relationship to an inner helical tube, said inner helical tube disposed inside a diameter of a path of said outer helical tube. 7. The water heating system according to claim 1, wherein the feed-forward sensor is a temperature sensor. 8. The water heating system according to claim 1, wherein the processor commands operation of the burner assembly according to an algorithm stored in the processor, the algorithm having as an input a reading from the feed-forward sensor and having as an output a modulation of the burner assembly. 9. The water heating system according to claim 8, further comprising an air fuel delivery system adapted to premix a fuel and an oxidizer prior to entry into the burner assembly, the modulation of the burner assembly comprising an air fuel valve position of the air fuel delivery system. 10. The water heating system according to claim 8, further comprising a water exit sensor for monitoring a parameter of the heated water flowing in the water exit conduit, the water exit sensor positioned between the heat exchanger assembly and the bypass conduit. 11. The water heating system according to claim 10, wherein the water exit sensor provides an input to the algorithm stored in the processor. 12. The water heating system according to claim 1, further comprising a water inlet sensor for monitoring a parameter of the fresh water flowing in the water inlet conduit, the water inlet sensor positioned upstream of the bypass conduit. 13. The water heating system according to claim 12, wherein the processor monitors the water inlet sensor and the feed-forward sensor for the purpose of determining whether the bypass pump is operating properly. 14. The water heating system according to claim 13, wherein the processor calculates the temperature difference between the water inlet sensor and the feed-forward sensor and, if the difference is negligible, the processor controls the operation of the of the burner assembly in response to a different parameter. 15. The water heating system according to claim 14, wherein the processor controls the operation of the burner assembly in response to a water exit temperature sensor in the water exit conduit. 16. The water heating system according to claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger assembly further comprises a baffle assembly to increase the velocity of the water in the second fluid conduit. 17. The water heating system according to claim 16, wherein the baffle assembly comprises a plate, the plate defining an orifice through which the velocity of the water increases. 18. The water heating system according to claim 1, wherein the mix of fresh water and recirculated water provided to the heat exchanger assembly is defined by a ratio of approximately 40% fresh water and 60% recirculated water. 19. The water heating system according to claim 1, further comprising a sealed enclosure defining a plenum, the plenum coupled to the air intake of the burner assembly. 20. The water heating system according to claim 19, wherein the plenum provides for a combustion air filtration system within the enclosure, the combustion air filtration system comprising an air filter coupled to the burner assembly to remove airborne particulates from the air intake stream. 21. The water heating system according to claim 20, wherein the air filter provides filtration efficiency in a range of about 96% to 99%, when tested to ISO 5011:2000. 22. The water heating system according to claim 19, wherein the plenum provides for a preheated combustion air delivery system to mitigate temperature extremes outside the enclosure, the preheated combustion air delivery system providing intake air to the burner assembly in a temperature range of about 50° F. to 90° F. when the outside temperature is in a range from approximately −20° F. to approximately 120° F. 23. The water heating system according to claim 19, further comprising acoustical sound proof material coupled to an interior surface of the enclosure to reduce the ambient noise emanating from the enclosure during operation. 24. The water heating system according to claim 23, wherein a sound pressure level measured outside the enclosure is approximately 55 dBa when the water heating system is operating at full capacity. 25. The water heating system according to claim 19, wherein the bypass conduit is located within the enclosure.