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A flameless heater includes a diesel engine, a hydraulic or electric load that is powered by the diesel engine thereby generating heat, a heat exchanger that transfers heat to air flowing through the air from the flameless heat source, and possibly other heat exchangers for heating the air flowing t

A flameless heater includes a diesel engine, a hydraulic or electric load that is powered by the diesel engine thereby generating heat, a heat exchanger that transfers heat to air flowing through the air from the flameless heat source, and possibly other heat exchangers for heating the air flowing therethrough with engine coolant and/or with exhaust gases. The system may be operated to maintain relatively high load on the engine for at least the majority of the time so as to reduce or negate the need for parked regeneration. The system may also control airflow through the system and possibly other system parameters to obtain a given setpoint such as a given discharge air temperature. In one embodiment, airflow through the system is controlled by louvers under the power of an electric motor or other actuator controlled by the system's controller.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A flameless heater comprising: a. a diesel engine;b. a flameless heat source that is powered by the engine;c. a plenum having an ambient air inlet and a heated air outlet;d. a heater that receives heat energy from the heat source and that that heats air flowing through the plenum; ande. controls

1. A flameless heater comprising: a. a diesel engine;b. a flameless heat source that is powered by the engine;c. a plenum having an ambient air inlet and a heated air outlet;d. a heater that receives heat energy from the heat source and that that heats air flowing through the plenum; ande. controls that control the engine, the heat source, and airflow through the plenum so as to maintain engine load at or above 35% of a maximum load for the engine for at least 75% of operation time, post warm up, so as to avoid the need for parked regeneration to avoid soot buildup. 2. The flameless heater of claim 1, wherein the heat source is a hydraulic heat source that includes first and second restrictors through which pressurized hydraulic fluid can be selectively forced to generate heat, and wherein the controls include a valve assembly that control fluid flow through first and second restrictors, prioritizing flow through only the first restrictor. 3. The flameless heater of claim 2, wherein the valve assembly is switchable between 1) a first setting in which fluid flows through the first restrictor but not the second restrictor, 2) a second setting in which hydraulic fluid flows through both the first and second restrictors. 4. The flameless heater of claim 1, wherein the heater includes a plurality of heating elements located in series within the plenum in the direction of airflow through the plenum, each successive heating element being hotter than the proceeding heating element. 5. The flameless heater of claim 4, wherein the heating elements include an engine radiator and a hydraulic fluid-to-air radiator located downstream of the engine radiator in the direction of airflow through the plenum. 6. The flameless heater of claim 5, wherein the heating elements further include an exhaust gas heat exchanger located downstream of the fluid-to-air radiator in the direction of airflow through the plenum. 7. The flameless heater of claim 1, wherein the controls control at least one of airflow through the plenum, the engine, the heat source, and the heater to maintain a setpoint discharge air temperature at a designated value. 8. The flameless heater of claim 7, wherein the controls are operable in at least one of: a. a first mode in which the setpoint discharge air temperature is maintained at a first temperature that cannot be altered by an operator in the field,b. a second mode in which the setpoint discharge air temperature is maintained at a second temperature that is substantially lower than the first temperature and that cannot be altered by an operator in the field, andc. a third mode in which the setpoint discharge air temperature is maintained at a temperature that is selected by an operator in the field. 9. The flameless heater of claim 1, wherein the controls maintain the engine load above at least 35% of a maximum rated engine load. 10. A flameless heater comprising: a. a diesel engine:b. a flameless heat source that is powered by the engine;c. a plenum having an ambient air inlet and a heated air outlet;d. a heater that is coupled to the heat source and that heats air flowing through the plenum, wherein the flameless heater exhibits a maximum heat rise in excess of 200° F. (93° C.);e. a louver assembly having a plurality of positionally adjustable louvers; andf. electronically actuated controls that control a position of the louvers of the louver assembly so to control airflow through the plenum. 11. The flameless heater of claim 10, wherein the heater comprises heating elements including an engine coolant radiator and a hydraulic fluid-to-air radiator located in the plenum downstream from one another in the direction of airflow through the plenum, the a-hydraulic fluid-to-air radiator being supplied with heated fluid from the heat source. 12. The nameless heater of claim 11, wherein the heating elements further include an exhaust gas heat exchanger located in the plenum downstream of the hydraulic fluid-to-air radiator in the direction of airflow through the plenum. 13. A flameless heater comprising: a. a diesel engine;b. a flameless heat source that is powered by the engine;c. a plenum having an ambient air inlet and a heated air outlet;d. a heater that is coupled to the heat source and that heats air flowing through the plenum;e. electronically actuated controls that control airflow through the plenum and at least one of the engine, the heat source, and the heater to maintain a setpoint discharge air temperature at a designated value; andf. a louver assembly comprising a plurality of positionally adjustable louvers, wherein the controls control airflow through the plenum by adjusting positions of the louvers of the louver assembly. 14. The flameless heater of claim 13, wherein the setpoint discharge air temperature comprises a first setpoint temperature that cannot be altered by an operator in the field. 15. The nameless heater of claim 13, wherein the heater can operate in at least two output modes, and where the setpoint discharge air temperature includes first and second setpoint temperatures each of which is predetermined for a respective output mode but which cannot be altered by the operator in the field. 16. The nameless heater of claim 13, wherein the setpoint discharge air temperature is selectable by an operator in the field. 17. The flameless heater of claim 13, wherein the controls are configured to control a position of the louvers to a designated, variable, setpoint. 18. The flameless heater of claim 13, wherein the controls are configured to control engine RPM to a designated, variable, setpoint. 19. The flameless heater of claim 18, wherein the setpoint for the engine RPM is dependent upon the setpoint discharge air temperature. 20. A method of controlling a nameless heater that includes a diesel engine, a flameless heat source that is powered by the engine, a plenum having an ambient air inlet and a heated air outlet, and a heater that is coupled to the heat source and that heats air flowing through the plenum, the method comprising: controlling the engine, the heat source, and airflow through the plenum so as to maintain the engine at or above 35% of a maximum load for the engine for at least 75% of operation time, post warm up, so as to avoid the need for parked regeneration to avoid soot buildup. 21. The method as recited in claim 20, wherein the heat source comprises a hydraulic heat source including first and second restrictors through which pressurized hydraulic fluid can be selectively forced to generate heat, and wherein the controlling step includes selectively directing hydraulic fluid flow through 1) the first restrictor but not the second restrictor, and 2) both the first and second restrictors. 22. The method of claim 20, further comprising controlling the heat source, the engine, and airflow through the plenum to maintain a setpoint engine speed and a setpoint discharge air temperature. 23. The method of claim 22, wherein the engine speed is between 2200 RPM and 2600 RPM and the air discharge temperature is between 170° F. (77° C.) and 190° F. (88° C.). 24. The method of claim 22, wherein the engine speed is between 1700 RPM and 1900 RPM and the air discharge temperature is between 90° F. (32° C.) and 110° F. (43° C.). 25. The method of claim 20, further comprising operating the flameless heater in at least one of: a. a first mode in which the setpoint discharge air temperature is maintained at a first temperature that cannot be altered by an operator in the field,b. a second mode in which the setpoint discharge air temperature is maintained at a second temperature that is substantially lower than the first temperature and that cannot be altered by an operator in the field, andc. a third mode in which the setpoint discharge air temperature is maintained at a temperature that is selected by an operator in the field. 26. The method of claim 20, wherein, during the controlling step, the flameless heater exhibits a maximum heat rise in excess of 150° F. (65° C.).