GB2146106A

GB2146106A - Heating installation

Info

Publication number: GB2146106A
Application number: GB08422182A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Robert Irvine Dunbar
Original assignee: ULSTER PIPE SERVICES Ltd
Current assignee: ULSTER PIPE SERVICES Ltd
Priority date: 1983-09-01
Filing date: 1984-09-03
Publication date: 1985-04-11
Also published as: GB8323491D0; GB8422182D0; GB2146106B

Abstract

A heating installation comprises in piped circuit, a first heat source (10), a second heat source (12), a first indirect heat exchanger (42), a second indirect heat exchanger (14) isolatable in the circuit, and a pressure stabiliser (16) in the form of a closed vessel, wherein, when installed and in operation, hot water is fed from both heat sources to said stabiliser and circulates therefrom to the first and second indirect heat exchangers and a first return pipe to return to said first heat source (10). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Heating installation The present invention relates to heating installations.

It is particularly but not exclusively envisaged that the heating installation of the present invention is for use in houses.

Generally, heating systems incorporating only one heat source have been installed in houses. The heat source is usually in the form of a conventional hot water boiler or alternatively a back boiler.

It is now becoming more common to install heating systems which utilise two heat sources. However, difficulties have been encountered when trying to equalise the pressure differential between the two heat sources.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a heating installation which obviates or mitigates the aforesaid disadvantage.

The present invention accordingly, provides a heating installation comprising, in piped circuit, a first heat source, a second heat source, a first indirect heat exchanger, a second indirect heat exchanger isolatable in the circuit, and a pressure stabiliser in the form of a closed vessel, wherein, when installed and in operation, hot water fed from said first heat source to said stabiliser through a first inlet pipe circulates from the stabiliser through an output pipe to the first indirect heat exchanger and the second indirect heat exchanger when in circuit and a first return pipe to return to said first heat source, and hot water fed from said second heat source to said stabiliser through a second inlet pipe circulates from the stabiliser through the outlet pipe to said first indirect heat exchanger returning to said first heat source through said first return pipe and through said second indirect heat exchanger when in circuit returning through a third return pipe communicating with said first return pipe, said output pipe being located at a relatively higher level than said first return pipe such that the first heat source obtains gravity circulation, water returning to said second heat source from the stabiliser through a second return pipe.

Preferably, a cold feed and expansion tank is provided to collect excess hot water from the pipe system, fed thereinto through an overflow and vent pip which communicates with said outlet pipe, and also to provide cold water fill and make-up through a cold feed pipe communicating with said first return pipe to the pipe system.

Preferably, a cold-feed and by-pass pipe is provided between the stabiliser and first return pipe.

Preferably also, said first heat source is a back boiler or cooker. Said second heat source is preferably a conventional hot water boiler.

Preferably also, said first and second indirect heat exchangers are respectively a heatleak radiator and an annular cyclinder within a hot-water cyclinder.

Preferably, said conventional hot water boiler has a pump which can be utilised to circulate water through the pipe ststem if said boiler is not in use and isolated in the system.

Preferably further, at least one radiator may be connected between said second inlet pipe and said return pipe.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a block diagram of the heating installation of the present invention; Figure 2 shows a front elevation of the pressure stabiliser; Figure 3 shows an end elevation of the pressure stabilier; and Figures 4A and 4B show respectively front and rear elevations of a modified pressure stabiliser to a smaller scale than Figs. 2 and 3.

With reference to Fig. 1, the heating installation of the present invention comprises in piped circuit a first heat source 10 in the form of a back boiler or cooker, a second heat source 1 2 in the form of a conventional hot water boiler, a first indirect heat exchanger 42 in the form of a radiator, and a second indirect heat exchanger in the form of an indirect annular cylinder 14 within a hot water cylinder and isolatable in the pipe system a pressure stabilier 1 6 in the form of a closed vessel, and a feed and expansion tank 32.

When installed and in operation, the back boiler or cooker 10 feeds hot water by gravity flow through a first inlet pipe 1 8 to the pressure stabilier 1 6 and from where the water circulates through an outlet pipe 28 to the first indirect heat exchanger 42 and via flow pipe 1 5 to the second indirect heat exchanger 14. Water returns from the indirect heat exchangers 42 and 14 respectively through first return pipe 30, and third return pipe 1 7 communicating with first return pipe 30 to the back boiler 10. The outlet pipe 28 is located at a relatively higher level than the first return pipe 30 to promote good gravity ciculation.The hot water boiler 1 2 feeds hot water by pumped flow to the pressure stabiliser 16 through a second inlet pipe 22 and water returns to the hot water boiler 1 2 through a second return pipe 24. If first heat source 10 is not in use, water will flow to the second heat source 1 2 via first inlet pipe 18, pressure stabiliser 1 6 and second return pipe 24. A cold feed and by-pass 20 is provided between the stabiliser 1 6 and the first return pipe 30 and while in communication therewith does not participate in water circulation unless valve 46 is closed to isolate the first heat source, when not in use, from active participation in water circulation thereby to prevent heat loss by the first heat source operating as a "radiator".

An open-topped feed and expansion tank 32 is provided to collect any hot water overflow from the pipe a system through an overflow pipe 34 which communicates with the outlet pipe 28. A ballcock valve 54 is provided in the tank for integration of said heating installation within a cold water mains feed supply.

Cold water fill and make-up is fed to the pipe system from the feed and expansion tank 32 through a cold feed pipe 36 which communicates with the first return pipe 30.

The hot water boiler 1 2 has a pump 38 which can be utilised to circulate water if the hot water boiler 1 2 is not in use by manually closing valve 26 (normaliy open) and manually opening valve 27 (normally closed) to isolate the boiler 1 2 from the circuit. Valves 26 and 27 can be replaced by a motorised diverting valve (not shown).

Radiator 40, and others of its kind if required, are connected between the second inlet pipe 22 and the second return pipe 24.

Radiator 42, connected to the outlet pipe 28 and the first return pipe 30, is commonly referred to as a heat-leak radiator which prevents the back boiler 10 from overheating and also promotes good gravity circulation.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 3, the pressure stabiliser 1 6 comprises a closed watertight cylindrical vessel provided with a plurality of ports for engagement with the inlet pipes 18, 22, return pipe 24, cold feed and by-pass pipe 20 and outlet pipe 28. The outlet pipe 28 is located at a higher level than the inlet and outlet pipes 18, 22 and 24 to the stabiliser 1 6. The location of the cold-feed and bypass pipe 20 is not of importance and can be located as desired.

A vent plug 46 is located at the top of the pressure stabiliser 16 so that any entrapped air that collects may be released.

Support means is also provided in the form of two inverted U-shaped platforms 48.

In a modification, as shown in Figs. 4A and 4B, the closed watertight vessel is of rectangular turbular cross-section in both horizontal longitudinal section and vertical transverse section. The ends of the tubular vessel are closed off by brackets 50 and 52 being welded thereto in same fashion as shown, whereby the bottoms of the brackets serve as the support means. The bracket 50 below the tubular vessel is slightly longer than bracket 52 whereby when the stabiliser 1 6 is placed on a flat surface, the longitudinal axis of the vessel assumes an inclined attitude towards outlet pipe 28, thereby to obviate or mitigate the requirement of a vent to release entrapped air.

Any air in the pipe system passes up through the stabiliser to the overflow pipe 34 and is vented.

Claims

1. A heating installation comprising, in piped circuit, a first heat source, a second heat source, a first indirect heat exchanger, a second indirect heat exchanger isolatable in the circuit, and a pressure stabiliser in the form of a closed vessel, wherein when installed and in operation, hot water fed from said first heat source to said stabiliser through a first inlet pipe circulates from the stabiliser through an output pipe to the first indirect heat exchanger and the second indirect heat exchanger when in circuit and a first return pipe to return to said first heat source, and hot water fed from said second heat source to said stabiliser through a second inlet pipe circulates from the stabiliser through the outlet pipe to said first indirect heat exchanger returning to said first heat source through said first return pipe and through said second indirect heat exchanger when in circuit returning through a third return pipe communicating with said first return pipe, said outlet pipe being located at a relatively higher level than said first return pipe such that the first heat source obtains gravity circulation, water returning to said second heat source from the stabiliser through a second return pipe.

2. An installation as claimed in Claim 1, wherein a cold feed and expansion tank is provided to collect excess hot water from the pipe system, fed thereinto through an overflow and vent pipe which communicates with said outlet pipe, and also to provide cold water fill and make-up through a cold feed pipe communicating with said first return pipe to the pipe system.

3. An installation as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein a cold-feed and by-pass pipe is provided between the stabiliser and first return pipe.

4. An installation as claimed in Claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein said first heat source is a back boiler or cooker.

5. An installation as claimed in Claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein said second heat source is a conventional hot water boiler.

6. An installation as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein said first and second indirect heat exchangers are respectively a heat-leak radiator and an annular cylinder within a hot-water cylinder.

7. An installation as claimed in Claim 5, wherein said conventional hot water boiler has a pump which can be utilised to circulate water through the pipe system if said boiler is not in use and isolated in the system.

8. An installation as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims wherein at least one radiator is connected between said second inlet pipe and said return pipe.

9. A heating installation substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings.

1 0. A heating installation substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs.

1, 4A and 4B of the accompanying drawings.