Radiant heating system

Abstract

A radiant heating system is provided that includes a first manifold, a second manifold, a heat source, and a circulator. The first manifold includes, an outlet port, a first heat distribution port receiving a heat transfer medium from the heat distribution system, and a supply port. The second manifold includes an inlet port, a second heat distribution port supplying a heat transfer medium to a heat distribution system, and a return port. The heat source transfers heat to the heat transfer medium and includes an intake port and an outtake port. The intake port is operably coupleable with the return port to receive the heat transfer medium from the second manifold. The outtake port is operably coupleable with the supply port to supply the heat transfer medium to the first manifold. The circulator is adapted to force the heat transfer medium from the first manifold to the second manifold and includes a first circulator port and a second circulator port. The first circulator port is operably coupleable with the outlet port to receive the heat transfer medium from the first manifold. The second circulator port is operably coupleable with the inlet port to supply the heat transfer medium to the second manifold.

1 . A radiant heating system, the system comprising:
 a first manifold, the first manifold comprising a first body;
 an outlet port mounted to the first body, the outlet port operably coupleable with a circulator to supply a heat transfer medium to the circulator; 
 a first heat distribution port mounted to the first body, the first heat distribution port operably coupleable with a heat distribution system to receive the heat transfer medium from the heat distribution system; and 
 a supply port mounted to the first body, the supply port operably coupleable with a heat source to receive the heat transfer medium from the heat source; and 
   a second manifold, the second manifold comprising a second body;
 an inlet port mounted to the second body, the inlet port operably coupleable with the circulator to receive the heat transfer medium from the circulator; 
 a second heat distribution port mounted to the second body, the second heat distribution port operably coupleable with the heat distribution system to supply the heat transfer medium to the heat distribution system; and 
 a return port mounted to the second body, the return port operably coupleable with the heat source to supply the heat transfer medium to the heat source. 
   
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising the heat source, wherein the heat source is adapted to heat the heat transfer medium. 
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising the heat source, wherein the heat source is adapted to cool the heat transfer medium. 
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising the circulator, wherein the circulator is adapted to force the heat transfer medium from the first manifold to the second manifold. 
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the circulator further comprises a pump, wherein the pump is located below the first manifold and below the second manifold. 
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first manifold further comprises at least one of a drain valve, a fill valve, and a drain/fill valve. 
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the second manifold further comprises at least one of a drain valve, a fill valve, and a drain/fill valve. 
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a thermostat, the thermostat adapted to measure a temperature of a surrounding environment. 
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising a relay wherein the relay activates the circulator under control of the thermostat. 
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising a relay wherein the relay activates the heat source under control of the thermostat. 
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of circulators connected in series, wherein the plurality of circulators are adapted to force the heat transfer medium from the first manifold to the second manifold. 
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first manifold further comprises a first vent port mounted to the first body and the second manifold further comprises a second vent port mounted to the second body, the system further comprising a vent assembly, the vent assembly comprising:
 a container adapted to vent a gas from the heat transfer medium;   a vent inlet port operably coupleable between the container and the second vent port to receive the heat transfer medium from the second manifold; and   a vent outlet port operably coupleable between the container and the first vent port to supply the vented heat transfer medium to the first manifold.   
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the vent inlet port is operably coupleable using a first tube and the vent outlet port is operably coupleable using a second tube, wherein a first cross section of the first tube is greater than a second cross section of the second tube. 
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the second vent port is mounted opposite the inlet port. 
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the second vent port is mounted adjacent a top of the second manifold. 
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the first vent port is mounted opposite the outlet port. 
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the first vent port is mounted adjacent a top of the first manifold. 
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the vent assembly further comprises a check valve adapted to open when the heat transfer medium includes the gas. 
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of thermostats, a thermostat of the plurality of thermostats adapted to measure a temperature of a surrounding environment. 
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 19 , further comprising a zone valve, the zone valve operably coupleable with the first heat distribution port, the zone valve adapted to open and to close under control of a thermostat of the plurality of thermostats. 
   
   
       21 . The system of  claim 20 , further comprising a relay wherein the relay activates the circulator under control of the zone valve. 
   
   
       22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the zone valve includes a switch that sends a signal to the relay after the zone valve is open. 
   
   
       23 . The system of  claim 19 , further comprising a zone valve, the zone valve operably coupleable with the second heat distribution port, the zone valve adapted to open and to close under control of a thermostat of the plurality of thermostats. 
   
   
       24 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising the heat distribution system, wherein the heat distribution system comprises a tube to transport the heat transfer medium between the second manifold and the first manifold. 
   
   
       25 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the heat distribution system further comprises a heat radiating panel mounted to at least a portion of the tube. 
   
   
       26 . A method of distributing a heat transfer medium to a heat distribution system, the method comprising:
 activating a heat source under control of a thermostat;   in a first manifold, mixing a first heat transfer medium received from the heat source with a second heat transfer medium received from a heat distribution system;   forcing the mixed heat transfer medium from the first manifold to a second manifold using a circulator, wherein the circulator is mounted below the first manifold and below the second manifold,   receiving the forced heat transfer medium from the circulator at the second manifold;   distributing a first portion of the received heat transfer medium to the heat distribution system from the second manifold; and   distributing a second portion of the received heat transfer medium to the heat source from the second manifold.   
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising venting a gas from the received heat transfer medium using a vent assembly operably coupled with the second manifold. 
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 27 , further comprising supplying the vented heat transfer medium from the vent assembly to the first manifold. 
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 27 , further comprising closing a check valve coupled with the second manifold after the gas is vented from the received heat transfer medium. 
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising activating the circulator under control of the thermostat. 
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising opening a zone valve under control of the thermostat, the zone valve operably coupled with a heat distribution port of the first manifold. 
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising opening a zone valve under control of the thermostat, the zone valve operably coupled with a heat distribution port of the second manifold. 
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising activating the circulator under control of the zone valve. 
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising activating the heat source under control of the zone valve. 
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising heating the distributed second portion of the heat transfer medium at the heat source. 
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising cooling the distributed second portion of the heat transfer medium at the heat source. 
   
   
       37 . A method of installing a radiant heating system, the method comprising:
 mounting a first manifold in a mounting location, the first manifold comprising a first body;
 an outlet port mounted to the first body; 
 a first heat distribution port mounted to the first body; and 
 a supply port mounted to the first body; 
   mounting a second manifold in the mounting location, the second manifold comprising
 a second body; 
 an inlet port mounted to the second body; 
 a second heat distribution port mounted to the second body; and 
 a return port mounted to the second body; 
   connecting a circulator between the outlet port of the first manifold and the inlet port of the second manifold, the circulator adapted to force the heat transfer medium from the first manifold to the second manifold;   connecting a heat source between the return port of the second manifold and the supply port of the first manifold, the heat source adapted to transfer heat to the heat transfer medium; and   connecting a heat distribution system between the first heat distribution port of the first manifold and the second heat distribution port of the second manifold.   
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 37 , further comprising connecting a vent assembly between the first manifold and the second manifold. 
   
   
       39 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the first manifold further comprises a first vent port mounted to the first body and the second manifold further comprises a second vent port mounted to the second body, and further wherein the vent assembly comprises:
 a container adapted to vent a gas from the heat transfer medium;   a vent inlet port operably coupleable between the container and the second vent port to receive the heat transfer medium from the second manifold; and   a vent outlet port operably coupleable between the container and the first vent port to supply the vented heat transfer medium to the first manifold.