Solar and heat pump powered electric forced hot air hydronic furnace

Abstract

A furnace in combination with a heat pump and solar panels for providing domestic hot water and forced hot or cooled air utilizing heat pump achieved efficiency levels in an on-demand and unlimited domestic hot water, heating and air conditioning system. In heating mode, recycled air acquires heat from the heat pump's condenser coil and transfers this heat to the on-demand hot water.

1 . An electric forced air hydronic furnace for heating water for an on-demand hot water supply system, said furnace operable with (1) a heat pump having as a first heat exchange element, a condenser coil that emits heat, (2) a recirculating air flow through a continuous air duct system, and (3) a cold water supply, said furnace comprising:
 a. an air flow inlet, an air flow outlet and an air flow passageway between said inlet and outlet,   b. a 1 st  heat exchanger that receives air from said inlet and includes said condenser coil of said heat pump as a heat source,   c. a 2nd heat exchanger that receives air from said 1st heat exchanger and includes a hydronic heat exchanger coil through which flows water to be heated, whereby said air is heated in said 1st heat exchanger and rejects heat to said water in said 2nd heat exchanger,   d. a blower for forcing said recirculating air flow through said 1st and 2nd heat exchangers and through said air duct system, and   e. control means for operating said heat pump when heat is needed to heat said water in said 2nd heat exchanger.   
   
   
       2 . A furnace as defined in  claim 1 , where said heat pump, when operated in its refrigeration mode, has its 1st heat exchange element function as an evaporation coil to provide refrigeration to air flow through said 1st heat exchanger, said refrigerated air then flowing into said air duct systems. 
   
   
       3 . A furnace as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising (a) an electric flash heater for heating on-demand hot water, (b) valve means and automatic control means to direct said cold water to be heated first to said 2 nd  heat exchanger, and then to said flash heater if said 2nd heat exchanger has insufficient heating capability at that time. 
   
   
       4 . A furnace according to  claim 3 , comprising further valve and automatic control means for responding to a demand from the system for hot air: (a) first to activate said heat pump and thereby obtain heat transferred into said air flow in said 1st heat exchanger, and (b) second, if there is insufficient heat from said heat pump, to activate said flash heater to direct hot water to said hydronic coil in said 2nd heat exchanger from which there will be heat transfer into said air flow through said 2 nd  heat exchanger. 
   
   
       5 . A furnace according to  claim 1 , wherein said heat transfer to said water in 2nd heat exchanger occurs with substantially the same heat transfer efficiency as the efficiency of said heat pump. 
   
   
       6 . A furnace according to  claim 5 , wherein said heat transfer to said water flow has a cost essentially no greater than the operating cost of the heat pump. 
   
   
       7 . A furnace as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising a set of solar panels coupled to said heat pump and situated on the top and two sides of said heat pump for exposure to overhead and southern direction sunlight, said solar panels adapted to function and as an electric current source for reverse current flow into the power grid for net meeting when the furnace system has no demand for heat pump operation, said heat pump drawing current normally from the power grid when said furnace signals a demand for heat pump operation either to produce heat or refrigeration. 
   
   
       8 . A furnace according to  claim 7 , wherein said solar panels are each attached to said top and sidewall surfaces respectively of said heat pump. 
   
   
       9 . A furnace according to  claim 7 , whose solar panels have the capacity for generating electrical current which when directed into power grid achieves stored credits which are sufficient to substantially pay for current demanded by said heat pump during its normal operation.