Fireplace with electrostatically assisted heat transfer and method of assisting heat transfer in combustion powered heating devices

Abstract

An apparatus enhances the efficiency of a combustion heating device such as a fireplace by incorporating an ionic gas propulsion mechanism (e.g., a corona discharge device) to transport ambient air through a heat exchanger. A heat exchanger is configured to warm the ambient air using both heat energy produced by the combustion process and/or by byproducts of the combustion, e.g., exhaust gases. Air scrubber functions collect particulates present in the air including combustion byproducts such as ash and soot. An audio modulator may be used to vary the high voltage applied to electrodes of the corona discharge electrodes to vary air velocity in response to an audio or similar control signal to induce a vibratory motion to the air, i.e., sound, in forms such as music or simulated natural noise, and/or to cancel or attenuate undesirable sounds and noises, such as chimney sounds.

1 . A heat exchanger comprising:
 a duct for transporting a gas from an inlet to an outlet of said duct, the gas within the such in thermal communication with a heat source external to said duct; and   an electrostatic discharge device within said duct for accelerating said gas through said duct from said inlet to said outlet.   
   
   
       2 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , said electrostatic discharge device comprising:
 a high voltage power supply;   at least one corona electrode connected to said high voltage power supply; and   a collector electrode located proximate said corona electrode and connected to said high voltage power supply so as to induce a motion of the gas in a direction from said corona electrode toward said collector electrode.   
   
   
       3 . The heat exchanger of  claim 2 , said corona electrode is a wire-like conductive member; and
 said collector electrode is a conductive member with the smallest dimension at least 10 times greater than a diameter of the corona electrode;   said corona electrode and said collector electrode are substantially parallel to each other.   
   
   
       4 . The heat exchanger of  claim 2 , further comprising at least one repelling electrode. 
   
   
       5 . The heat exchanger of  claim 2 , where said high voltage power supply is connected to the corona electrode with a positive voltage potential with respect to the collecting electrode. 
   
   
       6 . The heat exchanger of  claim 2 , where said high voltage power supply is connected to the repelling electrode with a positive voltage potential with respect to the collecting electrode. 
   
   
       7 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein said duct is in direct thermal contact with a firebox of a fireplace so as to transmit heat energy from said firebox to the gas within said duct. 
   
   
       8 . The heat exchanger of  claim 2 , wherein said electrostatic discharge device includes a modulator connected to vary an output from said high voltage power supply so as to control said acceleration of said gas in response to an audio signal. 
   
   
       9 . The heat exchanger of  claim 3 , comprising a plurality of said corona electrodes and a plurality of said collector electrodes and wherein a number of the corona electrodes is equal to a number of the collector electrodes plus-minus one. (Nw=Nc±1) 
   
   
       10 . The heat exchanger of  claim 3 , comprising a plurality of said corona electrodes and a plurality of said collector electrodes and wherein a number of the corona electrodes is equal to the number of the collector electrodes divided by two plus-minus one. (Nw=Nc/2±1) 
   
   
       11 . The heat exchanger of  claim 3 , comprising a plurality of said corona electrodes and a plurality of said collector electrodes and wherein a number of the corona electrodes is between
 (i) a number of the collector electrodes plus/minus one and   (ii) the number of the collector electrodes limited by two plus/minus one.   
   
   
       12 . The heat exchanger of  claim 3 , the distance from the corona wire to the collecting electrode is more twice of a distance between the collecting members. 
   
   
       13 . The heat exchanger of  claim 3 , wherein walls of said duct that are immediately proximate to an outermost corona wire are covered with an electrically insulating material. 
   
   
       14 . The heat exchanger of  claim 13 , wherein said insulating material has a low polarization property. 
   
   
       15 . The heat exchanger of  claim 3 , comprising a plurality of said corona electrodes wherein a distance from an outermost of said corona electrodes to a wall of said duct is approximately ½ of a distance between immediately adjacent ones of said corona electrodes. 
   
   
       16 . The heat exchanger of  claim 2 , where ones of said electrodes closest to a duct opening are maintained at an electrical potential close to a ground potential. 
   
   
       17 . The heat exchanger of  claim 2 , further comprising a substrate supporting said corona and collector electrodes and wherein said corona and collector electrodes are devoid of any cavities capable of retaining any appreciable quantity of water or other liquid. 
   
   
       18 . The heat exchanger of  claim 17 , wherein said corona and collector electrodes and said substrate are made of inexpensive materials such as thin sheets and/or plastic and are easily removable from the duct. 
   
   
       19 . A method of heating a space comprising the steps of:
 conducting heat from a heat source to a duct;   conducting heat from said duct to a gas; and   electrostatically accelerating said gas into a space to be heated.