Apparatus and method for heating or cooling an object using a fluid

Abstract

An improved heating apparatus is aimed at optimizing heat transfer and delivering an optimal heating efficiency in comparison to conventional heating apparatus. The improved heating apparatus includes tubes that generate plume arrays of a fluid (e.g., a gas, such as air) that is heated in a conduit. The tubes introduce the heated fluid into a chamber of the heating apparatus. The fluid is returned to the conduit through a return opening in the chamber. The path that the fluid travels in the chamber, from the tubes to the return air opening, is provided such that optimized heat transfer and optimal heating efficiency are facilitated.

1 . An apparatus for heating an object using air, comprising:
 a chamber for receiving the object;   a conduit and one or more air blowers for providing the air into the chamber;   a thermal energy source for heating the air disposed in the conduit;   a tube for generating a plume array of the heated air from the conduit and introducing it into the chamber; and   a return opening for allowing the air from the plume array to return from the chamber to the conduit;   wherein each portion of the surface of the object is in contact with the plume array.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein: the chamber comprises a side wall and a bottom; and the return opening is positioned substantially at or along an intersection of the bottom of the chamber and the side wall of the chamber. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the heated air of the plume array is drawn laterally across a surface of the object toward the return opening. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising an air modulator for controlling a flow rate of the heated air through the tube. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the tube comprises a tube inlet coupled to the conduit and a tube outlet coupled to the chamber. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the tube is in the shape of an inverted truncated triangular prism with the tube inlet corresponding to the base of the prism. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the area of the tube inlet is larger than the area of the tube outlet at a ratio substantially sufficient for forming a tight plume of the heated air. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the dimensions of the tube are designed to optimize the formation of a plume of the heated gas having a long and narrow rectangular cross section. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more air blowers comprise an air blower that directs the air in the conduit to the tube. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more air blowers comprise a variable speed air blower. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the air flowing in a cross section of the plume array remains in substantially the same plane while it is in the chamber. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein all of the air in the plume array travels substantially the same distance from the tube to the return opening. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each portion of the surface of the object that is in contact with the plume array is in contact with substantially the same volume of air.