Atmospheric hot water heating system

Abstract

An atmospheric water heating system is presented, where hot gasses from a burner are introduced directly to water. The water is exposed to the burner exhaust gasses as a film upon a series of rotating discs partially submerged in a reservoir. The water vaporizes and then re-condenses on subsequent discs, cooling the exhaust gas and heating the reservoir water. The heated reservoir water may be used to heat space heating water with a water-to-water heat exchanger. The water vapor may be used to heat environmental forced hot air with a vapor-to-air heat exchanger.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An atmospheric water heater connected to a burner with an exhaust gas portal, comprising;
 a first heat exchanger comprising:
 a reservoir chamber comprising a water reservoir and a gas channel in contact with the water reservoir, the gas channel further comprising a burner side and an egress side, the egress side disposed substantially opposite the burner side, the burner exhaust gas portal in communication with the reservoir chamber gas channel burner side; 
 a rotatable axle disposed within the gas channel, at least partially spanning the reservoir chamber gas channel from the burner side to the egress side; and 
 a plurality of spaced discs disposed upon the axle configured to rotate in rigid accompaniment with the axle, the axle disposed within the reservoir chamber such that the plurality of discs are partially submerged in the water reservoir and partially within the air chamber; and 
   a second heat exchanger.   
     
     
         2 . The atmospheric water heater of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a driver configured to rotates the axle; and   a reservoir chamber egress impeller in communication with the reservoir chamber gas channel egress side.   
     
     
         3 . The atmospheric water heater of  claim 1 , wherein said second heat exchanger comprises a water-to-fluid heat exchanger, the water-to-fluid heat exchanger comprising a fluid conduit disposed at least partially within the water reservoir. 
     
     
         4 . The atmospheric water heater of  claim 1 , wherein said second heat exchanger comprises a hot water coil disposed within the water reservoir. 
     
     
         5 . The atmospheric water heater of  claim 1 , wherein said second heat exchanger comprises a vapor-to-air heat exchanger, the vapor-to-air heat exchanger attached to the reservoir chamber gas channel egress side. 
     
     
         6 . The atmospheric water heater of  claim 1 , wherein the burner is a solid fuel burner. 
     
     
         7 . The atmospheric water heater of  claim 2 , wherein the driver is further configured to drive the reservoir chamber egress impeller. 
     
     
         8 . A method for heating water with hot gas from a burner, comprising the steps of:
 providing a water heater comprising:
 a reservoir chamber comprising a water reservoir and a gas channel above the water reservoir, wherein the gas channel is in direct physical contact with the water reservoir, the gas channel comprising a hot gas ingress end, and a vent end; 
 a rotatable axle at least partially spanning the reservoir chamber, the axle disposed substantially through the gas channel; 
 a first disc disposed upon the axle, the first disc disposed partially submerged in the water reservoir, the first disc configured to rotate in rigid conformity with the axle, the first disc disposed substantially at the hot gas ingress end of the gas channel; and 
 a second disc disposed upon the axle, the second disc disposed partially submerged in the water reservoir, the second disc configured to rotate in rigid conformity with the axle, the second disc disposed substantially at the vent end of the axle; 
   receiving hot gas into the hot gas ingress portal;   rotating the axle, thereby partially coating the first disc and the second disc with a water film from the water reservoir,   drawing gas from the hot gas ingress portal through the gas channel; and   expelling exhaust gas through the gas channel vent end.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising the steps of:
 vaporizing the water film on the first disc with the hot gas, thereby producing water vapor; and   conveying the water vapor through the gas channel toward the vent end of the axle.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising the steps of:
 introducing the water vapor to the second disc; and   condensing the water vapor upon the second disc.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising the step of passing liquid through a water-to-liquid heat exchanger disposed at least partially within the reservoir chamber. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising the step of passing water through a domestic hot water coil disposed within the reservoir chamber. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising the step of conveying water vapor from the gas channel into a water vapor-to-air heat exchanger. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising the steps of:
 drawing water out of the reservoir chamber into an external radiator; and   returning water from the external radiator to the reservoir chamber.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising the step of purging excess water from the water reservoir. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising the steps of:
 collecting heavy ash in the water reservoir as a water-ash slurry, and   replacing water-ash slurry in the water reservoir with fresh water.   
     
     
         17 . A pelletized fuel burning space heating system comprising:
 a pelletized fuel burner comprising:
 an angle of repose pelletized fuel feeder; and 
 an agitating burner grate configured to receive pellets from the fuel feeder; and 
   an atmospheric water heater comprising:
 a reservoir chamber partially filled with water configured to receive exhaust gas from the fuel burner; and 
 an axle comprising a plurality of partially submerged spaced discs rotatably disposed within the reservoir chamber. 
   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , further comprising a water-to-water heat exchanger disposed within the reservoir chamber. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 17 , further comprising a vapor-to-air heat exchanger comprising an ingress opening in communication with the egress vent. 
     
     
         20 . An atmospheric water heater, comprising;
 a water tank;   a solid fuel burner configured to transfer heat from the burner to the water tank; and   means for transferring spent fuel from the fuel burner into the water tank.