Heat and energy recovery and regeneration assembly, system and method

Abstract

A heat recovery system including a chamber having a cooling intake, an emissions intake for receiving exhaust gas from a furnace, and a chamber exhaust to discharge emissions from the chamber, a heat recovery exchanger disposed within the chamber for contacting a mixture of cooling gas from the cooling intake and the exhaust gas to effect heat exchange, a fluid circuit in communication with the heat recovery exchanger, a heat extraction exchanger in fluid communication with the heat recovery exchanger through the fluid circuit to effect heat exchange between the heat extraction exchanger and an airstream running therethrough, and a temperature sensor located in a supply plenum of the furnace and having hi and low temperature set points, the controller is configured so that the furnace is repeatedly cycled when the controller registers temperature sensor signals corresponding to the hi and low temperature set points.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A heat recovery system in a habitat to be heated by a furnace having a controller coupled to a thermostat, the heat recovery system comprising:
 a chamber including a cooling intake, an emissions intake and a chamber exhaust, the emissions intake is configured for receiving exhaust gas emitted as a result of fuel combustion in the furnace and the chamber exhaust is configured to discharge emissions from the chamber;   a heat recovery exchanger disposed within the chamber for contacting a mixture of cooling gas introduced through the cooling intake and the exhaust gas introduced through the emissions intake such that heat exchange is effected;   at least one fluid circuit in communication with the heat recovery exchanger;   a heat extraction exchanger in fluid communication with the heat recovery exchanger through the at least one fluid circuit to effect heat exchange between the heat extraction exchanger and an airstream running therethrough; and   a temperature sensor located in a supply plenum of the furnace and having a predetermined hi temperature set point and a predetermined low temperature set point;   where the controller is configured so that in response to a heat call from the thermostat, the furnace is repeatedly cycled between on and off states when the controller registers temperature sensor signals corresponding to the predetermined hi temperature set point and the predetermined low temperature set point.   
     
     
         2 . The heat recovery system of  claim 1 , further comprising a pressure regulating assembly in communication with the chamber and the chamber exhaust for regulating a pressure in the heat recovery system. 
     
     
         3 . The heat recovery system of  claim 2 , wherein the pressure regulating assembly includes a fan communicably coupled to the chamber exhaust and configured to draw the emissions from the chamber. 
     
     
         4 . The heat recovery system of  claim 1 , wherein the cooling intake is communicably coupled to the chamber exhaust and is configured to extract at least a portion of the emissions for recirculation as the cooling gas. 
     
     
         5 . The heat recovery system of  claim 1 , wherein the heat recovery exchanger and the heat extraction exchanger comprise a multi-stage heat exchange system including at least:
 a first stage having a primary heat recovery exchanger element and a primary heat extraction exchanger element communicably coupled to each other through a primary fluid circuit of the at least one fluid circuit; and   a second stage having a secondary heat recovery exchanger element and a secondary heat extraction exchanger element communicably coupled to each other through a secondary fluid circuit of the at least one fluid circuit.   
     
     
         6 . The heat recovery system of  claim 5 , wherein each stage of the multi-stage heat exchange system is independently operable from another stage of the multi-stage heat exchange system. 
     
     
         7 . The heat recovery system of  claim 5 , wherein the first stage of the multi-stage heat exchange system effects heat exchange during both furnace on and off states. 
     
     
         8 . The heat recovery system of  claim 5 , wherein the second stage of the multi-stage heat exchange system is operative and effects heat exchange during furnace on states and inoperative during furnace off states. 
     
     
         9 . The heat recovery system of  claim 1 , wherein a burner of the furnace is switched on and off corresponding to a furnace on and off cycle and a return air blower of the furnace continues to run during the heat call. 
     
     
         10 . A heat recovery system comprising:
 a furnace having a furnace exhaust, a return plenum and a controller coupled to a thermostat;   a chamber including a cooling intake, an emissions intake and a chamber exhaust,
 the emissions intake being communicably coupled to the furnace exhaust so that exhaust gas emitted as a result of fuel combustion in the furnace is transferred to the chamber, 
 the chamber exhaust is configured to discharge emissions from the chamber, and 
 the cooling intake is configured to effect transfer of at least a portion of the emissions from the chamber exhaust to the chamber as cooling gas; 
   a heat recovery exchanger disposed within the chamber for contacting a mixture of the cooling gas and the exhaust gas such that heat exchange is effected;   at least one fluid circuit in communication with the heat recovery exchanger;   a heat extraction exchanger in fluid communication with the heat recovery exchanger through the at least one fluid circuit and in thermal communication with an airstream running through the return plenum for transferring heat from the heat extraction exchanger to the airstream; and   a temperature sensor located in a supply plenum of the furnace and having a predetermined hi temperature set point and a predetermined low temperature set point;   where the controller is configured so that in response to a heat call from the thermostat, the furnace is repeatedly cycled between on and off states throughout the heat call when the controller registers temperature sensor signals corresponding to the predetermined hi temperature set point and the predetermined low temperature set point.   
     
     
         11 . The heat recovery system of  claim 10 , further comprising a pressure regulating assembly in communication with the chamber and the chamber exhaust for regulating a pressure in the heat recovery system. 
     
     
         12 . The heat recovery system of  claim 11 , wherein the pressure regulating assembly includes a fan communicably coupled to the chamber exhaust and configured to draw the emissions from the chamber. 
     
     
         13 . The heat recovery system of  claim 10 , wherein a burner of the furnace is switched on and off corresponding to a furnace on and off cycle and a return air blower of the furnace continues to run during the heat call. 
     
     
         14 . The heat recovery system of  claim 10 , wherein the heat recovery exchanger and the heat extraction exchanger comprise a multi-stage heat exchange system including at least:
 a first stage having a primary heat recovery exchanger element and a primary heat extraction exchanger element communicably coupled to each other through a primary fluid circuit of the at least one fluid circuit; and   a second stage having a secondary heat recovery exchanger element and a secondary heat extraction exchanger element communicably coupled to each other through a secondary fluid circuit of the at least one fluid circuit.   
     
     
         15 . The heat recovery system of  claim 14 , wherein each stage of the multi-stage heat exchange system is independently operable from another stage of the multi-stage heat exchange system. 
     
     
         16 . The heat recovery system of  claim 14 , wherein the first stage of the multi-stage heat exchange system effects heat exchange during both furnace on and off states. 
     
     
         17 . The heat recovery system of  claim 14 , wherein the second stage of the multi-stage heat exchange system is operative and effects heat exchange during furnace on states and inoperative during furnace off states. 
     
     
         18 . A heating furnace comprising:
 a furnace exhaust;   a return plenum;   a controller coupled to a thermostat; and   a heat recovery system including
 a chamber including a cooling intake, an emissions intake and a chamber exhaust,
 the emissions intake being communicably coupled to the furnace exhaust so that exhaust gas emitted as a result of fuel combustion in the furnace is transferred to the chamber, 
 the chamber exhaust is configured to discharge emissions from the chamber, and 
 the cooling intake is configured to effect transfer of at least a portion of the emissions from the chamber exhaust to the chamber as cooling gas; 
 
 a heat recovery exchanger disposed within the chamber for contacting a mixture of the cooling gas and the exhaust gas such that heat exchange is effected; 
 at least one fluid circuit in communication with the heat recovery exchanger; 
 a heat extraction exchanger in fluid communication with the heat recovery exchanger through the at least one fluid circuit and in thermal communication with an airstream running through the return plenum for transferring heat from the heat extraction exchanger to the airstream; and 
 a temperature sensor located in a supply plenum of the furnace and having a predetermined hi temperature set point and a predetermined low temperature set point; 
   where the controller is configured so that in response to a heat call from the thermostat, the furnace is repeatedly cycled, for a duration of the heat call, between on and off states when the controller registers temperature sensor signals corresponding to the predetermined hi temperature set point and the predetermined low temperature set point.   
     
     
         19 . The heating furnace of  claim 18 , further comprising a pressure regulating assembly in communication with the chamber and the chamber exhaust for regulating a pressure in the heat recovery system. 
     
     
         20 . The heating furnace of  claim 19 , wherein the pressure regulating assembly includes a fan communicably coupled to the chamber exhaust and configured to draw the emissions from the chamber. 
     
     
         21 . The heating furnace of  claim 18 , wherein the heat recovery exchanger and the heat extraction exchanger comprise a multi-stage heat exchange system including at least:
 a first stage having a primary heat recovery exchanger element and a primary heat extraction exchanger element communicably coupled to each other through a primary fluid circuit of the at least one fluid circuit; and   a second stage having a secondary heat recovery exchanger element and a secondary heat extraction exchanger element communicably coupled to each other through a secondary fluid circuit of the at least one fluid circuit.   
     
     
         22 . The heating furnace of  claim 18 , wherein each stage of the multi-stage heat exchange system is independently operable from another stage of the multi-stage heat exchange system. 
     
     
         23 . The heating furnace of  claim 18 , wherein the first stage of the multi-stage heat exchange system effects heat exchange during both furnace on and off states. 
     
     
         24 . The heating furnace of  claim 18 , wherein the second stage of the multi-stage heat exchange system is operative and effects heat exchange during furnace on states and inoperative during furnace off states. 
     
     
         25 . The heating furnace of  claim 18 , wherein a burner of the furnace is switched on and off corresponding to a furnace on and off cycle and a return air blower of the furnace continues to run during the heat call. 
     
     
         26 . A method for recovering heat in a habitat heated by a furnace, the method comprising:
 providing a chamber including a cooling intake, an emissions intake and a chamber exhaust, where the emissions intake receives exhaust gas emitted as a result of fuel combustion in the furnace and the chamber exhaust discharges emissions from the chamber;   providing a heat recovery exchanger disposed within the chamber for contacting a mixture of cooling gas introduced through the cooling intake and the exhaust gas introduced through the emissions intake such that heat exchange is effected;   providing a heat extraction exchanger in fluid communication with the heat recovery exchanger through at least one fluid circuit for effecting heat exchange between the heat extraction exchanger and an airstream running therethrough;   providing a temperature sensor in a supply plenum of the furnace and having a predetermined hi temperature set point and a predetermined low temperature set point; and   repeatedly cycling the furnace, with a controller that, in response to a heat call from a thermostat, repeatedly cycles the furnace between on and off states for a duration of the heat call when the controller registers temperature sensor signals corresponding to the predetermined hi temperature set point and the predetermined low temperature set point.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising regulating a pressure within the chamber with a fan communicably coupled to the chamber exhaust where the emissions are drawn from the chamber. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising supplying cooling gas in a closed loop from the chamber exhaust to the cooling intake. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the heat recovery exchanger and the heat extraction exchanger are provided as a multi-stage heat exchange system including at least:
 a first stage having a primary heat recovery exchanger element and a primary heat extraction exchanger element communicably coupled to each other through a primary fluid circuit of the at least one fluid circuit; and   a second stage having a secondary heat recovery exchanger element and a secondary heat extraction exchanger element communicably coupled to each other through a secondary fluid circuit of the at least one fluid circuit.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising effecting heat exchange during both furnace on and off states with the first stage of the multi-stage heat exchange system. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising effecting heat exchange during furnace on states with the second stage of the multi-stage heat exchange system. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein a burner of the furnace is switched on and off corresponding to a furnace on and off cycle and a return air blower of the furnace continues to run during the heat call.