Flue having an adjustable flue gas flow unit

Abstract

Known chimneys or chimney furnaces use flue gas flow units for heating buildings, said devices having displaceable or fixed obstacles for deflecting flue gas for generating flue gas turbulence. The invention relates to a device and method for transferring heat through a flue gas discharge pipe in which pivotal guide plates are inserted in the longitudinal direction of the pipe run, at which the flue gas flow is more or less deflected in a sinuous line as function of the pivot angle of the guide plates that can be adjusted during furnace operation. A fan can increase the flue gas flow. An optional furnace heat exchanger generates additional hot water as needed. The controller activates the actuators for the fan, guide plate pivot angle setting, and at least one circulating pump as a function of the prescribed controlled variables such as flue gas temperature, reservoir temperature, heat exchanger performance, or flue gas flow.

What is claimed as being new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent of the United States is as follows: 
     
         1 . A flue heat transfer system for transferring heat from a furnace heat source in a flue gas pipe, said flue heat transfer system comprising:
 a heat exchanger integrated in a flue gas pipe and possessing a liquid media chamber, impinged by an all-enveloping flue gas flow, said heat exchanger comprising an inner and outer heat exchanger regions, said inner and outer heat exchanger regions having a configuration to be impinged by said flue gas flow;   pivotal guide plates arranged spatially one behind the other along a longitudinal axis in said inner heat exchanger region; and   a connecting rod mechanically connected between said guide plates;   wherein said guide plates having a configuration that deflects said flue gas flow from said inner heat exchanger region into said outer heat exchanger region up to an exterior wall of said flue gas pipe, such that, at low flue gas temperatures, said guide plates do not cause any deflections of said flue gas flow through said heat exchanger regions and that, with increasing flue gas temperatures, deflections of said flue gas flow as well as a resulting flue gas flow turbulence increases with degreasing angles of said guide plates.   
     
     
         2 . The flue heat transfer system according to  claim 1 , wherein each of said guide plates are pivotable so as to adjust an angle of each of said guide plates to said flue gas flow about a pivoting axis of said guide plates. 
     
     
         3 . The flue heat transfer system according to  claim 2 , wherein at least one of said guide plates being fitted with at least one drive means selected from the group consisting of a servo drive means, an electrically-driven servo drive means, and a rotary drive means, said drive means having a configuration for adjusting said angle of said guide plates. 
     
     
         4 . The flue heat transfer system according to  claim 1 , wherein said guide plates each further comprising a hinge mechanically connected to said connecting rod, respectively. 
     
     
         5 . The flue heat transfer system according to  claim 4 , wherein said guide plates are at least a first, second, third and fourth guide plate arranged spatially one behind the other in said longitudinal axis in said inner heat exchanger region. 
     
     
         6 . The flue heat transfer system according to  claim 5 , wherein said connecting rod is a first connecting rod mechanically interconnecting said first and third guide plates, and a second connecting rod mechanically interconnecting said second and fourth guide plates. 
     
     
         7 . The flue heat transfer system according to  claim 6 , wherein said first and second connecting rods are substantially parallel with said longitudinal axis during motion. 
     
     
         8 . The flue heat transfer system according to  claim 6 , wherein said first connecting rod having a configuration to produce an equal, but synchronous direction of motion of said first and third guide plates, and said second connecting rod having a configuration to produce an equal, but synchronous direction of motion of said second and fourth guide plates that is opposite said first and third guide plates. 
     
     
         9 . The flue heat transfer system according to  claim 6  further comprising an intermediate connecting rod mechanically interconnecting said second and third guide plates in diagonally rotatable fashion, said intermediate connecting rod having a configuration to produce an opposite, but synchronous direction of motion of said second and third guide plates. 
     
     
         10 . The flue heat transfer system according to  claim 1  further comprising an upper support collar, a lower support collar, and a pair of support members in spaced relationship and connecting said upper and lower support collars, wherein said guide plates and said connecting rod are received in an interior of at least one of said upper and lower support collars, and said support members. 
     
     
         11 . The flue heat transfer system according to  claim 10 , wherein said guide plates are pivotably connected to at least one of said upper and lower support collars, and said support members. 
     
     
         12 . The flue heat transfer system according to  claim 1  further comprising at least one pre-adjustment spring placed about at least one guide plate pivot pin at least one of said guide plates, said pre-adjustment spring having a configuration to provide a rotational biasing force against the at least one of said guide plates. 
     
     
         13 . The flue heat transfer system according to  claim 12 , wherein said pre-adjustment spring includes at least one end received in at least one pre-adjustment hole defined in at least one of said support members. 
     
     
         14 . The flue heat transfer system according to  claim 13 , wherein said pre-adjustment hole is a plurality of pre-adjustment holes oriented in a radially configuration at different angles from said longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         15 . The flue heat transfer system according to  claim 13  further comprising a limiter received through wherein at least one limiter hole defined in at least one of said support members, said limiter having a configuration to contact at least one of said guide plates to prevent rotation of the least one of said guide plates. 
     
     
         16 . The flue heat transfer system according to  claim 1 , wherein said guide plates each feature textured surfaces having a configuration to increase friction of said flue gas flow. 
     
     
         17 . The flue heat transfer system according to  claim 1  further comprising an electrically-driven fan having a configuration for regulating said flue gas flow in one of said flue gas discharge pipe, in a fireplace, in a chimney, at an end of a chimney, adjacent to said flue gas discharge pipe, and in a region of a fresh air supply of a furnace. 
     
     
         18 . The flue heat transfer system according to  claim 2 , wherein said heat exchanger further comprising at least one conduit having a configuration to form a hollow body, with said inner heat exchanger region having a configuration to receive said guide plates and said connecting rod. 
     
     
         19 . The flue heat transfer system according to  claim 18 , wherein said conduit is selected from the group consisting of:
 a plurality of tubular rods, which together, by using a plurality of 180° pipe bends, form a plurality of pipe loops that are interconnected in series to form said hollow body having a circular shape, said pipe loops having a configuration to be impinged by said enveloping flue gas flow, and wherein said heat exchanger is provided with a connecting sleeve for a return flow at a starting point and a connecting sleeve for a feed flow at an end point;   a plurality of tubular rods, which, by means of two hollow rings, respectively provided at a beginning point and an end point of said tubular rods, are interconnected by welding, such that said hollow body having a circular shape is obtained, a first of said hollow ring being provided with a connecting sleeve for a return flow and a second of said hollow rings being provided with a connecting sleeve for a feed flow, said hollow rings having a configuration to be impinged by said enveloping flue gas flow;   a coiled pipe, which consists of a circularly curved pipe and each individual loop of which includes an air gap for impinging said heat carrier medium by an all-enveloping said flue gas flow; and   a liquid jacket, arranged between two jacketing pipes associated with said flue gas pipe, said heat carrier medium flows through said jacketing pipes, and wherein an air gap is defined between an outer jacketing pipe surface and an inner surface of said flue gas pipe for a portion of said flue gas flow to flow through.   
     
     
         20 . A method of using a heat transfer system for transferring heat from a furnace heat source, said method comprising the steps of:
 a) setting a flue gas flow while a furnace is heating up by one of manual operation, and automatic control operation;   b) setting a rotational speed of ventilation and an angular position of guide plates in a heat exchanger integrated in a flue gas pipe of said furnace;   c) enveloping a liquid media chamber, said guide plates and inner and outer heat exchanger regions of said heat exchanger with said flue gas flow, said pivotal guide plates being arranged spatially one behind the other in a longitudinal axis in said inner heat exchanger region; and   d) pivoting at least a first of said guide plates that is mechanically connected to at least another of said guide plates;   wherein said guide plates having a configuration to deflect said flue gas flow from said inner heat exchanger region into said outer heat exchanger region up to an exterior wall of said flue gas pipe, such that, at low flue gas temperatures, said guide plates do not cause any deflections of said flue gas flow through said inner and outer heat exchanger regions and that, with increasing flue gas temperatures, deflections of said flue gas flow as well as a resulting flue gas flow turbulence increases with decreasing angles of said guide plates.