Flameless Heater System

Abstract

A flameless heater system that doubles as a source of compressed air. The flameless heater system generally includes an engine and an air compressor as sources of radiant heat. Air is forced past an engine radiator and an air compressor heat exchanger to create heated forced air that is conducted through ducts to a desired destination. The system can be operated only as a heater, or only as a source of compressed air, or both at the same time.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . A flameless heater, comprising:
 a plurality of radiant heat sources maintained at a higher temperature than ambient air outside of the heater, including an engine that produces heat as it generates motive power, and an air compressor that produces heat as it compresses air;   a structure arranged to receive ambient air and conduct it past the radiant heat sources;   a fan to force ambient air through the structure to heat the air; and   a duct to deliver the heated air to a desired location.   
     
     
         2 . The heater of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a radiator thermally coupled to the engine;   an exhaust heat exchanger thermally coupled to an engine exhaust; and   an air compressor heat exchanger thermally coupled to the air compressor;   wherein the air is heated as it is forced past the radiator and the heat exchangers.   
     
     
         3 . The heater of  claim 2 , wherein the air compressor is a rotary screw compressor. 
     
     
         4 . The heater of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 at least one pressure regulator and flow regulator;   wherein the fan is driven by pneumatic pressure from the air compressor, and the pressure/flow regulators are operatively coupled between the air compressor and the fan to control the speed of the fan.   
     
     
         5 . The heater of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a hydraulic pump coupled to the engine to use at least a portion of the motive power to drive the pump; and   a proportional valve;   wherein the fan is driven by hydraulic pressure from the hydraulic pump, and the proportional valve is operatively coupled between the hydraulic pump and the fan to control the speed of the fan.   
     
     
         6 . The heater of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 at least one sensor arranged to sense an aspect of the heater related to the production and delivery of heat;   at least one control component operable to control a respective aspect of the heater sensed by the sensors; and   a controller operatively coupled to the sensors and to the control components, arranged to control the production and delivery of forced heated air based on the sensed conditions using the control components.   
     
     
         7 . The heater of  claim 6 , further comprising a user interface operatively coupled to the controller, the user interface comprising at least one input device for receiving a user input to influence operation of the control components, and at least one output device for providing a user output related to the sensed conditions. 
     
     
         8 . The heater of  claim 7 , wherein the controller is arranged to receive and group the sensed input signals from all of the sensors, and to output control signals based on the sensed input signals and the user inputs to control the control components. 
     
     
         9 . The heater of  claim 8 , wherein the controller controls the production and delivery of forced heated air by controlling all of the control devices based on all of the sensed conditions and all of the user inputs. 
     
     
         10 . The heater of  claim 9 , wherein the heater functions as a thermostat to maintain the temperature of an enclosed space warmer than the ambient air. 
     
     
         11 . The heater of  claim 1 , further comprising a chassis fixedly coupled to the source of radiant heat, the air mover, and the duct. 
     
     
         12 . The heater of  claim 11 , wherein the chassis comprises a structural frame mounted on one of a skid and a wheeled trailer. 
     
     
         13 . The heater of  claim 11 , wherein the chassis further comprises an enclosure arranged to mitigate heat escaping from the heater in an uncontrolled manner. 
     
     
         14 . The heater of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 an intake grill to direct the flow of ambient air into the enclosure; and   at least one of a duct and a baffle to direct the flow of the intake air through the enclosure.   
     
     
         15 . The heater of  claim 11 , further comprising a water separator to remove water from one or more of the heater components. 
     
     
         16 . A method of starting a flameless heater, comprising:
 receiving a start signal from a start device operated by a user;   receiving user input settings from input devices of a user interface operated by the user;   starting an engine of the heater that generates motive power and produces heat;   monitoring the temperature of engine coolant circulating through the engine;   after the engine coolant temperature rises to a predetermined threshold, starting an air compressor coupled to the engine that uses at least a portion of the motive power to compress air and produces heat as the air is compressed;   starting a fan to force air past:
 a radiator thermally coupled to the engine; 
 a heat exchanger thermally coupled to an exhaust port of the engine; and 
 an air compressor heat exchanger thermally coupled to the air compressor; 
 whereby the forced air is heated; and 
   conducting the forced heated air through a duct to provide heat to a desired location.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising automatically:
 controlling a speed of the fan to achieve a predetermined temperature of the forced heated air;   sensing a plurality of conditions of aspects of the heater related to the production and delivery of the heated air; and   controlling a plurality of control components based on the sensed conditions to control the production and delivery of the forced heated air.   
     
     
         18 . The heater of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 monitoring the sensed conditions; and   adjusting at least one of the control components to maintain at a predetermined level the production and delivery of the forced heated air.   
     
     
         19 . A method of stopping a flameless heater, comprising:
 receiving a stop signal from a stop device operated by a user;   unloading an air compressor of the heater; and   unloading an engine of the heater that drives the air compressor.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 executing a phased procedure to shut off the heater in a manner designed not to damage any aspect of the heater.