WO2003048653A1

WO2003048653A1 - A domestic heater device

Info

Publication number: WO2003048653A1
Application number: PCT/GB2002/005083
Authority: WO
Inventors: Christopher John Worship
Original assignee: Christopher John Worship
Priority date: 2001-12-05
Filing date: 2002-11-11
Publication date: 2003-06-12
Also published as: GB2382870B; AU2002339131A1; GB2382870A; GB0129051D0

Abstract

A domestic heater device comprising a tungsten halogen bulb which is mounted within a enclosure to which a heat exchanger is physically connected so as to transfer heat from the bulb to the heat exchanger, the enclosure comprising a copper box, wherein the heat output of the tungsten halogen is transferred to the enclosure and thense to the heat exchanger, the heat exchanger forming a closed circuit through which fluid is pumped, and including a pipe.

Description

DESCRIPTION

"A DOMESTIC HEATER DEVICE"

The present invention relates to a domestic heater device.

Conventional fan heaters and convector heaters rely upon an electric element or

coil as their heat source. It is the present applicant's contention that an electric coil is an

inefficient converter of electrical energy to heat.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a domestic heater device which

operates more efficiently in terms of the electrical energy consumed for a given heat

output than conventional fan heaters and convectors using electric elements or coils.

According to the present invention there is provided a domestic heater device

comprising a housing, a heat source including a tungsten halogen bulb and a heat exchanger in thermal contact with the^" heat source.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention the tungsten halogen bulb is

mounted within an enclosure to which the heat exchanger is physically connected so as

to transfer heat from the bulb to the heat exchanger. Conveniently, the enclosure

comprises a copper box. Under normal operating circumstances the tungsten halogen

bulb operates at a temperature of 150° Celsius. This heat output is transferred to the

enclosure and thence to the heat exchanger. Preferably, the heat exchanger forms a

closed circuit through which fluid is pumped, and includes a pipe which is physically connected to the heat source to ensure the effective transfer of heat to the fluid circulating

therethrough and heat radiating means. It has been found by the present applicant that a tungsten halogen bulb operating

at 395 Watts will produce approximately the same heat output as a kilowatt fan heater.

It is, therefore, approximately 3 times more heat efficient.

In one embodiment of the present invention the domestic heater device takes the

form of a fan heater and comprises an internal fan which circulates ambient air through

the said housing over the said heat radiating means to warm the said air before returning

it to the space to be heated.

In a second embodiment of the present invention the said heat radiating means

convects heat into the space to be heated. To this end it may take the shape and form of

a radiator.

Preferably, the domestic heater device further comprises a first thermal switch

associated with the tungsten halogen bulb which operates to turn the bulb off when the

temperature thereo reaches a predetermined maximum. An auxiliary- fan may be

provided to assist in maintaining the temperature of the bulb at or below the said

predetermined maximum by blowing ambient air over it. Ambient air circulated past the

bulb may be directed onto the heat exchanger. \

Preferably, the domestic heater device further comprises a second thermal switch associated with the heat exchanger which operates to shut the domestic heater device

down when the temperature thereof exceeds a predetermined maximum.

In the domestic heater device in accordance with the first embodiment of the

present invention the temperature of the air blown therefrom is proportional to the speed

of the fan circulating air past the heat exchanger. This may be taken advantage of to control the heat output of the domestic heater device; temperature sensing means may be

provided in the output from the domestic heater device which is linked to control means

regulating the speed of the air circulating fan.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example,

with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 shows a domestic heating device in accordance with the present invention in the form of a fan heater; and

Fig.2 shows a domestic heating device in accordance with the present invention

in the form of a convector heater. Conventional electric heaters that can currently be purchased use an electric element or coil as their heat source. The domestic heater device in accordance with the present invention uses a tungsten halogen bulb as its heat source as these have been found

to be far more efficient^* in the way they use energy. Under normal circumstances the

external operating temperature of a tungsten halogen bulb is approximately 150° Celsius.

By constructing a copper box and soldering it to a copper pipe in an enclosed situation,

heat can be transferred from the bulb into the copper pipe and thereafter into fluid

circulating through the pipe.

Referring to Fig. 1 there is shown a fan heater embodying the present invention comprising a heat source 1 consisting of a copper box enclosing a tungsten halogen bulb (not visible). A copper pipe 2 passes through the copper box and is in close thermal contact therewith. The pipe 2 is connected to a pump 3 and thence to one side of a

radiator 4. At the other side of the radiator 4 a further section of pipe 5 leads back to the heat source 1. The pipe 2, the pump 3, the radiator 4 and the further section of pipe 5

form a closed circuit through which fluid is circulated by the pump 3. It will be

understood that the heat source 1 heats the fluid in the pipe 2. The heated fluid then

passes through the radiator 4 from which heat is radiated.

A fan 6 draws air into a housing 7 in the' front of which is mounted the radiator

4 and directs this air over the radiator 4. The effect of this is to cause the air to be

warmed. This warmed air blown out into the space occupied by the fan heater warms the

space.

Conveniently a thermal switch (not shown) is mounted on the heat source 1 which

cuts out on the bulb when the temperature thereof reaches or exceeds 125° Celsius. This

prevents damage to the bulb and ensures a reasonable working life. A further thermal

switch (not shown) on the pipe 5 also ensures that the system shuts down should this

reach or exceed 70° Celsius.

When the fan 6 is operating at full speed the temperature of the air blown from

the heat exchanger is at its minimum, because of the cooling effect exerted by the air, but

the space to be heated will be warmed quickly. By slowing the fan 6 the temperature of

the air blown from the heat exchanger will be increased, but it will circulate through the

space more slowly. This may be taken advantage of to regulate the temperature at the

output of the fan heater. In this regard, a temperature detector in the output of the fan

heater may be employed to provide control feedback to control means regulating the

speed of the fan 6.

A further fan 10 is installed adjacent to the heat source 1 to cool this and prevent it from overheating.

Referring to Fig. 2 there is shown a convector heater embodying the present

invention comprising a heat source 11 and a heat exchanger consisting of a pipe 12 in

close thermal contact with the heat source 11 connected at each end to a radiator 13, via

a pump 14. The pump 14 circulates fluid through the pipe 12 and the radiator 13 , thereby

ensuring that heat generated by the heat source is conveyed to the radiator 13, where it warms the air around it by convection. Once again, the heat source 11 comprises a tungsten halogen bulb mounted within a box or enclosure.

A small auxiliary fan 15 serves to cool the heat source 11 and prevent this from overheating. A thermal switch (not shown) has been installed on the enclosure to prevent

the temperature thereof reaching or exceeding 125° Celsius. A further thermal switch on

the pipe 12 limits the temperature of the fluid circulating therein to 70° Celsius.

The applicant has found that the domestic heating devices described hereinbefore and making use of tungsten halogen bulb as their heat source are capable of heating a

room to the same temperature as a 1 kilowatt electrical heating coil, yet operate at a mere

395 Watts.

Claims

1. A domestic heater comprising an enclosure with one or more heat source including a Tungsten Halogen bulb and a heat exchanger in thennal contact with the heat source

2. A heat source as claimed in 1 , in a preferred embodiment of the present invention the Tungsten Halogen bulb is mounted within an enclosure to which the heat exchanger is physically connected so as to transfer heat from the bulb to the heat exchanger through conduction

3. A Tungsten Halogen bulb as claim 1 or claim 2, translers radiant heat to the enclosure conveniently the enclosure comprises a copper box in thermal contact with the heat exchanger

4. A Tungsten Halogen bulb as in claim3, translers heat to the enclosure and then to the heat exchanger preferably the heat exchanger forms a closed circuit through which fluid is pumped

5. The enclosure as claimed in any preceding claim is preferably connected to the heal source to easure the effective transfer of heat to the fluid circulating there through the closed circuit

6. The enclosure as claimed in any proceeding claim is made from copper aluminium steel or cast iron or from a combination of these materials

7. A domestic heating device converting radiant heat into convection and in turn to convection heat from a Tungsten Halogen bulb within an enclosure as herein described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing