GB2475311A - Central heating system including an insulated water storage tank - Google Patents

Abstract

The central heating system comprises one or more radiators connected in series with a boiler, and an insulated water storage tank in fluid connection with the boiler and the one or more radiators. In a first mode of operation the boiler provides heated water to the one or more radiators and additionally to the tank. In a second mode of operation the boiler is deactivated and the tank selectively provides stored heated water received from the boiler to the one or more radiators, thereby providing background heat while the boiler is turned off. The supply of water from the boiler and tank may be regulated by pumps operated by electrical timing programmes. During periods of no demand, no water is dispensed by the boiler or the tank and the water stored in the tank retains much of its heat because the tank is insulated.

Description

Description

This invention relates to a process for conserving energy in central heating systems, and hence reduces the fuel consumption of the heating device (the boiler).

It can be used with any domestic or industrial boiler powered by gas or fuel oil.

The process involves connecting an insulated water storage vessel in series with the central heating circuit. This vessel is used to store water that is heated by the boiler, for re-circulating in the central heating circuit both when the boiler is in use, and importantly when the boiler is turned off (or being used minimally).

Electrical timing devices are used to programme both circuits. Each circuit has its own water pump.

The operation of the boiler is restricted. For example, it is programmed to operate in minutes out of every hour. During this 15 minute period, both the water from the boiler and the water from the storage vessel are pumped around the circuit by their separate pumps. (The entire system could be run by a multiple impellor pump with separate timing programmes).

The boiler heats both circuits, and the entire system gets hot.

When the programme turns the boiler off', the water from the storage vessel continues to circulate through the heating circuit, producing background heat until the minute cycle is completed, and the boiler fires up to re-heat the entire system.

At night, or during periods of no demand, both circuits are turned off and the water in the storage vessel retains much of its heat due to the cylinder being insulated.

The most efficient location for the water storage tank to be connected is shown in Figure 1'. This shows the flow pipe connected into the storage vessel shortly after it leaves the boiler, and the return pipe from the storage vessel connected onto the central heating return by way of a dual flow connection shortly before the central heating return run' connects to the boiler.

Figure 2 shows the flow and the return of the storage vessel connected to the central heating system at the beginning of its run.

Figure 3 shows the flow and return of the storage vessel connected to the central heating system at the end of its run.

Claims (4)

1. Claims 1. A process for reducing the heat loss of radiators within a central heating system by utilising an insulated water vessel connected to the central heating circuit, and using the retained hot water from the vessel to provide background heat to the radiators when hot water is not being generated by the boiler.
2. 2. A process for reducing the fuel necessary to maintain the required heat in a central heating system.
3. 3. An insulated storage vessel that is designed to accept heated water from a boiler and redistribute that water for the purposes of heating central heating radiators..
4. 4. A central heating system that incorporates two circuits of hot water used to heat the radiators.