Patent · US Expired

Method and control arrangement for a heating system including solar and fuel-fired heating apparatus

US4034912A · kind A · utility

21Cited by
3References
38Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJun 7, 1976
Grant dateJul 12, 1977
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 7, 1996

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02B10/70
  • WIPO fieldThermal processes and apparatus
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A method and control arrangement for a heating system including solar heating apparatus and a conventional fuel-fired heating apparatus wherein heat load of the heating system and solar heating source capability are compared, and the heating system is switched to solar heating whenever the heating capability of the solar heating apparatus exceeds the heat load of the system, the heating system being switched to the conventional heating apparatus only when the heat load exceeds the heating capability of the solar heating apparatus. The control arrangement includes a first sensor which provides a first output indicative of heat load for the system as indicated by average fuel consumption by a burner of the conventional heating apparatus or the duty cycle of a thermostat of the system, a second sensor which provides a second output indicative of the temperature of a solar heated medium, and a controller which responds to the first and second outputs to provide heat for the system from the solar heated medium whenever possible. In one embodiment, the controller includes a differential temperature sensing device, and in a second embodiment, the controller includes a microprocessor syste…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.