Method for Manufacture of Integrated Ridge Vent and Heat Exchanger

Abstract

A flexible heat exchanger is incorporated into a ridge vent to form an assembly. The heat exchanger operates by collecting thermal energy (heat) from heated air exhausting from the attic space via the ridge vent. Air in the attic space is typically heated by the solar energy falling on the roof. Heat from this air is transferred through the wall of heat exchange tubes integrated into the ridge vent. The flow of heated air around the outside of the tubes is driven by the column of heated air that forms in the attic space, similar to the draft in a chimney. The chimney effect in the attic space circulates the flow of outside air into the soffit vents through the attic space where it is heated and then exhausted out the ridge vent, passing by and around the tubes before it exits.

1 . A method of manufacture for an integrated roof ridge vent and heat exchanger assembly comprising:
 providing an elongated flexible support of indeterminate length, said support having a central portion between lateral side portions, said central portion having a predetermined lateral span and said side portions having a first thickness between a top surface and a bottom surface and defining an air flow path between said top and bottom surfaces, said air flow path permitting air to pass through said elongated flexible support in a direction transverse to the length of said support;   cutting said elongated flexible support to a predetermined length;   forming a plurality of supports in said central portion;   securing a plurality of flexible heat exchange tubes to said supports, said heat exchange tubes and said supports arranged to maintain said heat exchange tubes spaced apart from each other and from said support to permit air flow between and around said heat exchange tubes before the air flow enters said air flow path, said heat exchange tubes having open longitudinal ends;   attaching a plurality of fluid couplings extending between the open longitudinal ends of adjacent heat exchange tubes to connect said plurality of heat exchange tubes into at least one fluid flow path having a fluid flow path length at least twice said predetermined length;   rolling said integrated roof ridge vent and heat exchanger lengthwise and securing said rolled integrated roof ridge vent and heat exchanger in said rolled configuration.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said step of securing comprises:
 mounting a plurality of brackets to said support at predetermined positions along said predetermined length, each said bracket including attachment wings and a tubing support portion intermediate said attachment wings, said attachment wings secured to said lateral side portions with said bracket substantially perpendicular to said predetermined length and said tubing support portion located in said central portion of said support.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 forming said support with a central portion having a second thickness less than said first thickness.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said step of forming comprises:
 constructing said support of material which deforms under heat and pressure;   applying heat and pressure to said support central portion to compress said support to define said reduced thickness central portion relative to said lateral side portions.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said step of attaching comprises attaching fluid couplings to the open ends of alternate said heat exchange tubes opposite said fluid couplings to define a plurality of fluid flow paths, said fluid flow paths communicating with a common input and output. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said step of mounting comprises:
 fixing said brackets to said support using fasteners, adhesive, or heat bonding.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said step of providing and forming comprise:
 fabricating said support to include a central portion having a second thickness less than said first thickness and including longitudinally extending rows of laterally separated seats configured to receive said heat exchange tubes and said step of securing comprises:   fixing each of said heat exchange tubes to respective of said rows of seats so that said heat exchange tubes are held in laterally spaced relation to each other.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said step of securing comprises:
 securing an even number of heat exchange tubes to said supports; and said step of attaching comprises:   attaching U-bend fluid couplings between the open longitudinal ends of adjacent heat exchange tubes at a first longitudinal end of said assembly and connecting alternate open longitudinal ends of said heat exchange tubes in fluid communication with each other and with a fluid inlet or outlet at a second end of said assembly so that pairs of said heat exchange tubes define a fluid flow path between said fluid inlet and said fluid outlet.   
     
     
         9 . A method for manufacturing an elongated heat exchange assembly for attachment to a structure defining an interior air space and including an elongated vent opening having a known length and width communicating with the interior air space to permit air within the interior space to exit the interior space through the vent opening by convection, said method comprising:
 providing one or more supports, each support including a central section between a pair of outer sections, said central section configured to span the width of the vent opening and said outer sections attachable to the structure on either side of the vent opening;   cutting a plurality of continuous, flexible, heat exchange tubes to a first length substantially equal to the length of the vent opening, each of said heat exchange tubes having open longitudinal ends;   attaching at least two of said plurality of heat exchange tubes to said one or more supports, said heat exchange tubes engaged with the central section of said one or more supports at predetermined intervals along the length of said heat exchange tubes to maintain said heat exchange spaced from each other across said central section to permit air flow between said heat exchange tubes;   joining at least one fluid coupling to the open longitudinal ends of said heat exchange tubes to define a fluid flow path having a length at least as long as the vent opening;   rolling the heat exchange assembly lengthwise; and   securing the rolled heat exchange assembly in the rolled configuration.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said step of joining comprises:
 selecting said fluid couplings to connect adjacent heat exchange tubes into a fluid flow path having a length at least twice the length of the vent opening.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said step of joining comprises:
 selecting said fluid couplings to join a plurality of heat exchange tubes to define a fluid flow inlet; and   selecting said fluid couplings to join a plurality of heat exchange tubes to define a fluid flow outlet;   said fluid flow path extending between said fluid flow inlet and said fluid flow outlet.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , comprising
 securing said at least one support to a longitudinally extending, flexible ridge vent, said ridge vent including lateral side portions overlapping with said outer sections and defining an air flow path substantially perpendicular to the length of said assembly; and   rolling the resulting assembly longitudinally.