Variable flow heating system with heating accessories placed in series

Abstract

Heating systems including a boiler for heating a heating fluid, a plurality of heating accessories each requiring input of heat, piping connecting the boiler with the heating accessories, at least one of the heating accessories being placed in series relative to at least one other of the heating accessories, and a valve system including a variable speed pump and an associated control system for varying flow of the heating fluid from the boiler. Each heating accessory is configured such that heating fluid from the boiler delivered through the piping to each successive heating accessory provides heat to each heating accessory and the heating fluid is returned to the boiler at a sufficiently low temperature (e.g., no more than about 120° F.) so as to allow the returned heating fluid to be used to condense water out of flue gas generated by the boiler so as to maximize the efficiency of the boiler.

1 . A heating system, comprising:
 a boiler comprising a heat exchanger for heating a heating fluid;   a plurality of heating accessories each requiring input of heat;   piping connecting the boiler with the heating accessories, at least one of the heating accessories being placed in series relative to at least one other of the heating accessories;   a valve system including a variable speed pump for varying flow of the heating fluid from the boiler through the piping to the heating accessories;   each heating accessory being configured such that heating fluid from the boiler and delivered through the piping to each successive heating accessory in series provides heat to each heating accessory and the heating fluid is returned to the boiler at a sufficiently low temperature so as to allow the returned heating fluid to be used to condense water out of flue gas generated by the boiler so as to maximize an efficiency of the boiler.   
     
     
         2 . The heating system recited in  claim 1 , wherein all of the heating accessories are placed in series relative to one another. 
     
     
         3 . The heating system recited in  claim 2 , wherein each heating accessory is heated to a desired target temperature by the heating fluid from the boiler. 
     
     
         4 . The heating system recited in  claim 3 , wherein a heating accessory having the highest target temperature is placed first in the series of heating accessories and a heating accessory having the lowest target temperature is placed last in the series of heating accessories. 
     
     
         5 . The heating system recited in  claim 1 , wherein the heating fluid is returned to the boiler at a temperature of no more than about 120° F. so as to allow the returned heating fluid to be used to condense water out of flue gas generated by the boiler so as to maximize an efficiency of the boiler. 
     
     
         6 . The heating system recited in  claim 1 , wherein the heating system is a closed loop such that substantially all heating fluid leaving the boiler is returned to the boiler. 
     
     
         7 . The heating system recited in  claim 1 , wherein the valve system including the variable speed pump further comprises a temperature sensor configured to measure the temperature of heating fluid returning to the boiler and wherein:
 the variable speed pump increases a flow rate of heating fluid out of the boiler and through the heating accessories if the measured temperature of the returning heating fluid drops below a desired target temperature; and   the variable speed pump decreases a flow rate of heating fluid out of the boiler and through the heating accessories if the measured temperature of the returning heating fluid rises above a desired target temperature so as to maintain the temperature of the returning heating fluid within a desired target range.   
     
     
         8 . The heating system recited in  claim 7 , wherein the heating fluid is returned to the boiler at a temperature of no more than about 120° F. 
     
     
         9 . A heating system, comprising:
 a boiler comprising a heat exchanger for heating a heating fluid;   a plurality of heating accessories each requiring input of heat;   piping connecting the boiler with the heating accessories, at least one of the heating accessories being placed in series relative to at least one other of the heating accessories;   each heating accessory being configured such that heating fluid from the boiler and delivered through the piping to each successive heating accessory in series provides heat to each heating accessory and the heating fluid is returned to the boiler;   a valve system including a variable speed pump for varying flow of the heating fluid from the boiler through the piping to the heating accessories;   a temperature sensor operatively coupled to the valve system, the temperature sensor and valve system being configured to measure the temperature of heating fluid returning to the boiler increase or decrease a flow rate of heating fluid out of the boiler to the heating accessories so as to maintain a temperature of the heating fluid returning to the boiler within a desired range so as to allow the returned heating fluid to be used to condense water out of flue gas generated by the boiler so as to maximize an efficiency of the boiler.   
     
     
         10 . The heating system recited in  claim 9 , wherein all of the heating accessories are placed in series relative to one another. 
     
     
         11 . The heating system recited in  claim 10 , wherein each heating accessory is heated to a desired target temperature by the heating fluid from the boiler. 
     
     
         12 . The heating system recited in  claim 11 , wherein a heating accessory having the highest target temperature is placed first in the series of heating accessories and a heating accessory having the lowest target temperature is placed last in the series of heating accessories. 
     
     
         13 . The heating system recited in  claim 9 , wherein the heating fluid is returned to the boiler at a temperature of no more than about 120° F. so as to allow the returned heating fluid to be used to condense water out of flue gas generated by the boiler so as to maximize an efficiency of the boiler. 
     
     
         14 . The heating system recited in  claim 9 , wherein the heating system is a closed loop such that substantially all heating fluid leaving the boiler is returned to the boiler. 
     
     
         15 . A heating system, comprising:
 a boiler comprising a heat exchanger for heating a heating fluid;   a plurality of heating accessories each requiring input of heat, each heating accessory being heated to a desired target temperature by the heating fluid from the boiler;   piping connecting the boiler with the heating accessories, each of the heating accessories being placed in series relative to one another in which the heating accessory having the highest target temperature is placed first in series and the remaining heating accessories are placed in order of decreasing target temperature;   each heating accessory being configured such that heating fluid from the boiler and delivered through the piping to each successive heating accessory in series provides heat to each heating accessory and the heating fluid is returned to the boiler;   a valve system including a variable speed pump for varying flow of the heating fluid from the boiler through the piping to the heating accessories;   a temperature sensor operatively coupled to the valve system, the temperature sensor and valve system being configured to measure the temperature of heating fluid returning to the boiler increase or decrease a flow rate of heating fluid out of the boiler to the heating accessories so as to maintain a temperature of the heating fluid returning to the boiler within a desired range so as to allow the returned heating fluid to be used to condense water out of flue gas generated by the boiler so as to maximize an efficiency of the boiler.   
     
     
         16 . The heating system recited in  claim 15 , wherein the heating system is a closed loop such that substantially all heating fluid leaving the boiler is returned to the boiler. 
     
     
         17 . The heating system recited in  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of heating accessories include culinary hot water having a highest target temperature, a hot tub having a second highest target temperature, and a swimming pool having a lowest target temperature. 
     
     
         18 . The heating system recited in  claim 15 , wherein the target temperature of the culinary water is between about 120° F. and about 180° F., the target temperature of the hot tub is between about 100° F. and about 110° F., and the target temperature of the swimming pool is between about 80° F. and about 95° F. 
     
     
         19 . The heating system recited in  claim 15 , wherein the heating fluid comprises heating water and each of the heating accessories comprises a heat exchanger and further comprises water requiring input of heat in order to reach the desired target temperature, the heating water from the boiler heating the water of each heating accessory to the desired target temperature within the heat exchanger of each heating accessory. 
     
     
         20 . (canceled)