Heat Exchanger, Heating Device, Heating System and Method for Heating Water

Abstract

The present invention relates to a heat exchanger, comprising: a first conduit circuit for guiding a first fluid; a second conduit circuit for guiding a second fluid; wherein the first conduit circuit and the second conduit circuit are both arranged in a heat-conducting material which is provided on a first side with fins; wherein the first conduit circuit substantially defines a plane arranged substantially parallel to and close to the first side of the heat-conducting material; wherein the second conduit circuit is arranged substantially along the first conduit circuit; wherein the second conduit circuit extends substantially along only a limited part of the plane defined by the first conduit circuit. The invention further relates to a hot water device and hot water system provided with such a heat exchanger, and to a method for application thereof.

1 . Heat exchanger for a heating device, in particular for a hot water appliance, comprising:
 a first conduit circuit for guiding a first fluid;   a second conduit circuit for guiding a second fluid;   wherein the first conduit circuit and the second conduit circuit are both arranged in a heat-conducting material;   wherein the heat-conducting material is provided on a first side with fins for transferring heat between a third fluid and at least the first conduit circuit;   wherein the first conduit circuit substantially defines a plane arranged substantially parallel to and close to the first side of the heat-conducting material;   wherein the second conduit circuit is arranged substantially along the first conduit circuit;   characterized in that the second conduit circuit extends substantially along only a limited part of the plane defined by the first conduit circuit.   
     
     
         2 . Heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the second conduit circuit is at least 20% shorter than the first conduit circuit. 
     
     
         3 . Heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the first conduit circuit is arranged between the second conduit circuit and the first side of the heat-conducting material, wherein this first side is provided with the fins. 
     
     
         4 . Heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a third conduit circuit for guiding a fourth fluid which is also arranged in the heat-conducting material of the heat exchanger. 
     
     
         5 . Heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 4 , further comprising a fourth conduit circuit for guiding a fifth fluid which is also arranged in the heat-conducting material of the heat exchanger. 
     
     
         6 . Heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the third conduit circuit is arranged between the first side of the heat-conducting material, which side is provided with the fins, and the second conduit circuit and/or the fourth conduit circuit. 
     
     
         7 . Heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the first conduit circuit and the third conduit circuit are arranged substantially in the same plane and define an interwoven pattern. 
     
     
         8 . Heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein inside the heat-conducting material the length of the third conduit circuit is substantially the same as the length of the first conduit circuit. 
     
     
         9 . Heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein inside the heat-conducting material the length of the third conduit circuit is greater than the length of the second conduit circuit and/or the length of the fourth conduit circuit, and wherein this length of the second and/or the fourth conduit circuit differs by at least 10% from the length of the first conduit circuit. 
     
     
         10 . Heating device, comprising:
 a housing with a heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 1 ;   a first heat source arranged in the housing and comprising at least one burner, wherein the burner is arranged close to the first side of the heat-conducting material provided with the fins and wherein the combustion gases of the at least one burner form the third fluid, which flows during use from the burner side via the fins and along the first side of the heat-conducting material to a discharge side of the housing, and heat transfer can take place here between the third fluid and the heat-conducting material;   wherein the first conduit circuit arranged in the heat-conducting material for guiding the first fluid is provided with a first inlet opening and a first outlet opening; and   wherein the second conduit circuit arranged in the heat-conducting material for guiding the second fluid is provided with a second inlet opening and a second outlet opening.   
     
     
         11 . Heating device as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the second inlet opening and the second outlet opening of the second conduit circuit are arranged close to the discharge side of the housing lying opposite the burner side, and wherein the second conduit circuit extends therefrom to a distance from the one or more burners such that the second medium flowing through the second conduit circuit remains substantially unaffected by the heat generated by the one or more burners. 
     
     
         12 . Heating device as claimed in  claim 10 , further comprising a fourth conduit circuit arranged in the heat-conducting material for guiding a fifth fluid which is provided with a fourth inlet opening and a fourth outlet opening. 
     
     
         13 . Heating device as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the fourth inlet opening and the fourth outlet opening of the fourth conduit circuit are arranged close to the discharge side of the housing lying opposite the burner side, and wherein the fourth conduit circuit extends therefrom to a distance from the one or more burners such that the fifth medium flowing through the fourth conduit circuit remains substantially unaffected by the heat generated by the one or more burners. 
     
     
         14 . Heating system, comprising:
 a heating device as claimed in  claim 9 ;   wherein the first conduit circuit is connected via the first inlet opening and first outlet opening to a hot water consumer; and   wherein the second conduit circuit is connected via the second inlet opening and second outlet opening to a heat source.   
     
     
         15 . Heating system as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the hot water consumer connected to the first conduit circuit is a CH water consumer or a tap water consumer. 
     
     
         16 . Heating system as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the heat source connected to the second conduit circuit comprises a heat pump, in particular an air heat pump or a ground heat pump, or a solar collector. 
     
     
         17 . Heating system as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the heat exchanger further comprises a third conduit circuit for guiding a fourth fluid which is also arranged in the heat-conducting material of the heat exchanger;
 wherein the third conduit circuit is provided with a third inlet opening and a third outlet opening with which it is connected to a hot water consumer.   
     
     
         18 . Heating system as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein the hot water consumers connected to the first conduit circuit and the second conduit circuit comprise a CH water consumer and a tap water consumer. 
     
     
         19 . Heating system as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein the heat exchanger further comprises a fourth conduit circuit for guiding a fifth fluid which is also arranged in the heat-conducting material of the heat exchanger;
 wherein the fourth conduit circuit is provided with a fourth inlet opening and a fourth outlet opening with which it is connected to a heat source.   
     
     
         20 . Heating system as claimed in  claim 19 , wherein the heat source connected to the fourth conduit circuit comprises a heat pump or a solar collector. 
     
     
         21 . Method for heating water of a water consumer using a heating system as claimed in  claim 14 , comprising the steps of:
 pumping a second fluid heated by a heat source through the second conduit circuit arranged in the piece of heat-conducting material; and   transferring heat via the heat-conducting material from the second fluid to a first conduit circuit which is arranged close to the second conduit circuit and in heat-exchanging contact therewith and which is connected to a hot water consumer.   
     
     
         22 . Method as claimed in  claim 21 , further comprising the step of transferring heat via the heat-conducting material to a third conduit circuit which is likewise arranged in the heat-conducting material close to the second conduit circuit and to which a further hot water consumer is connected. 
     
     
         23 . Method as claimed in  claim 21 , further comprising the step of heating the heat-conducting material with at least one burner in order to heat the first fluid flowing through the first conduit circuit and/or the fourth fluid flowing through the third conduit circuit.