Hydro-furnaces and related methods for vehicles

Abstract

A hydro-furnace for an RV includes a housing, a water inlet and a hot water outlet accessible through the housing, a radiator tank inside a radiator compartment of the housing, a heat exchanger inside a burner compartment of the housing for heating water flowing therethrough, a burner inside the burner compartment to provide heat to the heat exchanger, a heater core inside a recirculating compartment of the housing or heating air flowing therethrough, a blower inside the recirculating compartment for pulling return air through the heater core and delivering heated air outside the housing, and a pump circulating water from the radiator tank through the heat exchanger, through the heater core, and back to the radiator tank.

1 . A water heater and furnace system for a recreational vehicle (RV) comprising:
 a housing comprising a plurality of panels defining an interior;   a water inlet for receiving water from a water supply accessible through the housing;   a hot water outlet accessible through the housing;   a heat exchanger inside of the housing for heating water flowing through the heat exchanger;   a burner inside of the housing to provide heat to the heat exchanger to heat the water flowing through the heat exchanger;   a heater core coupled downstream of the hot water outlet of the heat exchanger;   a blower for moving air across the heater core and delivering heated air outside the housing;   a storage tank for storing water passed through the heater core; and   a pump circulating water from the storage tank to the heat exchanger.   
     
     
         2 . The water heater and furnace system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a one-way valve downstream of the heater core and upstream of the storage tank to prevent water from flowing from the storage tank to the heater core. 
     
     
         3 . The water heater and furnace system according to  claim 1 , wherein the housing is sealed off from an interior of the RV. 
     
     
         4 . The water heater and furnace system according to  claim 1 , wherein the heater core comprises a plurality of spaced apart fins configured for convective heat transfer from the water running through the heater core to the fins to heat the air. 
     
     
         5 . The water heater and furnace system according to  claim 4 , wherein the heater core further comprises a pneumatic resistance screen to reduce the velocity of the air moved through the blower to increase the heat transfer from the heater core to the air as the air passes through the heater core. 
     
     
         6 . The water heater and furnace system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a mixing valve upstream of the hot water outlet and downstream of the water inlet and the heater core. 
     
     
         7 . The water heater and furnace system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a relay connected to the burner to prevent the burner from switching to a low setting from a high setting when the blower and the burner are both operating. 
     
     
         8 . The water heater and furnace system according to  claim 1 , further comprising an exhaust system coupled to a top end of the heat exchanger to collect combustion byproducts of the burner, and direct the combustion byproducts outside the housing. 
     
     
         9 . The water heater and furnace system according to  claim 1 , further comprising an air plenum to collect and deliver the heated air to heating ducts. 
     
     
         10 . The water heater and furnace system according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a solenoid valve coupled downstream of the storage tank and configured to control flow of the water from the storage tank to the heat exchanger.   
     
     
         11 . The water heater and furnace system according to  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a manifold attached to the storage tank, wherein the manifold is configured to convey water from the heater core to an upper region inside the storage tank.   
     
     
         12 . The water heater and furnace system according to  claim 11 ,
 wherein the manifold is configured to convey the water from a lower region inside the storage tank to the pump.   
     
     
         13 . A method for regulating water outlet temperature and space heating of a hydro-furnace for a recreational vehicle (RV) comprising:
 circulating water from a water inlet to a heat exchanger for heating the water flowing through the heat exchanger and then directing the heated water through a heater core and then to a storage tank;   heating air flowing across the heater core;   heating the water running through the heat exchanger to produce heated water with a burner;   pulling return air through the heater core with an air blower;   heating the return air with the heated water to produce heated air; and   circulating the water from the storage tank to the heat exchanger with a pump.   
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13 , further comprising mixing the heated water with the supply water to produce hot water at a desired hot water temperature. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the desired hot water temperature is 120 degrees F. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 13 , further comprising monitoring the temperature of water in the storage tank and sending a signal to a burner for heating the heat exchanger to turn on if the temperature of the water in the storage tank is below 140 degrees F. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 , further comprising activating the pump if the burner is on. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 17 , further comprising turning off the burner if the temperature of the water in the storage tank is greater than 160 degrees F. 
     
     
         19 . A water heater and furnace system for a recreational vehicle (RV) comprising:
 a heat exchanger configured to heat water received from a water supply;   a heater core and a blower, the heater core being located remotely from the heat exchanger, the heater core being fluidly coupled to the heat exchanger by a first length of pipe, and the blower being configured to move air through the heater core and deliver heated air outside of a housing that houses the heater core and the heat exchanger; and   a storage tank configured to store water passed through the heater core, the storage tank being located remotely from the water heater and the hydro-furnace, the storage tank being fluidly coupled to the heater core by a second length of pipe, and the storage tank being coupled to the heater exchanger to supply circulation water to the heat exchanger.   
     
     
         20 . The water heater and furnace system according to  claim 19 , further comprising:
 a solenoid valve coupled downstream of the storage tank and configured to control flow of the water from the storage tank to the heat exchanger.