Heat Reclaimer for Stoves

Abstract

A heat reclaimer mounted on an exhaust-conveying flue, the flue having a flue inside surface in contact with the exhaust, the heat reclaimer including a heat-exchange assembly adjacent to and in contact with the flue. The heat-exchange assembly includes: (a) a fan for moving ambient air; (b) a chamber through which the fan drives the ambient air, the chamber defining a primary airflow direction; and (c) a plurality of heat transfer plates inside the chamber and transverse to the primary airflow direction, the plates defining airflow openings therethrough and having at least an edge in solid-to-solid thermal contact with a flue inside surface portion inside the chamber, thereby heating the ambient air with heat from the exhaust.

1 . A heat reclaimer mounted on an exhaust-conveying flue, the flue having a flue inside surface in contact with the exhaust, the heat reclaimer including a heat-exchange assembly adjacent to and in contact with the flue, the heat-exchange assembly including:
 a fan for moving ambient air;   a chamber through which the fan drives the ambient air, the chamber defining a primary airflow direction; and   a plurality of heat transfer plates inside the chamber and transverse to the primary airflow direction, the plates defining airflow openings therethrough and having at least an edge in solid-to-solid thermal contact with a flue inside surface portion inside the chamber,   
       thereby heating the ambient air with heat from the exhaust. 
     
     
         2 . The heat reclaimer of  claim 1  wherein the plates are configured as pairs of plates in U-shaped form having a base in thermal contact with the flue inside surface portion and the pair of plates extending from the base. 
     
     
         3 . The heat reclaimer of  claim 2  wherein the pairs of plates are parallel to one another. 
     
     
         4 . The heat reclaimer of  claim 3  wherein the airflow openings in one plate of each pair are aligned with the corresponding openings in the other plate of the pair. 
     
     
         5 . The heat reclaimer of  claim 1  wherein the plates are parallel to one another. 
     
     
         6 . The heat reclaimer of  claim 1  wherein the airflow openings on a plate define a pattern thereon and each plate has the same pattern of openings. 
     
     
         7 . The heat reclaimer of  claim 1  wherein the airflow openings in a plate are aligned with the corresponding openings in one of its immediately-adjacent plate. 
     
     
         8 . The heat reclaimer of  claim 1  wherein the plates are substantially perpendicular to the primary airflow direction.