Friction heating system
A heating system has an air intake and an air outlet. A heater is in communication with the air intake and the air outlet. The heater has a first surface and a second surface. The first surface is movable relative to the second surface to generate frictional heat between the first surface and the second surface.
This invention relates to a heating system for a building or other structure.
One common way to heat a structure, such as a building, involves combusting a fossil fuel like natural gas or oil. However, these resources are limited. It is becoming increasingly desirable to use electricity as an alternative to these high priced fuels.
A need therefore exists to replace existing combustion heaters with heaters that can use electricity to generate heat.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention uses friction to generate heat rather than a combustion process. The heating system has a heater with a first surface and a second surface. The first surface is moveable relative to the second surface to thereby generate frictional heat between the two surfaces. To distribute this heat, an air intake brings air to be warmed by the heater into the system. The heater warms the air through frictional heat. Air is then passed out of the system through an air outlet. Both the air intake and air outlet may be installed into existing ductwork of a structure, such as a building, to permit easy replacement of combustion heating systems with the inventive system. In this way, a renewable energy source, such as electricity, may be used to generate heat with existing heating and ventilation ductwork in place. Further, this system produces heat without odor or hazardous fumes.
The first surface of the heater can be a different material than the second surface. The first surface may also have a lower thermal conductivity than the second surface. A drive, such as a motor, is used to move one surface relative to the other surface. The two surfaces may be curved and concentric and, in fact, form nested cylinders, which may be rotated by the drive. A third surface may be formed within the nested cylinders to define an air passage that extends through the cylinders so as to permit air to be passed through the interior of the cylinders. This air passage helps distribute heat generated by the two surfaces.
The first surface and the second surface, which generate the frictional heat, may be spaced from each other to create a gap. Alternatively, the surfaces may be in contact with each other. Frictional heat is generated in both instances.
A blower may be used to drive air from the heater between the air intake and the air outlet. The blower may be activated when a predetermined temperature is reached so as to conserve energy. The air inlet and air outlet may be incorporated into existing heating and ventilation ductwork on a structure, such as a building.
The various features and advantages of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the currently preferred embodiment. The drawings that accompany the detailed description can be briefly described as follows:
Heater 24 is driven by drive 42, which is powered by power source 26, such as an electrical outlet. Drive 42 may be a high speed electrical motor. In addition, heating system 10 may also have blower 58 driven by motor 60, such as another electrical motor powered by power source 26.
According to the invention, heating system 10 receives air through air intake 14, which may have air filter 15, as shown. Air passes over heater 24 because it is driven by blower 58, which draws air through air intake 14 and then expels the heated air out of air outlet 18 into building ductwork 20.
As shown in
Surrounding first surface 26 is second surface 30, here both curved and concentric with first surface 26 and forming cylinder 32. As shown, cylinder 28 is nested within cylinder 32. Second surface 30 is comprised of second material 38, preferably having a higher level of thermal conductivity than first material 34.
As shown in
As shown in
Alternatively, the two surfaces 26 and 30 may actually be in contact with one another to generate greater heat but at a slower rate of rotation.
The aforementioned description is exemplary rather that limiting. Many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. The preferred embodiments of this invention have been disclosed. However, one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that certain modifications would come within the scope of this invention. Hence, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described. For this reason the following claims should be studied to determine the true scope and content of this invention.
Claims
1. A heating system, comprising:
- an air intake;
- an air outlet;
- a heater in communication with said air intake and said air outlet, said heater having a first surface on a first cylinder and a second surface on a second cylinder, wherein said first cylinder is nested within said second cylinder, wherein said first surface is movable relative to said second surface to generate frictional heat between said first surface and said second surface; and
- wherein said first cylinder has an air passage in communication with said air intake and said air outlet.
2. The heating system of claim 1 wherein said air passage extends along an axis of rotation of one of said first cylinder and said second cylinder.
3. The heating system of claim 1 wherein said first surface comprises a solid coating on said first cylinder, said solid coating made of a different material than said first cylinder.
4. The heating system of claim 3 wherein said solid coating comprises one of a ceramic, cobalt and carbide.
5-9. (canceled)
10. The heating system of claim 1 wherein said first surface is spaced from said second surface, creating a gap between said first surface and said second surface, said gap exposed to air from said air inlet.
11. The heating system of claim 1 wherein said first surface is in contact with said second surface.
12. The heating system of claim 1 including a blower for moving air between said air intake and said air outlet.
13. The heating system of claim 12 wherein said blower is activated at a predetermined temperature.
14. The heating system of claim 1 wherein at least one of said air inlet and said air outlet are in communication with a heating and ventilation ductwork of a building.
15. A heater for a heating and ventilation system, comprising:
- an air inlet;
- an air outlet;
- a heating element having a first curved surface and a second curved surface;
- said first curved surface rotatable relative to said second curved surface;
- said first curved surface at least partially concentric with said second curved surface; and
- wherein rotation of said first curved surface generates frictional heat between said first surface and said second surface; and
- wherein in said first surface is spaced from said second surface, creating a gap between said first surface and said second surface, said gap in communication with said air inlet and said air outlet.
16. The heater of claim 15 wherein said first curved surface comprises a cylinder, at least partially surrounded by said second surface.
17. The heater of claim 16 wherein said cylinder has an air passage for communication frictional heat out of said cylinder.
18. The heater of claim 15 wherein said first curved surface has a coupling linkable to a drive.
19-20. (canceled)
21. The heating system of claim 1 wherein said first surface has a thermal conductivity lower than said second surface.
22. The heater of claim 16 wherein said second surface only partially surrounds said first surface.
23. The heater of claim 22 wherein said second surface comprises only a portion of a cylinder.
24. A heating system, comprising:
- an air intake;
- an air outlet;
- a heater in communication with said air intake and said air outlet, said heater having a first surface on a first cylinder and a second surface at least partially surrounding said first cylinder, at least one of said first surface and said second surface having a solid coating made of a different material than said first cylinder.
25. The heating system of claim 24 wherein said solid coating has a lower thermal conductivity than said first cylinder.
26. The heating system of claim 25 wherein said solid coating comprises one of a ceramic, cobalt and carbide.
Type: Application
Filed: Sep 6, 2006
Publication Date: Apr 24, 2008
Inventor: Paul Schooler (Fraser, MI)
Application Number: 11/516,421
International Classification: F24D 5/02 (20060101);