What do forum members think of the feasibility for building the following device:
Heat exchanger criteria: Must be cheap, easy to connect and uninstall, use commonly available components, and be reasonably reliable.
I’ve been thinking about the transmission cooler in the radiator connected to my 20/2 and soon I will also have a 6/1. Both utilize a GEO Metro radiator (16 X 20 inch) with cooling fans attached. This transmission cooler is pretty much a “Shell and Tube” single pass heat exchanger sitting on my generator set. Now since I have several Grundfos Brute three speed heating recirculation pumps ($75). I use one to circulate coolant through the engine and radiator. I have spares. The with a nominal setting with a three foot head is about 4 gallon per minute through the radiator.
http://cgi.ebay.com/GRUNDFOS-UPS15-58FC-BRUTE-3-SPEED-PUMP-59896341-2-PACK_W0QQitemZ120325997773QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item1c03fd04cd&_trksid=p4634.c0.m14.l1262 If I were to use one of my spare Grundfos pumps to circulate water through the transmission cooler in a separate closed circuit system, this could be connected easily to a hot water heater. I am thinking about using two Homeless Depot ¾ inch contractor grade 75 foot water hoses, one to the bottom fitting of the hot water heater, the second to hot water fitting next to the washing machine close to the hot water heater. I could then use the pump to circulate water through the transmission cooler in the radiator and “slowly” heat water in the hot water heater connected to the house.
Now thinking about the mass flow through the transmission cooler. I think a gallon per minute through a ¼ tube near the radiator is reasonable for a mass flow rate some where around 500 lbs /hr H2O. I use a 185 F thermostat with bottom radiator temperatures hovering around 170 F. So I basically have a single pass shell and tube heat exchanger with a large heat sink on the radiator side, low flow rate through the tube, and lots of heat losses along the lines. But, since the listeroid is running 24/7 for weeks during prolonged power loss during hurricane operations, I really don’t care if it takes all day or night to heat up 80 gallons of water in my hot water heaters.
So what do you think of the concept?
Looks like for about $15 in fittings, since I have everything else, I’ll find out how tough these contractor grade water hoses are and if the concept actually works. I want something simple, easy, and reasonably reliable. I can always heat water by pulling power from the generator, but if push came to shove, it might be nice to capture some of the waste heat.
Bruce