1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to improvements in fireplaces, and more particularly pertains to a new and improved fireplace heat system wherein maximum heat transfer is obtained from the fire in the fireplace to the surrounding environment.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Those concerned with the development of fireplaces have long recognized the need for a fireplace heat system having maximum heat transfer from the fire in the fireplace to the surrounding environment such as a room in a home. Prior art fireplace systems, also known in the art as auxilliary heaters, heat distribution units, forced air heaters, heaters, furnaces, hollow grates, heat extractors, etc., have all failed to maximize the heat transfer from the fire in the fireplace to the surrounding environment adjacent to the fireplace such as a room in a home. In an attempt to maximize heat transfer, prior art systems were either built into the fireplace and chimney or were removable units which could be placed into the fireplace. Some of these types of prior art heat exchangers would utilize forced air through the various mazes of interconnected pipes to further attempt to maximize the heat transfer from the fire in the fireplace to the surrounding environment. These types of devices fail to realistically maximize and recover the heat in the fire of the fireplace which normally rises up through the fireplace chimney into the outside environment.
The prior art fireplace systems which are installed in existing fireplaces are constructed in such a manner that the lower tubes or pipes which act as a grate in supporting the fire are subject to burn through and are not individually replaceable. In the event of burn through, it is necessary to replace the entire fireplace system. The middle of the fire on the grate reaches extremely high temperatures resulting in burn through of individual or a plurality of tubes or pipes resulting in a fireplace system which is no longer useable as the uncombusted gases of the fire and smoke are forced through the burn through area by either the conductive air forces or the forced air.
Other prior art fireplace systems are extremely cumbersome super structures not easily insertable into the fire box of the fireplace. These fireplace systems are also difficult to ship to a home owner let along being a suitable size for installation in fireplaces having various dimensions fireplace to fireplace.
These prior art fireplace systems utilize air convective principles to circulate air through the system thereby inefficiently extracting heat from the fire of the fireplace. Also, the various sizes of the tubes or pipes constrict the flow of air through the structure to transfer heat from the fire of the fireplace to the environment adjacent to the fireplace. The structures are not only inefficient heat exchanges having an extremely low heat transfer but also have an extremely short usefullness on account of the intense heat occuring at the bottom tube or pipe members resulting in burn through of the pipes which may finally permit the air passing through the pipes to pick up sparks and products of combustion and discharge these into the adjacent environment resulting in a fire hazard.
Conventional fireplaces generally found in residences are extremely inefficient as a source of transferring heat from the fireplace into the surrounding room environment as a large percentage of the heat from the fire in the fireplace rises up and out of the flue and chimney of the fireplace. As a consequence, fireplaces provided in residences have been more for appearance and decorative utilization, and have not been relied upon to heat entire residences. Primary heating systems such as gas or oil heaters are generally utilized for heating residences and fireplaces supplement these heating systems for an evening or afternoon effect.
While prior art structures have been provided in the fireplace to increase the heat transfer by heating air passing through or being forced through the structures, these devices in the past have been generally extremely inefficient and further detract from the ornamental appearance of the fireplace. These structures are apt to be positioned in the fireplace along with the grate or if the structure acts as a combined grate, then has to physically fit the dimensions of the residences' fireplace.
This invention overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art by providing a fireplace heat system which maximizes heat transfer from the fireplace to the outside room environment.