A heating and hot water supply system, including: a combustion unit combusting a fuel to generate a combustion gas; a heat exchange unit heating a heat medium and hot water according to heat exchange with the combustion gas; an exhaust unit that exhausting the combustion gas after heat exchange. The heat exchange unit includes a plate type heat exchanger by laminating vertically-upright rectangular plates with gaps, and is configured to heat the heat medium by causing the combustion gas and the heat medium to alternately flow through the gaps. An inlet for the heat medium is provided at lower corner of the plate type heat exchanger, a discharge opening for the heat medium is provided at upper corner farthest from the inlet, and a hot water passage through which hot water flows in the plate type heat exchanger is provided at upper corner above the inlet.

A method of making a lightweight thermal shield that includes obtaining a mold having a shaped support screen with a molding surface configured to allow the passage of air and moisture therethrough, and with the mold being adapted for drawing a vacuum from behind the support screen. The method also includes applying a wet insulation material onto the molding surface of the support screen and drawing a vacuum to withdraw moisture through the support screen and consolidate a layer of insulation material on top the molding surface. The method further includes removing the consolidated layer of insulation material from off the molding surface, installing the consolidated layer of insulation material into an outer shell layer, and drying the consolidated layer of insulation material within the outer shell layer to form a lightweight core insulation layer.

A method of making a lightweight thermal shield that includes obtaining a mold having a shaped support screen with a molding surface configured to allow the passage of air and moisture therethrough, and with the mold being adapted for drawing a vacuum from behind the support screen. The method also includes applying a wet insulation material onto the molding surface of the support screen and drawing a vacuum to withdraw moisture through the support screen and consolidate a layer of insulation material on top the molding surface. The method further includes removing the consolidated layer of insulation material from off the molding surface, installing the consolidated layer of insulation material into an outer shell layer, and drying the consolidated layer of insulation material within the outer shell layer to form a lightweight core insulation layer.

A heat exchange cell includes a casing, a heat exchanger in which a first heat transfer fluid flows, a feeding zone, and first and second collection chambers for a second heat transfer fluid. The casing can include rear, front, and peripheral side walls. The heat exchanger can be helically-shaped, mounted in the casing, and include at least one tubular duct for the flow of the first heat transfer fluid. The tubular duct can be coiled about a longitudinal axis and define a helix. The feeding zone of the second heat transfer fluid can be defined in the casing coaxially and internally with respect to the helix. The first chamber can be defined externally with respect to the heat exchanger by a radially outer wall thereof and the peripheral side wall. The second chamber can be at least partially delimited by at least one separating element.

A heat exchange cell includes a casing, a heat exchanger in which a first heat transfer fluid flows, a feeding zone, and first and second collection chambers for a second heat transfer fluid. The casing can include rear, front, and peripheral side walls. The heat exchanger can be helically-shaped, mounted in the casing, and include at least one tubular duct for the flow of the first heat transfer fluid. The tubular duct can be coiled about a longitudinal axis and define a helix. The feeding zone of the second heat transfer fluid can be defined in the casing coaxially and internally with respect to the helix. The first chamber can be defined externally with respect to the heat exchanger by a radially outer wall thereof and the peripheral side wall. The second chamber can be at least partially delimited by at least one separating element.

An exhaust assembly includes an exhaust tube and a coolant passage. The exhaust tube is oriented about an axis and an exhaust gas is configured to flow through the exhaust tube in a direction away from an end of the exhaust tube. The coolant passage is oriented about the axis radially outward of the exhaust tube, the coolant passage having an inner shell and an outer shell. The end of the exhaust tube includes one or more holes permitting exhaust gas to flow around the end of the exhaust tube between an outer wall of the exhaust tube and the inner shell of the coolant passage to regulate a temperature of the inner shell of the coolant passage.

A heat exchange cell includes a casing, a heat exchanger in which a first heat transfer fluid flows, a feeding zone, and first and second collection chambers for a second heat transfer fluid. The casing can include rear, front, and peripheral side walls. The heat exchanger can be helically-shaped, mounted in the casing, and include at least one tubular duct for the flow of the first heat transfer fluid. The tubular duct can be coiled about a longitudinal axis and define a helix. The feeding zone of the second heat transfer fluid can be defined in the casing coaxially and internally with respect to the helix. The first chamber can be defined externally with respect to the heat exchanger by a radially outer wall thereof and the peripheral side wall. The second chamber can be at least partially delimited by at least one separating element.

A heat exchange cell includes a casing, a heat exchanger in which a first heat transfer fluid flows, a feeding zone, and first and second collection chambers for a second heat transfer fluid. The casing can include rear, front, and peripheral side walls. The heat exchanger can be helically-shaped, mounted in the casing, and include at least one tubular duct for the flow of the first heat transfer fluid. The tubular duct can be coiled about a longitudinal axis and define a helix. The feeding zone of the second heat transfer fluid can be defined in the casing coaxially and internally with respect to the helix. The first chamber can be defined externally with respect to the heat exchanger by a radially outer wall thereof and the peripheral side wall. The second chamber can be at least partially delimited by at least one separating element.

A heating and hot water supply system, including: a combustion unit combusting a fuel to generate a combustion gas; a heat exchange unit heating a heat medium and hot water according to heat exchange with the combustion gas; an exhaust unit that exhausting the combustion gas after heat exchange The heat exchange unit includes a plate type heat exchanger by laminating vertically-upright rectangular plates with gaps, and is configured to heat the heat medium by causing the combustion gas and the heat medium to alternately flow through the gaps An inlet for the heat medium is provided at lower corner of the plate type heat exchanger, a discharge opening for the heat medium is provided at upper corner farthest from the inlet, and a hot water passage through which hot water flows in the plate type heat exchanger is provided at upper corner above the inlet.

An exhaust assembly includes an exhaust tube and a coolant passage. The exhaust tube is oriented about an axis and an exhaust gas is configured to flow through the exhaust tube in a direction away from an end of the exhaust tube. The coolant passage is oriented about the axis radially outward of the exhaust tube, the coolant passage having an inner shell and an outer shell. The end of the exhaust tube includes one or more holes permitting exhaust gas to flow around the end of the exhaust tube between an outer wall of the exhaust tube and the inner shell of the coolant passage to regulate a temperature of the inner shell of the coolant passage.