EP1980794A1 - Gas-fired air heater with reversible air-conditioner - Google Patents

Abstract

The method involves assuring a heating function of gas by a gas exchanger and a cooling function by a refrigerating unit. The refrigerating unit is set in operation when an air thermostat is in a cold state, or the burnt gas from the exchanger is ignited when the exchanger is in hot state. A performance coefficient of the refrigerating unit is assured when an outer temperature is too low. The refrigerating unit is set in operation and its cycle is reversed for delivering the heat on a battery situated inside in an inner unit (1) mounted inside the building by automatic selection of energy. An independent claim is also included for a device for implementing a method of conditioning air in building, comprising an inner unit.

Description

The invention relates to gas heaters with a cold chiller direct expansion or chilled water, used for the need for heating and cooling of commercial and industrial premises.

1. 1) Des appareils intégrant dans un même module l'échangeur à gaz, la batterie d'évaporateur, le condenseur, ainsi que le compresseur. Ces appareils sont de grandes dimensions et relativement lourds. Leur implantation s'effectue de ce fait à l'extérieur des bâtiments, et plus particulièrement sur les toits, ce qui impose de disposer d'une infrastructure adaptée et le recours à des moyens de levage de forte capacité, tels que grue ou hélicoptère. Leur installation est de type centralisé, ce qui oblige de disposer d'un réseau de gaine pour répartir l'air à l'intérieur des bâtiments.
2. 2) Des appareils tels que décrits dans JP 03 291 432 , JP 62 280 525 , JP 55 099536 et US 2002/112495 constitués de deux unités, dont l'une est placée à l'extérieur et l'autre à l'intérieur ; une liaison par deux tubes de cuivre étant nécessaire pour faire circuler le gaz frigorigène. Le chaud et le froid étant obtenus par l'intermédiaire d'un compresseur permettant de réaliser le cycle thermodynamique correspondant, les énergies froide et chaude étant équivalentes. Ainsi, lorsque l'installation est en demande de chaleur et que la température extérieure chute en dessous de cinq degrés, l'unité extérieure effectue des inversions de cycle pour dégivrer la batterie extérieure, ce qui diminue le coefficient de performance de l'unité. De plus, lorsque la température extérieure est trop basse, le groupe compresseur s'arrête et des résistances électriques placées dans l'unité intérieure prennent la relève ; or, ce besoin d'énergie n'est nécessaire que quelques jours par an, ce qui oblige à recourir à une installation électrique appropriée et à souscrire un abonnement trois fois supérieur au besoin courant. L'installation de ces appareils est cependant décentralisée et la répartition de l'air dans les bâtiments s'effectue directement.

Two kinds of devices currently exist on the market:

1. 1) Devices integrating the gas heat exchanger, the evaporator coil, the condenser and the compressor in a single module. These devices are large and relatively heavy. Their implementation is therefore done outside buildings, especially on roofs, which requires having a suitable infrastructure and the use of high capacity lifting means, such as crane or helicopter. Their installation is of centralized type, which forces to have a network of sheath to distribute the air inside the buildings.
2. 2) Devices as described in JP 03 291 432 , JP 62 280 525 , JP 55 099536 and US 2002/112495 consist of two units, one of which is placed on the outside and the other on the inside; a connection by two copper tubes being necessary to circulate the refrigerant gas. The hot and the cold being obtained by means of a compressor for carrying out the corresponding thermodynamic cycle, the cold and hot energies being equivalent. Thus, when the installation is in heat demand and the outdoor temperature drops below five degrees, the outdoor unit performs cycle reversals to defrost the outdoor battery, which decreases the unit's coefficient of performance. In addition, when the outside temperature is too low, the compressor unit stops and electrical resistors placed in the indoor unit take over; however, this need for energy is only a few days a year, which makes it necessary to use an appropriate electrical installation and to take out a subscription three times higher than the current need. The installation of these devices is however decentralized and the distribution of air in the buildings is done directly.

The present invention aims to overcome the disadvantages mentioned above. This invention, as characterized in the claims, solves the problem of using a method and creating a gas heater with a direct expansion chiller or chilled water, made in two very compact units facilitating their operation. implantation, avoiding, during momentary needs of heat, to make use of the supplement of energy consuming heating resistances, by inversion of the cycle of the cold group transforming the cold battery into hot battery, by using the principle of the heat pump, until the gas exchanger takes over the system if necessary, while preventing air from passing into the cold battery in winter to prevent clogging of it and that of its filter.

The aerothermal process of air conditioning of premises and buildings, operating on gas and according to a thermodynamic cycle with a refrigerant gas, whose heating function is provided by a gas exchanger and the refrigeration function by a refrigerant unit comprising a compressor, an evaporator and a condenser, the circulation of air being provided by fans, consists in associating, within the room or the building, the gas exchanger with a direct expansion or chilled water battery, to arrange the refrigerant group to outside the room, near the gas exchanger, and manage the installation by an electronic box selecting the form of energy best suited to its cost.

Thus, the cold unit is turned on when the indoor room thermostat is in cold demand, or turns on the gas burner of the heat exchanger if it is in heat demand (room thermostat). When the room thermostat is in heat demand, that the outside temperature is not too low (+ 5 ° C) and that it makes it possible to obtain a correct coefficient of performance of the cooling group, this one puts itself in use and reverses its cycle to deliver hot on the battery of the indoor unit to the building; this, by automatic selection of the form of energy best suited to its cost.

The device for implementing the method as set out above, consisting of two units, one of which, located inside the building, comprises a high-efficiency tubular heat exchanger, a multi-torch gas burner. electronic ignition, a double acting centrifugal fan, a battery exchange and a filter on the air intake with contamination control, and the other, located outside, in close proximity to the first, includes the refrigeration unit is characterized in that the exchange battery is provided with a by-pass valve, avoiding the air to cross it in winter, when the device runs on gas and in that the operation of the The device is controlled by an electronic control unit that is controlled by the cost of the different forms of energy.

The advantages obtained by this invention consist mainly in that the realization of the device in two units of small size facilitates their assembly and their implementation and in that the automatic selection of the most economical heating mode, as well as the functionality of the exchanger gas, can reduce by three the necessary electrical energy, since any heating supplement by heating elements is replaced by the gas exchanger, more economical in this case.

• la figure 1 montre, en perspective, l'installation vue de l'intérieur, avec représentation des parties cachées en trait pointillé,
• la figure 2 montre, en perspective, l'installation vue de l'extérieur, avec représentation en trait pointillé des parties cachées.

Other features and advantages will become apparent in the following description of an aerothermal gas-air conditioner installation, intended to satisfy the need for air conditioning of commercial and industrial premises, produced according to the invention, given by way of example non-limiting, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

• the figure 1 shows, in perspective, the installation seen from the inside, with representation of the hidden parts in dashed line,
• the figure 2 shows, in perspective, the installation seen from the outside, with dotted line representation of the hidden parts.

The Figures 1 and 2 represent an aerothermal gas-air conditioner system made up of an indoor unit 1 having the heater-air conditioner gas, diffusing the conditioned air by a blast gate 10 to fins 11 inlet nozzle, and a suction connection 6 for the flue gas exhaust 8 and combustion air suction 9; said indoor unit 1 being connected to a gas source via a pipe 7 and to the outdoor unit 2 via a thermal insulating connection sheath 3 surrounding the tubes for the return of the refrigerant and the electrical connection of the two units 1, 2 .

As noted, by examining jointly the Figures 1 and 2 , the gas-air-conditioner unit constituting the indoor unit 1 of the installation is installed directly in the room concerned, with connection by wall-mounted suction pad 6 or on the roof. The cold unit constituting the outdoor unit 2 is mounted on the other side of the partition wall. It can be installed directly on the floor, hung on the wall or placed on the roof when no space is available around the building.

We also note that the units 1 and 2 were designed to occupy a very small space, given their flat design that allows great flexibility of use. The conditioned air is blown horizontally to prevent drafts. The blower grid 10 comprises fins 11 for directing the flow of air. In cold mode, the fins 11 are oriented horizontally to obtain a horizontal blow, while in hot mode, they tilt to the ground according to the installation height of the unit 1, to obtain a blowing without stratification.

The installation according to the invention is intended primarily for the air conditioning of commercial and industrial premises, but nothing would preclude its use in other kinds of premises, subject to minor adaptations of the mainspring of the man of business, without departing from the scope of this application.

Claims (2)

Aerothermal process for the air conditioning of premises and buildings, operating on gas and according to a thermodynamic cycle with a refrigerant gas, whose heating function is provided by a gas exchanger and the refrigeration function by a refrigeration unit, comprising a compressor, an evaporator and a condenser, the circulation of air being obtained by fans, consisting of associating, inside the room or the building, the gas exchanger with a direct expansion or chilled water battery, to arrange the cooling unit to the outside of the room, close to the gas exchanger, and manage all automatically, characterized in that the refrigerant unit is put into operation when the interior temperature thermostat is in demand for cold, or lights the gas burner of the exchanger when it is in heat demand, and when the outside temperature is not too low and that it makes it possible to ensure a coefficient the correct performance of the refrigerant unit, it is put into operation and reverses its cycle to deliver heat to the battery located in the unit mounted inside the building, this, by automatic selection of the form of energy the best suited according to its cost. Device for implementing the method according to claim 1, consisting of two units (1, 2), one (1) of which, located inside the building, comprises a high efficiency tubular exchanger, a gas burner electronic ignition multi-torches, a double centrifugal fan with action, a battery exchange and a filter on the air intake with control of fouling, and the other (2), located outside, in the immediate vicinity of the first, includes the refrigeration unit, characterized in that the exchange battery is provided with a by-pass valve, avoiding the air to cross it in winter, when the device operates on gas and in that the operation of the device is controlled by an electronic box, controlled by the cost of the different forms of energy.

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