EP2191206A2

EP2191206A2 - Heating/air-conditioning plant with heat pump, comprising a heat transfer fluid splitter box with coupling to a plurality of heat collecting and distributing circuits

Info

Publication number: EP2191206A2
Application number: EP08857233A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Georges Favier
Original assignee: Hades
Current assignee: Hades
Priority date: 2007-09-21
Filing date: 2008-09-18
Publication date: 2010-06-02
Also published as: WO2009071765A2; FR2921471A1; WO2009071765A3; CA2697871A1; US8327655B2; US20100293982A1

Abstract

The splitter box (10) is coupled to a heat pump (12) and to various heat collecting (24, 28, 30) and heat delivery (38, 40, 52, 56) circuits that it selectively interconnects according to various predetermined fluid-distribution combinational diagrams by automatic control of an inbuilt network of stop valves (200). These diagrams define modes of operation such as natural cooling or frost protection, hot water production and/or air-conditioning from a single plant, by optimizing the transfers of heat between circuits such that the heat pump always operates in its optimum thermodynamic zone.

Description

Heating / cooling system with heat pump comprising a heat transfer fluid distributor housing coupled to a plurality of heat sensing and distribution circuits

The invention relates to a heating / air conditioning system comprising a heat transfer fluid distributor housing.

Such an installation is for example described in EP 1 826 503 A1, which discloses an installation comprising a heat transfer fluid distribution box, with a first and a second heat transfer fluid inlet / outlet; at least a third heat transfer fluid inlet / outlet, adapted to be connected to a corresponding heat sensing circuit; and at least a fourth heat transfer fluid inlet / outlet, which can be connected to a corresponding heat-recovery circuit. The casing also comprises distributing means, capable of selectively interconnecting, according to various predetermined fluid distribution combinatorial schemes: the first input / output to at least one of the third and fourth inputs / outputs, and the second input / output at least one of the third and fourth inputs / outputs. These distribution means comprise an interconnected network of interconnecting conduits and the inputs / outputs and each provided with an individually controllable stop valve. Control means collectively control the various shutoff valves of the housing so as to select modifiable one of said combinatorial schemes. The invention relates to the application of such an installation, particularly through the distribution box, to a situation where the heating / air conditioning source is a heat pump.

Various heat pump installations are described for example in DE 102 45 572 A1, DE 32 45 416 A1, or DE 32 45 416 A1. However, these are non-specific installations where the heat pump is just one source of heat among other possible sources. The present invention aims to solve a number of difficulties inherent in heat pump installations, the particularities of which will be explained below. A heat pump captures the thermal energy available in the upper layers of the earth's crust, concentrating this energy is higher, and to return it in this concentrated form to supply a heating circuit. Some exchanger permutation models, called "reversible", also allow to supply an air conditioning circuit, the ambient thermal energy of the room then being transferred to the basement.

Essentially, a heat pump comprises a refrigerant (refrigerant) circuit comprising a compressor, an expander, an evaporator and a condenser, as well as two associated heat exchangers. The first exchanger is coupled on the primary side to the evaporator and on the secondary side to a heat capture circuit, while the second exchanger is coupled on the primary side to the condenser and on the secondary side to a heat recovery circuit (these two exchangers corresponding to respectively to what will be referred to hereinafter as "cold side" and "hot side" of the heat pump). In the heating configuration, the compressor of the heat pump concentrates the energy collected in the ground (collector circuit) on the condenser side and releases the energy used for the heating (regeneration circuit) on the evaporator side. The term "heat recovery" should be understood in a broad sense, that is to say, it covers not only the case where it is a question of giving up heat (for example for a use of domestic heating or hot water production), but also when it comes to lowering the temperature of a room, the "restitution" of providing an air conditioning or cooling function, the excess heat energy being then transferred to "capture" circuit by the heat pump.

In the case of heat pumps of "water / water" type, to which the invention applies, the capture circuit and the feedback circuit are both circuits in which a liquid circulates, hereinafter referred to as "caloporous fluid". tor ". Of course, depending on the needs, the water can be replaced or supplemented by another liquid. In particular, to be able to circulate in the heat capture circuit, the water is often added with ethylene glycol or other additive acting as antifreeze.

On the cold side of the heat pump, the heat transfer fluid is admitted at a temperature of about 5 to 20 ^° C, and is returned to the outlet at a temperature of 3 to 5 ° C lower; hot side, heat pump heat exchanger receives the fluid at a temperature typically of the order of 30 to 60 ^° C, and the output at a temperature of 3 to 5 ° higher. The compressor, its associated refrigerant circuit and the two heat exchangers are grouped together in one and the same functional block, hereinafter referred to as "heat pump core", which constitutes an integrated assembly intended to be associated and connected to the various elements. heat collection and recovery circuits (piping, circulation pump, thermostatic sensor, etc.) as well as system supply and control equipment. WO-A-2006/005832 (Favier et al.) Discloses such a water / water type heat pump, made in the form of a compact pump core. The present invention resides more particularly in the equipment for connecting such a pump core to the circuits for collecting and delivering thermal energy. With regard to heat collection circuits, the main type of capture is that of thermal energy stored in the immediate subsoil, earth or rocks, or in groundwater and natural sources, whose temperature remains constant throughout the year, of the order of about 1O ⁰ C in temperate regions. The carrier fluid, after having been cooled by the evaporator of the heat pump, is sent to a buried "capture probe" such as that described, for example, in WO-A-2006/111655 (Hades). Here, the fluid heats up in contact with the surrounding environment, which gives up its thermal energy: each linear meter of probe immersed in the surrounding environment can thus bring a few joules of thermal energy to the heat pump when the circuit is in operation. . The heated fluid returns to the heat pump which concentrates and returns the thermal energy thus captured. This type of capture is however not the only one: it is also possible, in addition, to capture the atmospheric thermal energy and / or solar thermal energy delivered by radiation. In practice, these atmospheric or solar catchments are difficult to implement, particularly because of the large variations in the external temperature and solar radiation as a function of latitude, seasons and time (especially between daylight and time). the night). These variations, and the fact that it is precisely to combat the effects of these changes that we seek to heat or cool a room, make their direct use in domestic uses has not so far proved satisfactory. With regard to heat recovery circuits, domestic uses of thermal energy can be grouped into three broad categories.

The first category is the low temperature heating of a room, by low temperature radiators or by a heated floor. To diffuse heat, this system requires the circulation of a heat transfer fluid at a temperature of the order of 30 to 45 ° C. For setting frost, when the room is well isolated, the system can accommodate the circulation of a fluid at a lower temperature, for example of the order of 10 ⁰ C. Finally, in the hot season, the The system can be used for cooling the habitat by supplying it with a fluid delivered at a low temperature, close to 10 ^° C.

The second type of use is heating (or air cooling) by fan coils, or heating by high temperature radiators. In winter, for the heating of living quarters, these systems require the circulation of a fluid at a temperature of the order of 45 to 65 ° C. In summer, to allow air conditioning, the fluid must be at low temperature, of the order of 5 to 15 ° C.

The third category of uses is the heating of water for domestic use. It can be the production of domestic hot water (or its preheating), or the heating or preheating of water for the supply of household equipment such as washing machine and dishwasher (to prevent all heating is provided by electric resistance), or the heating of swimming pools or hot tubs. In this category of applications, and especially for domestic hot water, it may be desirable to have a water temperature of the order of 65 ° C, to avoid the use of a backup electrical resistance in case of insufficient temperature.

These various circuits for collecting and recovering heat can be combined in various ways. In its traditional configuration, the simplest, a heat pump is used to supply a heating circuit, with capture of energy stored in the basement.

It is also possible to operate a heat pump in reverse configuration, that is to say to supply an air conditioning system. The excess heat is then transferred to underground collection. It has been proposed to use the same heat pump according to one or other of these two configurations, depending on the needs and seasons. These so-called "reversible" heat pumps generally operate by changing the heat generator exchangers (cold side / warm side), by means of a three-way valve.

However, the efficiency of these reversible heat pumps is limited by the fact that the change of configuration is accompanied by a significant change in the thermal balance of the heat pump, due to the non-specialization of the heat exchangers (which must can be swapped).

In any case, even for heat pumps dedicated to the sole heating function, the heat requirements can vary in very large proportions depending on whether we want for example to produce domestic hot water, which we can wants to provide heating by fan coil or low temperature heating (underfloor heating). As the thermal balance is very different for each function, it is not possible to adjust the operation of the heat pump to an optimum corresponding to each of the heating modes, all the more so when these must be able to be used separately or separately. competitively, according to the facilities and according to the seasons.

In another order of ideas, it was mentioned above the possibility of using an atmospheric or solar capture. But the operating conditions of these catchments are extremely variable according to the hours, the seasons, the climate, ... unlike the catchment in the basement, where the temperature is practically constant in all seasons. This extreme variability means that, at present, these atmospheric or solar catchments are in practice very little used, despite the significant potential for heat exchange that they represent when good ambient conditions are met. The object of the invention is to remedy the various limitations that have just been mentioned.

The invention relates to an installation designed around a water / water type heat pump, with a distribution box allowing multiple uses (plurality of reproduction circuits connected to the same housing), and capable of operating in different modes. different (eg heating / air conditioning).

The object of the invention is in particular to optimize the thermal balance, and therefore the efficiency of the heat pump, by adapting the circulation of the coolant in the various circuits according to (i) the selected operating mode, and ii) the corresponding thermal balance at a given moment.

In particular, in the case, for example, of a heating / air conditioning operating mode, as will be seen below, switching from one mode to the other is performed without permutation of the exchangers within the heat generator of the heat pump. , unlike what is currently practiced with reversible heat pumps. In this way, the exchangers of the heat pump thermal module remain specialized heat exchangers, calculated for given operating temperature ranges.

In general, and especially when several capture circuits are available (atmospheric capture and solar collection in addition to underground collection), the invention also aims to optimize the energy balance of the equipment by controlling the distribution. of fluid in the different collection circuits depending on the circumstances, and in particular as a function of the fluid temperature. This is achieved, as will be seen, by favoring circuits where this temperature is optimal in terms of availability or production of thermal energy, then redistributing the fluid to the most appropriate temperature for the required domestic use, all while making the widest appeal to renewable natural energies.

Thus, the thermal energy conveyed by the heat transfer fluid can be used either as it is (at the temperature at which it is supplied by the selected collection circuit) or after its transformation by the appropriate heating / cooling system that will have on one hand a (ie raised to a higher temperature) and the other cooled (ie lowered to a lower temperature), the heat pump core always operating under the best conditions thermodynamic performance. From the point of view of technology, the object of the invention is to provide a distribution system in the form of a single compact housing bringing together all the required elements and interface between, on the one hand, the heat pump core and, on the other hand, the circuits of restitution and capture. This grouping of the bodies in one and the same housing has several advantages, in particular:

- the small size of the housing, compatible with a domestic heat pump;

the possibility of using a thermal module without a three-way valve, while keeping the possibility of reversing its operation;

- The housing can be produced in the factory industrially, allowing significant reductions in production costs compared to an installation on site, where a technician must assemble more or less empirically a multiplicity of tubes, valves and cir - cooked order;

- The housing can be installed very quickly and connected to the collection and heat recovery circuits of the installation; it can be removed for overhaul or repair, and replaced if necessary by substituting another housing; - The set of tubes and components of the distributor can be easily embedded in a thermally insulating foam injected into the housing, which will have the effect of heat insulation all connecting tubes in one operation, easy to industrialize and therefore inexpensive, to the difference in thermal insulation achieved on site by installers.

For this purpose, the invention proposes a heating / air conditioning system of the general type disclosed by the above-mentioned EP 1 826 503 A1, characterized in that:

- it includes a water / water type heat pump, with a heat side heat exchanger and a cold side heat exchanger in which circulates said heat transfer fluid, this coolant being common to the heat side heat exchanger of the heat pump, the heat side heat exchanger of the heat pump, the heat capture circuit and the feedback circuit heat ; and the distribution box is connected to the heat exchanger on the hot side by the first heat transfer fluid inlet / outlet, and to the cold side heat exchanger via the second heat transfer fluid inlet / outlet. Here and hereinafter, the term "inlet / outlet" means an orifice through which the heat transfer fluid passes, either towards the inside of the distribution box ("input") or inversely towards the outside thereof. same housing ("output"). For convenience, all ports in the splitter box will be referred to as "input / output", although some will only function as inputs, others will function only as outputs, and others may be either inputs or outputs. an output according to the direction of circulation of the fluid, this meaning being itself a function of the selected combinational distribution scheme.

The predetermined combinatorial fluid distribution schemes are typically diagrams defining modes of operation belonging to the group formed by: natural cooling or frost protection, production of hot water by the exchanger on the heat side of the heat pump, with capture heat through the heat exchanger on the cold side of the heat pump;

- production of hot water and heating by the exchanger on the hot side of the heat pump, with heat capture by the exchanger on the cold side of the heat pump;

- production of hot water by the exchanger on the hot side of the heat pump and air conditioning by the exchanger on the cold side of the heat pump; - production of hot water by the exchanger on the hot side of the heat pump and air conditioning by the exchanger on the cold side of the heat pump with transfer to the heat collection circuit of the excess heat produced;

- production of hot water by the exchanger on the hot side of the heat pump and air conditioning by the exchanger on the cold side of the heat pump. their with transfer to the circuit of collection of heat of the excess heat yielded.

Very advantageously, the splitter box comprises a closed box housing the splitter means and whose dimensions are at most equal to 30 x 55 x 70 cm excluding control means, or 55 x 55 x 70 cm including control means; the cabinet may further be filled with thermal insulating material for insulating pipes and valves. The total number of stop valves is advantageously equal to the total number of inputs and outputs of said first, second, third and fourth heat transfer fluid inlet / outlet: for example ten stop valves for a housing comprising a single third inlet / fluid outlet and two fourth inputs / outputs, or sixteen stop valves for a housing comprising three third fluid inlets / outlets and three fourth inputs / outputs. According to various advantageous subsidiary features:

the distribution means do not include any multi-channel distribution valve;

the shut-off valves are all-or-nothing type valves with electrical control; - the heat capture circuit (s) belong to the group formed by: underground thermal energy capture circuits, atmospheric heat energy capture circuits, and solar energy capture circuits;

- the heat transfer circuit (s) belonging to the group formed by: the fan coil heating / cooling circuits, the high temperature radiator heating circuits, the heating circuits / low temperature cooling, hot water production circuits, and water preheating circuits. In addition, the distribution means are advantageously able to select, for one of the operating modes, a heat capture circuit among several of said circuits.

They may also be able to control, depending on the operating mode selected, at least one fluid circulation pump associated with one of the collection or return of fluid circuits. In this case, the connections between the first fluid inlet / outlet and the heat exchanger on the heat side of the heat pump, and between the second fluid inlet / outlet and the heat exchanger on the cold side of the heat pump. can advantageously be direct links, without circulation pump.

Finally, the control means may also be able to control, depending on the selected operating mode, the engagement or the stop of the compressor of the heat pump.

0

An example embodiment of the installation of the invention will now be described with reference to the appended drawings in which the same reference numerals designate identical or functionally similar elements from one figure to another.

Figure 1 schematically illustrates a complete heat pump heating / cooling installation, implementing a specific distribution box of the invention. FIG. 2 illustrates a first embodiment of a specific distribution box of the invention for coupling a heat pump to two reproduction circuits and a capture circuit.

FIG. 3 illustrates a second embodiment of the specific distribution box of the invention, more complete, for coupling a heat pump with three sensing circuits and three feedback circuits, as in the installation illustrated schematically in FIG. 1.

Figures 4 to 9 illustrate the different interconnection diagrams that can be obtained by selective operation of the valves of the distribution box of Figure 2.

0

Figure 1 illustrates a heating / air conditioning system according to the invention, with a specific distribution box 10 associated with a heat pump. On one side, the splitter box 10 is coupled to a heat pump core 12, of a type such as that described, for example, in WO-A- 2006/005832 (Favier et al.) To which reference may be made for further details. Essentially, the heat pump core behaves like a thermodynamic system with a hot side and a cold side. The cold side receives a heat transfer fluid whose temperature is between 7 and 15 ⁰ C, and returns it at a temperature of 3 to 5 ° C lower. The hot side receives a heat transfer fluid whose temperature is between 30 and 32 ° C (between 60 and 62 ⁰ C in high temperature models), and returns the fluid at a temperature of 3 to 5 ° C higher. The housing 10 comprises a first heat-carrier fluid inlet / outlet 14 connected to the heat-side heat exchanger (marked H) of the pump core 12, and a second heat-transfer fluid inlet / outlet 16 connected to the heat exchanger on the side. cold (marked C) of the same pump heart12. The connection between the inlets / outlets 14, 16 and the exchangers on the heat and cold side of the heat pump is preferably a direct connection, without a circulation pump.

On the other side, the housing 10 is connected by a series of inputs / outputs 18 to one or more heat sensing circuits, and a series of inputs / outputs 20 to one or more heat recovery circuits. It is furthermore provided with control means schematized at 22, making it possible to selectively control the various internal members of the housing 10 in the manner that will be explained later, according to the needs of the user and the possibilities of optimization of the thermal balance. These control means can be integrated into the housing itself, or associated with it, that is to say placed next to the housing or against the housing being functionally coupled thereto.

Heat captaqe circuits

First of all, it will be described the heat sensing circuits that can be coupled to the housing 10 by the various inputs / outputs 18. The installation comprises a heat capture circuit in the basement 24, comprising a set appropriate so-called "capture probes" buried in the upper layers of the soil, as described in WO-A-2006/111655 (Hades) which can be referred to for more details. The circulation of the coolant in this subsurface collection circuit 24 is provided by a pump 26. The fluid exits the housing 10 to a given temperature, exchanges its heat energy with the soil temperature, and returns to the housing at this new temperature, which will then be operated in the manner described below. In the installation illustrated in FIG. 1, the heat-transfer fluid can also be sent by the housing 10 to an atmospheric capture circuit 28, the fluid then returning to the housing at a temperature close to the atmospheric temperature of the moment. The atmospheric capture exchanger 28 may be a static exchanger (thus completely silent and discreet appearance) or a forced circulation exchanger, provided with a fan. It is not necessary to provide a circulation pump specific to the atmospheric collection circuit 28, insofar as the latter will in principle only be used in series with the capture of the energy of the subsoil 24, and only in certain circumstances, for example a configuration allowing the cooling of the dwelling with at the same time the production of hot water, all with excess heat.

The heat transfer fluid can also be sent by the housing 10 to a solar energy collection circuit 30 comprising a solar collector oriented appropriately. The water heated by this sensor is circulated by a pump 32 and then passes into an exchanger 34 coupled to the housing 10 by a heat transfer fluid circulation loop activated by a pump 36. The fluid heated by the solar collector may be used in heat recovery circuits as well as, if necessary or desired, in the network of subsurface energy collection tubes, if it is desired to use the latter as a "temporary reservoir" for accumulating the collected solar energy in excess so as to restore it afterwards. This mode of operation may be chosen in particular to ensure a frost freezing of the house, or contribute to an additional energy saving by raising the temperature of the cold source used by the heat pump, thereby increasing the performance of the latter with correspondingly a reduction in power consumption.

Heat recovery circuits

We will now describe the heat recovery circuits that can be coupled to the housing 10 by the various inputs / outputs 20. The first type of circuit is a hot water production circuit comprising, in the illustrated example, two heat exchangers 38, 40 supplied with heat transfer fluid by a circulation pump 42. The heat exchanger 38 preheats the hot water sanitary stored in a hot water tank 44. In case this preheating is insufficient, an electrical resistance incorporated in the balloon 44 provides additional heating. The other heat exchanger 40 is used for heating the water of a swimming pool 46 or other similar equipment (bubbling bath, etc.), the water of which is supplied to the exchanger 40 by a circulating pump 48.

A second type of heat recovery circuit of the installation illustrated in FIG. 1 is intended for heating or cooling a room 50. It consists of fan coils 52 comprising an exchanger and a system for diffusing air. hot or cold in the room by pulsed air passing through this exchanger, depending on the selected function (heating or cooling). The coolant passing through the exchanger is circulated by a pump 54 supplying the various fan coil units 52 of the installation. In the case of heating, the heat energy may come from either the solar collector 30 or the heat side H of the heat pump core 12. In the case of cooling, the heat transfer fluid at low temperature can come from the side cold C of the heat pump core 12 and / or the basement, from the capture circuit 24. This last case corresponds to the cooling principle called free cooling or "Canadian air conditioning" or "Provençal air conditioning", technique that is to cool the air of a room by circulation in the basement, which especially in summer remains at a temperature much lower than the ambient outside temperature. There is also illustrated a third type of heat recovery circuit consisting of a floor heating or low temperature radiators in which the heat transfer fluid is circulated by means of a pump 58.

The heat diffused in the room 50 by the heating floor 56 or the low-temperature radiators may come from the hot side H of the heat pump core 12, or directly from the solar collector 30, or capture in basement 24, for example in the latter case to ensure a simple frost prevention of the installation.

Internal structure of the distribution box Figures 2 and 3 show, for two different embodiments, the configuration of the various internal members of the housing 10. Figure 2 corresponds to a housing for coupling the heat pump to two feedback circuits and a capture circuit, while Figure 3 corresponds to a more complete housing, for coupling the heat pump to three capture circuits and three feedback circuits, (as in the installation described above with reference to Figure 1 ). In these figures, the following denominations will be used for the different circuits:

- H side (hof): side connected to the heat side heat exchanger of the heat pump 12 through the inputs / outputs 14;

- side C (cold): side connected to the heat exchanger cold side of the heat pump 12 through the inputs / outputs 16;

circuit G (ground): circuit for collecting the thermal energy of the subsoil (circuit 24 in FIG. 1); circuit A: capture circuit of the atmospheric thermal energy (circuit 28 in FIG. 1);

circuit S: collector circuit for solar thermal energy (circuit 30 in FIG. 1);

- circuit W (water): hot water production circuit, including hot water and / or water heating;

- circuit B (blowers): heating / cooling circuit using fan coils;

- circuit F (flooή: heating circuit by the ground or by radiators at low temperature - circuit B / F: circuit usable indifferently as circuit B or circuit F.

The distribution box of the invention consists of a series of tubes such as 60, made of plastic or metal, interconnected either by fixed branches such as 62, or by stop valves (two-way valves "all or nothing") such as 101 ... 110 (Figure 2) or 201 ... 216 (Figure 3). The valves can be advantageously electrically controlled ball valves with information about their position, or any other type of valve, including even manual valves made of plastic in a simplified version of the housing of the invention.

The network of interconnected tubes leads to connections such as 64 intended to be connected on the one hand to the heat pump (inputs / outputs 14 and 16), on the other hand to the capture circuits (inputs / outputs 18) and restitution (inputs / outputs 20). The arrows such as 66 connecting the connection points 64 indicate the flow direction of the fluid outside the distribution housing of the invention, in the exchangers of the heat pump or in the various capture or recovery circuits. Note that, since the coolant can borrow in the housing of different circuits, it is essential that the same fluid is chosen for all heat capture and recovery circuits.

The control of the valves is advantageously automated by a suitable programmer for collectively controlling the different valves so as to select in a modifiable manner various combinatorial schemes of fluid distribution between the inputs / outputs 14, 16, 18 and 20.

The pilot program will take into account the conditions of use, the capacities of the heat pump core, the needs of the user, the external conditions (temperature, sunshine), etc. It will be noted that the needs on the return side of heat can be very variable according to the climate, the location of the building, the preferences of the user, ... The very low industrial production costs in large series of the housing of the invention allow to consider the production of boxes corresponding to different uses, each corresponding to the start of a number of circulation circuits among all those theoretically possible and which will be described below.

Combinatorial Diagrams for the Distribution of the Heat-Transfer Fluid With reference to FIGS. 4 to 10, the various fluid distribution combinatorial diagrams that can be made with the particular configuration of tubes 60, taps 62 and of FIG. valves 101 ... 110 of the first embodiment illustrated in Figure 2. This embodiment corresponds to a simplified housing, implementing neither atmospheric capture or solar capture, and does not provide separate fan coil return / heating circuits by the ground (that is to say that one or other of these modes of reproduction can be used, but not both simultaneously).

This simplification makes it possible to reduce the total number of valves with ten valves 101 ... 110, to simplify correlatively the piloting of these various valves, and to thus propose a low-cost case nevertheless making it possible to answer a vast majority of the usual needs . Figure 4: opening of the valves 105, 108 and 110; commissioning of the pump 26 of the circuit G; Stopping the compressor of the heat pump.

This configuration corresponds to a minimum operation of the installation, under frost protection or free cooling. The heat pump being stopped, the only energy consumed is that of the circulation pump 26.

Figure 5: opening of the valves 101, 109 and 110; commissioning pumps 26 and 42 of circuits G and W, respectively; compressor of the heat pump running.

This configuration corresponds to the production of hot water (circuit W) by the heat side (H) of the heat pump, the heat capture in the ground (circuit G) being connected to the cold side (C) of the heat pump. heat. Figure 6: opening of the valves 101, 104, 106, 109 and 110; commissioning the pumps 26, 42, 54 (or 58) of the circuits G, W and B (or F), respectively; compressor of the heat pump running.

This configuration corresponds to the production of hot water (circuit W) and heating (circuit B / F) by the hot side H of the compressor. Underground heat capture (circuit G) is connected to the cold side (C) of the heat pump.

Figure 7: opening of the valves 101, 107 and 108; commissioning pumps 42 and 54 of circuits W and B / F, respectively; compressor of the heat pump running. This configuration corresponds to a cooling of the air by fan convectors (circuit B / F) from the cold side (C) of the heat pump, with simultaneous production of hot water (circuit W) by the hot side ( H) of the heat pump, the heat balance showing neither excess of cold nor excess of heat.

Figure 8: opening of the valves 102, 103, 107, 108; commissioning of the pumps 26, 42 and 54 of the circuits G, W and B / F, respectively; compressor of the heat pump running. This configuration corresponds to the same functions as those of FIG. 7, but in a situation where the thermal balance shows an excess of heat, which is then sent to the underground collection.

Figure 9: opening of the valves 101, 105, 108, and 110; commissioning of the pumps 26, 42 and 54 of the circuits G, W and B / F, respectively; compressor of the heat pump running. This configuration corresponds to the same functions as those of FIG. 7, but in a situation where the thermal balance shows an excess of cold, which is then sent to underground collection.

In the case of the housing with sixteen valves of Figure 3, it can be controlled similarly by selectively controlling the various valves 201 ... 216 to perform the following functions: a) freezing or free cooling: opening of valves 203, 205, 211, 212 and 214; activation of pumps F and G circuits; compressor stopped; b) heating the circuits W, B, F and G by the solar collection S: opening of the valves 201, 202, 203, 204, 207, 212 and 214; activating the pumps of circuits W, B, F, S and G; compressor stopped; c) heating the circuit W by the solar collector S, with parallel free cooling (circuit F) by the underground collection (circuit G): opening of the valves 203, 205, 206, 211, 212 and 214; activating the pumps of circuits W, F, S and G; compressor stopped; d) heating the circuits W, B and F by the hot side H of the pump, coupling the cold side C to the circuit G: opening of the valves 201, 202, 203, 204, 208, 211, 214, 215; activating the pumps of circuits W, B, F and G; compressor running; e) heating the circuit W by the hot side H, with parallel cooling of the circuit B by the cold side C, without excessive heat or cold: opening of the valves 202, 205, 208 and 210; activation of the W and B circuit pumps; compressor running; f) as e), with excess cold sent to the basement (circuit G): activation of the valves 202, 205, 208, 211, 212 and 214; activation of the pumps of circuits W, B and G; compressor running; g) as e), with excess heat sent to the atmospheric capture (circuit A) then to the subsoil (circuit G): opening of the valves 202, 205, 209, 210, 213 and 216; activation of the pumps of circuits W, B and G; compressor running.

Claims

1. A heat-exchange heating / air-conditioning installation comprising a heat-transfer fluid distribution box, this housing (10) comprising:

a first (14) and a second (16) heat transfer fluid inlet / outlet; - At least a third inlet / outlet (18) of heat transfer fluid, adapted to be connected to a corresponding circuit (24, 28, 30) of heat capture;

- At least a fourth inlet / outlet (20) of heat transfer fluid, adapted to be connected to a corresponding circuit (38, 40, 52, 56) of heat recovery;

distributing means, capable of selectively interconnecting, according to various predetermined fluid distribution combinatorial schemes: the first input / output (14) to at least one of the third and fourth inputs / outputs (18, 20), and the second input / output (14) to input / output (16) to at least one of the third and fourth inputs / outputs (18, 20), said splitter means comprising a network of interconnect conduits (60) connected to each other and to the inputs / outputs and each provided with a shut-off valve (101-110; 201, 216) controllable individually; and control means (22) for collectively controlling the various shut-off valves of the housing so as to modifyably select one of said combinatorial diagrams, an installation characterized in that:

it comprises a heat pump (12) of the water / water type, with a heat-side heat exchanger (H) and a cold-side heat exchanger (C) in which said heat transfer fluid circulates, this heat transfer fluid being common to the Heat exchanger on the heat side of the heat pump, on the heat exchanger on the cold side of the heat pump, on the heat collection circuit and on the heat recovery circuit; and the distribution box is connected to the heat-side heat exchanger (H) via the first coolant inlet / outlet (14), and to the cold side heat exchanger (C) via the second inlet / outlet. outlet (16) of heat transfer fluid.

2. The installation of claim 1, wherein said predetermined combined fluid distribution schemes are diagrams defining operating modes belonging to the group consisting of: natural cooling or frost-freezing, - production of hot water by the exchanger on the heat side of the heat pump, with heat recovery through the heat exchanger on the cold side of the heat pump; production of hot water and heating by the exchanger on the hot side of the heat pump, with heat recovery by the exchanger on the cold side of the heat pump; production of hot water by the exchanger on the heat side of the heat pump and air conditioning by the exchanger on the cold side of the heat pump; production of hot water by the exchanger on the heat side of the heat pump and air conditioning by the heat exchanger on the cold side of the heat pump with transfer to the heat collection circuit of the excess heat produced; production of hot water by the exchanger on the hot side of the heat pump and air conditioning by the exchanger on the cold side of the heat pump, with transfer to the heat collection circuit of the excess heat transferred.

3. The installation of claim 1, wherein the distribution box (10) comprises a closed box housing the distribution means and whose dimensions are at most equal to 30 x 55 x 70 cm excluding control means, or 55 x 55 x 70 cm piloting means included.

4. The installation of claim 1, wherein the distribution box (10) comprises a closed box housing the distribution means and filled with a thermal insulating material for insulation pipes and valves.

The installation of claim 1, wherein the total number of said shut-off valves is equal to the total number of entries and exits your first, second, third and fourth heat transfer fluid inlet / outlet.

The installation of claim 5, wherein the splitter box (10) comprises a single third fluid inlet / outlet (G), two fourth inputs / outputs (W, B / F), and ten shut-off valves. (101-110).

The installation of claim 5, wherein the splitter box (10) comprises three third fluid inlets / outlets (G, A, S), three fourth inputs / outputs (W, B, F), and sixteen valves. shutdown (201-216).

8. The installation of claim 1, wherein the distribution means comprise no multi-channel distribution valve.

The installation of claim 1, wherein the shutoff valves are electrically operated all-or-nothing type valves.

10. The installation of claim 1, wherein the said heat collection circuit (s) belong to the group formed by the circuits for collecting the thermal energy of the sub-unit. soil (G), atmospheric heat energy capture circuits (A), and solar energy capture circuits (S).

11. The installation of claim 1, wherein the said heat recovery circuit (s) belong to the group formed by: the heating / cooling circuits with fan coil units (B). ), high temperature radiator heating circuits (B), low temperature heating / cooling circuits (F), hot water production circuits (W), and water preheating circuits (W) .

12. The installation of claim 1, wherein the distribution means are adapted to select, for a given operating mode, a heat capture circuit among more than one of said circuits (G, A, S).

The plant of claim 1, further comprising at least one fluid circulation pump (26, 36, 42, 54, 58) associated with one of the fluid collection or recovery circuits, and wherein the control means are also able to control said circulating pump according to the selected operating mode ,.

The installation of claim 13, wherein the connections between the first fluid inlet / outlet (14) and the heat-side heat exchanger (H) of the heat pump, and between the second inlet / outlet of the fluid (16) and the heat exchanger on the cold side (C) of the heat pump are direct connections without a circulation pump.

15. The installation of claim 13, wherein the control means are also able to control, according to the operating mode selected, the switching on or off of the compressor of the heat pump (12).