WO2016030773A1

WO2016030773A1 - Convector device applicable to radiators for heating plants

Info

Publication number: WO2016030773A1
Application number: PCT/IB2015/052905
Authority: WO
Inventors: Blerina XHABIJA
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2014-08-28
Filing date: 2015-04-21
Publication date: 2016-03-03
Anticipated expiration: 2017-02-28
Also published as: EP3186562A1; ITPV20140012U1

Abstract

A convector device applicable to radiating elements for heating plants, which includes a housing body connectable to a radiating element R and a movement unit 3 inside the housing body 2, and adapted to move a mass of fluid F locatable in the radiating element R to induce a circulation of the fluid F in an environment in which the radiating element R is located.

Description

CONVECTOR DEVICE APPLICABLE TO RADIATORS FOR HEATING

PLANTS

The present invention refers to a device to induce/promote convective circulations of air that is heated and generated by radiators (and similar apparata) as those in heating plants of private houses, commercial establishments, or working premises.

Usually, the heating of inhabited environments is based on a plant consisting of a thermal machine that produces heat and that heats a circulating fluid (usually water) : practically, the circulating fluid is circulated in a series of radiators (also called heaters), which are heated by the passage of circulating fluid and that radiate the transported heat.

The radiators or heaters, also transmit heat to the air that passes freely therein, thus creating a convection current in the environment in which they are placed.

The radiating elements of known type are generally not very efficient from the point of view of thermal convection, as they are crossed by a rather low amount of air, and because they does not participate in the creation of optimized convection currents at all; this is because in the prior art the radiators take cold and heavier air near the floor and the heated air goes towards the ceiling, where it accumulates without immediate benefits for the people present in the room. Object of the present invention is to solve the drawbacks of known types of domestic radiators, and in particular to improve the performance both in terms of heating time of a single room/area in which they are positioned, and in terms of lower consumption of boilers that feed the radiators.

Furthermore, object of the invention is to provide a device that is easily adaptable or mountable on radiators or heaters already installed and active in habitable domestic environments: therefore, this adaptability allows to improve the performance of obsolete heating plants or that are particularly badly disposed (for example, due to inaccurate configurations or choice of low-quality materials, or also due to high thermal losses through the walls).

At the same time, object of the present invention is to provide a device with many adjustment and intervention possibilities, also in order to be adapted (even in a retrofitting manner) with various type or power or volume radiators.

These objects are achieved by the device in accordance with the invention and which has the features illustrated in the claims below; an embodiment of this device is illustrated by way of example (but without limitation) in the accompanying drawings, in which:

- Figure 1 shows a partial diagrammatic, sectional view of the device according to the invention, in a possible coupling condition/association with a radiating element; and

- Figure 2 shows a partial diagrammatic, sectional view of the device according to the invention, in a possible coupling condition/association, alternative with respect to Figure^'!, with a radiating element. For clarity of illustration, in the figures the device of the invention is generally indicated with the number 1.

In the retrofitting manner, the device can be installed on radiators or heaters (and more generally on radiating elements for technically equivalent heating plants), and has as main function an increased ability to transport heat through the convective flows generated by the radiating element on which it is mounted.

As regards the structural conformation, the device 1 comprises generally a housing body 2, conformable in different manners and forms provided that it is remain connectable, by means of attaching or screwing or gluing, or other (also of known type) fastening means, with a radiating element R and a movement unit 3 placed within the housing body 2, and adapted to move a mass of fluid F (usually air) locatable in the radiating element R.

In Figures 1 or 2, the movement unit 3 is represented as a tangential fan or turbine; however, depending on the various feasible types of device 1, it may also have different conformation.

The movement unit 3 is based on one or more fans or similar devices, and acts to promote or force a circulation of the fluid F in the environment in which the radiating element R is located: advantageously, the device 1 further comprises a control unit 4, which reversibly or even cyclically activates or deactivates the movement unit 3. ·

The activation and the deactivation of the movement unit 3 are carried out according to a detection of a minimum environmental parameter or of a maximum environmental parameter, respectively, which in turn may be parameters of "temperature" type.

To maximize the efficiency of heating (and thus the minimization of the consumption of the heating plant) and, at the same time, to speed up as much as possible the environmental heating, the maximum and minimum environmental parameters may be respectively:

- a minimum temperature and a maximum temperature of fluid F (which can air which passes freely within the radiating element R, as mentioned above); and/or

- a minimum temperature and a maximum temperature of a surface or a point inside the radiating element R.

It should be stated that the choices of the environmental minimum and maximum parameters described above are in practice related to an optimized intervention of the device 1, which is only activated when the air/fluid in the radiator/radiating element R has reached a minimum temperature in order to be satisfactory fed into a convective circulation in the environment (and in the same manner, the device 1 is deactivated when the air in the radiator has reached a value of minimum temperature, which makes inadvisable its feeding into a forced environmental convection current ) .

Described in different terms, the present invention therefore provides a method of controlling the environmental temperature (or a method of controlling the forced environmental convective circulations), which comprises an induction/ forcing phase of a convective circulation that occurs when the temperature of the fluid/air within a radiator rises above a certain minimum temperature threshold (this minimum temperature threshold in practice is the minimal environmental parameter described above), and a phase of interruption of the convective circulation that occurs as the temperature of the fluid/air within the radiator drops below a certain maximum temperature threshold (this maximum temperature threshold in practice is the maximum environmental parameter described above).

In order to operate properly, the control unit 4 comprises at least one detection element 4a for detecting the minimum and/or maximum environmental parameter, and since we are talking about temperatures, the detection element 4a will be preferably a temperature sensor (for example, an infra-red sensor or any other sensor commercially and technically available ) .

From the point of view of the operation settings for the device 1, the minimum environmental parameter may be typically a temperature of the fluid F and/or the radiating element R of between 20°C and 35°C (preferably 25°C), while the maximum environmental parameter is a temperature of the fluid F and/or the radiating element R of between 45°C and 85°C (preferably 75°C) .

However, where it is desired to vary the minimum and/or maximum environmental parameters, the device 1 may be provided a control interface (which can be realized with a control panel with buttons and with a display, also those of commercially-available type) .

The control interface controls at least the control unit 4, which is usable by a user to vary the numerical values of the minimum environmental parameter and/or the maximum environmental parameter.

To enable the proper functional coupling between the device 1 and the radiating element R, the housing body 2 comprises a portion of flow 2a, which in practice is a part of the void inner space of the device 1 and defines one or more air inlets on the surfaces of the housing body 2; the portion of flow 2a realizes a connection between the volume of an environment (or a room) and the radiating element R under connection/coupling/association conditions of the device 1 with the radiating element R, and allows a forced passage of the fluid/air F from the volume of the environment to the radiating element, and vice versa, by means of the movement unit 3.

Again from the point of view of the operation, it should be noted that the control unit 4 can implement a control strategy "in predefined steps", i.e., it may imposes a fix speed/flow rate - at the time of activation - of the movement unit 3.

Alternatively, the very simple control strategy above described, and again in order to optimize the convective circulation only when the fluid/air F is under the best conditions to be released into the environment, the control unit 4 can proportionally activate and/or deactivate (preferably by varying a number of revolutions or a power supply, of the movement unit 3) according to an ascent time parameter to reach a maximum temperature or a descent time parameter to drop to a minimum temperature, respectively. In other words, the forcing effect of the convective circulation can increase gradually over time, gradually intensifying as the radiating element R increases the temperature of the fluid/air F (and, symmetrically, the effect of interruption of the convective circulation can take place in equally proportional manner, by moving the air/fluid F residually heated by the heating element R until the latter is no longer able to provide it with a satisfactory temperature).

In accordance with the proportional control strategy herein, the ascent time parameter and/or the descent time parameter can be taken into account in the following manners:

- they are calculated by the control unit 4 according to the minimum environmental parameter and/or the maximum environmental parameter; or

- they are stored in the control unit 4.

To start the control unit 4, the device 1 also comprises a power supply unit 5, which powers (preferably with electricity) the movement unit 3 and/or the control unit 4.

Depending on the level of energy required to power the board electronics and/or the various motors of the device 1, the power supply unit 5 may be:

- an electric supply circuit connectable to an electric mains (for example, the classic home electric mains); or an accumulator/battery housed in the device 1 and appropriately connected to the electrical/electronic circuitry of the device 1 itself; or also

- a thermoelectric circuit (in technical jargon, the so- called "Seebeck effect" or the so-called "Peltier effect") implementable between the device 1 and the radiating element R, so as to exploit part of the heat stored in the radiating element in order to convert it directly into electrical energy.

From the point of view of the mounting options, the device 1 advantageously has relative connection means between the portion of flow 2a and the radiating element R, which are suitable to engage the device 1 at a lower portion (or otherwise placed in proximity of the ground/floor of an environment) of the radiating element R itself: an example of a possible engaging by these relative connection means is visible in Figure 1.

Thanks to this first engaging/connection possibility, the relative connection means (not illustrated in the figures, and in any case realizable with known devices such as more or less reversible mechanical engaging elements, connections by temporary or permanent gluing, connections via magnets, etc.) allow to place the entire device 1 in the small space between the ground/floor and the radiating element R, then not occupying the "upper" usable/habitable space of the premise where the radiating element R itself is positioned.

Nevertheless, according to the needs of the moment, the mechanical connection means can also be adapted to connect the device 1 (and at least its portion of flow 2a) with an upper portion of the radiating element, as illustrated by way of example in Figure 2.

Turning now to the possibility of generating forced convection cells, it should be noted that the present invention also offers another advantage of extreme flexibility of choice: in fact, thanks to the two different possible relative positions ("above" or "below") between the device 1 and the radiating element R, as well as the possibility to direct the flow of fluid F" inside the device 1 towards two substantially opposite directions, it is possible to suitably direct the device 1 so as to take the fluid F from the radiating element R and to direct it upwards (or, in other words, above the upper portion of the radiating element R, which in turn can be considered as facing towards the roof/ceiling of the environment in which the radiating element R is located) or downwards (or, in other words, below the lower portion of the radiating element R, which in turn can be considered as facing towards the ground/floor of the environment in which the radiating element R is located) .

Conveniently, it can be observed that in the example of Figure 1 the relative disposition between the device 1 and the radiating element R enables to direct the fluid/air F (taken from the within the radiating element, and then at a "high" temperature) towards the ground, making sure that the latter tends to rise spontaneously, precisely because of its lower density compared to the colder "fluid" that spontaneously remains near the floor/ground : as a result, the heating of the room/environment will be faster and more uniform, precisely at the height of the people present in the room itself.

Conveniently, by suitably orienting the flow within the device 1, this type of convective cell just described can also be achieved by positioning the device 1 on the upper portion of the radiating element R. Again at the level of operational option, it can instead note that, depending on particular requirements, it is also possible to create a convective circulation so as to move the fluid F (taken from the within the radiating element R) upwards, i.e., towards the roof/ceiling of the environment, and then in outgoing direction from the upper portion of the radiating element R itself: this second possibility of convective circulation may typically be achieved by mounting the device 1 on the upper portion of the radiating element R - as visible in Figure 2 - or, by suitably adjusting the movement unit 3, by mounting the device 1 on the lower portion of the radiating element R.

The invention provides several advantages in terms of energy efficiency and well-being by the users of the environments in which it is installed.

First, thanks to the mode of operation of the device 1, the convective transport of the heated air is very efficient and the distribution uniform (and faster) ; this increase in efficiency is accompanied also by a fully automated operation, which is carried out only when the temperature of the radiator (or the heated air passing through it) is at the optimum condition.

The automated operation, along with the overall increase in efficiency, in turn generates a faster attainment of a comfortable temperature inside the room, and this implies a lower working time of the boiler serving the radiators: in summary, lower energetic consumption is also obtained.

The invention also allows to further improve the convective circulation of (heated) air in an environment, thanks to its ability to be^; coupled to different positions with respect to the radiating elements: in particular, it is possible to suitably direct the device 1 so as to take the fluid F from the radiating element R and to direct it downwards (or, in other words, towards the floor) of the environment: after having directed the fluid/air F to the ground, it will tend to rise spontaneously, and as a result the heating of the room/environment will be faster and more uniform, precisely at the height of the people present in the room itself.

In addition, the ability to adjust the initial (as well as the final) time/environmental parameters of the operation of the device 1, allows a great flexibility in determining operating conditions customized for each type of radiator or for each variety of environment in which the device is located (or even more than one, if for example in a room are located more than one radiator) .

Finally, it should be noted that this invention can be easily integrated at structural level with more innovative radiators (which, in turn, are therefore part of the invention) already during the first assembly of the radiators themselves (without prejudice to the possibility of a retrofitting mounting as above mentioned) : the above is obtained with a structure very economic to be implemented, with low costs and high reliability of electrical, electronic, mechanical and ventilation components.

Claims

1. Convector device applicable to radiating elements for heating plants, characterized in that it comprises:

- a housing body (2) connectable to a radiating element (R) ; and

- a movement unit (3) housed within the housing body (2) and adapted to move a mass of fluid (F) locatable in the element radiating (R) to promote or force a circulation of the fluid (F) in an environment in which the radiating element (R) is located.

2. Device according to claim 1, which further comprises a control unit (4) that reversibly activates or deactivates the movement unit (3) according to a detection of a minimum environmental parameter or a maximum environmental parameter, respectively.

3. Device according to claim 2, in which the minimum environmental parameter and the maximum environmental parameter may be:

a minimum temperature and a maximum temperature, respectively, of the fluid (F) within the radiating element (R) , the fluid (F) being preferably air; and/or a minimum temperature and a maximum temperature, respectively, of a surface or a point within the radiating element (R) .

4. Device according to claims 2 or 3, wherein the control unit (4) comprises at least one detection element (4a) of the minimum and/or maximum environmental parameter, the detection element (4a) being preferably a temperature sensor, for example an infra-red sensor.

5. Device according to one or more of claims 2 to 4, wherein the minimum environmental parameter is a temperature of the fluid (F) and/or the radiating element (R) of between 20°C and 35°C, preferably 25°C, while the maximum environmental parameter is a temperature of the fluid (F) and/or the radiating element (R) of between 45°C and 85°C, preferably 75°C.

6. Device according to one or more of the preceding claims, which further comprises a control interface that controls at least the control unit (4) and/or the movement unit (3), and that is usable by a user to vary the numerical values of the minimum environmental parameter and/or the maximum environmental parameter.

7. Device according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the housing body (2) comprises a portion of flow (2a) which realizes a connection between a volume of an environment and the radiating element (R) under connection conditions of the device (1) with the radiating element (R), and which allows a forced passage of the fluid (F) from the volume of the environment to the radiating element (R) , and vice versa, by means of the movement unit (3) .

8. Device according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein relative connection means are also present between the portion of flow (2a) and the radiating element (R) , said relative connection means being adapted to be attached to the device (1) and preferably at least to a portion of flow (2a), at a lower portion and/or near the ground/floor of an environment of the radiating element (R) itself.

9. Device according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein relative connection means are also present between the portion of flow (2a) and the radiating element (R) , said relative connection means being adapted to be attached to the device (1) and preferably at least to a portion of flow (2a) , at a higher portion and/or near the roof/ceiling of an environment of the radiating element (R) itself.

10. Device according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the relative connection means and/or the movement unit (3) and/or the portion of flow (2a) are adapted to direct the flow of fluid (F) to these directions of convective circulation:

- taking the fluid (F) from the radiating element (R) and pushing it upwards or above an upper portion of the radiating element (R) itself; or

- taking the flow of fluid (F) of the radiating element (R) and pushing it down or below the lower portion of the radiating element (R) itself.

11. Device according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the control unit (4) proportionally activates and/or deactivates, preferably by varying a number of revolutions or a power supply, the movement unit (3) according to an ascent time parameter to reach a maximum temperature or a descent time parameter to drop to a minimum temperature, respectively.

12. Device according to claim 11, wherein the ascent time parameter and/or the descent time parameter:

- are calculated by the control unit 4 according to the minimum environmental parameter and/or the maximum environmental parameter; or - are stored in the control unit 4.

13. Device according to one or more of the preceding claims, which further comprises a power supply unit (5), which powers, preferably with electricity, the movement unit (3) and/or the control unit (4), the power supply unit (5) being preferably:

- an electric supply circuit connectable to an electric mains, preferably a home electric mains; and/or

- an accumulator housed in the device (1); and/or

a thermoelectric circuit implementable between the device (1) and the radiating element (R) .