EP0507267B1 - Air conditioner - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to air conditioners comprising a first heat exchange group containing a compressor, a condenser with an exchange surface of the type, for example, laminated and a motor-fan, a second heat exchange group comprising an evaporator as well as pipes for circulation of the coolant between the two groups and condensed water recovered in a basin placed under the evaporator and sent to a watering device for the condenser.

In such air conditioners (see for example US-A-2 756 569), the condenser coolant device generally comprises a spray tube having a plurality of small orifices. Unfortunately, the condensation water contains not only limescale particles, but also a lot of dust from the air passing over the condenser and the evaporator, which after a certain period of operation of the air conditioner comes plug the small holes. This clogging causes poor distribution of the watering and even poorly directed watering, thus causing poor cooling of the condenser and therefore a lower efficiency of the two groups of the air conditioner.

The invention in particular aims to eliminate these drawbacks.

According to the invention, the sprinkler device comprises, on the one hand, a ramp having an open longitudinal channel, one end of which is closed by a partition and the other end of which is connected to a water injection tube , and on the other hand, a pumping means, the inlet port of which is linked to a suction tube for the condensed water and the discharge port of which is connected to the water injection tube, said channel having its opening applied against the exchange surface of the condenser.

Thanks to this open channel ramp, it is understood that a significant and directed sprinkling of the exchange surface is obtained, thus allowing correct cooling and therefore better efficiency of the two groups of the air conditioner.

The characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the description which follows, by way of example, with reference to the appended drawing in which:
Figure 1 is a schematic perspective representation illustrating the two heat exchange groups of an air conditioner and whose condenser is equipped with a sprinkler device according to the invention; Figure 2 is an enlarged view of a ramp of the sprinkler device shown in elevation to reveal the open channel.

The air conditioner shown in FIG. 1 comprises a first heat exchange group 1 containing a compressor 2, a condenser 3 and a cooling motor fan 5, a second heat exchange group 6 comprising an evaporator 7 and a ventilation turbine 8 for forcing fresh air into the living room, as well as pipes, respectively designated by 9 and 10, for circulation of the coolant between the two groups 1 and 6, and of the condensed water recovered in a pool 11 placed under the evaporator 7 and sent, for example, by means of a pump 12 to a device for watering the condenser 3.

The condenser 3 comprises, in a manner known per se, a series of tubes 13 extending horizontally and traversed by the coolant, as well as, for example, an exchange surface 14 of the laminated type, that is to say comprising a plurality of lamellae transverse to the tubes 13 and arranged vertically one next to the other.

The evaporator 7 comprises, for example, two blocks of conventional type with exchange surfaces of the laminated type through which the air stream of the turbine 8 passes.

The two groups 1 and 6 can be mounted either in a single box (not shown) so as to constitute an air conditioner of the independent and mobile type, or in two separate boxes (not shown) and thus constitute an air conditioner of the "separate" type, the group 6 of which is arranged inside the part, the pipes 9 and 10 then being generally arranged in a single sheath connecting the said two groups.

According to the invention, the watering device comprises a ramp 15 having, as can be seen better in FIG. 2, a longitudinal channel 16 open at 17, one end of which is closed by a partition 18 and the other end of which is connected to a water injection tube 20, and a pumping means 21, the inlet port 22 of which is connected to a suction tube 23 of the condensed water and the discharge port 24 of which is connected to the water injection tube 20, said channel 16 having its opening 17 applied against the exchange surface 14 of the condenser 3.

This ramp 15 has a semi-cylindrical shape whose outer wall carries fixing lugs 25 on the lamellae of the exchange surface 14, and whose inner wall door in the vicinity of the end 19, forming a mouth, a boss 26 which is arranged in a longitudinal plane and perpendicular to the bottom of the channel 16 and whose lateral edges 27 and 28 are profiled in Y. This boss 26 is intended to separate the jet of water in two streams and create a slight turbulence so as to distribute the water over the entire surface of channel 16.

Thanks to the extent of the opening 17 of the channel, the reliability of the sprinkler device is ensured since there can be no clogging due to tartar or dust. On the other hand, a large amount of water is obtained from the heat exchange surface of the condenser, which guarantees its good cooling and therefore its best efficiency.

The pumping means 21 comprises an electric pump with a large flow rate of the type, for example, a centrifugal vane which is mounted on a tank 29 collecting condensed water coming from the pipe 10, and whose suction tube 23a its free end located near the bottom 30 of the tank. The tank 29 is arranged under the condenser 3 so as to also recover the runoff water from the irrigation.

According to another important characteristic of the invention, the pumping means is associated with a cyclic control device capable of creating an intermittent stream of water in the water injection tube 20 and therefore also in the channel 16.

The cyclic control device comprises a switch 31 mounted in the supply circuit of the pump 21 and the closed or open state of which is dependent on the level of the water in the tank 29.

This switch 31 is mounted on the tank 29, and comprises an operating button 32 subjected to a lever 33 which is articulated at 34 on the housing of the switch 31 and whose free end 35 is rigidly linked to a float 36 movably mounted in a well 37 of cylindrical shape and open laterally by a slot 37 'so that the water from this well follows without disturbing the level of the water in the tank 29.

For the sake of clarity, the operation of the condenser sprinkler device will be specified below.

During operation, the condensation water formed on the evaporator 7 is collected in the tank 11 and sent via the pump 12 and the pipe 10 to the tank 29.

This water causes the float 36 to rise and transmits its movement to the lever 33 which releases the operating button 32 triggering the closing of the switch 31. The closing of said switch 31 then causes the electrical supply to the pump 21 which creates a current d large flow water in the water injection tube 20, for example, twenty liters per hour for an injection tube 20 of ten millimeters in diameter, instead of six liters per hour with a smaller diameter tube in known devices.

This stream of water arrives forcefully in the channel 16 of the ramp 15, then is divided and put into turbulence by the boss 26, then is distributed over the internal wall of the channel and comes to "sweep" the exchange surface 14 by the opening 17 until it comes into abutment on the partition 18.

As of this first phase, the water level in the tank 29 has decreased and the float 36 has gone down, causing the lever 33 which acts on the key 32 triggering the opening of the switch 31 and therefore stops the electrical supply of the pump 21. The water then present in the channel 16 and the tube 20 flows back to the tank via the pump 21, thus creating a "back sweep" effect through the opening 17 on the exchange surface 14.

This reflux water is poured, via the tube 23, into the tank 29 and causes the float 36 to rise, creating a new suction and watering cycle for the condenser. This intermittent stream of water, creating this phenomenon of front and rear sweeping, is maintained by the condensation water arriving directly from the evaporator and the non-evaporated runoff water flowing by gravity along the condenser and recovered in tray 29.

As the temperature at the condenser 3 is close to 60 ° C., the evaporation of the irrigation water is sufficiently high so that the water level in the tank 29 is insufficient to constantly maintain the float in position high and therefore causes the pump 21 to operate continuously.

It will be understood that the adjustment of the float 36 as a function of the water level in the tank 29 makes it possible to modify the control cycle of the switch 31 and therefore of the pump 21.

Claims (8)

1. Air conditioner including a first heat exchange unit (1) incorporating a compressor (2), a condenser (3) with a heat exchange surface of the lamellar type for example, and a motor-driven fan (5), a second heat exchange unit (6) including an evaporator (7) and pipes (9 and 10) for circulating the refrigerating liquid between the two units and condensation water recovered in a sump (11) disposed underneath the evaporator (7) and sent to a device for spraying the condenser (3),
   characterised in that, on the one hand, the spray device includes a manifold (15) having an open longitudinal channel (16), one end of which is closed off by a partition (18) and the other end (19) of which is connected to a water injection tube (20) and, on the other hand, a pumping means (21), the inlet orifice (22) of which is connected to a condensation-water induction tube (23) and the outlet orifice (24) of which is connected to the water injection tube, the said channel (16) having its opening (17) applied against the heat exchange surface (14) of the condenser (3).
2. Air conditioner according to Claim 1, characterised in that the manifold (15) has a semi-cylindrical shape, the external wall of which carries lugs (25) for fixing to the heat exchange surface (14), and the internal wall of which carries, close to the end (19), a projection (26) which is disposed in a longitudinal plane perpendicular to the end of the channel (16).
3. Air conditioner according to Claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the pumping means (21) is associated with a cyclic control device suitable for creating an intermittent flow of water in the water injection tube (20).
4. Air conditioner according to Claim 3, characterised in that the pumping means (21) comprises a high-output electric pump mounted on a tank (29) collecting condensation water coming from the pipe (10) and arranged underneath the condenser so as also to recover the runoff water from the spraying.
5. Air conditioner according to Claim 4, characterised in that the cyclic control device comprises a switch (31) mounted in the power supply circuit of the pump (21) and the closed or open state of which depends on the level of the water in the tank (29).
6. Air conditioner according to Claim 5, characterised in that the switch (31) comprises an operating button (32) operated by a lever (33) which is mounted pivoted (at 34) on the said switch and the free end (35) of which is connected rigidly to a float (36) arranged in the tank (29).
7. Air conditioner according to Claim 6, characterised in that the float (36) is mounted movably in a chamber (37) open at the side so that the water in this chamber follows the level of the water in the tank (29) without any disturbance.
8. Air conditioner according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the two heat exchange units (1 and 6) are arranged in two separate casings, the first unit (1) being arranged outside an occupied room and the second unit (6) being arranged in the said room, whilst the pipes 9 and 10 are arranged in a single conduit connecting the two units.

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