EP0772012A1 - Hydraulic connector between a boiler and at least two distributing circuits - Google Patents

Abstract

The assembly, designed for at least two consumer circuits branching in parallel from the boiler (1), consists of feed pipes (20,30) with circulation pumps (23,34), and return pipes (21,31) which are connected to the feed pipes through transverse branches (22,32). The lower ends of the two feed pipes are connected to the boiler through rigid connecting pipes (41,42) and a fixed distributor (6), while the lower ends of the return pipes are linked to a return distributor (7) through flexible connectors (45,46). Each of the distributors, connected to the feed and return pipes, has two branches which lie at an obtuse angle to one another, and at least one of the distributors can have an auxiliary outlet between the two branches.

Description

The invention relates to a hydraulic connection assembly between a boiler and at least two circuits for using the hot water produced by this boiler.

Currently, when you want to connect a boiler to several circuits of use, it is common to go through a collector-distributor which receives on one side the inputs and outputs of the distribution circuits and on the other the input and the output of the boiler circuit. This solution is bulky, rigid and expensive.

It is also possible to give rise to the circuits of use directly on the hot water outlet and cold water return orifices of the boiler by tappings at the rear of the boiler followed by conventional distributors in T or in rectangular trihedrons. . These circuits are also created by mounting on each orifice of the rear exchanger or near each of them an individual collector-distributor specific to each circuit as described in French Patent No. 2,264,252 in the name of New Heating Company.

Couples of two parallel branches are thus formed constituting the interface links with the circuits of use. These pairs of two parallel branches then develop in space to constitute the circuits of use. The interface links formed by the two branches are connected, some of them hydraulically, when the operating circuit requires a mixture of the starting water with the entering water.

For simple geometrical reasons, and because of their rigid nature, the hydraulic connection connections between the interface branches and the inlet and outlet orifices of the boiler, possibly provided with distributors, cannot be made conveniently without offset or without oblique sections completed by elbow fittings.

These solutions lead to mounting difficulty and prohibitive production times, not to mention the increased risk of leakage.

In addition, the necessary fittings are not always available.

In addition, the offset increases the size of the boiler towards the rear.

It is also possible, as in French patent no. 2,398,271, to use a box or a connection module connected on the one hand to the boiler and on the other hand to the different service circuits served in which the different connections are already realized.

If this technique makes it possible to centralize all the connections in the form of a single distribution module, it turns out to be bulky and offers neither the necessary flexibility of use nor the great variety sought for the arrangements and the orientations of the organs.

If we want to gain space, we must be able to have the branches of the same circuit in the general shape of an H located in the same plane transverse to the boiler and keep the orifices of the distributors also in the same plane located on as possible towards the rear façade plane of the boiler.

The question then arises immediately of the geometrical layout of the rigid connection links which is desired to be as simple and as compact as possible. The ideal consists in locating the lower ends of the interface branches in the same plane as the orifices of the distributors to which they are to be connected.

These necessarily rigid connection links must cross in the same plane. It then appears the physical need to dissociate them at the crossing point.

Various techniques are used: bending the tube into a police cap or double oblique deflection by fittings.

These constraints require special work which represents an additional cost and difficulty.

The object of the present invention is to remedy these drawbacks and to provide new advantages.

Its main purpose is to reduce the depth of the boiler room while presenting the possibility of modulating its width depending on the space available.

To this end, the invention relates to a set of hydraulic connections between a boiler and at least two use circuits from its inlet and outlet in hot water and from its interfaces for connection with the use circuits. each formed of a starting branch comprising at least one circulation pump and possibly a three-way mixing valve and of a return branch connected to the starting branch by a transverse branch in hydraulic communication or not with the adjacent starting branch characterized in that the lower end of the starting branch of each interface is connected to a starting distributor mounted on the starting outlet of the boiler by a rigid connection and in that the return branch of each interface is connected to a returning distributor mounted on the return of the boiler by a deformable link.

The present invention considerably simplifies the hydraulic connection of a boiler with its two operating circuits. It can be a radiator heating circuit and a domestic water heating circuit or two heating circuits, one by radiators, the other by floor.

The improvement comes from the simplicity of the means used which allow the installer to make the hydraulic connection in record time from already prepared assemblies.

Furthermore, the multiple possibilities of adaptations to the configuration of the circuit or to the particularities of presentation of the active or safety elements ensure the invention of universal use between any boiler with heat transfer fluid and two circuits of use.

The invention also makes it possible to significantly lower the total cost posed for the equipment in the boiler room.

It also provides the installer with greater ease in his hydraulic connection work with existing circuits during replacement or simplification in connections during new installations, because the multiple possibilities of presentation of the ends of the conduits allow '' use standard or shorter connections with the user circuits.

Finally, the invention makes it possible to significantly reduce the size of the boiler room towards the rear.

• . la figure 1 est une vue générale simplifiée en perspective montrant de façon schématique le corps de chauffe et son interface entre le dernier échangeur et les circuits d'utilisation ;
• . la figure 2 est une vue de détail montrant une des liaisons flexibles et son environnement ;
• . la figure 3 est une vue de détail montrant l'ensemble d'interface avec mélange entre le retour et le départ ;
• . les figures 4 et 5 sont des vues en perspective de deux types de distributeurs ;
• . la figure 6 est une vue composite selon une succession de schémas illustrant les principales possibilités de présentation des interfaces.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear in the description which follows, given by way of example and accompanied by the drawings in which:

• . Figure 1 is a simplified general perspective view showing schematically the heater and its interface between the last exchanger and the circuits of use;
• . Figure 2 is a detail view showing one of the flexible connections and its environment;
• . Figure 3 is a detail view showing the assembly interface with mixing between return and departure;
• . Figures 4 and 5 are perspective views of two types of dispensers;
• . FIG. 6 is a composite view according to a succession of diagrams illustrating the main possibilities of presentation of the interfaces.

The present invention applies to all types of heat transfer fluid boilers, either with conventional cast iron exchangers known as sectionable, or of another constitution.

Likewise, the invention is not limited to the hydraulic connection of the boiler to a heating circuit by radiators and to a floor heating circuit but on the contrary extends to all the possible use circuits that it acts of domestic water heating or any other use. In addition, it is possible to envisage, as will be seen below, more than two circuits.

The boilers that can be used in the context of the invention all have a heating body 1 and at the rear a heated water outlet called hot water outlet 2 and a cold water inlet called return 3 conventionally located in the lower position. .

These outlets and inlets 2, 3 are optionally extended by extensions 4, 5 each leading to a distributor 6 respectively for starting and returning 7.

The distributors used in the present invention comprise at least three channels, for some four channels or more depending on the number of circuits envisaged and of indicating or safety devices to be connected.

They are of the type shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

They include a main section generally referenced by 8 for a main track arrival or departure, represented by a reentrant arrow. This main section 8 can be a first vertical section 9 (Figure 4) or horizontal 10 (Figure 5). The body of the dispenser then develops along two adjacent sections 11 and 12 arranged for example at the same level, at an opening angle α not necessarily, but preferably obtuse, for example 120 °. This angle value α allows the variant of Figure 5 to present a regular angular arrangement of opening angles equal to 120 ° between the different sections. The adjacent sections 11 and 12 allow connection with the use circuits. There exists on at least one of the distributors an additional vertical section 13 opening at the end according to a monitoring output 14 which allows the connection of a control or security member or that of indicators, for example a manometric assembly 15 with discharge and thermometer.

An additional section 16 can be provided between the two adjacent sections 11 and 12 for an auxiliary outlet 17, for example the boiler drain valve or a valve with safety discharge (not shown).

We will now refer more particularly to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3.

The connection assembly according to the invention consists of two distributors 6 and 7, various connections and at least two interfaces 18 and 19 with the circuits for using the boiler.

It goes without saying that the number of interfaces and therefore of circuits of use can be greater than two and is only limited by physical considerations.

Each interface is specific to the operating circuit to which it is connected. It includes passive hydraulic elements and active hydraulic elements.

In the case of the interface 18 specific to the radiator heating circuit, this may include a flow branch 20 coming from a channel of the flow distributor 6 and a return branch 21, for example hydraulically independent of the flow branch. In this case, it is held mechanically by a dry transverse branch 22 secured at each of its ends to one of the outgoing 20 and return 21 branches.

Conventionally, the outgoing branch 20 comprises a circulation pump 23.

In the case of a need to mix the starting water with the return water, the transverse branch 22 becomes hydraulically passable and a three-way type mixing valve is provided at its connection with the branch departure (case not shown for this interface).

Temperature indicators 24 and 25 for flow and return water as well as stop valves 26, 27 are further provided on each branch below the connections of the upper ends 28, 29 shown in FIG. 6 .

The interface 19 specific to the underfloor heating circuit will also include a flow branch 30 and a return branch 31. These will necessarily be hydraulically connected to each other by a transverse branch 32 leading to the flow branch 30 to a mixing valve 33 three tracks placed upstream of a circulation pump 34.

Water temperature indicators 35, 36 for flow and return water are also provided, as well as shut-off valves 37, 38 at the connections of the upper ends 39, 40 shown in FIG. 6.

• . la branche départ de l'interface est reliée au distributeur départ 6 par une liaison rigide 41, 42 suffisamment solide mécaniquement pour supporter la branche départ 20, 30 avec ses organes hydrauliques actifs. L'extrémité supérieure de cette liaison rigide est raccordée à l'extrémité inférieure de la branche de départ par un raccordement à orientation omnidirectionnelle 43, 44, par exemple un emmanchement conique.
• . la branche retour 21, 31 est reliée au distributeur retour 7 par un conduit déformable 45, 46, par exemple, un conduit souple sous la forme d'un flexible représenté de façon schématique comme un ressort sur les figures 1 et 2. Ce conduit est suffisamment déformable pour permettre d'immobiliser la branche retour 21, 31 dans diverses positions situées sur un même cercle autour de la branche départ, positions déterminées par la longueur de la liaison transversale avec la branche départ.

Upwards, the interfaces 18 and 19 are connected to the corresponding operating circuit by simple connectors. Down, depending on the mode of preferred execution, the interfaces are connected to the distributors as follows:

• . the start branch of the interface is connected to the start distributor 6 by a rigid link 41, 42 which is mechanically strong enough to support the start branch 20, 30 with its active hydraulic members. The upper end of this rigid connection is connected to the lower end of the starting branch by an omnidirectional connection 43, 44, for example a conical fitting.
• . the return branch 21, 31 is connected to the return distributor 7 by a deformable conduit 45, 46, for example, a flexible conduit in the form of a flexible shown schematically as a spring in Figures 1 and 2. This conduit is sufficiently deformable to allow the return branch 21, 31 to be immobilized in various positions located on the same circle around the starting branch, positions determined by the length of the transverse connection with the starting branch.

Of course, the invention extends to the opposite case, that is to say one in which the interfaces are connected to the distributors by reversing the flexible connections. The latter then connect the outgoing distributor 6 to the outgoing branches 20 or 30 while the return branch 21 or 31 is each time connected by a rigid connection to the return distributor 7.

The invention allows a wide variety of presentations partially illustrated by the composite figure 6 relating only to the series with cross provision.

It can be seen in this figure that, depending on the case, there is a large variety of presentations of the plans defined by the outgoing and returning branches of the two interfaces with respect to the boiler.

These possibilities come from the omnidirectional junction 43, 44 existing between the starting branch 20, 30 of the interfaces, and the rigid connection 41, 42 with the starting distributor. As indicated, it is not a rotary joint, but a connection, for example, with a conical seat which allows before tightening of assembly to orient one part relative to the other. In the case of the variant, an omnidirectional connector 43 or 44 is provided at the bottom of each return branch 21 or 31.

This orientation is not angularly limited due to the deformable nature of the connection to the return distributor or to the departure distributor in order to provide many of the advantages mentioned above for the majority of them.

Claims (10)

Hydraulic connection assembly between a boiler and at least two operating circuits connected in parallel between the hot water inlet and outlet of the boiler, circuits each starting with a connection interface (18) or (19) each formed of '' a flow branch (20) or (30) comprising at least one circulation pump (23) or (34) and possibly a three-way mixing valve and a return branch (21) or (31) connected to the branch feeder by a transverse branch (22) or (32) characterized in that the lower end of the feeder branch (20) or (30) of each interface (18) or (19) is connected to a feeder distributor (6 ) mounted on the boiler outlet outlet by a rigid link (41) or (42) and in that the return branch (21) or (31) of each interface (18) or (19) is connected to a distributor return (7) mounted on the return inlet of the boiler by a deformable link. Connection assembly according to claim 1 characterized in that a deformable connection is provided between the starting distributor (6) and each starting branch (20) or (30) of each interface (18) or (19), and in that that the return distributor (7) is connected to each return branch (21) or (31) by a rigid connection. Connection assembly according to claim 1 or 2 characterized in that the distributors have a main inlet or outlet section (9) or (10) and two adjacent sections (11) or (12). Connection assembly according to claim 3 characterized in that the adjacent sections (11) or (12) are open to each other at an obtuse angle. Connection set according to claim 3 characterized in that at least one of the distributors (6) or (7) has an auxiliary outlet (17) between the adjacent sections (11) or (12). Connection assembly according to claim 3 characterized in that at least one of the distributors (6) or (7) has a monitoring output (14) perpendicular to the plane of the two adjacent sections (11) or (12). Connection assembly according to claim 3 characterized in that at least one of the distributors (6) or (7) has an additional section (13) perpendicular to the plane defined by the two adjacent sections (11) or (12). Connection assembly according to claim 1 characterized in that the lower end of the starting branch (20) or (30) of each interface (18) or (19) is mounted on the rigid link (41) or (42) which connects it to the flow distributor (6) according to an omnidirectional connection (43) or (44). Connection assembly according to claim 2 characterized in that the lower end of each return branch (21) or (31) is mounted on the rigid link which connects it to the return distributor (7) by an omnidirectional connection. Connection assembly according to Claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the omnidirectional connection has a conical fitting.

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