EP1176369B1 - Supply assembly between a generator which brings a fluid to a basic temperature and at least two circuits using this fluid at different temperatures - Google Patents

Abstract

The feed system, comprising a heat or cold generator (1) and a distribution interface, has a common feed coupling for two or more circuits, while the interface is in the form of a manifold assembly (17) with at least two distributors. The assembly has an upstream distributor (23) and a downstream distributor (24) mounted in series in the generator's primary load circuit and separated by a circulating pump (25). The chambers of the upstream distributor are connected by a controlled variable flow unit (43), while those in the downstream distributor are connected by a passage (50).

Description

The present invention relates to a power supply of at least two circuits use of a fluid brought to a temperature of base by a heat or cold generator. This power pack includes regulated manifold dual temperature ensuring the interface between the generator and the circuits for using heat or cold operating at different temperatures.

The invention relates more particularly to a power supply between a generator by example of hot water and at least two circuits of heat use at temperatures different.

An application will be described below in the heating area of a single house. It is of course this invention applies to well other areas as far as it is at minus two circuits of use of the same fluid at different temperatures produced from a single heat or cold generator.

Heating with hot water is taken here as a descriptive example without rendering it limiting. On the contrary, the invention remains valid and applicable in many other areas.

The so-called underfloor heating is considerably developed in recent years for individual houses because it constitutes in the majority of cases the most suitable solution for provide a significant degree of comfort with regard to concerns the component of well-being linked to heating.

This very comfortable heating mode puts using one or more duct layouts heat carriers according to arrangements and figures in layers in various simple shapes or combined. These conduits are intended to be embedded in the floor structure of the rooms to be heated. In these conduits circulates from hot water to relatively low temperature in the heating sector, by example around 20-40 ° C.

This arrangement of conduits or tubes constitutes a heat emitting network which heats the floor screed and through it the interior volume of the corresponding part in a sufficiently uniform so that the occupant (s) feel superior comfort compared to other modes of heating.

It often exists in parallel in the same housing unit or in the same complex living or working rooms or spaces which for various technical reasons are heated otherwise, for example only by radiators requiring hot water at higher temperature located in the 60-80 ° C range, or mixed by the floor and by radiators.

For reasons of simplification and cost, there is usually only one generator hot water, for example a single boiler for two hot water heating circuits of different uses.

This mix of modes leads to creation an interface grouping the collector functions and mixer, for example in the form of a prefabricated assembly on which it suffices to perform the different connections.

For reasons of economy, when this interface assembly comes with the boiler it installed by the installer of the boiler near it.

Departures from distribution channels must be carried out near the boiler, i.e. away from the user circuits, or distribution subunits must be provided, which significantly increases the cost of installation. For aesthetic reasons, we come to pass distribution tubes under the house to reach technically the pieces invisibly from inside the house.

We are therefore obliged, because of the distribution circuits starting from the boiler, mount the regulator near the boiler.

At this location, the regulator cannot ensure correct regulation of circuits.

In addition, any repairs prove difficult due to the difficulty of access and dismantling temporarily condemning all circuit.

In recent installations, there are from installers a request to place the collector in the middle of the house for better distribute and often backwards for feed the top pieces more easily.

This provision however imposes a plurality of pipes ensuring connections with the one for each type of heating, i.e. a low temperature connection for heating through the ground and a higher temperature bond for heating by radiators.

• le montage est plus long et plus compliqué,
• ces liaisons apparentes ne sont pas esthétiques,
• elles ne sont pas accessibles sur la majorité de leur tracé.

This arrangement, which requires at least two outward and return lines of connecting piping, has many disadvantages:

• the assembly is longer and more complicated,
• these apparent connections are not aesthetic,
• they are not accessible on the majority of their route.

We know the publication of the request European EP 0 309 440 in the name of SCHWARZ Aloïse relating to a heating installation for two circuits including one with low temperature hot water for underfloor heating and the other with hot water at higher temperature for heating by radiators.

This invention relates to a double collector enclosed in a thermally insulating box.

The hydraulic inlet of this box is a single round trip connection to the nearby boiler and the exit serves three circuits: one for underfloor heating and the other two for the heating by radiators. The starting collectors are also three in number, while there is no only one return collector accepting both return of radiators than return of the floor (s) heating.

There is a thermostatic or variable flow by an overflow valve mounted between back and forth, which allows to drift towards the part of the incoming flow.

This technical solution does not solve the problem posed due to the difficulty regulating and lowering the temperature of the circuit or circuits corresponding to heating by floor.

Indeed, the collector supplying this circuit is connected directly to the hot water supply.

Furthermore, there is not really a mixing system, but a simple device for diverting the incoming flow. We know from the publication EP 1 020 687 SUPELLEX an installation for mixing and distribution in a closed loop of a heat transfer medium. According to this invention, two heat or cold sources are coupled to two hydraulic separators W _K and W _W to supply two regulation loops.

This feeding is carried out through three rooms, one cold K lower, the other hot H located above and a third return R located between the two.

Each control loop has three terminal branches each consisting of a branch cold start KV, hot branch start HV and a return branch with a pump circulation U discharging in a cross circuit is continuing laterally towards the other branches to through a three-way valve as shown and to the return either in the return room or in either or both cold or hot branches.

This invention shows the existence of two regulation loops from a complex set with two splitters, but using elements and known components.

We find in this invention the cited disadvantages of the proximity of a set generator or separator with respect to the loops of regulation which implies a longer and more mounting complicated and above all less precise regulation in reason for the distance between the regulatory bodies and receptors.

The power assembly comprising a bi-temperature regulated collector according to the invention a intended to remedy these various drawbacks.

• la figure 1 est une vue schématique d'ensemble d'une habitation montrant la distribution entre deux circuits de chauffage, l'un par radiateurs, l'autre par le sol, et une chaudière selon la technique antérieure à la présente invention ;
• la figure 2 est la même vue schématique d'ensemble montrant la distribution entre les mêmes deux circuits de chauffage et une chaudière en utilisant l'ensemble collecteur bi-température ;
• la figure 3 est un schéma d'ensemble illustrant l'ensemble collecteur bi-température et ses organes l'environnant ;
• la figure 4 est le schéma du deuxième collecteur dans sa version avec clapet anti-retour.

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

• Figure 1 is a schematic overview of a house showing the distribution between two heating circuits, one by radiators, the other by the floor, and a boiler according to the technique prior to the present invention;
• Figure 2 is the same schematic overview showing the distribution between the same two heating circuits and a boiler using the dual temperature collector assembly;
• Figure 3 is an overall diagram illustrating the bi-temperature collector assembly and its surrounding bodies;
• Figure 4 is the diagram of the second collector in its version with non-return valve.

As already indicated, we will take as an example description of a heating application in the context mixed use in underfloor and underfloor heating radiators with two circuits and a boiler the interior of a dwelling house or building.

It is understood that the invention is not not limited to this type of application, but that it targets many others even beyond those mentioned below.

In the example described, the present invention relates to a regulated manifold supply assembly dual temperature ensuring the interface between a source of heat, for example a hot water boiler and minus two circuits of use at temperatures different.

It could just as well be two cooling circuits and not heating.

Thus, an application will be described below. heating without excluding others applications such as industrial, for example in the food industry or in the field of cooking or maintaining or reheating dishes and many other applications, for example the cleaning or laundry.

As shown in Figure 1, a mixed heating system consists conventionally from a single boiler 1 distant from two types of use circuits one 2 by radiators such as 3, and the other 4 by at least one underfloor heating such as 5 formed of a plane figure in sheet 6 representing the layout of a tube 7 transporting the heat transfer fluid.

The radiators 3 conventionally comprising thermostatic valves 8 are connected by connections individual hydraulic feeds 9, 10 and 11 to a riser 12 through manifolds floors such as 13 and 14. The riser 12 is specific to the heating circuit by radiators 3. This riser 12 starts from the upper circuit boiler temperature 1.

The heating floor 5 is connected through other floor collectors such as 15 to a column rising 16 starting from the low temperature circuit of the boiler 1.

We notice in this classic arrangement the use of two risers 12 and 16 distinct specific to each heating mode, namely by radiators and by heated floor (s).

The present invention avoids the double hydraulic connection between the boiler and the point of birth of distribution channels to elements and devices for dissipating the heat by creating a primary circuit containing a bi-temperature regulated manifold assembly.

The invention starts from the inventive principle which consists in connecting a calorie or frigories transmitted to a fluid brought to a base temperature at least two circuits operating at two temperatures of different uses and this through a link single feed hydraulic connecting this generator to a manifold assembly from which the distribution of heat transfer fluid supplying these at least two circuits.

We will now describe the invention in its environment.

According to the descriptive example, the boiler 1 is hydraulically connected to a manifold assembly 17 by a single 18 high water supply link temperature corresponding to that required for radiators 3. This unique hydraulic connection supply 18 consists of two conduits including one, the outward path 19, starts from the normal exit of heating of the boiler known as the heating flow outlet 20 at maximum temperature for heating by radiators and the other, the return duct 21, is connected to the return input 22 of the boiler 1 for the admission of the fluid for its reheating.

The circuits of use are in the example used for descriptive purposes two in number and of the type of those already described, namely a circuit of heating by radiators such as 3 and a circuit heating by one or more heated floors such than 5, a system more generally called heating by floor.

The underfloor heating circuit uses water at low temperature of the order of 20 ° C to 40 ° C while the heating circuit by radiators such that 3 uses hot water at a higher temperature high between 60 ° C and 80 ° C, i.e. approximately double the temperature used for the first underfloor heating circuit.

The unique hydraulic feed link 18 from boiler 1 allows placing the manifold assembly 17 as close as possible to the circuits of use in order to simplify assembly, to house this collector assembly in a suitable place of the house and save the lengths of tubing distribution to the rooms as shown in the figure 2.

The manifold assembly 17 is enclosed in a thermally insulated box (not shown). Due of the small number of components, it can be realized in a compact version.

This small footprint allows it to be placed in restricted places, i.e. low extended in the house, hardly usable for others needs.

In detail, the bi-temperature regulated collector consists of different elements following.

Two distributor blocks, one upstream 23 and the other downstream 24 hydraulically separated by a pump traffic 25 form with single bond supply 18 a primary charging circuit 26 outside the boiler. This primary circuit 26 comprises a boiler circulator 27 placed at inside the boiler casing or at the outlet from the start 20 of the boiler 1. The primary circuit outside 26 is looped on the boiler 1 by the return duct 21. The outlet ducts 19 and return 21 together form the hydraulic connection single supply 18 connecting the boiler 1 to the manifold assembly 17.

Is grafted onto this external primary circuit 26 a regulator or regulation module 28 connected by a first detection line 29 to a probe thermal flow temperature 30 inserted in the primary circuit 26. The regulator 28 controls the operation of the circulation pump 25. A safety aquastat 31 is mounted in series downstream of the thermal probe 30. The regulator 28 is also connected by a second detection line 32 to a probe outdoor 33 located in a sheltered place at the exterior of the dwelling or building.

Safety aquastat 31 protects the underfloor heating system by stopping the circulation pump 25 during overheating.

As a security measure, a first bypass 34 short-circuiting the circulation pump 25 in the event of total closure of all radiators 3. This branch 34 shown in lines broken is normally closed. Its opening is controlled for example by the thermostatic valve 8 one of the radiators. A second diversion is planned short-circuit 35 shunting the output conduits the boiler downstream of the boiler circulator 27. These diversions relieve the pumps when the different operating circuits are closed.

Each upstream distributor block 23 or downstream distributor block 24 consists of two chambers, one starting and the other back, for each of the two usage circuits, for example the heating circuit by radiators and that of underfloor heating.

For reasons of descriptive clarity, we will call rooms those of the upstream distributor 23 and compartments those of the downstream distributor 24.

Each room or compartment has inlet or outlet ports fitted with fittings for the connection respectively of a series of tubes of distribution and recovery of hot water from underfloor heating or other use circuits to a first temperature and a series of tubes of distribution and recovery of hot water from radiators or other single-use circuits second temperature according to two temperature ranges one low and the other high respectively.

More specifically, the upstream distributor block 23 comprises a starting manifold 36 formed of a first supply chamber 37 for radiators 3 in which the water is that coming from the boiler at a temperature preferably between 80 ° C-90 ° C. A series of tubes constitutes the start 38 of the loops supply circuits to radiators 3.

The upstream distributor block 23 also includes a return collector 39 formed by a second chamber said receiving chamber 40 for the return water from loops of the underfloor heating circuits by a series of tubes forming the returns 41 of the loops of the underfloor heating circuits.

These two supply chambers 37 and reception 40 communicate hydraulically with each other in the direction of water circulation in the circuit primary 26 through an intermediate compartment 42 flow with variable flow and adjustable on command equipped for example for this purpose with a controlled organ of flow control, for example a motorized valve 43 controlled by the installation management system of heater. It can be for example a device communication 44 with adjustable flow and controllable by the regulator 28 of the drawer and baffle type or variable position plug driven in displacement by an external electric motor 45.

The function of this debit communication 44 variable is to get into the room of receiving 40 high temperature hot water in variable and adjustable quantity according to needs of the underfloor heating circuit (s) for increase by mixing the temperature of the water underfloor heating. This water comes from the room adjacent supply 37 of radiators 3 and the reception room 40 additionally has the function of mixer.

Exit from reception room 40 communicates with the circulation pump 25, the operation is controlled by the regulator or module 28 depending on the value of the outdoor temperature supplied by the outdoor sensor 33 and the water temperature at its entry into the downstream distributor block 24 informed at regulation module 28 by the thermal probe 30.

The intermediate compartment 42 with flow variable has an additional departure 46 to a particular heating circuit by one or more radiator (s) corresponding to a different flow or to the return of the boiler.

The downstream distributor block 24 is also divided into two rooms called compartments. We distinguishes a starting compartment 47 from the circuits of underfloor heating and a return compartment 48 heating circuits by radiators 3. This last compartment has a direct exit to the boiler through the return duct 21.

The start compartment 47 communicates laterally with the branch of the internal circuit of the manifold assembly 17 downstream of the circulation 25. In the basic version, both compartments 47 and 48 are hydraulically isolated by a transverse partition wall 49 having a hydraulic communication passage 50 represented by an interruption crossed by an arrow in the figure 3.

Compartments 47 and 48 have exits or side entrances each equipped with a fitting for connecting the ends of the loops heating circuits by radiators 3 or by the floor in each of the rooms thus equipped. he for departure compartment 47, series 51 of tubes forming the births of the loops of the underfloor heating circuits. For the return compartment 48 arrivals 52 loops heating circuit by radiators 3.

In a variant shown in the figure 4, the hydraulic communication passage 50 through the partition wall 49 between the two compartments 47 and 48 is closed by a non-return element by example a non-return valve 53 mounted passing through the direction from departure compartment 47 to compartment return valve 48. This non-return valve 53 makes it possible to avoid the passage of water from the return compartment 48 to the starting compartment 47 in the case of a circulator-boiler 27 more powerful than the pump traffic 25.

We will now explain how it works overall heating installation including the bi-temperature regulated collector supply assembly.

The single boiler 1 generally located in a place of dependence or the cellar of the home, delivers hot water at a temperature high for example 90 ° C at the manifold assembly 17. This water is brought for example under low pressure thanks to the circulator-boiler 27 and by the connection single hydraulic 18 to the manifold assembly 17. The upstream distributor block 23 receives this water by its first room 37 from where it goes to the radiators 3 through multiple distribution conduits. The radiators 3 each equipped with a thermostatic valve 8 receive this variable rate hot water dosed by thermostatic valves 8 according to the needs of the moment i.e. the instantaneous temperature of the room. Hot water having passed through each radiator 3 is led by the corresponding return loop of the heating circuit by radiators 3 to the return compartment 48 of the downstream distributor block 24. Under the effect of the circulator-boiler 27, it circulates in the heating circuit and then returns to the boiler 1 to be heated there.

A certain amount of water at high variable temperature and flow through the block upstream distributor 23 through the passage of the compartment intermediate 42 to mix in the room 40 with the return water from the loops of the underfloor heating circuit for its reinjection into the underfloor heating circuit. This water is forced under low pressure by the pump traffic 25 to departure compartment 47 of downstream distributor block 24 to supply the circuit underfloor heating.

The excess water, i.e. the quantity of water which was used by mixing in the room of reception 40 to raise the water temperature back from the underfloor heating circuit before feedback into the circuit is transferred through the hydraulic passage 50 to return compartment 48 serving as a return manifold for the radiators.

Temperature regulation at the heating circuits can be carried out according to different laws implemented by the regulator 28.

It constantly knows the temperature outside taken in a sheltered place outside the house or building as well as the temperature the outlet water from the boiler which is controlled conventionally by a doubled boiler flow sensor a safety aquastat. We also know the temperature of the water supplying the distributor block downstream 24 by the flow temperature sensor and then that of the underfloor heating circuit. It is this circuit which we wish to regulate the water temperature. Depending on the temperature outside and a reference temperature corresponding to this outside temperature, we controls the motorized valve 43 to inject more or less high temperature water in the second room i.e. reception room 40 of the block upstream distributor 23.

Of course, conventionally we will regulate the temperature of the water leaving the boiler, i.e. the level of the high water temperature of heating by radiators and this depending on the outside temperature.

For this purpose, depending on the temperature outside, the operation of the burner or the boiler ramp to maintain a level predetermined high water temperature according to the current outdoor temperature or its average over a certain duration.

The invention has been described in connection with a heating application with two modes different, one by radiators and the other by the floor structure. However it is not found limited to these apps alone and many more are possible in all areas where the heat provided by hot water at two temperature levels can be used, for example cooking, reheating and temperature maintenance of dishes, laundry, hydrotherapy ...

In addition, the invention is in no way limited with two distributor blocks. On the contrary, the number of distribution blocks may vary as well as that of circuits of use and thereby the number of different temperatures of use.

Claims (8)

1. Supply assembly comprising the production, the provision and the distribution of heat or cold for at least two operating circuits at different operating temperatures, that is to say, at least a first operating circuit at a first operating temperature and a second operating circuit at a second operating temperature, comprising a heat or cold generator (1) which carries a fluid at a base temperature, a distribution interface and a supply connection between the generator (1) and the distribution interface, characterised in that the supply connection (18) which exists between the generator (1) for fluid at the base temperature and the distribution interface is the only supply connection for all the operating circuits and comprises a flow branch (19) and a return branch (21); in that the generator (1), the distribution interface and the supply connection (18) together form a primary load circuit (26) for the generator; in that the interface is composed of a collector assembly (17) which is formed by at least two distributor blocks, one being located upstream (23) and the other downstream (24), which are arranged in series in the primary load circuit (26) for the generator (1) and are separated by a circulation pump (25), the inlet of the upstream distributor block (23) receiving the fluid which originates from the flow branch (19) of the primary circuit (26) of the generator (1) and the outlet of the downstream distributor block (24) being connected to the return branch (21) of the primary circuit (26) of the generator (1); in that the upstream distributor block (23) comprises a first chamber and a second chamber which are a supply chamber (37) for the second operating circuit and a receiving chamber (40) for the first operating circuit, respectively, and which communicate with each other in the circulation direction of the fluid in the primary circuit (26) via a connection (44) having an adjustable flow rate which allows fluid at the second temperature to be injected at a variable flow rate into the receiving chamber (40) of the upstream distribution block (23), the outlet of this upstream distributor block (23) being connected to the circulation pump (25) and the first chamber (37) opening into the supply pipes of the second operating circuit for the fluid at the second temperature and the second chamber (40) receiving the return pipes of the first operating circuit with fluid at the first operating temperature; and in that the downstream distributor block (24') comprises an output compartment (47) and a return compartment (48) which communicate hydraulically with each other and which are connected, in the case of the first compartment, to the output pipes of the first operating circuit for the fluid at the first operating temperature and, in the case of the second compartment, to the return pipes of the second operating circuit for the fluid at the second operating temperature.
2. Assembly according to claim 1, characterised in that the first temperature is lower than the second temperature.
3. Assembly according to claim 1, characterised in that the first temperature is higher than the second temperature.
4. Assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the connection (44) having an adjustable flow rate is an intermediate compartment (42) which is equipped with a flow-rate control device (43) which is controlled by a regulation control system.
5. Assembly according to the preceding claim, characterised in that the device (43) is motorised.
6. Assembly according to claim 1, characterised in that the output compartment (47) and the return compartment (48) of the downstream distribution block (24) are separated by a transverse wall (49) which has a passage (50) for hydraulic communication.
7. Supply assembly according to the preceding claim, characterised in that the passage (50) for hydraulic communication between the output compartment (47) and the return compartment (48) of the downstream distribution block (24) is equipped with a non-return element (53) which is arranged so as to extend from the output compartment (47) towards the return compartment (48).
8. Supply assembly according to claim 1, characterised in that a thermal sensor (30) for the starting temperature is arranged between the circulation pump (25) and the: downstream distributor block (24) and is connected to a regulator (28) which is itself connected to an external sensor (33) in order to control the circulation pump (25).

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