EP3499164B1 - Radiator with heat-transfer fluid with even distribution of heat on façade - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to the field of heat transfer fluid radiators, and relates more particularly to a heat transfer fluid radiator with uniform distribution of heat on the facade.

FR-A-2932551 as well as FR-A-2925374 both disclose a radiator according to the preamble of claim 1.

Heat transfer fluid radiators generally comprise a first pipe, a second pipe, parallel to the first pipe, and a plurality of hollow blades fluidly connected, by orifices, to the first and second pipes and generally perpendicular to the latter. . In particular, the blades are arranged in front of the pipes and constitute the front of the radiator.

This type of radiator is currently used in a closed circuit configuration, in which heating means such as electrical resistance type are provided in the first pipe and the pipes are not connected to an external source of heat transfer fluid. It is therefore an electric heater. In operation, the heating means heat the fluid in the first pipe, which, due to the thermosiphon phenomenon, sets the fluid in motion to circulate it in the blades and the pipes, where the fluid will lose heat in it. yielding to the environment.

Such electric heaters have the drawback of providing a distribution of heat to the environment which is not uniform. In fact, with such a configuration, the fluid is hot in the first pipe and the corresponding end region of the blades and cold in the other end region of the blades. blades and the second pipe, and it will easily be understood that the heat distribution is therefore high in a first part of the facade and low in the remaining part of the facade.

This therefore results in a strong thermal gradient which may be uncomfortable for the user and which may in certain cases force the radiator to consume more electrical power in order to reach a target value, for example for the temperature actually felt by the user.

In the most disadvantageous cases, such a target temperature may not be achievable due to the maximum value imposed for the surface temperature of the blades in order to avoid any risk of burns to the user who would touch the blades. For example, the maximum surface temperature threshold not to be exceeded, at any point on the slats, may be 85 ° C.

Such considerations may have led to increasing the surface area of the facade, and therefore that of the slats, and thus to increasing the dimensions of the radiators.

There is therefore a need for an electric radiator with heat transfer fluid which has better temperature uniformity of the facade.

The applicant company proposes to solve this problem by the use of additional tubes fluidly connected at least to the low pipe as well as to at least one blade, directly or indirectly, so as to modify, compared to what the 'we find in the prior art, the path followed by the heat transfer fluid by causing it to flow in the tubes and then into the blades, and no longer by causing it to flow directly into the blades.

Indeed, the applicant company has noticed that, unexpectedly, it is possible to improve the uniformity of the surface temperature of the facade, in other words to reduce the thermal gradient, by improving the circulation of the heat transfer fluid. in the blades, and that this circulation was hampered by the fact that the flow at the level of the passage between the first pipe and each blade is limited because of the small diameter of the orifices imposed by a connection of the blades to the first pipe.

The additional tubes make it possible to bypass this limitation of the flow rate between the pipe and the at least one blade and to bring hot heat transfer fluid into the end region of the blades which is located on the side opposite to that where the heating means are present. . The additional tubes also provide an additional surface in contact with the environment, which makes it possible to add a heat exchange by convection which contributes to the greater efficiency of the radiator according to the present invention.

It has also been found that this ensures a circulation of the fluid which is much better than in the prior art, to such an extent that a temperature uniformity is obtained at the front. This makes it possible, for example, to have a more compact device with the same performance in temperature and in electrical power, or a better heating effect at a given electrical power.

The applicant company has also noticed that the solution according to the present invention is not limited to electric heaters, in a closed circuit, but that it could very well be applied to a heat sink. open circuit forming part of a central heating system.

The present invention therefore relates to a heat transfer fluid radiator comprising a first pipe, a second pipe and a facade assembly forming a facade of the radiator, the facade assembly comprising a plurality of hollow blades which are in fluid communication with the first and second pipes, the radiator being characterized in that it further comprises several tubes, called distribution tubes, which are located behind the facade assembly and which are in fluid communication on the one hand with the first pipe and, on the other hand , with at least one blade of the facade assembly, in at least one location in the upper part of the at least one blade, said at least one location being in the part of the at least one blade which is located in the vicinity of the second pipe, so as to allow the heat transfer fluid, in operation, to enter the distribution tubes from the first pipe, to flow along the distribution tubes, then to enter the at least one blade and flow along the at least one blade before re-entering the first pipe.

Preferably, each distribution tube is in fluid communication with the first conduit via a first passage and the blades are in fluid communication with the first conduit each via a second passage, the cross section of the first passage and the internal cross section of the at least one distribution tube being equal to or greater than the cross section of the second passages. Provide that at least the internal cross section of the distribution tubes is greater than that of the second passage makes it possible to limit the number of distribution tubes which is necessary to obtain sufficient uniformity of the heat distribution on the facade.

Preferably, the radiator comprises, for each blade, at least one distribution tube located behind said blade.

Still more preferably, the radiator comprises, for each blade, two distribution tubes each located behind a respective one of the two longitudinal edge regions of said blade.

Preferably, a gap is present between each distribution tube and the blade behind which it is located. Providing such an interval makes it possible to further increase the heat exchange by convection between the distribution tubes and the environment.

The distribution tubes could be in direct fluid communication with the at least one blade, ie the distribution tubes would open directly into at least one blade. However, according to a particular preferred configuration of the radiator according to the present invention, the distribution tubes are in fluid communication with the at least one blade via the second pipe, and for this purpose the distribution tubes open into the second. conduct.

The pipes can be horizontal and the blades can be vertical. Of course, one could provide pipes which are vertical and blades which are horizontal.

Each aforementioned fluidic communication location between two elements among the first and second conduits, the blades and each distribution tube, is formed by an orifice in a first of these two elements. and by an orifice in the second of these two elements, which orifices being aligned with one another.

Preferably, the blades are assembled to the distribution tubes by welding or soldering.

The first and second conduits can be closed at their ends, so that the radiator is in a closed circuit, electric heating means being provided in the first conduit, the radiator thus being an electric radiator.

However, as indicated above, the solution according to the present invention is not limited to an electric radiator, in closed circuit, but it could quite be applied to an open circuit radiator forming part of a heating system. central. Thus, alternatively, the first conduit may be open at one end, which is configured to be connected to a hot coolant inlet pipe, and the second conduit may be open at one end, which is configured to be connected to. a coolant outlet pipe, so that the radiator is in open circuit.

In order to better illustrate the subject of the present invention, a particular embodiment will be described below, by way of illustration and without limitation, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

• la Figure 1 est une vue schématique en perspective de l'avant d'un radiateur selon un mode de réalisation de la présente invention ;
• les Figures 2 et 3 sont des vues schématiques en plan respectivement de l'arrière et de l'avant du radiateur de la Figure 1 ;
• la Figure 4 est une vue schématique en coupe horizontale à travers la conduite de sortie de fluide caloporteur, suivant le plan de coupe IV-IV ;
• la Figure 5 est une vue schématique en coupe verticale suivant le plan de coupe V-V, passant par l'axe d'un tube de répartition ; et
• la Figure 6 est une vue schématique de détail de la partie supérieure encerclée de la Figure 5.

On these drawings:

• the Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of the front of a radiator according to one embodiment of the present invention;
• the Figures 2 and 3 are schematic plan views respectively of the rear and the front of the radiator of the Figure 1 ;
• the Figure 4 is a schematic horizontal sectional view through the coolant outlet pipe, along the section plane IV-IV;
• the Figure 5 is a schematic view in vertical section along the section plane VV, passing through the axis of a distribution tube; and
• the Figure 6 is a detailed schematic view of the circled upper part of the Figure 5 .

It is emphasized here that the radiator according to a particular embodiment of the present invention is shown schematically in the drawings, so as to illustrate the principle underlying the present invention.

If we first refer to the Figures 1 and 2 , it can be seen that an electric heat-transfer fluid radiator 1, hereinafter referred to as radiator 1 for the sake of brevity, conventionally comprises, in the lower part a lower pipe 2 and in the upper part an upper pipe 3, connected fluidly by a plurality of vertical hollow blades 4 forming the front of the radiator 1.

The radiator 1 being in a closed circuit, heating means (not shown) are provided in the lower pipe 2 so as to heat the fluid and thus set it in motion in the radiator 1. Consequently, the lower 2 and upper 3 pipes correspond respectively to said first and second pipes mentioned above.

More particularly, as we can better see on the Figures 5 and 6 , the lower 2 and upper 3 conduits each comprise a series of pairs of first radial cylindrical orifices 21, 31 whose axes are horizontal and parallel to each other, the first orifices 21, 31 all opening out on the front side of the radiator 1. There is provided a same number of first orifices 21, 31, namely twelve in the example shown in the drawings, and to each first orifice 21 of the lower pipe 2 corresponds a first orifice 31 of the upper pipe 3 which is aligned vertically with said first orifice 21.

Each blade 4 is generally in the form of a flat tubular element of rectangular or oblong cross section as in the example shown in the drawings, and thus comprises a front face 41, directed towards the environment to be heated, and a face rear 42 opposite to the front face 41 and applied against the lower 2 and upper pipes 3. A pair of first orifices 43 is made, in the rear face 42, in each of the two longitudinal end regions of each blade 4, in a position such that a pair of first ports 43 is aligned with a pair of first ports 21 of the lower pipe 2 while the other is aligned with the pair of corresponding first holes 31 of the upper pipe 3. There are thus six blades 4 in the example shown in the drawings.

The radiator 1 is remarkable in that it comprises additional tubes 5, called distribution tubes, in the example shown two for each blade 4.

The distribution tubes 5 can be simple rectilinear tubes, as shown schematically in the drawings, having a first orifice 51 at each of their two longitudinal ends.

Furthermore, the lower 2 and upper 3 pipes each comprise a series of pairs of second orifices 22, 32 cylindrical radials, the axes of which are vertical and parallel to each other, the second orifices 22 of the lower pipe 2 opening upwards while the second orifices 32 of the upper pipe 3 open downwards. The same number of pairs of second orifices 22, 32 is provided as there are pairs of first orifices 21, 31 and each second orifice 22, 32 is positioned so that its axis belongs to a vertical plane passing through the axis of a first orifice 21, 31 corresponding. In other words, for each of the lower 2 and upper 3 pipes, there are provided pairs, here twelve, of a first orifice 21, 31 and a second orifice 22, 32 perpendicular to each other.

Each distribution tube 5 is disposed vertically between the lower 2 and upper 3 pipes and is dimensioned so that the first orifice 51 in the lower part is aligned with a first orifice 21 of the lower pipe 2 and that the first orifice 51 in the upper part is aligned with the first corresponding orifice 31 of the upper pipe 3. In other words, behind each blade 4 extends two distribution tubes 5. In particular, the spacing between the different orifices is such that each distribution tube 5 extend behind a respective region of longitudinal edge, here vertical, of the corresponding blade 4.

Thus, in summary, each distribution tube 5 is in fluid communication with the lower pipe 2 in the lower part and with the upper pipe 3 in the upper part.

It is emphasized here that in the example illustrated the cross section of the first orifices 51 and of the second orifices 22, 32 are identical and equal to those of the first orifices 21, 31 and 43, but that the internal cross section of the distribution tubes 5 is bigger.

Consequently, in operation, the heat transfer fluid heated in the lower pipe 2 will rather enter the distribution tubes 5, passing through the second orifices 22 and the first orifices 51, tubes in which it will rise up to the upper pipe 3 in passing through the first orifices 51 and the second orifices 32, then the still hot heat transfer fluid, although heat has been transferred by convection during its rise in the distribution tubes 5, will enter each of the blades 4 passing through each of the first orifices 31, 43 and will descend into the blades 4, releasing heat via the facade, to leave it and enter the lower pipe 2 passing through the first orifices 43, 21, in which it will be heated again by the heating means and thus caused to re-enter the distribution tubes 5 and to perform the cycle described above.

All the orifices described above can be made by any suitable means, such as for example by drilling, and the various elements (pipes 2, 3, blades 4 and tubes 5) can be assembled in a conventional manner, in particular by welding such as for example described in the French patent application FR 2 925 374 , in a manner ensuring the sealing of the fluid communication between the elements.

It is understood that the above embodiment of the present invention has been given by way of indicative and non-limiting and that modifications could be made thereto without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Thus, the radiator described above can be part of a central heating system, in which case the heating means will not be provided, one end of the upper pipe 3 will be connected to an inlet pipe for hot coolant and one end of the lower pipe 2, on the other side of the radiator 1, will be connected to a cold heat transfer fluid outlet pipe, and this in a manner well known per se. In such a configuration, the upper 3 and lower 2 pipes will correspond respectively to said first and second pipes mentioned above.

Claims (10)

1. A radiator (1) with heat transfer fluid comprising a first pipe (2), a second pipe (3) and a façade assembly forming a facade of the radiator (1), the facade assembly comprising a plurality of hollow blades (4) that are in fluid communication with the first and second pipes (2, 3), the radiator (1) being characterised in that it further comprises several tubes (5), called distribution tubes, that are located behind the façade assembly and that are in fluid communication on the one hand with the first pipe (2), and on the other hand with at least one blade (4) of the façade assembly, at at least one location of the at least one blade (4), said at least one location being located in the part of the at least one blade (4) that is located near the second pipe (3), so as to allow the heat transfer fluid, during operation, to enter the distribution tubes (5) from the first pipe (2), to flow along the distribution tubes (5), then to enter the at least one blade (4) and to flow along the at least one blade (4) to again enter the first pipe (2).
2. The radiator (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that each distribution tube (5) is in fluid communication with the first pipe (2) by means of a first passage and the blades (4) are in fluid communication with the first pipe (2) each by means of a second passage, the cross-section of the first passage and the inner cross-section of the distribution tubes (5) being greater than or equal to the cross-section of the second passages.
3. The radiator (1) according to claim 2, characterised in that it comprises, for each blade (4), at least one distribution tube (5) located behind said blade (4) .
4. The radiator (1) according to claim 3, characterised in that it comprises, for each blade (4), two distribution tubes (5) each located behind the respective one of the two longitudinal edge regions of said blade (4).
5. The radiator (1) according to one of claims 3 and 4, characterised in that a gap is present between each distribution tube (5) and the blade (4) behind which it is located.
6. The radiator (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the distribution tubes (5) are in fluid communication with the at least one blade (4) by means of the second pipe (3), and to that end the distribution tubes (5) emerge in the second pipe (3).
7. The radiator (1) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the pipes (2, 3) are horizontal and the blades (4) are vertical.
8. The radiator (1) according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterised in that the blades (4) are assembled to the distribution tubes (5) by welds or soldering.
9. The radiator (1) according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterised in that the first and second pipes (2, 3) are closed at their ends, such that the radiator (1) is in a closed circuit, electrical heating means being provided in the first pipe (2), the radiator (1) thus being an electric radiator.
10. The radiator according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterised in that the first pipe is open at one end, which is configured to be connected to a hot heat transfer fluid intake pipe, and the second pipe is open at one end, which is configured to be connected to a heat transfer fluid outlet pipe, such that the radiator is in an open circuit.

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