EP4151911A1 - Hot water production facility for collective dwelling - Google Patents

Abstract

The subject of the invention is an installation for the production of hot water, in particular sanitary water, for a collective dwelling comprising a plurality of individual dwellings, the installation (1) comprising a plurality of thermodynamic water heaters, each of said thermodynamic water heaters (2) being intended to supply hot water to a respective one of the plurality of individual dwellings. The installation comprises:- an aeraulic network (3) comprising an air circulation duct, called an air discharge duct, connected to each thermodynamic water heater (2), and- a single fan (5) positioned so as to cause a flow of air outside the collective dwelling (F) to circulate in said air circulation duct (4), characterized in that the aeraulic network (3) comprises another duct (6), said duct air inlet, connected to each thermodynamic water heater (2), and positioned so that the flow of outside air (F) circulates in said air inlet duct (6), then in each heater - thermodynamic water (2), then into the air exhaust duct.

Description

Prior technique

Nowadays, the dwellings of a collective dwelling are often provided with thermodynamic water heaters in which, in known manner, a water tank is coupled to a heat pump. More precisely, in the heat pump, circulates a heat transfer fluid which heats the water contained in the tank, and intended to supply domestic hot water to the accommodation that the water heater equips. The heat transfer fluid is itself heated by a flow of air, for example the ambient air of the dwelling, in a heat exchanger of the heat pump.

Although thermodynamic water heaters have many advantages, insofar as they are more respectful of the environment and allow their owners to reduce electricity costs, their use complicates the aeraulic networks of collective dwellings, given that an air intake duct and an air exhaust duct must be provided for each water heater. In addition, a thermodynamic water heater is generally noisy, due to the fact that it is equipped with a dedicated fan to force the circulation of air in the heat exchanger.

Summary

This disclosure improves the situation.

• un réseau aéraulique comportant un conduit de circulation d'air, dit conduit de rejet d'air, connecté à chaque chauffe-eau thermodynamique, et
• un unique ventilateur positionné de sorte à faire circuler un flux d'air extérieur à l'habitation collective dans ledit conduit de circulation d'air,

et dans laquelle le réseau aéraulique comprend un autre conduit, dit conduit d'entrée d'air, connecté à chaque chauffe-eau thermodynamique, et positionné de sorte que le flux d'air extérieur circule dans ledit conduit d'entrée d'air, puis dans chaque chauffe-eau thermodynamique, puis dans le conduit de rejet d'air.There is proposed an installation for the production of hot water, in particular sanitary water, for a collective dwelling comprising a plurality of individual dwellings, the installation comprising a plurality of thermodynamic water heaters, each of said thermodynamic water heaters being intended to supply water a respective one of the plurality of individual housings. The installation includes:

• an aeraulic network comprising an air circulation duct, called an air exhaust duct, connected to each thermodynamic water heater, and
• a single fan positioned so as to circulate a flow of air outside the collective dwelling in said air circulation duct,

and in which the aeraulic network comprises another duct, called the air inlet duct, connected to each thermodynamic water heater, and positioned so that the flow of outside air circulates in the said air inlet duct, then in each thermodynamic water heater, then in the air exhaust duct.

Thus, thanks to the installation according to the present invention, the noise level in each dwelling is reduced, since the water heater itself is not equipped with a dedicated fan. In addition, the air circulation duct, common to all water heaters, ensures simplification of the installation's aeraulic network.

According to another aspect, the aeraulic network is arranged so that each water heater in demand has a similar pressure drop.

According to another aspect, the air inlet duct comprises an air inlet disposed opposite the fan.

According to another aspect, each thermodynamic water heater comprises a flow regulator and a damper controlled by said flow regulator.

According to another aspect, the installation comprises a duct, called a technical duct, the air discharge and air inlet ducts being arranged inside said technical duct.

According to another aspect, the installation comprises a duct, called a technical duct, forming an air inlet duct, the air exhaust duct being arranged inside said technical duct.

According to another aspect, the installation comprises a stale air extraction duct from each individual dwelling, one duct of which is concentric with the air discharge duct.

According to another aspect, the installation comprises means for pre-heating the flow of outside air.

According to another aspect, the fan is of the extractor type.

According to another aspect, the fan is at constant pressure or at adjustable pressure.

According to another aspect, the fan is sized so that a total airflow is N x max(Qi), where Qi is an airflow in each water heater, N is an integer equal to the product Cs x Sum (Ti)/24 rounded up, where Cs is a safety factor and Ti is the heating time of a water heater.

According to another aspect, each heat pump water heater comprises a constant speed or variable speed compressor.

According to another aspect, each water heater comprises an electronic unit for connecting the water heaters to the fan and/or the water heaters to each other, configured to regulate the extraction pressure of the fan according to an operating state of each water heater.

Brief description of the drawings

• Fig. 1
  [Fig. 1] illustre une installation de production d'eau chaude selon un premier mode de réalisation de l'invention.
• Fig. 2
  [Fig. 2] illustre une installation de production d'eau chaude selon un deuxième mode de réalisation de l'invention.
• Fig. 3
  [Fig. 3] illustre un détail d'une installation de production d'eau chaude selon une variante du mode de réalisation de la figure 1.
• Fig. 4
  [Fig. 4] illustre un détail d'une installation de production d'eau chaude selon une autre variante du mode de réalisation de la figure 1.
• Fig. 5
  [Fig. 5] illustre un détail d'une installation de production d'eau chaude selon une variante de réalisation de la figure 4.

Other characteristics, details and advantages will appear on reading the detailed description below, and on analyzing the appended drawings, in which:

• Fig. 1
  [ Fig. 1 ] illustrates an installation for producing hot water according to a first embodiment of the invention.
• Fig. 2
  [ Fig. 2 ] illustrates an installation for producing hot water according to a second embodiment of the invention.
• Fig. 3
  [ Fig. 3 ] illustrates a detail of a hot water production installation according to a variant of the embodiment of the figure 1 .
• Fig. 4
  [ Fig. 4 ] illustrates a detail of a hot water production installation according to another variant of the embodiment of the figure 1 .
• Fig. 5
  [ Fig. 5 ] illustrates a detail of a hot water production installation according to a variant embodiment of the figure 4 .

Description of embodiments

As emerges from figures 1 to 5 , the subject of the invention is an installation for producing hot water, preferably sanitary water, referenced 1 in the figures. The installation 1 is intended to equip a collective dwelling comprising a plurality of individual dwellings, each dwelling being provided with a thermodynamic water heater 2.

Thermodynamic water heater

Each thermodynamic water heater 2 comprises in known manner a water tank and a heat pump device. The heat pump device comprises in particular a compressor, a condenser, an expander and an evaporator, forming part of a thermodynamic loop.

In this thermodynamic loop, circulates a heat transfer fluid which is set in motion and compressed in the compressor, then undergoes condensation in the condenser before being expanded in the expander, and finally undergoes evaporation in the evaporator.

The evaporator and the condenser are heat exchangers, in each of which the heat transfer fluid partially exchanges its thermal energy with another fluid. In the evaporator, the heat transfer fluid is heated by a flow of outside air supplied by the installation 1, as will be detailed. In the condenser, it is the water contained in the reservoir which is in turn heated by the heat transfer fluid, via for example an element wound around the reservoir.

The water tank and the heat pump device are juxtaposed to form a so-called one-piece thermodynamic water heater installed in each dwelling.

Domestic hot water production installation

As seen on the figures 1 to 5 , the installation 1 comprises an aeraulic network 3 which comprises an air circulation duct, called the air exhaust duct, referenced 4. The air exhaust duct 4 is connected to each thermodynamic water heater 2, as it will be detailed later.

As also emerges from figures 1 to 5 , the installation 1 comprises a single fan 5 positioned so as to circulate a flow of air outside the collective dwelling, denoted F in the figures, in the aeraulic network 3.

The fan 5 is preferably of the extractor type. It is noted that the fan 5 is arranged outside the individual dwellings, which drastically reduces the level of noise pollution due to the production of hot water in each of the dwellings.

The aeraulic network 3 also comprises another duct, called the air inlet duct, 6, connected to each thermodynamic water heater 2, and positioned so that the flow of outside air F circulates in the said inlet duct d air 6, then in each thermodynamic water heater 2, and finally in the air exhaust duct 4.

We now detail the aeraulic network 3.

As more particularly visible on the figure 1 And 2 , each thermodynamic water heater 2 comprises an air inlet 7, also called air intake 7, and an air outlet 8, also called air discharge 8.

The air inlet duct 6 comprises a sheath 9 provided with an air inlet 10 forming the inlet of the air flow F into the network 3. The sheath 9 also comprises tappings 11 for connecting each suction of air 7 from water heaters 2 to pipe 6.

The air exhaust duct 4 comprises a sheath 12 provided with an air outlet 13 forming the outlet of the air flow F out of the network 3. The sheath 12 also comprises connections 14 for connecting each air discharge 8 from water heaters 2 to pipe 4.

The fan 5 is arranged close to the outlet 13, so as to penetrate and circulate the air flow F in the network 3. Thus, under the action of the extractor fan 5, the air flow F enters the network 3 by the air inlet 10, passes through the duct 6 before being distributed in each air intake 7 where the flow F makes it possible to heat the heat transfer fluid of the heat pump device in the evaporator of the water heater , as already explained. The air F, cooled, leaves the water heater 2 through the air discharge 8 and recombines in the duct 4 before leaving the network 3 through the outlet 13.

It is noted that the air inlet 10 of the network 3 is arranged opposite the outlet 13, and the fan, so that a pressure drop between said air inlet and the fan is similar for each heater. - thermodynamic water, which ensures optimized operation of the installation 1. On the figure 1 , the extractor fan 5 is arranged at the bottom of the collective dwelling (basement, technical room, garage) while the air is drawn from the upper part (roof, attic). On the figure 2 , the extractor fan 5 is placed on the roof while the air is drawn from the basement of the collective dwelling. In either case, the path of the air between the inlet 10 and the outlet 13 is similar for each water heater 2.

In other words, the architecture of the aeraulic network in reverse circuit with the air inlet opposite the fan allows each thermodynamic water heater to see a similar pressure drop; thus no water heater is disadvantaged by its positioning in the aeraulic network. This architecture also avoids any complex sizing of the aeraulic network in order to guarantee equity between the water heaters 2.

Note that for the embodiment of the figure 1 , like that of the figure 2 , access and maintenance of the installation 1 are facilitated.

With reference to the picture 3 , the installation 1 comprises a duct 15, called the technical duct, the ducts 9 and 12 of the air discharge and air inlet ducts 4 and 6 being arranged inside the technical duct 15. This variant is particularly well balanced, which ensures optimum operation of the installation 1.

With reference to the figure 4 , the technical duct 15 forms the air inlet duct 6, that is to say that, according to this variant, the duct 6 is not provided with a sheath. Sheath 12 of the air exhaust duct 4 is arranged inside the technical duct 15. This arrangement is simple and economical and makes it possible to limit the size of the technical duct.

According to the variant of figure 5 , the installation 1 comprises a network 16 for extracting stale air from each individual dwelling, in particular via controlled mechanical ventilation (VMC) air vents. The network 16 comprises a conduit 17 for extracting stale air, a duct 18 of which is provided with connections 19 to each dwelling. The network 16 also includes a fan 20. As can be seen from the figure 5 , the duct 12 of the air exhaust duct 4 and the duct 18 of the stale air extraction duct 17 are concentric and arranged in the technical duct 15, which saves space.

It is noted that, according to the present invention, for each of the embodiments or variants, the aeraulic network 3 is distinct and independent of the stale air extraction network.

Advantageously, each thermodynamic water heater is provided with a flow regulator making it possible to maintain a constant flow rate during its operation and with a damper controlled by said flow regulator. The damper makes it possible to block the passage of air in the evaporator when the heat pump device is not operating. The flow regulator is advantageously positioned in the air intake 7 or in the air discharge 8 of the water heater 2.

Advantageously, the installation 1 comprises a means of pre-heating the flow of outside air, located near the inlet 10 of the network 3. It may be for example photovoltaic panels, or an air-air exchanger .

Advantageously, each water heater 2 is of the constant or variable compressor speed type.

It is noted that, optionally, the installation 1 comprises a branch pipe 50, illustrated on the figure 1 And 2 , allowing a leakage rate in the event that no thermodynamic water heater is in demand and thus allowing satisfactory operation of the fan.

Fan operation

According to a first variant, the fan 5 is of the constant pressure type and is configured to ensure a constant flow rate in each water heater 2, the flow rate being equal to the sum of the operating flow rates of all the water heaters 2 connected.

According to another variant, the fan 5 is of the adjustable pressure type and is configured to adapt to the total pressure drop of the installation 1, which depends in particular the arrangement of the conduits 4, 6, and the opening of the registers of each water heater.

According to another variant, the installation 1 comprises an electronic unit for connecting the water heaters to the fan, configured to regulate the extraction pressure of the fan according to an operating state of each water heater. This variant makes it possible to sequence the operation of the water heaters 2, so as to use the expansion, reduce the dimensioning of the fan, and optimize the energy consumption of the installation.

Installation sizing

If we note i the number of thermodynamic water heaters 2, of variable capacities Vi. The heating time of the water heater i is Ti, and an air flow noted as Qi.

où Cs est un coefficient de sécurité, avantageusement compris entre 1 et 1,2.The number N of water heaters 2 operating simultaneously is written: $$\mathrm{NOT}\left(\mathit{number}\mathit{entire}\mathit{round}\mathrm{To}\mathit{there}\mathit{value}sap\mathrm{e}\mathit{higher}\right)=\mathit{cs}\frac{{\displaystyle \sum \mathit{You}}}{24}$$

where Cs is a safety factor, advantageously between 1 and 1.2.

The number N thus determined ensures that a minimum of water heaters operate simultaneously and that all of the 24 hours of a day are used for the production of hot water.

The fan 5 is sized so that the total flow of air circulating in the network 3 Q is equal to: $$Q=\mathrm{NOT}\times \max \left(\mathit{Qi}\right)$$

The fan 5 must also ensure a pressure greater than a regulation pressure of the flow regulators of the thermodynamic water heaters 2.

This arrangement makes it possible to enhance the expansion in the installation and the accumulation capacity of the water reservoirs to allow a minimum dimensioning of the installation, in order to limit the investment costs and guarantee robust operation.

Operation of water heaters

In the variant where the water heaters 2 are not connected, there is provided, according to a method of using the installation 1, a step of programming a time slot for each water heater 2 during which the heater -water works, respecting a maximum number of water heaters 2 in simultaneous operation within an hour.

In the variant where the water heaters 2 are connected, provision is made, according to a method for using the installation 1, for an application to optimize the operation of the installation 1 according to the number of water heaters in operation request, their state of charge, and/or future needs and integrating the preferential ranges of the users by self-learning in particular. If connectivity is lost, the method provides for switching to the variant described in the previous paragraph.

Advantages of the invention

• simplicité du dimensionnement de l'installation ;
• chaque chauffe-eau en fonctionnement est alimenté par un débit d'air pour lequel il a été optimisé ;
• dissociation des fonctions VMC et production d'eau chaude sanitaire ;
• forte diminution des nuisances sonores à l'intérieur des appartements, la ventilation étant déportée à l'extérieur de l'immeuble ;

The invention has many advantages which already emerge from the preceding description:

• simplicity of the sizing of the installation;
• each water heater in operation is supplied by an air flow for which it has been optimized;
• separation of VMC functions and production of domestic hot water;
• strong reduction in noise pollution inside the apartments, the ventilation being moved outside the building;

• un seul ventilateur centralisé (au lieu d'un ventilateur par produit), dont le dimensionnement peut être optimisé selon la perte de charge de l'installation globale et selon le foisonnement des appartements de manière à réduire la consommation énergétique de l'installation ;
• installation simplifiée (en particulier pour la variante des figures 3 et 4) ;
• possibilité d'utiliser de l'énergie provenant de panneaux photovoltaïques proches du ventilateur extracteur ;
• possibilité de préchauffer l'air neuf par les calories présentes dans l'air de ventilation par un échangeur air-air ;
• possibilité d'utiliser la connectivité des chauffe-eau 2 et du ventilateur centralisé 5 pour un fonctionnement intelligent de l'installation en décalant le fonctionnement des différents chauffe-eau suivant leur état de charge.

Another advantage of installation 1 is that its cost is optimized:

• a single centralized fan (instead of one fan per product), the sizing of which can be optimized according to the pressure drop of the overall installation and according to the expansion of the apartments so as to reduce the energy consumption of the installation;
• simplified installation (especially for the variant of figures 3 and 4 );
• possibility of using energy from photovoltaic panels close to the extractor fan;
• possibility of preheating the fresh air by the calories present in the ventilation air by an air-air exchanger;
• possibility of using the connectivity of the water heaters 2 and of the centralized fan 5 for intelligent operation of the installation by shifting the operation of the various water heaters according to their state of charge.

• la performance de chaque chauffe-eau est identique, quelle que soit sa position dans l'installation 1 ;
• la capacité de travailler à des débits d'air neuf importants pour une meilleure performance thermique du dispositif de pompe à chaleur, puisque l'installation 1 est affranchie de toute contrainte de débit liée à la ventilation mécanique contrôlée.

Another advantage concerns energy performance:

• the performance of each water heater is identical, regardless of its position in installation 1;
• the ability to work at high fresh air flow rates for better thermal performance of the heat pump device, since the installation 1 is freed from any flow rate constraint linked to controlled mechanical ventilation.

It is noted that the present invention can be applied to any heating and domestic hot water production system positioned inside the dwellings collectives drawing their calories from the outside air, and not just from the field of thermodynamic water heaters.

It is noted that the installation according to the present invention is deliberately dissociated from a so-called VMC network, that is to say controlled mechanical ventilation, unlike the prior art. Indeed, to avoid aeraulic complexity, it has been proposed to connect each water heater to the VMC extraction network with a centralized remote extraction fan, which offers the advantages of simplifying the aeraulic network, minimizing the number of fans and recovering the calories from the extracted air. Nevertheless, the major drawbacks of this configuration are: the airflows extracted are generally very variable, and, consequently, thermodynamic water heaters do not always operate in the best conditions, the complexity of combining several functions (production of hot water and controlled mechanical ventilation) leads to malfunctions in the field which can lead to complaints from customers due to a leaky network, unmaintained VMC network, obstructions in the extraction loops.

Claims (13)

Installation for the production of hot water, in particular sanitary water, for a collective dwelling comprising a plurality of individual dwellings, the installation (1) comprising a plurality of thermodynamic water heaters, each of the said thermodynamic water heaters (2) being intended to supply in hot water a respective one of the plurality of individual dwellings, characterized in that it comprises: - an aeraulic network (3) comprising an air circulation duct (4), called air discharge duct, connected to each thermodynamic water heater (2), and - a single fan (5) positioned so as to circulate a flow of air outside the collective dwelling (F) in said air circulation duct (4), the aeraulic network (3) comprising another duct (6), called the air inlet duct, connected to each thermodynamic water heater (2), and positioned so that the flow of outside air (F) circulates in said air inlet duct (6), then in each thermodynamic water heater (2), then in the air exhaust duct (4). Installation according to the preceding claim, in which the aeraulic network (3) is arranged so that each water heater (2) has a similar pressure drop. Installation according to one of the preceding claims, in which the air inlet duct (6) comprises an air inlet (10) arranged opposite the fan (5). Installation according to one of the preceding claims, in which each thermodynamic water heater (2) comprises a flow regulator and a damper controlled by said flow regulator. Installation according to one of the preceding claims, comprising a duct (15), called the technical duct, the air exhaust and air inlet ducts (4, 6) being arranged inside the said technical duct (15 ). Installation according to one of claims 1 to 4, comprising a duct (15), called a technical duct, forming an air inlet duct (6), the air exhaust duct (4) being arranged inside said technical conduit (15). Installation according to the preceding claim, comprising a stale air extraction duct (16) from each individual dwelling, one duct (17) of which is concentric with the air exhaust duct (4). Installation according to one of the preceding claims, comprising means for pre-heating the flow of outside air. Installation according to one of the preceding claims, in which the fan (5) is of the extractor type. Installation according to one of the preceding claims, in which the fan (5) is at constant pressure or at adjustable pressure. Installation according to the preceding claim, in which the fan (5) is sized so that a total air flow is N x max(Qi), where Qi is an air flow in each water heater, N is a whole number equal to the product Cs x Sum (Ti)/24 rounded up, where Cs is a safety factor and Ti is the heating time of a water heater (2). Installation according to one of the preceding claims, in which each thermodynamic water heater (2) comprises a constant-speed or variable-speed compressor. Installation according to one of Claims 9 to 12, comprising an electronic unit for connecting the water heaters (2) to the fan (5) and/or the water heaters to each other, configured to regulate the extraction pressure of the fan in function of an operating state of each water heater (5).

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