ES2257162B1 - IRRIGATION SYSTEM IN HOUSES BY CONDENSATION THROUGH PELTIER EFFECT. - Google Patents

Abstract

Irrigation system in houses by condensation by Peltier effect. The water that is produced by the condensation of the humidity of the air itself is used, as it passes through a cold surface. This cold surface is achieved by an electric Peltier effect module (4). The ambient air is forced, by means of a fan (3), to pass through the fins of an exchanger and which, when cooled, yields its water load. This water falls to a tank (6) located in the lower part of the device through an inclined plane (8), whose components hold the chassis (2). This device is placed in a high point of the house and, due to the difference in heights, the water is distributed through pipes until it reaches the drippers that water the plants. It is an automatic system and is especially suitable for watering plants in periods of absence.

Description

Condensation housing irrigation system by Peltier effect.

The present invention relates to a system of automated irrigation of plants in homes that take advantage of the condensation of water vapor present in the atmosphere. Bliss condensation occurs when the ambient air it contains is moisture, in contact with a cold surface. Water like that produced is stored in a tank and distributed to irrigate houseplants or on balconies.

The cold surface for water condensation it is done by an electrical device based on the effect Peltier, which works with electric power.

The system is especially useful, for example, during the period of absence on summer vacations.

The fields of technique refer to refrigeration, dehumidification, and irrigation systems.

Prior art

The present invention is based on a system of cold production These systems are basically classified into three differentiated groups: those of absorption, those of compression and thermoelectric, which is the group to which this invention belongs with Peltier effect.

All these systems eliminate heat from a place, that is at a lower temperature, moving its heat to another place that is at a higher temperature, in need of it energy supply (normally electrical energy).

In the air conditioning market you will find small compression facilities that dehumidify the air of a room, formed by a system that cools the air, condenses its humidity, returning a drier air.

There is also the use of effect pills Peltier for cooling in portable camping fridges.

There are patents such as patent no. EN 2 159 218 "Domestic refrigerator with Peltier effect", or other: ES 2 130 078 "Organ bath which incorporates a temperature-control system based on the Peltier effect ", ES 2 184 529" Dehumidifier with Peltier effect and thermal accumulators ", which have to do with the dehumidification of the air through the Peltier effect, several of they related to control and elimination systems of the Frost.

Despite the existence of these patents, as mentioned above, a new system is proposed for the water use condensation product, to water plants.

Explanation of the invention.

The present invention consists of an element Producer of cold by Peltier effect, able to condense the steam of ambient air water to allocate accumulated water to watering plants

The use of modules or effect pads Peltier for watering plants by taking advantage of Water vapor condensed from the air is a novel topic. This is to dissipate the heat from the hot face of the pills from Peltier through a heat exchanger, which is usually finned aluminum, forcing forced air circulation using a fan The cold produced on the other side of the pickups are driven through a fin exchanger aluminum where water vapor condenses and collects this water in a tank or bucket.

This irrigation device in homes by water vapor condensation, it is mainly composed of a chassis where the internal elements are fixed and a housing removable that is responsible for protecting these elements. These Elements are: the Peltier effect tablet / s; some fin exchangers coupled to the hot and cold faces of Peltier's tablets; optionally, one or more fans to force an air flow through the elements exchangers; a tank to accumulate the water product of the condensation; a system for water level control in the Deposit; and optionally a small water pump and a electronic controller to automate the set. The water of deposit, has an exit to the distribution system by tubes, with droppers at the end.

The passage of air through hot and cold faces of the Peltier device can be performed in a way passive taking advantage of the movements caused by the different air density depending on its temperature, or type active by electric fan / s. The housing having the corresponding slots or holes for ventilation or passage of air.

In the lower part of the device is the deposit, responsible for storing the water produced by condensation. This deposit is easily removable by means of Some guides, for cleaning. You can visually control the deposit level, if the material of which it is constituted is transparent or translucent and also the corresponding area of the Case. Either the tank and the housing have a window of said material.

It is from this reservoir where the water will be distributed and channeled through a distribution system of dropwise irrigation to the plant / s. The whole device is located on the wall of a room in the area near the ceiling, with object to have a water column height that of a pressure enough to feed the droppers of the plants, which usually being close to the ground But if a small booster pump is added to feed the drippers, the assembly can be placed in any part.

The system is autonomous and has a function of automatic shutdown in case a sensor detects that the tank water level exceeds a preset maximum level and disconnect the pads, or have a moisture sensor in the ground of the plants indicate a humidity value higher than normal. These data is processed by an electronic controller that can also establish scheduled start-up periods and unemployment.

The accumulator tank can be filled previously with water before use taking the Peltier effect device water regeneration function supplied to the irrigation system allowing this way store sufficient reserves in case of supply failure electrical or power system failure.

Brief description of the drawings

Figure 1 is an exploded isometric view of the Peltier effect apparatus, where it is observed: a chassis of aluminum (2), where the internal elements are fixed and a housing (1) that has the function of protecting said elements.

Inside is a fixed fan (3) to one side of the chassis, which forces the passage of ambient air through the two faces of the Peltier module (4), favoring the condensation of water vapor from the air on the generating face of cold and cooling the other side hot.

In the lower part of the device is the tank (6) responsible for storing the water product of the condensation. It is from this reservoir where the water will be distributed and channeled through the outlet (7) to the system of irrigation drop by drop.

Figure 2 shows a front view of the housing (1) and chassis (2) with the elements: fan (3), Peltier pads (4), level sensor (5), tank (6) and output (7).

Figure 3 shows a side view of the isometric perspective of Figure 1, in which the housing (1) partially sectioned in the plane delimiting its outer lateral surface and in which a plane is observed inclined (8) that serves to allow the dripping of condensation, from the fins (9) towards the tank (6), slide down the face of said inclined plane and thus avoid part of the dripping noise that would produce with greater intensity if the drops fell directly on the horizontal surface of the water in the reservoir.

Detailed presentation of an embodiment

Without being limiting, it is exposed to then a mode of construction of said invention for watering plants from condensation of water vapor from the air ambient.

This irrigation system from the effect Peltier is basically composed of: housing (1), structure of aluminum (2), exchanger (4), tank (6) and water outlet (7) for channeling and distribution. Inside is fixed a fan (3) to the aluminum structure (2) by one of the lateral, optimizing the interior space of the device.

The fan (3) has its axis of rotation oriented so that it passes approximately along the axis longitudinal peltier pads, so that part of the air flow that causes, pass through the exchanger top of the module that is the hot zone, and the other part of the air flow, go through the lower area of the module, through the cold exchanger

In the upper area of the device, the Peltier modules, whose cold face will allow the condensation of water from the air. These modules can reduce each one the air temperature about 6ºC and its effectiveness depends on the voltage difference that is applied and the total amount of modules that are connected. The environmental conditions that they can easily be reached inside a home not inhabited in summer, they reach temperatures around 30ºC and relative humidity of approximately 80%, depending on the area geographical This leads to good system performance.

Once the water vapor condenses, it will fall to through an inclined ramp (8) used to reduce noise unwanted drip where it will accumulate in a deposit (6) of transparent or translucent plastic, of just over 1 liter of capacity. The device has a disconnection system (5) if the Water level is higher than the established limit.

Said tank that is removable from the apparatus, through guides that drive the transverse sides of the deposit, following a horizontal plane, or with guides Sliding

Once accumulated, the water leaves the hole (7) and is channeled through a distribution system formed by some plastic tubes that lead to one or several drippers, which they will be responsible for rationalizing the water to the plant with a adjustable flow of up to 2 liters per hour, the system being at a pressure of about 2 to 3 meters of water column, corresponding to the height at which the device is placed on the wall, near the ceiling of a room.

Claims (11)

1. Condensation irrigation system by means of Peltier effect formed by different elements known as: electrical module of Peltier effect (4), air heat exchange fins, electric fan, (3), water level sensor of the tank (5 ), tank (6), water pump, an electronic control system and a drop-by-drop distribution, characterized in that the Peltier module (4), is positioned horizontally with its hot face at the top and its cold face in the bottom one in which the water vapor condenses from the air that circulates between the fins (9) of the exchanger and that said fins form planes perpendicular to said module and follow the vertical direction substantially, and that their free ends are in their lower part, said water being used as a product of said condensation, to water plants. 2. Irrigation system according to claim 1, characterized in that the hot face of the Peltier module (4) directly eliminates its heat to the surrounding medium by means of a fin radiator. 3. Irrigation system according to claim 1 wherein the hot face of the Peltier module removes the heat to the ambient air through a radiator fins through which circulates a stream of forced air by the action of a fan located in the chassis (2) and with which said radiator forms with the housing (1) an enclosure that channels said air, this coming out of the upper part of the housing and the end opposite the fan. 4. Irrigation system according to claim 1, characterized in that the cold face of the Peltier module condenses the vapor from the ambient air by means of a fin radiator, the movement and renewal of the air being produced directly by the effect of difference in related densities with its temperature, with a cold air outlet in the housing, at level
lower than the ambient air intake. 5. Irrigation system according to claim 1, characterized in that the cold face of the Peltier module condenses the steam from the ambient air by means of a finned radiator (9) through which a forced air current circulates by the action of a fan located in the chassis (2) and with which said radiator forms with the housing (1) and the tank (6), an enclosure that channels the air, leaving it on its opposite side.
to. 6. Irrigation system according to claim 1, characterized in that the condensation water in the Peltier module (4) is accumulated in the water container tank (6), which is removable from the apparatus by means of fixed guides or sliding guides. 7. Irrigation system, according to claims 1, characterized in that a water level sensor in the tank (6) allows the Peltier module (4) to be electrically disconnected. 8. Irrigation system, according to claims 1, characterized in that the water in the tank (6) is used directly for the irrigation of plants by means of a distribution system through pipes, towards the drippers. 9. Irrigation system, according to claims 1, characterized in that a water pump drives the water from the tank (6) through pipes to the drippers. 10. Irrigation system, according to claims 1, characterized in that between the fin exchanger of the cold face of the Peltier module (4) and the water tank, a sheet forming an inclined plane (8) is located. 11. Irrigation system according to claims 1, characterized in that an electronic controller regulates the stop and start-up functions of the Peltier module (4) depending on the water level of the tank, the moisture level of the soil of the plants , or programming time.