FR2836987A1 - AIR CONDITIONING INSTALLATION - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an air conditioning installation comprising at least one air conditioning unit (100) provided with at least two air outlet vents (130a, 130b), said or each air conditioning unit (100) comprising at least two fans (140a, 140b) intended to respectively breathe into said outlet openings (130a, 130b) of the air admitted into the air conditioning box (100), the air conditioning installation comprising a control unit (200). air conditioning is remarkable in that the control unit (200) comprises electrical control means of the fans (140a, 140b) for adjusting an air flow value for each fan (140a, 140b).

Description

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The present invention relates to an air conditioning installation for heating or cooling the interior volume of living rooms or premises, the air conditioning installation comprising at least one air conditioning box provided with at least two air outlet vents , said or each air conditioning unit comprising at least two fans intended to respectively breathe into said outlet vents, air admitted into the air conditioning unit, the air conditioning installation comprising a control unit
An air conditioning installation conventionally consists of one or more air conditioning boxes. Each air conditioning unit comprises at least one air inlet mouth and, more often than not, several air outlet mouths respectively connected to rooms which it is desired to air condition. The air outlet vents are provided respectively with fans intended to breathe into said rooms, air admitted into the air conditioning unit. At least one heat exchanger, connected to a heat or cold source, is interposed between said air inlet mouth and the air outlet mouths to yield or extract calories from the blown air. The installation most often comprises a control unit intended in particular to control the flow rate of the fans as a function of parameters, for example, comparisons between at least one value of a set temperature and of the temperatures measured in the rooms to be air-conditioned.

In practice, the control unit generally acts on flaps provided with maneuvering means which are intended respectively to modify the section of the air outlet vents. The maneuvering means are then controlled, in the majority of cases, to the pressures measured in the air outlet vents.

 Such an installation is of a complex construction, since it incorporates in particular mobile mechanical elements such as shutters and their operating means.

 The object of the invention is therefore to propose in particular an air conditioning installation making it possible to modify the flow rate of the fans without making use of shutters.

 To this end, the air conditioning installation comprises at least one air conditioning box provided with at least two air outlet vents, said or each air conditioning box comprising at least two fans intended to breathe into said outlet vents respectively, of air admitted into the air conditioning unit, the air conditioning installation also comprising a

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 ordered. The installation is remarkable in that the control unit comprises means for electrically controlling the fans making it possible to adjust an air flow value for each fan.

 Thus, the installation is of a simpler construction than those known from the prior art.

 According to another characteristic of the invention, the electrical control means are capable of imposing a minimum value of flow rate for each fan to avoid air intake in said outlet outlets.

lesquelles insufflent respectivement les ventilateurs, l'unité de commande délivrant, p r par l'intermédiaire des moyens de commande électriques, une tension électrique moyenne aux bornes d'un dispositif variateur de vitesse de type électronique de chaque ventilateur, la tension électrique moyenne étant une fonction de l'écart mesuré entre une température de consigne et la température mesurée par chaque thermostat de température dans chaque pièce. According to another characteristic of the invention, the control unit receives control signals delivered by temperature thermostats of the proportional output type and intended to be arranged respectively in rooms in

which respectively breathe in the fans, the control unit delivering, pr by means of the electrical control means, an average electric voltage across a speed variator device of the electronic type of each fan, the average electric voltage being a function of the difference measured between a set temperature and the temperature measured by each temperature thermostat in each room.

 According to another characteristic of the invention, the average electrical voltage is proportional to the difference measured between the set temperature and the temperature measured by each temperature thermostat in the room where each fan blows, until the electrical voltage average reaches its maximum value.

 According to another characteristic of the invention, when the value of the control signal of a temperature thermostat becomes zero, the control unit delivers, by means of the electrical control means, an average electrical voltage across the terminals of the device electronic fan speed controller in such a way that said fan blows a minimum air flow in the corresponding room.

 According to another characteristic of the invention, when the value of the control signal of a temperature thermostat increases, so as to allow the control unit to increase the power of the fan, the control unit delivers, by by means of the electrical control means, an average electrical voltage across the terminals of the electronic speed control device of the fan which blows air into the room, the difference measured between the temperature

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 setpoint and the temperature measured therein is the lowest, so that said fan blows a minimum air flow in said room, thus avoiding air intake by the corresponding air outlet.

 According to another characteristic of the invention, the control unit receives control signals delivered by temperature thermostats of the all-or-nothing output type and intended to be arranged respectively in rooms into which the fans respectively breathe, the control unit delivering, by means of the electric control means, when the value of a control signal is not zero, an average electric voltage across the terminals of a speed controller device of the electronic fan type air in said corresponding room, and the value of which increases gradually to allow said fan to reach its maximum speed so as to gradually cool said room.

 According to another characteristic of the invention, when the value of a control signal becomes zero, the control unit delivers, by means of the electrical control means, an average electrical voltage across the terminals of the speed variator device. electronic type of the fan in such a way that said fan blows a minimum air flow in said corresponding room.

 According to another characteristic of the invention, when a door opening detection sensor delivers to the control unit a signal indicating the opening of a door in a room, the control unit delivers, by by means of the electrical control means, an average electrical voltage across the terminals of the electronic speed control device of the ventilator blowing air into said room so that it is pressurized to prevent the admission of air outside in said room.

 According to another characteristic of the invention, the installation comprises an air return circuit intended to recycle, in the air conditioning unit, a proportion of air which has already been conditioned and which is blown into the rooms, the circuit air intake being constituted by air intake ducts connected respectively between the rooms and an air inlet mouth of the air conditioning unit.

 According to another characteristic of the invention, the installation comprises an air return circuit intended to recycle, in the air conditioning unit, a proportion of air which has already been conditioned and which is blown into the rooms, the circuit

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 air intake being constituted by air intake ducts connected respectively between common parts, for example a service corridor and an air inlet mouth of the air conditioning unit.

 According to another characteristic of the invention, the control unit receives signals delivered by a clock to program the operating cycles of the installation over time.

 According to another characteristic of the invention, the control unit is connected to a user interface making it possible to modify operating parameters recorded in the control unit, to transmit control orders to the control unit, to display information relating to the operation of the installation.

 An air conditioning unit is also covered by the invention.

 The air conditioning box is provided with at least two air outlet openings and comprises respectively at least two fans intended to breathe into said outlet openings, respectively, of the air admitted into the air conditioning box. The air conditioning unit is remarkable in that the electric motor of each fan is provided with an electronic type speed variator device installed on each electric motor.

 According to another characteristic of the invention, the air conditioning box comprises at least one air inlet mouth, the mouth or the air inlet mouths and the air outlet mouths being arranged parallel to one another. so as to allow its installation in roof spaces or a false ceiling.

 According to another characteristic of the invention, the air conditioning unit comprises a filter or several filters chosen from the following list: dust filter, odor filter, for example, of activated carbon type, bacteriological filter, for example, of type ultraviolet.

 According to another characteristic of the invention, the filter or filters are deported outside the air conditioning box, in a box installed on a sheath connecting to an air inlet mouth, to simplify the maintenance of said box. air conditioner.

 According to another characteristic of the invention, the air conditioning unit comprises a pressure measurement sensor intended to deduce from an excessive pressure drop the clogging of the filter or filters.

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 According to another characteristic of the invention, each motor is of the EC electronic switching type.

 The characteristics of the invention mentioned above, as well as others, will appear more clearly on reading the following description of an exemplary embodiment, said description being made in relation to the accompanying drawings, among which: FIG. . 1 shows a main sectional view of an air conditioning unit of an air conditioning installation according to the invention, FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of an air conditioning installation according to the invention and, FIG. 3 shows a schematic view of an alternative embodiment of an air conditioning installation according to the invention.

 The air conditioning box 100 shown in FIG. 1 consists of an envelope 110 and preferably an envelope of the double skin type incorporating walls having insulating properties from a thermal and sound point of view. The air conditioning box 100 comprises at least one air inlet mouth 120, and at least two air outlet mouths 130a and 130b.

 The air conditioning box 100 can, in an embodiment not shown, have a structure whose height is much smaller than its width, for example, by arranging the mouth or the air inlet vents 120 and the air vents. air outlet 130a, 130b parallel to each other so that the air conditioning unit 100 can be installed in the attic or a false ceiling.

 At least two fans 140a and 140b are mounted in the air conditioning box 100, so that they can breathe into the air outlet vents 130a and 130b respectively of the air admitted by said or each inlet mouth air 120. Each fan 140a, 140b is of the action or reaction type and preferably comprises a reaction turbine driven by an electric motor.

Each electric motor is of the DC direct current supply type, of AC alternating current supply type or alternatively of the EC electronic switching type. The latter type of electric motor has better efficiency than the first two types of motor, in particular during the speed variation phase.

 Each electric motor is controlled by a speed variator device of electronic type 142, for example of proportional type such as a device

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 PWM: Pulse Width Modulation electronic variable speed pulse type electronic variable speed drive. Each electronic speed controller 142 is preferably installed on each electric motor.

 At least one heat exchanger 150, which should be connected either to a heat source, advantageously a heat pump operating at low temperature, or to a cold source, neither shown, is mounted in the air conditioning box 100 between said or each air inlet mouth 120 and the air outlet mouths 130a and 130b. Said or each heat exchanger 150 is intended to yield or extract calories from the air blown into the air outlet vents 130a and 130b. The heat or cold source is, for example, of the air / water coil or direct expansion air coil type.

 The air conditioning unit 100 may also include a filter or several filters 160 chosen from the following list: dust filter, odor filter, for example, of activated carbon type, bacteriological filter, for example, of ultraviolet type.

 To simplify the maintenance of the air conditioning unit 100, it will be understood that the filter or filters 160 can be deported outside said air conditioning unit 100, for example, in a box installed on a sheath for connection to an inlet mouth d air 120.

 The air conditioning unit 100 can also include a pressure measurement sensor 170 intended to deduce from an excessive pressure drop the clogging of the filter or filters 160.

 The air conditioning system shown in FIG. 2 comprises at least one air conditioning unit 100 such as that which has just been described and which is connected to a control unit 200.

 The air outlet vents 130a and 130b of the air conditioning unit 100, two in number in this embodiment intended to explain the operation of the installation, are here connected respectively to two pieces PI and P2 by means of Gl, G2 ducts to inject air into them.

 We also note the optional presence of an air return circuit intended to recycle, in the air conditioning unit 100, a proportion of air which has already been conditioned and which is blown into the rooms PI and P2. The return air circuit is, at

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 this effect, consisting of air return ducts G3 and G4 which are connected respectively between the pieces PI and P2 and an air inlet mouth 120 ′ of the air conditioning box 100. The air return circuit allows to increase the efficiency of the installation and to homogenize the temperatures of the PI and P2 parts when they are exposed differently. To recycle part of the air, it is also possible to connect the air return ducts G3 and G4, no longer to rooms PI and P2, but in common areas, for example a service corridor.

 A duct G5 is also connected to the air inlet mouth 120 in order to draw in an appropriate place outside air to the pieces PI and P2 and to the common parts.

 The heat exchanger 150 is, in this embodiment, connected to a heat source of the PC heat pump type.

 The control unit 200 receives input signals including in particular those delivered by temperature thermostats T1 and T2 arranged respectively in the rooms PI and P2. Each TI or T2 temperature thermostat is of the proportional output type, for example of the PWM variable pulse width electronic switching type: Pulse Width Modulation.

 Each temperature thermostat Tl or T2 comprises means for adjusting a set temperature Tcl or Tc2 defined by the user and which is representative of the temperature to be reached in each room PI or P2.

 The control unit 200 can also receive other input signals, for example, either those delivered by a clock A to program the operating cycles of the installation over time, or those delivered by at least one sensor. opening opening detection B such as a door or a window, or even those delivered by the pressure measurement sensor 170. The control unit 200 comprises electrical control means capable of delivering output signals, in particular output signals capable of supplying the electronic type speed variator device 142 of each fan 140a or 140b making it possible to adjust an air flow value for each fan 140a or 140b.

 The control unit 200 can also deliver output signals to control the operation of the heat or cold source, in this case, the heat pump PC in FIG. 2.

 The control unit 200 can also transmit and receive signals to a user interface 210.

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 This allows, among other things, to modify operating parameters recorded in the control unit 200, to transmit control commands to the control unit 200 or even to display information, for example, a status fouling of the filter or filters 160, a malfunction of the installation, the opening or closing position of an opening or of several opening, the operating state of the installation.

 The operation of the installation is as follows.

 Each temperature thermostat TI or T2 performs a comparison between the set temperature Tcl or Tc2 and the temperature it measures in each room PI or P2.

 Each temperature thermostat TI or T2 then transmits a control signal to the control unit 200 and whose value is proportional to the difference measured between the set temperature Tc 1 or Tc2 and the temperature measured by each temperature thermostat Tl or T2.

 The control unit 200 then modulates this control signal and delivers, by means of the electrical control means, an average electrical voltage across the terminals of the electronic speed controller 142 of each fan 140a or 140b. The average electrical voltage is a function of the difference measured between the set temperature Tcl or Tc2 and the temperature measured by each temperature thermostat Tl or T2 in room PI or P2 where each fan 140a or 140b is blown.

 Advantageously, the average electric voltage is proportional to the difference measured between the set temperature Tcl or Tc2 and the temperature measured by each temperature thermostat Tl or T2 in the room PI or P2 where each fan 140a or 140b is blown, up to that the average electrical voltage reaches its maximum value.

 When the value of the control signal of a temperature thermostat T1 or T2 becomes zero, the control unit 200 delivers, by means of the electrical control means, an average electric voltage across the terminals of the speed variator device of the type electronics 142 of fan 140a or 140b in such a way that said fan 140a or 140b insufflates a minimum air flow in the corresponding room PI or P2.

 When the value of the control signal of a temperature thermostat Tl or T2 increases, so as to allow the control unit 200 to increase the

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 power of the fan 140a or 140b, the control unit 200 delivers, by means of the electrical control means, an average electrical voltage across the terminals of the electronic speed controller 142 of the fan 140a or 140b which infuses air in room PI or P2 in which the difference measured between the setpoint temperature Tc 1 or Tc2 and the temperature measured therein is the smallest, so that said fan 140a or 140b blows a minimum air flow in said part PI or P2, thus avoiding an air intake by the corresponding outlet mouth 130a or 130b.

 When a door opening detection sensor B delivers to the control unit 200 a signal indicating the opening of a door in a room PI or P2, the control unit 200 delivers, via electrical control means, an average electrical voltage at the terminals of the electronic speed variator device 142 of the fan 140a or 140b blowing air into said part PI or P2 so that it is pressurized to avoid admission of outside air into said room Pl or P2.

 The air conditioning installation of the invention provides permanent mixing of the air in living rooms or premises, which makes it possible to homogenize the temperatures of the rooms or premises with one another.

 The air conditioning system allows to stratify the air layers with the advantage of reducing energy consumption for equivalent set temperatures.

 The air conditioning installation also makes it possible to use traditional heat sources such as collective heating, a conventional boiler, and in particular a heat source of the heat pump type operating at low temperature.

 The air conditioning system can be used to replace a heating system at an equivalent cost.

 It can advantageously be installed in roof spaces and develops an acoustic power lower than that of air heaters or fan coil units.

 In an alternative embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the temperature thermostats Tl or T2 of the proportional output type are here replaced by thermostats T'l or T'2 of the all or nothing output type.

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Each temperature thermostat T'1 or T'2 also includes means for adjusting a set temperature Tcl or Tc2 defined by the user and which is representative of the temperature to be reached in the room PI or P2.

 Two cases are then to be considered.

 When the temperature measured in a PI or P2 room becomes different from the set temperature Tel or Tc2, i.e. when the temperature measured in a PI or P2 room becomes lower than the set temperature Tcl or Tc2 in mode heating of the installation, or when the temperature measured in a PI or P2 room becomes lower than the set temperature Tcl or Tc2 in cooling mode of the installation, the temperature thermostat T'1 or T'2 transmits a signal order whose value is not zero. The control unit 200 then delivers, by means of the electrical control means, an average electric voltage across the terminals of the electronic speed variator device 142 of the fan 140a or 140b blowing air into said room PI or P2 , and the value of which increases progressively so as to allow said fan 140a or 140b to reach its maximum speed so as to gradually cool said part P1 or P2.

 When the temperature measured in a room PI or P2 reaches the setpoint temperature Tcl or Tc2, that is to say when the value of a control signal becomes zero, the control unit 200 delivers, via electrical control means, an average electrical voltage across the electronic speed controller 142 of the fan 140a or 140b so that said fan 140a or 140b insufflates a minimum flow of air into said corresponding room PI or P2.

 It is possible to associate in the same air conditioning installation temperature thermostats TI and T2 of the proportional output type with temperature thermostats T'l or T'2 of the all or nothing output type.

 The installation of this alternative embodiment is of a more economical construction.

Claims (19)

1) Air conditioning installation comprising at least one air conditioning unit (100) provided with at least two air outlet vents (130a, 130b), said or each air conditioning unit (100) comprising at least two fans (140a, 140b) intended to inject into said outlet openings (130a, 130b), respectively, air admitted into the air conditioning unit (100), the air conditioning installation comprising a control unit (200), characterized in that l 'control unit (200) comprises electric fans control means (140a, 140b) for adjusting an air flow value for each fan (140a, 140b).  2) Air conditioning installation according to claim 1, characterized in that the electrical control means are capable of imposing a minimum value of flow for each fan (140a, 140b) to avoid air intake in said outlet outlets of air (130a, 130b).  3) Air conditioning installation according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the control unit (200) receives control signals delivered by temperature thermostats (T1, T2) of the proportional output type and intended to be arranged respectively in rooms (PI, P2) into which the fans (140a, 140b) respectively breathe, the control unit (200) delivering, by means of the electrical control means, an average electrical voltage across a electronic type speed controller (142) of each fan (140a, 140b), the average electrical voltage being a function of the difference measured between a set temperature (Tel, Tc2) and the temperature measured by each temperature thermostat (Tl, T2) in each room (PI, P2).  4) Air conditioning installation according to claim 3, characterized in that the average electric voltage is proportional to the difference measured between the set temperature (Tel, Tc2) and the temperature measured by each temperature thermostat (Tl, T2) in the room (PI, P2) into which each fan blows (140a, 140b), until the average electrical voltage reaches its maximum value.  5) Air conditioning installation according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that when the value of the control signal of a temperature thermostat (Tl, T2) becomes zero, the control unit (200) delivers, by the middle of the means <Desc / Clms Page number 12>  electric control, an average electric voltage across the electronic speed controller (142) of the fan (140a, 140b) so that said fan (140a, 140b) blows a minimum air flow in the room ( PI, P2) corresponding.  6) Air conditioning installation according to one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that when the value of the control signal from a temperature thermostat (Tl, T2) increases, so as to allow the control unit ( 200) to increase the power of the fan (140a, 140b), the control unit (200) delivers, by means of the electrical control means, an average electric voltage across the terminals of the electronic speed variator device ( 142) of the fan (140a, 140b) which blows air into the room (PI, P2) with the smallest difference between the setpoint temperature (Tel, Tc2) and the temperature measured therein , so that said fan (140a, 140b) insufflates a minimum air flow rate into said room (PI, P2), thus avoiding an air intake by the corresponding air outlet mouth (130a, 130b).  7) Air conditioning installation according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the control unit (200) receives control signals delivered by temperature thermostats (Tl, T'2) of all output type or nothing and intended to be disposed respectively in rooms (PI, P2) into which the fans (140a, 140b) respectively breathe, the control unit (200) delivering, by means of the electrical control means, when the value of a control signal is not zero, an average electrical voltage across an electronic speed controller (142) of the fan (140a, 140b) which blows air into said room (PI , P2) corresponding, and whose value gradually increases to allow said fan (140a, 140b) to reach its maximum speed so as to gradually cool said room (PI, P2).  8) Air conditioning installation according to claim 7, characterized in that when the value of a control signal becomes zero, the control unit (200) delivers, via the electrical control means, an average electrical voltage at the terminals of the electronic type speed variator device (142) of the fan (140a 140b) in such a way that said fan (140a 140b) blows a minimum flow of air into said corresponding room (PI, P2).  9) Air conditioning installation according to one of claims 3 to 8, characterized in that when a door opening detection sensor (B) <Desc / Clms Page number 13>  delivers to the control unit (200) a signal indicating the opening of an opening in a room (PI, P2), the control unit (200) delivers, via the electrical control means, a average electrical voltage across the electronic speed controller (142) of the fan (140a, 140b) blowing air into said room (PI, P2) in such a way that it is pressurized to prevent admission outside air in said room (PI, P2).  10) Air conditioning installation according to one of claims 3 to 9, characterized in that it comprises an air return circuit intended to recycle, in the air conditioning box (100), a proportion of air having already been air-conditioned and which is blown into the rooms (PI, P2), the air return circuit being constituted by air return ducts (G3, G4) connected respectively between the rooms (PI, P2) and an air outlet 'air inlet (120') from the air conditioning unit (100).  11) Air conditioning installation according to one of claims 3 to 10, characterized in that it comprises an air return circuit intended to recycle, in the air conditioning box (100), a proportion of air having already been air-conditioned and which is blown into the rooms (PI, P2), the air return circuit consisting of air return ducts (G3, G4) connected respectively between common parts, for example a service corridor and an air intake opening (120 ′) from the air conditioning box (100).  12) Air conditioning installation according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control unit (200) receives signals delivered by a clock (A) for programming the operating cycles of the installation over time.  13) Air conditioning installation according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control unit (200) is connected to a user interface (210) making it possible to modify operating parameters recorded in the control unit (200 ), transmit control commands to the control unit (200), display information relating to the operation of the installation.  14) Air conditioning unit (100) suitable for an air conditioning installation according to one of claims 3 to 13, the air conditioning unit (100) being provided with at least two air outlet vents (130a, 130b) and comprising at least two fans respectively (140a, 140b) for blowing into said air outlet vents (130a, 130b), respectively, air admitted into the <Desc / Clms Page number 14>  air conditioning (100), characterized in that the electric motor of each fan (140a, 140b) is provided with an electronic type speed controller (142) installed on each electric motor.  15) Air conditioning unit (100) according to claim 14, characterized in that it comprises at least one air inlet mouth (120,120 '), the air inlet mouth or mouths (120,120') and the air outlet openings (130a, 130b) being arranged parallel to each other so as to allow its installation in roof spaces or a false ceiling.  16) Air conditioning unit (100) according to claim 14 or 15, characterized in that it comprises a filter or several filters (160) chosen from the following list: dust filter, odor filter, such as a filter activated carbon type, bacteriological filter, such as an ultraviolet type filter.  17) Air conditioning box (100) according to claim 16, characterized in that the filter (s) (160) are offset outside the air conditioning box (100), in a box installed on a sheath connecting to a mouth air inlet (120), to simplify the maintenance of said air conditioning unit (100).  18) air conditioning unit (100) according to one of claims 14 to 17, characterized in that the air conditioning unit (100) comprises a pressure measurement sensor (170) intended to deduce from an excessive pressure drop l 'fouling of the filter (s) (160).  19) Air conditioning unit (100) according to one of claims 14 to 18, characterized in that each motor (140a, 140b) is of the electronic switching type (EC).