GB2374661A

GB2374661A - Ventilation system for a building

Info

Publication number: GB2374661A
Application number: GB0109374A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Edmund Peter Gortowski
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-04-17
Filing date: 2001-04-17
Publication date: 2002-10-23
Also published as: GB0109374D0

Abstract

A ventilation system for a building uses the wind to supply fresh air to an air inlet (1) and to connectors (5) for individual rooms. The air return from the room is via connectors (6), and passes to an air an air outlet (9). A finned heat exchanger (8) may allow heat to pass between the inlet and outlet air flows. The system could also include air flow control flaps, filters, insect grilles, an auxiliary fan to assist air flow, or smoke or CO detectors. Condensate is removed via outlets (15A, 15B). The air inlet/outlet head for the ventilation system may be rotated by the wind.

Description

VENTILATION AND HEAT RECOVERY SYSTEM This invention relates to a combined ventilation, condensation removal and heat recovery system for buildings, which consumes no conventional power in normal operation, relying upon natural wind energy.

There is a need for ventilation in houses, and other buildings, in order to ensure that the air stays fresh, to avoid condensation, and so forth. However, with many conventional ventilation systems, there are several drawbacks : the commonly used simple open path ventilators can and do remove heat from houses in colder (eg. northern European or American) climates (or cooling in warmer climates). However, some of the more complex versions of ventilation systems can overcome some of these limitations, but they use external energy (typically electrical power) to drive the system. All of these aspects are ecologically and economically undesirable, as they waste energy.

According to the present invention, a system is provided to drive the air ventilation by natural wind forces, to remove condensation and also incorporating a heat exchanger to conserve the building's internal energy. It is an objective of this invention to contribute to the conservation of energy, and hence lead to the reduction of damaging environmental impacts arising from the use of conventional (ie. fossil fuelled) power sources.

The system will provide the normally required building ventilation, recover large amounts of the heating (or cooling) generated within the building, use no energy other than that supplied by natural forces (in ordinary operations), and can easily incorporate additional features to enhance the air quality, such as air filtration to reduce dirt and dust and also allergens. The system is suitable for retro-fitting to existing buildings, or for incorporation into new designs, and can be built from a variety of materials in a variety of sizes and layouts to suit different situations.

The system as envisaged will provide the particular ventilation functions as described.

The exact details of the layout are flexible to adapt to the particular building layout to which it will be fitted.

A typical embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing (not to exact scale) in which: FIGURE 1 shows a generalised cross-sectional side view of the device- FIGURE 2 shows a generalised cross-sectional side view of a ventilated room.

FIGURE 3 shows a generalised cross-sectional side view of the Inlet and Outlet Head arrangements.

FIGURE 4 shows a generalised cross-sectional side view of the system fitted into the loft space of a single story house, with a solar collector room.

As shown in Figure 1, the basic concept of the device comprises an air inlet 1, with the airflow driven by the wind 12, feeding air through the inlet heat exchange section 2, to the inlet plenum (or air box) 4. From this inlet air plenum 4, the new or fresh air is circulated to the individual rooms (through pipes) via connections 5, and the air return from these rooms is via similar exhaust connections 6, attached to the exhaust plenum 7. The exhaust plenum 7, is connected to the air outlet 9, via the exhaust air heat exchanger section 8.

This heat exchanger 8, has an exterior which is insulated in order to retain the internal heat energy (as would the plenum boxes also be insulated), and the wall (s) of the inlet section 2 is arranged to encourage the exchange of heat between the inlet and exhaust (for example by means offinning, or such like).

In each plenum there is a drain point 15A, and 15B, located at the lowest point in order to drain away any condensation, rain entering, or other liquids.

A more practical example of an Inlet/Outlet Head is illustrated in Figure 3.

The actual practical dimensions and detailed layout of this entire system can be varied to suit the installation or application-for example the Head/plenum and exchanger

could be built in a vertical arrangement to fit into a tall loft, or the exchanger and plenums section could be arranged to be horizontal (connected by pipe bends to the head) in order to be accommodated into a relatively low roof void. Similarly, the total overall dimensions can be varied: for example, to give more efficient heat exchange, or for larger or smaller buildings. However, in all of these layouts, dimensions and arrangements, the basic principles of operation remain the same.

As shown in Figure 2, in order to circulate the air around individual rooms, there are piped connections from the ventilator connections 5, and 6, to inlet 5A, and outlet 6A vents within the room 11, which could be arranged as shown. However, these vents could be arranged at any convenient points within the room, preferably in reasonably opposite locations, in order to encourage a complete air flow. These room air connections can be of different sizes or patterns as required or desired. Individual air flow controls could be fitted to the room air connections, or the plenum connections, if so desired.

As shown in Figure 3, an example of an In ! et/Outlet"Head"comprises an air inlet 1, and an air exhaust 9, protruding through the roofline 10. The head is turned to face the wind 12, by means of a downstream vane 13, and rotates around a swivel 14.

Hence, the positive air pressure upon the inlet 1, and the negative pressure upon the exhaust 9, creates an airflow through the system to create the desired ventilation flow within the building. As already noted, the inlet and outlet tubes or pipes are concentric, ie. one is within the other (it does not specifically matter which is the inner) and are so arranged as to form a heat exchanger.

As shown in diagrammatic form in Figure 4, there is a means of also using this ventilation system for distributing heat (or of course cooling) throughout a building, from one particular place. In the example shown, the ventilation system already described (shaded grey) is mounted in the roof space of a building and there is a solar collector room as part of this building 16. This solar collector room 16 could be, for example, a south facing double glazed glass structure (eg. solarium or conservatory type of room), which would be a good collector of solar heating. To distribute this heat around the whole building there is a current of air 17 caused by circulation of air from a ventilation outlet 5 and a return flow through a connection 6. It is intended that this distribution of heat could be used either on it's own, or in conjunction with the overall ventilation scheme already described.

There are several optional features which are foreseen as possible to incorporate within the basic system, if desired, and these are as noted below: + There can be a control of the airflow, which can be by manual means (such as a variable position flap valve), or by automatic means of throttling the airflow by wind air pressure acting upon an exposed surface which then alters a device such as a variable position flap valve within the flow system.

+ A filter (or filters) can be incorporated into the system which can be constructed so as to catch, for example, dust, pollens, and so forth in the incoming air. It is considered that this should, by preference, be so arranged that inspection and replacement are relatively easy.

"Bug grilles"would normally be expected upon the inlet and usually the outlet, to prevent insects from getting into the building air system.

+ The inlet/outlet head would normally be arranged to minimise the possible ingress of rain and condensation. eg. by shape of the device.

+ A fan can be incorporated to drive the airflow upon windless days.

+ A heating or cooling coil (s) (or similar) can be incorporated, if so desired.

+ Detectors could be mounted into the outgoing air stream to detect such things as smoke, or Carbon Monoxide, or similar, and arranged to give an alarm indication if undesirable or potentially dangerous effects are detected. This could then provide monitoring for the whole building, as it monitors the combined airflow.

Claims

1-1 CLAIMS 1. A ventilation system for buildings which is driven by the wind, recovers heat (or cooling) energy from the internal air, and removes condensation without needing any external energy or attention in normal operation.

2. A ventilation system as claimed in Claim 1 which may have several optional features added to the basic system, if desired, including :-air filtration, air flow control, heating or cooling, differential distribution of air, auxiliary fan assist, and safety or other detectors.