NL1017198C1 - Liquid heating. - Google Patents

Description

Liquid heating

The invention relates to a heating device of the type which operates with a closed liquid circuit under pressure during operation.

On the one hand, a heating boiler is included in the liquid circuit, in which heat is supplied to the liquid circulating in the circuit.

On the other hand, radiators and / or convectors are included in the liquid circuit by means of which heat is delivered from the liquid to the spaces to be heated. An air transport system 10 can be used instead of or in addition to convectors and radiators.

Devices of this type comprise a liquid reservoir in which the extra volume of liquid is received that is created by expansion due to heating of the liquid. Upon cooling of the liquid in the liquid circuit, liquid is brought back into the circuit from the reservoir again to compensate for the volume reduction due to this cooling.

A heating device of this kind is described in the international patent applications PCT / NL95 / 00034 and PCT / NL96 / 00175, and in the European patent application EP 99201037.1.

One of the characteristics of the aforementioned heating devices is that, among other things, there is some liquid loss. To this end, measures have been included in the relevant inventions to compensate for this loss of fluid.

Furthermore, in the heating device described in these applications, the liquid reservoir is pressureless and liquid from the reservoir can be introduced into the pressurized system by means of a pump. Making the liquid gas-free is also one of the characteristic measures in the aforementioned applications.

The present application relates to a further development, and describes embodiments of the heating device known from said patent applications, especially intended for small heating devices.

An important feature of the invention, and reflected in the embodiments, is the conditional supplementation.

With the usual make-up measures, a lack of liquid is detected, after which a limited amount of liquid may then be added to the heating device.

Characteristic of this invention is the measures whereby replenishment in the event of a liquid shortage can only take place at a still sufficiently high installation pressure, and

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2 a properly functioning expansion reservoir. Because the amount of make-up liquid to be supplied is limited, if the leakage is too great, the make-up will stop if the installation pressure falls further.

The heating device can also be completely filled directly from an external liquid source with the aid of a special switching function, wherein the expansion and replenishing device switches back to the normal operating condition after the desired installation pressure has been reached.

In one embodiment, it is possible to use a standard expansion reservoir with membrane and nitrogen filling, while without a pump to bring liquid from the reservoir into the pressurized system it is possible to work (cost-saving).

In addition, a direct check of the maintenance condition of the expansion tank is possible, without the tank having to be dismantled for this.

To clarify the invention, a number of embodiments are further elaborated in this application.

Figure 1 shows the first valve part with pressure control and safety functions for a cooling or heating device of the type that operates with a closed, fluid-pressure fluid circuit.

Figures 1a-d show four operating states of the valve of Figure 1.

Figure 2 shows a second valve part. also with pressure control and safety features, as well as a possibility to check the maintenance status of the expansion tank.

Figures 2a-d show four operating states of the valve of Figure 2.

Figure 3 shows a composition of the invention.

Figure 4 An embodiment according to the aforementioned patent applications, in which the level switches are mounted in a box and in the expansion reservoir.

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In the assembly drawing of Figure 3, the two valves 1 and 2 are shown, valve 1 (further shown in Figures 1a to d) being operated by the installation pressure of the heating installation and valve 2 (further shown in Figures 2, and 2a-d) is operated by the weight changes in the expansion reservoir 18, which is previously mounted on the end of an arm 3.

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Operation of the valve 1.

The figure of Figure 1 shows how the installation pressure via gate P1 will move a membrane 24 with a plunger 26 attached to it against the spring pressure of spring 29, depending on the height of this installation pressure and the spring tension.

Plunger 26 is provided with openings corresponding to the bores of ports P2 and P3. The seals between the valve housing 21, the different ports and the plunger 26 are guaranteed by seven sealing rubbers 27 (O-rings). Port P2 10 is intended to be connected to an external liquid source, from where supplementation can take place.

This will usually concern a connection to the drinking water installation.

As an additional safety, a double check valve is included in port P2, which comprises a valve 31 with a seat bush 33, with a spring 34 therein, with which a liquid flow is only possible in the direction of the level at P2. On the other hand, the seat bush 33 is positioned against a sealing rubber 35 by the spring pressure of spring 32, plus the fluid pressure in the flow direction of P2. With the aid of a second sealing rubber 37 in addition to sealing rubber 35, enclosed by valve housing 23, sealing in the direction of flow of the level P2 is guaranteed.

The seat bush 33, however, will be moved against the spring pressure of spring 32 when there is a greater fluid pressure against the direction of flow of the level at P2. As a result, the seat sleeve 33 will no longer seal on sealing rubber 35, as a result of which liquid flow will divert via port P4. Because this is a protection against a calamity, to prevent liquid from flowing back to the make-up source. port P4 will preferably be connected to the sewer.

Port P3 can be connected to the heating device, in the embodiment interrupted by valve 2. For this purpose port P4 of valve 1 is connected to port 16 of valve 2.

At normal system pressure, the plunger 26 will remain in an upper position, with the spring 30 depressed. There is now no connection between ports P2 and P3.

This situation can be seen in figure la. In Figure 1b, the system pressure has fallen below a minimum pressure. In this position, the plunger 26 is slightly lower, as a result of which the ports P2 and P4 are opened with a small opening. As a result, supplementation can take place with only a limited flow. In the event of a real leak, the system pressure will fall further, and the 4 plunger 26 will drop a little further. The gap between the ports P2 and P4 is now blocked, because it is not desirable to supplement with a larger leak.

Finally, there is a possibility to fill a heating device from a still empty state. For this purpose, a plug 30, which can be seen in Figure 1, can be pressed.

By means of a small ball 28 pressed by spring pressure, shown in a bore in the top cap 22, the plug 30 will hold in the pressed-in position on a groove provided for this purpose on the plug 30.

By depressing the plug 30, the spring pressure at 29 in the direction of the plunger 26 is increased. The plunger 26 moves further downwards, whereby a maximum opening is established between the ports P2 and P3. The heating device is now filled, with the valve (if fitted) of course having to be fixed in the position according to figure 2b.

When the installation pressure has increased to a desired value, the pressure on the diaphragm 24 or plunger 26, via the spring 29, will eventually cause the plug 30 to fall back due to the locking caused by the ball pressure 28 on the groove in the plug 30. The pressure will now have to correspond with the plunger positions according to figures la or lb.

The valve plug 25 of valve 1 in Figure 1 can be further described, with which the bore in the plunger 26 is sealed and membrane 24 is retained. Membrane 24 is then clamped between the lower housing 20 and upper housing 21. Furthermore, 20 aeration holes 36 are indicated, in order to make the volume changes possible, without pressure effects. It is possible to use valve 1 separately, without valve 2.

Operation of the valve 2

In the embodiment, the operation of valve 2 is based on a standard expansion reservoir 18, wherein a membrane 19 separates the contents into a dry part in which a gas (usually nitrogen) is under pressure (in the figure the space shown below the membrane 19), and a wet portion for receiving expansion fluid from the heating device (the space shown above the membrane 19 in the figure). Depending on the liquid content in the expansion reservoir 18, resulting in a weight corresponding to the liquid content in the expansion reservoir 18, the arm to which the expansion reservoir 18 is mounted at the end will exert a force on the valve 2.

Figure 2 shows how the arm 3 forms a whole with the interior 2 of valve 2. Because the interior 2 can rotate freely in valve housing 1, the expansion reservoir 18 can be located at the end of move the arm 3 up and down. The valve ports are opened and closed by rotating the interior 2 with respect to the valve housing 1.

As shown in figure 2, the liquid can flow through the cavity of arm 3 via the ports 14, 15 and 16 of valve 2, of the heating device, drinking water installation or sewer connection to and from the expansion reservoir. The weight of the expansion reservoir 18 is partially compensated by a spring 11, which is clamped between the base plate 10, which is integral with the valve housing 1, and a support plate 9, which is integral with the arm 3.

As a result, the arm 3 with the expansion tank 18 mounted at the end will preferably form an angle of 90 ° with the base plate 10, in a substantially horizontal position, so long as the liquid content in the expansion tank is at least 1/3 of the total content.

The content changes above this content of 1/3 part are representative of the fluctuations in the normal operating conditions of the heating device.

In this basic position (horizontal), only port 14 is opened in valve 2, which allows the connection between the heating device and the expansion tank.

When the liquid in the device has reached a maximum temperature, the expansion reservoir 19 will be filled almost entirely with liquid within a safety margin, while the expansion reservoir 19 in this example of the invention must at least be 1/3 part filled with liquid, when the liquid in the device has cooled completely. If the liquid content in the expansion tank is less than 1/3 part, the arm 3 with the expansion tank 19 mounted on it will be pushed upwards by the spring 11. With liquid contents in the expansion tank between 1/3 and 1/4 part, the arm will 3 with the interior 2 make an angle of approximately 8 ° with respect to the horizontal normal position. In this position, in addition to port 14 (connection to the heating device), port 16 is now also open. Via port 16 the connection is opened to an external liquid source, usually this is the drinking water installation, from which make-up liquid can be supplied, to compensate for a lack of liquid.

The supply of make-up liquid will in principle be limited, in order to limit the damage in the event of a real leak. Although the invention can be made workable with valve 2 only, additional safety devices such as a limited make-up supply and the condition of a minimum installation pressure are included in valve 1.

These safety devices are dealt with during the operation of valve 1.

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The figures of Figure 2c show that if there is a liquid leak in the heating device, greater than the supplementation of liquid via an external source, the arm 3 with the expansion reservoir 19 mounted on it will be moved further upwards by the spring 11. Port 16 is closed due to the change in angle of the interior 2 with respect to the valve housing 1. Not shown in the drawing is a block in the angle of rotation limiter, as a result of which the arm 3 cannot rotate from the position in figure 2c to figure 2d, without first unlocking the block. Gate 14 simply remains open, whereby the possibility of expansion for the heating device remains guaranteed, while the make-up has been stopped.

With the aid of the angle of rotation limiter 12 it is possible to manipulate the valve in two positions. In Figure 2b, valve 2 has entered the opening position for supplementation. The arm 3 with the expansion reservoir 18 makes an angle of approximately 8 ° with respect to the horizontal position. By lifting the angle of rotation limiter 12 (see figure at the top left), because the arm 3 cannot move further upwards, the supplementation will be continuously maintained until the installation is filled (then the angle of rotation limiter 12 falls back to the normal position).

The illustrations of figure 2d show how an expansion reservoir 18 can be lifted to a highest position. Only port 15 is open in this position. The liquid in the expansion tank 18 will now be discharged from the expansion tank 18 to the sewer connection via port 15 due to the gas pressure on the other side of the membrane 19.

With a properly functioning expansion reservoir 18, substantially all of the liquid will be discharged, whereafter the expansion reservoir 18 is held in this highest position by the spring pressure of spring 11. Filling and commissioning can then take place again as described above in Figure 2b.

If the expansion reservoir 18 contains too little gas pressure, it again drops down on the arm 3 (still full or partially filled with liquid).

By keeping the arm 3 and the expansion reservoir 18 in the highest position, it is possible to push the angle of rotation limiter 12 upwards, while the arm 3 remains in this position.

The expansion reservoir 18 can now be removed and replaced without the installation 30 having to be drained.

The following parts can be mentioned on the figure 2 figure.

In order to be able to properly center the inner work 2 in the valve housing 1 against the spring pressure of spring 11 and the weight of the arm 3 and the expansion reservoir 18, two guide rings 6 are indicated. The inner work 2 is locked in the valve housing 1 with a disc 4 and a nut 5.

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Between the openings in the interior 2 and the valve housing 1, to the different ports 14, 15 and 16, three sealing rubbers 8 (o-rings) are included, one for each opening individually, to guarantee the seal.

The vent is controlled by a standard float valve 17, mounted in the embodiment on the end of arm 3. A special throttle valve 37 could be provided in the hollow arm 3, whereby the liquid experiences an extra resistance in the direction of the expansion reservoir 18 and a relative pressure drop results in a degassing of the liquid. Because the float conductor 17 is located directly behind the throttle valve 37, released gases will be discharged directly via the float conductor 17. In the direction of the expansion reservoir 18, the liquid experiences no resistance from the throttle valve 37.

Finally, from the angle of rotation limiter 12, it is also possible to mention the attachment to bracket 13, which allows a rotation of the angle of rotation limiter 12, while support 13 itself is fixedly mounted on the base plate 10.

The angle of rotation limiter 12 is provided with a key profile with which a pin 7 which is mounted on the support plate 9 is enclosed, and the previously described positions of the rotatable part of the valve 2 are controlled.

It is possible to use valve 2 separately, without valve 1.

Combinations of both valve functions are also possible in order to obtain the properties intended in the invention. An example of this that is not further elaborated is the possibility of electrically or mechanically actuating valves controlled by the system pressure, or by means of the fluid content of the expansion reservoir, or a combination of both.

Figure 4 shows a simplified embodiment of the Microserver (see patent application EP 99201037.1). The supply of make-up liquid takes place directly, without an atmospheric interruption. The saving of space by omitting a make-up buffer allows a more compact construction, with the specific attributes such as a float to switch a make-up contact 38 and low-water make contact 39, and a gas discharge pipe with float conductor, which simultaneously guides the float can be mounted in a simple manner via a round hole, preferably at the top of an expansion reservoir, wherein a rubber profile 41 is clamped between the mounting flange 40 between a mounting flange 40 with a smaller diameter than the above-mentioned hole and a mounting ring 42 to be mounted from the outside. rubber profile simultaneously encloses the edge of the opening of the expansion reservoir.

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Claims (1)

1 The conclusion in accordance with what is stated above in the application, including the described embodiments and applications.