US20100314459A1

US20100314459A1 - Radiant module for a heating device for rooms, and method to produce said radiant module

Info

Publication number: US20100314459A1
Application number: US12/521,496
Authority: US
Inventors: Sergio Zanolin; Filippo Grandin
Original assignee: De Longhi SpA
Current assignee: De Longhi SpA
Priority date: 2006-12-29
Filing date: 2007-12-20
Publication date: 2010-12-16
Also published as: CN101573577A; CN101573577B; ITUD20060279A1; WO2008080868A1; EP2115373A1

Abstract

Radiant module and relative method of production, for a heating device for rooms, comprising two heat-conductor plates, respectively first and second, associated with each other to define a central portion inside which a heated heat-carrying fluid flows. The first heat-conductor plate comprises lateral walls which develop from the central portion away from the second heat-conductor plate, to define a channel inside the radiant module which develops and narrows from the lower part of the radiant module towards its upper part and through which a flow of heated air is accelerated and guided.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention concerns a radiant module for a device, such as for example a mobile heat radiator, used to heat rooms. In particular, the radiant module comprises two heat-conductor plates associated with each other to define a central portion inside which a heated heat-carrying fluid is made to flow. The present invention also concerns a method to produce said radiant module.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In the field of heating, heating devices are known, such as for example heat radiators, comprising one or more radiant modules, connected to each other and communicating hydraulically.
Each radiant module comprises two metal plates, normally welded to each other in sealed manner, which define a central portion, more or less extensive with respect to the width of the plate.
The central portions are normally connected hydraulically with each other by means of upper and lower collectors.
A diathermic oil, heated by means of one or more electric resistances, is made to flow in the central portions and, through the collectors, from one radiant element to the other, in order to give up heat to the air of the room to be heated (here and hereafter also called ambient air).
The air, passing through the radiant modules, is progressively heated and, as it becomes lighter than the ambient air, tends to flow due to convective motion from the lower part of the modules towards the upper and lateral parts thereof, freely dispersing into the environment through the spaces between one radiant module and the adjacent one.
Known radiant modules therefore have the disadvantage that, due to extensive and unguided diffusion into the environment, the flow of heated air has a relatively low speed, with the consequence that the speed of heat exchange with the ambient air is reduced, which entails a low heating efficiency.
GB-A-2.118.706 discloses a radiator comprising a series of interconnected elements each having a circumferentially and outwardly extending peripheral flange laying in a generally vertical transverse plane. Adjacent flanges are interconnected around their periphery and laterally extending wall portions of certain of the flanges of the elements are interconnected in pairs to form front and/or rear heat conducting walls.
Also EP-A1-556.433 discloses a radiator comprising a series of modules each comprising peripheral flanges that form, with the flanges of the adjacent module, open channels for the heated air.
However, both these documents disclose channels that have a passage section substantially constant along their entire height, so no effect of increasing speed of the heated air can be obtained with these solutions.
One purpose of the present invention is therefore to produce a radiant module for a heating device for rooms, and to perfect a method to produce said radiant module, which, compared with known radiant modules, allows to heat a room more quickly, increasing the heating efficiency and also allowing to save energy.
The Applicant has devised, tested and embodied the present invention to overcome the shortcomings of the state of the art and to obtain these and other purposes and advantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is set forth and characterized in the independent claims, while the dependent claims describe other characteristics of the invention or variants to the main inventive idea.
In accordance with the above purpose, a radiant module according to the present invention is able to be used in a device for heating rooms.
The radiant module according to the present invention comprises two heat-conductor plates, respectively first and second, associated with each other so as to define a central portion, inside which a heated heat-carrying fluid is able to flow.
According to a characteristic of the present invention, at least the first of the two heat-conductor plates forming the module comprises lateral walls which develop from the central portion away from the second of the two heat-conductor plates, so as to define a channel inside the relative radiant module which develops from the lower part of the radiant module towards its upper part, and through which the flow of heated air is guided upwards and accelerated due to the reduction of the passage section of the channel at the upper part.
The radiant module according to the present invention therefore allows to channel the upward current of heated air, conferring on it, at the exit from each radiant module, a high speed and thus increasing the speed of heat exchange with the ambient air. This allows to reduce the time for heating a determinate room, compared with known solutions, and hence to save energy.
In accordance with the above purpose, the present invention also concerns a method to produce said radiant module, comprising at least a coupling step in which the heat-conductor plates are associated with each other so as to define the central portion inside which the heated heat-carrying fluid is made to flow.
According to another characteristic of the present invention, the method also comprises a shaping step, in which at least the first of the two heat-conductor plates is shaped so as to define lateral walls which develop from the central portion away from the second of the two heat-conductor plates, so as to define a channel inside the radiant module that develops substantially from the lower part of the radiant module towards its upper part and through which an accelerated and guided flow of heated air is able to flow upwards.
According to a first solution of the invention, the shaping step is performed before the coupling of the plates. According to a variant, the shaping step is performed when the two plates are already coupled.
The invention also concerns a heating device, mobile or fixed, comprising two or more radiant modules made as described above.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferential form of embodiment, given as a non-restrictive example with reference to the attached drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a three-dimensional view of five radiant modules according to the present invention installed in a mobile device for heating rooms;

FIG. 2 is a partly sectioned three-dimensional view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an exploded three-dimensional view of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is an exploded three-dimensional view of the radiant modules in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERENTIAL FORM OF EMBODIMENT

With reference to FIG. 1, five radiant modules 10 according to the present invention are shown, connected together so as to form a mobile device 12 for heating rooms.
It is clear, however, that the mobile device 12 can comprise any number whatsoever of radiant modules 10.
Each radiant module 10 (FIGS. 1-4) comprises two heat-conductor plates, respectively first 16 and second 14, welded together to define a central portion 18 (FIG. 3), inside which a heat-carrying fluid, heated by means of heating means of a known type and not shown here, is made to flow.
Moreover, each heat- conductor plate 14 and 16 comprises two collectors 26, disposed at the upper and lower end.
The first heat-conductor plate 16 also comprises two lateral walls 20 which develop from the central portion 18 substantially orthogonal to a plane on which the second heat-conductor plate 14 lies, and away from the latter.
The lateral walls 20 are also substantially symmetrical with respect to a longitudinal axis, or vertical axis, of the first heat-conductor plate 16.
The two lateral walls 20 are shaped so as to have a first lower segment 20 a, substantially rectilinear, and a second upper segment 20 b inclined with respect to the first segment 20 a so as to follow the profile of the collector 26.
In this way, the lateral walls 20 define a channel 28, inside the respective radiant module 10, which develops substantially from their lower segment 20 a towards their upper segment 20 b, and therefore narrows at its upper part, and through which an accelerated and guided flow of heated air flows upwards.
According to the solution shown, the mobile device 12 is provided with a head radiant element 22 having two heat-conductor plates, respectively an internal plate 24 b and a head plate 24 a, substantially similar or identical to the second heat-conductor plate 14, welded together.
Moreover, each heat-conductor plate 24 of the head radiant element 22 comprises two collectors 26, disposed at the upper and lower end.
The various radiant modules 10 and the head radiant element 22 are welded together in correspondence with the collectors 26, so that the lateral walls 20 of each radiant module 10 extend towards the second heat-conductor plate 14 of the adjacent radiant module 10.
The lateral walls 20 are distanced from the corresponding first heat-conductor plate 16 by a distance substantially equal to, or slightly less than, the distance between the heat- conductor plates 14, 16 of the two adjacent radiant modules 10.
The heat-carrying fluid is made to flow in the central portions 18 and, through the collectors 26, from one radiant module 10 to the other, so as to give up heat to the ambient air.
The air, passing through the radiant modules 10, is progressively heated and, becoming lighter than the ambient air, tends to rise from the lower segments 20 a towards the upper segments 20 b of the lateral walls 20, defining a flow of heated air channeled through the respective channels 28.
More particularly, at the exit of the channel 28 the two facing segments 20 b converge towards each other (see for example FIG. 4), thus defining a narrow and forced outlet for the heated air which, due to the increasing of the speed, enhances the heating performance of the heating device 12.
The flow of air therefore has a preferential and guided direction substantially without the dispersed flows that are present in known devices, allowing to considerably increase the speed of the air in the exit zones. This entails an increase in the speed of heat exchange with the ambient air, consequently increasing the heating efficiency and hence allowing to heat the room more quickly.
It is clear that modifications and/or additions of parts may be made to the mobile heating device 10 as described heretofore, without departing from the field and scope of the present invention.
It is also clear that, although the present invention has been described with reference to specific examples, a person of skill in the art shall certainly be able to achieve many other equivalent forms of radiant modules for heating devices, having the characteristics as set forth in the claims and hence all coming within the field of protection defined thereby.

Claims

1. A radiant module for a heating device for rooms, comprising two heat-conductor plates, respectively first and second, associated with each other to define a central portion inside which a heated heat-carrying fluid is able to flow, wherein at least said first heat-conductor plate comprises two lateral vertical walls which develop from said central portion away from said second heat-conductor plate, substantially orthogonal to the plane on which said second plate (14) lies and towards an adjacent module, to define a vertical channel inside the radiant module, the vertical channel being frontally closed by the second heat-conductor plate of the adjacent module, the channel being laterally closed, open at the top and at the bottom, and developing from the lower part of said radiant module towards its the upper part thereof and through the channel a flow of heated air is accelerated and guided, said channel defining a passage section for the air which narrows from the lower to the upper part thereof.

2. The radiant module as in claim 1, wherein each of said lateral walls is shaped so as to have at least a first segment disposed in the lower part of said radiant module.

3. The radiant module as in claim 2, wherein said first segment has a substantially rectilinear development.

4. The radiant module as in claim 2, wherein each of said lateral walls is shaped so as to have at least a second segment inclined with respect to said first segment and disposed in the upper part of said radiant module so as to define a narrowing of said channel.

5. (canceled)

6. The radiant module as in claim 1, wherein said lateral walls are substantially symmetrical with respect to a longitudinal axis of said first heat-conductor plate.

7. A heating device for rooms, comprising one or more radiant modules as in claim 1, wherein said radiant modules are connected fluid-dynamically with each other by connection means, wherein said heated heat-carrying fluid is able to flow, through said connection means, from one to the other of said radiant modules in order to heat the air of the surrounding environment, and wherein the lateral walls of the first heat-conductor plate of each radiant module are two, are substantially symmetrical with respect to a vertical axis of the first heat-conductor plate, and are shaped substantially orthogonal to the plane on which said second plate lies so as to extend towards the second heat-conductor plate of the adjacent radiant module and to define a channel, laterally closed and open at the top and at the bottom, which narrows from the lower to the upper part thereof.

8. Device as in claim 7, wherein said lateral walls are distanced from the corresponding first heat-conductor plate by a distance substantially equal to the distance between the heat-conductor plates of two adjacent radiant modules.

9. A method to produce a radiant module for a heating device for rooms, provided with two heat-conductor plates, respectively first and second, wherein said method comprises a coupling step, in which said heat-conductor plates are associated with each other so as to define a central portion inside which a heated heat-carrying fluid is made to flow, the method also comprising a shaping step, in which at least a first heat-conductor plate is shaped so as to define two lateral vertical walls, substantially symmetrical with respect to a vertical axis of the first heat-conductor plate, which develop from said central portion away from said second heat-conductor plate, substantially orthogonal to the plane on which said second plate lies and towards an adjacent module, in order to define a vertical channel inside the radiant module, the channel being laterally closed by the walls, frontally closed by the second plate of an adjacent module and open at the top and at the bottom, which develops from the lower part of said radiant module towards the upper part thereof and through which a flow of heated air is able to be accelerated and guided.

10. The method as in claim 9, wherein the shaping step is carried out before the coupling step.

11. The method as in claim 9, wherein the shaping step is carried out after the coupling step.

12. (canceled)