WO2003056250A1

WO2003056250A1 - Device for air-conditioning particularly a small space and air conditioning unit comprising such a device

Info

Publication number: WO2003056250A1
Application number: PCT/EP2002/014782
Authority: WO
Inventors: Carsten Schroeter
Original assignee: Carsten Schroeter
Priority date: 2001-12-28
Filing date: 2002-12-27
Publication date: 2003-07-10
Also published as: DE10164321C1; AU2002360088A1

Abstract

Disclosed is a device for air-conditioning particularly a small space (10), comprising a humidity measuring device (40), a temperature measuring device (40), a humidifier and/or air dryer (26), a heating and/or cooling device (56), a humidity controller (44), a temperature controller (46), and a humidity reservoir (4i, 5i, 7i, 14i, 16i). The inventive device also comprises an air channel (18) essentially extending along the height of the space (19), provided with air outlets (20) preferably distributed in a regular manner along the height thereof and extending into the space (10). The humidity reservoir encompasses inner walls (4i, 5i, 7i, 14i, 16i) which are made of humidity storing material and are located at a distance from the exterior walls (4) of the space.

Description

Device for air conditioning a particularly small room and climate cabinet with such a device

The invention relates to a device for air conditioning a particularly small room and a climate cabinet provided with such a device.

Such devices for air conditioning and their use in climatic cabinets serve, among other things, for storing cigars or wine or also fresh fruit and vegetables. For example, if cigars are stored for years, constant moisture is required, due to which the evaporation of the essential oils, the flavor carrier of a cigar, can be largely prevented. Basically, the aim is to store cigars in a climate that corresponds to the climate of the country of origin of the cigars.

For a professional storage of wine, especially red wine, a small storage room with a stable climate is also required, for example in restaurants and hotels. This also applies to the use of devices for air conditioning in a food storage cabinet, that is to say fruit, vegetables and the like. The individual requirements for moisture and temperature are known from the prior art and are not the subject of the present discussion. Rather, the stability of the climate over long service intervals of a device for air conditioning or a climate cabinet is decisive for the quality of such a device.

From the German utility model G 82 26 142.3 a device for automatically controlled regulation of the humidity of the interior or the goods stored therein of a container intended for the storage of tobacco products, in particular cigars, is known, in which the air flow is guided horizontally and in a U-shape. In the case of Air circulating device, the measurement of moisture by hy grostaten is not carried out in the air flow. This device is not provided with a buffer and also has no means of combating water contamination or purification.

From EP 0 076 512 AI a freshness-keeping device for bread and the like food is known, which shows a horizontal air flow through perforated plates and heated inner walls. The document gives no evidence of moisture regulation or buffering.

The German patent application DE 34 06 831 AI teaches an ultrasonic humidifier for room humidification up to 200 m ³ volume. This device is intended for free installation in the room or on radiators. Filters are used to clean the normal tap water used here. The device has no buffer materials. The moisture is generated by an ultrasonic humidifier, with an UV lamp integrated in the tank for cleaning the water supply.

US 5,651,262 shows a display case for moistened cigars with a closed cabinet with a plurality of departments. Humidified air is guided through the showcase freely from one side of the showcase via the load through the room to the other side of the showcase. Coming from below, the humidified air is transported into the interior of the showcase in a vertical air duct located behind the storage room. A hygrostat is used to measure and control the humidity of the humidified supply air in the storage room, which is cleaned by filters.

These and other devices known from the prior art have a number of disadvantages which lead to insufficient storage of the air-conditioned goods and, in the worst case, to premature unusability or spoilage. Conventional systems are characterized by extreme climate fluctuations that occur after the door is opened. This is caused by insufficiently fine metering of the air conditioning by the components of the system. The setpoints are often exceeded extremely, e.g. B. after opening the door of the air conditioning cabinet, the setpoint is to be restored. This leads to strong condensation in the storage room, in particular on the walls and the storage surfaces, preferably trays, and thus to putrefaction in the climatic cabinet and also in the stored goods. In addition, there is a risk of contamination of the water used for air humidification and thus the air and, as a result, bacterial growth and putrefaction. Another disadvantage of the devices known from the prior art is that fresh air supply the stored goods are dried out. In addition, disadvantageous vibrations triggered by air conditioning units are known, which can be transferred to the sensitive goods to be stored, for example wines. In addition, the aggregates of most known devices are too loud and therefore unsuitable for restaurants, private rooms and hotels.

The invention has for its object to provide a device for air conditioning in particular small rooms and a climate cabinet provided with it, with which the generation of a stable climate can be achieved with the longest possible service intervals.

The object is achieved with a device according to claim 1 and a climatic cabinet according to claim 9. With such a device it can advantageously be achieved that the air duct reaching over the height of the room to be air-conditioned and the air outlet openings extending from it into the room are uniform can bring in cold humidified fresh air, which can maintain the moisture situation present in the moisture store in the form of inner walls made of moisture-storing material, by introducing humidified air at a rather low speed over the entire room. This keeps the moisture accumulator, i.e. the inner walls made of moisture-storing material, at a constant moisture level. A brief opening of the climate cabinet can therefore not destroy the climate situation in the cabinet as sustainably as with conventional devices. The fact that the inner walls made of moisture-storing material are spaced from the outer walls of the room to be air-conditioned results in an air cushion on the outside of the inner walls, which acts as an ideal thermal buffer to the outside. The inner walls store a large part of the moisture in the air-conditioned room and thus buffer strong climatic fluctuations upwards and downwards. The optimized design of the device according to the invention also includes a volume of the moisture accumulator that is defined depending on the application.

In an advantageous development of the invention, the humidifier is equipped with an ultrasonic atomization and a blower. This enables the generation of a cold water mist that is completely absorbed by the air, which is conveyed by the blower at low speed through the air duct into the room to be air-conditioned. Ultrasonic nebulization requires only a small fraction of the power required for conventional device steam humidifiers. Another advantage of the ultrasound principle is that the device according to the invention is almost works silently. The humidifier, which works with ultrasonic nebulization and blowers, is controlled via a humidity controller depending on the relative humidity measured in the storage room. Due to the humidified fresh air blown in uniformly over the entire height of the climate room, the vertical movement of the climate and its possible disruption by horizontally running storage shelves is not a problem at all, since the desired climate is produced on all floors at the same time. Although the device according to the invention can be supplied with humidifying air or water for generating humidified air from the outside, according to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention the use of an integrated water reservoir is preferred, which is preferably equipped with a UV lamp. On the one hand, pure water or distilled water can be used by using an integrated water reservoir. On the other hand, this water is relatively inexpensive to keep clean with UV light. In addition, the formation of bacterial colonies on moist container walls can be effectively prevented. A preferably time-controlled UV lamp kills germs that get into the device through the ventilation immediately before they can infect the water. In this way, the UV lamp acts as a safe barrier against the recontamination of the water in the water reservoir. This advantageously eliminates the need to clean all water-carrying parts under normal working conditions. According to this arrangement according to the invention, the entire gas and water area of the humidifier can be irradiated several times a day in programmed time cycles. In addition, the sterility of the water stored in the water reservoir can be further promoted in that the water reservoir is encapsulated in a light-tight manner.

The device according to the invention is further optimized by the advantageous use of an activated carbon filter at the point at which humidifying air enters the device or the relevant components of the climatic chamber. In the case of a cigar humidor, raw Brazilian cedar, for example 10 mm thick, as well as for the storage of wines fired unglazed clay have proven to be very advantageous as a material for the moisture storage. It should be noted, by the way, that no varnish or glue may be used in the interior of the climatic cabinet, which could possibly transfer aromas to the goods stored therein.

Further advantages and features of the invention can be found in the subclaims.

The invention will be briefly described below using an exemplary embodiment with the aid of a drawing. Figure 1 shows an embodiment of a climate control cabinet with inventive

Air conditioning device schematically shown in section, seen from the side.

Figure 2 shows the climate cabinet according to Figure 1, seen from the front.

Figure 3 shows a sectional view of the climatic cabinet according to the invention along the

Section line X-X of Figure 2.

FIG. 4 shows a sectional view of the climatic cabinet according to FIG. 2, cut along the line Y-Y.

Figures 1 to 4 shows a climate cabinet 2, with a rear wall 4 and this opposite doors 6 and 8. The door 6 closes a climate room 10, while the door 8 closes an equipment room 12. The climate room 10 has a floor 14 and a ceiling 16. In addition to the surface of the door 6, the interior of the climate room 10 is equipped with a moisture accumulator in the form of inner walls 14i, 16i and 4i, which are made of moisture-storing material, e.g. raw cedar are formed. The surfaces of the inner walls 4i, 14i and 16i absorb a large volume of moisture and buffer strong fluctuations in the climate in the climate space 10 upwards and downwards. The inner walls 14i, 16i, 4i are physically mounted separately from the outer walls. There is a thermally insulating air buffer between the inner walls 14i, 16i, 4i and the outer walls. An air duct 18 is arranged between the rear wall 4 and the inner wall 4i, which extends over the height of the climate space 10 and has air outlet openings 20 which are distributed over the height and extend into the climate space 10. A glass shelf 22 is shown by way of example in the lower region of the climate space 10, which is attached to the inner wall 4i. In order to keep an adequate overview, further glass shelves 22 have been omitted. However, imagine the entire climate space 10 equipped with glass shelves 22 arranged vertically one above the other. Air entering the climatic chamber 10 via the openings 20 can leave the climatic chamber 10 again via openings 24 of the climatic cabinet 2 arranged in the ceiling 16 and inner wall 16i.

The materials used in the climatic room 10 do not contain any varnishes or adhesives that could possibly transfer aromas to the goods stored in the climatic room 10. The glass shelves for the goods to be stored, which are arranged vertically one above the other, as described above, cannot impair the distribution of the air-conditioning air mixture, since the air-conditioning air from the air duct 18 can reach the air-conditioning space 10 evenly distributed through the air outlet openings 20. An air humidifier 26 is arranged in the equipment room 12 located under the climatic room 10, which works in an advantageous embodiment with an ultrasonic nebulizer and a fan 28 connected upstream thereof. The ultrasonic nebulizer forms the smallest water droplets to form a mist, which is guided by the air flow directed past the action of the blower 28 via an air hose 30 to the air duct 18 and from there via the air outlet openings 20 into the climate space 10. This arrangement is extremely energy-saving and also almost noiseless, which the climate cabinet 2 recommends for use in hotels, offices or private rooms. The humidifier 26 can be supplied via an externally supplied water supply.

If the humidifier 26 is to be fed alternatively from a water depot arranged outside the climatic cabinet 2, there is the possibility of drawing water via a supply pump. An ion exchanger can be used here, which provides demineralized water.

However, as shown in the present example, it can also be fed with water via a water supply line 32, the water preferably being supplied from a water tank 34 mounted above the climatic room 10. In an advantageous development of the invention, as shown in the figures, a schematically illustrated UV lamp 36 is accommodated in the water tank 34. Since the water consumption in the climatic cabinet 2 according to the invention is extremely low, it is advisable to prevent bacteria from forming in the water due to long storage times and sucked-in air. In addition, the formation of bacterial colonies on the moist container walls is to be effectively prevented. A 3 time-controlled UV lamp 36, which is integrated in the water tank 34, is suitable for this purpose. The entire gas and water area of the climatic cabinet 2 is thus preferably irradiated several times a day in a time program controlled by a UV controller 38. Thus, germs that get into the water tank 34 are killed immediately before they can infect the water. The UV lamp 36 thus acts as a safe barrier against recontamination of the water in the water tank 34. As a result, cleaning of all water-carrying parts under normal working conditions can be dispensed with, which contributes to enormous time savings in the operation of the device according to the invention and of the climatic cabinet 2 according to the invention. In the climatic cabinet 2 shown in elevation from the right side in FIG. 1, a combined humidity and temperature probe 40 is arranged in the vicinity of the floor 14 in the area of the climatic room 10 near the rear wall 4. Signals emanating from the humidity and temperature probe 40 are passed via a line 41 into a control housing 42 and are connected there to a temperature and humidity controller 46 and 44, which are embedded in the floor 14 in the panel installation, via a control system, which is not described and shown in any more detail. The control housing 42 also houses transformers for the blower 28, the UV controller 38, the UV lamp 36 and for humidity and temperature control. A lamp 48 for illuminating the climate space 10 is mounted directly below the inner wall 16i of the ceiling 16.

The lamp 48 used for the interior lighting of the climatic room 10 preferably emits filtered artificial light, since UVB and UVC radiation, as they produce conventional halogen lamps, the aging process of the inner walls 4i, 5i, 7i, 14i, 16i and (not shown) in the climatic room 10 Accelerate stored goods and lead to embrittlement. Lamps are preferably used whose radiation heat is not higher than 5 ° above room temperature.

The air conditioning of the climate space 10 essentially takes place as follows:

The humidity controller 44 constantly receives the value of the relative air humidity from the humidity and temperature probe 40 in the climatic room 10. If this measured value falls below a predefined size, the moisture controller 46 switches on the humidifier 26 and at the same time the fan 28 for the transport of the humidified air. If the desired value is reached, only the humidifier 26 is switched off, while the blower 28 now supplies non-humidified fresh air up to a second, somewhat higher hysteresis value in order to ensure the complete absorption of moisture and mixing of the air in the climatic room 10. The constantly measured values are visibly displayed in the moisture regulator 44.

If the humidity in the climatic room 10 falls below a predefined value, an alarm is expediently triggered via an alarm device arranged in the control housing.

A temperature controller 46 with switching hysteresis continuously receives the value of the temperature from the humidity and temperature probe 40 in the climatic room 10. If a predefined value is exceeded, the temperature controller 46 switches on the blower 28 regardless of the humidity setpoint. Thus, the climate room 10 is supplied with fresh air, which is directly at the bottom of the Device room 12 is sucked in and has a lower temperature than the temperature in the climate room 10. The constantly measured values are visibly displayed by the temperature controller 46.

If the temperature in the climatic room 10 rises above a predefined value, an alarm device is expediently triggered with a time delay.

In the exemplary embodiment described above, a combined temperature / humidity probe 40 was used. Alternatively, a temperature sensor and a humidity sensor can be used separately. The location of use of the moisture and temperature probe 40 on the floor 14 near the rear wall 4, approximately in the center, is not chosen at random. Since the temperature and humidity probe 40 used here must and can measure very low air speeds, it is attached at a point in the climatic room 10 at which the air / moisture mixture which is already swirling with the existing air can be optimally measured. The same applies to temperature measurement, since heat is extracted from the air by the evaporation process. A measurement directly in the air duct 18 would result in an incorrect measured value. If desired, a shift in the zero point can be predefined via the humidity controller 44 and the temperature controller 46.

The fresh air required for the operation of the device according to the invention and the climatic cabinet 2 according to the invention is drawn in via the blower 28 near the bottom of the equipment room 12 and passed through the water chamber of the humidifier 26 in order to absorb the mist generated there above the water surface and via the air hose 30 to be removed.

The air is expediently pre-cleaned by means of a textile filter 50, which is preferably directly followed by an activated carbon filter 52 which separates the molecular gases contained in the air. Thus, only cleaned and largely odorless air can get into the climate space 10 through the humidifier 26. Further supply air in the climate room 10 is prevented. As already indicated above, "old" air mixture can escape through openings 24 arranged in the inner wall 16i and the ceiling 16. Here too, a filter (not shown) is preferably used, since it is an unpressurized access to the climate space 10.

If necessary. The device according to the invention can be equipped with a heating and / or cooling device 56 which, for example, in the equipment room 12 in FIG. 1 by an arrow Z marked - flow path of the incoming air is arranged and this heats or cools.

A glass pane 54 is preferably inserted in the door 6, which allows a view into the interior of the closed climate space 10. Here, in order to protect the stored goods of cigars or other goods such as cheese, wine or the like from decomposition by UV radiation, but also to protect the raw cedar planking used for the storage of moisture from bleaching, glazing made of green-tinted glass is used.

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Claims

PATENT CLAIMS

1. Device for air conditioning a particularly small room (climate room 10), with a) a moisture measuring device (40), b) a humidifier (26), c) a moisture controller (44), d) a moisture accumulator (4i, 5i, 7i, 14i, 16i), characterized in that e) they have an air duct (18) which extends essentially over the height of the room (climate room 10) with air outlet openings (20) which are preferably evenly distributed over the height and extend into the room (climate room 10). f) the moisture accumulator in the form of inner walls (4i, 5i, 7i, 14i, 16i) is made of moisture-storing material which is spaced apart from the outer walls of the room.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that it has a temperature measuring device (humidity and temperature probe 40) and a temperature controller (46).

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that it has a heating and / or cooling device (56).

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that the humidifier (26) has an ultrasonic nebulization and a blower (28).

5. Device according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized by an integrated water reservoir (water tank 34), which is preferably equipped with a UV lamp (36).

6. The device according to claim 5, characterized in that the water reservoir (34) is encapsulated light-tight.

7. The device according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the UV lamp (36) is equipped with a time-controlled energy supply.

8 Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it has an activated carbon filter (52) for the air to be humidified.

9. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the material of the moisture accumulator is cedar or clay.

10. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by an alarm transmitter for indicating that control variables of the humidity and / or temperature controller (44, 46) have been exceeded.

11. Climatic cabinet with a device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by a window which has a green-tinted glass pane (54).

12. Climatic cabinet according to claim 9, with a device according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized by electrical lighting (lamp 48) which emits no UVB or UVC radiation.

13. Climatic cabinet according to claim 9 or 10, characterized by a higher-level control for the individual components.

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