WO2012085464A1

WO2012085464A1 - Box for distributing heat-transfer fluid in an installation comprising heat exchangers and circuits for collecting and returning heat

Info

Publication number: WO2012085464A1
Application number: PCT/FR2011/053134
Authority: WO
Inventors: Georges Favier; Michel Horps
Original assignee: Hades
Priority date: 2010-12-21
Filing date: 2011-12-21
Publication date: 2012-06-28
Also published as: FR2969254A1; FR2969254B1; EP2655978A1

Abstract

This distribution box is produced in the form of stack (101) of a plurality of substantially parallel plates (P1, P2, P3, P4), each plate P_i having at least one face F_ijfor contact with a contiguous plate P_j of the stack, one contact face F_ij of one plate P_i bearing, on the one hand, at least one impression E_ij forming a half pipe which with a half pipe formed by an impression E_ji of a contiguous plate P_j forms a pipe parallel to the plane of the plates, and, on the other hand, at least one drilling T_ij which with a drilling T_ij of a contiguous plate P_j forms at least one element of a pipe perpendicular to the plane of the plates. Application to heat pump-type heating/airconditioning installations in private homes and small multi-storey buildings.

Description

Dispensing box for a heat transfer fluid

in an installation including heat exchangers and heat recovery and capture circuits

The invention relates to a distributor housing a heat transfer fluid in an installation comprising heat exchangers and heat capture and return circuits. It also relates to a heating / air conditioning system comprising such a housing.

The invention finds a particularly advantageous application in the field of heat pump air conditioning / heating systems in individual homes and small office buildings, commercial, etc..

WO 2009/071765 A2 (Hades) discloses a heat transfer fluid distribution box, coupled to the heat exchangers of a thermodynamic unit of the heat pump type, and to various circuits for collecting and recovering heat which it interconnects. selective according to different predetermined combinatorial fluid distribution schemes, by automatic control of an integrated network of shut-off valves placed on the pipes of the distribution box.

This type of distribution box has provided a significant advance to the heating / cooling installations that implement it, particularly in individual residences and small commercial buildings. It allows:

- to specialize the heat exchangers of the thermodynamic unit, namely condenser and evaporator, for a better optimization of the performances in the two modes of operation, heating and air conditioning,

- to be able to call, according to the needs and the availability, to various cold sources such as the cold exchanger of the thermodynamic unit, the basement, a reserve of natural or artificial water, the atmosphere, etc.

- to be able to call, according to the needs and the availability, with various hot sources such as the heat exchanger of the thermodynamic unit, the basement, a reserve of natural or artificial water, the atmosphere, solar collectors thermal, etc. - To be able to restore the heat or cold thus captured or produced to separate return circuits such as heating or cooling fan-convectors, a heated or cooling floor, a traditional central heating, a hot water tank, a swimming pool , a jacuzzi, etc.

The heating / air conditioning installation architecture proposed by the

WO 2009/071765 A2, however, faces a number of specific constraints.

In domestic and small tertiary use, the volume allocated to the installation must remain limited. In addition, it is desirable that this installation form a compact assembly, able to be contained in a suitable cabinet. Such a cabinet must be able to pass the doors of the room and correspond to the usual standards of household equipment, that is to say not to exceed a base of 60 x 60 cm and a height of 190 cm when it includes all the organs of the installation, namely: thermodynamic unit, circulation pumps, distribution box and electrical control unit.

It has been proposed, according to EP 0 244 915 A2, to DE 196 23 807 A1 or DE 41 35 439 A1 to produce driving elements by assembling half-shells comprising molded impressions forming conduits connecting various components. between them, including components mounted directly on one of the half-shells. However, the increase in the combinational complexity of the casing, to a degree such as that of the system set forth in the aforementioned WO 2009/071765 A2, would quickly lead to a considerable enclosure footprint because of the very large number of possible interconnection schemes to realize between multiple valves, can typically reach sixteen different valves so thirty-two mouths to connect them.

In addition, the increasing complexity of the interconnections, past a certain degree, makes this technique inapplicable without the use of pipe crossovers, which impose the return of external bypass tubes on the plate. The realization of the assembly becomes more complex, and makes lose many of the advantages initially provided by the system of molded half-shells. One of the aims of the invention is to provide an interconnection device that does not have a disproportionate surface, thus keeping the housing as compact as possible.

Indeed, it is not possible to grow indefinitely the size of the distribution box alone, even though it is only one of the components of the installation. But the powers to be returned can vary to a large extent: from 6 kW or even less, to 36 kW or possibly more.

Although the splitter box described by WO 2009/071765 A2 provides a great versatility of applications, it may happen that all the possibilities that are offered are retained, in particular the embodiment illustrated in Figure 3 of the application. . In this case, the number of valves and pipes that connect them, to each other and to the various inputs / outputs, is particularly important, as well as considerably increases the complexity of the circuits used by these pipes. As a result, the space required in the distribution box to accommodate valves and pipes becomes maximal.

Finally, it should be emphasized that, in any heating / air-conditioning installation, the heat transfer fluid flow rate must be higher as the difference in temperature (ΔΤ) between the inlet and the outlet is small, in order to deliver heat energy required. For example, in all cases of heating "low temperature" where the fluid circulates between 35 and 45 ° C, ΔΤ is often 5 ° C or 3 ° C; the flow must therefore be very high. To allow such a flow rate, it is necessary to limit the pressure drop, which can only be done by increasing the diameter of the pipes. In the frequent situation where the flow rate must be maximum, the power to be delivered imposes a relatively high minimum driving diameter, in contradiction with the requirement of a limited bulk of the entire installation.

As a practical example, there may be mentioned distribution boxes in accordance with the aforementioned international application, intended for installations with a power of 12 kW restored at "low temperature". These housings were made with plastic pipes of 22 mm diameter interconnected, standard valves and inputs / outputs, T, elbows and sleeves. The housings were in the form of enclosed boxes of dimensions 30 x 55 x 70 cm lume of 1 10 liters. The 22 mm pipe diameter was just sufficient to provide the flow required to deliver the 12 kW to be supplied under allowable pressure drop conditions.

In order to be able to switch to a heating power of 36 kW, a dimension has shown that 32 mm pipes were necessary. With such a diameter and the same technology as that used in the previous example, the distribution box should have a volume between 220 and 330 liters, which is not admissible within the constraints imposed, namely the integration in a cabinet to pass the doors, and more generally the limits of space of the house or the building.

Therefore, the present invention must solve another technical problem, which is to propose a distribution box sized for high heating capacities, up to 40 kW for example, by increasing the diameter of the pipes but maintaining a limited housing volume , compatible with the constraints of congestion mentioned above. Thus, the object of the invention is to solve the quadruple problem of having a splitter box:

- which allows a complex combinatory involving a large number of twenty mouths), and this with multiple pipe crossovers within the housing without the need to report external bypass tubes,

- reduced footprint from the point of view of the area occupied,

- which allows the lateral connection of a multiplicity of coolant flows,

and which is compatible with pipes of large diameter ensuring a sufficient fluid flow taking into account the heating powers commonly required for such applications.

The basic idea of the invention is to deport the complexity of the realization in a third dimension, in depth, by multiple layers of superimposed pipes, made by a stack of contiguous plates carrying molds defining the various lines required by the interconnection schemes.

In particular, this third dimension makes it possible to solve the problem of crosses of tubes, which can be operated directly within of the housing through pipes perpendicular to the plane of the plates. These pipes will make it possible to communicate a pipe parallel to the plate plane located at any interface interface with another pipe of any other interface plate, or to allow this pipe to lead directly to a plate of end, avoiding any cross tubes at the same interface level interplate.

Thus, the third dimension not only allows to deport the complexity of the interconnection combinatorics in an additional dimension, but also and above all to solve the problem of crossings of pipes without having to report bypass tubes on the housing.

It will thus be seen that it is possible, by applying the teachings of the invention, to produce a housing body carrying sixteen solenoid valves making it possible to define at least seven different interconnection diagrams with pipes of 30 mm in diameter, and this with a surface area limited to 65 x 75 cm and a depth of only 12 cm.

More precisely, the invention proposes a distributor box of a heat transfer fluid of the generic type taught by the aforementioned WO 2009/071765 A2, that is to say comprising a network of conduits intended to selectively interconnect, according to various combinatorial schemes of predetermined fluid distribution, heat exchangers of heat transfer fluid with a thermodynamic unit, at least one heat capture circuit by the coolant, and at least one heat return circuit by the heat transfer fluid.

This housing is remarkable in that, according to the invention:

the distribution box is made in the form of a stack of a plurality of substantially parallel plates, with a first and a second end plate each having a contact face with a contiguous intermediate plate, and at least one intermediate plate; having two opposite faces of contact with a contiguous plate;

each contact face of each of the end or intermediate plates bears at least one impression forming a constituent half-pipe, with a half-pipe formed by an indentation with respect to a contiguous plate, a complete pipe parallel to the plane of the plates;

the casing furthermore comprises ducts perpendicular to the plane of the plates, formed by bores made in the contact faces of the plates so that a hole in a plate coincides with a hole in a contiguous plate to form an element of said perpendicular pipe; and

the housing comprises a plurality of electrovalves interconnected via said parallel and / or perpendicular ducts to the plane of the plates, these solenoid valves being carried by one of the end plates and each disposed between holes provided on this plate; end and interconnected by the solenoid valve and / or ii) carried by a side face of the stack and interconnecting pipes parallel to the plane of the plates.

Preferably, all the solenoid valves of the housing are disposed on the same end plate. Thus, the solenoid valves are in the form of an easily accessible panel allowing their replacement one by one in case of malfunction.

Advantageously, the plates of the stack are made by molding a plastic material, polypropylene for example.

The molding makes it possible to obtain very varied shapes of impressions, often impossible to achieve with conventional tubes, which explains why the structure of the distribution box according to the invention can be extremely compact. It is indeed possible to bring two neighboring pipes as close as possible until they separate them only from the thickness of a single wall, or to create communications between them.

Likewise, steep elbows with varying angles and geometries can be formed. Thanks to the high compactness thus obtained, it is conceivable to use pipes of larger diameter, 30 mm and more, and thus to increase the power output without an equivalent increase in the volume of the housing beyond what is required.

According to one embodiment of the distribution box according to the invention, the plates are assembled by gluing, heat sealing or ultrasonic welding. The housings can thus be produced by industrial methods trielles, namely molding of the various constituent plates and assembly by gluing or ultrasonic welding.

In the same vein, the invention provides that all the inputs / outputs of the housing with the heat exchangers, the heat capture circuit and the heat recovery circuit are carried by said housing.

More specifically, the inputs / outputs of the housing with the heat capture circuit and the heat recovery circuit are formed on bores of at least one end plate, in particular on the same end plate, while the inlets / outlets of the housing with the heat exchangers are made at the outlet of pipes parallel to the plane of the plates.

We will now describe an example of implementation of the device of the invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which the same reference numerals designate from one figure to another identical or functionally similar elements.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a heat transfer fluid distributor housing according to the invention.

Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of a stack of plates constituting the body of the housing of Figure 1.

Figures 3a and 3b are respectively top and bottom views of a first end plate of the housing body of Figure 2. Figures 4a and 4b are respectively top and bottom views of a first plate intermediate housing body of Figure 2.

Figures 5a and 5b are respectively top and bottom views of a second intermediate plate of the casing body of Figure 2.

Figures 6a and 6b are respectively top and bottom views of a second end plate of the housing body of Figure 2.

Figure 7 is a diagram of an application of the housing of Figure 2 to a heating / air conditioning system. Figure 8 is a sectional view of a seal between two adjacent plates before the plates are welded.

0

FIG. 1 shows a distribution box 100 of a heat transfer fluid in a heating / air-conditioning installation, furthermore comprising heat exchangers with a thermodynamic unit, such as a water / water heat pump, circuits heat recovery and heat recovery circuits. Specifically, the housing 100 is intended to ensure the selective interconnection of these various components according to different combinatorial fluid distribution schemes predetermined.

The splitter box 100 of FIG. 1 is of the type described in the aforementioned WO 2009/071765 A2, and constitutes a particular embodiment of the box shown in FIG. 3 of this application, with sixteen valves and sixteen link inputs / outputs. heat exchangers and the capture and recovery circuits.

However, it is understood that the invention applies to any type of distribution box and it should not be limited to this specific example.

In the same way, the description that will be made of a housing provided with "2-way" type valves (open / closed) is not limiting, and the invention applies equally well to the realization of an interconnection box implementing "3-way" or "4-way" type switching valves.

As can be seen in Figure 1, the distribution box 100 according to the invention comprises a body 101 consisting of a stack of substantially parallel plates. Figure 2 shows the housing body 101 in exploded form. In this embodiment, the plates are four in number, namely two end plates P1, P4 and two intermediate plates P2, P3.

In the particular embodiment of Figures 1 and 2, the plates P1 P2, P3, P4 are thin-walled plates made by molding a plastic material such as polypropylene and stiffened by means of a network of ribs 102. Figure 2 shows the stack of plates P1, P2, P3, P4 before they are assembled by gluing or, better, by heat sealing or ultrasonic welding. Each plate has at least one so-called contact face with a contiguous plate. More specifically, the end plates P1, P4 have only one contact face respectively denoted F12 and F43 with the intermediate plates P2 and P3. The intermediate plates P2, P3 have two contact faces, namely, for the plate P2, the faces F21, F23 of contact with the end plate P1 and the intermediate plate P3, and, for the plate P3, the faces F32 , F34 contacting the intermediate plate P3 and the end plate P4. In short, when the plates are assembled, the faces are in contact in pairs: F12 with F21, F23 with F32 and F34 with F43. Top and bottom views of the plates P1, P2, P3, P4 are shown respectively in Figures 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 54b, 6a, 6b.

It can be seen from these Figures that a contact face of each plate carries at least one imprint, generically denoted E, forming a constituent half-pipe with a half-pipe formed by an imprint of a plate contiguous a complete pipe parallel to the plate plan.

In FIG. 3b, the contact face F12 of the end plate P1 with the intermediate plate P2 notably has a recess E12 shown in relief in FIG. 3a.

When the faces F12 of the plate P1 and F21 of the plate P2 come into contact with each other, the half-pipe formed by the cavity E12 constitutes with the half-pipe formed by the cavity E21 carried by the F21 face of the plate P2 of Figure 4a a complete pipe parallel to the plane of the plates. The impression E21 is visible in transparency in FIG. 4b, which represents the contact face F23 of the plate P2 with the intermediate plate P3.

The face F23 has a footprint E23, for example, which constitutes with the footprint E32 of the contact face F32 of the plate P3 of Figure 5b a complete line parallel to the plane of the plates. The footprint E32 is visible in relief in Figure 5a.

In this Figure, it can be seen that the contact face F34 of the plate P3 with the end plate P4 carries, for example, an impression E34, vi- It is also transparent in FIG. 5b, which forms with the footprint E43 of the contact face F43 of the plate P4 shown in FIG. 6a, a complete line parallel to the plane of the plates. The footprint E43 is shown in relief in Figure 6b.

In addition to the lines parallel to the plane of the plates just described, the body 101 of the distribution box 100 also includes lines perpendicular to the plane of the plates communicating with the parallel lines.

The function of these holes is to communicate a pipe parallel to the plane of the plates located at any interface interplates with another pipe of any other interplate interface, or to allow this pipe to lead directly to a end plate, avoiding any tube crossing at the same level of interplate interface.

These perpendicular conduits are formed by bores in the contact faces of the plates, so that a hole in a plate coincides with a drilling of a contiguous plate to form a perpendicular pipe element.

For example, the bore T12 of the end plate P1 is opposite the bore T21 on the contact face F21 of the plate P2. This bore T21 forms with the bore T23 of the contact face F23 of the same plate P2 a pipe perpendicular to the plane of the plates.

At the interface between the plates P2 and P3, the bore T23 communicates with the bore T32 on the contact face F32 of the plate P3 by a line parallel to the plane of the plates formed by the impressions E'23 and E'32 . The bore T32 forms with the hole T34 of the contact face F34 of the plate P3 a pipe perpendicular to the plane of the plates.

Finally, the bore T34 is opposite the bore T43 of the contact face F43 of the end plate P4.

In the embodiment described, the bores, such as T12, of the end plate P1 define thirty-two orifices, designated generically 01, connected in pairs by sixteen solenoid valves, generically designated 1 10. All solenoid valves are therefore arranged between two holes on the same end plate P1 of the body 101 of the housing 100 and in a regular pattern. Access to the solenoid valves is therefore easier, especially when changing one of them in case of malfunction. If, in a simplified application, solenoid valves were to be removed, then the corresponding holes could be shunted or plugged.

However, it is possible to provide, alternatively or in addition to the solenoid valves carried by the end plate, solenoid valves carried by lateral faces of the stack, these valves interconnecting pipes parallel to the plane of the plates.

On the side of the end plate P4, the holes such as T43 define twelve orifices, designated generically 04, intended to ensure the entry and exit of heat transfer fluid with the capture and heat recovery circuits.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the inlets / outlets 121, 122 with the cold exchanger (C) and 131, 132 with the heat exchanger (H) of the heat pump are produced at the outlet of pipes parallel to the plane plates at the interfaces between the plates 1 and 2 on the one hand, and the plates 3 and 4 on the other hand.

A very compact housing 100 is thus obtained in which all the inputs / outputs of the housing with the heat exchangers, the heat capture circuit and the heat recovery circuit are all carried by the housing body 101.

The advantage of such compactness is that, even with ducts 30 mm in diameter or more, a housing body 101 having end plates P1, P4 2 cm high and intermediate plates P2 can be made. , P3 4 cm high, a total height of 12 cm for a base of 65x75 cm.

Figure 7 shows the schematic diagram of a heating / cooling plant constructed around the distribution box 100 of Figure 1. The inputs / outputs (respectively designated I and O) are found with the hot (H) and cold (C) heat exchangers of a water / water type heat pump, for example, as well as with the heat capture circuit. basement (CAPT), and feedback circuits by fan coil (VC), low temperature (BT), high temperature (HT), for domestic hot water (DHW) and for a pool such as a swimming pool or a jacuzzi (P). Figure 8 shows how the sealing between the contact faces of two plates Pi and Pi + 1 contiguous can be achieved. Each plate carries at least one spacer ET ,, and _{i +} i protruding, made by molding with the plate itself. At the time of assembly of the plates, the homologous spacers are arranged in the extension of one another. During ultrasonic welding, the plates P ,, P _{i +} i are brought together and the plastic material constituting the spacers ET ,, AND _{i +} i softens and occupies the space defined by the grooves G, and G _{i +} i to form there a seal.

Claims

A distribution box (100) for a carrier fluid, comprising a pipe network for selectively interconnecting, according to various predetermined fluid distribution combinatorial schemes, heat exchangers of the heat transfer fluid with a thermodynamic unit, at least one circuit of heat capture by the coolant fluid, and at least one heat transfer circuit by the coolant fluid, characterized in that:

the distribution box (100) is made in the form of a stack (101) of a plurality of substantially parallel plates (P1, P2, P3, P4), with:

^• first and second end plates (P1, P4) each having a contact face with an adjacent intermediate plate, and

^• at least one intermediate plate (P2, P3) having two opposite faces of contact with an adjacent plate;

each contact face of each of the end or intermediate plates bears at least one cavity forming a half-pipe constituting, with a half-pipe formed by an impression facing a contiguous plate, a complete pipe parallel to the plane of the plates;

2. The housing of claim 1, wherein all the solenoid valves of the housing are disposed on the same end plate.

3. The housing of claim 1, wherein all the inputs / outputs of the housing with the heat exchangers, the heat sensing circuit and the heat recovery circuit are carried by said housing (100).

4. The housing of claim 3, wherein the inputs / outputs of the housing (100) with the heat sensing circuit and the heat recovery circuit are formed on bores of at least one end plate (P4). ).

The housing of claim 4, wherein said inputs / outputs are made on the same end plate (P4).

6. The housing of claim 3, wherein the inputs / outputs of the housing (100) with the heat exchangers (H, C) are formed at the outlet of pipes parallel to the plane of the plates.

The housing of claim 1, wherein the plates of the stack are plates with walls provided with ribs (102) for stiffening.

8. The housing of claim 1, wherein the plates (P1, P2, P3, P4) of the stack are made by molding a plastic material.

The housing of claim 8, wherein the plastic material is polypropylene.

10. The housing of claim 8, wherein the plates (P1, P2, P3, P4) are assembled by gluing, heat sealing or ultrasonic welding.

The housing of claim 1, wherein the conduits have a diameter of at least 30 mm.

12. The housing of claim 1, comprising seals sealing the pipes between two contiguous plates (Pi, Pi + 1).

13. The housing of claim 12, wherein the seals are made by mating spacers (ET ,, ET _{i +} i) formed between the contact faces of two adjacent plates (P ,, P _{i +} i).