Arrangement for heating a fluid

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for heating a fluid, said device comprising an energy unit (1), a heat exchanger (2), and a container (3). A deflection device (4) is used to introduce fluid into the container (3) and / or to remove fluid from the container (3). The deflection device (4) has a ring element (41) having a longitudinal opening (42). The opening (42) connects an interior space (31) of the container (3) to the deflection device (4).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a device for heating a fluid. The fluid is, for example, a liquid such as process water or a gas, e.g., air.

[0002] It is known in the art to generate thermal energy from the application of electricity or from the combustion of, for example, propane, butane, or diesel fuel converted into a gaseous state and to transfer it to a liquid, such as domestic water, via a heat exchanger. It is also known that such devices can also serve as air heaters, thus heating air.

[0003] If the respective fluid is introduced into a container, for example to function like a boiler with liquids, the stratification of the fluid must be taken into account. The layers refer to the different warm components of the fluid and their resulting different densities in the container. If, for example, a warm liquid is introduced into a container from above and has a downward velocity component, several layers are usually mixed. This is also relevant for withdrawal from the container: for example, if a withdrawal occurs at an upper point in the container, a warm layer cannot be completely removed. If, for example, cold liquid flows in at another point during withdrawal from the upper end of the container (e.g. from a connection at the lower end of the container), and this incoming cold liquid has a vertical component, the stratification is disturbed there as well.As a result, less liquid can be drawn at the upper end at a high mixing temperature, but only at a reduced mixing temperature. Examples of containers are disclosed in US 2018 / 0051908 A1, US 5,054,437 A, and DE 10 2017 129 184 A1.

[0004] EP 2 476 970 B1 discloses a fluid storage device for the layered storage of at least one heat transfer fluid in a storage cavity.

[0005] DE 10 2017 119 429 A1 relates to a device for the low-mixing storage and / or removal of volume flows into or from containers filled with liquid.

[0006] EP 2 809 999 B1 describes a jet atomizer arranged in front of a water inlet pipe inside a hot water tank. The hot water tank has a housing with a water inlet and a water outlet. The axis of a water jet flowing into the housing runs, in particular, tangentially to the housing.

[0007] DE 10 2006 023 067 A1 describes a hot water stratified storage tank with a container in the upper area of ​​which a supply line and a withdrawal line for hot water open.

[0008] DE 10 2007 027 570 B3 discloses a loading and unloading system for a thermal energy storage device with a liquid container.

[0009] The object underlying the invention is to propose a device for heating a fluid which is characterized by the most optimal stratification of the fluid in a container.

[0010] The invention solves the problem by a device for heating a fluid, comprising an energy unit, a heat exchanger and a container, wherein the energy unit generates thermal energy, wherein the heat exchanger transfers the thermal energy generated by the energy unit to the fluid, wherein the container receives the fluid, wherein at least one deflection device is provided for introducing fluid into the container and / or for removing fluid from the container, wherein the deflection device has a ring element which guides the fluid, wherein the ring element has a longitudinal opening, and wherein the opening connects an interior of the container to the deflection device.A side wall of the container is connected to the ring element in a first connection region, wherein an end face of the container is connected to the ring element in a second connection region, and wherein the opening extends from the first connection region to the second connection region. A longitudinal web is arranged at the first connection region or at the second connection region, wherein the web partially closes the opening.

[0011] The device according to the invention for heating a fluid comprises an energy unit, a heat exchanger, and a container. Thermal energy is generated by the energy unit—for example, by burning a fuel-air mixture or electrically. A heat exchanger transfers this thermal energy to the fluid. The fluid is, for example, a liquid or a gas. In one embodiment, the thermal energy is transferred jointly or alternately to a liquid—in particular, water—and air—in particular, room air. The fluid is held in a container. Depending on the embodiment, this is either the fluid to be heated or the heated fluid.

[0012] By providing a web, the longitudinal opening is at least partially narrowed. The web thus extends around the longitudinal side of the ring element and reduces the opening angle. Depending on the design, the web, or projection, is either a separate component or an integral part of the ring element itself.

[0013] Furthermore, a deflection device is provided which deflects the fluid in such a way that it does not mix any existing layers in the container or that the fluid taken from the container only comes from one layer. For this purpose, the deflection device has a ring element. The fluid is therefore guided in a ring and preferably only in one plane. The ring element has a longitudinal opening through which the fluid can pass from the ring element into the interior of the container or from the container into the ring element. The fact that it is a longitudinal opening means that the opening is located, for example, along a jacket of the ring element. It is therefore not an end-face opening, as is usually the case, for example, with hoses or tubes. In other words: the ring element is provided with an opening laterally over at least part of its longitudinal extent.The longitudinal opening is located, in particular, on the side of the ring element facing the center of the ring element or a longitudinal axis of the container. The opening is therefore located on the inside of the ring element.

[0014] The fluid exits the ring element laterally and inwardly, so that the fluid is located and moves in the plane in which the ring element is arranged. This can also be expressed as the fluid flowing laterally out of the ring element into the interior of the container or as the fluid being discharged laterally.

[0015] The ring element according to the invention ensures good layering even in flat containers that may not be cylindrical but, for example, cuboid-shaped.

[0016] One embodiment provides for the longitudinal opening to be slit-shaped. The opening thus encompasses a larger angular range of the ring element. The height of the slit will be addressed in the following embodiments.

[0017] One embodiment involves the ring element being formed integrally with an end face of the container. In this embodiment, the ring element is, for example, part of the lid or the base of the container.

[0018] One embodiment provides that the end face of the container is curved toward the interior, at least in an area encompassed by the ring element. The end face where the ring element is located is thus inclined inward in this embodiment. The curvature promotes minimal mixing of the different fluid layers. If the fluid is introduced in the area of ​​the lid, for example, the fluid flows along the inner area of ​​the ring element, which is designed, for example, as an oval, after leaving the ring element in the lid, instead of flowing directly to the center of the container.

[0019] In an alternative embodiment, the front side in the enclosed area is curved away from the interior.

[0020] In one embodiment, the region of the end face which is enclosed by the ring element is curved inwards, and the region of the end face which is adjacent to the outside of the ring element is flat or curved away from the interior of the container.

[0021] One embodiment involves the ring element being self-contained. In this embodiment, the ring element has no opening at the front. The fluid thus enters and exits the ring element only through the longitudinal opening or, if necessary, several longitudinal openings. Otherwise, the fluid circulates completely within the ring element. A transition from the self-contained ring element is only provided via one of the following embodiments in the form of a connecting element.

[0022] One embodiment is that the longitudinal opening extends completely around the ring element. In an alternative embodiment, the longitudinal opening extends only partially around the ring element. Thus, depending on the embodiment, the longitudinal opening extends completely over an inner side of the ring element or only over a portion of it.

[0023] One embodiment provides for a connecting element, for the connecting element to be arranged outside the container, and for the connecting element and the ring element to be coupled to one another in such a way that the fluid can flow between the connecting element and the ring element. The fluid thus enters the ring element via the connecting element and exits the ring element. The connecting element is located, in particular, outside the container.

[0024] In one embodiment, the connecting element opens on the side of the ring element facing away from the longitudinal opening. This is the outer side of the ring element.

[0025] A complementary design is that the connecting element guides the fluid tangentially to the ring element or away from it. The fluid is thus either introduced laterally into the ring element or removed from it. This depends on the application.

[0026] One embodiment provides for the ring element to have an oval shape. In this embodiment, the ring element has a major semi-axis and a minor semi-axis. In one embodiment, the transition between the connecting element and the ring element is located along the major semi-axis of the oval. An oval as large as possible has the advantage that the velocity component perpendicular to the plane of the oval is very small. Furthermore, the kinetic energy of the fluid flow can dissipate within the oval, thus preventing unwanted turbulence with fluid from other layers.

[0027] In an alternative embodiment, the ring element has a circular shape.

[0028] The ring element is connected to the container or the ring element merges into the container. The ring element is connected to a side wall and a front side, or the container structure includes a side wall and a front side that merge into the ring element. The longitudinal opening, preferably configured as a slot, extends between the two connecting sides of the ring element, i.e., between the side wall and the front side (e.g., the lid or bottom of the container).

[0029] In one embodiment, the web extends only over part of the longitudinal opening and / or has a variable extension. In this embodiment, the height of the longitudinal opening is not constant, but varies along the ring element. This allows, for example, the amount of fluid that can flow into or out of the ring element to be controlled depending on the respective radius of curvature of the ring element.

[0030] According to one embodiment, two deflection devices are provided, each of which is assigned a common direction of rotation. One of the two deflection devices is located, for example, on the lid and one on the bottom of the container. The fact that both deflection devices are assigned a common - or the same - direction of rotation means that the fluid rotates in the same direction in both deflection devices - i.e., either anti-clockwise or clockwise. If the fluid is thus introduced via one deflection device and removed via the other, the same / common direction of rotation counteracts the risk of turbulence in the temperature layers. In one embodiment, the direction of rotation in the deflection devices results in particular from the position and contacting of the respective connection element.

[0031] One design involves the fluid being a liquid, e.g., domestic water. The individual components and their connections are thus suitable for drinking water in this design.

[0032] One embodiment provides that the energy unit generates thermal energy by burning a fuel-air mixture and / or by converting electrical energy. In this embodiment, the thermal energy is generated by burning a fuel, e.g., combustible gas or diesel fuel converted into a gaseous state, or by converting electrical energy.

[0033] In detail, there are numerous possibilities for designing and developing the device according to the invention. Reference is made to the following description of exemplary embodiments in conjunction with the drawings. They show: Fig. 1 a schematic representation of a device for heating a fluid, Fig. 2 a spatial representation of a container with two deflection devices, Fig. 3 a section through the container of the Fig. 2 , Fig. 4 an enlarged section of a container with three superimposed alternative designs of a deflection device, Fig. 5 a spatial representation of a container with two deflection devices with a further variant and Fig. 6 a cut-away part of the container of the Fig. 5 .

[0034] The Fig. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a device for heating at least one fluid. In one variant, the device heats, for example, water and air.

[0035] The thermal energy for heating is generated by the energy unit 1 through the combustion of a fuel-air mixture and transferred to the fluid by the heat exchanger 2. In the example shown, the heated fluid is introduced into a container 3 and subsequently removed by a user.

[0036] In the illustrations Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 A container 3 is shown with two deflection devices 4, each located on the two end faces (i.e., lid and bottom). Both figures are described together. Fig. 2 the line at which the container 3 for the representation of the Fig.3 is cut.

[0037] The container 3 has a flat design, so that the height is smaller than its length. The section shows the Fig. 3that both end faces 30 and the side walls 32 merge into the ring elements 41 of the two deflection devices 4. The container 3 and the ring elements 41 are thus realized in one piece in the illustrated embodiment.

[0038] In the illustrated example, the ring elements 41 are cylindrical with a circular base and are provided with an opening 42 toward the interior space 31 of the container 3. Thus, the fluid can flow from the interior space 31 into the ring element 41 or from a ring element 41 into the interior space 31.

[0039] In the section shown, the lower ring element shows how the corresponding lower connection element (here located on the rear side) flows tangentially into the ring element.

[0040] The ring elements 41 are self-contained, allowing the fluid to circulate within them except for the lateral openings 42. The connecting elements 40, which each merge tangentially into the ring element 41, serve as the transition between the ring elements 41 and an outer periphery (not shown here), e.g., in the form of hoses or tubes, etc. The fluid is guided only in a straight line within the connecting elements 40. For example, if the fluid is introduced into the container 3 via a connecting element 40, it initially moves only linearly, then enters the ring element 41, where it is guided in an oval shape.

[0041] In the illustrated embodiment, the ring element 41 comprises an oval, with this part of the end face 30 being curved inward, i.e., toward the interior space 31. Outside the ring element 41, the end face is curved in the opposite direction.

[0042] It can be seen that the opening 42 extends over the entire intermediate region at which the end face 30 and the side wall 32 are spaced apart from one another.

[0043] In the Fig. 4 is an enlarged section of a cover 30 with a total of three variants of the ring element 41. It can be seen that the opening 42 has been reduced by different circumferential webs 45. The opening 42 would otherwise - as in the Fig. 3 - extend between the first connecting region 43 and the second connecting region 44, via which the ring element 41 is connected to the side wall 32 or the end face 30, respectively. The webs 45 narrow the opening 42 differently.

[0044] The illustrations Fig. 5 and Fig. 6 show a further embodiment of the container 3 with the ring elements 41, whereby only the differences to the variant of the figures Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 be described.

[0045] The ring elements 41 comprise a circular area. Furthermore, the connecting element runs perpendicular to the major longitudinal axis of the container 3 and not - as in the Fig. 2 - parallel to it.

[0046] It can also be seen that the opening 42 is significantly smaller because a lower region of the cylindrical ring element 41 extends further from the first connecting region 43. List of reference symbols

[0047] 1 Energy unit 2 heat exchanger 3 container 4 deflection device 30 Lid 31 Interior 32 side wall 40 connecting element 41 Ring element 42 opening 43 first connection area 44 second connection area 45 web

Claims

1. A device for heating a fluid, comprising an energy unit (1), a heat exchanger (2), and a tank (3), the energy unit (1) generating thermal energy, the heat exchanger (2) transferring the thermal energy generated by the energy unit (1) to the fluid, the tank (3) receiving the fluid, at least one deflection device (4) being provided for introducing fluid into the tank (3) and / or for removing fluid from the tank (3), the deflection device (4) including a ring element (41) which guides the fluid, the ring element (41) having an opening (42) on the long side, the opening (42) connecting an interior space (31) of the tank (3) to the deflection device (4), a side wall (32) of the tank (3) being connected to the ring element (41) in a first connection area (43), a face side (30) of the tank (3) being connected to the ring element (41) in a second connection area (44), and the opening (42) extending from the first connection area (43) to the second connection area (44), characterized in that a longitudinal web (45) is arranged at the first connection area (43) or at the second connection area (44), the web (45) partially closing the opening (42).

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the opening (42) is designed to be slit-shaped.

3. The device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a connecting element (40) is provided, wherein the connecting element (40) is arranged outside the tank (3), wherein the connecting element (40) and the ring element (41) are coupled to each other such that the fluid can flow between the connecting element (40) and the ring element (41), and wherein the connecting element (40) guides the fluid tangentially to the ring element (41) or away from the ring element (41).

4. The device according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein two deflection devices (4) are provided, and wherein the two deflection devices (4) are assigned a common direction of rotation.

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