Device to control the functioning of a heat exchanger, heat exchanger comprising said device and corresponding control method based on the measurement of an electromagnetic field

Abstract

A device to control the functioning of a heat exchanger comprises an electric generator, suitable to generate an electromagnetic field, at least an emission element, connected to the electric generator and associable with the heat exchanger, to generate in the latter an electromagnetic field, at least a detection element, configured to detect a value of the electromagnetic field with respect to the value generated by the electromagnetic field, and a detector, connected to the detection element with an appropriate de-modulation and de-coding method to determine functioning conditions of the heat exchanger.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The present invention concerns a device to control the functioning of a heat exchanger, comprised by way of example in a plant or an apparatus, for cooling and / or conditioning.[0002]The present invention also concerns the heat exchanger that includes the control device according to the invention, and the corresponding method of controlling the functioning of a heat exchanger based on the measurement of an electromagnetic field.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]Various control devices are known, for controlling the functioning of heat exchangers and in particular those that allow to detect the presence of ice or frost on parts of the exchanger, in particular on the fins.[0004]The presence of ice in heat exchangers is indeed a particularly serious problem and these control devices can be used, in association, for example, with heaters which can be selectively activated in order to carry out, for example, an automatic defrosting of the parts of the heat excha...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The patent describes the use of an electromagnetic field to detect components of a heat exchanger without direct contact, which is non-invasive and easy to install. The detection can be performed using economical and simple equipment. The technology is reliable and durable, and can be used in control devices that are small and cost-effective.

Problems solved by technology

The presence of ice in heat exchangers is indeed a particularly serious problem and these control devices can be used, in association, for example, with heaters which can be selectively activated in order to carry out, for example, an automatic defrosting of the parts of the heat exchanger affected by the formation of ice.

One disadvantage of these control devices is that they are not very precise or reliable since, detecting the overall temperature inside the exchanger, they do not allow to appreciate, for example, deposits of small amounts of ice and / or localized in specific parts of the exchanger.

One disadvantage of these control devices is that they are particularly expensive.

Some disadvantages of the devices cited above are high installation costs, difficulties in installing the sensors in proximity to the points where the ice forms, high costs of the sensors used and their limited duration over time.

Moreover, a common problem of such control devices is that they are not able to detect the presence of ice on all the parts of the heat exchanger in a uniform manner.

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