Device and air conditioning system with the same

Abstract

Device (1) for cleaning an ionizer (3) arranged in an air conditioning system (2) for electrostatically charging particles contained in an air stream (4), - with a cleaning device (6) that can be arranged temporarily opposite the ionizer (3) for the duration of the cleaning process or permanently, and which is designed to spray a provided cleaning fluid (5) as a spray jet (7) in the direction of the ionizer (3) to be cleaned, so that the ionizer (3) is sprayed and cleaned with the cleaning fluid (5).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a device according to the subject matter of claim 1. The invention particularly relates to an air conditioning system with such a device.

[0002] Conventional air conditioning systems are designed to regulate the temperature of an airflow supplied to, for example, a vehicle's passenger compartment and remove pollutants such as particulate matter, harmful gases, and unpleasant odors. The latter is achieved using a filter unit installed in an air conditioning system, which cleans the airflow and thus enables a pleasant and healthy indoor climate with high air quality.

[0003] To improve airflow cleaning, particularly particle separation, modern filter units are equipped with an ionizer. Such an ionizer generates corona discharges (positive or negative polarity) in the airflow using high voltage, creating ions in the airflow that ionize the gas molecules in the airflow. The ionized gas molecules, in turn, bind to the unwanted dirt particles carried in the airflow, allowing them to be efficiently removed from the airflow by electrostatic separation on an electrostatically charged filter element of the filter unit located downstream of the ionizer.

[0004] A disadvantage is that the ionizer and the filter element become contaminated with increasing operating time of the air conditioning system, especially in regions with high dust levels. The dirt particles tend to accumulate on the ionizer components that are in direct contact with the untreated air flow, particularly electrodes for generating a corona discharge in the air flow and / or counter electrodes, or on the filter element. As a result, the air quality that can be provided by the air conditioning system continuously decreases.

[0005] This unwanted contamination is currently counteracted by regularly replacing the filter element during service maintenance of the air conditioning system. However, the ionizer is permanently installed in the air conditioning system due to its design and therefore cannot be replaced with minimal effort. In the absence of alternatives, a progressive deterioration of the ionizer's effectiveness is accepted. As a result, the ionization of the airflow achieved by the ionizer, i.e., the efficiency of the ionizer, gradually deteriorates with increasing operating time of the air conditioning system and is insufficient, especially in an air conditioning system that already has a relatively high operating time.

[0006] The object of the invention is therefore to provide a device by means of which excessive contamination of the ionizer of an air conditioning system can be prevented or by means of which the efficiency of the ionizer of an air conditioning system can be maintained at a high level even with a relatively high operating time of the air conditioning system.

[0007] In the present invention, this object is achieved by the subject matter of the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments are the subject matter of the dependent claims, the description, and the drawings.

[0008] The above-mentioned object is achieved by a device for cleaning an ionizer arranged in an air conditioning system for electrostatically charging particles contained in an air stream, wherein a provided cleaning fluid is sprayed as a spray jet in the direction of the ionizer to be cleaned by means of a cleaning device (the device) which can be arranged temporarily for the duration of the cleaning or permanently opposite the ionizer for cleaning the ionizer, and thereby the ionizer is sprayed and cleaned with the cleaning fluid.

[0009] By means of the proposed device, the ionizer of an air conditioning system can be quickly and thoroughly cleaned of dirt particles adhering to the ionizer and thus the initial efficiency or effectiveness of the ionizer can be essentially completely restored.

[0010] In a suitable embodiment of the proposed device, a cleaning fluid, preferably water, or compressed air can be used as the cleaning fluid. Both the cleaning fluid, preferably water, and compressed air can be provided cost-effectively and easily disposed of or treated, thus enabling cost-effective and environmentally friendly operation of the device.

[0011] In particular, it can be provided that the cleaning device of the apparatus has at least one cleaning lance with a nozzle device for spraying the cleaning fluid as a spray jet. It can be provided that, during the spraying of the cleaning fluid in the direction of the ionizer, the at least one cleaning lance is rotationally adjustable in a circumferential direction encircling a center axis of the at least one cleaning lance and / or linearly adjustable in a longitudinal direction parallel to the center axis. As a result, the cleaning fluid can be effectively distributed by the cleaning lance and sprayed onto the essential components of the ionizer, in particular the above-described at least one electrode and / or the at least one counter electrode. A storage container for cleaning fluid can be connected to the cleaning lance.

[0012] The object mentioned at the outset is further achieved by an air conditioning system, in particular a vehicle air conditioning system for a vehicle, comprising (at least) one device according to the preceding description.

[0013] It can expediently be provided that the air conditioning system has a preferably electrostatically charged filter element arranged adjacent to the ionizer for filtering an air flow, wherein the filter element is designed to collect and / or absorb at least a portion of the sprayed cleaning fluid. It can be provided that the filter element is designed to be cleaned or replaced after the spraying of the cleaning fluid has ended. As a result, the filter element, which can be implemented, for example, as a pleated filter element, can collect the cleaning fluid sprayed onto the ionizer during cleaning of the ionizer, for example, absorbing it in the case of the said cleaning liquid. This has the advantage of avoiding contamination of a section of the air conditioning system downstream of the filter element with cleaning fluid.

[0014] A further part of the sprayed cleaning fluid can drip or flow off the ionizer, in particular from an electrode of the ionizer, and be collected and discharged in a drainage system on the housing side of the air conditioning system.

[0015] Further expediently, the ionizer can be provided with at least one electrode arranged in an air stream for ionizing the air stream, in particular for generating corona discharges in the air stream, which electrode can be subjected to a first voltage potential, in particular a high-voltage potential of several kilovolts (kV), during normal operation of the air conditioning system. Preferably, the electrical high-voltage potential can be provided in particular as a negative direct high-voltage potential and can furthermore be in the range of -5 kV to -10 kV, or preferably -7 kV. "V" stands for the unit of voltage in volts.To improve the ionization of the particles entrained in the airflow, the ionizer may further comprise at least one counterelectrode arranged in the airflow, which, during normal operation of the air conditioning system, can be subjected to a second voltage potential different from the first voltage potential, in particular a positive countervoltage potential. It is provided that the cleaning fluid is sprayed onto the at least one electrode and / or the at least one counterelectrode.

[0016] In a preferred embodiment, it can be provided that the at least one electrode has a plate-like electrode body, for example made of sheet metal. To improve the ionization of the particles entrained in the air stream, the electrode body can have a plurality of electrode tips arranged at a mutual distance from one another, for example on its longitudinal end face. The counterelectrode can have a plate-like counterelectrode body, for example made of sheet metal. The counterelectrode body preferably has no electrode tips, and is therefore designed free of electrode tips. By means of the at least one counterelectrode, improved ionization of the air stream and thus favorable particle separation can be achieved. It is understood that expediently a plurality of electrodes and / or a plurality of counterelectrodes can be provided.

[0017] Furthermore, it can be provided, in particular, that the cleaning of the air conditioning system's ionizer can be carried out during maintenance of the air conditioning system, for example, in a workshop or at the air conditioning system manufacturer's premises. This allows the cleaning of the ionizer to be carried out cost-effectively during, for example, a scheduled maintenance of the air conditioning system, in particular a scheduled service. This eliminates the need for separate maintenance of the ionizer, thus reducing the maintenance effort of the air conditioning system for the end customer.

[0018] The air conditioning system may comprise an electronic device configured to supply voltage and / or control the ionizer.

[0019] Further important features and advantages of the invention emerge from the subclaims, from the drawings and from the associated description of the figures based on the drawings.

[0020] It is understood that the features mentioned above and those to be explained below can be used not only in the respective combination specified, but also in other combinations or on their own, without departing from the scope of the present invention. Components mentioned above and those to be mentioned below of a higher-level unit, such as a device, an apparatus, or an arrangement, which are designated separately, may form separate parts or components of this unit or be integral areas or sections of this unit, even if this is shown differently in the drawings.

[0021] Preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the drawings and are explained in more detail in the following description, wherein the same reference numerals refer to the same or similar or functionally identical components.

[0022] They show, schematically, Fig. 1 part of a very simplified air conditioning system, Fig. 2 the part of the air conditioning system from Fig. 1 in a perspective view together with a cleaning device of a device according to the invention when carrying out a cleaning of an ionizer of the air conditioning system.

[0023] In Fig. 1 and Fig. Figure 2 shows a part of an air conditioning system designated as a whole by reference number 2, which is intended to temper an air flow 4 supplied, for example, to a passenger compartment of a vehicle (not shown), and to remove pollutants such as particulate matter, harmful gases, and unpleasant odors. The latter is achieved by means of a filter unit 21 installed in the air conditioning system 2 for filtering the air flow 4. The filter unit 21 shown in the Fig. 1 and Fig. The filter unit 21 shown in Figure 2 has, by way of example, a housing tunnel 18 which defines a volume 20 through which the air flow 4 can flow in a flow direction 19 indicated by arrows. The filter unit 21 further has a filter element 8 arranged in the volume 20 and through which the air flow 4 can flow, for separating particles from the air flow 4, as well as an ionizer 3 arranged upstream of the filter element 8, i.e. upstream of the filter element 8 with respect to the flow direction 19, for electrostatically charging particles contained in the air flow 4. The filter element 8 is detachably attached to the housing tunnel 18 so that it can be replaced cost-effectively, for example, during a service appointment (maintenance). Due to its design, the ionizer 3 is non-detachably attached to the housing tunnel 18.

[0024] The ionizer 3 has, purely by way of example, a plurality of electrodes 9, to which, during normal operation of the air conditioning system 2, a first voltage potential 10, in particular in the range from -5 kV to -10 kV or preferably -7 kV, is applied, provided by a high-voltage source (not illustrated), as well as a plurality of counter electrodes 11 flanking the electrodes 9. To improve the ionization of the air flow 4 during normal operation of the air conditioning system 2, a second voltage potential 12 different from the first voltage potential 10 is applied to the counter electrodes 11. The ionizer 3 also has an electronic device 24 configured to supply voltage to and / or control the ionizer 3.

[0025] The ionizer 3 and the filter element 8 become dirty with increasing operating time of the air conditioning system 2, with the dirt particles entrained in the air flow 4 in particular gradually accumulating, preferably on components of the ionizer 3 that are in direct contact with the uncleaned air flow 4, in particular the aforementioned electrodes 9 and the aforementioned counter electrodes 11, and on the filter element 8. As a result, the quality of the air flow 4 that can be provided by the air conditioning system 2 continuously decreases.

[0026] Excessive contamination of the ionizer 3 can be prevented, or the initial efficiency of the ionizer 3 can be virtually completely restored or maintained, even with a relatively high operating time of the air conditioning system 2, by cleaning the ionizer 3 using the device 1 according to the invention for cleaning the ionizer 3. This is made possible in the presently illustrated embodiment of the invention using a system 22 that includes, on the one hand, the air conditioning system 2 described above and, purely by way of example, the device 1, which is designed separately from the air conditioning system 2, with a cleaning device 6 for cleaning the ionizer 3 using a cleaning fluid 5.

[0027] The cleaning device 6 of the device 1 comprises precisely a single, rod-shaped cleaning lance 13, which has a nozzle device 14 at its bent axial lance end for spraying the cleaning fluid 5 as a spray jet 7. The cleaning fluid 5 can, for example, be formed from a cleaning liquid, in particular water, or compressed air, which is stored in a reservoir (not illustrated here) of the device 1 and can be conveyed through the cleaning lance 13 to the nozzle device 14 by a pump device (also not illustrated here) of the device 1. Due to the separate design of the device 1, it can be set up independently of the air conditioning system 2, for example in a workshop or at the manufacturer of the air conditioning system 2, and can be used to clean the ionizer 3, for example during the aforementioned service appointment (maintenance) of the air conditioning system 2.

[0028] In Fig. 2 it can be seen that the housing tunnel 18 of the air conditioning system 2 upstream of the ionizer 3 (i.e., with respect to the flow direction 19 in front of the ionizer 8), has a closable through-opening 23 for the cleaning lance 13. This makes it particularly easy to insert the cleaning lance 13 with its nozzle device 14 first through the then opened through-opening 23 into the housing tunnel 18 and to clean the ionizer 3.

[0029] When cleaning the ionizer 3, it is provided that after the cleaning lance 13 has been introduced into the housing tunnel 18 through the through-opening 23 of the housing tunnel 18 with its nozzle device 14 in front, the cleaning fluid 5 is sprayed by means of the cleaning lance 13 of the cleaning device 6 as a spray jet 7 in the direction of the ionizer 3 to be cleaned and thereby the ionizer 3, ie the said electrodes 9 and the counter electrodes 11, are sprayed and cleaned with the cleaning fluid 5. For the most thorough cleaning of the ionizer 3, ie of the said electrodes 9 and the counter electrodes 11, the cleaning lance 13 can be rotationally adjusted in a circumferential direction 16 surrounding a central axis 15 of the at least one cleaning lance 13 and / or linearly adjusted in a longitudinal direction 17 parallel to the central axis 15 while the cleaning fluid 5 is sprayed in the direction of the ionizer 3.When cleaning is carried out by means of the device 1, the filter element 8 is advantageously mounted so that it can capture and / or absorb at least a portion of the sprayed cleaning fluid 5. This has the advantage that contamination of a section of the air conditioning system 2 downstream of the filter element 8 with cleaning fluid 5 can be reliably avoided. In a final maintenance step following the cleaning, the filter element 8, saturated or loaded with the cleaning fluid 5, can then be cleaned or replaced. List of reference symbols 1 device 2 air conditioning system 3 Ionizer 4 Airflow 5 Cleaning fluid 6 Cleaning device 7 spray jet 8 filter element 9 Electrode 10 First voltage potential 11 Counter electrode 12 Second voltage potential 13 Cleaning lance 14 Nozzle device 15 Center axis 16 Circumferential direction 17 Longitudinal direction 18 housing tunnels 19 Flow direction 20 volumes 21 Filter unit 22 Systems 23 Passage opening 24 Electronic equipment

Claims

[1] Device (1) for cleaning an ionizer (3) arranged in an air conditioning system (2) for electrostatically charging particles contained in an air stream (4), - with a cleaning device (6) which can be arranged temporarily for the duration of the cleaning or permanently opposite the ionizer (3), which is designed to spray a provided cleaning fluid (5) as a spray jet (7) in the direction of the ionizer (3) to be cleaned, so that the ionizer (3) is sprayed with the cleaning fluid (5) and cleaned. [2] Device (1) according to claim 1, characterized by , that - the cleaning fluid (5) is a cleaning liquid, preferably water, or compressed air. [3] Device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by , that - the cleaning device (6) has at least one cleaning lance (13) with a nozzle device (14) for spraying the cleaning fluid (5) as a spray jet (7). [4] Device (1) according to claim 3, characterized by , that - the at least one cleaning lance (13) is rotatably adjustable in a circumferential direction (16) encircling a central axis (15) of the at least one cleaning lance (13) and / or linearly adjustable in a longitudinal direction (17) parallel to the central axis (15) during the spraying of the cleaning fluid (5) in the direction of the ionizer (3). [5] Air conditioning system (2), in particular an air conditioning system for a vehicle, comprising a device (1) according to one of the preceding claims 1 to 4. [6] Air conditioning system (2) according to claim 5, characterized by , that - the air conditioning system (2) has a filter element (8) arranged adjacent to the ionizer (3), preferably electrostatically charged, for filtering an air flow (4), - wherein the filter element (8) is designed to collect and / or absorb at least a portion of the sprayed cleaning fluid (5), and / or - wherein the filter element (8) is arranged to be cleaned or replaced after the spraying of the cleaning fluid (5) has ended. [7] Air conditioning system (2) according to claim 5 or 6, characterized by , that - the ionizer (3) has at least one electrode (9) arranged in an air flow (4) for ionizing the air flow (4), which electrode can be subjected to a first voltage potential (10) during normal operation of the air conditioning system (2), and / or at least one counter electrode (11) arranged in the air flow (4), which can be subjected to a second voltage potential (12) different from the first voltage potential (10) during normal operation of the air conditioning system (2), - wherein the cleaning device (6) is configured to spray the cleaning fluid (5) onto the at least one electrode (9) and / or the at least one counter electrode (11). [8] Air conditioning system (2) according to one of claims 5 to 7, characterized by , that - the air conditioning system (2) has a filter unit (21) for filtering an air flow (4) from air, which has a housing tunnel (18) which delimits a volume (20) through which the air flow (4) can flow in a flow direction (19), wherein the (or one) filter element (8) through which the air flow (4) can flow for separating particles from the air flow (4), upstream of the filter element (8) the (or one) ionizer (3) for electrostatically charging particles contained in the air flow (4) and upstream of the ionizer (3) the cleaning device (6) of the device (1) for cleaning the ionizer (3) by means of a cleaning fluid (5) are arranged in the volume (20) and are each fixed to the housing tunnel (18).

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