DEVICE WITH AIR CUSHION FOR HEATING ROOM AIR AND A LIQUID

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a device with an air cushion for heating room air and a liquid.

[0002] It is known in the prior art to extract thermal energy from the combustion of, for example, propane, butane, or diesel fuel converted into the gaseous state and to transfer it to a liquid, e.g., domestic water or room air, via at least one heat exchanger. It is also known to heat room air and liquid (see, for example, US 2019 / 0212033 A1).

[0003] The object underlying the invention is to propose a device for heating room air and a liquid which represents an alternative to the prior art.

[0004] The invention solves the problem by a device for heating room air and a liquid, comprising an air inlet, an air outlet, a liquid inlet, a liquid outlet, an energy unit, a heat exchanger, a medium container, a medium line, a conveying device, and a control unit, wherein room air to be heated enters the device via the air inlet, wherein heated room air leaves the device via the air outlet, wherein liquid to be heated enters the device via the liquid inlet, wherein heated liquid leaves the device via the liquid outlet, wherein the energy unit generates thermal energy, wherein the heat exchanger transfers the thermal energy generated by the energy unit to the room air and / or to the liquid, wherein the medium container serves to hold the liquid and air, wherein the medium line serves to conduct liquid and air,wherein the heat exchanger and the medium line are designed and arranged relative to one another such that the heat exchanger transfers thermal energy to liquid located in the medium line, wherein the conveying device serves to move liquid and / or air from the medium container to the medium line and from the medium line to the medium container, wherein the control unit controls the conveying device, and wherein, in the case that the device is only intended to heat room air in an air mode, the control unit controls the conveying device in a preparatory step such that the conveying device moves air from an air cushion in the medium container through the medium line.

[0005] The device according to the invention has inlets and outlets for the room air to be heated and a liquid to be heated or warmed, e.g., process water. The liquid and air can be stored in a medium container. This air is different from the room air to be heated and can also be referred to, for example, as working air or displacement air. During operation, the liquid and air are thus located in an air cushion in the medium container. Furthermore, both the liquid and air can be guided through a medium line. A conveying device is provided for the transfer of liquid and air between the medium container and the medium line. This air is guided through the device and serves its operation. A heat exchanger transfers thermal energy to the room air and / or the liquid. The liquid that is guided through the medium line is heated.The heat exchanger and the medium line are arranged relative to one another accordingly. As the following embodiments show, the device allows, for example, a targeted switch between the media to be heated: i.e., liquid and room air. Before an air mode, in which the device is only intended to heat room air, the medium line is emptied of liquid. This is done by the control unit, in a preparatory step, i.e., before the actual air mode, controlling the conveying device so that the conveying device moves air - i.e., the working air - from the air cushion of the medium container through the medium line. This serves to empty the medium line. The movement of the air essentially pushes or displaces the liquid.

[0006] One embodiment is characterized in that the medium container, the conveying device, and the medium line are designed and coordinated with one another such that the amount of air in the medium container, the conveying device, and the medium line remains essentially constant. The arrangement of the medium container, conveying device, and medium line is thus so tight that no air escapes and this air circulates within this arrangement. In one embodiment, the method of removing liquid from the medium container in the direction of the liquid outlet is also designed such that the amount of air remains constant. In an alternative embodiment, there is access to the medium container through which air can enter the medium container.

[0007] One embodiment provides that, in the preparation step, the conveying device removes air from the air cushion and, after passing through the medium line, returns it to the medium container. In this embodiment, the air in the air cushion serves to discharge liquid from the medium line. The air is then reintroduced into the medium container so that the amount of air in the air cushion remains essentially constant.

[0008] One embodiment is that, if the device is intended to heat either only liquid or liquid and room air, the control unit controls the conveying device so that liquid flows from the medium container to the medium line and from the medium line to the medium container. During this passage of the liquid through the medium line, the heat exchanger transfers thermal energy to the liquid.

[0009] One embodiment provides that, if the device is intended to heat either only room air or liquid and room air, the control unit controls the air inlet and / or the air outlet such that room air flows from the air inlet via the heat exchanger to the air outlet. For this purpose, a corresponding fan is provided in one embodiment. This fan conveys room air such that the heat exchanger transfers thermal energy to the room air, thereby heating it. Accordingly, in one embodiment, the control unit controls the fan accordingly.

[0010] One embodiment consists in that the energy unit generates thermal energy by burning a fuel-air mixture and / or by converting electrical energy.

[0011] In detail, there are numerous possibilities for designing and developing the device according to the invention. Reference is made, on the one hand, to the claims subordinate to claim 1 and, on the other hand, to the following description of exemplary embodiments in conjunction with the drawing. It shows: Fig. 1 a schematic representation of a device.

[0012] The Fig. 1 shows schematically the structure of a device for heating room air and a liquid.

[0013] The room air enters the device through air inlet 1 and leaves it heated through air outlet 2. The liquid, for example water, enters the device through liquid inlet 3 and leaves it heated (or heated) through liquid outlet 4. The thermal energy for heating is generated by the energy unit 5 in the variant shown through the combustion of a fuel-air mixture. Depending on the mode, the heat exchanger 6 transfers the thermal energy to the room air or to the liquid, or for example to both the room air and the liquid. For this purpose, the room air is guided from the air inlet 1 by a fan 12 along or past the heat exchanger 6 to the air outlet 2. A medium container 7 is provided for the liquid, which is connected to the liquid inlet 3 and the liquid outlet 4 and a medium line 8.The fluid passing through the medium line 8 can absorb thermal energy from the heat exchanger 6. The flow of the fluid is effected by the conveying device 9, which, for example, comprises at least one pump. The conveying device 9 is controlled by the control unit 10, which, in this embodiment, also switches between the different operating modes based on a user's settings.

[0014] To switch between modes, an air cushion 11 is present in the medium container 7. The medium container 7 is therefore not completely filled with the liquid, but an area remains for the air. Before only the room air is heated in air mode, the medium line 8 is first largely emptied of liquid. For this purpose, the conveying device 9 guides air from the air cushion 11 through the medium line 8. This means that the conveying device 9 can convey not only liquid but also air. After the preparation step, the air is heated in air mode.

Claims

1. A device for heating room air and a liquid, comprising an air inlet (1), an air outlet (2), a liquid inlet (3), a liquid outlet (4), an energy unit (5), a heat transfer means (6), a medium container (7), a medium line (8), a conveying device (9) and a control unit (10), wherein room air to be heated enters the device via the air inlet (1), wherein heated room air exits the device via the air outlet (2), wherein liquid to be heated enters the device via the liquid inlet (3), wherein heated liquid exits the device via the liquid outlet (4), wherein the energy unit (5) produces thermal energy, wherein the heat transfer means (6) transfers the thermal energy produced by the energy unit (5) to the room air and / or to the liquid, wherein the medium container (7) serves to receive liquid and air, wherein the medium line (8) serves to conduct liquid and air, wherein the heat transfer means (6) and the medium line (8) are configured and arranged relative to each other such that the heat transfer means (6) transfers thermal energy to liquid present in the medium line (8), wherein the conveying device (9) serves to move liquid and / or air from the medium container (7) to the medium line (8), and from the medium line (8) to the medium container (7), wherein the control unit (10) controls the conveying device (9), characterized in that in the case that the device is intended to heat only room air in an air mode, the control unit (10) is configured to control, in a preparation step, the conveying device (9) such that the conveying device (9) moves air from an air cushion (11) in the medium container (7) through the medium line (8).

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the medium container (7), the conveying device (9), and the medium line (8) are configured and adapted to each other such that an amount of air in the medium container (7), the conveying device (9), and the medium line (8) remains substantially constant.

3. The device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein in the preparation step, the conveying device (9) removes air from the air cushion (11) and supplies it back to the medium container (7) after the passage through the medium line (8).

4. The device according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein in the case that the device is intended to heat either only liquid or liquid and room air, the control unit (10) controls the conveying device (9) such that liquid flows from the medium container (7) to the medium line (8), and from the medium line (8) to the medium container (7).

5. The device according to any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the device further has a fan (12) for conveying the room air from the air inlet (1) to the air outlet (2).