Dehumidification and air treatment system for a building housing a water-containing basin, such as a swimming pool

Abstract

The present invention relates to a dehumidification and air treatment system (I) for a building (B) comprising: - a fresh air inlet (EAN) from outside (EXT) and a supply air outlet (SAS); - a return air inlet (EAR) and an outlet (SAR) characterized in that it comprises: - a first air circulation path (V1) with at least one filtration device for said fresh air (F1, F2), the first heat exchanger (10) of a heat exchange device (1), and at least one fan (T1); - a second air circulation path (V2) with at least one filtration device (F3) for said return air, at least one fan (T3), the second heat exchanger (11) of said device (1), the evaporator of at least one thermodynamic circuit (3, 4), and at least one fan (T3). Figure 1

Description

Title of the invention: Dehumidification and air treatment system for a building housing a water-containing basin, such as a swimming pool FIELD OF INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a dehumidification and air treatment installation for a building housing a basin containing water, such as a swimming pool. STATE OF THE ART

[0002] High-energy-efficiency thermodynamic heat pump technologies for dehumidification applications have existed for a long time. The present applicant offers equipment that performs this technical function. This equipment is recognized for its performance and its technology is well-established.

[0003] Buildings housing swimming pools are among the most energy-intensive buildings, both for heating the air, for dehumidifying it, and for heating the water in the swimming pool basins.

[0004] The financial viability of a swimming pool is directly linked to its energy consumption, which constitutes a major expense. Most municipal swimming pools are indeed operating at a loss, largely due to these significant costs.

[0005] In addition, the dehumidification of a swimming pool and the treatment of the air in the room or rooms that house it is critical to ensure the health of bathers and visitors.

[0006] Indeed, the emissions of gases toxic to humans linked to the use of chlorine impose very stringent constraints on air treatment.

[0007] Finally, to preserve the building and the comfort of the occupants (swimmers, staff and spectators), the temperature / humidity of the air must be controlled.

[0008] Installations that house a swimming pool in the broad sense (i.e. an artificial basin intended for swimming, diving, recreational activities, medical or paramedical exercises) are very demanding on energy equipment.

[0009] The topology of the dehumidification equipment historically manufactured by the present applicant is based on dehumidification mainly managed by thermodynamics only.

[0010] The management of fresh air (i.e., air newly introduced into the installation) is used solely to treat the toxicity of ambient air, in particular air laden with trichloramine gas.

[0011] These systems have a recognized effectiveness, but optimizations are possible along the following two axes:

[0012] - Maximizing compressor operating time;

[0013] - Increased fresh air supply for the large-scale treatment of ambient air, combined with of the heat recovery, which is adapted to a high rate of fresh air to allow dehumidification according to the conditions outside the building.

[0014] The solution proposed so far consists of a system that integrates four distinct functions:

[0015] - a first fresh air treatment function, which maximizes the ambient air quality and ensuring the dehumidification of the air for a large part of the building's needs.

[0016] - a second function of massive calorie recovery from the air intended to to be expelled outside, to preheat the large supply of fresh air.

[0017] - a third control function allowing the complete system to be controlled and in a coherent manner, with a view to maximizing dehumidification performance, air quality and energy efficiency.

[0018] - a fourth thermodynamic dehumidification function in direct expansion of part of the air taken from the building and reinjected into it or a fourth thermodynamic function of massive heat recovery from the air expelled outside, for the purpose of preheating the pools and / or the ambient air.

[0019] Currently, on the market, these four functions are integrated into separate hardware, each of which operates autonomously and separately.

[0020] The existing thermodynamic dehumidification function is based on recovery technologies on an intermediate water loop, which makes its implementation complex and adds intermediate heat exchanger efficiencies. This therefore reduces the overall performance of the system.

[0021] Moreover, such equipment occupies a considerable amount of space, which is hardly compatible with the relatively small size of the technical premises intended to house it.

[0022] The invention aims to overcome the problems stated above, namely:

[0023] - multiplicity of materials to be used to ensure the different functions

[0024] - implementation complexity;

[0025] - energy performance can be improved;

[0026] - lack of compactness making integration into technical premises difficult cramped. PRESENTATION OF THE INVENTION

[0027] To this end, the present invention proposes a dehumidification and air treatment system for a building housing a water-containing basin such as a swimming pool, comprising:

[0028] - on the one hand, a fresh air inlet from outside said building, as well as a air outlet blown towards said building;

[0029] - on the other hand, a return air inlet from said building and an air outlet resumed in the direction of the exterior of the said building,

[0030] characterized by the fact that it comprises:

[0031] - a first air circulation vein with, from upstream to downstream following the air path between said fresh air inlet from outside said building and said blown air outlet towards said building, at least one filtration device for said fresh air, the first exchanger of a heat exchange device, and at least one blower fan;

[0032] - a second air circulation vein with, from upstream to downstream following the air path between said return air inlet and said return air outlet towards the outside of said building, at least one filtration device for said return air, at least one return air fan, the second exchanger of said heat exchange device, the evaporator of at least one thermodynamic circuit, and at least one fan.

[0033] Thanks to the solution of the invention and in terms of compactness, the various functions interconnected with each other make it possible to save space and, thus, to facilitate the installation even in cramped premises, such as the technical rooms that equip swimming pools.

[0034] In terms of cost and ease of implementation, this installation is particularly suitable, as it is of the "plug and play" type.

[0035] In terms of energy performance, dehumidification treatment using fresh air involves massive quantities of fresh air. This supply also ensures excellent indoor air quality and requires a significant volume of air extracted from the building. The thermodynamic function recovers heat from the extracted air to continuously heat the water in the pools, whose heating requirements are constant.

[0036] In one variant, an additional function also allows the heat to be transferred to the air via the same water loop. This reduces the gas requirements for preheating the heat recovery coil using air.

[0037] Furthermore, the compressor is sized for its full operating power without on / off switching, so that there are therefore no losses due to transient effect.

[0038] Finally, a single automaton is able to control all functions, which maximizes consistency and energy savings, through precise management of fresh air supply and energy recovery.

[0039] According to other advantageous and non-limiting features of this installation, taken alone or according to a technically compatible combination of at least two of them:

[0040] - it includes an additional bypass vein which has an inlet connected to the second air circulation stream, between said at least one return fan and the second exchanger of said two-exchanger enthalpy recovery coil, and an outlet connected to the first air circulation stream, between the first exchanger of said two-exchanger enthalpy recovery coil and said at least one supply fan, between this inlet and this outlet being mounted a damper configured to be either open or closed, and thus permit air circulation, respectively prevent air circulation;

[0041] - said heat exchange device is selected from the group formed by: a enthalpy recovery battery, a plate, wheel or heat pipe heat exchanger;

[0042] - said second air circulation vein is equipped with one to five evaporators which are each an integral part of one of the thermodynamic circuits;

[0043] - one of said evaporators is provided with a register shaped to be either open or closed, and thus allow air circulation, respectively prevent air circulation;

[0044] - said fresh air inlet, said air outlet blown towards said building, as well as the said outlet of the air taken in towards the outside of the said building are provided with independent registers designed to be either open or closed, and thus allow air circulation, respectively prevent air circulation;

[0045] - at least of said registers is motorized;

[0046] - the condenser of said at least one thermodynamic circuit is connected to a water circulation loop of the building to preheat the water in the swimming pool it contains or the sanitary facilities with which it is equipped;

[0047] - said water circulation loop includes a heat exchanger placed within of said a first air circulation vein, downstream of said first exchanger and upstream of said at least one blowing fan. DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0048] Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the description which will now be given, with reference to the attached drawings, which represent, by way of indication but not limitation, possible embodiments.

[0049] On these drawings:

[0050] Fig. 1 is a very schematic view of a first embodiment of the installation according to the present invention;

[0051] Fig. 2 is a very schematic view of a second embodiment of the installation according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0052] Figure 1 shows a very schematic representation of an installation I conforming to a first embodiment of the present invention.

[0053] In this figure, EXT is referenced to the exterior of a building B which houses a basin containing water, such as a swimming pool PS.

[0054] Installation I is, for example, installed in a technical room that is integrated into or adjoining building B. In an alternative, this installation I is positioned on the roof of building B or outside, for example in a parking lot.

[0055] EAN, SAS, EAR and SAR have respectively been referenced as the fresh air inlet from outside EXT into the interior of installation I, the supply air outlet from installation I into the interior of building B, the return air inlet from building B into the interior of installation I and the return air outlet from outside EXT of installation I.

[0056] The installation incorporates a first air circulation vein V1 which extends between the EAN inlet and the SAS outlet.

[0057] From upstream to downstream following the path of the air between this fresh air inlet EAN and the supply air outlet SAS, the installation includes an optional and preferably motorized RI damper, which is configured to be either open or closed, and thus permit air circulation, respectively prevent air circulation, at least one filtration device for said fresh air Fl, F2, the first exchanger 10 of a two-exchanger enthalpy recovery battery 1, and at least one supply fan Tl, as well as an optional and preferably motorized R2 damper.

[0058] Instead of the two-exchanger enthalpy recovery battery 1, we could have a plate, wheel or heat pipe exchanger.

[0059] Thus, the air entering installation I is first filtered by devices Fl and F2, in order to remove polluting particles, particularly those of different sizes. Two filters are shown here. In a variant, a single filter or more than two could be used.

[0060] Downstream of the two filters Fl and F2, in the direction of airflow, is provided the first heat exchanger 10 of an enthalpy recovery battery 1. The second heat exchanger 11 of this battery is located within a second airflow channel V2, which will be discussed later in the description.

[0061] When the recovery system of the circuit is a water enthalpy recuperator, inside these two exchangers 10 and 11 water circulates via a pipe 12 forming a loop, which is coupled to a circulation pump not shown.

[0062] Downstream of the exchanger 10, still within the circulation vein VI, a blowing fan T1, preferably with a fixed flow rate, is provided, as well as an optional damper R2, preferably motorized.

[0063] The installation incorporates a second air circulation vein V2 which extends between the EAR outlet and the SAR outlet.

[0064] From upstream to downstream following the path of the air between this air inlet EAR taken from building B and the air outlet SAR taken to the outside EXT, this second air circulation vein V2 includes at least one filtration device F3 for the taken air, for example of the same type as the filters Fl and F2, at least one return fan T3, as well as the second exchanger 11 of said enthalpy recovery battery 1 mentioned above.

[0065] Downstream of the exchanger 11 is mounted a blower fan T3 and, optionally, a damper R5, preferably motorized.

[0066] On the air path between the exchanger 11 and the blower fan T3 are mounted the evaporators 30 and 40 of two thermodynamic circuits independent of each other, referenced 3 and 4.

[0067] Just upstream of the evaporator 40 is mounted a register R4 which, when closed, allows the airflow to be directed only towards the evaporators 30 of circuit 3.

[0068] In an embodiment not shown here, there could be only one thermodynamic circuit or, conversely, between three and five. Those skilled in the art understand that this number is determined in particular by the size of each circuit and the amount of heat to be recovered from the VL stream.

[0069] The two water condensers of circuits 3 and 4 are referenced 31 and 41, while their respective piping is referenced 32 and 42. Numbering two in the example described here, their number can range from 1 to 5 depending on the needs of the building.

[0070] Each condenser 31 and 41 is connected to a water circulation loop Bl, respectively B2 of building B, to preheat for example the water of the swimming pool it contains, or the water of the sanitary facilities with which it is equipped.

[0071] The installation of [Fig. 1] also includes an optional third duct, which constitutes a bypass duct V3. Its inlet is connected to the second air circulation duct V2, between the return fan T2 and the heat exchanger 11. Its outlet is connected to the first air circulation duct VI, between the first heat exchanger 10 of said enthalpy recovery coil 1, and the fan TL

[0072] On this vein is mounted a register R4, preferably motorized.

[0073] The air treatment within the installation of [Fig.1] is described below.

[0074] After being filtered by the Fl and F2 filters, the dry, fresh air enters the vein VI via the EAN inlet, is considerably preheated by passing through the exchanger 10 of battery 1. This air is then mixed with air from the bypass vein V3, then blown via the SAS outlet, into the interior of building B, for example at a temperature of around 34°C.

[0075] The warm, humid air circulating in building B is taken up in the V2 vein via the EAR inlet.

[0076] Part of this air is conveyed, via the return fan T3, towards the exchanger 11. In contact with this cold exchanger, the hot and humid air loses some of its heat and transfers it to the fluid which circulates in the evaporators of each thermodynamic circuit 3 and 4.

[0077] Finally, the fresher air that has passed through the exchanger 11 is evacuated to the outside EXT via the outlet SAR.

[0078] Within the V2 vein, there is a large excess of heat over the air, so that the heat exchange which takes place via circuits 3 and 4 contributes very much to the preheating of the water in the swimming pool or the sanitary facilities with which building B is equipped.

[0079] The other part of the air taken from building B is directed into the bypass vein V3, and is reinjected into the vein V1 to warm the air entering building B.

[0080] In this installation, the interconnection and synergy between the different equipment is immediately apparent, insofar as the recovery of heat from the return air allows the fresh air to be preheated within the VL duct.

[0081] The embodiment variant illustrated very schematically in [Fig.2] takes up the architecture and equipment of the first variant of [Fig.1].

[0082] Under these conditions, only the additional equipment of this variant will be described below.

[0083] In practice, the difference between the embodiment of [Fig.1] and that of [Fig.2] lies primarily in the fact that only one 31 of the condensers of the thermodynamic circuits 3 and 4 is connected to the water loop Bl. On the other hand, the second condenser 41 is in a heat exchange relationship with a heat exchanger 2, to which it is connected by pipes 21, within a loop B3.

[0084] This exchanger 2 is located within the vein VI, just upstream of the fan Tl, which helps to increase the temperature of the fresh air before it is blown into the building B, via the SAS outlet.

[0085] For both the first and second embodiments, a single programmable logic controller is configured to control all the equipment of the installation, thus maximizing consistency and energy savings through precise management of fresh air supply and energy recovery.

Claims

Demands

1. Installation (I) for dehumidification and air treatment of a building (B) housing a basin (PS) containing water such as a swimming pool, comprising: - on the one hand a fresh air inlet (EAN) from outside (EXT) of said building (B), and an air outlet (SAS) in the direction of said building (B); - on the other hand, a return air inlet (EAR) from said building (B) and a return air outlet (SAR) towards the outside (EXT) of said building (B), and which includes: - a first air circulation channel (VI) with, from upstream to downstream following the path of the air between said fresh air inlet (EAN) from the outside (EXT) of said building (B) and said supply air outlet (SAS) towards said building (B), at least one filtration device for said fresh air (Fl, F2), the first exchanger (10) of a heat exchange device (1), and at least one supply fan (Tl);- a second air circulation vein (V2) with, from upstream to downstream following the path of the air between said return air inlet (EAR) and said return air outlet (SAR) towards the outside (EXT) of said building (B), at least one filtration device (F3) for said return air, at least one return fan (T2), the second exchanger (11) of said heat exchange device (1), the evaporator of at least one thermodynamic circuit (3,4), and at least one fan (T3), characterized by the fact that the condenser (31,41) of said at least one thermodynamic circuit (3,4) is connected to a water circulation loop (B1,B2) of the building to preheat the water of the swimming pool it contains or of the sanitary facilities with which it is equipped.;

2. Installation (I) according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises an additional bypass stream (V3) which has an inlet connected to the second air circulation stream (V2), between said at least one return fan (T2) and the second heat exchanger (11) of said two-exchanger enthalpy recovery battery (1), and an outlet connected to the first air circulation stream (V1), between said first heat exchanger (10) of said two-exchanger enthalpy recovery battery (1) and said at least one blower fan (Tl), between this inlet and this outlet being mounted a damper (R4) configured to be either open or closed, and thus permit air circulation, respectively prevent air circulation.

3. Installation according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said heat exchange device (1) is an enthalpy recovery battery.

4. Installation (I) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said second air circulation vein (V2) is equipped with one to five evaporators (30,40) each connected to a thermodynamic circuit (3,4).

5. Installation (I) according to claim 2, characterized in that one of said evaporators (30,40) is provided with a damper (R5) shaped to be either open or closed, and thus permit air circulation, respectively prevent air circulation.

6. Installation (I) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that said fresh air inlet (EAN), said supply air outlet (SAS) towards said building (B), and said return air outlet (SAR) towards the outside (EXT) of said building (B) are provided with independent registers (RI, R2, R3) configured to be either open or closed, and thus permit air circulation, respectively prevent air circulation.

7. Installation (I) according to any one of claims 2, 5 or 6, characterized in that at least of said registers (R1-R5) is motorized.

8. Installation (I) according to claim 1, characterized in that said water circulation loop (B1,B2) comprises a heat exchanger (2) placed within said a first air circulation channel (VI), downstream of said first exchanger (10) and upstream of said at least one blower fan (T1).

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