hot air generator, particularly for livestock buildings

Abstract

Hot air generator (1), particularly for livestock buildings, said generator (1) comprising: a frame (2) defining a duct (3) with an air supply inlet (4) and at least one air outlet (5), a fan (6) equipped with at least one rotating element (61), a combustion chamber (7) equipped with a burner (8), and a fan (6) and burner (8) control unit (9), the duct (3) housing the fan (6) and the combustion chamber (7) equipped with the burner (8), said fan (6) being disposed between the burner (8) and the air inlet (4), said burner (8) being a gas burner equipped with a closable gas supply circuit (10) having at least one closable element (11) mounted between an open position and a closed position,characterized in that the generator (1) comprises a speed sensor (12) for the rotation of the rotating element(s) (61) of the fan (6) and in that the control unit (9) is configured to control the actuation of the shutter element (11) as a function of the speed of the fan (6). Figure for the abstract: Fig. 2,

Description

Title of the invention: Hot air generator, particularly for livestock buildings

[0001] The present invention relates to a hot air generator, in particular for livestock buildings.

[0002] It relates in particular to a hot air generator comprising: a frame defining a duct with an air supply inlet and at least one air outlet, a fan equipped with at least one rotating element, a combustion chamber equipped with a burner, and a control unit for the fan and the burner, the duct housing the fan and the combustion chamber equipped with the burner, said fan being disposed between the burner and the air inlet, said burner being a gas burner equipped with a gas supply circuit that can be shut off by at least one shut-off element movable between an open and a closed position

[0003] For many years, buildings, and in particular livestock buildings, have been equipped with hot air generators to heat the interior of the building. For safety reasons, these hot air generators are equipped with a pressure switch whose readings allow control of the burner's operation. Such a system is unsatisfactory because it is unreliable, particularly due to the rapid fouling of the duct, and requires frequent maintenance.

[0004] One object of the invention is to provide a hot air generator whose design allows for safe operation while limiting maintenance periods.

[0005] To this end, the invention relates to a hot air generator, particularly for livestock buildings, said generator comprising: a frame delimiting a duct with an air supply inlet and at least one air outlet, a fan equipped with at least one rotating element, a combustion chamber equipped with a burner, and a control unit for the fan and the burner, the duct housing the fan and the combustion chamber equipped with the burner, said fan being disposed between the burner and the air inlet, said burner being a gas burner equipped with a closable gas supply circuit having at least one closing element mounted movable between an open position and a closed position, characterized in that the generator includes a speed sensor for the rotation of the rotating element(s) of the fan and in that the control unit is configured to control the actuation of the closing element as a function of the fan speed.The fact that the control unit is configured to control the actuation of the shutter based on the fan speed ensures that the burner is only actuation when the fan is activated in certain situations. predetermined conditions. Thus, the burner is operated safely in accordance with the normative requirements.

[0006] According to one embodiment of the invention, the control unit is configured to control the actuation of the shutter element in the direction of movement to the closed position when the rotational speed of the rotating elements of the fan is zero or less than a predetermined value.

[0007] According to one embodiment of the invention, the control unit comprises a communication module configured to communicate wirelessly with a remote terminal. Data relating in particular to the number of operating hours of the fan can thus be collected.

[0008] According to one embodiment of the invention, the generator includes a device for emitting an audible and / or visual signal and the control unit is configured to control the device for emitting an audible and / or visual signal according to the data provided by the speed sensor.

[0009] According to one embodiment of the invention, the control unit is configured to control the device for emitting an audible and / or visual signal when the speed of rotation of the rotating parts of the fan is zero or less than a predetermined value.

[0010] According to one embodiment of the invention, the frame is a rolling frame equipped at one end of the duct with wheels and at the opposite end with a handle. Such an air generator can thus be moved like a wheelbarrow. Brief description of the drawings

[0011] The invention will be better understood upon reading the following description of exemplary embodiments, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0012] [Fig-1] represents a perspective view of a hot air generator according to the invention;

[0013] [Fig.2] represents a schematic view partially in longitudinal section of a hot air generator according to the invention;

[0014] [Fig.3] represents an exploded side view of the constituent elements of a hot air generator according to the invention.

[0015] As mentioned above, the invention relates to a hot air generator 1 suitable for installation, in particular, in an animal housing building to heat the building by blowing hot air into the building. For this purpose, such a hot air generator 1 comprises, as illustrated in the figures, a frame 2 generally made at least partially of metal. This frame 2, which forms a piece of revolution defining a cylindrical or frustoconical duct 3 with at least one air supply inlet 4 formed by one end of duct 3 and air outlet 5 formed by the opposite end of duct 3.

[0016] This generator 1 further includes a fan 6 equipped with at least one, generally several rotating parts 61, such as blades driven in rotation by a motor of said fan 6. This fan 6 generates an airflow suitable for being heated inside a combustion chamber 7 equipped with a burner 8.

[0017] The generator 1 includes, for the operation of the fan 6 and the burner 8, a control unit 9. This control unit 9 is in the form of an electronic and computer system which includes, for example, a microprocessor and working memory. In one particular aspect, the control unit 9 may be in the form of a programmable logic controller (PLC). In other words, the functions and steps described may be implemented either as a computer program or via hardware components (e.g., programmable gate networks).In particular, the functions and steps performed by the control unit or its modules can be carried out by instruction sets or computer modules implemented in a processor or controller, or by dedicated electronic components, or by components such as field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), or application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs). It is also possible to combine computer and electronic components.When it is specified that the unit or means or modules of said unit are configured to perform a given operation, this means that the unit includes computer instructions and the corresponding means of execution which enable said operation to be performed and / or that the unit includes corresponding electronic components.

[0018] The fan 6 and the combustion chamber 7, equipped with the burner 8, are arranged inside the duct 3, with the fan 6 positioned between the burner 8 and the air inlet 4. Thus, the fresh air entering through the air supply inlet 4, driven by the fan 6, is guided to the combustion chamber 7, where it is heated by the burner 8 before being discharged through the air outlet 5 of the duct 3. The burner 8 is generally arranged coaxially with the axis of rotation of the fan 6. The burner 8 is a gas burner with a shut-off gas supply circuit 10 having at least one shut-off element 11 movable between an open and a closed position. This shut-off element 11 may be, for example, a solenoid valve.

[0019] The generator 1 further includes a speed sensor 12 for the rotation of the rotating element(s) 61 of the fan 6, and the control unit 9 is configured to control the actuation of the shutter element 11 as a function of the speed of the fan 6 to ensure that the burner operates only when the fan 6 is actuated under predetermined conditions. These conditions are generally predetermined by design.

[0020] In particular, the control unit 9 is configured to control the actuation of the shutter element 11 in the direction of movement to the closed position, that is, in the direction of transition from the open position to the closed position when the rotational speed of the rotating elements 61 of the fan 6 is zero or less than a predetermined value. This results in the burner 8 operating only when the fan 6 is rotating at a non-zero speed or at a speed greater than a predetermined value. The fan 6 speed value at which the shutter element 11 transitions to the closed position is ideally determined during the generator's manufacture and is pre-stored in a memory of the hot air generator 1.

[0021] The control unit 9 further includes a communication module configured to communicate wirelessly with a remote terminal 14. This communication module 13 may include a transmitter or a transceiver capable of communicating with a receiver or a transceiver of the remote terminal 14, such as a smartphone. The data exchanged may concern, for example, the number of operating hours of the fan, the fan rotation speed, and faults, such as an ignition fault, an overheating fault, a fan power consumption fault, an ionization probe fault, overdue maintenance, a fault history, etc.

[0022] The hot air generator 1 may further include a device 15 for emitting an audible and / or visual signal, and the control unit 9 is configured to control the audible and / or visual signal emitting device 15 based on data provided by the speed sensor 12. Thus, when the speed sensor provides the control unit 9 with a speed corresponding to a rotational speed of the fan's rotating parts of zero or less than a predetermined value, the control unit is configured to control the device for emitting an alarm and / or visual signal in the direction of emitting said signal. This alarm signal may also be received on the remote terminal 14. When this alarm signal is emitted at the hot air generator 1, it may take the form of the illumination of a light, such as a light button, fitted to the frame 2, or a sound emitted by an alarm fitted to the frame 2.

[0023] To complete the hot air generator 1, the frame 2 is a rolling frame equipped, at one end of the duct 3, with wheels 16 and, at the opposite end, with a handle 17 for maneuvering. The frame 2 can thus be moved like a wheelbarrow by grasping the handle 17, which is shaped like a loop, and tilting the frame 2 towards a low point formed by the wheels and pulling or pushing on said frame 2.

[0024] Thanks to the design of the hot air generator 1, as described above, a venturi associated with a pressure switch to verify the proper operation of the hot air generator is no longer necessary. This results in a simplification of the hot air generator 1.

Claims

Demands

1. Hot air generator (1) particularly for livestock buildings, said generator (1) comprising: a frame (2) delimiting a duct (3) with an air supply inlet (4) and at least one air outlet (5), a fan (6) equipped with at least one rotating member (61), a combustion chamber (7) equipped with a burner (8), and a fan (6) and burner (8) control unit (9), the duct (3) housing the fan (6) and the combustion chamber (7) equipped with the burner (8), said fan (6) being disposed between the burner (8) and the air inlet (4), said burner (8) being a gas burner having a closable gas supply circuit (10) having at least one closable member (11) mounted between an open position and a closed position,characterized in that the generator (1) comprises a speed sensor (12) for the rotation of the rotating part(s) (61) of the fan (6) and in that the control unit (9) is configured to control the actuation of the shutter (11) as a function of the speed of the fan (6).

2. Hot air generator (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the control unit (9) is configured to control the actuation of the shutter member (11) in the direction of a movement to the closed position when the rotational speed of the rotating members (61) of the fan (6) is zero or less than a predetermined value.

3. Hot air generator (1) according to any one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the control unit (9) includes a communication module (13) configured to communicate wirelessly with a remote terminal (14).

4. Hot air generator (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it comprises a device (15) for emitting an audible and / or visual signal and in that the control unit (9) is configured to control the device (15) for emitting an audible and / or visual signal according to the data provided by the speed sensor (12).

5. Hot air generator (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that the control unit (9) is configured to control the device (15) for emitting an audible and / or visual signal when

6. the rotational speed of the rotating parts (61) of the fan (6) is zero or less than a predetermined value. Hot air generator (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the frame (2) is a rolling frame equipped at one end of the duct (3) with wheels (16) and, at the opposite end, with an operating handle (17).

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