Air cooling arrangement

Abstract

The invention relates to an air cooling arrangement (1) for interior spaces in buildings, wherein room air is cooled for air-conditioning purposes, with a circulation line (20), having a feed (21) and return (22), guided through the ground with a lower temperature level for a liquid heat transfer medium, a circulation pump (23) and a compensation vessel (26), characterised in that for absorbing heat, an air / heat-transfer-medium heat exchanger (2) is arranged in the circulation line (20) and upstream and / or downstream of said air / heat-transfer-medium heat exchanger (1) one or more fans (14) are provided to cause room air to flow in a targeted manner through the air / heat-transfer-medium heat exchanger (2), wherein the air / heat-transfer-medium heat exchanger (2), the fan or fans (14), the circulation pump (23) and the compensation vessel (26) are arranged in a compact housing (10).

Description

[0001] DESCRIPTION

[0002] Air cooling arrangement

[0003] The invention relates to an air cooling arrangement for interior spaces in buildings, wherein room air is cooled for air conditioning purposes, with a circulation line guided through a lower temperature level ground with flow and return for a liquid heat transfer medium, a circulation pump and an expansion tank.

[0004] Such arrangements are known, for example, in building services engineering for heating using heat pumps and cooling, where the heating surfaces, particularly in the floor, walls, or ceiling, are used to circulate cooled liquid circulation medium. Such air conditioning arrangements are complex to install and therefore particularly suitable for new buildings.

[0005] Furthermore, DE 27 23 503 A1 describes an air conditioning system for a highly insulated building with a ventilation device to which, among other things, a cooling circuit can be connected, which may include a heat exchanger embedded in the ground.

[0006] DE 10 2017 109 552 A1 describes an air conditioning unit for raised floor systems, such as those intended for server rooms, which is based on a completely different installation with a raised floor system.

[0007] EP 2 169 318 A2 describes a method for operating a device for heating a building and preparing hot water, which device utilizes fans. EP 3 572 733 A1 describes a heat pump heating device, which in turn has a ventilation system with a cross-flow air heat exchanger similar to the aforementioned devices. In addition, a heat pump with a circulation system via a geothermal probe is incorporated, wherein the heat transfer medium conducted in the so-called heat source circuit has two air heat exchangers. These two air heat exchangers are connected by a connecting line such that the exhaust air heat exchanger extracts heat from the outflowing, relatively warm air stream and uses it to heat the air stream flowing into the building or the outside air, in order to prevent ice formation in the cross-flow heat exchanger at particularly low outside temperatures.

[0008] Overall, the aforementioned devices relate to significantly more complex systems with ventilation and exhaust systems, whose air flow is directed via so-called cross-flow heat exchangers to reduce heat loss. These systems naturally have many similarities with the system according to the application, but they merely involve a forced flow of the room air from one side of a compact housing to the other via an air heat exchanger connected to an underground storage tank to cool the air. This provides an easily retrofittable module, particularly for existing buildings, which is equipped for room air cooling using "earth cooling."

[0009] On the other hand, electrically operated air conditioners are known that cool room air using the refrigerator principle and electrical energy. However, such air conditioners consume considerable electrical energy and are therefore not practical from a sustainability perspective.

[0010] The object of the invention is to provide a simple retrofitting option for existing buildings with which a lower temperature level in the ground can be used to cool the room air.

[0011] This object is achieved by an air cooling arrangement according to claim 1.

[0012] Since an air-to-heat transfer medium heat exchanger is arranged in the circulation line for heat absorption, and one or more fans are provided upstream and / or downstream of this air-to-heat transfer medium heat exchanger to direct the room air through the air-to-heat transfer medium heat exchanger. The air-to-heat transfer medium heat exchanger, the fan(s), the circulation pump, and the expansion tank are arranged in a compact housing. The components required for air cooling are combined in this compact housing, making retrofitting into existing buildings easy and inexpensive. Only the flow and return lines for the circulation line to the low temperature level in the ground must be connected in a suitable manner. Apart from that, the compact housing requires only an electrical connection.

[0013] To direct the airflow past the air-to-heat-transfer medium heat exchanger, the compact housing contains an airflow duct with an intake opening for the targeted supply of the room air to be cooled to the air-to-heat-transfer medium heat exchanger and an outlet opening for the room air cooled by the air-to-heat-transfer medium heat exchanger. With an appropriate design of the airflow duct, the movement of the room air generated by the fans can be effectively directed over the heat exchanger, thus cooling the room air efficiently.

[0014] If a first temperature sensor is located in the compact housing at the air flow duct, preferably at the intake opening, a measured actual temperature is provided. If the temperature sensor measures at the intake opening, the temperature measured here reflects the temperature level of the room air before cooling with flow through the air-to-heat transfer medium heat exchanger. If a target temperature is measured at this point during operation of the air cooling system, the operation of the air cooling system can be shut down.

[0015] In a further embodiment, a second temperature sensor is located in the flow line and a third temperature sensor in the return line within the compact housing. This allows the thermal energy extracted from the room air via the air-to-heat transfer medium heat exchanger to be determined in parallel with the room air temperature measurement or independently of it, and control or regulation signals can be generated from it.

[0016] For this purpose, a control and regulation unit is integrated in the compact housing, to which the first, second and / or third temperature sensor are connected via active lines, wherein control lines for the circulation pump and / or the fan(s) are arranged from the control and regulation unit to the circulation pump and / or the fan(s), whereby a correspondingly controlled and / or regulated operation of the air cooling arrangement is possible from this control and regulation unit.

[0017] In order to enable effective transfer of heat from the room air to the heat transfer medium in the heat exchanger, the air-heat transfer medium heat exchanger is a finned heat exchanger.

[0018] If the fan(s) are axial fans, especially PC fans, quiet and efficient fans are available that can be configured to meet the desired airflow. PC fans are inexpensive, mass-produced items that are also essentially maintenance-free.

[0019] Since condensate can form during cooling in air-to-heat-transfer medium heat exchangers when the room air is sufficiently warm and humid, a drip tray is located below the air-to-heat-transfer medium heat exchanger in the compact housing. A condensate drain leads from the drip tray to a wastewater line. This collected water can be continuously drained away via the condensate drain.

[0020] In a further embodiment of the invention, a UVC lamp is arranged in the compact housing on the air flow duct, preferably near the outlet opening. This can significantly reduce the number of germs in the cooled room air. UVC light is characterized by its germicidal effect. To prevent any germs that may occur in the area of ​​condensate water at the heat exchanger from spreading further into the building to be air-conditioned, the UVC lamp is preferably arranged near the outlet opening, i.e., behind the air-heat transfer medium heat exchanger in the direction of room air flow. This also avoids the considerable cleaning and maintenance effort otherwise required with conventional air conditioning systems.

[0021] In a further development, a shield is installed in the airflow channel to prevent UVC light from escaping from the outlet opening. This ensures that UVC radiation harmful to people and other living beings is kept within the compact housing.

[0022] To provide a sufficient, essentially non-exhaustive, low temperature level, the circulation line located in the ground at a lower temperature level is a ground collector. Alternatively, the circulation line located in the ground at a lower temperature level can be a geothermal probe installed in a borehole.

[0023] An embodiment of the invention is described in detail below with reference to the accompanying figures.

[0024] It shows:

[0025] Fig. 1 shows an air cooling arrangement in a compact housing in a partially sectioned schematic diagram. Figure 1 shows an air cooling arrangement 1 in a partially sectioned view. The air cooling arrangement 1 is combined in a compact housing 10. The compact housing 10 has an intake opening 11 and an outlet opening 12 in the housing wall for sucking in and again discharging the room air to be cooled. An air flow duct 13 is formed between the intake opening 11 and the outlet opening 12. An air-heat transfer medium heat exchanger 2 in the form of a finned heat exchanger is arranged in this air flow duct 13 such that the room air to be cooled is forcibly guided along the air flow duct 13 through this finned heat exchanger 2. A flow line 21 is provided on the air-heat transfer medium heat exchanger 2 for supplying the heat transfer medium cooled outside the air cooling arrangement 1.Furthermore, a return line 22 is connected to the air-to-heat transfer medium heat exchanger 2, with the flow line 21 and the return line 22 forming a closed system, a circulation line 20. A circulation pump 23 is arranged in the circulation line 20 within the compact housing 10, which pumps the heat transfer medium in the circulation line 20 in the conveying direction 27 indicated by arrows.

[0026] Depending on the design of the heat dissipation at the low temperature level in the ground, either a ground collector buried flat in the ground at an installation depth of at least 1 m, i.e. a multi-winding cable loop, or a cable loop in a borehole, a so-called geothermal probe, often designed as a double loop, is provided on the flow 21 or return 22 in the open areas not shown here.

[0027] Since the liquid heat transfer medium expands depending on the temperature level, an additional expansion tank 26 is arranged in the circulation line 20 within the compact housing 10.

[0028] In order to direct the room air through the air flow channel 13 within the

[0029] Fans 14 are provided to convey the air from the intake opening 11 to the outlet opening 12 of the compact housing 10. These are preferably axial fans, which guide the room air along the air flow duct 13 over the air-heat transfer medium heat exchanger 2.

[0030] In a further preferred embodiment, the compact housing 10 has a collecting tray 24 below the air-heat transfer medium heat exchanger 2, into which any condensate dripping down from the air-heat transfer medium heat exchanger 2 designed as a finned heat exchanger is collected and fed to a waste water line via a condensate drain 25.

[0031] Furthermore, a UVC lamp 3 is arranged in the compact housing 10 such that its UVC light (shown in dash-dotted lines with reference numeral 30) is directed into the air flow duct 13 in the direction of flow of the room air behind the air-heat transfer medium heat exchanger 2 and in front of the outlet opening 12, exposing the room air to UVC light 30. To prevent UVC radiation harmful to organisms, and especially humans, from entering the building, a shield 31 is provided near the outlet opening 12 in the compact housing 10.

[0032] Furthermore, a control and regulation unit 4 is arranged in the compact housing 10, via which the air cooling arrangement 1 and the units accommodated therein are controlled. For this purpose, a first temperature sensor 41 is arranged in the air flow duct 13 near the intake opening 11, a second temperature sensor 42 in the supply line 21, and a third temperature sensor 43 in the return line 22. These are connected to the control and regulation unit 4 via active lines 44. Furthermore, control lines 45 are provided, which lead from the control and regulation unit 4 to the units to be controlled, namely the circulation pump 23 and the fans 14, as well as, if applicable, the UVC lamp 3.

[0033] The installation and operation of the air cooling arrangement 1 are described below. The compact housing 10 according to the invention is installed in an interior space of the building to be air-conditioned in such a way that the room air to be cooled can exit essentially unhindered through the intake opening 11 and also essentially unhindered through the outlet opening 12. An electrical supply line must be provided at this installation location, as well as the flow line 21 and the return line 22 from the ground collector or from the geothermal probe to the compact housing 10. If necessary, a small-diameter wastewater line is installed as a condensate drain 25. This allows room cooling to be carried out after the compact housing 10 of the air cooling arrangement 1 has been installed.

[0034] A heat transfer medium is circulated via the circulation line 20 by means of a circulation pump 23 through a ground collector (not shown in detail) or a corresponding geothermal probe in a borehole. In the flow line 21, the heat transfer medium cooled by the ground is thus fed to the air-to-heat transfer medium heat exchanger 2 in the form of a finned heat exchanger, through which the room air to be cooled is forced via the air flow duct 13 by the fans 14. Accordingly, the heat contained in the room air is transferred to the heat transfer medium and heats it. The heated heat transfer medium is then fed back to the ground collector or geothermal probe located in the ground via the circulation pump 23 for further cooling.

[0035] If necessary, the control and regulation unit 4 activates the UVC lamp 30 to minimize any germs in the room air. Furthermore, a target room temperature can be preselected via the control and regulation unit 4, which is measured by the first temperature sensor 41. When the target temperature is reached at the first temperature sensor 41, the fans 14 can be turned down or turned off. Likewise, the flow rate of the circulation pump 23 can be regulated depending on the desired cooling capacity and the temperatures determined by the second temperature sensor 42 and / or the third temperature sensor 43.List of reference symbols Air cooling arrangement Compact housing Intake opening Outlet opening Air flow duct Fan Air-heat transfer medium heat exchanger; finned heat exchanger Circulation line Flow return Circulation pump Collecting tray Condensate drain Expansion tank Direction of flow UVC lamp UVC light; UVC radiation Shielding Control and regulation unit First temperature sensor Second temperature sensor Third temperature sensor Active line Control line.

Claims

PATENT CLAIMS 1 . Air cooling arrangement (1) for interior spaces in buildings, wherein room air is cooled for air conditioning purposes, with a circulation line (20) guided through a lower temperature level ground, with a flow (21) and return (22) for a liquid heat transfer medium, a circulation pump (23) and an equalizing tank (26), characterized in that an air-heat transfer medium heat exchanger (2) is arranged in the circulation line (20) for heat absorption and one or more fans (14) are provided upstream and / or downstream of this air-heat transfer medium heat exchanger (1) for the targeted flow of the room air through the air-heat transfer medium heat exchanger (2), wherein the air-heat transfer medium heat exchanger (2), the fan(s) (14), the circulation pump (23) and the equalizing tank (26) are arranged in a compact housing (10).

2. Air cooling arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that an air flow channel (13) with an intake opening (11) for the targeted supply of the room air to be cooled to the air-heat transfer medium heat exchanger (2) and an outlet opening (12) for the room air cooled by the air-heat transfer medium heat exchanger (2) are arranged in the compact housing (10).

3. Air cooling arrangement according to claim 2, characterized in that a first temperature sensor (41) is arranged in the compact housing (10) on the air flow channel (13), preferably on the intake opening (11).

4. Air cooling arrangement according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that in the compact housing (10) in the flow (21) a second temperature sensor (42) and a third temperature sensor (43) are arranged in the return line (22).

5. Air cooling arrangement according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that a control and regulating unit (4) is integrated in the compact housing (10), to which the first, second and / or third temperature sensor (41, 42 and / or 43) are connected via active lines (44), wherein control lines (45) for the circulation pump (23) and / or the fan(s) (14) are arranged from the control and regulating unit (4) to the circulation pump (23) and / or the fan(s) (14).

6. Air cooling arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the air-heat transfer medium heat exchanger (2) is a finned heat exchanger.

7. Air cooling arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fan(s) (14) are axial fans, in particular PC fans.

8. Air cooling arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a collecting tray (24) is arranged below the air-heat transfer medium heat exchanger (2) in the compact housing (10), wherein a condensate drain (25) leads from the collecting tray (24) to a waste water line.

9. Air cooling arrangement according to one of the preceding claims 2 to 8, characterized in that a UVC lamp (3) is arranged in the compact housing (10) on the air flow channel (13), preferably near the outlet opening (12).

10. Air cooling arrangement according to claim 9, characterized in that a shield (31) in the air flow channel (13) for preventing the exit of UVC light (30) from the exit opening (12).

11. Air cooling arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the circulation line (20) guided in the ground with a lower temperature level has a Ground collector is.

12. Air cooling arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the circulation line (20) guided in the ground with a lower temperature level is a geothermal probe inserted in a borehole.

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