Measurement device, system and method for remotely monitoring a drying process

Abstract

The invention relates to a measurement device (1), a system (10) and a method for remotely monitoring a drying process, comprising - a measuring tube (2) through which suction air flows; - an air pump (3) for providing the suction air; - at least one first air quality sensor (Sl) which is arranged within the measuring tube (2), wherein by means of the first air quality sensor (Sl) at least one air property, preferably the absolute humidity, of the suction air can be detected, wherein the measurement device (1) comprises at least one second sensor (S2a), preferably a second air quality sensor (S2a), which is arranged outside the measuring tube (2), for detecting at least one air property, preferably the absolute humidity, of the ambient air, and wherein by forming a difference between the air properties of the suction air and the ambient air a dehumidification rate of the drying process is determined and transmitted to a remote user interface (B) via a communication network.

Description

[0001] Measuring device, system and method for remote monitoring of a drying process

[0002] The invention relates to a measuring device, a method for remote monitoring of a drying process according to the preamble of claim 1 and according to the preamble of claim 10 and a system with a measuring device according to the invention.

[0003] Drying devices are used in new building construction, in the renovation of existing buildings, and especially in repairs to building structures following moisture damage, for example, due to burst water pipes or moisture accumulation due to condensation on cold wall surfaces or a lack of ventilation. In their simplest form, suitable drying devices consist of a heating element to heat the air so that it can absorb a larger amount of moisture, and a fan to supply the heated, dry air to the area to be dehumidified and to remove moisture-laden air from the area to be dehumidified.

[0004] If floors and the underlying deeper structures, e.g. the screed, are affected by moisture damage, special drying processes are used. Generally, a large number of holes or gaps are created in such structures and flexible hoses are inserted into the holes. These hoses are connected to an air pump, which sucks air from the holes or blows it in to force drier air into the moisture damage or to remove moisture-laden air. If air is blown in, another air drying unit with an upstream or downstream air filter is often installed in the same room. If air is sucked in, a water separator and / or an air filter must be provided along the hose line. This is necessary to prevent subsequent moisture damage and a health risk from exposed mold or fungal spores.

[0005] Depending on the extent of the moisture damage, it may be necessary to run the drying equipment continuously for several days or even months to dry the affected structures. In practice, a technician sets up a drying equipment and puts it into operation. This technician must check the drying progress every day or week. It is in the best economic interest to keep such drying equipment in operation for as short a time as possible, as it consumes a lot of electricity and could otherwise be used for other purposes. However, this is counteracted by the need to keep the drying equipment running until it is certain that all moisture damage has been completely eliminated. For this reason, the technician regularly checks the drying progress on site using manual measurements.Since manual measuring and the necessary on-site inspection and labor, as well as the technician's round trip, etc., also represent considerable cost factors, it is necessary to find a compromise between drying times that are too long or too short and the number of manual checks.

[0006] An example of a known drying device is disclosed in DE 10 2012 007 273 A1. The proposed system is designed for drying insulation layers of floors using a vacuum process. A compressor located in the room extracts the moist air from the insulation layer beneath the floor through drying air hoses. The suction air volume flows are regulated with the help of a humidity sensor and a special flow control unit, which is located between the suction openings in the floor and the compressor. This flow control unit enables targeted control and extraction of all moisture or drying zones of the insulation layer. However, the aforementioned problems are not solved by this drying device either.

[0007] It is therefore the object of the invention to provide a solution to the above disadvantages of known measuring devices and methods for drying moisture damage.

[0008] The inventive approach to solving the problem lies in the implementation of a remote monitoring of a drying process after a water damage in order to make the previously frequently performed on-site monitoring superfluous or to detect premature drying of the moisture damage.

[0009] According to the invention, the present object is achieved by providing a measuring device for remote monitoring of a drying process after water damage, comprising a measuring tube through which suction air flows, an air pump for providing the suction air, and at least one first air quality sensor which is arranged inside the measuring tube, wherein at least one air property, preferably the absolute humidity, of the suction air can be detected by the first air quality sensor, wherein the measuring device has at least one second sensor, preferably a second air quality sensor, which is arranged outside the measuring tube, wherein at least one air property, preferably the absolute humidity, of the ambient air can be detected by the second sensor,and wherein the measuring device is configured to determine a dehumidification rate of the drying process by forming the difference between the air properties of the suction air and the air properties of the ambient air and to transmit the determined dehumidification rate to a remote user interface via a communication network.

[0010] This provides the advantage that the progress of the drying process can be continuously and reliably monitored far away from the moisture damage to be dried, without the need for a technician to take measurements on-site. This remote monitoring can only be carried out reliably if, in addition to the first air quality sensor, which measures the suction air in the measuring tube, a second sensor is provided to determine an air property of the ambient air. By calculating the difference between the values ​​recorded by the two sensors, it can be determined whether the drying of the moisture damage area is complete.If this difference formation were not carried out, as is the case in the state of the art, in which only the moist suction air is recorded, it can happen in unfavorable cases that a drying process is stopped late or early, since the ambient air and its air properties have an influence on the measurement of the suction air, or a considerable influence on the progress of the drying process.

[0011] It is not excluded that the second sensor could be located in a separate measuring tube. This can be useful if the ambient air is drawn from another room or from the open air outside a building with moisture damage.

[0012] It should be emphasized that the first air quality sensor, the second sensor, and, if applicable, any further second sensor can be connected to each other by cable or wirelessly, whereby the difference can be formed locally or decentrally.

[0013] It may also be useful to install multiple primary air quality sensors and / or multiple secondary sensors in a building to generate a particularly meaningful dehumidification rate through sensor fusion of the air properties. This also has the advantage of clearly identifying which intake air from a particular measuring tube is not yet sufficiently dried.

[0014] Calculating the difference to determine the dehumidification rate can be easily performed if the second sensor is also an air quality sensor and both sensors measure the absolute humidity of the air flowing past them. Likewise, absolute humidity can be calculated from the locally measured relative humidity and temperature.

[0015] Absolute humidity, or absolute air humidity, is the total amount of water contained in a given volume of space. Absolute humidity is usually measured in grams per cubic meter (g / m 3 ) or grams per kilogram of air (g / kg_air).

[0016] To determine a precise dehumidification rate in g / h (grams of water per hour) of pumped water, a compressor characteristic curve or a pump characteristic curve of the air pump can be used. The compressor characteristic curve is the relationship between the negative pressure in the suction line and the air pump's hourly discharge volume in m3 / h. Therefore, the remote monitoring device also records the absolute air pressure inside and outside the measuring tube to calculate the negative pressure.

[0017] Likewise, any backpressure behind the air pump due to various filters can also be taken into account. The entire system characteristic curve can also be considered. The dehumidification rate in g / h is then the absolute humidity difference multiplied by the air pump's suction air flow volume: Delta g / m3 * m3 / h = Delta g / h.

[0018] The dehumidification rate describes the amount of water that is extracted per hour from the extracted area of ​​moisture damage or from a screed.

[0019] It should be noted that the pump characteristic curve and the dehumidification rates calculated from it can be assigned a known tolerance band, allowing the user of the measuring device to estimate whether the drying process is actually complete. This tolerance band allows the measurement inaccuracies of all air quality sensors, or sensors, and the pump characteristic curve to be taken into account. The pump characteristic curve can be continuously determined using additional pressure sensors, flow sensors, and valves, allowing the measuring device to be used with different air pumps for which the pump characteristic curve is unknown. The pump characteristic curve can also be derived from the digitally recorded device IDs used on construction sites.

[0020] It should be generally noted at this point that the term "suction air" refers to both the air blown into and the air sucked into the measuring tube. It may be expedient to use both modes of operation during the drying process to achieve the fastest and most thorough drying of the moisture damage.

[0021] Preferably, the air property of the suction air and / or the ambient air comprises at least an air pressure, an air temperature, a relative air humidity, a qualitative concentration of volatile organic compounds (VCO), a thermal radiation, an absolute humidity, a dew point temperature, a gas concentration of, for example: carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO2), radon (Rn), etc., and / or a water content.

[0022] If at least two air properties are known, the progress of the drying process can be determined even more accurately. Furthermore, it can also be determined whether potentially hazardous substances are being released into the surrounding environment during the drying process. This can be the case because pollutants are often initially bound in humid areas but are then entrained by the suction air during drying. The remote user interface also makes it possible to determine whether protective clothing is necessary before an area affected by moisture damage can be safely entered.

[0023] The measurement of these aforementioned air properties can be performed periodically or at irregular intervals, or triggered manually at the remote user interface. For example, it may be expedient to initially define long measurement intervals and then reduce the interval duration as the drying process progresses, since recording the dehumidification rate only becomes particularly important towards the end of a drying process. By selecting a changing periodicity, energy can be saved, meaning the measuring device needs to be recharged less frequently. Measurements can also be taken more or less frequently, with only average values ​​or packets of measured values ​​being transmitted to the user interface via the communications network. Typical period durations are a few minutes, although these can also be selected in seconds or hours for all or just some measured variables.

[0024] It should also be mentioned that in addition to the air properties, the internal state of the measuring device can also be recorded and transmitted. This includes, for example, orientation in the room, a real-time clock, battery voltage measurement, charge monitoring, states within the sensors, and / or states within the user interface or the communication network. Preferably, the first air quality sensor and / or the second sensor are arranged behind a water, oil, and / or dirt-repellent membrane with continuous pressure equalization. This has the advantage of protecting the sensitive sensor. This is important because, in addition to liquid water, stones, dust, and the like can be carried along when the suction air is switched on, particularly in old building structures. On the other hand, a reliable measurement of the suction air and / or ambient air is only guaranteed if a controlled pressure field is maintained around the sensors.Behind the membrane there is generally a measuring chamber for the air quality sensor or second sensor, which is as small as possible and sealed against the interior of the measuring device.

[0025] In one embodiment, the measuring tube can have a recess through which the first air quality sensor can be brought into contact with the interior of the measuring tube and preferably sits flush with an inner wall of the measuring tube. This provides, firstly, the advantage that maintenance and replacement of the air quality sensor or the dirt-repellent membrane are significantly facilitated. Secondly, the flow of the suction air through the measuring tube is not impaired or additionally disturbed by a flush seal. This also provides the advantage that the air quality sensor can be fixed axially and rotationally on the measuring tube in this way.

[0026] In a further embodiment, the aforementioned membrane, or membranes, can be arranged on a plane at an angle between 10° and 170°, preferably at an angle between 40° and 50°, to a horizontal plane relative to the direction of gravity, so that the outer side of the membrane faces diagonally downward. This is advantageous because droplet formation, which occurs when the suction air is conveyed through the measuring tube, is prevented or at least drains away as quickly as possible. This prevents suspended water droplets from impeding the permeability of the membrane.

[0027] Preferably, the first air quality sensor and / or second sensor can be detachably connected to the measuring tube by means of tabs, wherein the tabs can preferably be clamped via ring connectors. This has the advantage that a firm yet elastic fit of the air quality sensor is achieved, wherein the ring connectors are preferably O-ring-like and elastic. The property that the ring connectors are mounting elements that encompass the measuring tube also has the advantage that they cannot get lost in connection with connecting hoses. The ring connectors can also be selected in terms of material and mechanical dimensioning such that they act as a predetermined breaking point. If an excessive force acts on the air quality sensor, at least one of the ring connectors breaks and protects the air quality sensor from damage.In addition, the generally tool-free assembly using ring connectors and tabs allows subsequent mounting of the first air quality sensor and / or second sensor on a measuring tube.

[0028] It should also be mentioned that the ring connectors form a radial securing of the air quality sensor if it can be arranged in a form-fitting manner in the recess of the measuring tube.

[0029] Particularly preferably, a display shows the angle, or the maintenance of the angle, between the first air quality sensor and / or the second sensor with respect to the direction of gravity. This provides the advantage that a user of the measuring device can see at a glance whether the air quality sensor and / or the at least second sensor are in their most reliable arrangement.

[0030] In a further embodiment of the invention, at least two second sensors are provided, one of which is arranged at the focal point of a curved mirror on a sensor bridge spanning the mirror and detects heat radiation from the drying process at a distance. The temperature of a distant surface can also be determined. Using a local absolute humidity, the relative humidity can also be determined directly at the distant surface. Knowing the relative humidity directly at the distant surface is particularly advantageous when assessing mold infestation.

[0031] Furthermore, this provides the advantage that the area with moisture damage can be specifically measured to determine the difference between the ambient air properties. Preferably, several second sensors of this embodiment can also be used to specifically measure several areas with moisture damage independently of one another.

[0032] A system for remotely monitoring a drying process after water damage comprises at least one measuring device according to the invention for remotely monitoring a drying process, wherein the system preferably further comprises at least one dehumidifier, which is connected upstream and / or downstream of the measuring tube of the measuring device, and preferably a water separator, which is also connected upstream and / or downstream of the measuring tube. It is advantageous that with such a system of measuring devices, several areas of the moisture damage can be specifically monitored. The dehumidifier can effectively separate moisture from the suction air and / or the ambient air. The water separator can specifically collect the water from the suction air and / or the ambient air.

[0033] According to the invention, the stated object is further achieved by a method for remote monitoring of a drying process, comprising:

[0034] - the flow of suction air through a measuring tube;

[0035] - providing the suction air with an air pump;

[0036] - detecting at least one air property, preferably the absolute humidity, of the suction air by means of at least one first air quality sensor arranged inside the measuring tube, detecting at least one air property, preferably the absolute humidity, of the ambient air by means of at least one second sensor, preferably a second air quality sensor arranged outside the measuring tube, forming differences between the air properties of the suction air and the ambient air and determining a dehumidification rate of the drying process from the differences formed, and transmitting the determined dehumidification rate to a remote user interface via a communication network.

[0037] The term “measuring tube” also includes a flexible measuring hose, as well as other air-conducting elements, such as corrugated pipes.

[0038] Advantageous and non-limiting embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the figures.

[0039] Fig. 1a shows a section of a cross-sectional view of a measuring device;

[0040] Fig. 1b shows the measuring tube of Fig. 1a in isolation;

[0041] Fig. 2a shows the measuring device of Fig. 1a uncut.

[0042] Fig. 2b shows an embodiment of a second sensor;

[0043] Fig. 3 shows a system with several measuring devices according to Fig. 1a, Fig. 2a and Fig. 2b.

[0044] Fig. 4 shows a communication network of a system with several measuring devices.

[0045] Fig. 5a to Fig. 5c show further views of the second sensor from Fig. 2b.

[0046] Fig. la shows a section of a cross-sectional view of a measuring device 1 for remote monitoring of a drying process, comprising a

[0047] - measuring tube 2, through which suction air flows;

[0048] - an air pump 3 for providing the suction air, which is shown in Fig. 3; - at least one first air quality sensor S1, which is arranged inside the measuring tube 2, wherein at least one air property, preferably the absolute humidity, of the suction air can be detected by the first air quality sensor S1, wherein the measuring device 1 comprises at least one second sensor S2a, preferably a second air quality sensor S2a, which is arranged outside the measuring tube 2, wherein at least one air property, preferably an absolute humidity, of the ambient air can be detected by the second sensor S2a, and wherein the measuring device 1 determines a dehumidification rate of the drying process by forming the difference between the air property of the suction air and the air property of the ambient air and transmits the determined dehumidification rate to a remote user interface B, shown by way of example in Fig. 3, via a communication network.

[0049] It should be noted that the calculation of the difference based on the unprocessed data from the air quality sensor S1 and the second sensor S2a can be performed locally, in the communications network, or decentrally in a cloud service. The same applies to a further second sensor S2b, described below.

[0050] Absolute humidity can be determined using a sensor S2a or air quality sensor S1, which are designed as hygrometers. These include absorption hygrometers, psychrometers, aspiration psychrometers, centrifugal psychrometers, mirror dew point hygrometers, and other chemical hygrometers, coulometric hygrometers, and optical hygrometers. To determine absolute humidity, additional measurements from other sensor types can be used.

[0051] The air property of the suction air and / or ambient air can include at least an air pressure, an air temperature, a relative air humidity, a qualitative concentration of volatile organic compounds, a thermal radiation, a dew point temperature, a gas concentration of CO, CO2, radon, etc. and / or a water content.

[0052] The first air quality sensor S1 and / or the second sensor S2a can be arranged behind a water-, oil-, and / or dirt-repellent membrane M with continuous pressure equalization. In the illustrated embodiment, only one recess E is provided for a first air quality sensor S1.

[0053] Fig. 1b shows the measuring tube 2 of Fig. 1a in isolation, wherein the measuring tube 2 has a recess E through which the first air quality sensor S1 can be brought into contact with the interior of the measuring tube 2. Several first air quality sensors S1 can also be brought into contact with the interior of the measuring tube 2 through the recess E, or several recesses E can be formed separately from one another, wherein recesses not currently required can be closed by a removable cover.

[0054] The illustrated measuring tube 2 has a groove N at each of its open ends, which is designed to be connected to a hose line 7 or a pipeline. The hose lines 7 can simply be pushed on and tightened by the vacuum, or held on the measuring tube 2. If necessary, additional clamps can be used. Furthermore, the measuring tube 2 can have two annular webs RS located away from the recess E.

[0055] It should be mentioned that the groove N can also prevent accidental stripping of the ring connectors R or O-rings described later.

[0056] In addition, the groove N has proven to be very useful for clamping the O-rings onto the measuring tube 2. It has also been shown that the O-rings, in their shown position, provide a defined distance between a plurality of measuring tubes 2 during transport.

[0057] It should be noted that the first air quality sensor S1, as shown in Fig. 1a, is flush with an inner wall of the measuring tube 2. However, this is not absolutely necessary. In some embodiments, it may even be expedient for a first air sensor S1 to protrude beyond the inner wall of the measuring tube 2, so that suction air impinges on the first air quality sensor S1 in order to obtain a particularly precise measurement. This is due to the fact that, if the sensor is flush, a boundary layer can form on the inner wall of the measuring tube 2, which impairs the measurement.

[0058] The first air quality sensor S1 and the two second sensors S2a shown are installed on a common circuit board, which is connected to a housing and a display. The circuit board can contain a cell of a rechargeable Li-ion battery, with charging taking place via a USB interface. The USB interface can be connected to a PC, laptop, power bank, or other device via a USB charging connector on one side of the circuit board.

[0059] Additionally, the board can include a ring buffer in which the calculated variables and / or the raw data from sensors S1, S2a are stored. The memory capacity can, for example, hold the data volume of one day up to one year. Furthermore, an interface to the communications network is included on the board itself or elsewhere in the measuring device 1. How this interface can communicate with the communications network is described in Fig. 4.

[0060] Fig. 2a shows the measuring device 1 of Fig. 1a in a perspective view. It can be seen that the first air quality sensor S1 and the second sensor S2a are arranged on a plane EB at an angle a of substantially 45° to a horizontal line H of the vertical direction of gravity.

[0061] It can also be seen that the first air quality sensor S1 and the second sensor S2a can be detachably connected to the measuring tube 2 by means of tabs L, wherein the tabs L can be clamped to the measuring tube 2 via ring connectors R or O-rings. These ring connectors R can be elastic ring-shaped elements that rest loosely on the measuring tube 2 before the first air quality sensor S1 and the second sensor S2a, should the second sensor S2a be connected to the first air quality sensor S1, are placed on the measuring tube 2. After placement, the elastic ring connectors R can be pushed or rolled over the tabs L and slightly stretched in such a way that they exert a holding force or preload force on the tabs L directed towards the measuring tube 2. The diameter and material properties of the ring connectors R can be selected such that the sensors Sl, S2a can be mounted manually, without tools, while still ensuring a secure hold.The tabs L or the ring connectors R can also be dimensioned in such a way that they act as a predetermined breaking point, so that the sensors Sl, S2a and the measuring tube 2 and other elements of the measuring device 1 remain undamaged when subjected to external forces.

[0062] At level EB or separately, a display A can be provided to indicate whether the angle a is maintained within the specified range or the current value of the angle a. Display A can also display other information. For example, a status LED could be mounted on this display A to indicate the charging status of the measuring device or the current dehumidification rate.

[0063] Fig. 2b shows an embodiment of a measuring device 1 with an additional second sensor S2b, wherein this further second sensor S2b is arranged at a focal point F of a curved mirror S on a sensor bridge SB spanning the mirror S, wherein the second sensor S2b detects heat radiation from the drying process at a distance. With this second sensor S2b, a wall temperature can be determined and / or a relative wall humidity can be calculated indirectly using the relative humidity of the ambient air measured with a first sensor S1 at the location of the measuring device S2b.

[0064] Initially, the measured thermal radiation is used to calculate a surface temperature, for example, of a wall in a building structure. A locally measured or calculated absolute humidity of a room is also directly applicable to the wall surface, allowing conclusions to be drawn about the relative humidity of a wall surface. This is relevant for mold growth, as it usually only occurs at relative humidity above 70%. Therefore, the drying process should be carried out at a relative humidity significantly below 70%.

[0065] The housing of the second sensor S2b is constructed in such a way that it can be pivoted along two axes of rotation D1, D2. The second sensor S2b can be rotated about the vertical axis of rotation D1 by adjusting the housing. A retaining clip H, which is not shown in Fig. 2b but in Figs. 5a to 5c, enables the housing to be rotated about the horizontal axis D2, so that by combining both rotations, any direction in space can be targeted for the purpose of thermal radiation measurement. The retaining clip H can be clamped to the housing via a left-hand cylindrical projection and can be pivoted through almost 360°. The retaining clip H is secured against rotation by clamping or friction. Security against tipping of the second sensor S2b is achieved by a low center of gravity SP, which remains constant in all possible rotation positions (Fig. 5a, Fig. 5b, and Fig.5c) always lies within a tilting edge KK of the retaining clip H. It should be noted that no sensor bridge SB is shown in Fig. 5a to Fig. 5c.

[0066] The second sensor S2b is used to determine various measured variables from the environment or ambient air, such as air pressure, temperature, relative humidity, a qualitative concentration of volatile organic compounds (VCO = "Volatile Organic Compounds"), etc. The elements for determining these measured variables are arranged decentrally on the inside of the sensor bridge SB and are thus located on the outside of the device housing. In other words, this embodiment of the second sensor S2b - in contrast to the first embodiment of the second sensor S2a, which was previously described with reference to Fig. 1a to Fig. 2a - is determined by the fact that a mirror S, preferably a parabolic mirror S, is provided, which is preferably made of metal, particularly preferably coated with gold, and at whose focal point F an IR element is arranged for measuring at least the thermal radiation.This IR element for thermal radiation is located centrally on the inside of a sensor bridge SB and simultaneously at the focus F of the mirror S. High-intensity LEDs LI, L2 are also arranged on both sides of the thermal radiation or IR sensor IR. When switched on, they project light via the mirror S onto a wall, object, or an area of ​​moisture damage. This allows the spatial alignment of the second sensor S2b to be reliably checked and, if necessary, readjusted using the rotation axes Dl, D2. If two spaced-apart LEDs are present and the IR element for determining thermal radiation is arranged between them, the measured area also lies between the two images or projections.

[0067] The distance between the IR element for measuring thermal radiation and the focal point F or mirror S can be varied, so that the size of the sensitive area at a distance of two meters from the measuring device is typically about 20 centimeters in diameter.

[0068] In order to shield the measuring elements as well as possible from thermal influences of the environment, as well as to improve the EMC and ESD properties of the second sensor S2b, the sensor bridge SB is made of metal, preferably coated with gold.

[0069] The mirror S itself can be a thermally deep-drawn, metallically or IR-reflectively coated rigid plastic film. However, the mirror S can also be made entirely of metal. Furthermore, the mirror S can be mounted in the housing in such a way that easy replacement is possible, for example, by means of a housing that can be split in the middle. In one embodiment, a rearwardly open housing with a rear opening is provided, wherein the opening enables replacement of the mirror S, preferably with tool-free installation, e.g., with quick-release fasteners that hold the mirror S.

[0070] The housing of the additional second sensor S2b can include a rechargeable battery arranged in the area 7 along the rotation axis D2. The retaining clip H can be stored in the pocket 9 between the area 7 and the area 8, which can grip the curve of the sensor S2b to create a compact second sensor S2b for transport. A wireless interface for connection to a communications network can be arranged in the area 8.

[0071] In order to carry out a difference formation and determination of the dehumidification rate according to the invention, the surface temperature of the wall to be measured with moisture damage is determined using the measured infrared radiation and adjustable emission coefficients, and a relative humidity of the wall is determined contactlessly using the locally determined absolute humidity.

[0072] The relative humidity of the wall in the measured area is crucial for assessing mold growth. This makes it particularly easy to assess hidden and deep corners of exterior walls for persistent damage.

[0073] For the assessment of the drying process, it has proven particularly useful to align the IR element or the sensor S2b to the coolest point of a wall of a building structure 6.

[0074] Fig. 3 shows a system 10 with a plurality of measuring devices 1 according to Fig. 1a, Fig. 2a and Fig. 2b, wherein the system 10 for remote monitoring of a drying process can comprise at least two measuring devices 1, but as shown can also comprise a plurality of measuring devices 1. A single second sensor S2a can interact with a plurality of air quality sensors S1, or a plurality of sensors S2a can interact with a single air quality sensor S1.

[0075] The dehumidification rate can be determined particularly accurately if several first air quality sensors S1, as explained with reference to Fig. 1a, Fig. 2a, are used, with several further second sensors S2b, as explained with reference to Fig. 2b and Fig. 5a to Fig. 5c, also recording separate measuring points in the area of ​​the moisture damage.

[0076] The illustrated system 10 further comprises at least one dehumidifier 5, which is connected upstream and / or downstream of the measuring tube 2, and a water separator 4, which is connected upstream and / or downstream of the measuring tube 2. In the illustrated arrangement of water separator 4 and dehumidifier 5, the air pump 3 is also connected upstream, which provides the suction air, which is conveyed through three exemplary hose lines 7 through three measuring devices 1 to bores in an exemplary building structure 6. A user interface B is also implemented remotely from the building structure 6, wherein the measured values ​​of the first air quality sensors S1 and second sensors S2a, S2b and / or the dehumidification rate are transmitted wirelessly directly to this user interface B.

[0077] It should also be mentioned that in addition to measurements that directly relate to the area of ​​moisture damage, adjoining rooms, basements below and / or floors above, or attics can also be recorded in order to determine a more accurate dehumidification rate.

[0078] Fig. 4 shows a communication network of a system 10 with multiple measuring devices 1. At least one of the measuring devices 1 includes interfaces for interacting with the rest of the communication network. These interfaces can be understood as a Wi-Fi interface, Bluetooth interface, LoRa interface, and other IoT-designed communication interfaces. The respective interfaces can be configured to a local existing Wi-Fi network located in the area of ​​the moisture damage.

[0079] To simplify site setup, the measuring devices feature automatic Wi-Fi configuration. The SSID names of a user's Wi-Fi routers are composed of a user-specific name component and a random, preferably alphanumeric, name component. A Wi-Fi network password is cryptographically calculated from the random name component, based on the user-specific name component. This ensures that all Wi-Fi routers are compatible with all of a user's measuring devices, and the network connection can be established independently and automatically.

[0080] If multiple Wi-Fi routers are within range of measuring devices 1, if the current Wi-Fi router fails, the device automatically switches to another Wi-Fi router of the same type, or an automatic connection to another Wi-Fi router is also possible. Preferably, the available Wi-Fi routers or wireless networks are prioritized and connected based on their reception strength. Only if a connection fails are the wireless networks reordered.

[0081] If internet access is available, the stored data is given a timestamp and JASON-formatted in the order in which the data were created from the ring buffer. The data is then sent to a decentralized storage facility (cloud) using HTTP commands or transferred to a server on which a backend system suitable for storing, billing, displaying, and managing the measurement data is installed. In addition, various events such as a successful connection to a network, successful acquisition of internet time, a malfunction, and / or a new configuration of the WLAN connection are sent once to the backend system. The backend system is understood to be an interface that is used to manage a larger group of measuring devices 1 that are distributed across different buildings or different geographically separate areas of moisture damage. “Ring buffer”, “JASON-formatted,” or."HTTP commands" are to be understood here as placeholders for other types of storage. Other formatting types, packed command structures, and other network-compatible command structures are also to be understood.

[0082] User interface B can display the transmitted data from sensors S1, S2a, S2b, or the dehumidification rate, in aggregate. It should be noted that the raw sensor data in the cloud from multiple measured values ​​from multiple sensors S1, S2a, S2b at different locations can also be used in the backend system itself to determine or calculate the dehumidification rate and other parameters of the drying progress.

[0083] In order to maintain reliable synchronization of all data, a time can be queried from an Internet time server at regular intervals or with each connection establishment, which updates a quartz-stabilized real-time clock of the sensors S1, S2a, S2b, or of the measuring device 1 in order to maintain a precise timestamp.

[0084] If there is no locally available or usable internet-capable WLAN network, a WLAN hotspot is set up using a GSM WLAN router and the long-range GSM communication is used.

[0085] Bridging a 220V power outage lasting several days is achieved by combining a USB stick-based GSM Wi-Fi router, a standard power bank, and a USB wall adapter. Once the power bank's power is completely depleted, the USB GSM Wi-Fi router stops operating. As soon as the USB GSM Wi-Fi router is supplied with power again, it automatically resumes GSM Wi-Fi operation. The GSM standard also represents other mobile communications standards such as LTE or 5G.

[0086] If a measuring device 1 is put into operation on site, it can be woken up or switched on using an external magnet held against the housing of the sensors S1, S2a, S2b. A built-in hotspot or WLAN router can also be activated in this way. This hotspot can be used to access the device's internal configuration website and make the appropriate settings for the SSID and WLAN password, as well as delete stored historical data. Various other configuration options are also available via the backend system connection. Software updates can also be initiated via the backend system (OTA = Over The Air update). It should be mentioned that the measuring device 1 can automatically send messages about the drying progress to a user via email or SMS.

[0087] It should also be mentioned that the drying process can be automatically terminated by remote shutdown when the measuring device 1 detects that the drying progress has progressed sufficiently.

[0088] Even after the drying process has been remotely interrupted, the measuring device 1 can automatically initiate short-term operation of a few seconds to minutes per day until the measuring device 1 and the system 10 are dismantled for remote monitoring of the drying process, before the final manual dismantling of the system 10 takes place. This makes it possible to verify whether the moisture damage has actually been eliminated and will not recur. Typically, it takes a few days to weeks until the system 10 is actually dismantled. If it is detected that the drying process is not yet complete, operation can be resumed. This can further reduce the risk of residual moisture in a building structure 6.

Claims

Patent claims:

1. Measuring device (1) for remote monitoring of a drying process, comprising a - measuring tube (2) through which suction air flows; - an air pump (3) for providing the suction air; - at least one first air quality sensor (S1) arranged inside the measuring tube (2), wherein at least one air property, preferably the absolute humidity, of the suction air can be detected by the first air quality sensor (S1), characterized in that the measuring device (1) comprises at least one second sensor (S2a), preferably a second air quality sensor (S2a), which is arranged outside the measuring tube (2), wherein at least one air property, preferably the absolute humidity, of the ambient air can be detected by the second sensor (S2a), wherein the measuring device (1) is configured to determine a dehumidification rate of the drying process by forming the difference between the air properties of the suction air and the air property of the ambient air and to transmit the determined dehumidification rate to a remote user interface (B) via a communication network.

2. Measuring device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the air property of the suction air and / or the ambient air comprises at least an air pressure, an air temperature, a relative air humidity, a qualitative concentration of volatile organic compounds, a thermal radiation, a dew point temperature, a gas concentration and / or a water content.

3. Measuring device (1) according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the first air quality sensor (S1) and / or the second sensor (S2a) is / are arranged behind a water, oil and / or dirt-repellent membrane (M) with continuous pressure equalization.

4. Measuring device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the measuring tube (2) has a recess (E) through which the first air quality sensor (S1) can be brought into contact with the interior of the measuring tube (2) and preferably ends flush with an inner wall of the measuring tube (2).

5. Measuring device (1) according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the membrane (M) is arranged on a plane (EB) at an angle (α) between 10° and 170°, preferably between 40° and 50°, to a horizontal H of the direction of gravity.

6. Measuring device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the first air quality sensor (S1) and / or second sensor (S2a) is / are detachably connectable to the measuring tube (2) by means of tabs (L), wherein the tabs (L) can be clamped to the measuring tube (2) via ring connectors (R).

7. Measuring device (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that a display (A) is provided which indicates compliance with the angle (a).

8. Measuring device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that at least two second sensors (S2a, s2b) are provided, wherein one of the second sensors (S2b) is arranged in the focal point (F) of a curved mirror (S) on a sensor bridge (SB) spanning the mirror (S) and detects a heat radiation of the drying process at a distance.

9. Measuring device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the measuring device (1) has a housing which is open to the rear and has a rear opening, wherein the mirror (S) can be replaced through the rear opening, preferably by means of tool-free assembly, e.g. with quick-release fasteners which hold the mirror (S).

10. System (10) for remote monitoring of a drying process, comprising: - at least one measuring device (1) according to one of the preceding claims 1 to 9; - preferably at least one dehumidifier (5) which is connected upstream and / or downstream of the measuring tube (2); - and preferably a water separator (4) which is arranged upstream and / or downstream of the measuring tube (2).

11. A method for remotely monitoring a drying process, comprising: - the flow of suction air through a measuring tube (2); - the provision of suction air with an air pump (3); - detecting at least one air property, preferably the absolute humidity, of the suction air by means of at least one first air quality sensor (S1) arranged inside the measuring tube (2), characterized by detecting at least one air property, preferably the absolute humidity, of the ambient air by at least one second sensor (S2a), preferably a second air quality sensor (S2a), arranged outside the measuring tube (2), forming differences between the air properties of the suction air and the ambient air and determining a dehumidification rate of the drying process from the differences formed, and transmitting the determined dehumidification rate to a remote user interface (B) via a communication network.

Images