A balcony system

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a balcony system (1). The system comprises a balcony (2) having at least a first wall section (10) having an opening (12), and a flow guiding arrangement (20) arranged in connection to the opening and being configured to separate air in the balcony from supply air flow and expel air flow of an outdoor unit (30) of a heat pump, wherein the outdoor unit comprises a first air inlet (31) at a first side (32) and an air outlet (33) at a second side (34). The flow guiding arrangement is further configured to prevent supply air from being guided past at least one of an edge side or a top side of the outdoor unit, when supply air is guided from the opening to the first air inlet.

Description

[0001] A BALCONY SYSTEM

[0002] Technical Field

[0003] The present disclosure relates to a balcony system, and more specifically the present disclosure relates to guiding air to an outdoor unit of a heat pump arranged on a balcony.

[0004] Background

[0005] Heat pumps are widely used for heating and cooling residential spaces due to their energy efficiency and versatility. They work by transferring heat between indoor and outdoor environments, making them a sustainable alternative to traditional heating systems. The outdoor unit of a heat pump is often mounted on the exterior wall of a building. However, this is not a good solution from an architectural point of view.

[0006] Installing an outdoor unit of a heat pump on a glazed balcony poses several challenges. One significant issue is that placing the unit within the enclosed balcony space is not ideal. The unit emits cold air during operation, which can cool down the area inside the glazed balcony. This cooling effect reduces the overall efficiency of the heat pump, as the temperature of the enclosed space is reduced. Consequently, the effectiveness of the heat pump diminishes, making the balcony less comfortable for use.

[0007] EP 4 296 445 provides a suggested solution to the problems above, where there is an opening in the balcony wall and where an outdoor unit is positioned on the balcony and at the opening. The outdoor unit is enclosed by an element which directs the cold air of the outdoor unit away from the balcony. A reoccurring problem discussed in EP 4 296 445 is how to avoid mixture of supply air and expel air of the outdoor unit. When cold air is mixed with the supply air, the efficiency of the heat pump is reduced.

[0008] Therefore, there is a need of more efficient systems with heat pumps arranged on balconies that are aesthetical for the viewer of the balcony.

[0009] Summary

[0010] It is an object of the present disclosure to provide a system for a balcony that addresses at least some of the problems mentioned in the technical background, namely, that increases the efficiency of the heat pump and provides an aesthetic exterior of a building and a balcony. Another object is to provide a system that provides a good living environment on the balcony.

[0011] These and other objects are met by a balcony system . The balcony system may through the description also be referred to as the system. The balcony system comprises a balcony having at least a first wall section having an opening. The balcony further comprises a flow guiding arrangement arranged in connection to the opening and being configured to separate air in the balcony from supply air flow and expel air flow of an outdoor unit of a heat pump, wherein the outdoor unit comprises a first air inlet at a first side and an air outlet at a second side. The flow guiding arrangement is further configured to prevent supply air from being guided past at least one of an edge side or a top side of the outdoor unit, when supply air is guided from the opening to the first air inlet.

[0012] To reduce the mixture of air, the flow guiding arrangement is configured to prevent supply air from being guided past at least one of the edge side or the top side of the outdoor unit. This reduces the possible sides at which the supply air may be mixed with the expel air. The outdoor unit receives supply air at least at the first side and then the expel air is expelled at the second side of the outdoor unit. When the expel air leaves the second side, there is a risk that the expel air flows over the edges of the second side and is mixed with the supply air. These edges provide a mixture area where the expel air and the supply air may be mixed. By preventing supply air from being guided over at least one of the edge side or top side, the possible mixture area is reduced. In other words, there are two edge sides and one top side, and the supply air is prevented from being guided over at least one of these three sides. In other words, expel air is partly prevented from being used as supply air. Therefore, there will be an increase in efficiency of the heat pump. With increased efficiency also the energy consumption of the heat pump will be reduced.

[0013] To prevent expelled air from the outdoor unit from affecting the balcony environment, the flow-guiding arrangement is provided to separate the ambient air (air outside the balcony) from the air inside the balcony. This design allows ambient air to enter through the opening in the first wall section of the balcony and flow directly into the air inlet of the outdoor unit without affecting the balcony environment.

[0014] Preventing air from being guided past at least one of the edge side or top side of the outdoor unit should be interpreted as that supply air is prevented from being guided past at least one side in a group consisting of two edge sides and the top side. For example, the supply air may be prevented from being guided past the top side of the outdoor unit, or the supply air may be prevented from being guided past one of the edge sides of the outdoor unit. The top side should be interpreted as the side farthest away from an attachment side where the outdoor unit is attached to the balcony. The second side of the outdoor unit is not any of the two edge sides and the top side. The two edge sides and the top side may be defined in relation to the second side. The air outlet is located on the second side of the outdoor unit. Surrounding this second side are the top side, two edge sides (which flank the second side), and the attachment side where the unit is secured to a surface, for example a balcony wall section, floor section, or roof section. However, generally the outdoor unit is attached to the floor section of the balcony. The attachment side is opposite to the top side and the two edge sides are opposite of each other. The first side may be one of the two edge sides, and / or an opposite side of the second side.

[0015] Outdoor units mounted on balconies are often considered unesthetic because they disrupt the visual appeal of the space. These units are bulky and can obstruct views, while the exposed mechanical components can create an industrial appearance that clashes with the balcony's intended design. Additionally, the presence of wiring and piping further detracts from the overall aesthetic, making the balcony less inviting as a living or relaxation area. The opening allows the outdoor unit to be positioned in the first wall section or at the balcony. This may increase the aesthetic view of the exterior of the balcony as there is no view of the outdoor unit from the outside.

[0016] The flow guiding arrangement should be understood as element(s) which dependent on how they are arranged guides supply air to the outdoor unit. The outdoor unit may form part of the flow guiding arrangement. In other words, the positioning and orientation of the outdoor unit affects the flow paths of supply air and expel air. There are numerous of different element(s) and structures that may be used to achieve this. However, the flow guiding arrangement both separates expel air / supply air from the inside air of the balcony and prevents supply air from passing at least one of the edge side or top side.

[0017] There may be more than one air inlet such that both the first side and a third side of the outdoor unit comprises a respective air inlet.

[0018] The flow guiding arrangement may be further configured to prevent supply air from being guided past at least two sides of two edge sides and the top side of the outdoor unit, when supply air is guided from the opening to the first air inlet.

[0019] By preventing supply air from being guided over at least two sides of the edge sides and top side, the possible mixture area is further reduced, as expel air and supply air only are mixed along one side. This results in that even less expel air will be mixed into the supply air, cooling down the temperature of the supply air. Therefore, there will be a further increase in temperature of the supply air which result in increased efficiency of the heat pump.

[0020] The flow guiding arrangement may be further configured to prevent supply air from being guided past at least one of the edge side and the top side of the outdoor unit, when supply air is guided from the opening to the first air inlet.

[0021] This may be advantageous as expel air and supply air may be separated such that a first portion of the opening is for supply air and a second portion of the opening is for expel air. To further separate the expel air and supply air a physical separator may be used in the opening. However, this may be achieved by only positioning the outdoor unit such that the air outlet is positioned at the second portion and the first portion of the opening is left free / open.

[0022] In another example both of the edge sides may be prevented from guiding supply air while the supply air is guided over the top side of the outdoor unit.

[0023] The flow guiding arrangement may comprise of an inlet tube which guides supply air from the opening to the air inlet and an outlet tube which guides expel air from air outlet and to the ambient air, through for example the opening. This may be advantageous as the outdoor unit is easily accessible for maintenance work. Further, the space required on the balcony is reduced. In this case, the inlet tube and the outlet tube separate inlet air and expel air from air inside the balcony.

[0024] The flow guiding arrangement may comprise an enclosure configured to enclose the outdoor unit, thereby separating air in the balcony from supply air flow and expel air flow of the outdoor unit.

[0025] With the enclosure inlet air and expel air may be separated from air inside the balcony. This provides a separate volume inside the balcony in which the outdoor unit is located. By combining the shape and size of the enclosure with the orientation and position of the outdoor unit, different type of air flows may be created inside the separate volume of the enclosure. For example, by positioning the outdoor unit towards one of the sides of the enclosure and adapting the size of the enclosure such that the enclosure is tight against the top side of the outdoor unit, both one of the edge sides and the top side may be prevented from guiding air towards the air inlet. In other examples, the enclosure may be sized to prevent air from passing at both of the edge sides of the outdoor unit, such that inlet air is allowed to be guided over the top side.

[0026] Enclosing the outdoor unit may also help reduce the noise generated during operation of the outdoor unit. This enclosure directs the sound outward through the opening and away from the balcony, rather than allowing it to project inward towards the living space.

[0027] The flow guiding arrangement may further comprise a sealing element being arranged between the enclosure and at least one side of the outdoor unit.

[0028] To further ensure that supply air is not allowed to be guided pass one of the edge sides or the top side, the sealing element may be provided. The sealing element is adapted to prevent supply air from being guided between the enclosure and the edge side or top side. The sealing element may for example be combined with the enclosure which allows a larger flexibility when designing the enclosure, as the enclosure can be designed according to the balcony and the outdoor unit.

[0029] The sealing element may be made of a polymeric material, sheet material, or elastomeric material. Sheet material may for example be a metal sheet, plastic sheet, wood sheet or a fibre sheet (for example, glass fibre, carbon fibre, synthetic fibre). The sealing element may for example be made of foam rubber or cellular plastic. The sealing material may also be a combination of the materials mentioned above. The sealing element may be installed directly at the outdoor unit, or at the enclosure. The enclosure may be provided with a lid which comprises the sealing element such that when the lid is positioned at top on the enclosure, the top side of the outdoor unit will be sealed and prevent air from being guided pass.

[0030] The first air inlet of the outdoor unit may be located in a first volume of the enclosure that is separated from a second volume thereof, and the air outlet of the outdoor unit may be located in the second volume.

[0031] The first volume and the second volume may further separate supply air and expel air, such that the air mixture area is further reduced, thereby further increasing the efficiency of the outdoor unit. This may be achieved by arranging the outdoor unit and the enclosure such that one edge side and the top side are sealed.

[0032] The first side and the second side of the heat pump may be positioned opposite to each other. This will result in the air inlet and the air outlet being at opposite sides.

[0033] Each of the first side and the second side extends in a direction that is perpendicular to the direction in which the opening extends.

[0034] By orientating the outdoor unit such that first side and the second side extends in a direction perpendicular to the extension of the opening, the enclosure may take up a larger portion of the depth of the balcony, but for a shorter width compared to when one of the longer sides are orientated towards the opening. Balconies are generally longer in width than they are in depth. By positioning the enclosure such that it occupies more of the balcony's depth along the shorter side, the perceived loss of usable living space is minimized. This arrangement maximizes the remaining width, making the space feel more open and functional.

[0035] Each of the first side and the second side may extend in a direction that is at an angle to the direction in which the opening extends.

[0036] It may be advantageous to arrange the outdoor unit such that the first side and the second side extends in a direction that is at an angle to extension of the opening. This allows the air outlet of the outdoor unit to be orientated more towards the opening which may reduce resistance of the expel air such that expel air is easier transported away from the volume in which the outdoor unit is arranged and therefore the noise from the outdoor unit may also be reduced. Commonly expel air is blown out of the outdoor unit and it may reduce noise to blow expel air more directly out of the opening. Further, by arranging the outdoor unit at an angle the first volume and the second volume may be kept the same.

[0037] The angle may be more than 0° and less than 90° as measured from the extension of the opening. The angle may also be in any interval in the following group of intervals consisting of 1-30°, 30-60°, or 60-90°. Preferably the angle is more than 60°.

[0038] The balcony may further comprise a second wall section having an opening, wherein the first wall section and the second wall section form a corner of the balcony. The outdoor unit may be positioned such that supply air may be received through the opening of the first wall section and expel air may be expelled through the opening of the second wall section.

[0039] Positioning the outdoor unit in a corner of the balcony between the first wall section and the second wall section may be advantageous as it allows for further separation of supply air and expel air as supply air may be provided from the opening of the first wall section and expel air may be expelled through the opening of the second wall section. Thereby, expel air and supply air may be supplied and expelled in different directions.

[0040] Further, the two openings may be made smaller when there are one at each of the first and second wall section. This may increase the aesthetic view of the exterior of the balcony.

[0041] The system may further comprise a flow guiding element being configured to guide expel air away from inlet air.

[0042] The flow guiding element may be designed to direct expelled air away from inlet air, which may ensure optimal performance of the outdoor unit. The flow guiding element may prevent recirculation of cooled air back into the outdoor unit, which could otherwise reduce efficiency by causing the unit to process air that has already been conditioned.

[0043] The flow guiding arrangement may comprise at least one material of a group consisting of a noise insulating material, passive fire protection material and heat insulating material.

[0044] Noise insulating material may reduce noise from the outer unit when it is operating. Heat insulating material may reduce the effect of the temperature from the outdoor unit on the living area of the balcony. As earlier mentioned, expel air is colder than supply air during heating of an apartment, hence the volume inside the flow guiding arrangement will most likely be colder than the temperature at the balcony. With heat insulating material the temperature of the balcony may be less affected. Fire protection material may reduce the risk of fire as a potential fire in the outer unit may not spread to the inside of the balcony.

[0045] The balcony should be seen as a glazed balcony where the air of the balcony is separated from the ambient air. The first wall section and the second wall section forms part of the balcony and are complete wall sections and partly comprises transparent or semi-transparent glass panels that enclose the balcony, offering protection from the elements while maintaining visibility and light.

[0046] A further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given below. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.

[0047] Brief description of the drawings

[0048] The present disclosure will by way of example be described in more detail with reference to the appended drawings, which show example embodiments of the disclosure.

[0049] Fig. 1 illustrates an overview of a building with balconies.

[0050] Fig. 2 illustrates a first exemplifying configuration of a system for a balcony.

[0051] Fig. 3 illustrates a second exemplifying configuration of a system for a balcony.

[0052] Fig. 4 illustrates a third exemplifying configuration of a system for a balcony.

[0053] Fig. 5 illustrates a fourth exemplifying configuration of a system for a balcony.

[0054] Detailed description

[0055] The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which currently preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided for thoroughness and completeness, and to fully convey the scope of the invention to the skilled person.

[0056] Fig. 1 discloses an overview of an apartment building 100. Apartment buildings are commonly equipped with a balcony 2 for each apartment. Each balcony may have a heat pump (not shown) with an outdoor unit 30. The outdoor unit 30 is disclosed in Figs. 2 to 5. It should be noted that the present disclosure is equally applicable to other types of buildings and buildings with only one balcony 2. In conventional apartments the outdoor unit 30 is arranged on a wall of the building or on the balcony 2. Generally, each apartment has a respective outdoor unit 30. Outdoor units 30 mounted on balconies are often considered unesthetic because they disrupt the visual appeal of the space. Additionally, the presence of wiring and piping further detracts from the overall aesthetic, making the balcony 2 less inviting as a living or relaxation area. By providing an opening 12 on a first wall section 10 of each balcony, the outdoor unit 30 may be positioned in the first wall section 10 or at the balcony 12. Fig.1 illustrates how the openings 12 of the first wall section 10 at each balcony 2 have been used to move the outdoor units 30 out of sight. The balconies 2 should be seen as a glazed balconies where the air of the respective balcony 2 is separated from the ambient air. The wall sections form part of the balcony and are complete wall sections and typically comprises transparent or semi-transparent glass panels that enclose the balcony 2, offering protection from the elements while maintaining visibility and light.

[0057] Turning to fig. 2, a first exemplifying embodiment of a system 1 for a balcony 2 is illustrated. Fig. 2 illustrates the balcony 2, and inside one of the openings 12, there is a flow guiding arrangement 20 that is arranged to separate air in the balcony 2 from supply air flow and expel air flow of the outdoor unit 30 of the heat pump. In other words, to prevent expelled air from the outdoor unit 30 from affecting the balcony environment, the flow guiding arrangement 20 is provided to separate the ambient air (air outside the balcony) from the air inside the balcony 2. This design allows ambient air to enter through the opening 12 in the first wall section 10 of the balcony 2 and flow into the air inlet 31 of the outdoor unit 30 without affecting the balcony environment. The outdoor unit 30 comprises a first air inlet 31 at a first side 32 and an air outlet 33 at a second side 34. The first side 32 and the first air inlet 31 are better viewed in Fig. 3 and 5. The first side 32 and the second side 34 of the heat pump may be positioned opposite to each other. This will result in the air inlet 31 and the air outlet 33 being at opposite sides.

[0058] The flow guiding arrangement 20 comprises an enclosure 22 that is configured to enclose the outdoor unit 30, thereby separating air in the balcony 2 from supply air flow and expel air flow of the outdoor unit 30. The enclosure 22 comprises walls 24 and a lid 25, where the lid 25 is removeable. The walls 24 and the lid 25 together encloses the outdoor unit 30. This results in a separate volume for the outdoor unit 30 inside the balcony 2 that is isolated from the volume of the balcony 2, when the lid 25 is attached to the walls 24. The lid 25 allows the outdoor unit 30 to be reached for maintenance. This feature may be achieved by having a removeable wall as well, alone, or together with the lid 25. The enclosure 22 directs sounds from the outdoor unit 30 outward through the opening 12 and away from the balcony 2, rather than allowing it to project inward towards the living space.

[0059] Depending on how the element(s) of the flow guiding arrangement 20 are arranged and how the outdoor unit 30 is positioned and orientated, different air flows may be achieved inside the volume of the enclosure 22. In other words, the outdoor unit 30 may form part of the flow guiding arrangement 20. In Fig. 2 the outdoor unit 30 is orientated such that the air outlet 33 is orientated towards the opening 12. Further, the outdoor unit 30 is positioned inside the enclosure 22 towards one of the walls 24, to prevent supply air from being guided over an edge side 35A. Further, this prevents expel air from being guided over the edge side as well 35A.

[0060] By combining the shape and size of the enclosure 22 with the orientation and position of the outdoor unit 30, different type of air flows may be created inside the separate volume of the enclosure 22. In Fig. 2 the enclosure 22 is dimensioned after the outdoor unit 30 such that the lid 25 of the enclosure 22 is in contact or close to a top side 36 of the outdoor unit 30. This prevents supply air, as well as expel air, from being guided past the top side 36 of the outdoor unit 30.

[0061] In Fig. 2, both the edge side 35A and the top side 36 are prevented from guiding supply air to the air inlet 31 , due to how the enclosure 22 of the flow guiding arrangement 20 and the outdoor unit 30 are arranged. Supply air is guided past an edge side 35B. However, it should be noted, that in other embodiments the flow guiding arrangement may be arranged to prevent supply air from passing both of the edge sides 35A, 35B such that supply air only passes the top side 36. Furthermore, the supply air may in other embodiments only be prevented from being guided past one side of the two edge sides 35A, 35B, and the top side 36.

[0062] When the expel air is forced out from the air outlet 33, there is a risk that the expel air flows over the edges of the second side 34 and is mixed with the supply air. These edges provide a mixture area where the expel air and the supply air may be mixed. The edge side 35A and the top side 36 are prevented from guiding supply air to reduce the mixture of air, i.e. , expel air mixing with supply air. This results in that less expel air will be mixed into the supply air, cooling down the temperature of the supply air. For each side the supply air is prevented to pass, the effect is increased as the mixture area is reduced.

[0063] In Fig. 3 a second exemplifying embodiment of the system 1 is illustrated. The first side 32 and the second side 34 are opposite of each other and each of the first side 32 and the second side 34 extends in a direction that is perpendicular to the direction in which the opening 12 extends. This results in the air inlet 31 and the air outlet 33 being opposite of each other. The air outlet 33 and the second side 34 are best seen in Figs. 2, 4 and 5. Through this orientation of the outdoor unit 30, the enclosure 22, surrounding the outdoor unit 30 may take up a larger portion of the depth of the balcony 2, but for a shorter width compared to when one of the longer sides are orientated towards the opening 12. In Fig. 3, the flow guiding arrangement 20 further comprises a sealing element 23. The sealing element 23 is arranged between the enclosure 22 and each of the edge side 35A, the edge side 35B and the top side 36. This prevents supply air from being guided past at least the edge side 35A and the top side 36. Further, the sealing element 23 prevents expel air from leaking over to the edge side 35B.

[0064] The sealing element 23 is adapted to prevent supply air from being guided between the enclosure 22 and the edge side 35A, 35B or top side 36 of the outdoor unit 30. When the sealing element 23 is combined with the enclosure 22 a larger flexibility when designing the enclosure 22 is provided, as the enclosure 22 can be designed according to the balcony 2 and the outdoor unit 30, instead of being designed to prevent supply air from passing different sides of the outdoor unit 30. The sealing element 23 may for example be made of a polymeric material, elastomeric material, or sheet material. The sealing element 23 may be installed directly at the outdoor unit 30, or at the enclosure 22, such as for example the lid 25 of the enclosure 22.

[0065] Through this arrangement of the flow guiding arrangement 20 and the outdoor unit 30, the first air inlet 31 is located in a first volume of the enclosure 22 and the air outlet 33 is located in a second volume of the enclosure 22. The first volume is separated from the second volume. The first volume and the second volume may further separate supply air and expel air, such that the air mixture area is further reduced. The first volume and the second volume are separated by the outdoor unit, and the volume are isolated from each other by the sealing element 23. However, this isolation may be performed through positioning and orientation of the outdoor unit 30 together with dimensioning of the enclosure 22, as discussed in connection to Fig. 2.

[0066] The system 1 of Fig. 3, further comprises a flow guiding element 40 being configured to guide expel air away from inlet air. The flow guiding element 40 is designed to direct expelled air away from inlet air. The flow guiding element 40 may prevent recirculation of cooled expel air back into the outdoor unit 30, which could otherwise reduce efficiency by causing the unit to process air that has already been conditioned. The flow guiding element 40 extends along the height of the outdoor unit 30 at the edge side 35B. This further increase the distance between the supply air and the expel air, reducing the mixture area. The flow guiding element 40 may be installed at any of the previously discussed exemplifying embodiments.

[0067] Turning to Fig. 4, a third exemplifying embodiment of the system 1 is illustrated. The balconies 2 of the apartment building comprises the first wall section 10 with the opening 12 as earlier discussed. The balconies 2 further comprises a second wall section 14 having an opening 16. The first wall section 10 and the second section wall section 14 form a corner 3 of the balcony 2.

[0068] The outdoor unit 30 is positioned such that supply air is received through the opening 12 of the first wall section 10 and expel air is expelled through the opening 16 of the second wall section 14. Positioning the outdoor unit 30 in a corner 3 of the balcony 2 between the first wall section 10 and the second wall section 14 allows further separation of supply air and expel air as supply air may be provided from the opening 12 of the first wall section 10 and expel air may be expelled through the opening 16 of the second wall section 14. Thereby, expel air and supply air may be supplied and expelled in different directions.

[0069] In Fig. 4, the enclosure 22 encloses the outdoor unit 30 such that the air of the balcony 2 is separated from air in the enclosure 22. The sealing element 23 divide the enclosure into two volumes in which the first air inlet 31 is arranged in a first volume and the air outlet 33 is arranged in a second volume. The sealing element 23 prevents air from passing both the edge sides 35A, 35B and the top side 36. As in the other embodiments, the lid 25 may be removed from the walls 24of the enclosure 22 to allow maintenance from the inside of the balcony 2.

[0070] In fig. 5, each of the first side 32 and the second side 34 extend in a direction that is at an angle a to the direction in which the opening 12 extends. This allows the air outlet 33 of the outdoor unit 30 to be orientated more towards the opening 12 which may reduce noise and also result in that expel air easier is transported away from the volume in which the outdoor unit 30 is arranged.

[0071] In Fig. 5, the angle a is approximately 60°. The angle may be anywhere in the interval 0° to 90° as measured from the extension of the opening 12. The sealing element 23 prevents supply air from being guided past the edge side 35A and partly the top side 36. At least mixture of expel air and supply air are prevented at the top side 36. The enclosure 22 is designed in relation to how the outdoor unit 30 is oriented inside the enclosure 22.

[0072] As can be seen in Fig. 5, the air inlet 31 is located at the first side 31 which is the same side as the edge side 35B. There may be more than one air inlet such that both the first side 31 and a third side 37 of the outdoor unit 30 comprises a respective air inlet.

[0073] The flow guiding arrangement 20 may comprise or be made of different types of material. Noise insulating material may be used to reduce noise from the outer unit 30 when it is operating. Heat insulating material may be used to reduce the effect of the temperature from the outdoor unit on the balcony living area. As earlier mentioned, expel air is colder than supply air during heating of an apartment, hence the volume inside the flow guiding arrangement 20 will most likely be colder than the temperature at the balcony

[0074] 2. Fire protection material may be used to reduce the risk of fire as a potential fire in the outer unit may not spread to the inside of the balcony.

[0075] Throughout the description, the outdoor unit 30 has been positioned at the floor of the balcony 2. However, it should be noted that the outdoor unit 30 may also be mounted to a wall or the roof of the balcony 2. Still the enclosure 22 will provide a separate volume for the outdoor unit 30. Therefore, the top side 36 should be interpreted as the side farthest away from an attachment side 39 where the outdoor unit 30 is attached to the balcony 2. The second side 34 of the outdoor unit 30 is not any of the two edge sides 35A, 35B and the top side 36. The two edge sides 35A, 35B and the top side 36 may be defined in relation to the second side 34. Surrounding the second side 34 are the top side 36, two edge sides 35A, 35B (which flank the second side 34), and the attachment side 39 where the outdoor unit 30 is secured to a surface, for example a balcony wall section, floor section, or roof section. However, generally the outdoor unit 30 is attached to the floor section of the balcony. The attachment side 39 is opposite to the top side 36 and the two edge sides 35A, 35B are opposite of each other. The first side 32 may be one of the two edge sides 35A, 35B, and / or an opposite side of the second side 34.

[0076] Further, in Fig. 2 no sealing element 23 was described and in Figs. 3 to 5 a sealing element 23 was described. The sealing element may or may not be used to any of these systems 1 . As realised in connection to Fig. 2, the supply air may be prevented from passing the edge sides 35A, 35B and the top side 36 due to the design of the enclosure 22 and the orientation and position of the outdoor unit 30.

[0077] As is understood by the person skilled in the art further combinations of the orientation and position of the outdoor unit 30 and the dimension and construction of the enclosure 22 may be used to provide further embodiments where supply air is prevented from being guided past at least one side of the edge sides 35A, 35B and the top side 36, or from being guided past two sides of the edge sides 35A, 35B and the top side 36. In some embodiments the supply air and expel air may be completely separated.

[0078] The flow guiding arrangement 20 may instead of the enclosure 22 comprise an inlet tube (not shown) which guides supply air from the opening 12 to the air inlet 31 and an outlet tube (not shown) which guides expel air from the air outlet 33 and to the ambient air, through for example the opening 12. The opening 12 may in this embodiment be designed such that only the end of the outlet tube and the end of the inlet tube extend out from a respective opening. The inlet tube and the outlet tube separate supply air and expel air from the air in the balcony. Further, supply air and expel air is completely separated from each other, and supply air is prevented from being guided pass any of the edge sides 35A ,35B and the top side 36.

[0079] Additionally, variations to the disclosed embodiments can be understood and effected by the skilled person in practicing the claimed invention, from a study of the drawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims. In the claims, the word "comprising" does not exclude other elements or steps, and the indefinite article "a" or "an" does not exclude a plurality. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measured cannot be used to advantage.

Claims

Claims1 . A balcony system (1 ) comprising; a balcony (2) having at least a first wall section (10) having an opening(12), a flow guiding arrangement (20) arranged in connection to the opening (12) and being configured to separate air in the balcony (2) from supply air flow and expel air flow of an outdoor unit (30) of a heat pump, wherein the outdoor unit (30) comprises a first air inlet (31 ) at a first side (32) and an air outlet (33) at a second side (34), wherein the flow guiding arrangement (20) is further configured to prevent supply air from being guided past at least one of an edge side (35A, 35B) or a top side (36) of the outdoor unit (30), when supply air is guided from the opening (12) to the first air inlet (31 ).

2. The balcony system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the flow guiding arrangement is further configured to prevent supply air from being guided past at least two sides of two edge sides or the top side of the outdoor unit, when supply air is guided from the opening to the first air inlet.

3. The balcony system (1 ) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the flow guiding arrangement (20) is further configured to prevent supply air from being guided past at least one of the edge sides (35A, 35B) and the top side (36) of the outdoor unit (30), when supply air is guided from the opening (12) to the first air inlet (31 ).

4. The balcony system (1 ) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the flow guiding arrangement (20) comprises an enclosure (22) configured to enclose the outdoor unit (30), thereby separating air in the balcony (2) from supply air flow and expel air flow of the outdoor unit (30).

5. The balcony system (1 ) according to claim 4, wherein the flow guiding arrangement (20) further comprises a sealing element (23) being arranged between the enclosure (22) and at least one side of the outdoor unit (30).

6. The balcony system (1 ) according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the first air inlet (31 ) of the outdoor unit (30) is located in a first volume of the enclosure (22) that is separated from a second volume thereof, wherein the air outlet (33) of the outdoor unit (30) is located in the second volume.

7. The balcony system (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the balcony (2) further comprises a second wall section (14) having an opening (16), wherein the first wall section (10) and the second section wall section (14) form a corner (3) of the balcony (2), and wherein the outdoor unit (30) is positioned such that supply air is received through the opening (12) of the first wall section (10) and expel air is expelled through the opening (16) of the second wall section (14).

8. The balcony system (1 ) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the first side (32) and the second side (34) of the heat pump are positioned opposite to each other.

9. The balcony system (1 ) according to claim 8, wherein each of the first side (32) and the second side (34) extends in a direction that is at an angle (a) to the direction in which the opening (12) extends10. The balcony system (1 ) according to claim 8 or 9, wherein each of the first side (32) and the second side (34) extends in a direction that is perpendicular to the direction in which the opening (12) extends.11 . The balcony system (1 ) according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a flow guiding element (40) being configured to guide expel air away from inlet air.

12. The balcony system (1 ) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the flow guiding arrangement (20) comprises at least one material of a group consisting of a noise insulating material, passive fire protection material and heat insulating material.

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