Wall ring for a fan with heating element

Abstract

A wall ring for a fan, with a fan wheel, includes at least one heating element for heating the wall ring. The heating element includes an electrically conductive heating layer which is disposed on the inner side of the wall ring facing the fan wheel. The electrically conductive heating layer of the heating element may be configured as an electrically conductive CNT coating having carbon nano-materials.

Claims

1. A wall ring for a fan having a fan wheel, comprising at least one heating element for heating the wall ring; wherein the heating element comprises an electrically conductive heating layer that is disposed on an inner side of the wall ring that faces the fan wheel; wherein the electrically conductive heating layer of the heating element is configured as an electrically conductive CNT lacquer having carbon nano-materials; and wherein the heating element has contact elements on side edges that run in the axial direction, so that the direction of a current flowing through the heating element faces in the circumferential direction of the wall ring.

2. The wall ring according to claim 1, wherein the heating element covers a partial region of the inner side of the wall ring that runs in the circumferential direction.

3. The wall ring according to claim 1, wherein the heating element covers a partial region of the inner side of the wall ring that runs in the axial direction.

4. The wall ring according to claim 1, wherein multiple heating elements are disposed distributed on the inner side of the wall ring, facing the fan wheel, and their contact elements are connected in parallel or in series.

5. The wall ring according to claim 1, wherein the heating element is designed for a low voltage between 3 V and 60 V.

6. A fan comprising the fan wheel and the wall ring according to claim 1, wherein the wall ring encloses the fan wheel of the fan.

7. A wall ring for a fan having a fan wheel, comprising at least one heating element for heating the wall ring; wherein the heating element comprises an electrically conductive heating layer that is disposed on an inner side of the wall ring that faces the fan wheel; wherein the electrically conductive heating layer of the heating element is configured as an electrically conductive CNT lacquer having carbon nano-materials; and wherein the heating element covers the entire circumference of the inner side of the wall ring, in the circumferential direction, with the exception of an insulation gap that runs axially.

Description

(1) Further details, characteristics, and advantageous further developments of the invention are evident from the following exemplary embodiment, described below and shown in the drawing, as well as from the dependent claims. The drawing shows:

(2) FIG. 1 a sketch-like representation of a fan having a wall ring according to the invention,

(3) FIGS. 2 to 7 different wall rings in alternative embodiments.

(4) In the different figures of the drawing, the same parts are always provided with the same reference symbols.

(5) With regard to the following description, it is explicitly emphasized that the invention is not restricted to the exemplary embodiments, and, in this connection, not to all or multiple characteristics of combinations of characteristics that are described; instead, each individual partial characteristic of the/each exemplary embodiment can also have inventive significance in and of itself and also in combination with any desired characteristics of another exemplary embodiment, as well as also independent of the combinations of characteristics and antecedents of the claims.

(6) In FIG. 1, a wall ring 1 for a fan is shown. In the assembled state of the wall ring 1, a fan wheel 5 of the fan 6 is situated within the wall ring 1, as shown. The wall ring 1 particularly has a cylindrical basic shape and an inner side 2 that faces the fan wheel 5. A heating element 3 for heating the wall ring 1 is disposed on the inner side 2 of the wall ring 1, which faces the fan wheel 5. The heating element 3 comprises an electrically conductive heating layer. In the embodiment shown, the heating element 3 does not cover the entire surface of the inner side 2, but rather only a partial region of the inner side 2 of the wall ring 1. In this connection, the heating element 3 covers a partial region of the inner side 2 that runs in the circumferential direction and/or a partial region of the inner side 2 that runs n the axial direction. Alternatively, it is also possible that the entire region of the inner side 2 is covered in the circumferential direction and/or the axial direction.

(7) The electrically conductive heating layer of the heating element 3 is configured as an electrically conductive lacquer in a preferred exemplary embodiment. The lacquer is particularly produced as a CNT lacquer and comprises carbon nano-materials. Alternatively, the electrically conductive heating layer of the heating element 3 is configured as an electrically conductive adhesive tape. In this case, the adhesive tape particularly comprises a CNT lacquer layer having carbon nano-materials.

(8) Fundamentally, the size and the positioning of the heating element 3 can be different, depending on the application parameters, whereby for cost reasons, the heating element 3 covers smallest possible surface and is configured as the thinnest possible layer. In this connection, the heating output must allow sufficient protection against icing. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the heating element 3 covers approximately one third of the circumference of the inner side 2 of the wall ring 1. In this connection, the heating element 3 is positioned in such a manner that it is situated where icing would predominantly occur in the operating state of the fan 6.

(9) In the embodiments in FIGS. 1, 2, 5, and 6, the heating element 3 has contacting by means of contact elements 4a on its side edges that run in the circumferential direction, so that the direction of a current that flows through the heating element 3 faces in the axial direction of the wall ring 1.

(10) In the embodiments in FIGS. 3, 4, and 7, the heating element 3 has contacting by means of contact elements 4 on its side edges that run in the axial direction, so that the direction of a current that flows through the heating element 3 faces in the circumferential direction of the wall ring 1.

(11) As shown in FIGS. 4, 5, 6, and 7, it is also possible that multiple heating elements 3 are disposed distributed on the inner side 2 of the wall ring 1, and that its contact elements 4, 4a are connected in parallel or in series. Alternatively, the heating element 3 can cover the entire circumference of the inner side 2 of the wall ring 1, in the circumferential direction, with the exception of an insulation gap that runs axially. By means of distributing the heating elements 3 over the circumference of the wall ring 1, protection against icing is made possible independent of the installation position of the fan 6.

(12) The heating element 3 is designed for a low voltage between 3 V and 60 V, particularly for 12 V or 24 V.

(13) By applying an operating voltage to the wiring of the heating element 3, current flows through the heating element 3, which thereby heats up, thereby preventing ice formation in the region of the heating element 3. Furthermore, heat is given off by the heating element 3 by means of heat conduction and heat radiation, into the surroundings of the heating element 3, particularly to the surface of the inner side 2 of the wall ring 1. The heating element 3 is positioned on the inner side 2 of the wall ring 1 in such a manner that the heating element 3 covers the region of the inner side 2 at which icing would predominantly occur in the operating state of the fan 6.

(14) The invention is not restricted to the exemplary embodiments that are shown and described, but rather also covers all the embodiments that have the same effect in the sense of the invention. It is explicitly emphasized that the exemplary embodiments are not restricted to all the characteristics in combination, but instead, each individual partial characteristic can also have inventive significance on its own, separate from all the other partial characteristics. Furthermore, the invention has also not been restricted to the combination of characteristics defined in each independent claim, until now, but rather can also be defined by any other desired combination of specific characteristics of all the individual characteristics disclosed in total. This means that fundamentally, practically any individual characteristic of each independent claim can be left out or replaced with at least one individual characteristic disclosed at another point in the application. In this regard, the claims should be understood as being merely a preliminary formulation attempt for an invention.