COMPACT HEAT RECOVERY VENTILATION UNIT WITH BYPASS

Abstract

The invention relates to a ventilation unit (1) for providing supply air (SA), preferably outside air (OA) or fresh air, to an apartment or parts thereof and for removing return air (RA), preferably exhaust air (EA) or used air, from said apartment or parts thereof. The ventilation unit comprises a bypass valve (BV; BV∝) having a plurality of elongate members (EM; EM′) extending across a bypass duct and arranged in parallel next to each other, thus forming an arrangement of a plurality of elongate members next to each other as a one-elongate-member-thick layer. At least some elongate members (EM; EM′) of said plurality of elongate members (EM; EM′) are rotatably mounted around an axis of rotation (AR) parallel or identical to a longitudinal axis (LA) of said elongate members (EM; EM′). At least some elongate members (EM; EM′) are rotatable between a first rotational position or closed position (CP) and a second rotational position or open position (OP).

Claims

1. A ventilation unit (1) for providing supply air (SA), preferably outside air (OA) or fresh air, to an apartment or parts thereof and for removing return air (RA), preferably exhaust air (EA) or used air, from said apartment or parts thereof, said ventilation unit (1) comprising: a supply air outlet (SAO) for establishing supply air flow communication with said apartment; a return air inlet (RAI) for establishing return air flow communication with said apartment; an exhaust air outlet (EAO) for establishing exhaust air flow communication with the atmosphere; an outside air inlet (OAI) for establishing outside air flow communication with the atmosphere; a heat exchanger (HEX) having first air flow passages (AFPP1) and second air flow passages (AFPP2) for transferring heat energy from return air (RA) entering said first air flow passages (AFP1) and exhaust air (EA) leaving said first air flow passages (AFP1), to outside air (OA) entering said second air flow passages (AFP2) and supply air (SA) leaving said second air flow passages (AFP2); a first ventilator/fan (V1) at a first location within the ventilation unit (1), for transporting air through a first air flow path (AFP1) starting at said return air inlet (RAI), passing through said first air flow passages (AFPP1) in the heat exchanger (HEX) and ending at said exhaust air outlet (EAO); a second ventilator/fan (V2) at a second location within the ventilation unit (1), for transporting air through a second air flow path (AFP2) starting at said outside air inlet (OAI), passing through said second air flow passages (AFPP2) in the heat exchanger (HEX) and ending at said supply air outlet (SAO); a bypass duct forming a third air flow path around said heat exchanger (HEX); and a bypass valve (BV; BV′) arranged in said bypass duct for controlling air flow through said bypass duct, wherein said bypass valve (BV; BV′) comprises a plurality of elongate members (EM; EM′) extending across said bypass duct and arranged in parallel next to each other, thus forming an arrangement of a plurality of elongate members next to each other as a one-elongate-member-thick layer; at least some elongate members (EM; EM′) of said plurality of elongate members (EM; EM′) being rotatably mounted around an axis of rotation (AR) parallel or identical to a longitudinal axis (LA) of said elongate members (EM; EM′); wherein said at least some elongate members (EM; EM′) are rotatable between a first rotational position or closed position (CP) where said plurality of elongate members (EM; EM′) provides a maximum or infinite flow resistance to air flowing through said bypass duct, and a second rotational position or open position (OP) where said plurality of elongate members (EM; EM′) provides a minimum flow resistance to air flowing through said bypass duct.

2. A ventilation unit according to claim 1, wherein a radial dimension R of an elongate member (EM″) from its axis of rotation (AR) to its surface varies as a function of angular direction (azimuth angle) within a plane orthogonal to said axis of rotation (AR), thus defining angular directions with maximum radial dimension (Rmax) and angular directions with minimal radial dimensions (Rmin).

3. A ventilation unit according to claim 1, wherein a radial dimension R(x) of an elongate member (EM′″) from its axis of rotation (AR) to its surface varies as a function of axial location x along said axis of rotation.

4. A ventilation unit according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion (EL) of an elongate member (EM*; EM***) is made of an elastomer material.

5. A ventilation unit according to claim 4, wherein an elongate member (EM*; EM***) is made of an elastomer material (EL) at its radially outermost locations.

6. A ventilation unit according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of elongate members arranged in parallel next to each other alternately comprises elongate members of a first type and elongate members of a second type.

7. A ventilation unit according to claim 6, wherein said first type of elongate members comprises formations of a first type (G1) at its radially outermost locations and that said second type of elongate members comprises formations of a second type (G2) at their radially outermost locations, said formations of a first type and said formations of a second type being complementary to each other.

8. A ventilation unit according to claim 6, wherein said first type of elongate members is made of an elastomer material at least at its radially outermost locations and that said second type of elongate members is made of a non-elastomer material at least at their radially outermost locations.

9. A ventilation unit according to claim 1, wherein said elongate members comprise a formation of a first type (G1) at a first radially outermost location and a formation of a second type (G2) at a second radially outermost locations, said formation of a first type (G1) and said formation of a second type (G2) being diametrically opposite to each other.

10. A ventilation unit according to claim 1, wherein said elongate members comprise a formation of a first type (G1) at a first radially outermost location and a formation of a second type (G2) at a second radially outermost locations, said formation of a first type (G1) and said formation of a second type (G2) being complementary to each other.

11. A ventilation unit according to claim 2, wherein said elongate member comprises a first angular direction with a first maximum radial dimension and a second angular direction with a second maximum radial dimension, said first angular direction and said second angular direction differing by 180° (first maximum radial dimension and second maximum radial dimension being diametrically opposite to each other).

12. A ventilation unit according to claim 11, wherein said elongate members are lamellae or slats or louvers.

13. A ventilation unit according to claim 12, wherein said lamellae or slats or louvers, in their closed position, have an overlap between 5% and 50% of their maximum radial dimension with adjacent lamellae or slots or louvers.

14. A ventilation unit according to claim 13, wherein said lamellae or slats or louvers, in their closed position, have an overlap between 50% and 100% of their maximum radial dimension with adjacent lamellae or slots or louvers.

15. A ventilation unit according to claim 14, wherein lamellae (EM*) have a lentil-shaped cross-section.

16. A ventilation unit according to claim 15, wherein said lamellae (EM**; EM***) have an S-shaped or Z-shaped cross-section.

17. A ventilation unit according to claim 1, wherein said elongate members (EM; EM′) arranged in parallel next to each other and forming an arrangement of a plurality of elongate members next to each other as a one-elongate-member-thick layer are rotatably supported in a frame (2).

18. A ventilation unit according to claim 17, wherein each of said elongate members (EM; EM′) have a first bearing formation at their first longitudinal end a second bearing formation at their second longitudinal end, said first bearing formation being rotatably supported in a third bearing formation in a first portion (2a) of said frame (2) and complementary to said first bearing formation, and said second bearing formation being rotatably supported in a fourth bearing formation in a second portion (2b) of said frame (2) and complementary to said second bearing formation, said first portion (2a) and said second portion (2b) of said frame being opposite to each other.

19. A ventilation unit according to claim 17, wherein said frame (2) is a rectangular frame with a first straight frame portion (2a), a second straight frame portion (2b), a third straight frame portion (2c) and a fourth straight frame portion (2d).

20. A ventilation unit according to claim 17, wherein a drive motor (DM) drivingly connected to said elongate members (EM; EM′) is attached to said frame (2).

21. A ventilation unit according to claim 20, wherein said drive motor (DM) is drivingly connected to said elongate members (EM; EM′) via a mechanical power train.

22. A ventilation unit according to claim 1, wherein said first ventilator/fan (V1) is arranged in said first air flow path (AFP1) downstream of the heat exchanger (HEX) between said heat exchanger (HEX) and said exhaust air outlet (EAO).

23. A ventilation unit according to claim 1, wherein said second ventilator/fan (V2) is arranged in said second air flow path (AFP2) downstream of the heat exchanger between said heat exchanger (HEX) and said supply air outlet (SAO).

24. A ventilation unit according to claim 1, wherein the air flow cross section of said return air inlet and the air flow cross section of said outside air inlet are greater than the air flow cross section of said supply air outlet and the air flow cross section of said exhaust air outlet.

25. A ventilation unit according to claim 1, wherein said bypass duct forming a third air flow path around said heat exchanger comprises two separate flow paths symmetrically bypassing said heat exchanger.

26. A ventilation unit according to claim 1, wherein said bypass valve can be moved from a first valve position allowing return air to pass through the heat exchanger along said outbound first air flow path and allowing outside air to pass through the heat exchanger along said inbound second air flow path, to a second valve position allowing return air outside air to bypass the heat exchanger.

27. A ventilation unit according to claim 1, wherein said bypass valve is associated to a valve drive unit acting on said bypass valve, and wherein said valve drive unit is located inside the ventilation unit at a central location halfway in between said first air flow path and said second air flow path.

28. A ventilation unit according to claim 1, wherein at least 80% of the entire length of each of the internal air flow ducts of the ventilation unit are of substantially rectangular flow cross section.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0045] FIG. 1 is a top view or bottom view of an embodiment of the heat recovery ventilation unit according to the invention with a housing wall removed.

[0046] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the embodiment of the heat recovery ventilation unit according to the invention with a housing wall removed.

[0047] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a first variant of a component included in the embodiment of the heat recovery ventilation unit according to the invention.

[0048] FIG. 4 is a top view of the first variant of the component shown in FIG. 3.

[0049] FIG. 5 is a sectional view of section C-C in FIG. 4.

[0050] FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of detail D shown in FIG. 5.

[0051] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a second variant of a component included in the embodiment of the heat recovery ventilation unit according to the invention.

[0052] FIG. 8 is a top view of the second variant of the component shown in FIG. 7.

[0053] FIG. 9 is a sectional view of section C-C in FIG. 8.

[0054] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a portion of the second variant of the component shown in FIG. 7.

[0055] FIG. 11 is an enlarged view of detail D shown in FIG. 10.

[0056] FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a third variant of a component included in the embodiment of the heat recovery ventilation unit according to the invention.

[0057] FIG. 13 is a top view of a fourth variant of a component included in the embodiment of the heat recovery ventilation unit according to the invention.

[0058] FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of a fifth variant of a component included in the embodiment of the heat recovery ventilation unit according to the invention.

[0059] FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view of a sixth variant of a component included in the embodiment of the heat recovery ventilation unit according to the invention.

[0060] FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view of a seventh variant of a component included in the embodiment of the heat recovery ventilation unit according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ELEMENTS

[0061] 1 ventilation unit [0062] RA return air [0063] EA exhaust air [0064] OA outside air [0065] SA supply air [0066] RAI return air inlet [0067] EAO exhaust air outlet [0068] OAI outside air inlet [0069] SAO supply air outlet [0070] AFP1 first air flow path (within unit, RAI.fwdarw.EAO) [0071] AFP2 second air flow path (within unit, OAI.fwdarw.SAO) [0072] AFPP1 first air flow passages (within heat exchanger), part of AFP1 [0073] AFPP2 second air flow passages (within heat exchanger), part of AFP2 [0074] V1 first ventilator/fan [0075] V2 second ventilator/fan [0076] BV bypass valve (first variant) [0077] BV′ bypass valve (second variant) [0078] EM elongate member (first variant) [0079] EM′ elongate member (second variant) [0080] EM″ elongate member (third variant) [0081] EM′″ elongate member (fourth variant) [0082] EM* elongate member (fifth variant) [0083] EM** elongate member (sixth variant) [0084] EM***elongate member (seventh variant) [0085] LA longitudinal axis [0086] AR axis of rotation [0087] OP open position [0088] CP closed position [0089] DM drive motor [0090] R.sub.max maximum radial dimension [0091] R.sub.min minimum radial dimension [0092] G1 formation of a first type [0093] G2 formation of a first type [0094] 2 frame of bypass valve [0095] 2a frame portion [0096] 2b frame portion [0097] 2c frame portion [0098] 2d frame portion