DIRECTIONAL CONTROL VALVE AND METHOD FOR SETTING CONNECTIONS

Abstract

A directional control valve including air connections for exhaust air, feed air, outside air and waste air; two respective functional connections of a heating path and a cooling path; a switching element that is configured to connect each of the air connections with exactly one of the functional connections so that the exhaust air is fed back through the heating path as the feed air in a heating position, and the exhaust air fed back through the cooling path as the intake air in a cooling position, and the outside air is fed through the heating path in a winter ventilation position as the feed air, and the outside air is fed through the cooling path in a summer ventilation position as the feed air.

Claims

1. A directional control valve, comprising: air connections for exhaust air, feed air, outside air and waste air; two respective functional connections of a heating path and a cooling path; a switching element that is configured to connect each of the air connections with exactly one of the functional connections so that the exhaust air is fed back through the heating path as the feed air in a heating position, and the exhaust air fed back through the cooling path as the intake air in a cooling position, and the outside air is fed through the heating path in a winter ventilation position as the feed air, and the outside air is fed through the cooling path in a summer ventilation position as the feed air.

2. The directional control valve according to claim 1, wherein the switching element is disc shaped and includes cut outs, and wherein the air connections are connected with the functional connections through the cut outs.

3. The directional control valve according to claim 2, wherein the switching element is pivotable about an axis arranged in the directional control valve.

4. The directional control valve according to claim 3, wherein the cut outs towards the air connections for the exhaust air and the feed air are arranged in a first circular ring and the air connections for the outside air and the waste air are arranged in a second circular ring radially offset from the first circular ring, or wherein the cut outs towards the functional connections of the heating path and towards the functional connections the cooling path are arranged in a first circular ring and a second circular ring about the axis that are radially offset from each other.

5. The directional control valve according to claim 1, further comprising: an electrical drive for the switch element.

6. The directional control valve according to claim 1, further comprising: a control for the electrical drive.

7. A device configured to control a temperature of an interior space of a building, the device comprising: a heat pump; and the directional control valve according to claim 1, wherein the heat pump is arranged in the cooling path.

8. The device according to claim 7, further comprising: a heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the exhaust air and the outside air.

9. The device according to one of the claim 7, further comprising: a heat accumulator, wherein the heat pump charges the heat accumulator, and wherein the pump or the heat accumulator transfer heat to the heating path.

10. The device according to claim 9, further comprising a fan arranged in the heating path and in the cooling path.

11. A method, comprising: adjusting air connections for exhaust air, feed air, outside air and waste air and two respective functional connections of a heating path and a cooling path; and connecting each of the air connections with exactly one of the functional connections so that the exhaust air is fed back through the heating path as feed air in a heating position, and the exhaust air fed back through the cooling path as intake air in a cooling position, and the outside air is fed through the heating path in a winter ventilation position as feed air, and the outside air is fed through the cooling path in a summer ventilation position as feed air, wherein the air connections are adjusted by selecting switching positions of a directional control valve between the air connections and the functional connections.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] The invention is subsequently described based on embodiments with reference to drawing figures, wherein:

[0032] FIG. 1 illustrates a device according to the invention

[0033] FIG. 2A illustrates a directional control valve according to the invention of the device according to the invention;

[0034] FIG. 2 B illustrates the directional control valve in an exploded view;

[0035] FIGS. 3A/B illustrates a top disk direction of the control valve;

[0036] FIG. 4A/B illustrates a base disk of the directional control valve according to the invention respectively in a top view and in a bottom view;

[0037] FIG. 5 illustrates the switching element of the directional control valve; and

[0038] FIG. 6 illustrates a switching diagram of the directional control valve.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0039] The device 1 illustrated in FIG. 1 is used for controlling a temperature in an interior space of a building. The device 1 includes a heat accumulator 2 and a heat pump 3 which is configured as an essentially cylindrical unit 4 that functions as a wash water heat pump and is available from the Danish manufacturer Vesttherm under the product designation VT3130 and a directional control valve 5 according to the invention. The jacket 6 of the heat accumulator 2 includes a heating path 7 connected in parallel with the heating element of the heat pump 3 wherein the heating path 7 heats the water in the heat accumulator 2.

[0040] The air conduits to the heat pump 3 and to the heating path 7 include fans. The fan in the heating path 7 controls the portions of the heat which are transferred by the heat pump directly into the heating path 7 and into the heat accumulator 2.

[0041] The directional control valve 5 according to the invention illustrated in detail in FIGS. 2A and 2B includes a disk-shaped switching element 8 and a top disk 9 arranged there above and a base disk 10 arranged below the switching element 8.

[0042] The circular top disk 9 illustrated in FIGS. 3A and 3B includes four air connections 12, 13, 14, 15 for exhaust air from a non-illustrated interior of a building, for feed air going into the interior, for outside air from an ambient of the building and for waste air going into the ambient. Channels 16 formed in the top disk 9 lead from the air connections 12, 13, 14, 15 to circular segment shaped openings 17 at a bottom side 18 of the top disk 9.

[0043] As illustrated in detail in FIGS. 4A and 4B the essentially circular base disk 10 includes four circular segment shaped openings 20 at a top side 19 wherein the openings 20 lead through channels 21 formed in the base disk 10 into two functional connections 22 for the heating path 7 and two other functional connections 23 at a bottom side 24 of the base disk 10 for the cooling path 25 through the heat pump 3.

[0044] In an assembled condition of the directional control valve 5 the openings 17 are arranged at the bottom side 18 of the top disk 9 above openings at the top side 19 of the base disk 10 and the essentially circular switching elements 8 is arranged between the top disk 9 and the base disk 10. A position of the top disk 9 and the base disk 10 relative to each other is fixed whereas the switching element 8 is pivotable about a center axis 26 of the directional control valve 5.

[0045] The switching element 8 shown in detail in FIG. 5 includes six cutouts 28 arranged in an inner circular ring 27 about the center axis 26 wherein the air connections 12, 13 for exhaust air and feed air can be connected through the six cutouts 28 and through functional connections 22, 23 optionally with the heating path 7 or the cooling path 25. The switching element 8 includes four additional cutouts 30 arranged in an outer circular ring 29 about the axis 26 wherein the air connections 14, 15 for the outside air and the waste air are connected through the four additional cutouts 30 and through the functional connections 22, 23 optionally with the heating path 7 or the cooling path 25.

[0046] FIG. 6 shows the switching diagram according to DIN ISO 1219 of the directional control valve 5 with a heating position 31, a cooling position 32, a winter ventilation position 33, and a summer ventilation position 34.

[0047] In the heating position 31 the exhaust air absorbs heat from the heat accumulator 2 in the heating path 7 and is fed back into the interior as feed air. The outside air transfers heat in the cooling path 25 through the heat pump 3 to the heat accumulator 2 and is discharged as waste air.

[0048] In the cooling position 32 the exhaust air transfers heat in the cooling path 25 through the heat pump 3 to the heat accumulator 2 and is fed back as feed air. The outside air absorbs excess heat from the heat accumulator 2 in the heating path 7 and is discharged as waste air.

[0049] In the winter ventilation position 33, the outside air absorbs heat from the heat accumulator 2 in the heating path 7 and is introduced into the interior space as feed air. The exhaust air transfers heat to the heat accumulator 2 in the cooling path 25 through the heat pump 3 and is discharged to the ambient as waste air.

[0050] In the summer ventilation position 34 the outside air transfers heat in the cooling path 25 through the heat pump 3 to the heat accumulator 2 and is fed into the interior space as feed air. The exhaust air absorbs excessive heat in the heating path 7 from the heat accumulator 2 and is discharged as waste air.

[0051] The switching element 8 is pivotable by an electric drive about the axis 26 into the heating position 31, the cooling position 32, the winter ventilation position 33 and the summer ventilation position 34. The drive and the fans are connected with a control for controlled ventilation of the interior space, wherein the control determines the switching position of the directional control valve 8 and a speed of the fans according to a temperature and humidity of the exhaust air and of the ambient air automatically.

[0052] By incomplete approximation of the position of the switch element 8 to the heating position 31, the cooling position, 32 the winter ventilation position 33 of the summer ventilation position 34, the openings 17 of the top disc 9 can be opened partially relative to the respective openings 20 of the base disc 10 which controls the respective air flows proportional to a position of the switch element 8.

[0053] A second embodiment of the device according to the invention substantially corresponds to first embodiment of the device 1 according to the invention, however respectively includes an additional air connection for exhaust air and feed air. The second embodiment of the device according to the invention is particularly suitable for a ventilation of an additional interior space, a living space and additionally a bathroom with a shower that is air separated from the living space, advantageously respectively in the winter ventilation position and in the summer ventilation position.

REFERENCE NUMERALS AND DESIGNATIONS

[0054] 1 device [0055] 2 heat accumulator [0056] 3 heat pump [0057] 4 sub assembly [0058] 5 directional control valve [0059] 6 jacket [0060] 7′ heating path [0061] 8 switching element [0062] 9 top disc [0063] 10 base disc [0064] 11 top side of top disc [0065] 12 exhaust air connection [0066] 13 feed air connection [0067] 14 outside air connection [0068] 15 waste air connection [0069] 16 channel in top disc [0070] 17 opening in bottom side of top disc [0071] 18 bottom side of top disc [0072] 19 top side of base disc [0073] 20 opening in top side of base disc [0074] 21 channel in base disc [0075] 22 functional connection to heating path [0076] 23 functional connection to cooling path [0077] 24 bottom side of base disc [0078] 25 cooling path [0079] 26 axis [0080] 27 inner circular ring [0081] 28 cut out in switching element [0082] 29 outer circular ring [0083] 30 cut out [0084] 31 heating position [0085] 32 cooling position [0086] 33 winter ventilation position [0087] 34 summer ventilation position