HYDRAULIC SEPARATOR WITH REDUCED HEAT DISPERSION AND CONTROL METHOD THEREFOR
20220243929 · 2022-08-04
Assignee
Inventors
- Samuele Molina (San Maurizio d'Opaglio, IT)
- Marco Rosa Brusin (San Maurizio d'Opaglio, IT)
- Paolo Arrus (San Maurizio d'Opaglio, IT)
Cpc classification
F24D3/1066
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F24D2220/0271
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F24D3/1091
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F24D2220/0221
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F24D19/1015
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
International classification
F24D19/10
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
Abstract
A hydraulic separator for hydronic systems for heating and/or cooling, including a hollow body with a casing, internally defining a chamber; at least two first through openings for the delivery of a fluid, and at least two second through openings for the return of the fluid, said first openings and said second openings being made on said casing of the body and being suitable to put in fluid communication said chamber to external circuits by hydraulic connecting means, further includes at least a mobile element suitable for separating said chamber of the body in a first portion and a second portion, in such a way to reduce the opening section of passage and of fluid contact between said first portion and said second portion. The invention further includes a control method for the hydraulic separator and hydronic systems for heating and/or coding.
Claims
1. A hydraulic separator for hydronic systems for heating and/or cooling, comprising: a hollow body with a casing, internally defining a chamber; at least two first through openings for the delivery of a fluid, and at least two second through openings for the return of the fluid, said first through openings and said second through openings being made on said casing of the body and operable to establish fluidic communication between the chamber and to external circuits by hydraulic connection; at least one mobile element separating the chamber of the body in a first portion and a second portion, in such a way to reduce the opening section of passage and of fluidic communication between said first portion and said second portion and to limit the thermal conduction.
2. The hydraulic separator according to claim 1 further comprising a rotation pin positioned within the chamber, wherein said mobile element is a butterfly valve rotatably arranged inside the chamber and operable to rotate about the rotation pin.
3. The hydraulic separator according to claim 2, wherein the butterfly valve is configured to rotate integrally with the rotation pin rotatably housed by at least one of traditional rotation supports and bushes disposed on the body.
4. The hydraulic separator according to claim 1 further comprising a plurality of rotation pins positioned within the chamber, wherein said mobile element comprises two or more of at least one of mobile parts and heads, the two or more of at least one of mobile parts and heads being rotatably hinged with respect to the body and rotatable about a rotation pin of the plurality of rotation pins.
5. The hydraulic separator according to claim 1, wherein the movable element is held in a steady position by a returning elastic element.
6. The hydraulic separator according to claim 1, wherein the mobile element comprises a deformable membrane having a closable opening, wherein the opening is normally closed.
7. The hydraulic separator according to claim 2 further comprising: a control unit; and at least one of a linear actuator and rotational actuator connected to the mobile element and positioned in communication with and operably controlled by the control unit, defining an actuator; wherein the mobile element is actuated by the actuator.
8. The hydraulic separator according to claim 1, wherein the mobile element is made of an insulating material having a low thermal conductivity.
9. The hydraulic separator according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of electric or electronic sensors or transducers disposed at one of the first through openings and the second through openings, the sensors being connected to a control unit and said sensors being configured to measure a physical parameter of the fluid.
10. The hydraulic separator according to claim 9, wherein the sensors are pressure sensors.
11. The hydraulic separator according to claim 9, wherein the sensors are temperature sensors.
12. The hydraulic separator according to claim 9, wherein the sensors are at least one of mass and volumetric flowmeters.
13. The hydraulic separator according to claim 9, wherein a measure performed by said sensors corresponds to a signal processed by the control unit and such to control the opening of said mobile element.
14. A control method for hydronic plants for heating and/or cooling, comprising the steps of: providing a hydraulic separator comprising a hollow body with a casing, the interior thereof defining a chamber; supplying a delivery of fluid through at least two first openings of the body and returning the fluid through at least two second openings of the body, the first openings and said second openings being configured to put the chamber of the body in fluid communication with one or more external circuits by hydraulic connections; separating the internal chamber into a first portion and a second portion by at least one thermally insulating mobile element; and controlling by a movable element of the passage opening and section of thermal contact according to a function of the flow of a fluid between the first portion and the second portion in such a way as to limit the thermal heat conduction between the first and second portions of the chamber.
15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the controlling step further comprises the steps of: measuring physical variables of the fluid flowing through the first openings and second openings of the body relative to the fluid in a primary circuit via one or more sensors; sending the data of the variables detected by the sensors to a control unit and processing the data using the control unit; and controlling the moving element by operation of an actuator according to a function of the state of the physical variables in such a way as to vary the fluid passage section of the fluid inside chamber.
16. The method according to claim 14, wherein the measuring steps are a step of measuring the pressure differential of the fluid in the primary circuit and a step of measuring the pressure difference in the secondary circuit, measured by the pressure sensors between the inlet and outlet openings of the hydraulic separator of the respective primary and secondary circuits.
17. The method according to claim 14, wherein the measuring steps are a step of measuring the temperature differential of the fluid in the primary circuit, and a step of measuring the temperature differential of the fluid in the secondary circuit measured by the temperature sensors between the inlet and outlet openings of the hydraulic separator of the respective primary and secondary circuits.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0046] With initial reference to figures from 1a to 2, it is represented, in a preferred embodiment, a hydraulic separator with reduced heat dispersion, in figures specified with 10, for installation on hydronic systems for heating and/or cooling, said hydraulic separator 10 including: [0047] a hollow body 11 with a casing 12 internally defining a chamber 14; [0048] at least two first through openings 16, 16′, for the delivery of a fluid and at least two second through openings 17, 17′, for the return of a fluid, said first openings 16, 16′ and said second openings 17′, 17 being obtained on said casing 12 of the body 11 and being suitable to put in fluid communication said chamber 14 to external circuits by hydraulic connection means.
[0049] The hydraulic separator 10 of the present invention has the innovative feature of comprising at least one mobile element 20 suitable for separating the chamber 14 of the body 11 in a first portion 14″ of volume and a second portion 14″ of volume, in such a way as to reduce up to closing the opening section of passage and of fluid contact between said first portion 14′ and said second portion 14″.
[0050] With reference stills to
[0051] In the embodiment forms of the figures, said butterfly valve 20′ is configured to rotate integrally with the rotation pin 22 rotatably housed by traditional rotation supports or bushes (not shown) disposed on the body 11 of the hydraulic separator 10.
[0052] In other alternative embodiments, said mobile element 20 may also comprise two or more mobile or rotating parts rotatably hinged in cooperation with respect to body 11 by means of respective rotation pins, said parts being suitable to prevent or allow the passage of fluid between said first portion 14′ and said second portion 14″ and vice versa.
[0053] The mobile element 20 can generally comprise any traditional shutter or gate valve type or control system, said mobile element 20 being configured to open as result of a fluid pressure difference between said first 14″ portion and the second 14″ portion of chamber 14 or as consequence of mechanical actuation by a rotational or linear actuator 30, so as to allow the passage of fluid between said first 14″ portion and said second 14″ portion and vice versa.
[0054] Said mobile element 20, comprising also one or more cooperating movable parts, can also be held in a steady closed position of limited or interrupted fluid connection or in an open position, between said first 14″ portion and said second 14″ portion of chamber 14, by means of traditional returning elastic elements (not shown), such as compression springs or torsion springs.
[0055] With reference particularly to the embodiment of the figures from 1a to 3c, said mobile element 20 comprising the butterfly valve 20 can be advantageously connected by means of the rotation pin 22 to a rotational actuator 30, electromechanical, electric or fluidic servomechanism, said rotational actuator 30 being configured to rotate the rotation pin 22 with the butterfly valve 20′ so as to limit or interrupt the fluid flow between the first 14′ portion and the second 14″ portion of chamber 14 and vice versa.
[0056] Another innovative feature of the mobile element 20, comprising for example a 20″ butterfly valve, is to can be made of insulating material with low thermal conductivity, such as polymeric plastics or thermo-polymers or other equivalent materials, in such a way as to further reduce the thermal gradient VT between said first portion 14′ and said second portion 14″ and limit or prevent the dispersion of heat Q.sub.D through the cross section of chamber 14 of hydraulic separator 10.
[0057] With particular reference to
[0058] In the embodiment of
[0059] In the embodiment shown in
[0060] The mobile element 20 can also be advantageously held in a steady position, typically closed, by means of an elastic element (not shown) such as a spiral spring arranged coaxially to the rotation pin 22.
[0061] In a further embodiment showed in
[0062] With particular reference, again to
[0063] Said sensors 40 can also be temperature sensors, for example thermocouples, placed on each of the first and second openings 16, 16′, 17, 17′, said temperature sensors being suitable to detect the temperature of the fluid in transit through each opening. Unlike pressure and flow rate sensors, temperature sensors represent a more convenient and advantageous solution as they are constructively simpler, cheaper and easier to manage and interface.
[0064] With particular reference again to
[0065] The measurement carried out by said sensors 40 can correspond to a signal which managed and processed by control unit 60 is such to control the opening of the mobile element 20 in a proportional manner or in response to a function of the pressure difference Δp, so as to allow to increase or decrease of the fluid passage and fluid communication between the first portion 14′ of chamber 14 and the first openings 16, 16′ with the second portion 14′ of chamber 14 and the second openings 17, 17′.
[0066] Said mobile element 20, in a further alternative form not shown, may also include a hole, a shaping or a through opening, formed on the same movable element 20 and such that the same, in a closed position, does not totally prevent fluid communication between said first portion 14′ and said second portion 14″, allowing to discharge any overpressure of fluid on one or the other portion 14′, 14″ of chamber 14.
[0067] In other possible embodiments, as in the example of
[0068] From the description of the hydraulic separator 10 with reduced heat dispersion object of this invention, the operation described below is deducted.
[0069] In the description of the following operation, as in the attached drawings, the practical case of operation of hydraulic separator 10 installed in a system for the production and distribution of heat for heating is taken into consideration.
[0070] Therefore, it will be evident to the skilled person, how the same considerations can be made, mutatis mutandis, to the practical case in which hydraulic separator 10 is installed on a system for the generation and circulation of a cold fluid for cooling.
[0071] With general reference always to
[0072] In the operating condition of hydraulic separator 10, shown as example in
[0073] In the operating condition of hydraulic separator 10, shown as example in
[0074] It should be noted that the mobile element 20 can open even without being actuated by an actuator but only as a result of the fluid difference pressure such as to overcome the resistance of the elastic element (not shown) which tends to keep the same mobile element in the closed position.
[0075] In the ideal operating case shown in
[0076] The pressure sensors 40 detect a pressure differential Δp close to zero and the mobile element 20 remains in closed position preventing or significantly limiting the fluid exchange between the first portion 14′ and the second portion 14″ of chamber 14, and vice versa.
[0077] With particular reference to
[0078] The mobile element 20, advantageously made of thermally insulating material, interrupts therefore the field of the thermal gradient VT (
[0079] The mobile element 20 can also be advantageously configured to open by a measure or an angle proportional for example to the pressure difference Δp in such a way as to allow the passage, when necessary, of a greater or lesser amount of compensation fluid.
[0080] Optional holes, openings or shaping on the mobile element 20, for example on the butterfly valve 20′ of the figures, prevent the total separation of fluid between the first portion 14′ and the second portion 14″ of chamber 14 keeping in any case limited or negligible the heat exchange and thermal contamination between the fluid streams at different temperatures, providing however a discharge opening in case of pressure peaks in the system or in case of failure of actuator 30 with a consequent non-opening.
[0081] The particular hydrodynamic conformation of the mobile element 20, such as that of the butterfly valve 20′ in
[0082] It is also part of the present invention a control method 100 for a hydraulic separator 10 and hydronic systems for heating and/or cooling comprising the steps of: [0083] providing a hydraulic separator 10 comprising a hollow body 11 with a casing 12 internally defining a chamber 14; [0084] supplying a delivery of fluid through at least two first openings 16, 16′ of body 11 and returning through at least two second openings 17, 17′ of body 11, said first openings 16, 16′ and said second openings 17, 17′ being configured to put in fluid communication a chamber 14 of body 11 to one or more external circuits by means of hydraulic connection; [0085] separating of said internal chamber 14 in a first portion 14′ and a second portion 14″, by means of at least one thermally insulating mobile element 20; [0086] controlling by means of said mobile element 20 of the passage opening and section of thermal contact according to a function of the fluid flow passing between said first portion 14′ and said second portion 14″ in such a way as to limit the thermal heat conduction between the same first and second portion 14′, 14″ of chamber 14.
[0087] The control method 100, in the case of control of the mobile element 20 by means of an actuator 30 controlled by a control unit 60, before the controlling step it can comprise further step of: [0088] measuring 102 of physical variables of the fluid flowing through the first openings 16, 16′ and the second openings 17, 17′ of the body 11 relative to the fluid in primary circuit 90 by means of sensors 40; [0089] sending the data of the variables detected by sensors 40 and processing by means of a control unit 60; [0090] controlling of the moving element 20 by means of an actuator 30 according to a function of the state of the physical variables in such a way as to vary the fluid passage section of the fluid inside chamber 14.
[0091] The measuring step of the physical variables of the fluid can comprise measuring steps of fluid flow rate Q.sub.1 in the primary circuit 90 and the fluid flow rate Q.sub.2 in the secondary circuit 90′, measured by sensors 40 or flowmeters (mass or volumetric) between the inlet and outlet openings at separator 10 of the respective primary and secondary circuits 90, 90′.
[0092] In a further alternative form, the measuring step of the physical variables of the fluid may also comprise measurements of the temperature differential ΔT.sub.1 of the fluid in the primary circuit 90 and the temperature differential ΔT.sub.2 of the fluid in the secondary circuit 90′, measured by temperature sensors 40 between the inlet and outlet openings of the hydraulic separator 10 of the respective primary and secondary circuits 90, 90′.
[0093] In another further alternative form, the measuring step of the physical variables of the fluid can comprise measurements of the pressure differential Δp.sub.1 of the fluid in the primary circuit 90 and the pressure differential Δp.sub.2 of the secondary circuit 90′, measured by pressure sensors 40 between the inlet and outlet openings of the hydraulic separator 10 of the respective primary and secondary circuits 90, 90′.
[0094] From the description of the steps of method 100 and from the following example of computer implemented algorithm the operation described below is deducted.
[0095] With particular reference also to the flow chart of
[0103] From the known energy equivalence between fluid flow rate Q and thermodynamic temperature T of the fluid, expressed by the equation Q.sub.1/Q.sub.2=ΔT.sub.2/ΔT.sub.1, measuring steps 102 and 104 can also be respectively a measuring steps of the temperature differential ΔT.sub.1 of the fluid in the primary circuit 90 and a measurement of temperature differential ΔT.sub.2 of the fluid in the secondary circuit 90′ measured by temperature sensors 40 between the inlet and outlet openings of the separator 10 of the respective primary and secondary circuits 90, 90′.
[0104] The percentage of opening A.sub.% of the moving element 20 can be proportional to an angle of rotation of the same moving element 20. At a fluid passage light in the internal chamber 14 etc. is generally proportional to a ramp math function, as in the graph of
[0105] As can be seen from the above, the advantages that the hydraulic separator 10 with reduced heat dispersion and the control method 100 of the present invention achieve are evident.
[0106] The hydraulic separator 10 with limited heat dispersion object of the present invention is particularly advantageous because it allows the hydraulic separation of a hydronic system for heating and/or cooling, allowing at the same time a lower energy consumption and an improved efficiency and overall thermal efficiency of the system.
[0107] The hydraulic separator 10 with reduced thermal dispersion object of this invention is also particularly advantageous because it allows to make the hydraulic separator 10 independent from the vertical or horizontal mounting position of the elongated part, since the mobile element 20 is not sensitive to the stratification of fluid at different temperatures at the two ends of chamber 14 and eliminates the onset of eddy currents that increase the mixing between fluid at different temperatures increase the thermal dispersion.
[0108] The hydraulic separator 10 with reduced thermal dispersion of the present invention is also particularly advantageous because it makes possible to provide to the user with a device which can be easily integrated into modern and efficient hydronic and thermos mechanical systems without limiting the available thermal difference and the consequent quantity of heat exchanged between the source and the thermal user.
[0109] Although the invention has been described above with particular reference to some preferred embodiments, given as an example and not limited, many modifications and variations will appear evident to a skilled person in the light of the above description. The present invention, therefore, is intended to cover all modifications and variants, which fall within the scope of the following claims.