SURFACE HEAT EXCHANGER AND METHOD FOR SETTING UP A ROOM AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM

Abstract

The invention relates to a surface heat exchanger (10), in particular for air conditioning rooms (16), comprising an in particular perforated support plate (11), preferably made of metal, on one side (12) of which a tube system (13) for conducting a medium is attached, in particular directly, wherein the surface heat exchanger (10) comprises an outer, non-metal decorative layer (16), which is arranged on, in particular adhered to, the other side (15) of the support plate (11), in particular directly.

Claims

1-11. (canceled)

12. A surface heat exchanger, comprising: a support plate; a tube system for conducting a medium attached on one side of the support plate; and an outer, non-metal decorative layer arranged on the other side of the support plate.

13. The surface heat exchanger according to claim 12, wherein the support plate is perforated.

14. The surface heat exchanger according to claim 12, wherein the support plate is metal.

15. The surface heat exchanger according to claim 12, wherein the tube system is attached directly to the one side of the support plate.

16. The surface heat exchanger according to claim 12, wherein the decorative layer is adhered to the other side of the support plate.

17. The surface heat exchanger according to claim 16, wherein the decorative layer is adhered directly to the other side of the support plate.

18. The surface heat exchanger according to claim 12, further comprising at least one heat-conducting element that attaches the tube system for conducting the medium to the support plate.

19. The surface heat exchanger according to claim 12, wherein the decorative layer has an average distance of at most 5 mm from the other side of the support plate.

20. The surface heat exchanger according to claim 12, wherein the decorative layer is made of a non-woven material.

21. The surface heat exchanger according to claim 20, wherein the decorative layer is made of an acoustic non-woven material.

22. The surface heat exchanger according to claim 21, wherein the decorative layer is made of a material at least of absorber class C in accordance with DIN EN 11654.

23. The surface heat exchanger according to claim 12, wherein the decorative layer is formed by an acoustic wallpaper.

24. The surface heat exchanger according to claim 12, wherein the decorative layer is perforated and/or permeable.

25. The surface heat exchanger according to claim 24, wherein the perforations have a hole diameter of between 0.2 mm and 0.6 mm.

26. The surface heat exchanger according claim 24, wherein the perforations have a hole diameter of between 1 mm and 3 mm.

27. The surface heat exchanger according to claim 12, wherein the decorative layer has a layer thickness of at most 2 mm and/or a weight of at most 100 grams per square meter.

28. The surface heat exchanger according to claim 27, wherein the decorative layer has a layer thickness of 0.5 mm.

29. The surface heat exchanger according to claim 27, wherein the decorative layer has a layer thickness of 0.3 mm.

30. The surface heat exchanger according to claim 27, wherein the decorative layer has a layer thickness of 0.1 mm.

31. The surface heat exchanger according to claim 27, wherein the decorative layer has a weight of 70 grams per square meter.

32. The surface heat exchanger according to claim 12, wherein the support plate is bent at an edge region to provide stability.

33. A method for installing a building room air conditioning system, comprising the steps of: assembling a surface heat exchanger comprising an outer, non-metal decorative layer according to claim 12 at a first site; transporting the surface heat exchanger from the first site to a second, remote site; and installing the surface heat exchanger on a building surface at the second site as part of a plurality of surface heat exchangers disposed in a cascaded arrangement and connected in a conducting arrangement on the building surface.

34. The method according to claim 33, including installing the surface heat exchanger on the building surface so that the decorative surface is oriented towards the building room.

35. The method according to claim 33, wherein the installing step includes inserting the surface heat exchanger into a T-shaped support or suspending the surface heat exchanger in the form of a sail.

Description

[0114] Other advantages of the invention become apparent from the dependent claims that have not been cited, as well as from the following description of the embodiments shown in the drawings, in which:

[0115] FIG. 1 shows a series of schematic plan views of the basic components and the production sequence of a surface heat exchanger as claimed according to the present invention, wherein FIG. 1e is a bottom view of the surface heat exchanger comprising an (almost completely) applied decorative layer,

[0116] FIG. 2 is a highly schematic, isometric plan view of a surface heat exchanger according to the invention that has been slightly modified compared with FIG. 1, comprising just two straight portions (by contrast with four straight portions according to FIG. 1),

[0117] FIG. 3 is a highly schematic view, roughly along arrow IV in FIG. 2, of a section through the surface heat exchanger as claimed according to FIG. 2, during the application of the decorative layer,

[0118] FIG. 4 is a view according to FIG. 3 of the assembled surface heat exchanger with the decorative layer applied,

[0119] FIG. 5 is a highly schematic lateral sectional view through a building room in which three exemplary assembled surface heat exchangers comprising bent edge regions are installed on the ceiling, with some elements, such as the tube system, heat-conducting sheets, etc., being omitted,

[0120] FIG. 6 is a highly schematic plan view of another, alternatively assembled surface heat exchanger, comprising perforations in the support plate,

[0121] FIG. 7 is a highly schematic, cut-off, isometric partial view of a surface heat exchanger inserted into a T-shaped support system and comprising an alternative heat-conducting sheet, and

[0122] FIG. 8 shows another alternative surface heat exchanger according to the invention comprising additional transverse ribs for suspending the surface heat exchanger from a ceiling (not shown) by means of cables.

[0123] Embodiments of the invention are described by way of example in the following description of the figures, also with reference to the drawings. Here, for the sake of clarity, even if different embodiments are involved, identical or comparable parts or elements or regions have been denoted by identical reference signs, sometimes with the addition of lower-case letters or apostrophes.

[0124] Features that are only described in relation to one embodiment can also be provided in any other embodiment of the invention within the scope of the invention. Even if they are not shown in the drawings, such amended embodiments are covered by the invention.

[0125] All the features disclosed are essential to the invention per se. The content of the disclosure of any potentially associated priority documents (copy of the previous application) and the cited documents and the prior art devices described are hereby incorporated into the disclosure of the application in their entirety, also for the purpose of incorporating individual features or a plurality of features of these documents into one or more claims of the present application.

[0126] First, the series of figures in FIG. 1 shows the manufacture of a surface heat exchanger 10a according to the invention by the manufacturer (cf. FIGS. 1d and 1e).

[0127] According to FIG. 1a, a support plate 11 is first used for the production thereof, for example in the manufacturer's production facilities. The support plate 11 is shown in FIG. 1a by way of its rear side 12 and consists preferably of a metal sheet, for example made of aluminium.

[0128] Here, the support plate 11 has a material thickness of in particular at least 0.3 mm, and in the present embodiment approximately 0.5 mm or 0.6 mm (in particular of at most 2 mm).

[0129] According to FIG. 1b, a tube system 13 in the manner of a tube meander is provided on the rear side 12 of the support plate 11. Here, the tube system 13 shown in particular comprises four straight tube portions 19, which typically exhibit a D-shaped cross section (as also illustrated with reference to later figures).

[0130] The three substantially curved portions 20 arranged therebetween may, however, retain a round cross section, for example.

[0131] According to FIG. 1d, this tube system 13 is for example attached to the support plate 11 by means of heat-conducting elements 14 (designed as heat-conducting sheets in the embodiments shown) as shown in FIG. 1c. In this case, the heat-conducting elements 14 are in particular strip-shaped and can each engage over a straight tube portion 19 and attach to the support plate 11.

[0132] In this sense, in the present embodiment, the curved tube portions 20 are in particular not attached directly to the support plate 11, but instead are only indirectly attached via the straight portions 19 and the heat-conducting elements or profiles 14.

[0133] The heat-conducting elements or plates 14 may for example be adhered to the support plate 11 (in particular to either side) or may be fastened to the support plate in another way.

[0134] Therefore, the heat-conducting sheets may in particular be metal strips having good heat-conducting properties.

[0135] The surface heat exchanger 10a assembled in this way is shown in FIG. 1d in a rear view and in FIG. 1e in a front view.

[0136] The front view according to FIG. 1e shows that the front side 15 of the surface heat exchanger 10, and therefore also the front side of the support plate 11, is provided with a decorative layer 16.

[0137] In the embodiments shown, this decorative layer 16 is a non-woven material, in particular an acoustic non-woven material, for example.

[0138] In this case, according to FIG. 1e, the decorative layer 16 in particular has a pattern (which is checked in this example) which can be printed onto the decorative layer or the non-woven material, for example.

[0139] FIG. 1e does not show the microperforations in the decorative layer 16, however, which will be discussed in greater detail in relation to later embodiments but in principle serve to improve the acoustic properties of the surface heat exchanger 10 as a whole.

[0140] The decorative layer 16 is adhered to the front side 15 of the surface heat exchanger 10a, and specifically by the adhesive layer 22 indicated at one corner 21 in FIG. 1e.

[0141] Normally, in this case, as shown in FIG. 1e, the decorative layer 16 of course does not have a “dog ear” in the region of one corner 21. This view is merely intended to show that, below the decorative layer 16, but above the front side 41 of the support plate 11, there is also an adhesive layer 22, by means of which the decorative layer 16 is directly fastened to the front side 41 of the support plate 11. This layered construction becomes clearer from the figures described later.

[0142] As shown in the isometric view of the rear side 12 of the support plate 11 or the slightly modified surface heat exchanger 10b that is shown, as a whole, the surface heat exchanger 10 produced in the method according to FIG. 1 is an easy-to-handle, ready-to-use and transportable unit which is produced at the first site 17. Therefore, a surface heat exchanger 10 according to the invention can be transported to the intended site in a logistically simple manner.

[0143] The slightly modified surface heat exchanger 10b according to the invention as shown in FIG. 2 first differs from that according to FIG. 1 on account of a slightly different supply arrangement of the support-plate rear side 12. This shows that, instead of the four straight portions 19 shown in FIG. 1, the tube system 13 can of course also have any other different arrangement, e.g. one with just two straight tube portions 19 (and therefore of course also with just two heat-conducting sheets 14).

[0144] Another difference can be found in the edges 23 of the support plate 11 according to FIG. 2, which are bent for stability reasons (here, by approximately 90°, for example).

[0145] In the region of the connections 24 of the tube system 13 or 13′, these bends 23 can either be omitted or can comprise connection apertures (as shown in FIG. 2) or the like.

[0146] By way of example, the bent edges 23 of the support plate 11 may be longitudinal edges, as shown in FIG. 2, i.e. edges oriented in the longitudinal direction I. Alternatively or additionally, other edges 25, such as the transverse edges, can of course also be bent in the transverse direction q (but this is not shown).

[0147] Bends 23 of this kind, which improve the stability of the entire surface heat exchanger 10 and prevent the support plate 11 from sagging, can in particular be provided in support plates 11 which are very thin (according to the material thickness).

[0148] While the series of figures from FIG. 1a to 1d shows the production of a surface heat exchanger according to the invention with regard to the rear side 12, the series of figures from FIG. 3 to 4 is a cross-sectional view, roughly along arrow IV in FIG. 2, of the assembly of the corresponding front side 15 of a surface heat exchanger according to the invention (in this case, of the surface heat exchanger 10b according to FIG. 2).

[0149] FIG. 3 first shows how the decorative layer 16 is adhered manually (alternatively, however, mechanical application is of course possible) to the front side 41 of the support plate 11 by means of an adhesive layer 22.

[0150] The assembled surface heat exchanger 10b is then shown in the cross-sectional view in FIG. 4.

[0151] This figure in particular also shows the D-shaped cross section of the straight tube portions 19 of the corresponding tube system 13 that are already indicated above.

[0152] Here, the decorative layer 16 is a very short distance of less than 1 mm from the front side 41 of the support plate 11, wherein this distance in particular corresponds to the thickness of the adhesive layer 22.

[0153] A surface heat exchanger 10 according to the invention assembled by the manufacturer can be transported to another, in particular remote, site 18, for example a building room 26, which is to be air conditioned.

[0154] Here, by way of example, FIG. 5 shows three surface heat exchangers 10c according to the invention in a completely installed state, in which the surface heat exchanger 10c is attached or fastened to a ceiling 27 of the building room 26.

[0155] For the sake of clarity, however, FIG. 5 only shows the support plate 11 together with the decorative layer 16 of the surface heat exchangers 10c. Of course, however, the fully installed surface heat exchangers 10c contain all the components shown in FIG. 1 to 4, such as the tube system 13, the heat-conducting elements 14 or the adhesive layer 22.

[0156] For installing the surface heat exchangers 10c, they may for example comprise installation means (omitted from FIG. 5 for the sake of clarity) or may interact with room-side or ceiling-side installation means, as will be described in relation to the later FIGS. 7 and 8.

[0157] According to FIG. 5, the surface heat exchangers 10c are installed together on the ceiling 27 in a cascaded arrangement in any case. The complete installation in particular also includes the surface heat exchangers 10c being connected to one another with regard to their tube systems, such that continuous conduction of a fluid flowing through the tube systems 13 on the ceiling 27 is ensured.

[0158] The fluid may for example be cooling water, in order to keep the room 26 cool in summer.

[0159] With regard to FIG. 5, it is noted that (many more or) less than three of the surface heat exchangers shown can of course be used on the ceiling 27. In particular, the surface heat exchangers may not only be arranged beside one another, as shown in the sectional view according to FIG. 5, but may also be arranged in succession in relation to the other spatial directions.

[0160] It is common to all the forms of arrangement that the surface heat exchangers 10c form what is known as a climate-control ceiling, which provides air conditioning of the room 26. If a coolant, for example cooled or cold water, flows through the tube systems or tube system, the climate-control ceiling can have a cooling effect. If, however, the room 26 is intended to be heated, a heated medium, for example hot water, can flow through the tube systems 13 of the surface heat exchangers 10c.

[0161] Merely for the sake of clarity, it is noted with regard to FIG. 5 that the surface heat exchangers 10c could of course alternatively or additionally be arranged on the walls 28 and/or in the region of the floor 29 (for example as underfloor air conditioning or heating), depending on the application.

[0162] A typical surface heat exchanger 10c has a width q of approximately 60 cm, in particular of between 50 and 70 cm. Here, the surface heat exchanger 10c may have identical dimensions in the other spatial direction or, alternatively, may typically also have dimensions that are approximately twice as long, i.e. a length I of approximately 120 cm or in particular between 100 cm and 140 cm.

[0163] FIG. 5 in particular shows that the relevant decorative layer 16 faces the interior of the room 26. In particular, an observer who enters the room 26 can look up and perceive only the decorative layers 16 of the surface heat exchangers 10c according to the invention.

[0164] Preferably, in this case, the surface heat exchangers are arranged beside one another such that the decorative layers 16 abut one another without joints as far as possible.

[0165] It is lastly noted with regard to FIG. 5 that the surface heat exchangers 10c according to the invention are varied therein slightly compared with the surface heat exchangers 10a and 10b in that their respective side bends 23 correspond to a double bend, in which the bent region is folded back on itself again (in particular by substantially 90°), i.e. forms an approximately C-shaped profile in section.

[0166] Configurations with just one bend (as shown in FIG. 2 to 4) or no bend at all (as shown in FIG. 1) can of course also be implemented, however, at least as long as this ensures stability.

[0167] With regard to the double bend, reference is also made to FIGS. 7 and 8, which are still to be discussed below and in which this bend is shown in greater detail.

[0168] FIG. 6 shows another embodiment of a surface heat exchanger 10d according to the invention, in which the length of the support plate 11′ is approximately twice as long as the width, i.e. approximately with a length I of 1.20 m and a width q of approximately 60 cm. In this embodiment, two tube meanders are associated with a single support plate 11′, but these tube meanders are actually interconnected in order to provide a common tube system 13, even if this is not explicitly shown in FIG. 6.

[0169] FIG. 6 also shows another alternative distinction, according to which the support plates 11′ according to FIG. 6 have acoustic perforations 30. These acoustic perforations can provide improved acoustics and can in particular ensure particularly good sound absorption in connection with the microperforations in the decorative layer (not shown in FIG. 6).

[0170] Acoustic perforations 30 in the support plate 11 are also shown in the additional embodiment according to FIG. 7, wherein this is merely a detail of an additional surface heat exchanger 10e according to the invention which is, for example, suspended from or inserted into a T-shaped support 31 on the ceiling.

[0171] In particular, the other side or edge of the surface heat exchanger 10e that is not shown in FIG. 7 would of course also lie in or on an additional T-shaped support, which is not shown. Additional surface heat exchangers 10e could be inserted on the other side of the T-shaped support 31 shown. In this case, the T-shaped support 31 shown is attached to the ceiling or wall in a manner that is not shown and can thus retain a plurality of surface heat exchangers 10e for providing a climate-control ceiling.

[0172] According to FIG. 7, the perforations 30 have larger holes 32 than the surface heat exchangers according to FIG. 6. In the embodiment shown, there are three holes, for example.

[0173] In FIG. 7, the upper face 33 of the decorative layer 16 can be seen through each of the holes 32.

[0174] In the enlarged view according to FIG. 7, the upper face 33 of the decorative layer 16 is shown to be perforated for the purpose of illustrating its acoustic properties. This is intended to illustrate that the decorative layer 16 is acoustically active and can in particular have a sound-absorbing effect in connection with the perforations 30.

[0175] Even if the perforations in the decorative layer 16 can be clearly seen in FIG. 7 due to the enlarged view, these perforations, which are of course also found on the front side 15 of the surface heat exchanger 10e, are typically not necessarily visible to an observer who is in the room because they are not close to the ceiling.

[0176] Furthermore, the embodiment according to FIG. 7 more clearly shows the double bend on an edge 23 of the support plate 11, which is already indicated in FIG. 5. Here, the edge 23 is formed by a first flank 34 approximately at a 90° angle protruding towards the base surface of the support plate and is bent away from the first flank 34 at another 90° angle by way of a second flank 35.

[0177] Another purely exemplary difference of the surface heat exchanger 10e according to FIG. 7 consists in the unusual shape of the heat-conducting element 14′, which, in the present embodiment, does not completely engage over the straight portion of the tube system 13 (but only over one side) and is not adhered to the support plate 11, but instead is fastened by rivets 36, for example.

[0178] Lastly, FIG. 8 shows, in a view approximately according to FIG. 7, but with a conventional heat-conducting element or heat-conducting sheet 14, a last embodiment of a surface heat exchanger 10f according to the invention in which the type of ceiling attachment in particular differs from that according to FIG. 7.

[0179] In the present case, a T-shaped support is namely not provided. Instead, the surface heat exchanger 10f comprises a strut 37, in particular a cross strut, at which the surface heat exchanger 10f can be attached to the room ceiling 27 (not shown in FIG. 8) by means of cables 38.

[0180] Of course, there may be a plurality of cross struts per surface heat exchanger. These may, however, alternatively be longitudinal struts or other struts.

[0181] By way of example, FIG. 8 shows that the strut(s) may for example engage in the region 39 of the edge 23, in particular in order to achieve even greater stability.

[0182] In this last embodiment, the surface heat exchanger 10f is thus suspended in the form of a sail 40.

[0183] Of course, struts of this kind may, however, also be provided without being used for attachment to the ceiling (i.e. in particular without the cables 38), and therefore merely for improving the stability of the surface heat exchanger as a whole.