Heating system for a sauna and sauna with such a heating system

Abstract

The heating system for a sauna comprises an oven and an accumulator. The heating system is electrically connectable to a mains which provides a first electrical power. The accumulator is provided to provide a second electrical power. The oven is operable with the first and second electrical powers to increase the thermal power.

Claims

1. A heating system for a sauna, the heating system being electrically connectable to a mains that provides a first electrical power and comprising: an oven, an accumulator that provides a second electrical power, and wherein the oven is operable with the first and second electrical powers to increase a thermal power.

2. The heating system according to claim 1, wherein the first electrical power is provided by a single-phase alternating current.

3. The heating system according to claim 2, wherein the alternating current has a voltage with a nominal value of between 100 V and 260 V.

4. The heating system according to claim 1, further including a control unit, the control unit being electrically connected to the mains, the accumulator and the oven.

5. The heating system according to claim 4, wherein the control unit comprises a converter, the accumulator being electrically connected to the converter.

6. The heating system according to claim 1, wherein the oven can be operated at least temporarily exclusively with the first electrical power.

7. The heating system according to claim 1, wherein the oven can be operated at least temporarily exclusively with the second electrical power.

8. The heating system according to claim 1, wherein the oven comprises an evaporator.

9. The heating system according to claim 1, wherein the mains has a fuse, the fuse limiting the first electrical power to the value of a limit power, the thermal power of the oven being at least temporarily greater than the limit power.

10. The heating system according to claim 1, wherein a control unit is connected to at least one operating element.

11. The heating system according to claim 10, wherein charging and discharging of the accumulator can be regulated by the operating element.

12. The heating system according to claim 10, wherein the control unit comprises at least one internal fuse.

13. The heating system according to claim 10, wherein the control unit is connected to at least one temperature sensor.

14. A sauna comprising a heating system, the heating system comprising an oven and an accumulator, wherein the heating system is a heating system according to claim 1.

15. The sauna according to claim 14, further including a photovoltaic system, the accumulator being chargeable with the photovoltaic system.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) An embodiment of the present disclosure will be explained in more detail below using drawings.

(2) FIG. 1 shows a diagrammatic plan for the electronic design of a heating system 1 according to disclosure.

(3) FIGS. 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D, and 2E show five different modes of operation for the heating system 1 according to the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ENABLING EMBODIMENT

(4) As shown in FIG. 1, the heating system 1 includes a control unit 2, wherein the control unit 2 is connected to the mains 5. For example, the mains 5 may have an AC voltage with an effective value of 230V. The first electrical power supplied by the mains 5 and consumed by the heating system 1 corresponds to the product of the effective value of the alternating voltage and the effective value of the current consumed. The mains 5 is a single-phase AC mains, so that the control unit is connected to the mains 5 via a three-core cable. The three-core cable comprises an outer conductor L, a middle conductor N and a protective conductor PE. The first power provided by the mains 5 is limited to the value of a limit power by a first fuse 8. The first fuse 8 is advantageously fitted to the outer conductor L. To safely switch off the heating system 1, the electrical connection to the mains 5 can be separated by a main switch 9. The main switch 9 is attached to the outer conductor L, but can advantageously also interrupt the middle conductor N. For additional protection against electric shocks, the heating system 1 is connected to the PE protective conductor via an earth connection 11 of control unit 2. It is advantageous that the earth connection 11 is also connected to the accumulator 4 and the oven 3, so that at least the housing of the accumulator 4 and the housing of the oven 3 are voltage-free.

(5) The oven 3 comprises at least one heating element 10, which converts a fourth electrical power into thermal power to heat the sauna 20. The fourth electrical power required for this is regulated by power electronics 15 of control unit 2. The oven 3 is operated with an alternating current. The stove 3 advantageously includes an additional evaporator, whereby the evaporator is either suitable for evaporating essential oils to create a pleasant indoor climate in the sauna 20, or is suitable for increasing the humidity inside the sauna 20, so that the sauna 20 can also be used as a steam bath.

(6) The control unit 2 is connected to at least one operating element 12. The operating element 12 enables the exact setting of the room temperature of the sauna 20, its time course, the humidity in the sauna 20, the desired heating curve of the stove 3 and/or the charging behavior of the accumulator 4. Advantageously, the operating element 12 includes a touch-sensitive screen.

(7) To monitor the room temperature of the sauna 20, the control unit 2 is connected to at least one temperature sensor 13. If the sauna 20 is suitable for use as a steam bath, a hygrometer can also be connected to control unit 2.

(8) A lamp 14 is also connected to the control unit for lighting the interior of the sauna 20 and is supplied with electrical power by the control unit. Switching lamp 14 on and off can be controlled using operating element 12.

(9) The accumulator 4 is connected to the control unit 2, wherein the accumulator is advantageously located outside the sauna 20 in order to protect the accumulator 4 from overheating due to the high temperatures inside the sauna 20. For further protection against overloading and overheating, the accumulator is connected to at least one second fuse 7. The second fuse 7 limits the amount of the second electrical power, which is given by the product of the cell voltage of the accumulator and the current of the charging current or the discharging current of the accumulator 4. The accumulator 4 is also connected to a converter 6 of the control unit 2, whereby the converter 6 converts the alternating current provided by the mains 5 or the alternating current required to operate the oven 3 into a direct current.

(10) A first function of the heating system 1 is shown in FIG. 2a. The mains 5 provides a first electrical power and the accumulator 4 a second electrical power, both of which are consumed by the control unit 2. The control unit 2 supplies the oven 3 with a fourth electrical power, whereby the fourth electrical power is essentially given by the sum of the first electrical power and the second electrical power. However, a portion of the first or second electrical power may also be used to operate the lamp 14, the operating element 12 or the temperature sensor 13, the value of that portion being negligible in relation to the fourth power.

(11) This first mode of operation is used in particular during a heating phase of the sauna 20, wherein the thermal power delivered by the oven 3, which corresponds to the amount of the fourth electrical power, is higher than the limit power of the first fuse 8. This allows a sauna 20 connected to a single-phase AC mains 5 to be operated with a higher thermal power than the AC mains 5 can provide, so that a sauna 20 with a larger volume can be heated. As the maximum thermal power required to heat up the sauna 20 is reached, it is necessary to use the second electrical power of the accumulator 4, especially during the heating up phase.

(12) A second function of the heating system 1 is shown in FIG. 2b. The accumulator 4 does not provide a second electrical power, so that only the first power provided by the mains 5 is used to operate the stove 3. This second mode of operation is used in particular in a continuous operation phase or at least in a phase directly following the heating phase of the sauna 20. This allows the capacity of the accumulator 4 to be designed in such a way that the stored energy content of the accumulator 4 is essentially used up after the end of the heating phase.

(13) A third function of the heating system 1 is shown in FIG. 2c. The mains 5 does not provide any first electrical power, so that the stove 3 is operated exclusively with the second electrical power provided by the accumulator 4. This third function serves in particular the supply of a failure safety device for the heating system 1. Thus an immediate failure of the heating system 1 can be prevented in particular in the case of a power failure.

(14) A fourth function of the heating system 1 is shown in FIG. 2d. The oven 3 is switched off so that it does not consume a fourth electrical power. The first electrical power provided by the mains 5 is used in this fourth mode to charge the accumulator 4. This fourth function is used in particular in one phase after the sauna 20 has finished operating to recharge the accumulator 4 for reheating the sauna 20.

(15) A fifth function of the heating system 1 is shown in function 2e. The accumulator 4 provides a third electrical power, whereby the third electrical power is fed into the power supply system 5 by the control unit 2. The oven 3 is switched off. This fifth function of the heating system 1 makes it possible to use the accumulator 4 as a power storage device. The energy content of the accumulator 4 can be recharged by a charging process according to the fourth function of the heating system 1, or by a photovoltaic system of the sauna 20. This fifth function can be used to store renewable energy, especially outside the operation of the sauna 20.

(16) The person skilled in the art will see that the disclosure is not limited to the above embodiment. The accumulator 4 can also be placed inside the sauna 20 using suitable insulation. In addition, the person skilled in the art will see that the sauna 20 can be designed either as a built-in sauna for a living room or as a free-standing separate building.