DEVICE FOR HEATING ROOM AIR AND A LIQUID

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a device for heating room air and a liquid. A heat exchanger transfers thermal energy to the liquid present in a medium line. A medium tank takes up liquid and air, and a conveying device moves liquid and air from the medium tank to the medium line. In the event that only room air is to be heated in an air mode, air is moved from an air cushion in the medium tank through the medium line. The pumping capacity of the conveying device is monitored.

Claims

1. A device for heating room air and a liquid, comprising: an energy unit, a heat exchanger, a medium tank, a medium line, a conveying device and a control unit, wherein the energy unit generates thermal energy, wherein the heat exchanger transfers the thermal energy generated by the energy unit to the room air and the liquid, wherein the medium tank serves to take up liquid and air, wherein the medium line serves to conduct liquid and air, wherein the heat exchanger and the medium line are configured and arranged relative to each other such that the heat exchanger transfers thermal energy to liquid present in the medium line, wherein the conveying device serves to move liquid and air from the medium tank to the medium line, wherein the control unit controls the conveying device, wherein in the event that the device is intended to heat only room air in an air mode, the control unit controls the conveying device in a preparatory step such that the conveying device moves air from an air cushion in the medium tank through the medium line, and wherein the control unit monitors a pumping behavior of the conveying device.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the medium tank has a liquid outlet for draining the liquid and an air inlet for admitting air, wherein a drain valve is assigned to the liquid outlet, and wherein in the event that an amount of air conveyed by the conveying device is below a set value during the preparatory step, the control unit controls the drain valve such that liquid flows out of the medium tank via the liquid outlet.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein an air valve is assigned to the air inlet, and wherein the air valve is configured such that the air valve opens the air inlet for air when a pressure in the medium tank is below a pressure of the air outside the medium tank.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the air valve is configured as a ventilation valve.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein an air valve is assigned to the air inlet, and wherein in the event that the amount of air conveyed by the conveying device is below the set value during the preparatory step, the control unit controls the air valve such that air enters the medium tank via the air inlet.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the medium tank has a liquid inlet, wherein a supply valve is assigned to the liquid inlet, and wherein in the event that the amount of air conveyed by the conveying device is below the set value during the preparatory step, the control unit closes the supply valve.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit monitors the pumping behavior of the conveying device in that the control unit evaluates a current consumption of the conveying device.

8. The device according to claim 7, wherein the control unit evaluates a decrease in the current consumption of the conveying device as meaning that the conveying device conveys air.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein in the event that the device is intended to heat only liquid or liquid and room air, the control unit controls the conveying device such that liquid flows out of the medium tank to the medium line, and from the medium line to the medium tank.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device further includes a fan for conveying the room air from an air input to an air output.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0019] More specifically, there are many possibilities for designing and further developing the device according to the present disclosure. For this purpose, reference is made, on the one hand, to the claims which depend on claim 1, and, on the other hand, to the description below of example embodiments in conjunction with the drawing, in which:

[0020] FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

[0021] FIG. 1 schematically shows the structure of a device for heating room air and a liquid.

[0022] The room air enters the device through the air input 1 and leaves it in a heated state through the air output 2. The room air is guided past the heat exchanger 6 by a fan 12 and thus absorbs the thermal energy originating from the energy unit 5. The energy unit 5 generates the thermal energy for example by the combustion of a fuel-air-mixture, the fuel being propane, butane, diesel or gasoline, for example. The liquid is heated by being conveyed through the medium line 8 by the conveying device 9. The configuration of the medium line 8 and the heat exchanger 6 allows the thermal energy to be transferred to the liquid. The liquid is conveyed from a medium tank 7 to the medium line 8 and back again. Accordingly, the medium tank 7 includes an input and an output which are not depicted for the sake of clarity.

[0023] A liquid outlet 3, a liquid inlet 13 and an air inlet 4 are considered in the illustrated configuration: fluid can be drained from the medium tank 7 through the liquid outlet 3. To permit or prevent this, a drain valve 30 is present which is controlled by the control unit 10. Air can enter the medium tank 7 via the air inlet 4. To control this access of air, the control unit 10 in the illustrated configuration acts on an air valve 40. In an alternative configurationnot shown herethe air valve 40 opens automatically by being designed as a ventilation valve which reacts to an outflow of liquid from the medium tank 7. The liquid inlet 13 allows fluid to flow into the medium tank 7for example via a further pump which is not illustrated here. It is for example cold liquid which is to be heated by the device. The control unit 10 can open and close the liquid inlet 13 via a supply valve 130. The medium tank 7 therefore takes up liquid and air. The air is here indicated by the formation of an air cushion 11. If only the room air is to be heated in an air mode, the liquid is first removed from the medium line 8 in a preparatory step. This is carried out by guiding the air from the air cushion 11 through the medium line 8. The conveying device 9 is accordingly able to convey both air and liquid.

[0024] The control unit 10 controls the conveying device 9 and monitors the pumping capacity thereof. In the illustrated version, this is carried out in that the current requirement of the conveying device 9 is evaluated. If the current requirement of the conveying device 9 decreases below a predeterminable value, the control unit 10 deduces therefrom that a sufficient amount of air is conveyed through the medium line 8. If there is no or only an insufficient decrease in the current requirement, the control unit 10 concludes that no air or an insufficient amount of air is conveyed. In this case of an insufficient amount of air, air is introduced into the medium tank 7 which is then conveyed by the conveying device 9. A type of refilling of the working air thus takes place.

[0025] This is realized in that the control unit 10 opens the drain valve 30 and the air valve 40. In the configuration already mentionedand not shown, the air valve 40 opens automatically as a result of the liquid flowing out of the medium tank 7. Furthermore, the control unit 10 closes the liquid inlet 13 via the supply valve 130, such that the outflow of the liquid through the liquid outlet 3 is not compensated for by liquid flowing in via the liquid inlet 13. The outflow of the liquid should result in the suction of air into the medium tank 7. This occurs through the open air valve 40.

[0026] While the disclosure has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the disclosure. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the disclosure without departing from the essential scope thereof. While various aspects and embodiments have been disclosed herein, other aspects and embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The various aspects and embodiments disclosed herein are for purposes of illustration and are not intended to be limiting, with the true scope and spirit being indicated by the following claims.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0027] 1 air input [0028] 2 air output [0029] 3 liquid outlet [0030] 4 air inlet [0031] 5 energy unit [0032] 6 heat exchanger [0033] 7 medium tank [0034] 8 medium line [0035] 9 conveying device [0036] 10 control unit [0037] 11 air cushion [0038] 12 fan [0039] 13 liquid inlet [0040] 30 drain valve [0041] 40 air valve [0042] 130 supply valve