In a known solution according to SE-C-435 318 an arrangement is achieved in a heating/cooling system for regulating the flow of a heating cooling medium through heating/cooling elements in the system. A fixed throttle device is fitted concealed in a coupling part of a connecting pipe to the heating/cooling element, located close to the element. The throttle device comprises an outer casing of elastic material with an external shape corresponding to the internal shape of the coupling part. The throttle device furthermore comprises an inner rigid casing, which is supported in a through-duct in the outer casing and has a central hole with a cross-sectional area selected from a set of predetermined values, which is fixed according to the required temperature gradient of the heating/cooling medium over the element and the available pressure.

According to one embodiment of the present invention a throttle device is achieved as specified in claim 1, which exhibits the advantages specified below compared to known solutions.

Preferred embodiments of the arrangement also have any or some of the characteristics specified in the other subordinate claims.

The throttle device according to the invention has several advantages: Because the throttle is designed integrally formed with a coupling part commonly occurring in systems of this type, it can be quickly and easily installed in existing systems.

Since the throttle is made as a single part which will only allow fitting in one way, incorrect or incomplete fitting is avoided, which in known solutions can lead to leakage past a throttle or loud flow noise when elements of the flow entering a throttle are brought into contact with one another.

Unauthorised tampering with a throttle fitted in a system is prevented, since anyone seeking to remove the throttle must have access to a corresponding coupling part with which to replace the throttle.

Because the throttle is made of a homogeneous material of suitable type, this prevents ageing that can alter the characteristics of the throttle, which can lead to leakage, for example, and allows the throttle to be used in systems with unshunted water at temperatures exceeding 120° C or systems containing chemicals of various types, for example cooling systems containing glycol that can have an unfavourable effect on elastic throttle parts of this type, for example those of rubber such as are commonly encountered in known solutions.

Since the length of the throttle through-duct is suitably adjusted, and because this is done in a part integrally formed with the coupling part, the flow noise that can occur in the case of a turbulent flow is minimised, especially since a throttle device fitted in this way is rigidly fixed into the system and thereby cannot be subjected to vibration movements by the turbulent flow.

The design of the throttle device permits large closing pressure falls in the system, thereby eliminating the need for stem regulating valves.

Because the throttle is designed so that turbulent flows are avoided, the throttle device can be fitted just as advantageously on an inlet side as on an outlet side of a heating/cooling element, without any increased risk of clogging.

The integral design of the throttle with a coupling part means that the throttle can be fitted at any position in the system and is not limited to use close to a heating/cooling element forming part of the system.

The throttle device according to the invention can finally also be used for regulating the flow in entire shunt groups, thereby replacing the valves commonly occurring in known solutions.

The invention will be explained in more detail below with the aid of an example of one embodiment of the present invention and with reference to the attached drawings in which: Fig 1. shows a cross-sectional side view of a first embodiment of a throttle device according to the invention for regulating a flow of a flowing heating/cooling medium in a heating/cooling system or hot water circulation system Fig 2. shows a cross-sectional side view of an alternative embodiment of a throttle device according to the invention The same reference numbers are used for identical or similar parts when describing all figures.

Fig. 1 shows, in section, a first embodiment of a throttle device according to the invention for regulating a flow of flowing heating/cooling medium in a heating/cooling system or hot water circulation system, on the basis of a system temperature calculated for the system and a nominal flow.

The throttle device is designed as an essentially cylindrical radiator nipple 1, commonly occurring in systems of this type, which at one of its ends has an externally threaded section 2, which can be joined by a fluid-tight connection to an adjoining system component. The throttle device also has an annularly projecting flange 3 connected to a

seating surface 4 at its other end. The flange 3 is adapted to carry the throttle device and to allow this, by means of a connecting nut, to be joined by a fluid-tight connection to a further adjoining system component having a corresponding seating surface or external thread. The connecting nut at one of its ends has an in-turned flange corresponding to the flange 3 of the throttle device, the former flange being adapted to carry the throttle device in the above-mentioned manner when fitting.

At the other end of the throttle device is a central recess 5, having an internal hexagonal shape so that, when fitting, a torsional movement can be applied to the throttle device by means of a wrench with corresponding external hexagonal shape.

Arranged centrally through the throttle device is a duct 6 passing through it in the direction of flow with a cross-sectional area controlling the size of the flow and with a length adapted to minimise the flow noise in a manner known in the art.

The throttle device is preferably made of brass or a material with corresponding characteristics.

Fig. 2 shows, in section, a second embodiment of a throttle device according to the invention. This throttle device is designed as an internally or externally threaded, essentially cylindrical nipple 7, commonly occurring in systems of this type, the nipple at one of its ends having a first externally threaded section 2, which can be joined by a fluid-tight connection to an adjoining system component.

The throttle device at its other end has an internally threaded section 8, which is adapted to allow the throttle device to be joined by a fluid-tight connection to a further adjoining system component.

An external hexagonal surface 9 is arranged surrounding the internally threaded section 8 of the throttle device in order to allow a torsional movement to be applied to the throttle device when fitting, for example by means of an adjustable wrench.

Arranged centrally through this embodiment of the throttle device is a duct 6 passing through it in the direction of flow in the same way as for the throttle device according to fig. 1.

When using a throttle device according to fig. 1 or fig. 2 for regulating the flow of flowing heating/cooling medium in a heating/cooling system or hot water circulation system, the system is first inspected. This can be done either with the aid of relevant drawings or, in the absence of these, by taking an inventory of the system.

When the system has been examined a suitable flow for the desired output and the required kv value for the throttle in order to obtain the said flow are calculated, following which a throttle device with suitable cross-sectional area of the duct 6 passing through it in the direction of flow is fitted and the system, after functional checks and any re- adjustment, is ready to be used again.

It will be obvious to a person skilled in the art that the invention is not limited to the embodiments described above but can rather lend itself to modifications within the scope of the idea of the invention defined in the following claims. The throttle device may, for example, be designed integrally formed with all coupling parts occurring on the market.