The present invention relates to an air collector for supplying a building or similar structure with solar-heated fresh air according to the introduction of claim 1, and a related method.

Background

In air collector systems, many situations result in a need to provide a venting of heated rooms in a building, e.g. due to moisture. In winter, a problem is that the sun is not out very much and cold air therefore has to be used for venting. This results in reduced comfort (cold draught) and increased energy consumption.

The object of the invention is to solve this problem.

Brief description of the invention

The invention relates to an air collector for supplying a building or similar structure with solar-heated fresh air. The air collector contains at least one chamber between a transparent cover layer and an absorber, wherein the absorber allows air flow and heat exchange with the radiated solar heat. The air collector also comprises a backing plate, wherein the backing plate and the transparent cover layer are arranged on opposite sides of the air collector, and wherein the air collector comprises a fresh air intake and includes an outlet for the solar-heated fresh air. The air collector also includes one or more air/air heat exchangers with at least one intake and outlet for exhaust air from the building or similar structure to recover and transfer the heat in the exhaust air to the fresh air from the fresh air intake and wherein the fresh air intake is arranged to cover a majority of the backing plate. The invention hereby relates to an air collector with air/air heat exchanger to preheat the fresh, unheated intake air before this is heated by the sun. If there is no sun, the unit works as an ordinary heat recovery unit.

Furthermore, by making the fresh air intake extend across a majority of the backing plate the area of the fresh air intake is increased making it possible to reduce the fresh air flow speed through the air/air heat exchanger and thereby ensured prolonged air travel through the air/air heat exchanger enabling high efficiency and compact design.

The air collector according to the invention thereby achieves a better energy efficiency than standard air collectors.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the air collector includes at least one posterior chamber between the backing plate and an absorber, wherein the one or more air/air heat exchangers are integrated in the at least one posterior chamber. This makes it possible to create a compact air collector suitable for supplying a building or similar structure with solar-heated fresh air, and especially if the air/air heat exchanger is designed with a flat structure, so that the air collector maintains a small thickness.

In a first embodiment, the backing plate is provided with perforations, preferably across all or most of the extent of the backing plate. Perforation in the solar collector design ensures that the air flow is distributed evenly throughout the solar collector area and the flow through the absorber is as uniform as possible on each area unit.

In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the air collector comprises one or more air/air heat exchangers positioned in the immediate vicinity of the air collector on the roof or wall of the building or similar structure with at least one intake and outlet for exhaust air from the building or similar structure and with connection to the fresh air.

In an embodiment, the fresh air intake for the fresh air is located in the one or more air/air heat exchangers. In another embodiment, the air/air heat exchanger made of a corrosion-resistant material such as plastic or metal.

In a further embodiment, at least two fans drive the air flows, wherein the exhaust air is driven across the encroaching fresh air, so that heat is transferred gradually, e.g. throughout the entire length of the air collector. This advantageously ensures that the exhaust air can be cooled down optimally due to the very long transfer distance made up by the length of the solar collector. The fans can also control the temperature in the air collector and ensure that no places occur in the air collector with too high or too low temperatures, and thereby keep the air collector in an optimum work area, e.g. in freezing temperatures during winter.

In a first embodiment, the air collector comprises means for directing the fresh air from the fresh air intake through the air/air heat exchanger first and then through the absorber.

It is advantageous to first heat the intake air by means of the exhaust air and then by means of the absorber in that the overall efficiency of the air collector is hereby increased.

In another embodiment, the absorber is air-permeable.

Forming the absorber so that air may pass through it is advantageous in that it increases the area across which the air may enter the chamber between the absorber and the transparent cover layer and thereby ensure a low air flow speed - which entails high efficiency and compact design.

In another embodiment, the outlet for the solar-heated fresh air is arranged adjacent to the intake for exhaust air.

Generally, but particularly when the sun is not shining, and the air collector is working purely as a heat recovery device, it is advantageously to arrange the outlet for the solar-heated fresh air and the intake for exhaust air next to each other in that it enable further and increased heat exchange between the two air flows. In another embodiment, the air collector comprises means for guiding the fresh air from the fresh air intake from the backing plate and in the direction of the transparent cover layer.

It is advantageous to guide the fresh air transversely across the depth of the air collector in that it hereby is possible to let a large volume of fresh air pass a large area of the air/air heat exchanger slowly - thus, increasing efficiency and/or enabling compact design.

In another embodiment, the at least one intake for exhaust air is located at one end of the air collector and the at least one outlet for exhaust air is located at an opposite end of the air collector.

Arranging the exhaust air intake and outlet at opposite ends of the air collector is advantageous in that it is a simple way of ensuring a long travel through the air/air heat exchanger and in that it enables a simple design.

The invention also relates to a method for providing an air collector for supplying a building or similar structure with solar-heated fresh air through a heat recovery unit, which method comprises the steps of: installation of one or more air/air heat exchangers including at least one intake and outlet for exhaust air from the building or similar structure, wherein the one or more air/air heat exchangers are located integral in or placed by the air collector as heat recovery unit, and guiding fresh air from a fresh air intake extending across a majority of a backside area of the air collector to the one or more air/air heat exchangers to recover and transfer the heat in the exhaust air to the fresh air from the fresh air intake.

In a preferred embodiment of the method of the invention, the one or more air/air heat exchangers are either integrated into at least one posterior chamber between a backing plate and absorber in the air collector or located in the immediate vicinity of the air collector on the roof or wall of the building or similar structure with connection to at least one chamber between a transparent cover layer and absorber for the air collector, wherein the absorber allows air flow and heat exchange with the radiated solar heat.

In an embodiment, the present invention relates to an air/air heat exchanger which is either located as an integral part of an air collector or a independent module added to an existing air collector. Heat exchanger is preferably located so that intake of hot exhaust air is as close as possible to outlet of heated fresh air.

The removal of old exhaust air is performed in a way so that this air is not sucked back into the air collector.

The heating of the colder intake air 6 takes place in two thermally separate processes, namely first using heat exchanger and then by flow through the solar-heated absorber. The direction of movement of the air from 6 to 5 creates the thermal separation (see fig. 3).

In an embodiment, the fresh air from the fresh air intake is guided through the one or more air/air heat exchangers before being guided through an absorber of the air collector which is advantageous in that it enables high efficiency and compact design.

Short description of the drawing

An embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing, where Figure 1 shows a solar collector with double perforated rear wall as well as the double outlet and intake for air to and from the solar collector.

Figure 2 shows how the air/air heat exchanger is placed on top of the perforated backing plate. Additionally, the two collecting ducts for the exhaust air are shown. Later, the heat exchanger is covered by the absorber and transparent cover layer.

Figure 3 shows an entire solar collector in cross section as shown in Figures 1 and 2. This shows an operation of the entire system with the air flow in through the back of the solar collector and past the air/air heat exchanger. During this operating mode, a cold fresh air is heated via the heat exchanger by the warmer exhaust air from the building or similar. The air flow then continues up through the solar collector absorber, which further heats the air when sunlight is present.

Figure 4 shows the entire system in a typical design with installation on a roof and with piping to different rooms in a building or similar.

Figure 5 shows a typical way to design the air/air heat exchanger with corrugated plastic or metal pipes. The exchanger is located between the perforated rear wall and an air-permeable absorber in the solar collector. It also shows the principle of the typical air flows in the system.

Detailed description of embodiment

Figure 1 shows the back side of an air collector with backing plate 1 arranged for uniform air intake over substantially the entire surface. In this embodiment the backing plate 1 is formed as a perforated plate but in another embodiment uniform air intake over substantially the entire surface could be enables by forming the backing plate 1 from a mesh, wire wool, woven or non-woven fibre material, slats or other or any combination thereof. 2 is the solar collector frame profile, and the entire solar collector dimension is typically between 0.5 and 3 metres on the individual sides, but may be changed. 3 shows a typical location of intake and exhaust of air. Here shown as pipe-in-pipe, wherein the inner pipe carries heated, fresh air from the solar collector, and the outer tube contains the exhaust air from the building. 4 shows the location of holes for the exhaust of exhaust air after heat has been transferred to the cold fresh intake air.

Fig. 2 shows the same air collector seen from the inside, here without absorber and transparent cover layer. 5 shows the direction of movement of the air after having passed the absorber (not shown) towards 16, which is the extraction point for the fresh, heated air, which is then blown into the building. 15 shows the collecting duct for heat exchanger pipes 11, which are again joined in the exhaust collecting duct 10, which conducts the chilled, consumed air out of the back of the solar collector together with condensation water from the exhaust air.

Fig. 3 shows the overall principle for the combined air collector with integrated air/air heat exchanger, seen from the side. 1 is the perforated back side, through which all new, fresh air is sucked in 6 and brushes the heat exchanger surface 11 before being conducted on out through the absorber 7. After heating, the fresh air is conducted in the direction of the arrows 5 before moving on to the injection air nozzles 14 of the building. 20 shows a screen diverting exhaust air away so that it does not mix with the fresh intake air.

In this embodiment the absorber 7 is formed in a porous plastic material, which is black to better absorb the sun radiation energy and convert it to heat, but in another embodiment the absorber 7 could be made from a perforated plate, a mesh, wire wool, woven or non-woven fibre material, slats or other or any material capable of absorbing radiation from the sun and at the same time allow air to pass through it.

The consumed exhaust air from the building is conducted in at arrow 13 and continues through the heat exchanger in the solar collector 11 before being conducted into collecting duct 10 and blown out at openings in the bottom of the solar collector 9. 12 shows the transparent cover layer of the solar collector, preferably having an insulating effect.

Fig. 4 shows a complete rooftop installation as a principle. 19 shows a solar collector placed on a roof with the double pipe 3 conducting both old exhaust air 13 and new, fresh air 14 through the roof itself. 18 shows the fan sucking the old air out, and 8 shows the fan drawing new, fresh air into the building. Both fans can be controlled independently of each other, depending on the desired operating mode. Air intake through the rear wall perforation (shown in Figure 5 with the air flow 11), at the same time as the hot air flow with exhaust air moves from the top down towards the bottom of the solar collector, achieves optimum benefit from both the heat of the exhaust air and the radiated solar heat (the hottest air has the shortest travel in the air collector with the integrated heat recovery unit).

During this operation, heating of the intake air will take place without sun, corresponding to a normal efficient heat recovery system with a minimal heat loss, when the solar collector is provided with an insulating cover layer. The bottom of the solar collector is insulated indirectly through the effect that occurs when the air is pulled through the perforated plate in the back wall.

The heat is concentrated in the upper end of the solar collector, and the exchange of heat between exhaust air and the fresh, cooler intake air takes place gradually across the entire longitudinal direction of the solar collector.

As the exhaust air is hottest at the upper end, the largest heat exchange will take place here, where it is also closest to the opening for injection into a building or similar structure. Contact with a cool cover layer on the solar collector therefore takes place across the smallest possible area. The exhaust air can be cooled down optimally due to the very long transfer distance made up by the length of the solar collector (typically 2-3 metres). Air intake and outlet from the solar collector can be designed in several ways. It is shown here with a combined pipe-in-pipe system, so that only a single hole needs to be provided in the roof or wall of a building or similar structure.

The invention can be used in numerous places where good fresh air ventilation is desired. This applies to virtually all types of dwellings or institutions, etc. This will vary depending on the purpose and application. The invention can be placed both on a wall and the roof of a building or similar structure, e.g. including said virtually all types of dwellings or institutions, etc. Condensation water from exhaust air will be conducted out of the solar collector at the bottom along with the consumed air. A guard at this location directs the exhaust air away from the solar collector intake.

As the entire heat exchange takes place on the outside of the building or similar structure, the invention takes up no space inside the structure.

As the invention exploits the materials which already form part of the air collector, the additional price will be very affordable in relation to the significant additional potential yield.

Fig. 5 shows the air travel through the solar collector in more detail. 1 is the perforated back side of the solar collector. 6 shows the direction of air at the intake and passage past the heat exchanger 11, here shown as corrugated tubes which allow air passage even though they are located very close to each other. The air then flows on 5 through absorber 7.

The present invention relates to the use of a (flat) air/air heat exchanger, which is preferably made of a solid plastic material or metal plate, and which can be immediately fitted to or integrated into an existing or new air collector. Typically, the overall thickness of the entire panel is between 50 and 100 mm, but may vary.

The invention also relates to running the air flow through the air collector and the added heat exchanger in a manner which ensures that there is no mixing of cold and hot air. Thereby the heat recovery causes no cooling of the heat from the sun.

Both the solar collector perforation 1 and the heat exchanger 11 design must ensure that the air flow is distributed evenly throughout the solar collector area and the flow through the absorber is as uniform as possible on each area unit.

As an alternative to this placement of air/air heat exchanger 11, the system may be designed as an independent heat recovery unit, which can be placed under a standard air collector, so that all air intake passes this first.

If heat exchanger 11 is made of a material which can e.g. tolerate max.

110 degrees C, the exhaust air fan may be activated and thereby keep the temperature in this exchanger down at an acceptable level. The fresh air fan might for instance be disabled or replaced by another fan which injects cool, fresh air instead.

If it is not desired for extra cold air to be blown in without having been preheated by the exhaust air, fan 8 is disabled, and a fan 21 is activated. A first non-return valve 22 closes, and another non-return valve 23 opens automatically, so that the fresh, cool air is only blown into the dwelling.

The valve arrangement shown consisting of fan 21, first non-return valve 22 and second non-return valve 23 is optional, but advantageous. If it is not included, a supply pipe should not be included either, and so there will only be an unforked outlet pipe on the outlet side of the fan 8.

Ice formation of frozen condensation water in heat exchanger 1 1 can be prevented by regularly stopping the injection air fan while exhaust air fan continues. In addition, solar radiation on the absorber might contribute to a defrosting if injection fan 14 is switched off. Heat from the absorber will be conveyed to the upper part of the heat exchanger 1 1 by self-circulation and be transported with the air flow to the lower part thereof.

The air/air heat exchanger is preferably made of a solid plastic material or metal plate, which can be immediately fitted to or integrated into an existing or new air collector, characterized by already having a perforated back side. This perforation consists, for example, of holes with 0 = 1 to 2 mm, and typically spaced apart by 10 to 20 mm.

When air passes through the back side of the air collector, this air is initially forced into connection with the heat exchanger. Then through the air collector absorber.

This heat exchanger is designed, located and operates in a hitherto unseen manner. List of drawing references

Fig. 1 - Air collector seen from the rear with

1 = backing plate

2 = solar collector frame

3 = double air lead-through for fresh air into building and old air out, respectively

4 = exhaust holes for old air

Fig. 2 - Air collector seen from above without transparent cover layer and absorber

5 = The arrows show the travel of the fresh air after it has passed the absorber 10 = collecting duct for exhaust air - exhaust

11 = air/air heat exchanger

15 = collecting duct for exhaust air - intake

16 = This is where the hot fresh air is sucked in Fig. 3 - Air collector in side view = cross-section

I = backing plate for air intake

5 = heated fresh air movement

6 = cold fresh air intake

7 = absorber for solar energy - air flow through

9 = old air out (along with condensation water)

10 = collecting duct for exhaust air - exhaust

I I = air/air heat exchanger

12 = transparent cover layer

13 = old air from building with moisture into recovery unit

14 = heated fresh air is blown into a building or similar structure

Fig. 4

19 = air collector with heat recovery, e.g. mounted on a wall or roof of a building or similar structure

18 = exhaust air fan 8 = fan for fresh, new air

3 = double air lead-through for fresh air into a building or similar structure and old air out, respectively

13 = old air in from the building or similar structure with moisture

14 = heated fresh air is blown into the building or similar structure

21 = cold fresh air fan

22 = non-return valve that opens when fan (8) is activated and fan (21) is disabled

23 = non-return valve that opens when fan (21) is activated and fan (8) is disabled

Fig. 5

I = backing plate of air collector

5 = heated air out

6 = cold air is sucked into the solar collector

7 = absorber for solar heating

I I = air/air heat exchanger (pipes)

12 = transparent cover layer