The object of the present invention is a heating system for environments of a type with a centralized heating source and heat diffusers allocated to the various rooms of the environment.

In the following, an example of the known system of the mentioned type is taken to be a forced circulation hot air channelling system powered by a solid fuel. Particular attention will be given to a closed-hearth heating chimney fired by wood. As schematically shown in the cross-sectional view of Fig. 1A, a heating chimney of the mentioned type T is essentially a chimney of a metal construction with the hearth 1 closed by a high temperature resistant ceramic glass plate and a heat exchanger 3. Electrical fans 2 mounted in the base of the chimney push the air (originating from the outside and/or from the environment) into the heat exchanger, where it is heated and then diffused to the various environments of the house through appropriate channels 6 connected to the outlets of the heat exchanger and ending at a number of openings 7 (refer to the Figures 1B and 1 C) present in the walls of said environments. A channel 5 open to the level below the hearth is connected to an air intake from the environment and/or the outside air and takes care of supplying combustion air to the hearth.

An electronic control panel (not shown in the figure) regulates the start-up and speed of the electrical fans 2, depending on the air temperature in the heat exchanger.

This type of heating chimney achieves yields in the order of 70-80%.

In addition to the forced circulation hot air channelling system, the market also offers a natural circulation version in which the electrical fans 2 are missing.

The channels connected to the outlet openings 4 may take various positions. Two typical positions are those shown in the Figures 1B and 1C, meaning one that provides independent channels connected to the outlets 4 (Fig. 1B), and another (Fig. 1C) in which the same channels reconnect to each other in a ring-shaped fashion, with hot air outlet openings 7 in the various rooms supplied by the nearby channel through fittings in the shape of a T or Y.

The known heating system mentioned above presents a number of drawbacks, including a low level of living comfort and a lack of consumption optimization.

The living comfort is in fact strongly influenced by the following factors:

• The uniformity of the temperature in the various rooms of the environment;
• The uniformity of the temperature in the various air layers of the same room (a modest or missing "air stratification");
• The optimum relative humidity in the various rooms.

As regards said factors affecting the living comfort, the known heating system mentioned above presents the following drawbacks:

• Lacking uniformity of the temperature of the various heated rooms, due to the impossibility of uniformly subdividing the hot air flow entering the various rooms, both because of the various lengths of the channel sections leaving the heating chimney and conveying the hot air to the various openings and because of the presence of the T- and Y-shaped fittings;
• Stratification of the air in the rooms wherein the outlet velocity of the air from the outlet openings (generally set up next to the ceiling) is insufficient;
• Lack of control and regulation of the relative humidity in the various rooms, with a frequent tendency of the air "to dry out";
• Lack of interfacing with other heating systems present.

The scope of this invention is to realize a heating system wholly or partly free from the mentioned drawbacks.

This scope is achieved in accordance with the solution concepts that are, in their most general formulation, outlined in the subsequent claims 1 and 9.

The characteristics of the invention will become better evident from the following description of a few non-limiting examples of embodiment referring to the enclosed drawings, which show:

Fig. 2A:

an example (concept diagram) of a heating system according to the invention, in its most simplified version;

Fig. 2B:

the most complex version of the system of Fig. 2A;

Fig.s 3A and 3B:

a simplified frontal and sectional view of an example of embodiment of the humidifier of Fig. 2A and Fig. 2B;

Fig. 3C:

a simplified top view of a heating chimney with four outlet channels from the heat exchanger and four humidifiers interconnected to each other;

Fig. 4:

the most complex version of the system of Fig. 2B, with a hygrothermostat present in each room and a temperature sensor, a solenoid valve and an electrical fan associated with the relative hot air outlet opening;

Fig.s 5A, 5B and 5C:

the preferred operating mode of the solenoid valve 9 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6:

an example of a system as in Fig. 4, with radio connections between the hygrothermostat in each room and the temperature sensor, solenoid valve and electrical fan associated to the relative opening or to the chimney;

Fig. 7:

an example of a system as in Fig.4 showing two openings of two adjacent rooms, connected to the nearby distribution channel by a Y-shaped fitting;

Fig. 8:

a variant of the system of Fig. 4, with a humidifier allocated just upstream of each opening;

Fig. 9:

an example (concept diagram) of a solution according to the invention applied to the management of radiators fed by a boiler.

Figure 2A is a simplified diagram of a first example of a heating system according to the invention, in its most simplified form.

This system is meant to refer to an environment including a number of rooms, but for simplicity the figure refers, apart from to the chimney room, to only one other room of the environment.

The system includes:

• A heating chimney (T) of a metal construction and with a closed hearth of a type powered by a solid fuel, for a natural circulation hot air channelling system;
• A heat exchanger (3) suitable for conveying the air to be heated around the metal walls of the chimney;
• A channel (5) suitable for introducing combustion air drawn from the environment and/or from the outside of the hearth (1) of the chimney;
• Hot air distributing channels (6) connected to channels (4) leaving the heat exchanger, suitable for conveying the hot air to the various rooms of the environment, from which the air exits through appropriate openings (7);
• A first solenoid valve (12) inserted into channel (5) conveying the combustion air to the hearth of the chimney, suitable for regulating the air flow in the channel;
• A first temperature sensor (13) present in the heat exchanger, suitable for detecting the temperature of the passing air;
• A unit (14), known in the following as a hygrothermostat, present in a room of the environment, equipped with humidity and temperature sensors, an electronic microprocessor circuit board and a transmitter/receiver device, suitable for detecting the temperature and humidity levels in the room and of comparing them with the preferred temperature and humidity values pre-set by the user.
• A number of humidfiers (11) suitable for releasing humidity into the air of the environment, realized with water reservoirs set up next to a respective channel (4) exiting the heat exchanger, and closed at the top by a perforated section of said channel.

The hygrothermostat (14) present in a room of the environment is connected by a cable to the temperature sensor (13) present in the heat exchanger and to the solenoid valve (12) regulating the flow of combustion air.

The hygrothermostat keeps the solenoid valve (12) regulating the flow of combustion air fully open during the heating chimney's start-up phase. It also provides for emitting a signal indicating a low humidity level, as soon as the relative sensor detects a humidity level below that pre-set by the user.

The appearance of the mentioned low humidity signal may be utilized to signal the user (through an appropriate signalling device, such as a led unit, a buzzer or other) the opportunity of making-up the water content of the humidifiers, or to signal the hygrothermostat (14) of the chimney room the need of controlling the water supply to the humidifiers, using an automatic feeding system (not shown in the figure) for the same. In this latter case the humidifiers are fitted with a sensor for the maximum allowable water level in the same, a sensor that provides, at the moment of activating it, a signal to the hygrothermostat (14) of the chimney room the need of interrupting the water flow at the humidifier inlet, a flow that is to remain interrupted up to the depletion of the water in the humidifier and the appearance of a new low humidity level signal.

Knowing the relative humidity and temperature signalled by the hygrothermostat and the temperature of the air leaving the heat exchanger, the system and in particular the hygrothermostat can, apart from informing the user when to add water to the humidifiers (if an automatic system feeding the same is lacking) inform the same when and how much wood to add to the hearth of the chimney.

The managing of the combustion air through the solenoid valve (12) also allows regulating the firing intensity in the hearth. The flame will be kept low (valve half closed) after the hygrothermostat has reported reaching the desired temperature, so as to prevent overheating and maintain the achieved condition as long as possible. As soon as the temperature drops, the user will be told to add fuel; if this is done the valve opens to revive the flame, it is otherwise deduced that the user is at the moment unavailable and the valve is closed to 90-80% to create an "embers" effect. In a similar manner, if the user charges the heating chimney before going to sleep, a "night" program will be selected and the valve will be completely closed to again create an "embers" effect useful to maintain the temperature and re-lighting the fire the morning after.

The Figure 2B shows a more complex embodiment of the system of Figure 2A, equipped with a number of first electrical fans (2) inserted into an equal number of heat exchanger inlets, suitable for a forced introducing of external and/or environment air into the heat exchanger and a subsequent conveying of the air to the rooms of the environment, through the mentioned distributing channels (6). The hygrothermostat 14 is further connected to the temperature sensor (13) present in the heat exchanger by the solenoid valve (12) regulating the flow of combustion air and the electrical fan (2) in the heat exchanger inlet, through connections set up, in order to simplify installing operations, not via cable but via radio, while using a microprocessor circuit board 21 and a receiving and transmitting device associated with the chimney. The hygrothermostat (14) regulates the speed of the electrical fans (2) in the heat exchanger inlet, depending on the temperature level signalled by the temperature sensor (3) of the heat exchanger.

A preferred operating mode of the system of Fig. 2B provides that when the fire is lighted, the control panel of the chimney room detects the temperature increase of the heat exchanger, and when a temperature of 40°C is exceeded in the heat exchanger the electrical fans in the heating chimney start running at a speed proportional to the air temperature.

The Figures 3A and 3B represent a simplified frontal and sectional view of an embodiment example of each of the humidifiers (11) in the Figures 2A and 2B. It consists of a duct (15) of a cross section equal to that of the air channels leaving the heat exchangers, to be inserted in series with the same and in an external reservoir (16) to hold the water used for humidifying.

The upper portion of the duct is fitted with openings (17) suitable for bringing the duct itself in communication with the external reservoir (the reservoir portion not occupied by water) and from which the water vapour generated by the heating of the water can enter the hot air flow passing the duct and diffuse to the various rooms.

In its upper portion the external reservoir also presents an access opening (18) destined to allow the admission of water, and in the lower portion a number of access openings (19) destined to bring the humidifiers (11) in communication with each other through connecting tubes.

As an example, the Fig. 3C shows a topside view of a heating chimney fitted with four channels leaving the heat exchanger and four humidifiers interconnected to each other by tubes (20). Said connecting tubes serve to allow the water feed to the reservoirs of the four humidifiers to occur through the access opening (18) of only one of the four humidifiers.

The Fig. 4 shows a more complex version of the heating system of Fig. 2B in a simplified manner, with hygrothermostatic units present in each room and a temperature sensor, solenoid valve and electrical fan associated with the relative hot air emission opening.

Compared to the system of Fig. 2b, this system in fact presents the following variants:

• A number of second electrical fans (8) set up inside the distribution channels (6), each immediately upstream of each of said openings (7) destined for a forced hot air outflow from the opening;
• hygrothermostatic units (14) present in each room, each being fitted with humidity and temperature sensors, an electronic microprocessor circuit board and a transmitter/receiver device suitable for detecting the temperature and humidity levels of the room and comparing them with the preferred temperature and humidity levels pre-set by the user.
• A number of second solenoid valves (9), each being set up in a distribution channel immediately upstream in each opening, suitable for opening and closing the relative channel for supplying the air to the opening;
• A number of third temperature sensors (10), each set up immediately upstream of each opening, suitable for measuring the air temperature reaching the opening.

The hygrothermostat (14) of the chimney room is connected through a cable to the temperature sensor, the solenoid valve and the electrical fans associated with the channel, while the hygrothermostat of any other room is connected, via a cable, to the temperature sensor, the solenoid valve and the electrical fan of the relative opening. In addition, all hygrothermostats can exchange signals between them through radio connections (as shown in the figure) or over a cable.

The system is characterized by the following additional operating modes:

• The hygrothermostat (14) of each room regulates the speed of the electrical ventilator (8) of the relative opening, depending on the temperature of the incoming air, and commands the solenoid valve (9) of the relative opening to close when the temperature of the room has reached the level pre-set by the user.
• The hygrothermostat (14) of the various rooms provides for emitting a signal indicating a low humidity as soon as the relative humidity sensor detects a humidity level below that pre-set by the user.

Even in this system, the appearance of the mentioned low humidity signal can be utilized to inform the user of the opportunity to take care of making up the water content of the humidfiers, or to signal the hygrothermostat (4) of the chimney room the need to command a supply of water to the humidifiers through an automatic system supplying the same.

One preferred operating mode of the system of Fig. 4 provides that when the fire is lighted, the control panel of the chimney room detects the temperature increase in the heat exchanger and communicates it to the various openings that are in turn verifying the incoming hot air (by natural convection) through the temperature sensor. When the temperature of the heat exchanger exceeds 40°C, the electrical fan of the heating chimney starts running in proportion to the temperature of the air. The start and speed of the electrical fan is communicated to the various openings, which start their own fan in proportion. The speed of the opening fan is defined by the incoming air temperature, but is automatically limited for the purpose of preventing the sum of all the flow rates from exceeding the open-mouth flow rate of the heating chimney's electrical fan.

The Figures 5A, 5B and 5C show a preferred operating mode of the solenoid valve (9) of Fig. 4.

According to this preferred mode, the solenoid valve is susceptible of assuming three positions:

• A position (Fig. 5A) assumed when the electrical fan (8) is operating, which allows conveying the air flow originating from the distribution channel (6) toward the electrical fan;
• A position (Fig. 5B) assumed when the electrical fan (8) is shut down and a hot air flow to the room is impeded;
• A position (Fig. 5C) assumed when the electrical fan (6) is shut down, but it is desired to allow a flow of air to the room by bypassing the inlet to the fan, thus utilizing the chimney in a traditional manner (an operating mode useful at night time, so as to render the operation of the system as quiet as possible).

The Fig. 6 refers to another variant of the system of Fig. 4, regarding the realization of the connections of the hygrothermostat (14) of each room with the temperature sensor (10), the solenoid valve (9) and the electrical fan (8) set up upstream of the respective openings, as well as the execution of the connections of the hygrothermostat (4) present in the chimney room with the temperature sensor (13) present in the heat exchanger, the solenoid valve (12) regulating the flow of combustion air, and the electrical fans (2) in the inlet to the heat exchanger. According to this variant, said connections are in fact no longer carried out by cable but via radio, through a microprocessor electronic circuit board and a receiver-transmitter device associated with said respective opening or with the chimney.

The Fig. 7 concerns the case of the openings (7) of two adjacent rooms connected with the nearby distribution channel 6 through a Y-shaped fitting. In this case, when the air of one of the two rooms reaches the desired temperature pre-set by the user, the hygrothermostat (14) of said room takes care of closing the solenoid valve of the corresponding opening, while communicating it to the hygrothermostat (14) of the adjacent room, which attends to increasing the flow of air outgoing from the corresponding opening. A similar operation is to be envisioned in case the fitting to the nearby channel is of a T-shaped or similar type.

The Figure 8 refers to a variant of the system of Fig. 4 concerning the realization and allocation of the humidifiers (11). According to this variant, the humidifiers are in fact, instead of being allocated to the channels outgoing from the heat exchanger, realized in form of reservoirs, each of which is set up immediately upstream of each opening and closed at the top by a perforated section of said channel.

The Figure 9 is a simplified view of an example of a solution according to the invention that is applied to the managing of radiator areas supplied by a gas-fired boiler (22) and distributed to four rooms. According to this solution, each radiator is equipped with a battery-powered solenoid valve (23) controlled via radio (or optionally via cable), and is installed on the hot water discharge or return side or on the relative piping of the distribution collector, which allows interrupting its flow. Each radiator is also equipped with a humidifier (water container, not shown in the figure) placed in contact with the same.

Each room of the dwelling that includes one or more radiators (24) features an optionally battery-powered hygrothermostat (25) that keeps the temperature and humidity of the room under control and determines, based on the comfort settings inserted by the user, when it is necessary to command the opening or closing of the solenoid valves mounted on the radiators via radio (or eventually by cable) or to signal the user the opportunity of making up the humidifier's water content.

Each hygrothermostat is connected via radio (or eventually by cable) with a control panel (26) associated with the boiler, which informs the boiler when it should activate itself.

The boiler heats up the water as long as at least one radiator is open, and stops doing so only after all the radiators turn out to be closed (when all the rooms have attained the desired conditions).

The advantages of this arrangement can be summarized as follows:

• easy installation on existing systems, as the pitch of the solenoid valve is identical to that of today's commonly used mechanical valves, and as (in the version fitted with radio connections) no masonry works are needed;
• Energy savings up to 30% (typical of managing by areas);
• Room-by-room control of the relative humidity;
• Elimination of the problem of an operating temperature difference between the first and the last radiator served by the boiler;
• Possibility of installing it in any system based on radiators and boilers.
• Possibility of inserting into each hygrothermostat a timing clock suitable for allowing the user to program his time schedules for activating the solenoid valve.
• Modest energy consumption of the solenoid valves, with a duration of the power battery exceeding two years. In the case of environments equipped with both a hot air heating system (heating chimney) and a radiator system, the solenoid valve associated with each radiator allows closing the hot water flow when the room is heated by the heating chimney, as the solenoid valves and the control panel connected to the boiler communicate with each other and with the openings via radio (or eventually by cable).

With respect to the solutions already known, the system realized in this manner allows resolving all the problems previously outlined, in particular thanks to the following:

• Adaptability to various types of housing (even with multiple floors).
• Quick and easy installation, even on pre-existing systems.
• Possibility of managing channels up to 15 m length.
• Masonry works reduced to a minimum (non-existing for the radio version).
• System that automates the feeding of the solid fuel (wood) and the humidifiers (the user only has to follow the indications appearing on the display), thus reducing consumption up to 30% by managing the combustion air.
• Heat uniformly distributed throughout the house, with a total elimination of the so-called "cold areas", and a relative improvement of the living comfort.
• Strong reduction of the air stratification in the environments (constant temperatures from the pavement to the ceiling).
• Managing the relative humidity of the environments.
• Possibility of utilizing the heating system even in a traditional manner (useful over periods of long absences from the house).
• Application and adaptability to any pre-existing forced hot air heating system powered by solid fuel.
• Possibility of managing a traditional heating system by areas, even when the solid fuel heating chimney or boiler are shut down (the system openings 7 and the solenoid valve system to be applied to the radiator or heating manifold can operate separately; in dwellings with only a heating chimney or where there is no desire to operate the radiator system, the only system installed will be that with the openings; in dwellings without a heating chimney but only with a system fitted with radiators or similar bodies it will be possible to install the system based on a radio (or cable) controlled solenoid valve, while still enjoying the full range of advantages already mentioned.

It is evident that in all the examples of realization previously described for illustrative and non-limiting purposes, numerous modifications, adaptations, variants and substitutions of elements with others of an equivalent type may be applied without thereby abandoning the range of protection of the following claims.