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(11) | EP 1 074 808 B1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION |
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| (54) |
Block manifold for heat exchanger battery fan coils Verteilerblock für Wärmetauscher mit Rohrschlange und Lüfter Bloc collecteur pour batterie d'échange de chaleur à serpentin et ventilateur |
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| Note: Within nine months from the publication of the mention of the grant of the European patent, any person may give notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to the European patent granted. Notice of opposition shall be filed in a written reasoned statement. It shall not be deemed to have been filed until the opposition fee has been paid. (Art. 99(1) European Patent Convention). |
[0001] This invention concerns a block manifold for fitting to heat exchanger batteries and especially for fan coils.
[0002] In fan coils the heat exchanger batteries have fluid circulation pipes the ends of which are connected to manifolds through which the fluid flow and return pipes are connected. Usually the manifolds have a block body with a part fitting to fluid piping, two, three or more branches for connection to the battery pipes and a distribution chamber between the fitting and the said branches. Generally, this cylinder is cylindrical and its geometric axis is oriented transversally to the axes of the fitting and the branches which are substantially parallel to each other.
[0003] By its presence and conformation, this chamber is already a cause of turbulence in the fluid and a loss of pressure in the system and contributes to pointlessly increasing the external dimensions of the manifold.
[0004] Moreover, due to shape and machining requirements inside the body, this intermediate cylindrical chamber is left open at one end and is only closed, with a plug, generally welded on, at the end of machining. This plug represents a critical part of the manifold.
[0005] At the same time, inserting and fixing this plug requires additional production work time and costs. Furthermore, if the welding is not homogenous it becomes a source of rejection because in this case the manifold cannot be used.
[0006] Block manifolds are known in the state of the art, as shown by documents EP-A-0758734, US 4,948,177, US 1,092,385, US 1,160,839, US 1,205,508, US 2,673,101, US 5,176,177, US 3,951,440, US 5,078,432, US 5,143,151, US 5,908,288, GB 10174, GB 897965, US 3,790,966, US 4,013,049, US 4,541,448, US 6,202,686 and US 6,237,408.
[0007] Starting from this introduction, the purpose of this invention is to create and supply a manifold for heat exchanger batteries which is new and original in conformation, capable of providing diverse advantages over manifolds of known technical merit in construction, economical and functional terms.
[0008] This aim has been reached by a manifold for the use cited above which includes a block body: here, the distribution chamber, located between the fitting and branch parts is coaxial to the fitting and on a parallel axis to the said branches.
[0009] In other words, all the parts of the manifold are oriented in parallel to each other in the same direction. This allows a reduction in the external dimensions of the body, while maintaining the technical characteristics required for its use and a reduction in the raw materials used to make it. Furthermore, the internal machining of the body to provide communication between the fitting and the branches can be performed by passing axially from the fitting without the need for lateral openings. The insertion and welding of a plug is thus eliminated and consequently also the risk of rejects and some production costs. Also, and not least, the intermediate chamber with its axis parallel to the fitting and the branches contributes to reducing if not completely eliminating, the turbulence in the fluid and the pressure losses in the supplied system.
[0010] The drawings enclosed illustrate an example of how the manifold is created, which is described in more detail as follows:
Fig. 1 shows a perspective view;
Fig. 2 shows a side view;
Fig. 3 shows an end view of the fitting side;
Fig. 4 shows a side view of the branches;
Fig. 5 shows a section according to the V-V arrows in Fig. 3; and
Fig. 6 shows a cross-section of a part of the body according to the VI-VI arrows in Fig. 3.
[0011] The manifold is comprised of a block body, usually made of brass. The resulting body is obtained with normal forming techniques and then machined for the finish required.
[0012] This body, when finished, has a fitting 12 with an internal thread on one end and two, three or more branches on the opposite end 13; inside there is a distribution chamber 14 which connects the fitting 12 and the branches 13.
[0013] The fitting 12 has a geometric axis X; the branches 13 are in parallel Y axes to the X axis of the union part.
- a one piece body defining an intermediate distribution chamber (14) perfectly closed around outside, with a portion having a circular cross section, said circular cross section having a chamber axis (X-X),
- said body having first and second ends on opposite axial ends of said chamber, said block body comprising
- a fitting (12) with fluid piping for connection to the heat exchanger battery, coaxial with the intermediate chamber (14), formed at said first end of the block body and in communication with the intermediate chamber;
- three or more branches (13) formed at said second end of the block body, said branches being directly in communication with said intermediate chamber;
- each of said branch having a straight branch axis (Y-Y), each of said branch axes (Y-Y) being parallel to said chamber axis (X-X);
- seats (15) for plug pins (16).
- einen einteiligen Körper, der eine Zwischenverteilerkammer (14) bildet, die hermetisch nach außen abgeschlossen ist und einen Abschnitt be-sitzt, der einen kreisrunden Querschnitt aufweist, wobei der kreisrunde Querschnitt eine Kammerachse (X-X) aufweist,
- wobei der Körper ein erstes und ein zweites Ende an entgegengesetz-ten axialen Enden der Zwischenverteilerkammer aufweist, und der Blockkörper
- ein Anschlussteil (12) mit Flüssigkeitsleitung zum Verbinden mit der Wärmetauscherbatterie umfasst, das koaxial zu der Zwischenverteiler-kammer (14) angeordnet und an dem ersten Ende des Blockkörpers ausgebildet ist und mit der Zwischenverteilerkammer in Verbindung steht,
- drei oder mehr Abzweigungen (13) umfasst, die an dem zweiten Ende des Blockkörpers ausgebildet sind und mit der Zwischenverteilerkam-mer unmittelbar in Verbindung stehen,
- wobei jede Abzweigung eine gerade Abzweigungsachse (Y-Y) aufweist und jede Abzweigungsachse (Y-Y) parallel zu der Kammerachse (X-X) angeordnet ist,
- Sitze (15) für Stopfen (16) umfasst.
- un corps en une seule pièce définissant une chambre de distribution intermédiaire (14) parfaitement fermée autour à l'extérieur, une partie comportant une section transversale circulaire, ladite section transversale circulaire ayant un axe de chambre (X-X),
- ledit corps comportant des première et seconde extrémités sur des extrémités axiales opposées de ladite chambre, ledit corps du type bloc comprenant
- un raccord (12) avec une tuyauterie pour fluide en vue d'une connexion à la batterie d'échangeur de chaleur, coaxial avec la chambre intermédiaire (14), formé au niveau de ladite première extrémité dudit corps de type bloc en communication avec la chambre intermédiaire,
- trois branches (13) ou plus formées au niveau de ladite seconde extrémité du corps de type bloc, lesdites branches étant directement en communication avec ladite chambre intermédiaire,
- chacune desdites branches comportant un axe de branche (Y-Y), chacun desdits axes de branches (Y-Y) étant parallèle audit axe de chambre (X-X),
- des sièges (15) pour des broches de fiches (16).