EP2877801B1

EP2877801B1 - Sheet metal convector panel for a radiator for heating a room

Info

Publication number: EP2877801B1
Application number: EP13756697.2A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Sergio Zanolin; Renato SPERANZONI
Original assignee: Dl Radiators Srl
Current assignee: Dl Radiators Srl
Priority date: 2012-06-15
Filing date: 2013-06-13
Publication date: 2019-04-17
Anticipated expiration: 2033-06-13
Also published as: ITMI20121039A1; WO2013186800A1; EP2877801A1

Description

The present invention relates to a sheet metal convector panel for a radiator for heating a room, according to the preamble of claim 1, particularly but not necessarily of the radiant plate type or of another type, for example with flat tubes, a process for the realization thereof. DE 71 25 678 discloses such a panel.
A convector consisting of a sheet metal panel, generally steel, and applicable to a radiator has been present on the market for some time.
The panel has a substantially square-wave bent profile, more or less radial, which defines, on the side turned toward the plate, a series of separate parallel convective channels along which an ascending laminar flow of air is created due to a stack effect.
In order to properly perform the function it is designed for, a traditional convector panel must have convective channels with a minimum height that is not below a certain threshold value; this may result in a considerable consumption of raw material, with an impact both on the weight and cost of the finished product. Thinner sheet metal tends to be used sometimes to overcome such a drawback, but this expedient in turn has a drawback in that below a certain thickness heat conduction through the thickness of the sheet metal is greatly penalized.
The technical task that the present invention sets itself is thus to provide a sheet metal convector panel for a radiator for heating a room, which enables the aforementioned technical drawbacks of the prior art to be eliminated.
The technical task, according to the present invention, is achieved by realizing a sheet metal convector panel for a radiator for heating a room having the features of claim 1.
Finally, such a convector panel, despite being normally envisaged for vertical installation with the channels oriented vertically, lends itself equally well to vertical installation rotated by 90°, with the channels thus oriented horizontally.
In fact, in this latter case as well, it is possible to advantageously obtain an ascending convective air flow which is rendered conveniently turbulent by virtue of the fact that the first and second delimiting walls of the channels create an obstacle course for the ascending flow of air, which determines greater turbulence and ultimately a benefit in terms of convective exchange efficiency.
Other features of the present invention are moreover defined in the dependent claims.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will be more apparent from the description of a preferred but non-exclusive embodiment of the convector panel according to the invention, illustrated by way of non-restrictive example in the appended drawings, in which:

figure 1 shows an isometric view of the convector panel disposed vertically with the channels vertical, wherein the ascending convective air flow is illustrated by directional lines in boldface;
figure 2 shows an enlarged detail of the convector panel of figure 1;
figure 3 shows a front view of the convector panel of figure 1;
figure 4 shows a plan view of the convector panel of figure 1, applied to the vertical wall of a radiant plate of a radiator with the channels disposed vertically; figure 5 shows a side elevation view of the convector panel of figure 1;
figure 6 shows a plan view of a portion of the flat sheet metal panel the convector panel is obtained from, with an indication of the bend lines and cutting lines;
figure 7 shows an isometric view of the convector panel disposed vertically with the channels horizontal, wherein the ascending convective air flow is illustrated by directional lines in boldface.

With references to figures 1 - 7, there is shown a convector panel 1 made of sheet metal, e.g. steel, for a radiator for heating a room, for example, but not necessarily, of the radiant plate type.
The convector panel 1 comprises a plurality of parallel longitudinal channels 2 laterally separated from each other by longitudinal separating walls 3.
Each channel 2 comprises, in the longitudinal direction of extension thereof, an alternating succession of first delimiting walls 4, which extend from one side of the separating walls 3, and second delimiting walls 5, which extend from the opposite side of the separating walls 3.
Preferably, the first delimiting walls 4 and second delimiting walls 5 exhibit overall a checkerboard arrangement on the convector panel 1, and, therefore, the first and second delimiting walls 4, 5 of the channels 2 are ordered in an alternating succession also in the direction along which the channels 2 succeed one another.
The separating walls 3 are flat and in particular they are all coplanar.
The first delimiting walls 4 and second delimiting walls 5 have the same height in a direction orthogonal to the plane in which the separating walls 3 lie.
The first delimiting walls 4 and second delimiting walls 5 preferably have the same configuration, and in particular a radial trapezoidal configuration. Thus each first delimiting wall 4 comprises two flat sides 4a and 4b having an opposite angle of inclination relative to the plane in which the separating walls 3 lie, and a flat side 4c parallel to the plane in which the separating walls 3 lie, while each second delimiting wall 5 comprises two flat sides 5a and 5b having an opposite angle of inclination relative to the plane in which the separating walls 3 lie, and a flat side 5c parallel to the plane in which the separating walls 3 lie.
For each channel 2, each pair of consecutive delimiting walls 4, 5 has adjacent longitudinal ends 4e, 5e which meet at the separating walls 3 in points P1, P2.
The adjacent longitudinal ends 4e, 5e of the consecutive delimiting walls 4, 5 have a mating shape, in particular the end 4e of the first delimiting wall 4 has a straight edge lying in a plane orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the channel 2 on the sides 4a and 4b, and a concave edge on the side 4c, while the end 5e of the second delimiting wall 5 has a straight edge lying in a plane orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the channel 2 on the sides 5a and 5b, and a convex edge on the side 5c. Advantageously, the convector panel 1 delimits a plurality of secondary channels 7, each delimited by a separating wall 3 and by the sides 5a and 5b of the second delimiting walls 5 which start off from the separating wall 3.
The secondary channels 7 have a height that is half that of the main channels 2.
In figure 4, the numerical reference 6 indicates the vertical wall of the radiant plate of the radiator, on which the convector panel 1 is applied with its long side in a horizontal direction.
The plate generally has a heating fluid circuit comprising a plurality of parallel longitudinal wet channels alternating with dry channels.
The wall 6 of the radiant plate closes off one side of the channels 2 and 7. Preferably, the main channels 2 overlie the wet channels of the plate, whereas the secondary channels 7 overlie the dry channels of the plate.
Given how the convector panel 1 is configured, the main channels 2 have a direct exposure to the atmosphere in the longitudinal portions 8 where the second delimiting walls 5 are present, and are laterally in fluid communication with the secondary channels 7 in the longitudinal portions 9 where the first delimiting walls 4 are present.
We shall make reference to the installation of the convector panel 1 with the main channels 2 oriented in a vertical direction. During normal operation of the radiator, the convective exchange is due to the ascending air flow, which, by virtue of the stack effect, rises up the main vertical channels 2, the secondary vertical channels 7, and the oblique channels that are created as a result of the lateral fluid communication between the main channels 2 and secondary channels 7. Advantageously, the ascending air flow due to the stack effect along the main channels 2 is rendered turbulent by the alternating exposure to the air of the outside atmosphere and the air that flows in the secondary channels 7.
The increase in turbulence has a beneficial effect on the efficiency of the convective heat exchange of the convective panel 1.
In particular, at least the length of the longitudinal portions 8 of the channels 2 exposed to the atmosphere is dimensioned so as to obtain an ascending air flow along the channels 2 having maximum turbulence with a minimum loss of air flow rate. In fact, excessively short channel portions 8 would preclude creating an appreciable turbulence in the ascending flow, while excessively long portions 8 would cause a cooling of the ascending air and a consequent loss in air flow rate. Compared to conventional panel of equal thickness and having channels of equal height, this innovative convector panel 1 is capable of achieving the same thermal efficiency, but with considerable savings in raw materials.
With reference to figure 7, it may be noted that the convector panel lends itself equally well to a vertical installation rotated by 90°, with the channels 2 oriented in a horizontal direction.
In fact, in the latter case as well, one may advantageously obtain a conveniently turbulent ascending convective air flow by virtue of the fact that the first delimiting walls 4 and second delimiting walls 5 of the channels 2 create an obstacle course for the ascending air flow, which determines greater turbulence and ultimately a benefit in terms of convective exchange efficiency. In practical terms, the first delimiting walls 4 intercept and divert the ascending air flow, which in this case has an ascending path that is no longer prevalently straight but rather prevalently zigzag.
The convector panel thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variants, all falling within the scope of the inventive concept; moreover, all the details may be replaced with other technically equivalent ones.
In practice, all of the materials used, as well as the dimensions, can be any whatsoever according to need and the state of the art.

Claims

A sheet metal convector panel (1) for a radiator for heating a room, comprising a plurality of main parallel longitudinal channels (2) laterally separated from each other by longitudinal separating walls (3), each main channel (2) comprising, in the longitudinal direction of extension thereof, an alternating succession of first delimiting walls (4), which extend from one side of the separating walls (3), and second delimiting walls (5), which extend from the opposite side of the separating walls (3), characterised in that the first and second delimiting walls (4, 5) of the main channels (2) are ordered in an alternating succession also in the direction along which the main channels (2) succeed one another, and in that said first and second delimiting walls (4, 5), in cooperation with said separating walls (3), define secondary longitudinal channels (7) which are parallel to and alternate with the main channels (2), and channels that obliquely intersect the main channels (2) and secondary channels (7).
The sheet metal convector panel (1) for a radiator for heating a room according to claim 1, characterized in that said separating walls (3) are flat.
The sheet metal convector panel (1) for a radiator for heating a room according to any preceding claim, characterized in that said separating walls (3) are coplanar.
The sheet metal convector panel (1) for a radiator for heating a room according to any preceding claim, characterized in that said first and second delimiting walls (4, 5) have the same height in a direction orthogonal to the plane in which said separating walls (3) lie.
The sheet metal convector panel (1) for a radiator for heating a room according to any preceding claim, characterized in that said first and second delimiting walls (4, 5) have the same configuration.
The sheet metal convector panel (1) for a radiator for heating a room according to any preceding claim, characterized in that said first and second delimiting walls (4, 5) have a radial trapezoidal configuration.
The sheet metal convector panel (1) for a radiator for heating a room according to any preceding claim, characterized in that, for each channel (2), each pair of consecutive delimiting walls (4, 5) has adjacent longitudinal ends (4e, 5e) which meet at the separating walls (3).
A radiator for heating a room characterized in that it comprises at least one sheet metal convector panel (1) according to any preceding claim.
The radiator for heating a room according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said panel is applied vertically with the channels oriented horizontally.
The radiator for heating a room according to claim 8, characterized in that said panel is applied vertically with the channels oriented vertically.