ZA200101984B

ZA200101984B - Heating system, especially a heating and air-conditioning system with a mixing flap.

Info

Publication number: ZA200101984B
Application number: ZA200101984A
Authority: ZA
Inventors: Vincent Philippe
Original assignee: Valeo Climatisation
Priority date: 1999-07-12
Filing date: 2001-03-09
Publication date: 2001-10-04
Also published as: DE10033732A1; EP1277605B2; DE60029836D1; DE60001482T2; ES2174714B1; ES2269585T3; DE60029836T2; DE10033732B4; CN1126671C; ES2174714A1; ES2173824T3; DE10033732C5; EP1109689B1; EP1109689B2; BR0006910A; FR2796335A1; ES2173824T1; EP1277605B1; CN1318019A; WO2001008911A1

Description

Lo ’ WO 01/08911 1 PCT/FR00/01964

HEATING SYSTEM, ESPECIALLY A HEATING AND AIR-

CONDITIONING SYSTEM WITH A MIXING FLAP

The present invention relates to a heating system, especially a heating and air-conditioning system, comprising in particular an air inlet, possibly provided with an evaporator through which the air coming from the air inlet passes, and an element that serves as a radiator, as well as a mixing flap which can move between a first and a second end position, the first position corresponding to a direct passing through of the air from the air inlet, after possibly having passed through said evaporator, to an air distribution circuit to form a direct flow of air, the second position corresponding to a diverted flow of air from the air inlet through an opening which supplies the radiator element, before reaching the air distribution circuit through a diversion channel located downstream from the radiator element to form a diverted flow of air, intermediate positions between the first and second positions permitting a mixing between said direct flow of air and said diverted flow of air.

When the system is a simple heating system, the air coming from the air inlet supplies the direct flow of air and/or the diverted flow of air, which makes it possible to realise the desired mixing. When the system is a heating and air-conditioning system, the direct flow of air as well as the diverted flow of air, are generally supplied with air from the air inlet and which comes out of the evaporator.

With the known heating or heating and air-conditioning systems, the mixing flap is of the butterfly type and is moved around an axis carried by one of a separating partition located between the radiator element and the distribution channel.

In a first position of the flap, a first part of the flap blocks the diverting of the air to the radiator element, whereas a second part of the flap blocks the outlet of the distribution channel. In a second position of the flap, the first part of the flap blocks the direct passage of the air so that the flow of air coming from the air inlet (and possibly out of the evaporator) is diverted completely to the radiator element, whereas the second part of the flap completely frees the outlet of the distribution channel. In the intermediate positions between these two positions, the opening of the flap permits the desired mixing between the direct flow of air and the flow of air diverted through the radiator element.

A drawback of this type of system is especially that the section of the air channel available for the direct flow of air is relatively limited, seeing that it is determined by the dimensions of the first part of the mixing flap.

The object of the present invention is a heating system and especially a heating and air conditioning system comprising a mixing of the air, and with which the section of the passage for the direct flow of air no longer presents the aforementioned limitation.

The system is thus characterised in that the mixing flap has an axis of rotation located near an edge of the diversion channel, which is opposite the air inlet, and has a first and a second adjacent area, in that in the first position the first area blocks the supply opening of the radiator element and the second area blocks at least partially the diversion channel, and in v WO ¢1/08911 3 PCT/FR00/01964 that in the second position the first and the second areas cooperate to block a direct through-opening to the air distribution circuit.

At least one of said first and second areas can be flat. Especially the first area can be flat and the second area can have a curvilinear profile which turns its concavity towards said diversion channel, the profile of the : second area being, for example, at least partially an arc of a circle.

It is especially advantageous when the second area is profiled in such a way that it permits air to flow from the air inlet to the distribution channel in at least certain intermediate positions between the first and the second position of the mixing flap.

In particular, the second area can have at its ends areas that form a sealing stop, between which is arranged an area re-entrant in the direction of the diversion channel, so as to permit said flow of air to the distribution channel.

According to another variant (S-profile), the first area can have a curvi- linear profile turning its concavity towards said air inlet (when the mixing flap is in its second position) and the second area can have a curvilinear profile turning its concavity towards said diversion channel (when the mixing flap is in its second position), to permit said flow of air to the distribution channel.

This controlled letting through of air into the diversion channel, by creating in a controlled manner a partial mixing upstream from the distribution channel, makes it possible to improve the mixing between the direct flow of air and the diverted flow of air, and to avoid at least

'o - WO 01/08911 4 PCT/FR00/01964 partially the phenomena encountered with the systems of the prior art, in particular the stratification.

The system according to the invention can also comprise means for directing the diverted flow of air in such a way to facilitate its mixing with the direct flow of air in at least one intermediate position of the mixing flap.

This directing means may be, for example, a deflector which forms an integral part of the mixing flap and extends from its axis of rotation.

It may also be a second flap, the axis of rotation of which is the same as that of the mixing flap or may also be offset relative to the axis of rotation of the mixing flap.

The second flap may be of the vane type. This vane type flap may have end positions that are such that the end of the second flap, which is opposite its axis of rotation, when said flap is in the first position, forms a trailing edge or also, according to another variant, a leading edge for the diverted flow of air passing through it.

The second flap can be of the butterfly type or also of the drum type. In the latter case the axis of the second drum type flap can be arranged either upstream from the axis of the mixing flap in the direction of propagation of the diverted flow of air, or downstream from same.

Other characteristics of the invention can be noted from the following description given with reference to the drawings, wherein: - figure 1 shows a system of the prior art, - figures 2 to 4 show a first, a second and a third embodiment of the invention, respectively,

Lo - WO 01/08911 5 PCT/FR00/01964 - figures 5a, 5b and 5c illustrate a fourth embodiment of the invention, and - figures 6 to 10 show five embodiments of a system according to the invention provided with two flaps, i.e. a mixing flap and a directing flap to facilitate the mixing between the direct flow of air and the diverted flow of air.

The following description relates to a heating and air conditioning system which comprises a cooling loop and, accordingly, an evaporator through which the air coming from the air inlet passes. It must be noted that the invention also applies to a heating system without cooling loop and accordingly without evaporator, and which comprises a mixing between the air coming from the air inlet (direct flow) and a diverted flow which passes through a radiator element.

The system illustrated in figure 1, and indicated by the general reference numeral 1, comprises an air inlet 2, axial or lateral, from where the air passes through an evaporator 3 to generate cool air, which is then passed into the interior of the vehicle. With the illustrated system the air coming from the evaporator 3 can be directed directly in the form of a direct flow of air to an air distribution circuit which may comprise, for example, a defrosting pipe 15 and an aeration pipe 16, the supply to which is controlled by butterfly valves 11 and 12 respectively. Another butterfly valve 14 can be used to direct the air towards an outlet 33 with a view to heating the feet of the passengers in the vehicle.

For intermediate outside temperatures, with which the cold air coming from the evaporator would be too cold if it were passed as such into the interior of the vehicle, it is provided to use a diversion circuit so as to

Co produce a flow of air diverted through a radiator element 4 so as to ensure a re-heating of part of the cold air coming from the evaporator. To this end the systems of the prior art use a so-called air mixing flap 8 which is articulated around an axis 80 located at one end 42 of a separating partition 41 of the diversion circuit. This butterfly valve has two parts or flaps 81 and 82 and can be moved between two end positions I and II.

In position I (illustrated by broken lines in figure 1) part 81 of the flap 8 blocks the diversion circuit and part 82 blocks the outlet of the diversion channel 6 located downstream from the radiator element 4.

In position II (illustrated by solid lines in figure 1) part 81 of flap 8 blocks the flow of air from the evaporator 3 to the air distribution circuit (15, 16, 33), whereas the flap 82 frees the outlet of the diversion channel 6.

In position I, part 81 of the flap 8 comes to a stop at 9', and part 82 at 47.

In position II, the end of part 81 comes to a stop at 31.

The stop areas 9' and 31 are carried by a wall 9 with, for example, a curvilinear outline, which forms a narrowing of the air passage at the outlet of the evaporator 3. They are separated by a distance al, which is relatively small due to the geometry of the system and the possible flapping of the butterfly type flap. Furthermore, the distance a2 between the axis 80 of the flap and the stop area 31 is limited by the size of the part 81 of flap 80, which of necessity is small due to the median position of this axis.

In position II, the cold air coming from the evaporator is directed into a diversion channel 10, which has a channel area 5 located upstream from the radiator 4, and after diversion in the edges 44 and 45, the diverted flow

Lo i" WO 01/08911 7 PCT/FR00/01964 of air flows back at approximately 180° into the downstream diversion channel 6 and the flap part 82. Conventionally, the regulating of the position of the flap 80 between the positions I and II makes it possible to vary the proportion between the flow of air passing directly from the evaporator 3 to the distribution circuit and the flow of air which has been diverted and reheated by the radiator 4. The mixing between the direct flow of air and the diverted flow of air takes place in a mixing chamber 32 located in the distribution circuit, upstream from the outlets (15, 16, 33).

A first problem of this system is the limitation of the value of al and a2.

Another problem of this system of the prior art is an inhomogeneous mixing in the mixing chamber 32 of the distribution circuit, which is located immediately downstream from the flap 80, which translates especially into a stratification of the air, which remains composed of hot and cold layers instead of becoming a flow of air of a homogeneous temperature.

As shown in figure 2, a first embodiment of a system according to the invention comprises a flap 100, the axis of rotation 101 of which is located near the wall 46 of the diversion channel 6, opposite the evaporator 3. In the proposed embodiment, this flap 100 has a first area 102 which is flat and co-planar with the axis of rotation 101, and a second area 103 forming an arc of a circle adjacent to the area 102 and which, at its starting point 105, has a tangent perpendicular to the plane of the flat area 102. The areas 102 and 103 are connected to the axis 101 by a rod or a flat area 104.

In the position 1 illustrated by broken lines and corresponding to a direct flow of air, the end 107 of the area 102 comes to a stop at 9'. The area 102 also comes to a stop at the end 49 of the separating partition 41 in the immediate vicinity of the starting point 105 of the second area 103. In the oC WO 01/0891 8 PCT/FR00/01964 position II illustrated by solid lines, the end 107 of the area 102 comes to a stop at 31 and the end 108 of the arc of a circle area 103 runs closely alongside a curved area 48 located near the end 49 of the separating partition 41.

As can be noted from figure 2, position I, illustrated by broken lines, frees a large space for the passing through of the direct flow coming from the evaporator 3 since the dimension al depends on the angular flapping movements of the flap 100, which is improved on the one hand by the fact that the axis 101 is no longer in the middle but located close to the wall 46, and on the other hand by the fact that the arrangement of the flap 103 is more favourable for large angular flapping movements. Furthermore, the arrangement of the flap 100 completely frees the dimension o2 in position I. This great increase in the dimensions al and a2 makes it possible to greatly attenuate the pressure losses for the direct flow of air, and to increase the effective volume of the mixing chamber 32.

In the intermediate positions, for example the position I', the end 106 of the flat 103 shifts progressively to block the distribution channel 106 to a greater or lesser extent and to thus influence the quantity of diverted air which is mixed with the direct flow of air. This mixing is more or less modulated also by the position of the flap 102, which to a greater or lesser extent intervenes in and splits up the flow of air coming from the evaporator 3.

The embodiment of figure 3 is distinguished by the fact that the rod 104 at its starting point has an area 105 that forms a small flap which diverts the flow coming from the channel 6 in the direction of the direct flow coming from the evaporator 3, so as to facilitate the mixing between these two v wo 01/0891 9 PCT/FR00/01964 flows in the mixing chamber 32 and to avoid at least partially the stratification phenomenon mentioned in the foregoing.

In the embodiment of figure 4, which can optionally also be combined with the embodiment of figure 3, the flap 100' has a second area 103' profiled so as a stop area 108 for the position I, a stop area 109 for the position II, whereas the area 107 located between these two stops is set back in the direction of the wall 46, i.e. opposite the flow of air coming from the evaporator 3, so that in the intermediate position of the flap 100, part of the air coming from the evaporator 3 passes between the area 107 and the curved stop area 48 and flows directly into the downstream diversion channel 6 where it mixes with the diverted flow of air coming from the radiator 4.

Because the passage between the area 107 and the curved stop area 48 is relatively narrow, this causes a controlled pressure loss for the direct flow of air, which is favourable for the mixing. In fact, the diverted flow of air also undergoes a pressure loss due to its passing through the upstream diversion channel 5, the radiator 4 and its change of direction by the profile 45, and the controlled pressure loss of the direct flow of air permits lowering its pressure to close to that of the diverted flow of air.

In this embodiment there are, therefore, three air passages, a direct passage between the flap 102 and the stop 31, a diverted passage towards the upstream 5 and downstream 6 diversion channels, and a diverted passage between the regions 48 and 107. There are also two mixing zones between the direct flow and the diverted flow, resulting in an increase in volume in which the mixing between the direct and diverted flows of air takes place, which also contributes to reducing the parasite phenomena, especially the stratification.

v ; WO 01/08911 10 PCT/FR00/01964

The embodiment illustrated in figures 5a to 5c is a variant of the fore- going. It differs from same by the shape of the flap 110, which is an inverted S (on the drawing) with a first area 111, the concavity of which is turned towards the evaporator 3, a point of inflexion 112, and a second area 114, the concavity of which is turned towards the axis of rotation 101 located near the wall 46. The end 116 serves as a stop at 9' for the position

I and at 31 for the position II. The end 115 serves as a stop at 48 for the position II (illustrated by solid lines). For the intermediate positions, the S profile frees progressively and more and more the space between the flap and the area 48 as the flap 110 turns in the anti-clockwise direction (as illustrated).

The flap 110 comprising a first area 11 and a second area 114 is connected to the axis 101 by a flat area 104' (figure 5b) which may be offset towards the inside of the channel 6 as illustrated in figure 5c (reference 104").

In the embodiment of figure 6, the flap 100 is illustrated more or less the same as in figures 2 and 3, and the function of re-directing the air coming from the distribution channel 6 is realised not in an area such as 105 of the flap 100, but by a second flap 120, of the vane type, movable between two positions I where the flap 120 runs along an area 50 of the wall 46 located downstream from the axis 101 and a position II, in which it comes, for example, in line with the area 102 of the flap 100. In this way the position of the second flap 120 can be regulated in order to obtain a greater mixing efficacy between the direct flow and the diverted flow. In figure 7, the flap 103 is of the vane type articulated around the axis 101, but in position I it runs alongside an area 130 of the wall 46 located upstream from the axis v WO 01/08911 11 PCT/FR00/01964

In figure 8, the orientation of the air coming from the diversion channel 6 is ensured by a flap 140 of the butterfly type, the axis 141 of which is located in a middle area of the channel 6, for example, as illustrated, in the plane of the area 102 of the flap 100 in its position I. In the position I of the second flap 140, the latter is substantially parallel to the axis of the channel 6, whereas in its position II it blocks same.

In figures 9 and 10, the second flap is of the drum type. In figure 9 its axis 151 is located upstream from the axis 101, and in its position I the flap 150 is located in a concave area 152 of the wall 46 located upstream from the axis 101. In the position II, the flap 105 blocks the outlet of the channel 6. In figure 10, the axis 161 of the drum type flap 160 is located downstream from the axis 101 and in its position I it is located in a concave area 162 of the wall 46 located downstream from the axis 101. In position II, the flap 162 blocks the outlet of the channel 6.

An advantage of the second flap, described in connection with figures 6 to 10, is that in the "cold" mode (passing through of only the direct flow), it can be in the closed position, which makes it possible to block the cavity 103 of the mixing flap, which may cause vortices.

By way of variant, the axis 101 of the mixing flap (figures 2 to 10) may be located some distance away from the wall 46, so that in particular part of the diverted flow of air can pass between this axis and the wall 46 to the mixing chamber 32.

The system according to the invention can be integrated into the interior of a motor vehicle. % sk 3k

Claims

v . wo 01/08911 12 PCT/FR00/01964 CLAIMS

1. Heating system, especially a heating and air-conditioning system, comprising in particular an air inlet, an element that serves as a radiator, and a mixing flap which can move between a first and a second end position, the first position corresponding to a direct passing through of the air from the air inlet to an air distribution circuit to form a direct flow of air, and the second position corres- ponding to a diverted flow of air from the air inlet through an opening which supplies the radiator element, before reaching the air distribution circuit through a diversion channel located downstream from the radiator element to form a diverted flow of air, intermediate positions between the first and second positions permitting a mixing between said direct flow of air and said diverted flow of air, characterised in that the mixing flap (100, 100", 110) has an axis of rotation (101) located near an edge (46) of the diversion channel (6), which is opposite the air inlet, and has a first (102, 111) and a second (103, 103', 114) adjacent area, in that in the first position (I) the first area (102, 111) blocks the supply opening of the radiator element (4), and the second area (103, 103", 112) blocks at least partially the diversion channel (6), and in that in the second position (II) the first (102, 111) and the second (103, 103’, 114) areas cooperate to block a direct through-opening to the air distribution circuit (15, 16, 33).

2. System according to claim 1, characterised in that at least one of the first (102) and second (103) areas is flat.

3. System according to claim 2, characterised in that the first area (102) is flat and the second (103) area has a curvilinear profile which turns its concavity towards the diversion channel (6).

v WO 01/08911 13 PCT/FRO0/01964

4. System according to claim 3, characterised in that the profile of the second area (103) is at least partially an arc of a circle.

5. System according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the second area (103', 114) is profiled in such a way that it permits air to flow from the air inlet to the distribution channel (6) in at least certain intermediate positions between the first (I) and the second position (II).

6. System according to claim 5, characterised in that the second area has at its ends areas (108, 109) that form a sealing stop, between which is arranged an area (107) re-entrant in the direction of the diversion channel (6), so as to permit said flow of air to the distribution channel.

7. System according to claim 5, characterised in that the mixing flap (11) has a first area (111) with a curvilinear profile turning its concavity towards the air inlet (2) when the mixing flap (110) isin its second position (II) and a second area (114) has a curvilinear profile turning its concavity towards the diversion channel (6) when the mixing flap (110) is in its second position (II).

8. System according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that it comprises an evaporator (3) through which the air coming from the air inlet passes.

9. System according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that it comprises means (105, 120, 130, 140, 150, 160) for directing the diverted flow of air in such a way as to facilitate its mixing with the direct flow of air in at least one intermediate position of the mixing flap (100, 100’, 110).

Ww Wo 01/08911 14 PCT/FR00/01964

10. System according to claim 9, characterised in that said directing means is a deflector (105) which forms an integral part of the mixing flap (100, 100", 110) and extends from its axis of rotation (101).

11. System according to claim 9, characterised in that said directing means is a second flap (120, 130), the axis of rotation of which is the same as that (101) of the mixing flap (100, 100", 110). :

12. System according to claim 9, characterised in that said directing means is a second flap (140, 150, 160), the axis of rotation of which is offset relative to the axis of rotation (101) of the mixing flap (100, 100, 110).

13. System according to any one of the claims 11 or 12, characterised in that the second flap (120, 130) is of the vane type.

14. System according to claim 13, characterised in that in the first position (I) of the second flap (120), its end which is opposite its axis of rotation forms a trailing edge.

15. System according to claim 13, characterised in that in the first position of the second flap (130), its end which is opposite its axis of rotation forms a leading edge.

16. System according to claim 12, characterised in that the second flap (140) is of the butterfly type.

17. System according to claim 12, characterised in that the second flap (150, 160) is of the drum type.

18. System according to claim 17, characterised in that the axis (151) of the second flap (150) is arranged upstream from the axis (101) of the mixing flap (100, 100', 110), in the direction of propagation of the diverted flow of air.

~WO 01/08911 15 PCT/FR00/01964

19. System according to claim 17, characterised in that the axis (161) of the second flap (160) is arranged downstream from the axis (101) of the mixing flap (100, 100', 110), in the direction of propagation of the diverted flow of air.

20. System according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the axis of rotation (101) of the mixing flap (100, 100’, 110) is arranged at a distance from the edge (46) of the diversion channel (6) so as to let part of the diverted flow of air pass through between said axis of rotation (101) and said edge (46).

21. Interior of a motor vehicle characterised in that it comprises a system according to any one of the preceding claims. k kk