Classifications

• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
  • F28D—HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT
  • F28D20/00—Heat storage plants or apparatus in general; Regenerative heat-exchange apparatus not covered by groups F28D17/00 or F28D19/00
  • F28D20/0034—Heat storage plants or apparatus in general; Regenerative heat-exchange apparatus not covered by groups F28D17/00 or F28D19/00 using liquid heat storage material
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
  • F24D—DOMESTIC- OR SPACE-HEATING SYSTEMS, e.g. CENTRAL HEATING SYSTEMS; DOMESTIC HOT-WATER SUPPLY SYSTEMS; ELEMENTS OR COMPONENTS THEREFOR
  • F24D11/00—Central heating systems using heat accumulated in storage masses
  • F24D11/002—Central heating systems using heat accumulated in storage masses water heating system
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
  • F24D—DOMESTIC- OR SPACE-HEATING SYSTEMS, e.g. CENTRAL HEATING SYSTEMS; DOMESTIC HOT-WATER SUPPLY SYSTEMS; ELEMENTS OR COMPONENTS THEREFOR
  • F24D11/00—Central heating systems using heat accumulated in storage masses
  • F24D11/02—Central heating systems using heat accumulated in storage masses using heat pumps
  • F24D11/0214—Central heating systems using heat accumulated in storage masses using heat pumps water heating system
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
  • F24D—DOMESTIC- OR SPACE-HEATING SYSTEMS, e.g. CENTRAL HEATING SYSTEMS; DOMESTIC HOT-WATER SUPPLY SYSTEMS; ELEMENTS OR COMPONENTS THEREFOR
  • F24D3/00—Hot-water central heating systems
  • F24D3/10—Feed-line arrangements, e.g. providing for heat-accumulator tanks, expansion tanks ; Hydraulic components of a central heating system
  • F24D3/1008—Feed-line arrangements, e.g. providing for heat-accumulator tanks, expansion tanks ; Hydraulic components of a central heating system expansion tanks
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
  • F24D—DOMESTIC- OR SPACE-HEATING SYSTEMS, e.g. CENTRAL HEATING SYSTEMS; DOMESTIC HOT-WATER SUPPLY SYSTEMS; ELEMENTS OR COMPONENTS THEREFOR
  • F24D3/00—Hot-water central heating systems
  • F24D3/10—Feed-line arrangements, e.g. providing for heat-accumulator tanks, expansion tanks ; Hydraulic components of a central heating system
  • F24D3/1091—Mixing cylinders
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
  • F28D—HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT
  • F28D20/00—Heat storage plants or apparatus in general; Regenerative heat-exchange apparatus not covered by groups F28D17/00 or F28D19/00
  • F28D20/0034—Heat storage plants or apparatus in general; Regenerative heat-exchange apparatus not covered by groups F28D17/00 or F28D19/00 using liquid heat storage material
  • F28D20/0039—Heat storage plants or apparatus in general; Regenerative heat-exchange apparatus not covered by groups F28D17/00 or F28D19/00 using liquid heat storage material with stratification of the heat storage material
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
  • F28D—HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT
  • F28D20/00—Heat storage plants or apparatus in general; Regenerative heat-exchange apparatus not covered by groups F28D17/00 or F28D19/00
  • F28D2020/0065—Details, e.g. particular heat storage tanks, auxiliary members within tanks
  • F28D2020/0082—Multiple tanks arrangements, e.g. adjacent tanks, tank in tank
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
  • F28F—DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION
  • F28F2270/00—Thermal insulation; Thermal decoupling

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a hydraulic separator.
• thermohydraulics and specifically of pressurised tanks (or “closed-vessel tanks") adapted to contain a heat transfer fluid for heat exchange (heating or cooling).
• the present invention finds a particularly advantageous application in systems providing a heat pump thermal generator, but it can also be used in systems with generators of traditional type (such as gas boilers, biomass boilers, cogeneration boilers, etc.).
• inertial storage systems also referred to as thermal inertial storage or thermal flywheel
• thermal inertial storage or thermal flywheel are known. These systems provide a closed-vessel storage that increases the volume of fluid in the hydraulic system, increasing its thermal inertia, i.e. the thermal energy stored in the fluid contained in the system.
• a volume of fluid is added to the system and connected to the hydraulic circuits.
• This fluid reserve is "charged” with the thermal energy produced by the thermal generators and is used when necessary either by the secondary distribution circuit (heating or cooling terminals) or by the generators themselves (for example, for the defrosting operations of heat pumps).
• Thermal stratification in a tank means the creation of zones, in fluid connection, with differentiated temperatures.
• these "layers" are identified by an increasing temperature from the bottom to the top, according to the physical characteristics of the fluids that cause the warmer and lighter fluid to be positioned higher than the colder and heavier fluid, so that natural convection movements do not occur that could result in the mixing of fluid zones. It is particularly advantageous in heating/cooling systems because it increases the efficiency of the latest generation generators (condensing boilers, heat pumps), reducing the average temperature of the flywheel.
• the hydraulic separator provides a closed-vessel storage used in hydraulic systems which, in addition to the function of increasing the volume of liquid in the hydraulic system, has the function of hydraulically separating at least two hydraulic circuits (typically that/those of the generator(s) from that/those of the user terminal(s)), thereby allowing the transfer of the same heat transfer fluid from one or more hydraulic circuits (primary circuits) to one or more hydraulic circuits (secondary circuits) to exchange heat, and enabling the independent management of the fluid flow rate of each hydraulic circuit, through a circulator (or other means/system of circulation), so that the circuits can be hydraulically sized independently.
• the separators have multiple fluid inlet and outlet connections to which two or more circuits are connected, each of which is linked to the separator with an inlet duct and an outlet duct.
• the hydraulic separator has the aim of transferring the flow of thermal energy through exchanges of fluid entering from the primary circuits (delivery from the generators) mainly to the secondary circuits (user terminals) and, vice versa (as a consequence of the laws of the closed-vessel circuits), the fluid flow entering from the secondary circuits (returning from the user terminals) must be mainly transferred to the primary circuits (generators).
• the hydraulic separators are realised with features and technical solutions that achieve and promote the functions of thermal inertial storage and of hydraulic separation in hydraulic circuits.
• Another state-of-the-art solution used to achieve and promote the hydraulic separation function of the hydraulic separators, and to avoid the "by-pass" circulation, is to insert into the flow path, between the inlet and outlet of the same circuit, obstructive elements, such as channels, partitions or other elements that introduce pressure drops into the flow passing through them, while keeping the fluid path as clear as possible between the inlet from a primary circuit and the outlet to a secondary circuit and vice versa; as shown for example in patent documents EP 1 612 489 B1 or WO 2020/240370 A1 .
• the aim of the present invention is to obtain a hydraulic separator having compact dimensions while maintaining an optimal containment capacity, therefore, at least 40 ⁇ 50 litres.
• the aim of the present invention is to obtain a solution that does not require complex and costly realisation processes.
• Another aim of the present invention is that the tank achieves optimal stratification of the temperatures of the contained fluid, in fluid connection with multiple distinct hydraulic circuits.
• the aim of the present invention is to be able to work at optimal operating pressures of the contained fluid (as an indication, from 3 bar to 10 bar).
• the object of the present invention is a hydraulic separator comprising a closed-vessel storage system for the storage of a heat transfer fluid, said storage system having a capacity of at least 40 litres and extending along a vertical axis and comprising at least two first side connections in correspondence with a first side thereof with respect to said vertical axis and at least two second side connections arranged opposite said at least two first side connections with respect to said vertical axis, said first and second side connections being oriented parallel to a horizontal axis perpendicular to said vertical axis, said side connections being adapted to be connected to hydraulic circuits for the transfer or supply of said heat transfer fluid, wherein said storage system comprises at least two closed-vessel tanks, each tank having a body with axial symmetry along a longitudinal axis parallel to said horizontal axis, at least two tanks providing said first and/or second side connection in correspondence with a respective end of the body along the respective longitudinal axis, said at least two tanks being in fluid connection with each other in parallel through at least one vertical connection parallel to said
• the casing can have an overall size wherein the height along the vertical axis is less than/equal to 1100 mm, the width along the horizontal axis is less than/equal to 600 mm, and the depth along a transverse axis perpendicular to the horizontal and vertical axes is less than 300 mm.
• the shape of the body of one or each tank can be partially cylindrical, optionally the end portions of each tank may have a semi-elliptical or torospherical section.
• each tank can have the same capacity, the same shape, and the same dimensional footprint, such that the respective side connections are aligned on the same axis parallel to the vertical axis and the respective longitudinal axes are coplanar on a vertical plane comprising the vertical axis and the horizontal axis.
• each tank can have a smaller capacity compared to the tank arranged below it along said vertical axis.
• each tank can have a body of equal width along the longitudinal axis, wherein the body of each tank can have a diameter smaller than the tank arranged below it.
• the area of the passage section of the at least one vertical connection between two tanks can be at least twice the area of the passage section of the largest side connection of said two tanks.
• the insulating layer can be based on polyurethane foam.
• each tank can be free of obstructive elements within it, for example internal partitions and/or channels.
• the diameter of the passage section of the side connections of each tank and of the at least one vertical connection between at least two tanks can be dimensioned such that, during use, when at least said two first side connections are connected to a first hydraulic circuit and the second side connections are connected to a second hydraulic circuit, the flow of the heat transfer fluid flowing between said hydraulic circuits through said connections has a pressure drop that is smaller in the passage between the side connections of the same tank compared to the pressure drop in the passage between the first side connections of two tanks through the at least one vertical connection.
• the object of the present invention is a system comprising a hydraulic separator as described and at least two hydraulic circuits in fluid connection with said side connections of said hydraulic separator, wherein at least one hydraulic circuit is in fluid connection with a heat generator, in particular a boiler or a heat pump, and wherein at least one hydraulic circuit is in fluid connection with a heating terminal system, in particular radiators or fan coil units or a floor heating system.
• a heat generator in particular a boiler or a heat pump
• a heating terminal system in particular radiators or fan coil units or a floor heating system.
• the object of the present invention is a system comprising a hydraulic separator as described and at least two hydraulic circuits in fluid connection with said side connections of said hydraulic separator for the flow of said heat-transfer fluid, wherein at least one first hydraulic circuit is in fluid connection with a heat generator, in particular a boiler or a heat pump, and at least two first side connections of said hydraulic separator and wherein at least one second hydraulic circuit is in fluid connection with a heating terminal system, in particular radiators or fan coil units or floor heating system, and at least two second side connections of said hydraulic separator.
• a heat generator in particular a boiler or a heat pump
• at least two first side connections of said hydraulic separator and wherein at least one second hydraulic circuit is in fluid connection with a heating terminal system, in particular radiators or fan coil units or floor heating system, and at least two second side connections of said hydraulic separator.
• the object of the present invention is a process for the realisation of the hydraulic separator as described, which includes the following steps:
• a hydraulic separator according to the invention is shown in a first embodiment, indicated by the numerical reference 1.
• the hydraulic separator 1 is adapted to perform the dual function of hydraulic separator for the connection to a plurality of hydraulic circuits, in particular at least two, and of inertial storage or thermal flywheel.
• Said hydraulic separator 1 to also be used as an inertial storage tank, must have a fluid volume proportionate to the thermal power and to the characteristics of the generator(s) to which it is connected. For example, for heat pump generators, this volume varies (depending on the type) between 2.5 ⁇ 6 litres/thermal kW.
• Each tank 2 provides at least one side inlet/outlet connection 21, 22 for the fluid circulating in the linked circuits (shown, for example, in Figure 8 ) and at least one vertical connection 23 that allows the fluid connection with one or more of the remaining tanks 2.
• the hydraulic separator 1 has four tanks 2 connected in parallel, which are arranged one above the other along the vertical y-axis.
• Each tank 2 is vertically connected to the adjacent tank through two vertical connections 23.
• each tank 2 has two side connections 21, 22, arranged on opposite sides of the cylindrical body with respect to said vertical y-axis and along its own axis of symmetry t.
• Figure 8 shows such a hydraulic separator 1 included in a system 100 comprising four hydraulic circuits 20, 30, 40, 50, each hydraulically connected to respective side connections 21, 22, and to either a heat generator 9, 90 or a heating terminal 7, 70.
• a first hydraulic circuit 20 is connected to the first side connections 21 of the two upper tanks 2 which are on the same side of the hydraulic separator 1 (considered with respect to the vertical y-axis, in this case the left side) and to a first heat generation system 90, in particular a boiler 90.
• This first hydraulic circuit 20 is also commonly referred to as a primary circuit.
• a second hydraulic circuit 30 is connected to the second side connections 22 of the same two upper tanks 2, opposite the first side connections 21 with respect to said vertical y-axis (therefore on the right side of the image), and to a first heating terminal system 7, in particular radiators 7.
• This second hydraulic circuit 20 is also commonly referred to as a secondary circuit.
• the same heat transfer fluid flows between the two hydraulic circuits 20 and 30 through the respective side connections 21, 22 and vertical connections 23 of the tanks 2 of the hydraulic separator 1.
• a third hydraulic circuit 40 can be connected to the first side connections 21 of the two tanks 2 positioned lower relative to the two upper tanks, which are on the same side as the side connections 21 of the first two upper tanks 2 connected to the first hydraulic circuit 20 and to a second heat generation system 9, in particular a heat pump 9.
• the third hydraulic circuit 40 can be referred to as an additional primary circuit.
• a fourth hydraulic circuit 50 is connected to the second side connections 22 of the same two lower tanks 2, opposite the first side connections 21 with respect to said vertical y-axis (therefore on the right side of the image) and to a second heating terminal system 70, in particular a floor heating system.
• the third hydraulic circuit 40 can be referred to as an additional secondary circuit.
• the same heat transfer fluid flows between the four hydraulic circuits 20, 30, 40, 50 through the respective side connections 21, 22 and vertical connections 23 of the tanks 2 of the hydraulic separator 1.
• the fluid contained in the hydraulic separator 1 stratifies in each tank 2, realising a multi-level thermal stratification throughout the entire storage of the hydraulic separator 1, with thermal zones at different temperatures (one for each tank 2), vertically separated by the walls of the tanks 2, without the need for internal partitions and channels.
• the tanks 2 are all identical, in other words they have the same capacity and the same shape, in particular cylindrical, so that during assembly the side connections 21, 22 are aligned and the main horizontal axes t are coplanar on a vertical plane parallel to the vertical y-axis.
• the front footprint, in height along the y-axis and in width along the horizontal x-axis, is minimised compared to other embodiments of storage systems 10 of equal overall capacity wherein tanks with different capacities are used.
• a hydraulic separator 1 comprising a storage system 10 that includes a plurality of tanks 2, each having a decreasing capacity compared to the previous one.
• each tank 2 has a cylindrical shape with equal width, but differing diameters, in particular decreasing diameters.
• such tanks 2 could also have different shapes, different capacities or different geometries.
• the side connections 21, 22 of the tanks 2 of the storage system 10 of the hydraulic separator 1 according to the invention allow the fluid connection with one or more external circuits of the same system and with the corresponding equipment.
• such an insulating layer 3 when based on polyurethane foam advantageously allows complete adhesion to all surfaces of the tanks 2 which, thanks to the closed-cell structure of the polyurethane foam, prevents contact with the atmosphere and, consequently, the formation of condensation from ambient humidity, in case the storage is used in cooling applications (or in any case with fluid temperatures below the dew point of the air outside the storage in the installation environment).
• Figure 3 shows an example of an embodiment of the hydraulic separator 1 according to the invention with the components assembled together before the foaming process.
• it shows the interconnected tanks 2, the sheets of the external cover 11 and a bracket 12 for the wall-mounted hanging connection.
• the foam acts as an adhesive between the tanks 2 and the casing 11, securing them in their final configuration.
• bracket 12 can be unscrewed and used to fix the product to the wall.
• the hydraulic separator 1 can be installed on a base.
• the hydraulic separator according to the invention can also be used as an inertial storage and, advantageously, has a compact size, in relation to its storage capacities.
• hydraulic separator according to the invention offers an advantageous simplicity of realisation, resulting in lower realisation costs.
• the hydraulic separator 1 according to the invention is advantageously able to direct the flow path without using internal partitions or channels, but through geometric proportions between the elements realised to achieve different pressure drops (or pressure difference d p ) in the different paths within it.
• This is obtained by proportioning the diameter of the vertical connections 23 between the tanks 2 according to the diameter of the inlet and outlet side connectors 21, 22 of the hydraulic circuits, which is, in turn, dimensioned according to the type of hydraulic circuit system, so as to obtain an optimal ratio of the pressure drops between the paths of the fluid within the hydraulic separator according to the invention and to achieve the optimal hydraulic separation of the circuits connected to it.
• the passage area or section of the vertical connections 23 between the tanks 2 can be at least twice the passage area of the largest side connection 21, 22.
• first side connections 21, respectively a1 and b1 connected to a first circuit 20, 40, in particular a primary circuit
• two second side connections 22, respectively a2 and b2 connected to a second circuit 30, 50, in particular a secondary circuit
• the flow entering from the first side connection a1 must be prevented from finding a preferential path towards the first side connection b1, i.e. a path with lower pressure drops (or pressure difference d p ) compared to the path from the first side connection a1 to the second side connection a2, such as to generate the phenomenon of recirculation (by-pass) without fluid exchange between the first side connection a1 and the second side connection a2.
• the flow resistance between the various connections is evaluated by measuring the pressure drops (or pressure difference d p ) between them.
• a flow is circulated between the first side connection a1 of a first tank A and the first side connection b1 of a second tank B
• a flow is circulated between the first side connection a1 of a first tank A and the second side connection a2 of the same tank A.
• the absolute values of the pressure drops d p are fully in line with the reference values currently acceptable according to the state of the art (400-500 mm w.c.). Because of what has been discussed above, the hydraulic separator 1 according to the invention fully meets the requirement of low pressure drops (or pressure difference d p ) for the flows passing through any combination of connections of the hydraulic separator 1.
• the heat transfer fluid preferentially flows between the first side connection 21 and the second side connection 22 of the same tank 2, advantageously preventing the occurrence of the by-pass phenomenon, i.e. a condition where dp a1a2 > dp a1b1 , as in similar examples of hydraulic separators illustrated in the state of the art.
• the vertical connections 23 may not be symmetrical with respect to the sagittal plane yz of Figure 5a (in particular alternately coupled on the right and left sides of the cylindrical bodies of the tanks 2).
• the hydraulic separator according to the invention advantageously exhibits resistance to high pressures. This is achieved thanks to the axially symmetrical geometry of the tank bodies, enabling high operating pressures (dependent on the thicknesses and materials used) and higher maximum achievable pressures compared to those in the known art for the realisation of other compact geometries.
• hydraulic separator according to the invention enables simplicity and versatility in thermal insulation to preserve the stratification and to comply with regulations on energy dispersion in thermal accumulators (EU Reg. 814/2013 of the ErP directive).
• the storage system of the hydraulic separator according to the invention which comprises a plurality of axially symmetrical tanks arranged horizontally.
• this storage system enables an advantageous natural internal temperature stratification. Thanks to the horizontal arrangement of the tanks, a multi-level thermal stratification is achieved with thermal zones at different temperatures (one for each tank), vertically separated (as shown in Figure 8 ) by their walls, without the need for internal partitions and channels.
• this allows a thermal separation and stratification of the inlet/outlet flows of the fluid at different temperatures between circuits linked to the same tank of the separator, reducing the mixing of the fluid between circuits at different temperatures linked to different tanks of the separator, without the need to add internal partitions and channels.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Thermal Sciences (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
• Filling Or Discharging Of Gas Storage Vessels (AREA)

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Citations (6)

• 2024
  • 2024-03-11 IT IT102024000005410A patent/IT202400005410A1/it unknown
• 2025
  • 2025-03-10 EP EP25162567.9A patent/EP4617570A1/fr active Pending

Patent Citations (6)

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