Abstract:
An air conditioning system for a building is provided that includes a heat sink, a heat source and a heat pump, the heat pump having a plurality of hollow elements especially comprising an adsorption agent. A heat-transporting fluid for heat exchange with the heat source and/or the heat sink can be distributed in a variable manner between a plurality of flow paths associated with the hollow elements, by means of a rotary valve, whereby the hollow elements are brought into thermal contact with the fluid at a variable temperature. Air in the building can be conditioned by means of the hollow elements by a temperature difference between the heat source and the heat sink. The heat pump is designed as a decentrally arranged structural unit spatially separated from at least either the heat source or heat sink.

Description:
[0001]    This nonprovisional application is a continuation of International Application No. PCT/EP2009/063794, which was filed on Oct. 21, 2009, and which claims priority to German Patent Application No. DE 10 2008 053 554.0, which was filed in Germany on Oct. 28, 2008, and which are both herein incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The invention relates to an air conditioning system for a building. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Background Art 
         [0005]    WO 2007/068481 A1, which corresponds to U.S. Publication No. 2009000327, describes a heat pump according to the adsorber/desorber principle, wherein a heat-transporting fluid can flow around a stack of hollow elements, each containing a working medium, on an adsorption/desorption side of the hollow elements via a plurality of flow paths. The flow paths are alternately cyclically interconnected by a pair of two rotary valves, wherein the large number of separate flow paths improves the overall efficiency of the heat pump. On an opposing evaporation/condensation side of the hollow elements, a second fluid, for example air, flows around them, which is likewise conducted alternately over the hollow elements by a pair of two rotary valves. An air conditioning system according to the invention is based on such a heat pump, wherein depending on the requirements of the invention, reference is made to the detailed explanations of the heat pump. 
         [0006]    Previously, given the complex design, such heat pumps have been considered as central large-scale plants for building air conditioning, wherein the heat pump should be disposed centrally, for example in a basement or beneath the roof of a building, and heated or cooled water is conducted via a line network to different heating or cooling sites of a building. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an air conditioning system for a building that has a compact design, in particular is designed to be retrofittable, and to be used as needed. 
         [0008]    By designing the system as a local unit, the heat pump can be provided in a manner similar to a facade or window air conditioner. The heat pump will then typically condition only one room, or a few rooms, and the output and size thereof are dimensioned accordingly. 
         [0009]    In an embodiment, at least two locally disposed heat pumps are provided. These local heat pumps can be connected to a fluid line system of the building, similar to a radiator. In the case of retrofits, it may also be possible to use existing pipes of a heating system for this purpose or to embed the retrofits in the exterior facade insulation as part of the energy-related renovation measure. The fluid line system can notably be a liquid line system. 
         [0010]    In a detailed design, the locally disposed heat pump is designed for a cooling power of no more than 10 kilowatts, and more particularly no more than 5 kilowatts, in the normal operating mode. In this way, an air conditioning unit is made possible that is flexible to install and, in particular, can also be retrofitted and that is sufficiently dimensioned for individual rooms of average size. 
         [0011]    In an embodiment of the invention, the heat sink can be designed as a heat exchanger through which air flows. In a possible detailed design, the heat exchanger is designed as an integrated unit comprising the locally disposed heat pump. In such a type, the heat pump can be connected to a dual-line system of the building, whereby the installation complexity and costs are reduced. 
         [0012]    In an embodiment, the locally disposed heat pump can be disposed in an outside wall region of the building, wherein at least one outside wall breakthrough connected to the heat pump enables air exchange with a room of the building. This arrangement has the advantage that circulating air and/or outside air can be fed selectively, or in a mixable manner, for example as circulating, mixed or fresh air, to the conditioned region. It is particularly preferred if the heat pump comprises an adjustable mixing member, wherein at least an air current of the group including outside air, building air or conditioned feed air can be mixed with another air current of the group and divided in a complementary fashion to an evaporation zone and a condensation zone of the heat pump. In this way, the air temperature, humidity and air renewal rate can be easily influenced in the room and the operation and efficiency of the heat pump can be further optimized, and additionally supply air/exhaust air heat recovery can be achieved. In an advantageous detailed design, the mixing member is disposed on the inlet side of the heat pump. The term ‘circulating air’, within the context of the present invention, shall generally be understood to mean building air that is withdrawn from the building. Depending on the particular use, this circulating air/building air can then be recirculated to the building or dissipated to the outside. 
         [0013]    In a particularly simple and cost-effective installation type of the air conditioning system, the fluid is connected to the heat pump by way of a dual-line system. The dual-line system will generally lead to either a heat source or heat sink, wherein the respectively other component is provided locally or decentralized in the region of the heat pump, for example in the form of a recooling unit operated by outside air. 
         [0014]    In an alternative embodiment, which may be preferred depending on the requirements, the fluid is connected to the heat pump by way of a triple-line system, wherein one of the lines leads to the heat source and another one of the lines leads to the heat sink, and wherein a third line forms a mean temperature return of the heat pump. The flow direction of the fluid runs preferably from the heat source to the heat pump and from the heat sink to the heat pump, wherein the fluid flow in the mean temperature return leads away from the heat pump. In a preferred detailed design, the third line is connected by way of a branch to the heat source and the heat sink. In a further preferred embodiment, the heat pump is spatially separated from both the heat source and the heat sink, which further reduces the size and makes the system more effective. In addition, in this way it is easy to switch from cooling operation to heating operation of the heat pump. In order to optimize the efficiency of the heat pump, moreover a fourth line may be provided, which likewise forms a mean temperature return of the heat pump, wherein in particular the third line is connected to the heat source and the fourth line is connected to the heat sink. In this way, the different temperature levels of the returns to the heat source and to the heat sink are taken into consideration, which develop with optimized internal heat recovery of the heat pump, whereby slightly higher thermal ratios can be achieved. The thermal ratio of a thermally driven heat pump is the quotient of useful heating or cooling power and the required drive thermal output, and therefore constitutes a measure of the efficiency. 
         [0015]    In an embodiment comprising at least three lines, at least the third line can be connected to a mean temperature heat accumulator. In this way, the centrally developing adsorption heat can be utilized, which is dissipated via the hot or mean-temperature return of the heat pump. A mean temperature heat accumulator within this meaning can be any thermodynamically expedient storage or transfer of this heat volume. In particular, it can be designed as at least one of the group of process water accumulator, hot water accumulator or low-temperature heater. A low-temperature heater shall generally be understood to mean any type of component activation of the building, for example floor or wall surface heater. 
         [0016]    In general, the heat pump can be designed so that it has both a cooling operating mode for cooling air that is fed to the building and a heating operating mode for heating air that is fed to the building. A heating operating mode shall preferably be understood to mean that not only energy of the heat source is delivered to the building, but that in fact additional heat pumping takes place to improve the utilization of energy. As a result, during such an operation, for example, air is conducted to the outside, which has been cooled by the heat pump driven by the heat source/heat sink to below the outside temperature. The amount of heat withdrawn from the outside air is then additionally available for heating the building. 
         [0017]    In an embodiment and operating mode, in the heating mode the portion incurred as adsorption heat is transferred via the fluid circuit to the heat accumulator or the heat consumer of the building, and the portion incurred as condensation heat is transferred to the useful air of the building, while the evaporation heat is withdrawn from the air current delivered to the outside air. When using building air as the heat transfer medium, this corresponds to exhaust air/supply air heat recovery with a concurrent temperature increase due to the heat pump effect. 
         [0018]    In an embodiment of the invention, a portion of the hollow elements around which air flows is provided with a water-storing device. In this way, condensation water that precipitates from the cooled air during an evaporator operation of the hollow element can be stored distributed in an areal manner, so that it evaporates again in the subsequent internal, and heat-emitting, condensation operation of the same respective hollow element and can be emitted to the air. In the usual operating mode, the condensation water precipitated from the air is conducted as steam to the outside or emitted to the outside air. In total, in this way an enthalpy transfer medium is formed for the condensation water formed when the useful air cools, by which an enthalpy exchange can be achieved between the supply air and exhaust air from the room to be conditioned. In addition, this has the considerable advantage that no area of the air-side heat pump collects any quantity of water over an extended period, preventing the formation of microorganisms and/or the odor-intensive metabolic products thereof. Typical cycle times of such a heat pump are 10 minutes, so that the surface of a hollow element of the invention around which air flows, in simplified terms, is alternately moist for 5 minutes and dry for 5 minutes. 
         [0019]    In a simple and preferred detailed design, the water-storing device is designed as a rib member having capillary structures and/or as a hydrophilic coating. For example, conventional louvered corrugated fins are suited to retain condensation water in a capillary manner in the fine louver slits, which were originally provided in heat exchangers to cause better turbulence of the air current. A possible embodiment would therefore be to provide conventional louvered fins in the gap between adjoining hollow elements through which air flows, whereby at the same time the heat transfer between the air and the hollow elements is improved. 
         [0020]    In an embodiment, an air filter can be designed on the heat pump for filtering outside air and/or circulating air, so that pollen, dust and the like are easily filtered out. 
         [0021]    In general, the heat sink of an air conditioning system according to the invention can have any arbitrary design, preferably, for example, as at least one of the group including a heat exchanger through which air flows, body of flowing water, wet cooling tower or geothermal probe. Likewise, the heat source can have any arbitrary design, and in a particularly preferred embodiment it is designed as at least one of the group including a solar thermal system, district heating connection, boiler or co-generation plant. 
         [0022]    In an embodiment, the heat sink and/or the heat source can be switched or connected, depending on the heating or cooling operating mode. 
         [0023]    In an embodiment of the invention, the local heat pump comprises at least one integrated pump for delivering the fluid. In this way, when a plurality of heat pumps are connected in parallel to a fluid line system of the building, each heat pump can branch off an individual amount of fluid, without impairing the operation of the other heat pumps. This is preferably supported in that the pressure differential of the central feed lines coming from the heat source and heat sink and leading to the heat pumps is regulated by means of central pumps in relation to the return. 
         [0024]    In an embodiment, the heat pump has an electronic controller, wherein in particular a rotational speed of the rotary valve and a volume flow of the fluid can be controlled in an actuatable manner. The volume flow and rotational speed are notably linked by a fixed characteristic curve. Particularly with a heat pump according to the invention, electronic control is particularly suited because optimizing the efficiency under changing operating conditions is key here. 
         [0025]    In a further embodiment of the invention, at least a fluid-side part of the heat pump comprises exactly only one rotary valve. In this way, the size, number of moving components, and manufacturing costs of a heat pump can be reduced. So as to improve the efficiency, the exactly one rotary valve alternately interconnects at least 4, and more particularly at least 6, separate flow paths. The document WO 2007/068481 A1 describes in detail only heat pumps that have pairs of two opposing rotary valves, respectively, both on the fluid side and on the air side. Hereinafter, additionally an embodiment is described in which exactly only one rotary valve is required at least on the fluid side, with the overall function being analogous otherwise. 
         [0026]    Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0027]    The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus, are not limitive of the present invention, and wherein: 
           [0028]      FIG. 1  shows a first embodiment of an air conditioning system according to the invention. 
           [0029]      FIG. 2  shows a detailed view of a heat pump of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0030]      FIG. 3  shows a schematic illustration of an air-side part of the heat pump of  FIG. 2  in a cooling operation. 
           [0031]      FIG. 4  shows a second embodiment of an air conditioning system according to the invention. 
           [0032]      FIG. 5  shows a detailed view of a heat pump of the embodiment of  FIG. 4 . 
           [0033]      FIG. 6  shows a schematic illustration of an air-side part of the heat pump of  FIG. 5  in a heating operation. 
           [0034]      FIG. 7  shows a schematic longitudinal section of the heat pump of  FIG. 5  or  FIG. 2 . 
           [0035]      FIG. 8  shows a schematic cross-section of the heat pump of  FIG. 5  or  FIG. 2  in the outlet plane. 
           [0036]      FIG. 9  shows a schematic cross-section of the heat pump of  FIG. 5  or  FIG. 2  in the inlet plane. 
           [0037]      FIG. 10  shows a variant of a rotary valve for a heat pump that is suited for all embodiments. 
           [0038]      FIG. 11  shows a map projection of the rotary valve of  FIG. 1  in a first position. 
           [0039]      FIG. 12  shows the rotary valve of  FIG. 11  in a second position. 
           [0040]      FIG. 13  shows a detailed longitudinal section of the rotary valve of  FIGS. 11 and 12 . 
           [0041]      FIG. 14  shows the view of a section along the line XXIX-XXIX in  FIG. 13 . 
           [0042]      FIG. 15  shows the view of a section along the line XXX-XXX in  FIG. 13 . 
           [0043]      FIG. 16  shows a map projection of a modified embodiment of the rotary valve of  FIG. 11  in a first position. 
           [0044]      FIG. 17  shows the rotary valve of  FIG. 16  in a second position. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0045]    The air-conditioning system according to  FIG. 1  comprises a heat source  1  disposed in a building, which in the present example takes on the form of a solar thermal system, comprising a solar collector  1   a  and a heat accumulator  1   b  (for example insulated fluid tank), and a plurality of heat pumps  2  disposed locally in the building. The heat pumps  2 , which are provided, for example, on broken-through outside walls, each have an integrated local heat sink  3  in the form of an air-cooled recooling unit. This recooling unit integrated in the local units  2  comprises a heat exchanger  3   a  through which fluid flows and a blower fan  3   b  for efficiently dissipating the heat to the outside air ( FIG. 2 ). Unless reference is made to the contrary, the description of the operation of the air conditioning system in all embodiments relates to a cooling mode, in which cooled air is conducted through the building. 
         [0046]    The fluid, which in the present case is a water/glycol mixture, is connected by way of a dual-line system  4 , which has a first line  4   a  leading from the heat source and a second line  4   b  leading back to the heat source, to the heat pumps, which are connected to the line system  4  in parallel to each other. A circulating pump  5  applies a pressure to the line system  4 , wherein each of the heat pumps  2  connected in parallel additionally comprises a dedicated feed pump  6  (see  FIG. 2 ). In this way, a fluid volume flow can be individually set for each heat pump  2 , without the volume flow being influenced by the operation of the other heat pumps. 
         [0047]    The local heat pumps  2  are each dimensioned such that they produce a cooling power between 1 kW and 5 kW in a typical cooling operating mode. With respect to the design thereof, they correspond to a heat pump according to WO 2007/068481 A1 or a heat pump that is modified in this respect, comprising only a single fluid-side rotary valve. Such a rotary valve is described below by way of example and shown schematically in  FIGS. 10 to 17 . 
         [0048]    In addition to the aforementioned feed pump  6 , the local heat pumps  2  shown in detail in  FIG. 2  comprise a region  7  on the air side or through which air flows and a region  8  through which fluid flows, or a regenerative adsorption model, in which the adsorption/desorption process takes place. The two regions  7 ,  8  are in fluid connection with each other via closed hollow elements (not shown), wherein in the hollow elements methanol as the working medium is displaced between an adsorber side comprising activated carbon as the adsorption component and an evaporator/condenser side comprising capillary component for receiving a liquid phase of the working component (see WO 2007/068481). The fluid lines of the heat pumps cross over the air-side region  7  only for illustration purposes, but have no direct thermal exchange with the same. 
         [0049]    Depending on the current operating mode of the individual hollow elements, the air-side region is divided into an evaporator region  9  and a condenser region  10 . Depending on the requirements and operating conditions, circulating air (building air) L 1  and/or outside air L 2  is fed for conditioning via two fans  11 ,  12  to the region  7 . On the outlet side of the region  7 , an air current L 3  is dissipated to the outside (exhaust air) and another air current L 4  (useful air), which is conditioned if desired, is fed to the building. 
         [0050]    The air currents L 1  out of the building and L 4  into the building are conducted locally via wall or ceiling breakthroughs (see for example  FIGS. 7 to 9 ), and the heat pumps  2  are disposed on the building facade or the building roof. The heat pumps are preferably disposed on the outside or integrated in the brickwork or the facade insulation. 
         [0051]      FIG. 3  is a schematic illustration of the individual air currents L 1 -L 4  and the interconnection thereof in the air-conducting region in two operating modes. An electromechanically adjustable mixing member  15 , by which the fed circulating air L 1  and outside air L 2  can be mixed, is disposed on the inlet side of the air-conducting region  7 . In the top view, a first extreme of the setting is selected, wherein only outside air flows through the evaporator  11  and only circulating air flows through the condenser  10 . In this operating mode, the condensation that develops is generally particularly high because of the higher humidity of the outside air. In the bottom view of  FIG. 3 , the opposite extreme operating mode is selected, wherein only circulating air L 1  is conducted over the cold evaporator region  9  and only outside air L 2  is conducted over the hot condenser region  10 . In this operating mode, generally particularly effective cooling of the building air is achieved, but no air renewal by outside air. 
         [0052]    All mixing ratios between the extreme settings described above can, of course, also be adjusted, depending on the requirements. 
         [0053]    So as to improve the efficiency and suppress microorganisms, the hollow elements of the heat pump  2  are provided on the air side with a water-storing device, in the present case are soldered-on louvered corrugated fins (not shown). Because during a complete cycle, which typically lasts approximately 10 minutes, the hollow elements undergo an evaporator mode and a condenser mode, in the first case condensation water is deposited from the conditioned air and is held in a capillary manner by the louvered fins, whereupon in the condensation mode the hollow elements are dried again by means of the dissipated air. Depending on the design, the entire cycle may also take up to 20 minutes or longer. 
         [0054]    The second embodiment of the invention shown in  FIGS. 4 to 6  has the following differences as compared to the first example: the heat pumps  2  are connected by way of a triple-line system comprising three lines  4   a,    4   b  and  4   c;  and the heat sink  3  is not disposed in each case locally on the heat pumps  2 , but centrally in or on the building. Accordingly, only a single large heat exchanger  3   a  comprising a fan  3   b  is present, which is likewise connected to the triple-line system. Instead of a heat exchanger  3   a  comprising a fan  3   b,  heat dissipation could also take place via a body of flowing water, wet cooling tower, geothermal probe or the like. 
         [0055]    The heat pump  2  is connected to the triple-line system such that both a hot fluid line  4   a  leads from the heat source  1  and a cold fluid line  4   c  leads from the heat sink to the heat pump, wherein accordingly an additional circulating pump  5 ′ is provided in the line  4   c.  A mean temperature line  4   b  leads away from the adsorption module  8  and opens via a T-piece  13 , respectively, into a common return line, wherein a first branch  4   d  leads back to the heat source and a second branch  4   e  leads back to the heat sink. 
         [0056]    The heat pump  2  comprises two separate feed pumps  6 ,  6 ′, by means of which an adsorption-side fluid flow  8   b  and a desorption-side fluid flow  8   a  of the adsorption module  8  are delivered separately. Depending on the operating conditions, the volume flows  8   a,    8   b  may be different. Downstream of the two pumps  6 ,  6 ′, the flows  8   a,    8   b  unite to form a flow that opens into the returning mean temperature line  4   b  (see  FIG. 5 ). Because of the distributing branch  13  in the triple-line system, any arbitrary ratio of fluid flows  8   a,    8   b  can be set in relation to each other for each heat pump  2 . 
         [0057]      FIG. 4  additionally schematically shows an inside building wall  14 , which is intended to symbolize the separation of two rooms inside a building with respect to climate control. In general, the returning mean temperature line  4   b  can lead through built-in or subsequently added wall surface heaters, floors or generally parts of the concrete core of the building, at least in a heating operation of the heat pumps. In this way, the amount of heat contained in the recirculated fluid is also used for heating and storage purposes, whereby the overall efficiency of the system is improved. As an alternative or in addition, the return line can also be connected to a process water accumulator, a swimming pool or the like, for which in general heating is desired even in the summer or during a cooling operation of the heat pumps  2 . 
         [0058]      FIG. 6  shows the air-side region comprising the mixing member  15  analogous to  FIG. 3 , however with the heat pump being in heating mode. In the top view, the control is set to the extreme where only heated circulating air is fed. In the bottom view, the control is set to the extreme where only heated outside air is fed. 
         [0059]    It is pointed out that heating operation is also possible in the first embodiment using local heat sinks. To this end, an adjustable air by-pass must be provided, so that in the heating operation the useful air is conducted over the heat exchanger  3   a  of the recooling unit  3 . 
         [0060]      FIGS. 7 to 9  show schematically the installation situation of the heat pump  2  according to any one of the above embodiments on a facade of the building. In terms of the design, the present heat pump corresponds to that of WO 2007/068. It comprises two cooperating rotary valves  2   a,    2   b  in the adsorption/desorption region  8  and two cooperating rotary valves  2   c,    2   d  in the air conducting region  7 . Additionally shown are breakthroughs  16 ,  19  in a facade  17  of the building, wherein the lower breakthrough  19  conducts circulating air L 1  to the heat pump and the top breakthrough  16  conducts useful air into the building. In addition, an air filter  18  is shown, which filters particles and/or harmful substances out of the outside air L 2  that is fed. 
         [0061]    In a further embodiment, which is not shown, a quadruple-line system is provided to improve the efficiency. Contrary to the triple-line system, separate returning lines are provided instead of a collecting line  4   b.  The colder discharge from the adsorption module  8  is recirculated to the heat sink and the warmer discharge is recirculated to the heat source. 
         [0062]      FIG. 10  shows the switching design of a rotary valve  100  according to an embodiment of a heat pump that deviates from WO 2007/068481 A1 as a 2-D diagram for the case of the quadruple-line system, wherein the heat sink  118  and the heat source  120  are connected via two lines  128  and  129 , respectively, to the heat pump. The rotary valve that is shown replaces the two rotary valves disposed opposite of each other on the adsorber/desorber side, so that at least on this side only a single rotary valve is provided. 
         [0063]    The rotary valve  100  comprises a plurality of inlets  101  to  112  and outlets  201  to  212 , which can be individually associated with the inlets  101  to  112  via connecting lines  126  or  128  and  129 . The inlets and outlets are connected, for example, to thermally active modules (adsorber/desorber hollow elements)  301  to  312 . The rotary valves  100  comprises a switching member  114 , which in turn comprises a rotary body  115 , which can be rotated as indicated by an arrow  116 . A first heat exchanger in the form of a cooler  118  is shown in the rotary body  115 , with a pump  119  being connected downstream of the cooler. A second heat exchanger is configured as a heater  120 . 
         [0064]    The rotary valve  100  shown in  FIG. 10  is used to control the flow of a heat transfer fluid through twelve thermally active modules. By means of the rotary valve  100  shown in  FIG. 10 , a heat transfer fluid can flow serially through the twelve thermally active modules  301  to  312 . The heat source, notably the heater  120 , and the heat sink, notably the recooling unit  118 , are connected between each of the modules, respectively. The function of the rotary valve  100  is to incrementally shift the site of interconnection of the heater  120  and the recooling unit  118 , without having to rotate them as well, as it would be required with a direct implementation of the schematic circuit. Deviating from the illustration of  FIG. 10 , the cooler  118 , the pump  119  and the heater  120  are therefore disposed outside of the rotary valve  100  in a stationary manner in the following figures of an exemplary design implementation. 
         [0065]      FIGS. 11 and 12  show the rotary valve  100  of  FIG. 10  first in a schematic map projection. The rotary valve  100  comprises twelve inlets  101  to  112 , which are also referred to as entrances and combined to form an inlet region  81 . Analogously, the rotary valve  100  comprises twelve outlets  201  to  212 , which are also referred to as exits and combined to form an outlet region  82 . Using the switching member  114 , which comprises the rotary body  115 , the inlets  101  to  112  can be connected in a variety of ways to the outlets  201  to  212  when the rotary body  115  rotates in the direction of the arrow  116 . In  FIGS. 11 and 12 , the cooler  118  and the heater  120  are disposed outside of a housing  125 . 
         [0066]    Each of the inlets  101  to  112  and each outlet  201  to  212  are associated with an opening in an end face of the housing  125 , which substantially has the shape of a hollow circular cylinder. The inlets and outlets open into the end faces of the housing  125 . Each opening in the housing  125  can be associated with an opening in the rotary body  115 . Because of these associations, each of the inlets  101  to  112  can be connected in a defined manner to the related outlet  201  to  212 . In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 11 , each of the inlets  102  to  106  and  108  to  112  is connected via a through-channel  126  to the related outlets  202  to  206  and  208  to  212 . The through-channels  126  extend in a linear fashion through the rotary body  115 . 
         [0067]    The inlets  101  and  107  are connected to the related outlet  201 ,  207 , respectively, via interrupted connecting channels  128 ,  128 . The connecting channels  128 ,  128  are divided by means of separating walls or the like into sub-channels  128   a ,  128   b  or  129   a,    128   b  such that they force a flow diversion over the cooler  118  or the heater  120 . For this purpose, four annular chambers  131  to  134  are provided inside the housing  125 , which in the map projections of  FIGS. 11 and 12  are shown as straight channels. The inlet  101  is connected via the interrupted connecting channel  129  to the annular chamber  133 , which in turn is connected to the heater  120 . 
         [0068]    The heater  120  is connected via the annular chamber  134  to the outlet  201 . Analogously, the inlet  107  is connected via the annular chamber  131  to the cooler  118 , which in turn is connected via the annular chamber  132  and the interrupted connecting channel  128  to the outlet  207 . By rotating the rotary body  115  in the direction of the arrow  116 , the through-channels  126  and the interrupted connecting channels  128 ,  129  are associated with other inlets and outlets. This displacement preferably takes place incrementally, so that the rotary body  115  always come to a stop when the mouth openings of the channels  126 ,  128 ,  129  provided in the rotary body  115  cover the corresponding openings in the housing  125 . 
         [0069]      FIG. 12  shows the rotary body  114  rotated by one increment in relation to the illustration of  FIG. 11 . In  FIG. 12 , the inlet  102  is connected via the heater  120  to the related outlet  202 . Analogously, the inlet  108  is connected via the cooler  118  to the related outlet  208 . The remaining inlets  101 ,  103  to  107 ,  109  to  112  are connected via the through-channels  126  directly to the related outlets  201 ,  203  to  207 ,  209  to  212 . 
         [0070]      FIGS. 13 to 15  show the rotary valve  100 , which in  FIGS. 11 and 12  is shown in a simplified illustration, in slightly more detail. In the longitudinal sectional view of the cylindrical housing  125 , the rotary body  115  is rotatably driven using a mounted drive shaft  150  that is sealed with respect to the surroundings. To axially mount the rotary body  115 , two ceramic sealing plates  151 ,  152  are provided at each end face of the housing  125 . The ceramic sealing plate  151  is fixedly associated with the housing  125 . The ceramic sealing plate  152  is associated with the rotary body  115  and rotates with the same relative to the ceramic sealing plate  151  and the housing  125 . The two plate pairs can be elastically preloaded with respect to each other by way of a spring device (not shown). 
         [0071]    Four annular chambers or annular spaces  131  to  134  are connected via a radial opening  141  to  144  to the related connecting channel  128 ,  129 . The radial openings  141  to  144  constitute a radial through-window, which creates a fluid connection between the annular chambers  131  to  134  and the radially inwardly disposed axial connecting channels  128 ,  128 , which contrary to all other connecting channels  126  are divided by at least one dividing wall  128   c  or  129   c  into two sub-channels  128   a  and  128   b,  or  129   a  and  129   b.  The association between the sub-channels  128   a,    128   b  or  129   a,    129   b  and the annular chambers  131  to  134  is preferably selected so that in each case two adjoining annular chambers  131 ,  132  and  133 ,  134  are connected to corresponding, which is to say mutually aligned, inlets  101 ;  107  and outlets  201 ;  207 . In this way, one fluid path always leads through the heater  120  and another of the total of twelve available fluid paths leads through the cooler or recooling unit  118 , depending on the position or rotation of the rotary body  115 . 
         [0072]    In  FIG. 13 , the fluid travels from the inlet  101  via the radial opening  143  and the annular chamber  133  to the heater  120 , as is indicated by an arrow  121 . Another arrow  122  indicates that the fluid travels from the heater  120  via the annular chamber  134  and the radial opening  144  to the outlet  201 . Analogously, the fluid travels from the inlet  107  via the radial opening  141  and the annular chamber  131  to the cooler  118 , as is indicated by an arrow  123 . Another arrow  124  indicates that the fluid travels from the cooler  118  via the annular chamber  132  and the radial opening  142  to the outlet  207 . 
         [0073]    It is apparent from  FIG. 13  that the rotor axis comprising the bearings  155 ,  156  is mounted in the cylindrical housing and the total inside volume is sealed with respect to the surroundings by a sealing element  154 . In addition, aside from the two preferably ceramic surface seal pairs  151 ,  152 , only three further sealing elements  157 ,  158 ,  159  are required to seal the four annual chambers  131  to  134  with respect to each other in the axial direction. 
         [0074]      FIGS. 14 and 15  show two sections of the rotary valve  100  of  FIG. 13 . In  FIG. 14 , arrows  161  and  162  indicate how the fluid travels from the heater  120  to the radial opening  144 . In  FIG. 15 , additional arrows  163 ,  164  indicate how the fluid travels from the cooler  118  to the radial opening  142 . In addition, the sections show the rotary body  115  divided into  12  axial chambers, which are preferably made of plastic injection molded elements and positively stacked on a common shaft  150 . The reference numerals  128  and  129  denote the through-channels, which are each divided by means of separating walls  128   c  or  129   c  into two sub-channels  128   a,    128   b  or  129   a,    129   b.    
         [0075]    In the case of indirect air cooling by way of a likewise liquid heat transfer medium, the use of a slightly modified valve is advantageous for controlling the fluid circuits of the evaporation/condensation zones identified as zones B, the map projection of such a valve being shown in  FIGS. 16 and 17  in two positions. 
         [0076]    As is shown in  FIG. 16 , the rotary body  115  in a first embodiment shown here comprises only interrupted through-channels in the manner of reference numerals  128  and  129 , which in each case are again divided by separating walls  128   c  and  129   c  into sub-channels  128   a,    128   b  or  129   a,    129   b  and comprise radial through-windows to the annual chambers  131  to  134 , which in turn are connected in pairs to two heat transfer units, which here are identified as “ heat sink” and “recooling unit”. In the embodiment shown, there are no pure through-channels any longer of the kind as denoted by reference numeral  126 . 
         [0077]      FIG. 17  shows the rotary valve in the next position. 
         [0078]    This modified embodiment enables an association of thermally active modules  301  to  312  that is dependent on the switch position of the rotary valve with at least two separate fluid circuits driven by dedicated feed devices, with the associated modules experiencing parallel flow inside these fluid circuits. 
         [0079]    Because of the respective parallel arrangement of two groups of through-channels  128  and  129  in the rotary body  115 , a plurality of radial through-windows are required, which each establish a flow connection into a common of the total of four required annular chambers. In a preferred embodiment, the separating walls within a group of through-channels can be eliminated in the rotary body, whereby then each annular chamber only requires one large radial through-window, which is not shown in the illustration here in detail. 
         [0080]    In a further embodiment, which is not shown in detail in the illustration, the respectively last channel of a group of parallel channels (for example  102 / 202  and  108 / 208 ) comprises no radial breakthrough to an annular chamber, whereby flow is suppressed. In this way, no flow takes place through the connected modules. This can have advantages during the process changes between condensation and evaporation phases, which entail intermediate temperatures that cannot be used further. 
         [0081]    The two embodiments according to  FIG. 11 ,  12  or  16 ,  17  represent only two examples of the division of the through-channels in keeping with the categories  126 ,  128  and  129 . Other divisions of the through-channels to these categories are of course possible and useful for particular applications. 
         [0082]    The advantages of the rotary valve  100  include the following: high integration of switch functions replaces two conventional rotary valves; reduced complexity for drive and control; compact, material-saving design; simple, cost-effective to produce, for example from plastic injection molded parts; easy-to-implement, low-wear surface seal using ceramic disks or ceramic plates  151 ,  152 ; short flow paths with low heat exchange between the individual flow paths; low friction and required driving torque; and low by-pass losses. 
         [0083]    The individual characteristics of the different embodiments can of course be expediently combined with each other, depending on the requirements. When directly using air to transfer the evaporation and condensation heat, it is in particular advantageous to not deviate from the solution comprising two communicating rotary valves in keeping with WO 2007/068481 A1. 
         [0084]    The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are to be included within the scope of the following claims.