AN AIR CONDITIONING APPARATUS, ESPECIALLY FOR REGULATING THE FLOW OF COLD AND WARM AIR OR A MIXTURE THEREOF

Abstract: The invention relates to an air conditioning apparatus, especially for regulating the flow of cold and warm air or a mixture thereof. The apparatus comprises inflow openings (11, 12) for cold and warm air and at least one outflow opening (9), a mixing space (3") therebetween and a device provided in the mixing space for regulating the flow of cold or warm air or a mixture thereof and the amount of air to be introduced into a space (13) to be conditioned. In order to avoid a complicated structure taking up much space and in order to simplify the regulation, a mixer (3) disposed in the mixing space (3") comprises two side walls (4, 5) in the form of a broken circle and a regulating device (6, 7, 8) arranged in the mixer, the regulating device comprising a shaft (7) and two elements (6, 8) adjustable at the ends thereof relative to each other. The shafts of the elements are arranged coaxially with the center of curvature of the side walls and the free end portions of the elements are arranged to be positioned tightly against the side walls when directed towards them.

Description: An air conditioning apparatus, especially for regulating the flow of co l d and warm air or a mixture thereof. The invention relates to an air conditioning apparatus, especially for regulating the flow of cold 5 or warm air or a mixture thereof, comprising inflow openings for cold and warm air and at least one out¬ flow opening, a mixing space positioned therebetween, and a device provided in the mixing space for regulat¬ ing the flow of cold or warm air or a mixture thereof 0 and the amount of air to be introduced into a space to be conditioned. In such a prior air conditioning apparatus, cold and warm air are introduced through separate ducts provided with separate control means. As a con- 5 sequence, cold and warm air flows have to be con¬ trolled separately and in such a way that the tempera¬ ture and volume of the air flow obtained are such as desired. Furthermore, such an apparatus is very com¬ plicated in structure and requires dismounting from 0 within the space to be conditioned during adjustment. The complicated structure also causes disturbing noise. In another corresponding apparatus attempts have been made to simplify the structure by regulating temperature and volume at two separate stages. The temperature regulation takes place by means of a simple baffle provided between the warm and the cold air duct. When the baffle is pivoted towards the cold(warm) air duct, the cold(warm) air flow is de- creased and the warm(cold) air flow is increased. Thereafter the volume of the air flow is regulated by means of a separate throttle means. This structure re¬ quires plenty of space. Furthermore, as the pressure in the cold air duct may be considerably higher than the pressure in the warm air duct, or vice versa. practice has shown that return flow to either duct may occur. This is due to the fact that the air flow seeks the "easiest" way out, that is, not in the direction towards the throttle means. The object of the present invention is to pro¬ vide an air conditioning apparatus which avoids the above-mentioned drawbacks, enabling an accurate and reliable regulation of conditioning air by means of a considerably simpler structure than previously. This object is achieved by means of an apparatus according to the invention, which is characterized in that - the mixing space comprises a regulating de¬ vice disposed in a mixer ; '■ - the regulating device comprises two elements adjustable in relation to each other; and - the elements are adjustable by means of a common shaft. The air conditioning apparatus according to the invention is based on the idea that the regulation of the cold and the warm air flow or a mixture thereof as well as the regulation of the flow volume, i.e., the amount of air per time unit, is carried out by means of a single device. This implies that the pressure re¬ gulation is effected by said device in the mixer be- fore the air is passed into the proper mixing space. The structure of said device is simple and therefore less space is required. The device comprises two el¬ ements which are positioned on a common shaft. So the adjustment of the air conditioning apparatus is easy to carry out from outside the apparatus itself through the shaft arrangement, which also makes it easier to connect the apparatus to an electronic regulation system. The maintenance of the apparatus is easy and the operation is silent. In the following two preferred embodiments of the invention will be described in more detail with reference to the attached drawings, wherein Figure 1 is schematical view of one embodiment of an air conditioning apparatus in connection with a cold and warm air duct and a space to be conditioned; Figure 2 is a schematical view of another em¬ bodiment of the air conditioning apparatus; Figure 3 illustrates generally the adjustment of the air conditioning apparatus of Figure 1; and Figure 4 illustrates generally the adjustment of the air conditioning apparatus of Figure 2. In the following description of the embodi¬ ments, it is assumed that the apparatus according to the invention is used for ventilating cabins on a ship. The air conditioning system thereby generally comprises e.g. two high-pressure ducts, i.e., a cold and a warm air duct, with intake ducts for each cabin or some other space to be conditioned. The tempera¬ tures and the pressures in the ducts are known. From now on, the space to be conditioned will be referred to as a cabin and the intake ducts as cold and warm air ducts. In Figure 1, the cabin is designated with the reference numeral 13. Cold and warm air ducts 1 and 2 communicate with a mixer 3 disposed in a mixing space 3" and comprising side walls 4 and 5. The side walls are in the form of a broken circle. A regulating de¬ vice 6, 7, 8 is provided in the mixer adjacent to connections 11 and 12 for the cold and warm air ducts. The regulating device comprises a baffle formed by two substantially uniform blades 6 and 8 which are mounted in bearings on a common shaft 7. The shaft is coaxial with the center of curvature of the side walls 4, 5. From the mixing space 3" the air is passed on through an outlet 9 and a diffusor 10 into a cabin 13. In Figure 2, the arrangement is in principle similar to that described in connection with Figure 2. The mixing space 3" is provided with a mixer 3' formed, e.g., by a cylinder having the connections 11 and 12 for the cold and warm air ducts in the ends thereof. The mixer is provided with an outflow opening A' through which air flows out. The regulating device comprises two piston-shaped elements 6', 8" which are mounted coaxially in bearings on a shaft 7' . The u- tual spacing of the elements is adjustable. Cabins on a ship are usually arranged in a series relative to the main air ducts. Since the cabin size and the desired temperature may vary so that the air flow and the mixing ratio of cold and warm air have to be regulated separately for each cabin, it is essential that the baffle can be adjusted externally and as simply as possible. In addition, the pressure difference and pressure drop in the duct should be taken into account. Figure 3 illustrates generally the adjustment of the air conditioning apparatus of Figure 1. It is obvious that the adjusting procedure may differ from that shown in the figure. The adjustment takes place at four stages I - IV. The blades 6 and 8 of the baffle 6, 7, 8 are released from the shaft 7 and positioned at an angle ccl with respect to each other so that each blade is positioned against the end of the respective side wall 4 and 5, whereby the outflow opening A is completely closed. The blades are locked mechanically with re¬ spect to each other in this position (position I). Thereafter th& regulating device is pivoted towards the cold air duct 1. When the maximum warm air flow Qvmax is measured, the blade 8 is released from the shaft 7 and locked relative to the side walls (po- sition II). The baffle or, more precisely, the blade 6 thereof only, is then pivoted towards the warm air duct 2. On reaching the required nominal flow Qnom consisting of the minimum cold air flow QK in and t ^ e maximum warm air flow Qv max (Q nom = QKmin + Qvmax)/ the blade 6 is locked at an angle Ot 2 relative to the blade 8 on the shaft 7, and the pivoting of the regu¬ lating device towards the cold air duct 1 is limited to this position (position III). If the maximum cool- ing effect is to be obtained, the baffle is pivoted towards the warm air duct 2, whereby the supply of warm air is completely stopped when the blade 8 is sealed against the side wall 5 and the maximum cold air flow Q max is obtained (position IV) . The pivoting of the regulating device towards the warm air duct 2 is limited to this point. Figure 4 illustrates generally the adjustment • of the air conditioning device of Figure 2. The prin¬ ciple is similar to that described above. The dif- ference lies mainly in that the piston-shaped elements are displaced in the axial direction relative to each other and to the mixer for obtaining the desired re¬ sult. In position I the piston-shaped elements 6' , 8' are released from the shaft 7' and positioned at a mutual, spacing of a^ from each other so that the flow of cold and warm air is totally blocked. The pistons are locked mechanically relative to each other in this position, whereafter the regulating device is dis- placed towards the cold air duct 1 and warm air begins to flow out through the opening A' . On measuring Qvmax> tne piston 8' is released from the shaft 7' and locked relative to the side walls (opening A'). The adjustment of QKmin -- s carried out correspondingly, whereby Qnom (the mutual spacing a^ of the elements) is obtained. Q^max ^ s obtained in position IV, which corresponds to position IV in Figure 3. As mentioned above, the adjustment and regu¬ lation of the baffle and the piston elements can be automated by shifting motors and electronic control systems. The drawings and the description related there¬ to are only intended to illustrate the idea of the in¬ vention. In its details, the apparatus according to the invention may vary within the scope of the claims. The field of application is not, of course, restricted to ship cabins.

Claims: Claims : 1. An air conditioning apparatus, ' especially for regulating the flow of cold or warm air or a mix- ture thereof, comprising inflow openings (11, 12) for cold and warm air and at least one outflow opening (9), a mixing space (3") positioned therebetween, and a device provided in the mixing space for regulating the flow of cold or warm air or a mixture thereof and the amount of air to be introduced into a space (13) to be conditioned, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that - the mixing space (3") comprises a regulating device (6, 7, 8; 6', 7', 8') disposed in a mixer (3; 3'); - the regulating device (6, 7, 8; 6', 7', 8') comprises two elements adjustable in relation to each other (6, 8; 6', 8 1 ); and - the elements (6, 8; 6', 8') are adjustable by means of a common shaft (7; 7' ) . 2. An apparatus according to claim 1, c h a r¬ a c t e r i z e d in that - the mixer (3) comprises two side walls (4, 5) in the form of a broken circle; - the regulating device (6, 7, 8) positioned in the mixer (3) comprises a shaft (7) and two elements (6, 8) adjustable from the ends thereof in relation to the shaft (7) and each other; - the shafts of the elements (6, 8) are ar¬ ranged coaxially with the center of curvature of the side walls (4, 5), and - the free end portions of the elements (6, 8) are arranged to be positioned tightly against the side walls (4, 5) when directed towards them. 3. An apparatus according to claim 2, c h a r- a c t e r i z e d in that the elements (6, 8) of the regulating device are substantially planar baffles. 4. An apparatus according to claim 3, c h a r¬ a c t e r i z e d in that the width of the elements (6, 8) corresponds substantially to the width of the side walls (4, 5) . 5. An apparatus according to claim 1, c h a r¬ a c t e r i z e d in that - the mixer (3 1 ) comprises parallel side walls; - the regulating device (6 1 , 7', 8') positioned in the mixer (3 1 ) comprises a shaft (7 1 ) and two el¬ ements (6', 8') arranged transversely to the side walls and coaxially in the direction of motion there¬ of, the mutual spacing of said elements being adjust¬ able. 6. An apparatus according to claim 5, c h a r¬ a c t e r i z e d in that the elements (6' , 8' ) are substantially piston-shaped, whereby their shafts are so called piston rods. 7. An apparatus according to claim 6, c h a r- a c t e r i z e d in that the cross-sectional area of the elements (6* , 8' ) is substantially equal to that of the mixer (3' ) . 8. An apparatus according to claim 4 or 7, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the elements (6, 8; " 6', 8') are mounted on the shaft (7; 7') by means of a sleeve structure. 9» An apparatus according to claim 8, c h a r¬ a c t e r i z e d in that the elements (6, 8; 6', 8' ) are lockable on the shaft (7; 7' ) . 10. An apparatus according to claim 9, c h a r¬ a c t e r i z e d in that at least one end portion of the shaft (7; 7* ) extends outside the mixer (3; 3' ) .

Inventors: PALANDER CARL-GUSTAV, PALANDER, CARL-GUSTAV
Applicants: PALANDER CARL GUSTAV, PALANDER, CARL-GUSTAV
Application year: 1988
Main classification: F24F13
IPC codes: F24F3, F24F13