Abstract:
Ventilator including a case having a first flow passage and a second flow passage therein, at least one fan in the case for supplying room air to a room through the first flow passage, and guiding outdoor air to the room through the second flow passage, and a heat exchanger in the case, the heat exchanger having a working fluid therein for repeating evaporation (heat absorption) and condensing (heat dissipation) by a temperature difference of the air flowing through the first flow passage and the second flow passage, for making the air flowing through the first flow passage and the air flowing through the second flow passage to heat exchange, thereby providing a ventilator which is thin, can be installed conveniently, and can recover a thermal energy from room air, and reduce a pressure loss and noise.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit of Korean Application No. P2004-37801 filed on May 27, 2004, which is hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1 Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     The present invention relates to ventilators, and more particularly, to a ventilator which is thin, can be installed conveniently, and can recover a thermal energy from room air, and reduce a pressure loss and noise.  
         [0004]     2. Discussion of the Related Art  
         [0005]     In general, the ventilator discharges room air to an outside of a room, and supplies outdoor air to the room. The ventilator is essential for a building, and mounted on a ceiling or a wall. The ventilator is in communication with the outside of the room through ducts in the ceiling or the wall.  
         [0006]     The ventilator is bulky due to units built therein, such as fan. In order to install the ventilator on each of storys of a building, higher storys are required. According to this, because the higher storys are required, a construction cost is increased substantially.  
         [0007]     Moreover, when it is intended to mount the ventilator on a window or a wall, the mounting is difficult because of the bulk and complicate flow passages.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a ventilator that substantially obviates one or more problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.  
         [0009]     An object of the present invention is to provide a ventilator which is thin, easy to install, and can recover heat from room air, and reduce a pressure loss and noise.  
         [0010]     Additional advantages, objects, and features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will become apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned from practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.  
         [0011]     To achieve these objects and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, a ventilator includes a case having a first flow passage and a second flow passage therein, at least one fan in the case for supplying room air to a room through the first flow passage, and guiding outdoor air to the room through the second flow passage, and a heat exchanger in the case, the heat exchanger having a working fluid therein for repeating evaporation (heat absorption) and condensing (heat dissipation) by a temperature difference of the air flowing through the first flow passage and the second flow passage, for making the air flowing through the first flow passage and the air flowing through the second flow passage to heat exchange.  
         [0012]     Preferably, the heat exchanger includes a plurality of heat pipes.  
         [0013]     Preferably, the heat exchanger further includes a plurality of fins in contact with an outside circumferential surface of the heat pipe, for increasing a heat exchanger area.  
         [0014]     Preferably, the ventilator further includes a panel for isolating the first flow passage from the second flow passage, and the fans are provided to the isolated fans respectively.  
         [0015]     Preferably, the heat exchanger includes heat pipes provided adjacent to each of the fans.  
         [0016]     Preferably, the heat pipe is bent so as to be mounted in front of each of the fans.  
         [0017]     Preferably, the heat pipe is passed through the panel, and bent such that the heat pipe has a shape symmetry with respect to the panel.  
         [0018]     Preferably, the heat exchanger further includes a plurality of fins in contact with an outside circumferential surface of the heat pipe, for increasing a heat exchanger area.  
         [0019]     Preferably, the first flow passage is deflected at inside of the case such that a direction of an air flow introduced into the case and a direction of an air flow discharged to an outside of the room are different.  
         [0020]     Preferably, the second flow passage is deflected at inside of the case such that a direction of an air flow introduced into the case and a direction of an air flow discharged to an outside of the room are different.  
         [0021]     Preferably, the fan draws air in an axial direction and discharges in a radial direction.  
         [0022]     Preferably, the second flow passage further includes a filter provided between an inside of the case and an outside of the room.  
         [0023]     In another aspect of the present invention, a ventilator includes a case having an inlet and an outlet in communication with a room and a supply port and an exhaust port in communication with an outside of the room, a panel making the inlet and the exhaust port to be in communication and the outlet and the supply port to be in communication, a fan at least in one of spaces formed by the inlet and the exhaust port, and the outlet and the supply port, and a heat exchanger in the case, the heat exchanger having a working fluid therein for repeating evaporation (heat absorption) and condensing (heat discharge) by a temperature difference of the air discharged into the room and exhausted to an outside of the room, for making the air discharged into the room and the air exhausted to an outside of the room to heat exchange.  
         [0024]     Preferably, the heat exchanger further includes a heat pipe passed through the panel, for making the air passing through the inlet and the exhaust port, and the air passing through the outlet and the supply port to heat exchange with each other.  
         [0025]     Preferably, the heat exchanger further includes a plurality of fins in contact with an outside circumferential surface of the heat pipe, for increasing a heat exchanger area.  
         [0026]     Preferably, the fan is provided to a space formed by the inlet and the exhaust port and a space formed by the outlet and the supply port.  
         [0027]     Preferably, the heat exchanger includes a heat pipe passed through the panel, and bent with reference to the panel, so as to be provided between the inlet and the fan, and the supply port and the fan.  
         [0028]     Preferably, the heat exchanger further includes a plurality of fins in contact with an outside circumferential surface of the heat pipe, for increasing a heat exchanger area.  
         [0029]     Preferably, the exhaust port is perpendicular to the inlet such that a flow direction of air introduced into the case and a flow direction of air discharged to an outside of the room are different.  
         [0030]     Preferably, the outlet is perpendicular to the supply port such that a flow direction of air introduced into the case and a flow direction of air supplied to the room are different.  
         [0031]     Preferably, the fan draws air in an axial direction, and discharges in a radial direction.  
         [0032]     The ventilator further includes a filter provided to the supply port.  
         [0033]     In another aspect of the present invention, a ventilator includes a case, a fan in the case for drawing/discharging room/outdoor air, and a heat exchanger in the case, the heat exchanger having a coaxial tube with an inner capillary tube for making closed circulation of a working fluid therein by a temperature difference of room air and outdoor air to make a heat absorption reaction at one end thereof, and a heat discharge reaction at the other end thereof.  
         [0034]     Preferably, the ventilator further includes a panel for dividing an inside space of the case, and a fan is provided to each of divided spaces.  
         [0035]     Preferably, the fan is of a centrifugal type for drawing air in an axial direction and discharging the air in a radial direction.  
         [0036]     Preferably, the case has air inlets in axial directions of the fans in opposite sides of the case with reference to the panel, and air outlets in radial directions of the fans in opposite sides of the case with reference to the panel.  
         [0037]     Preferably, the heat exchanger includes a plurality of heat pipes passed through the panel so as to be arranged symmetry with reference to the panel, and a plurality of fins in contact with an outside circumferential surface of the heat pipe.  
         [0038]     Preferably, the heat pipe has opposite sides arranged in front of the fans, respectively.  
         [0039]     Preferably, the ventilator further includes a filter in an inside space of the case into which outdoor air is to be introduced for filtering outdoor air.  
         [0040]     It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description of the present invention are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0041]     The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this application, illustrate embodiment(s) of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principle of the invention. In the drawings;  
         [0042]      FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of a ventilator in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and  
         [0043]      FIG. 2  illustrates a side view of a ventilator in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0044]     Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.  
         [0045]     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the ventilator includes a case  10 , fans  71 , and  72 , and a heat exchanger  40 .  
         [0046]     The case  10  forms an exterior, and is mounted on a ceiling or a window of a building. The case  10  has a first flow passage  20  and a second flow passage  30  formed therein. The first flow passage  20  guides room air to an outside of the room, and the second flow passage  30  guides an outdoor air to the room.  
         [0047]     In order to fabricate a compact ventilator  1 , the first flow passage  20  is deflected within the case  10  for making a flow direction of the air introduced into the case different from a flow direction of the air discharged to an outside of the room, and the second flow passage  30  is also deflected within the case  10  for making a flow direction of the air introduced into the case different from a flow direction of the air discharged to the room.  
         [0048]     In the meantime, at least one fan  71 , and  72  provided to an inside of the case  10  guides the air to the room/the outside of the room through the first flow passage  20 , and the second flow passage  30 . For preventing the first flow passage  20  and the second flow passage from interfering with each other, a panel  50  is provided for dividing an inside space of the case  10 , to isolate the first flow passage  20  from the second flow passage  30 .  
         [0049]     The fans  71 , and  72 , respectively provided to the two spaces, i.e., the first flow passage  20 , and the second flow passage  30  in the case  10 , enable to make the air to move more effectively. A case will be described, in which the fans  71 , and  72  are provided to the first flow passage  20 , and the second flow passage  30 .  
         [0050]     In order to make the ventilator  1  compact, and the flow passages to have larger suction areas respectively, the fans  71 , and  72  are of a centrifugal type which draws air in an axial direction, and discharges in a radial direction. In this case, the first flow passage  20 , and the second flow passage  30  are deflected within the case  10 . Meanwhile, the fans  71 , and  72  may be of an axial type which draws and discharges air in an axial direction. In this case, the first flow passage  20 , and the second flow passage  30  are, not deflected, but straight.  
         [0051]     The heat exchanger  40  is provided in the case  10 . The heat exchanger  40  has working fluid therein which repeats evaporation and condensation according to a temperature difference of the air moving through the first flow passage  20  and the second flow passage  30 . The working fluid absorbs heat when the working fluid evaporates, and discharges heat when the working fluid condenses, so that the air in the first flow passage  20  and the air in the second flow passage  30 , both are in contact with the heat exchanger  40 , make heat exchange with each other. That is, the heat exchanger  40  has one end in contact with the air in the first flow passage  20  to make heat exchange therewith, and the other end in contact with the air in the second flow passage  30  to make heat exchange therewith.  
         [0052]     For making such an operation, the heat exchanger  40  includes a heat pipe  41 . The heat pipe  41  of the heat exchanger  40  includes the working fluid for transferring heat, a closed pipe under a vacuum, and a wick in the pipe having a central hole for moving the working fluid heated at one side to the other side, and the working fluid cooled at the other side to one side. The wick has a mesh or groove shape so that a capillary tube phenomenon is made by surface tension of the working fluid.  
         [0053]     That is, the heat exchanger  40  has a coaxial tube with a capillary inner tube the working fluid is provided therein. The heat exchanger  40  has a closed circuit for the working fluid to circulate therethrough by a temperature difference between room air and outdoor air, to make heat absorption reaction at one end, and heat discharge reaction at the other end.  
         [0054]     If a room temperature is higher than an outdoor temperature, the working fluid absorbs heat from air in the first flow passage  20 , and evaporates, at one end of the heat exchanger  40 , and discharges heat to air in the second flow passage  30 , and condenses, at the other end of the heat exchanger  40 , to transfer heat from the air in the first flow passage  20  to the air in the second flow passage  30 . According to this, the heat exchanger  40  elevates a temperature of the air in the second flow passage  30 , or an opposite operation is possible to transfer heat from the second flow passage  30  to the first flow passage  20 .  
         [0055]     In the meantime, for making more efficient heat exchange, the heat exchanger  40  includes a plurality of heat pipes  41  adjacent to the fan  71 , and  72 . For making an area of the heat pipes  41  in contact with the air in the flow passages larger, the heat pipes  41  are mounted in front of the fan  71 , or  72  at which the fan  71 , or  72  has a larger air flow area. For mounting the heat pipes  41  in front of the fans  71  and  72 , the heat pipes  41  are bent. In this instance, a front of the fan  71 , or  72  is defined to be a side air is drawn therethrough.  
         [0056]     The heat exchanger  40  is passed through, and secured to the panel  40 , and the heat pipes  41  are bent at end portions of the fans  71 , and  72 , so as to be symmetry with reference to the panel  50 .  
         [0057]     In the meantime, the heat exchanger  40  further includes a plurality of fins  42  each in contact with an outside circumferential surface of the heat pipe to enlarge heat exchange surfaces with the air in the first flow passage  20 , and the second flow passage  30 . As shown, the fins  42  are fitted in zigzag to the heat pipes  41  to enlarge a contact area with air.  
         [0058]     The ventilator  1  with such a heat exchanger  40  can be compact.  
         [0059]     Moreover, there is a filter  60  mounted on an inside or on the case  10  in the second flow passage  30 , for filtering air discharged into the room. For providing a large area so that the filter  60  filters air more effectively, the filter  60  is mounted between the inside of the case  10 , and an outside of the room. That is, the filter  60  is mounted on a side through which the fan  71  or  72  draw air.  
         [0060]     The operation of the ventilator  1  will be described.  
         [0061]     Upon putting the fan  71 , and  72  into operation, room air is drawn into the case  10  through the first flow passage  20 , and discharged to an outside of the room. Outdoor air is drawn into the case  10  through the second flow passage  30 , and discharged into the room.  
         [0062]     In this instance, if a temperature of the room air is higher than a temperature of the outdoor air, the room air passing through the first flow passage  20  comes into contact with the heat exchanger  40  in the first flow passage  20 , to heat and evaporate the working fluid in the heat exchanger  40 .  
         [0063]     The evaporated working fluid moves through an inside of the heat exchanger  40 , toward the second flow passage  30 . Then, the working fluid condenses, and discharges heat at a portion in contact with the outdoor air passing through the second flow passage  30 , to transfer heat to the outdoor air. Then, the working fluid returns to a direction of the first flow passage  20  again. In this instance, the working fluid returns to the direction of the first flow passage  20  by the capillary tube phenomenon.  
         [0064]     In more detail, as described before, the heat exchanger  40  has a heat pipe  41  of a coaxial tube. The working fluid in the heat pipe  41  absorbs heat from the room air at one end thereof, and evaporate, and moves to the other end of the heat pipe  41  through an inner tube of the heat pipe  41 . Then, the working fluid is condensed, and discharges heat at the other end of the heat pipe  41 , to transfer heat to the outdoor air, and returns of one end of the heat pipe  41  along an outer pipe of wick by the capillary tube phenomenon.  
         [0065]     Thus, since working fluid circulates closed in the heat pipe  41 , the heat exchanger  40  transfers heat from the room air passing through the first flow passage  20  to the outdoor air passing through the second flow passage  30 .  
         [0066]     In the meantime, in an opposite case of above assumption, i.e., a room air temperature is lower than an outdoor air temperature, when an opposite phenomenon is occurred, the outdoor air is dropped to a lower temperature, before being discharged into the room.  
         [0067]     In the meantime, in order to form the flow passages, the case  10  has a inlet  11 , and a outlet  12  in communication with the room, and a supply port  13 , and an exhaust port  14  in communication with an outside of the room. The case  10  has a panel  50  to divide an inside space of the case  10  such that the inlet  11  and the exhaust port  14  are in communication, and the outlet  12  and the supply port  13  are in communication.  
         [0068]     In order to make the ventilator  1  compact, the exhaust port  14  is formed perpendicular to the inlet  11  such that a flow direction of air introduced into the case  10  is different from a flow direction of the air discharged to the outside of the room. The outlet  12  is perpendicular to the supply port  13  such that a flow direction of the air introduced into the case  10  is different from a flow direction of the air supplied to the room.  
         [0069]     That is, the case  10  has a rectangular section, with the supply port  11  in one side thereof. Opposite to the one side, there is the supply port  13 . In the meantime, the exhaust port  14  is formed in the other side adjacent to the one side, and the outlet  12  is also in another other side adjacent to the one side. Of course, the inlet  11  and the outlet  12  may also be formed in the same side, and the exhaust port  14  and the supply port  13  may also be formed in the same side.  
         [0070]     The fans  71 , and  72  may be mounted in at least one of spaces between the inlet  11  and the exhaust port  14 , and between the outlet  12  and the supply port  13 . Or, alternatively, the fans  71 , and  72  may be mounted in a space between the inlet  11  and the exhaust port  14 , and a space between the outlet  12  and the supply port  13 , of the divided opposite spaces of the case  10 , respectively, for more efficient movement of the air.  
         [0071]     If the fans  71 , and  72  are of a centrifugal type, the inlet  11  and the supply port  13  are provided in a direction the fans  71 , and  72  draw air, and the exhaust port  14  and the outlet  12  are provided in a direction the fans  71 , and  72  discharge air. That is, an air suction portion having the inlet  11  and the supply port  13  that draw air into the case  10  is formed in an axial direction of the fans  71 , and  72 , and an air discharge portion that discharges air to an outside of the case  10  is formed in a radial direction of the fans  71 , and  72 .  
         [0072]     In the meantime, the heat exchanger  40  has the same configuration as the foregoing description, a detailed description will be omitted.  
         [0073]     The heat exchanger  40  has a heat pipe  41  passing through the panel  50 , for heat exchanging between the air passing through the inlet and the exhaust port  14 , and the air passing through the outlet  12  and the supply port  13 . In order to provide a large heat exchange area, the heat exchanger  40  is mounted between the inlet  11  and the fans  71 , and  72 , and the supply port  13  and the fans  71 , and  72 . In order to provide thus, the heat exchanger  40  is passed through, and secured to the panel  50 , and bent at end portions of the fans  71 , and  72 , such that the heat exchanger  40  is symmetry with respect to the panel  50 .  
         [0074]     The heat exchanger  40  further includes a plurality of fins  42  in contact with an outside circumferential surface of the heat pipe  41 , to enlarge a heat exchange area. Since the fin  42  is the same configuration with the foregoing one, detailed description of the fin  42  will be omitted.  
         [0075]     Moreover, there is a filter  60  mounted on an inside or on an outside surface of the case  10 . The filter filters air discharged into the room through the case  10 . In more detail, the filter  60  is provided to the supply port  13 . Of course, the filter  60  may be mounted on the outlet  12  or an inside of the case  10 .  
         [0076]     The operation of the ventilator  1  will be described.  
         [0077]     Upon putting the fans  71 , and  72  into operation, the room air is drawn into the case  10  through the inlet  11 , and discharged to an outside of the room through the exhaust port  14 . Outdoor air is drawn into the case  10  through the supply port  13 , and discharged into the room through the outlet  12 .  
         [0078]     In this instance, if the room air temperature is higher than an outdoor air temperature, the air being discharged to an outside of the room is brought into contact with one side of the heat exchanger  40 , to heat, and evaporate the working fluid in the heat exchanger  40 .  
         [0079]     The evaporated working fluid moves inside of the heat exchanger  40 , to the other side of the heat exchanger  40 . Then, the working fluid is condensed, and discharges heat at a portion where the other side of the heat exchanger  40  is in contact with the air discharged into the room, to transfer heat to the air discharged into the room. Then, the working fluid returns to the one side of the heat exchanger  40  again. In this instance, the working fluid returns to the one side of the heat exchanger  40  by the capillary tube phenomenon.  
         [0080]     In the meantime, in an opposite case of above assumption, i.e., the room air temperature is lower than the outdoor air temperature, when an opposite phenomenon occurs, the outdoor air drops to a lower temperature, before the outdoor air is discharged into the room.  
         [0081]     As has been described, by using a heat pipe as a heat exchanger, the ventilator of the present invention can reduce a height of the case substantially, permitting to reduce a height of each story of a building that uses such the ventilators.  
         [0082]     Moreover, since the ventilator has a structure in which the room air and the outdoor air do not cross, air resistance, and noise can be reduced, significantly. Furthermore, the filter provided to a portion through which the outdoor air is drawn, a contact area of the filter is increased, to reduce damage of the filter by an air pressure, and enhance efficiency.  
         [0083]     It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the inventions. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.