Patent Application
20240255181
This application claims the benefit of priority to Korean Patent Application Nos. 10-2023-0013904 and 10-2024-0010421, filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office on Feb. 1, 2023 and Jan. 23, 2024, respectively, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
The present disclosure relates to an air heating apparatus for heating.
In North American homes, heating may be performed by supplying heated air through a duct connected to each room. A device called a gas furnace is usually used to heat the air. The heating may be supplied in such a manner that the gas furnace generates heat by burning fuel and transfers the heat to the air and the heated air is distributed to each room.
In general, by allowing high-temperature combustion gas generated by a combustion reaction in a burner to flow through a pipe included in a heat exchanger and allowing the air to flow around the pipe, the gas furnace conducts heat exchange between the air and the combustion gas in the heat exchanger and heats up the air.
The gas furnace may cause problems such as leakage of combustion gas and drying of air in a house. In order to compensate for the aforementioned problems with the gas furnace, it may be considered to apply a new type of furnace called a hydro furnace.
In general, by heating up water using high-temperature combustion gas generated by a combustion reaction in a burner, allowing the heated water to flow through a pipe of a heat exchanger, and allowing air to flow around the pipe using a fan, the hydro furnace conducts heat exchange between the water and the air and heats up the air.
The fan of the hydro furnace may be disposed inside the lower side of the product. In this case, when repairs are required due to a failure in the fan, the fan has to be separated after an expansion tank located in front of the fan is separated. Therefore, there is a need for the development of a hydro furnace that reduces the inconvenience of separation.
The present disclosure has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems occurring in the prior art while advantages achieved by the prior art are maintained intact.
An aspect of the present disclosure provides an air heating apparatus for facilitating separating a fan.
The technical problems to be solved by the present disclosure are not limited to the aforementioned problems, and any other technical problems not mentioned herein will be clearly understood from the following description by those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure pertains.
According to an aspect of the present disclosure, an air heating apparatus includes an expansion tank that stores water, a water heating device that receives heat from combustion gas generated by a combustion reaction and heats the water, a heating heat exchanger that receives the water heated by the water heating device and conducts heat exchange between air to be released for heating and the water, a fan that supplies the air to the heating heat exchanger, and a case in which the water heating device, the expansion tank, the heating heat exchanger, and the fan are disposed. The case includes an outer box, a first partition wall that is coupled to the outer box and that extends in a reference direction to divide the inside of the outer box into a first partition space and a second partition space, a second partition wall disposed in the first partition space so as to be perpendicular to the first partition wall, and a third partition wall disposed in the second partition space so as to be perpendicular to the first partition wall. The expansion tank and the fan are coupled to the third partition wall.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present disclosure will be more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings:
Hereinafter, some embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the exemplary drawings. In adding the reference numerals to the components of each drawing, it should be noted that the identical or equivalent component is designated by the identical numeral even when they are displayed on other drawings. Further, in describing the embodiment of the present disclosure, a detailed description of well-known features or functions will be ruled out in order not to unnecessarily obscure the gist of the present disclosure.
Referring to
In this specification, a front-rear direction, a left-right direction, and an up-down direction are referred to for convenience of description and may be perpendicular to one another. However, these directions are determined relative to the direction in which the air heating apparatus 1 is arranged. The up-down direction may not necessarily mean the vertical direction.
The heating system may further include a separate heater 4 to generate hot water and may have a condenser 2 as an outdoor unit. The condenser 2 may supply a refrigerant to the air heating apparatus 1 in summer to cause the supply of cool air through the air heating apparatus 1.
First, basic components of the air heating apparatus according to one embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
For reference, in each of the drawings, some components such as the outer box may be omitted for convenience of illustration.
Referring to the drawings, the air heating apparatus 1 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include a case 10, an expansion tank 20, a water heating device 30, a heating heat exchanger 40, and a fan 50. In brief overview of the overall air heating mechanism, the air heating apparatus 1 provides water stored in the expansion tank 20 to the water heating device 30, causes the water heating device 30 to heat the water, and sends the heated water to the heating heat exchanger 40. The heated water sent to the heating heat exchanger 40 heats up air supplied from the fan 50, and the heated air is delivered to each room. Hereinafter, the components will be described in more detail.
The case 10 may have the expansion tank 20, the water heating device 30, the heating heat exchanger 40, and the fan 50 disposed therein. The case 10 may include the outer box 11, the first opening cover 13, a first partition wall 14, a second partition wall 15, and a third partition wall 16.
The outer box 11 may have a first opening 12 formed at one side thereof in the reference direction D that is a direction perpendicular to the up-down direction. For example, the reference direction D may be the front direction. The first opening cover 13 may be coupled to the outer box 11 and may cover the first opening 12 when coupled to the outer box 11. The first opening cover 13 may be separated from the outer box 11 for repair inside the air heating apparatus 1. For example, the first opening cover 13 may include an upper cover that covers an upper portion of the first opening 12 with respect to the first partition wall 14 to be described below and a lower cover that covers a lower portion of the first opening 12 with respect to the first partition wall 14. However, without being necessarily limited thereto, the first opening cover 13 may have a shape that covers the entire first opening 12.
The first partition wall 14 may be coupled to the outer box 11 and may extend in the reference direction D to divide the inside of the outer box 11 into a first partition space S1 and a second partition space S2.
The second partition wall 15 may be disposed perpendicular to the first partition wall 14 in the outer box 11 and may divide the first partition space S1 into a first-first partition space S1-1 and a first-second partition space S1-2. The second partition wall 15 may be separable from the inside of the outer box 11. This may mean that the second partition wall 15 is detachably coupled to the inside of the outer box 11.
The third partition wall 16 may be disposed perpendicular to the first partition wall 14 in the outer box 11 and may divide the second partition space S2 into a second-first partition space S2-1 and a second-second partition space S2-2. This may mean that the inside of the case 10 is divided into four spaces in a 2×2 form. The third partition wall 16 may be separable from the inside of the outer box 11. This may mean that the third partition wall 16 is detachably coupled to the inside of the outer box 11.
For example, the length of the first-first partition space S1-1 in the up-down direction may correspond to the length of the first-second partition space S1-2 in the up-down direction, and the length of the second-first partition space S2-1 in the up-down direction may correspond to the length of the second-second partition space S2-2 in the up-down direction. The expression “correspond to” used herein does not necessarily mean that the lengths are equal to each other, but may be construed as a concept including the case in which the lengths have a certain proportional relationship. For example, the ratio between the length of the first-first partition space S1-1 in the up-down direction and the length of the second-first partition space S2-1 in the up-down direction may be equal to the ratio between the length of the first-second partition space S1-2 in the up-down direction and the length of the second-second partition space S2-2 in the up-down direction. However, without being necessarily limited thereto, various modifications may be made according to needs such as the sizes and installation spaces of internal components.
As described above, the length of the first-first partition space S1-1 in the up-down direction may correspond to the length of the first-second partition space S1-2 in the up-down direction, and the length of the second-first partition space S2-1 in the up-down direction may correspond to the length of the second-second partition space S2-2 in the up-down direction. Accordingly, removal and mounting of each component may be facilitated, and thus ease of customer service, such as after-sales service, may be improved.
The length of the first-first partition space S1-1 in the reference direction D may be shorter than the length of the first-second partition space S1-2 in the reference direction D. The length of the second-first partition space S2-1 in the reference direction D may be shorter than the length of the second-second partition space S2-2 in the reference direction D. The length of the first-first partition space S1-1 in the reference direction D may correspond to the length of the second-first partition space S2-1 in the reference direction D. The length of the first-second partition space S1-2 in the reference direction D may correspond to the length of the second-second partition space S2-2 in the reference direction D.
The length of each space in the direction perpendicular to the up-down direction and the reference direction D is referred to as the width. The width of the first-first partition space S1-1 may be greater than or equal to the width of the first-second partition space S1-2. The width of the second-first partition space S2-1 may be greater than or equal to the width of the second-second partition space S2-2. The width of the first-first partition space S1-1 may correspond to the width of the second-first partition space S2-1. The width of the first-second partition space S1-2 may correspond to the width of the second-second partition space S2-2.
When the width of the first-first partition space S1-1 is greater than or equal to the width of the first-second partition space S1-2 and the width of the second-first partition space S2-1 is greater than or equal to the width of the second-second partition space S2-2, convenience in removing and mounting a product for user service may be increased.
For example, the first partition space S1 may be disposed above the second partition space S2. The water heating device 30 may be disposed in the first-first partition space S1-1. The heating heat exchanger 40 may be disposed in the first-second partition space S1-2. The expansion tank 20 may be disposed in the second-first partition space S2-1. The fan 50 may be disposed in the second-second partition space S2-2. To allow the air supplied from the fan 50 to be delivered to the heating heat exchanger 40, a passage through which the air passes may be formed in a portion of the first partition wall 14 that is located between the first-second partition space S1-2 and the second-second partition space S2-2.
The expansion tank 20 may store water. The water may be introduced from an external water source. The expansion tank 20 may be formed to accept a volume change depending on a change in the temperature of the water. The expansion tank 20 may be connected to a main passage 60. The main passage 60 may be a passage that connects the expansion tank 20, the water heating device 30, and the heating heat exchanger 40. That is, the water in the expansion tank 20 may be introduced from the expansion tank 20 into the heating heat exchanger 40 via the water heating device 30. Accordingly, the main passage 60 may penetrate the first partition wall 14.
The expansion tank 20 may accept volume expansion of the water flowing through the main passage 60. The expansion tank 20 may be of an open type.
In the state in which the expansion tank 20 is filled with the water, the pressure in the expansion tank 20 may be changed when temperature changes or when the water enters or exits the expansion tank 20. Accordingly, the water accommodated in the expansion tank 20 may be provided to other components along the main passage 60.
A water level sensor may be disposed in the expansion tank 20 to sense the water level in the expansion tank 20. The water level sensor may be connected with a controller 80.
The water heating device 30 is a component that heats introduced water and then releases the heated water. To heat the introduced water, the water heating device 30 may cause a combustion reaction and may transfer heat generated from the combustion reaction to the introduced water.
The water heating device 30 may include a burner 31 and a heat exchanger 32. The burner 31 causes the combustion reaction. The burner 31 may receive fuel and air and may cause the combustion reaction by forming a flame in a mixture of the fuel and the air using a spark plug. For this operation, the burner 31 may include a blower that blows out the air, a fuel nozzle that injects the fuel, and the spark plug that causes a spark for ignition.
The burner 31 may further include a mixing chamber and may cause the fuel and the air to be mixed with each other in the mixing chamber. Heat and combustion gas may be generated by the combustion reaction. The heat and the combustion gas may be transferred to the introduced water. The fuel may be natural gas containing methane and ethane that is used for power generation, or may be oil. However, the type of fuel is not limited thereto. The flame formed by the combustion reaction caused by the burner 31 may be located in an inner space of a combustion chamber under the burner 31. The combustion chamber may be a wet-type combustion chamber. For example, a water pipe through which water passes may be disposed on side surfaces of the combustion chamber in a form surrounding the side surfaces of the combustion chamber. In a process in which heat in the combustion chamber is radiated to the outside of the combustion chamber, some of the heat may be transferred to the water in the water pipe.
However, without being limited to the wet-type combustion chamber, the combustion chamber may have various modified examples including a dry-type combustion chamber.
The heat exchanger 32 is disposed to transfer heat generated from the burner 31 to the introduced water. The heat exchanger 32 may be disposed under the burner 31.
Meanwhile, the heat exchanger 32 may have an integrated heat exchanger structure. The integrated heat exchanger structure may refer to a heat exchanger structure in which different types of heat exchange mediums are distributed. Since the heat exchanger 32 has the integrated heat exchanger structure, the heat exchanger 32 may have a structure with a reduced overall height while maintaining the performance, when compared to a heat exchanger used in a general condensing boiler. Accordingly, although the internal structure of the air heating apparatus 1 is narrow, the overall height of the water heating device 30 may be decreased. Due to this, several components may be easily disposed inside the air heating apparatus 1, and the overall size of the air heating apparatus 1 may be made small.
The heat exchanger 32 may include a sensible heat exchanger and a latent heat exchanger. The sensible heat exchanger and the latent heat exchanger may be fin-tube type heat exchangers, each of which includes fins and tubes through which water flows, or may be plate-type heat exchangers, each of which is formed by stacking a plurality of plates. However, the types thereof are not limited thereto. The water introduced into the heat exchanger 32 may be heated while passing through the latent heat exchanger and the sensible heat exchanger in sequence.
When the sensible heat exchanger and the latent heat exchanger are implemented with the fin-tube type heat exchangers, the fins may be formed in a plate shape and may be penetrated by the tubes. The fins may be spaced apart from each other in the direction in which the tubes extend. The combustion gas may flow through the spaces between the fins and the spaces between the tubes, and the water may exchange heat with the combustion gas while flowing through the tubes.
In a cross-section obtained by cutting each of the tubes with a plane perpendicular to the extension direction of the tube, the inner space may have a long narrow hole shape extending in the up-down direction. The inner space of the tube may be formed such that the value obtained by dividing the height in the up-down direction in the above-described cross-section by the width in the front-rear direction perpendicular to the up-down direction is more than 2.
The sensible heat exchanger receives heat generated by the combustion reaction and heats the water flowing through the inside of the sensible heat exchanger. Accordingly, the sensible heat exchanger may be disposed adjacent to the burner 31. The sensible heat exchanger may not be blocked against the flame, and the combustion gas may pass through the sensible heat exchanger.
The latent heat exchanger heats the water flowing through the inside of the latent heat exchanger by using latent heat of the combustion gas generated by the combustion reaction. Since the latent heat exchanger uses the latent heat of the combustion gas, the latent heat exchanger transfers, to the water flowing through the inside of the latent heat exchanger, heat generated when moisture in the combustion gas is condensed. Accordingly, the latent heat exchanger may be disposed behind the sensible heat exchanger based on the flow direction of the combustion gas such that the combustion gas, the temperature of which is lowered due to the transfer of heat to the water in the sensible heat exchanger, reaches the latent heat exchanger and is condensed. The tubes included in the latent heat exchanger may be disposed in different positions in the flow direction of the combustion gas to form a plurality of rows.
The sensible heat exchanger and the latent heat exchanger may be disposed in-line with the main passage 60 such that the water is introduced into the sensible heat exchanger through the latent heat exchanger. Accordingly, after firstly heated in the latent heat exchanger, the water may be secondly heated in the sensible heat exchanger and may be delivered to the heating heat exchanger 40 to be described below.
The water heating device 30 may further include a sensible heat insulating pipe outside the sensible heat exchanger. The sensible heat insulating pipe is a pipe that makes direct or indirect contact with the sensible heat exchanger and through which heating water flows to perform heat insulation on the sensible heat exchanger.
In the water heating device 30, the burner 31, the sensible heat exchanger, and the latent heat exchanger may be disposed in sequence from top to bottom. Accordingly, the combustion gas may flow downward. However, the flow direction of the combustion gas is not limited thereto.
The heat exchanger 32 may include a heat exchange housing and may be configured in such a manner that the sensible heat exchanger and the latent heat exchanger are disposed in the heat exchange housing. The combustion gas may pass through the space in the heat exchange housing and may exchange heat with the water flowing through the tubes of each heat exchanger.
The area of a cross-section obtained by cutting the inner space of the heat exchange housing with a plane perpendicular to the flow direction of the combustion gas is referred to as a reference cross-sectional area. The heat exchange housing may include a tapered region in which the reference cross-sectional area decreases in the flow direction of the combustion gas and a section in which the reference cross-sectional area does not decease. The reference cross-sectional area at a downstream end of the heat exchange housing based on the flow direction of the combustion gas may be smaller than the reference cross-sectional area at an upstream end of the heat exchange housing based on the flow direction of the combustion gas. The reference cross-sectional area at an upstream end of the latent heat exchanger based on the flow direction of the combustion gas may be smaller than the reference cross-sectional area at a downstream end of the sensible heat exchanger based on the flow direction of the combustion gas. Accordingly, as compared with when the reference cross-sectional area is maintained, the degree to which the flow speed is reduced when the combustion gas flows from the sensible heat exchanger toward the latent heat exchanger may be reduced, and the combustion gas may push condensate located between the fins or between the tubes. Thus, the structure of the heat exchange housing may prevent the condensate from causing a stagnant flow of the combustion gas in the latent heat exchanger to decrease thermal efficiency. The fins of each heat exchanger may be formed according to the shape of the inner space of the above-described heat exchange housing.
The order in which the water flows from the heat exchanger 32 will be described. The water may be introduced into the latent heat exchanger of the heat exchanger 32. The water may condense water vapor of the combustion gas flowing around the latent heat exchanger and may be heated by latent heat generated in the condensation process. The water heated in the latent heat exchanger may be delivered to the sensible heat exchanger and may be heated in a manner of receiving heat generated by the combustion reaction. The water heated in the heat exchanger 32 may be delivered to the heating heat exchanger 40. The water delivered to the heating heat exchanger 40 may be cooled by transferring heat to air passing through the heating heat exchanger 40.
The heat exchange housing may include left and right side surfaces and flow passage cap plates that cover the left and right side surfaces. The flow passage cap plates are plates including flow passage caps that form inner spaces together with the left and right side surfaces by covering the left and right side surfaces of the heat exchange housing through which the tubes pass. The flow passage caps and the tubes may be fluidically connected with each other to form a passage through which the water flows in the heat exchanger 32. The passage formed in the heat exchanger 32 by the flow passage caps and the tubes may include a parallel section and a serial section.
An air inlet 33 for supplying outside air to the water heating device 30 may be formed through an upper sidewall of the case 10. The air introduced through the air inlet 33 may be provided to the burner 31 of the water heating device 30. The combustion gas generated by the combustion reaction in the water heating device 30 may be delivered to a gas outlet 34 formed through the upper sidewall of the case 10 through an exhaust duct and may be discharged to the outside. Since the combustion gas is located only in the water heating device 30 and discharged through the gas outlet 34, there is no risk that the combustion gas is mixed with air supplied to each room.
The heating heat exchanger 40 is a component for heat exchange between water and air. The heating heat exchanger 40 may receive the water and may conduct heat exchange between the air to be released for heating and the water.
The heating heat exchanger 40 may be disposed adjacent to the upper sidewall of the case 10. The heating heat exchanger 40 may include a heat exchange tube 42 through which the water heated by the water heating device 30 flows. The heat exchange tube 42 may be formed in a pipe shape such that the water flows through the heat exchange tube 42 and the air supplied by the fan 50 flows around the heat exchange tube 42. The heat exchange tube 42 may be configured to form a meandering passage in the front-rear direction and the left-right direction. The heat exchange tube 42 may be formed of a material including aluminum and copper.
Since the heat exchange tube 42 is formed of the above-described material and is configured such that the water flows through the heat exchange tube 42, the following effects may be expected. Unlike a pipe of a gas furnace in the related art that experiences excessive thermal expansion and contraction caused by combustion gas flowing through the pipe and air flowing around the pipe and is likely to suffer from cracking and combustion gas leakage, the heat exchange tube 42 may reduce the risk of cracking, and even though the heat exchange tube 42 is cracked, the combustion gas may not be leaked into the air, but only the water may be leaked out of the heat exchange tube 42. Accordingly, safety may be greatly enhanced. In addition, since the heat exchange between the water and the air is performed through the heat exchange tube 42 in the heating heat exchanger 40 of the present disclosure, the air may be heated while humidity is maintained, and thus a separate humidity control device is not required.
The heat exchange tube 42 may form a plurality of layers disposed in different positions in the up-down direction. In the present disclosure, the heat exchange tube 42 is illustrated as forming four layers. However, the number of layers is not limited thereto. In addition, the heat exchange tube 42 may be formed in a form in which the four layers are all connected in series, or may be formed in a form in which series connection and parallel connection are mixed.
The heat exchange tube 42 may include straight members extending in the front-rear direction and connecting members connecting the distal ends of the straight members adjacent to each other. The connecting members may include same-layer connecting members and different-layer connecting members. The straight members may be arranged in the left-right direction, and the same-layer connecting members may be disposed at the front and rear ends of the straight members and may connect the distal ends of the straight members adjacent to each other to form a passage. The different-layer connecting members may connect the distal ends of the straight members located in adjacent layers to form a passage. Each of the connecting members may be formed in the shape of “U”.
The heating heat exchanger 40 may further include a distribution pipe 44. The distribution pipe 44 may receive the water from the water heating device 30 and may distribute the water to each layer constituted by the heat exchange tube 42. The distribution pipe 44 may include a distribution delivery pipe and a distribution head. The distribution delivery pipe may be connected with the main passage 60 and may receive the heated water through the heat exchanger 32, and the water may flow in the distribution head connected with the distribution delivery pipe. The distribution head may extend in the left-right direction and may be connected to the plurality of straight members. Accordingly, a parallel passage constituted by a plurality of partial passages having a common inlet and a common outlet may be formed by the distribution head. Here, the inlet of the parallel passage may be the distribution head. The entire passage formed by the heat exchange tube 42 may include a section constituted by the above-described parallel passage.
The straight members connected to the distribution head may be straight members located in the uppermost layer among the layers formed by the heat exchange tube 42. The water may be delivered to the uppermost layer of the heat exchange tube 42 and may flow to the lowermost layer along the layers formed by the heat exchange tube 42. In this process, the water may transfer heat to the air passing around the heat exchange tube. That is, in the heating heat exchanger 40, the air supplied by the fan 50 may flow in the upward direction, and the water may entirely move in the downward direction. Accordingly, the heating heat exchanger 40 may have a counter-flow structure.
The heating heat exchanger 40 may further include a collection pipe 45 that returns the water having transferred heat to the air to the water heating device 30. The collection pipe 45 may include a collection delivery pipe and a collection head. The heat exchange tube 42 may be connected to the collection head, and cooled water may be delivered to the collection head. The collection head may be connected with the collection delivery pipe and may allow the cooled water to be delivered to a recovery passage 70 connected to the collection delivery pipe. The collection head may extend in the left-right direction and may be connected to the plurality of straight members. Accordingly, the collection head may be the outlet of the parallel passage, and the parallel passage may end at the collection head. Thus, the water may be collected in the collection head. The straight members connected to the collection head may be straight members located in the lowermost layer among the layers formed by the heat exchange tube 42.
The heating heat exchanger 40 may have a plurality of heat transfer fins 43 that cross the heat exchange tube 42 and that are penetrated by the heat exchange tube 42. The heat transfer fins 43 may be formed in a plate shape perpendicular to the front-rear direction and may be arranged in the front-rear direction. The heat transfer fins 43 may more easily transfer heat of the water flowing through the heat exchange tube 42 to ambient air. Air may pass between the heat exchange tube 42 and the heat transfer fins 43 in the upward direction. The heat transfer fins 43 and the heat exchange tube 42 may be fixed by a heating heat exchange housing 41. The heat transfer fins 43 may be disposed in the heating heat exchange housing 41. The heating heat exchange housing 41 may be fixed to the case 10.
The fan 50 supplies air to the heating heat exchanger 40. To supply the air upward and cause the air to pass through the heating heat exchanger 40, the fan 50 may be disposed under the heating heat exchanger 40, and the outlet of the fan 50 through which the air is released may be disposed to face upward. The fan 50 may include components, such as a motor and blades, and may be electrically connected with the controller 80. As the fan 50 is electrically controlled to operate, the motor may rotate the blades to supply the air. The fan 50 may include an impeller to forcibly feed the air.
The length of the fan 50 in the reference direction D may be shorter than the length of the second-first partition space S2-1 in the reference direction D. In addition, the length of the fan 50 in the up-down direction may be shorter than the length of the second-first partition space S2-1 in the up-down direction. An air supply space that is an empty space may be formed between the fan 50 and the heating heat exchanger 40 in the inner space of the case 10.
An air circulation process from the fan 50 will be described. Air introduced into the fan 50 may be supplied upward. The supplied air may pass through the heating heat exchanger 40. The air, while passing through the heating heat exchanger 40, may receive heat from water flowing through the heating heat exchanger 40 and may be heated. The heated air may be released outside the case 10 and may be fed into each room of the house through the duct 3. The air fed into each room or cool air introduced into the house from the outside may be introduced into the case 10 again and may enter the inlet of the fan 50.
Hereinafter, the main passage 60 and the recovery passage 70 that connect the components will be described in detail. The main passage 60 may refer to a passage that connects the expansion tank 20, the water heating device 30, and the heating heat exchanger 40. The recovery passage 70 may refer to a passage that connects the heating heat exchanger 40 and the main passage 60 and guides water introduced into the heating heat exchanger 40 to the main passage 60. Accordingly, the recovery passage 70 may penetrate the first partition wall 14. Meanwhile, the term “passage” used herein may mean that the insides of components through which fluid is able to flow are connected by pipes or hoses, through which the fluid is able to flow, to form a path along which the fluid flows.
The controller 80 may control the temperature of water that passes through the heating heat exchanger 40 along the main passage 60 and returns to the water heating device 30. The controller 80 may include a processor and a memory. The processor is a component that includes an element capable of logic operation of executing a control command. The processor may include a central processing unit (CPU). The processor may be connected to various types of components and may transfer signals depending on control commands to the respective components to perform control. The processor may be connected to various sensors or acquisition devices and may receive obtained information in a signal form. Accordingly, in one embodiment of the present disclosure, the processor may be electrically connected to various components included in the air heating apparatus 1. The processor may be electrically connected with the components. The processor may be wiredly connected to the components, or may additionally have a communication module capable of wireless communication to communicate with the components.
The processor may be electrically connected with the components of the integrated air heating apparatus 1 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure and may perform an operation using received information and transfer control signals. Accordingly, the processor may control the components in optimal states, and the components may automatically operate in conjunction with one another. In addition, due to integrated interlocking control of the processor, as will be described below, the processor may obtain, integrate, and control information obtained from circulating water and air or control data in real time. Accordingly, the processor may maintain even efficiency and may automatically provide optimum settings suitable for the entire system.
The control commands executed by the processor may be stored in the memory and may be used. The memory may be a device such as a hard disk drive (HDD), a solid state drive (SSD), a server, a volatile medium, a non-volatile medium, or the like, but the type thereof is not limited thereto. In addition, data required for the processor to perform tasks may be additionally stored in the memory.
The controller 80 may be disposed in the second-first partition space S2-1. A panel assembly 90 including a display, a button, and the like that a user manipulates to operate the controller 80 may be disposed on the first opening cover 13.
The controller 80 may control the temperature of returned water by controlling the flow rate of water flowing in the main passage 60. When the flow rate of the water flowing in the main passage 60 is controlled to be decreased, the water may flow in the heating heat exchanger 40 for a longer period of time than when not and may transfer a large amount of heat to air, and thus the temperature of the returned water may be decreased. In contrast, when the flow rate of the water flowing in the main passage 60 is controlled to be increased, the temperature of the returned water may be increased than when not.
The controller 80 may be electrically connected with the burner 31 and may control the burner 31 to adjust the amount of heat transferred to water. To mix fuel and air and use the mixture in combustion, the burner 31 may include the blower that blows out air, and the controller 80 may adjust the operating speed of the blower to adjust the flow rate of air supplied to a portion where a flame is generated.
As the flow rate of air is adjusted, the amount of heat generated by the combustion reaction in the water heating device 30 may be adjusted. Accordingly, the air heating apparatus 1 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may have a high turn-down ratio of 6:1 to 10:1. Thus, the air heating apparatus 1 may maintain constant efficiency by appropriately adjusting the amount of heat or the flow rate of water according to operating situations with different loads, such as low-load operation and high-load operation.
Meanwhile, an external interlocking controller may be additionally disposed in the second-first partition space S2-1. The external interlocking controller may be disposed adjacent to the first opening cover 13 of the case 10. The external interlocking controller may exchange data with devices (e.g., a thermostat in the house) located outside the air heating apparatus 1. The external interlocking controller may transfer data obtained from the devices located outside the air heating apparatus 1 to the controller 80. The controller 80 may perform the above-described controls, based on the data transferred from the external interlocking controller.
For reference, in some drawings, some components are omitted for convenience of description. Hereinafter, the structure for facilitating the separation of the fan will be described in detail with reference to
The expansion tank 20 and the fan 50 may be coupled to the third partition wall 16. Since the expansion tank 20 and the fan 50 are coupled to the third partition wall 16, the fan 50 may be separated together when the expansion tank 20 is separated from the outer box 11.
The air heating apparatus 1 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may further include the support member 91. One end portion of the support member 91 may be coupled to the third partition wall 16, and an opposite end portion of the support member 91 may be connected to the fan 50 to support the fan 50 upward. The support member 91 may be a member that prevents the fan 50 from colliding with the ground due to the weight of the fan 50 when the fan 50 is separated from the outer box 11. The support member 91 may include a pair of support members 91.
The pair of support members 91 may be spaced apart from each other in a separation direction SD.
For example, the cross-section of the support member 91 may have a shape similar to the shape of “W” to secure rigidity. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. In another example, the support member may have a cross-sectional shape advantageous for securing rigidity.
Hereinafter, the direction perpendicular to the up-down direction and the reference direction D is referred to as the separation direction SD. The separation direction SD may be the left-right direction.
The air heating apparatus 1 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may further include a rib member 92. The rib member 92 may extend in the separation direction SD and may connect the pair of support members 91 to each other.
Since the air heating apparatus 1 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure has the rib member 92, the pair of support members 91 may be connected to each other, and structural robustness may be secured accordingly.
As illustrated in
The coupling member 93 may include a first coupling part 93a, a second coupling part 93b, and the third coupling part 93c.
The first coupling part 93a may be a part brought into contact with the lower surface of the end portion of the fan 50 that faces in the reference direction D. The second coupling part 93b may be a part protruding from the first coupling part 93a in the direction opposite to the reference direction D. The second coupling part 93b may penetrate the support member 91. The third coupling part 93c may be a part protruding upward from an end portion of the second coupling part 93b that faces in the direction opposite to the reference direction D. The second coupling part 93b and the third coupling part 93c may be parts connected with each other so as to be bent. This may mean that the angle formed by the second coupling part 93b and the third coupling part 93c is able to be changed.
For example, the user may prevent separation of the support member 91 by allowing the support member 91 to be sequentially penetrated by the third coupling part 93c and the second coupling part 93b in a state in which the second coupling part 93b and the third coupling part 93c are disposed side by side and bending the third coupling part 93c relative to the second coupling part 93b.
The air heating apparatus 1 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include the fastening bolt 94. The fastening bolt 94 may penetrate the third coupling part 93c and the support member 91 and may fasten the third coupling part 93c and the opposite end portion of the support member 91. The fastening bolt 94 may be a structure for more assuredly preventing the support member 91 and the coupling member 93 from being separated from each other due to vibration of the fan 50.
Since the support member 91 supports the fan 50 such that the fan 50 stands on its own, the air heating apparatus 1 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may have an advantageous effect in terms of material management and productivity and may have an effect that a separate packaging material for self-standing is not required upon delivery.
Hereinafter, the structure for facilitating the separation of the fan 50 from the outer box 11 will be described in detail. The air heating apparatus 1 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include the protruding member 95. The protruding member 95 may be coupled to the fan 50. The protruding member 95 may protrude from the fan 50 in the reference direction D and may penetrate the third partition wall 16. The protruding member 95 may be a structure that connects the fan 50 and the third partition wall 16 and may be a member that facilitates the separation of the fan 50. For example, the protruding member 95 may include a pair of protruding members, and the expansion tank 20 may be disposed between the pair of protruding members.
The protruding member 95 may include an extending region 95a and a grip region 95b. The extending region 95a may extend in the reference direction D. The grip region 95b may protrude in the separation direction SD or the opposite direction from an end portion of the extending region 95a that faces in the reference direction D. Due to the existence of the grip region 95b, more convenient separation may be possible when the user wants to separate the fan 50 from the outer box 11. Specifically, the user may move the fan 50 in the reference direction D by directly gripping the grip region 95b or gripping the extending region 95a in a state in which a portion of the user's hand is supported on the grip region 95b.
The protruding member 95 may include a contact region 95c. The contact region 95c may protrude from the extending region 95a in the separation direction SD or the opposite direction and may be brought into contact with a side of the third partition wall 16 that faces in the direction opposite to the reference direction D. The contact region 95c may be fastened with the third partition wall 16 through a member such as a bolt. When the extending region 95a is moved in the reference direction D, the contact region 95c may press, in the reference direction D, the side of the third partition wall 16 that faces in the direction opposite to the reference direction D.
The protruding member 95 may include the outer protruding region 95d. The outer protruding region 95d may be a region that protrudes in the direction toward the outside of the fan 50 when viewed from above. Here, the direction toward the outside may be the separation direction SD or the opposite direction. The outer protruding region 95d may be a component on which the seating member 17 to be described below is seated. In addition, the outer protruding region 95d may be a component for performing guiding when the fan 50 is disposed inside the outer box 11.
The seating member 17 may be coupled to the lower side of the first partition wall 14 so as to have a separation space in the up-down direction between the first partition wall 14 and the seating member 17. The seating member 17 may be coupled to a portion of the lower side of the first partition wall 14 that corresponds to the outer protruding region 95d. The outer protruding region 95d may be seated on the seating member 17.
An end portion of the seating member 17 in the reference direction D may be formed to be inclined downward. This is to facilitate seating the extending region 95a on the seating member 17 by guiding the extending region 95a along the inclined surface when the fan 50 is disposed inside the outer box 11.
The seating member 17 may be located outward of a fan locking member 19 when viewed in the up-down direction. The fan locking member 19 may be a region that is formed on the first partition wall 14 and to which a frame 52 of the fan 50 is locked. Since the seating member 17 is located outward of the fan locking member 19, the frame 52 of the fan 50 may pass the seating member 17 without being stopped by the seating member 17 while the fan 50 passes adjacent to the seating member 17. Likewise to the seating member 17, the fan locking member 19 may also have an end portion that faces in the reference direction D and that is inclined downward.
The protruding member 95 may include a locking region 95e. The fan 50 may have a locking hole 51 formed at a position corresponding to the locking region 95e. The locking region 95e may be locked to the locking hole 51. As the locking hole 51 is connected with the locking region 95e, the protruding member 95 may be guided to be disposed at an exact position of the fan 50.
Meanwhile, since the expansion tank 20 and the fan 50 are connected, the length in the reference direction D may be longer than the length of each of the expansion tank 20 and the fan 50. As the length in the reference direction D is increased, it may be difficult to tilt the expansion tank 20 and the fan 50 in the front-rear direction in the space under the first partition wall 14. Hereinafter, a structure that the air heating apparatus 1 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure further includes accordingly will be described in detail.
As illustrated in
For example, a protruding region 14′ protruding upward may be formed on the first partition wall 14. An assembly guide hole 18″ may be formed on one side of the cover coupling member 18 that faces in the direction opposite to the reference direction D. The assembly guide hole 18″ may be recessed from the side of the cover coupling member 18 facing in the direction opposite to the reference direction D to correspond to the shape of one side of the protruding region 14′ that faces in the reference direction D. The assembly guide hole 18″ may be a hole for guiding the cover coupling member 18. Due to the engagement relationship between the protruding region 14′ and the assembly guide hole 18″, coupling the cover coupling member 18 to the first partition wall 14 may be facilitated.
For example, a case in which the cover coupling member 18 does not exist separately and an end portion of the first partition wall 14 in the reference direction D protrudes downward and has a region corresponding to the cover coupling member 18 may be considered. In this case, the size of an entrance through which the expansion tank 20 and the fan 50 connected with each other enter the inner space may be relatively small. When the size of the entrance is relatively small, it may be difficult to tilt the expansion tank 20 and the fan 50 connected with each other in the front-rear direction for assembly. In this case, the expansion tank 20 and the fan 50 have to be lifted in a direction perpendicular to the up-down direction and then inserted into the outer box 11 without being tilted, which makes assembly difficult.
Since the air heating apparatus 1 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure has the structure in which the separate cover coupling member 18 is coupled to the first partition wall 14, the cover coupling member 18 may be coupled after the expansion tank 20 and the fan 50 enter the inner space, and thus the size of the entrance through which the expansion tank 20 and the fan 50 connected with each other enter the inner space may be secured to be relatively large. Accordingly, a space in which the expansion tank 20 and the fan 50 connected with each other are able to be tilted in the front-rear direction for assembly may be further secured. As a result, it may be allowed to tilt the expansion tank 20 and the fan 50, and the assembly performance may be improved.
Hereinafter, a disassembly process of the expansion tank 20 and the fan 50 will be described in detail with reference to the above description and the drawings. An assembly process may be understood as a reverse process of the disassembly process.
First, the user separates the first opening cover 13 from the cover coupling member 18.
Next, the user separates the cover coupling member 18 from the first partition wall 14. Due to this, a space sufficient to separate the expansion tank 20 and the fan 50 may be secured.
Then, the user unfastens the third partition wall 16 from the outer box 11. In this process, the third partition wall 16 may be separated from the object to which the third partition wall 16 is fastened. For example, the third partition wall 16 fastened to a bracket inside the outer box 11 may be separated from the bracket.
After that, the user moves the third partition wall 16 from the outer box 11 in the reference direction D. At this time, the user may easily move the third partition wall 16 in the reference direction D by gripping the protruding member 95. In this process, the expansion tank 20 and the fan 50, which are coupled to the third partition wall 16, may also be moved out of the outer box 11. The moved fan 50 may be moved downward due to its own weight, but may not be brought into contact with the ground because the fan 50 is supported by the support member 91.
According to the present disclosure, the fan may be coupled to the partition wall to which the expansion tank is coupled. Accordingly, the fan may be separated together when the expansion tank is separated, and thus the separation of the fan may be conveniently performed.
Hereinabove, although the present disclosure has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments and the accompanying drawings, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, but may be variously modified and altered by those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure pertains without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure claimed in the following claims. Therefore, the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are provided to explain the spirit and scope of the present disclosure, but not to limit them, so that the spirit and scope of the present disclosure is not limited by the embodiments. The scope of the present disclosure should be construed on the basis of the accompanying claims, and all the technical ideas within the scope equivalent to the claims should be included in the scope of the present disclosure.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-2023-0013904 | Feb 2023 | KR | national |
| 10-2024-0010421 | Jan 2024 | KR | national |
