Heat recovery system which is intended for air-conditioning and to reduce the cold corridor effect

Abstract

The invention relates to an improved heat recovery system which is intended for air-conditioning and to reduce the cold corridor effect. More specifically, the invention relates to a system for making use of heat that is released during the condensing and/or cooling of a refrigerant fluid, in order subsequently to heat an airflow passing through an open retail refrigeration cabinet or lines of same, using a specially-designed unit for distributing and supplying heated air. The inventive assembly is equipped with a regulation and control device which can be used to maintain acceptable comfort levels for customers in the areas surrounding said open retail refrigeration cabinets or lines of same. The inventive system represents a significant improvement in relation to the design of the previously-patented system.

1 - 9 . (canceled) 
   
   
       10 . Improved heat recovery system which is intended for air-conditioning and to reduce the cold corridor effect, comprising
 a heat recovery and exploitation unit; and   a unit for distributing and supplying the heated air via the lower part of an open retail refrigeration cabinet or lines of same;   said units located in the interior of a retail outlet or a large retail store or an area to be air-conditioned for the display, distribution and/or sale of perishable food products, which is used to mitigate the effect known as cold corridor; characterised in that   the unit for distributing and supplying the heated air ( 1 ) comprises means for extracting an airflow from the interior of the corridor via the upper part thereof through some grilles ( 2 ) and for pumping the airflow via at least one compact heat exchanger ( 6 ) which is housed in the airflow entrance; where the air temperature is increased prior to introducing the flow of heated air into a duct ( 4 ) housed in the rear part of an open retail refrigeration cabinet or lines of same, which is then pulsed via the lower part of the refrigeration cabinet.   
   
   
       11 . Improved heat recovery system which is intended for air-conditioning and to reduce the cold corridor effect, according to  claim 10 ; characterised in that the procedure used for reducing and air-conditioning of the cold corridor effect is applicable to any refrigeration system working in positive or negative temperatures, whether or not by vapour compression, where in some physical way a prior condensation and/or cooling process is produced of a refrigerant fluid in an intermediate heat exchanger ( 15 ); with the aim of making use of the heat released during the process in order to raise the temperature of a secondary working fluid in the liquid state (e.g., water, oil) used later on as a heat-carrier flow in order to raise the temperature of the air as it passes via the compact heat exchanger ( 6 ). 
   
   
       12 . Improved heat recovery system which is intended for air-conditioning and to reduce the cold corridor effect, according to  claim 10 ; characterised in that the design and number of intermediate heat exchangers ( 15 ) used for recovering the heat evolved by the refrigerant fluid will depend on the installed cooling power, being welded plate exchangers or not; and/or being tubular exchangers, in which the flow of refrigerant circulates counter-current the secondary fluid used as heat-carried fluid. 
   
   
       13 . Improved heat recovery system which is intended for air-conditioning and to reduce the cold corridor effect, according to  claim 10 ; characterised in that a secondary working fluid which absorbs heat during the process of prior cooling and/or condensation of the refrigerant fluid is stored or not in an insulated tank ( 17 ), and later pumped by a circulation pump ( 18 ) towards the compact heat exchanger ( 6 ) housed in the unit for distributing and supplying the heated air ( 1 ). 
   
   
       14 . Improved heat recovery system which is intended for air-conditioning and to reduce the cold corridor effect, according to  claim 10 ; characterised in that extraction and pumping ducts for air are thermally insulated in order to reduce possible heat losses to the surrounding medium. 
   
   
       15 . Improved heat recovery system which is intended for air-conditioning and to reduce the cold corridor effect, according to  claim 10 ; characterised in that an outlet duct for supplying the heated air ( 7 ) located in the lower part of the refrigeration cabinet is equipped with some rotational air diffusers ( 8 ) which provide a correct mixing of the airflow according to the volume of air entering via the top of the duct ( 4 ). 
   
   
       16 . Improved heat recovery system which is intended for air-conditioning and to reduce the cold corridor effect, according to  claim 10 ; characterised in that a regulating and control device ( 19 ) is used which automatically regulates the temperature of the corridor and the other functioning parameters of the facility (working pressures and temperatures of the compressor array), varying the volume of secondary fluid traversing the intermediate heat exchanger ( 15 ) and the compact heat exchanger ( 6 ) acting on some three-way valves which guarantee certain adequate conditions of comfort for the permanence of persons in the retail outlets. 
   
   
       17 . Improved heat recovery system which is intended for air-conditioning and to reduce the cold corridor effect, according to  claim 11 ; characterised in that the design and number of intermediate heat exchangers ( 15 ) used for recovering the heat evolved by the refrigerant fluid will depend on the installed cooling power, being welded plate exchangers or not; and/or being tubular exchangers, in which the flow of refrigerant circulates counter-current the secondary fluid used as heat-carried fluid. 
   
   
       18 . Improved heat recovery system which is intended for air-conditioning and to reduce the cold corridor effect, according to  claim 11 ; characterised in that a secondary working fluid which absorbs heat during the process of prior cooling and/or condensation of the refrigerant fluid is stored or not in an insulated tank ( 17 ), and later pumped by a circulation pump ( 18 ) towards the compact heat exchanger ( 6 ) housed in the unit for distributing and supplying the heated air ( 1 ). 
   
   
       19 . Improved heat recovery system which is intended for air-conditioning and to reduce the cold corridor effect, according to  claim 12 ; characterised in that a secondary working fluid which absorbs heat during the process of prior cooling and/or condensation of the refrigerant fluid is stored or not in an insulated tank ( 17 ), and later pumped by a circulation pump ( 18 ) towards the compact heat exchanger ( 6 ) housed in the unit for distributing and supplying the heated air( 1 ). 
   
   
       20 . Improved heat recovery system which is intended for air-conditioning and to reduce the cold corridor effect, according to  claim 11 ; characterised in that extraction and pumping ducts for air are thermally insulated in order to reduce possible heat losses to the surrounding medium. 
   
   
       21 . Improved heat recovery system which is intended for air-conditioning and to reduce the cold corridor effect, according to  claim 12 ; characterised in that extraction and pumping ducts for air are thermally insulated in order to reduce possible heat losses to the surrounding medium. 
   
   
       22 . Improved heat recovery system which is intended for air-conditioning and to reduce the cold corridor effect, according to  claim 13 ; characterised in that extraction and pumping ducts for air are thermally insulated in order to reduce possible heat losses to the surrounding medium. 
   
   
       23 . Improved heat recovery system which is intended for air-conditioning and to reduce the cold corridor effect, according to  claim 11 ; characterised in that an outlet duct for supplying the heated air ( 7 ) located in the lower part of the refrigeration cabinet is equipped with some rotational air diffusers ( 8 ) which provide a correct mixing of the airflow according to the volume of air entering via the top of the duct ( 4 ). 
   
   
       24 . Improved heat recovery system which is intended for air-conditioning and to reduce the cold corridor effect, according to  claim 12 ; characterised in that an outlet duct for supplying the heated air ( 7 ) located in the lower part of the refrigeration cabinet is equipped with some rotational air diffusers ( 8 ) which provide a correct mixing of the airflow according to the volume of air entering via the top of the duct ( 4 ). 
   
   
       25 . Improved heat recovery system which is intended for air-conditioning and to reduce the cold corridor effect, according to  claim 13 ; characterised in that an outlet duct for supplying the heated air ( 7 ) located in the lower part of the refrigeration cabinet is equipped with some rotational air diffusers ( 8 ) which provide a correct mixing of the airflow according to the volume of air entering via the top of the duct ( 4 ). 
   
   
       26 . Improved heat recovery system which is intended for air-conditioning and to reduce the cold corridor effect, according to  claim 14 ; characterised in that an outlet duct for supplying the heated air ( 7 ) located in the lower part of the refrigeration cabinet is equipped with some rotational air diffusers ( 8 ) which provide a correct mixing of the airflow according to the volume of air entering via the top of the duct ( 4 ). 
   
   
       27 . Improved heat recovery system which is intended for air-conditioning and to reduce the cold corridor effect, according to  claim 11 ; characterised in that a regulating and control device ( 19 ) is used which automatically regulates the temperature of the corridor and the other functioning parameters of the facility (working pressures and temperatures of the compressor array), varying the volume of secondary fluid traversing the intermediate heat exchanger ( 15 ) and the compact heat exchanger ( 6 ) acting on some three-way valves which guarantee certain adequate conditions of comfort for the permanence of persons in the retail outlets. 
   
   
       28 . Improved heat recovery system which is intended for air-conditioning and to reduce the cold corridor effect, according to  claim 12 ; characterised in that a regulating and control device ( 19 ) is used which automatically regulates the temperature of the corridor and the other functioning parameters of the facility (working pressures and temperatures of the compressor array), varying the volume of secondary fluid traversing the intermediate heat exchanger ( 15 ) and the compact heat exchanger ( 6 ) acting on some three-way valves which guarantee certain adequate conditions of comfort for the permanence of persons in the retail outlets. 
   
   
       29 . Improved heat recovery system which is intended for air-conditioning and to reduce the cold corridor effect, according to  claim 13 ; characterised in that a regulating and control device ( 19 ) is used which automatically regulates the temperature of the corridor and the other functioning parameters of the facility (working pressures and temperatures of the compressor array), varying the volume of secondary fluid traversing the intermediate heat exchanger ( 15 ) and the compact heat exchanger ( 6 ) acting on some three-way valves which guarantee certain adequate conditions of comfort for the permanence of persons in the retail outlets. 
   
   
       30 . Improved heat recovery system which is intended for air-conditioning and to reduce the cold corridor effect, according to  claim 14 ; characterised in that a regulating and control device ( 19 ) is used which automatically regulates the temperature of the corridor and the other functioning parameters of the facility (working pressures and temperatures of the compressor array), varying the volume of secondary fluid traversing the intermediate heat exchanger ( 15 ) and the compact heat exchanger ( 6 ) acting on some three-way valves which guarantee certain adequate conditions of comfort for the permanence of persons in the retail outlets. 
   
   
       31 . Improved heat recovery system which is intended for air-conditioning and to reduce the cold corridor effect, according to  claim 15 ; characterised in that a regulating and control device ( 19 ) is used which automatically regulates the temperature of the corridor and the other functioning parameters of the facility (working pressures and temperatures of the compressor array), varying the volume of secondary fluid traversing the intermediate heat exchanger ( 15 ) and the compact heat exchanger ( 6 ) acting on some three-way valves which guarantee certain adequate conditions of comfort for the permanence of persons in the retail outlets.