Air flow in enclosed spaces

Abstract

A method of, and a system for promoting the flow of air from a lower location to an upper location, the method comprising: using heat from a heat source to provide a first heat store; and making a secondary use of heat from said heat source to power a heating device for heating an air conduit connecting said lower and upper locations; wherein said secondary use of heat from said heat source is controlled on the basis of an indicator of whether or not there is an excess of heat in the heat store.

1 . A method of promoting the flow of air from a lower location to an upper location, the method comprising: using heat from a heat source to provide a first heat store; and making a secondary use of heat from said heat source to power a heating device for heating an air conduit connecting said lower and upper locations; wherein said secondary use of heat from said heat source is controlled on the basis of an indicator of whether or not there is an excess of heat in the heat store. 
   
   
       2 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein said secondary use of heat comprises transferring heat away from said heat store to said heating device. 
   
   
       3 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein said heating device includes a second heat store, and from which heat can be controllably transferred to said air conduit. 
   
   
       4 . A method according to  claim 3 , further including actively controlling the timing of the transfer of heat from said second heat store to said air conduit. 
   
   
       5 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein said heating device includes an inlet for receiving hot fluid from said heat store and/or said heat source and an outlet for returning fluid to said heat store and/or said heat source, and wherein the heating device has a part for transferring heat to the air conduit which defines a flow path for fluid having a cross-sectional area greater than that of the inlet and outlet. 
   
   
       6 . A method according to  claim 1 , including triggering said secondary use of heat from said heat source when an indicator of the temperature of the heat store exceeds a predetermined value, and continuing said secondary use until said indicator no longer exceeds said predetermined value. 
   
   
       7 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the heat source is a solar device for capturing heat from solar energy. 
   
   
       8 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the heat store is a source of hot water in a first storage vessel. 
   
   
       9 . A system for promoting the flow of air from a lower location to an upper location, the system comprising: a heat source; a first heat store for storing heat from said heat source; and a heating device powered by a secondary use of heat from said heat source and for heating an air conduit connecting said lower and upper locations; wherein said secondary use of heat from said heat source is controlled on the basis of an indicator of whether or not there is an excess of heat in the heat store. 
   
   
       10 . (canceled) 
   
   
       11 . (canceled) 
   
   
       12 . (canceled) 
   
   
       13 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein said air conduit also connects said upper location to a second lower location, and including providing a valve between said upper location and said second lower location so as to impede the flow of air from said first lower location to said second lower location via said air conduit whilst allowing the flow of air from said second lower location to said upper location. 
   
   
       14 . A system according to  claim 9 , wherein said air conduit also connects said upper location to a second lower location, and wherein said system further includes a valve between said upper location and said second lower location so as to impede the flow of air from said first lower location to said second lower location via said air conduit whilst allowing the flow of air from said second lower location to said upper location. 
   
   
       15 . (canceled) 
   
   
       16 . A use of a method according to  claim 1  for ventilating an enclosed space containing a volume V m 3  of air, wherein the air conduit has a cross-sectional area A m 2 , and wherein V>0.00015×A. 
   
   
       17 . A system according to  claim 9 , wherein said lower location defines an enclosed space containing a volume V m 3  of air, wherein the air conduit has a cross-sectional area A m 2 , and wherein V>0.00015×A. 
   
   
       18 . (canceled) 
   
   
       19 . (canceled) 
   
   
       20 . (canceled) 
   
   
       21 . (canceled) 
   
   
       22 . A method according to  claim 1 , further including transferring heat away from air flowing through the air conduit to the heat store when the flow rate of air from the lower location to the upper location is above a predetermined minimum flow rate even without using heat from the heat source, and actively controlling the transfer of heat away from the air to the heat source such that it does not reduce the flow rate of air through said air conduit to below said predetermined minimum flow rate. 
   
   
       23 . A system according to  claim 9 , further including a device for actively controlling the transfer of heat away from said air on the basis of an indicator of the flow rate of air through said air conduit. 
   
   
       24 . A method according to  claim 30  comprising: using one or more fluid circuits to transfer heat from a heat source via a heat reservoir to air in an air conduit connecting said lower and upper locations, wherein the heat reservoir includes a tank of fluid having a cross-sectional area larger than that of one or more fluid conduits constituting said one or more fluid circuits. 
   
   
       25 . (canceled) 
   
   
       26 . A method according to  claim 30  comprising: actively controlling the rate of transfer of heat from a heat source to air in an air conduit connecting said lower and upper locations. 
   
   
       27 . (canceled) 
   
   
       28 . A method according to  claim 30  comprising: using one or more fluid circuits to transfer heat from a heat source via a heat reservoir to air in an air conduit connecting said lower and upper locations, wherein the heat reservoir has a heat capacity greater than the combined heat capacity of said one or more fluid circuits. 
   
   
       29 . (canceled) 
   
   
       30 . A method of promoting the flow of air from a lower location to an upper location, the method comprising: (a) using one or more fluid circuits to transfer heat from a heat source via a heat reservoir to air in an air conduit connecting said lower and upper locations, wherein the heat reservoir includes a tank of fluid having a cross-sectional area larger than that of one or more fluid conduits constituting said one or more fluid circuits; or (b) actively controlling the rate of transfer of heat from a heat source to air in an air conduit connecting said lower and upper locations; or (c) using one or more fluid circuits to transfer heat from a heat source via a heat reservoir to air in an air conduit connecting said lower and upper locations, wherein the heat reservoir has a heat capacity greater than the combined heat capacity of said one or more fluid circuits.