SYSTEM FOR MONITORING AND/OR DEHUMIDIFYING WALLS

• US 20120205455A1
• Filed: 02/16/2011
• Published: 08/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Leonardo Solutions S.r.l.
• Original Assignee: Leonardo Solutions S.r.l.
• Inventors: CAMPO, Antonino
• Application Number:
  US13/029,053
• Publication Number:
  US 20120205455A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 236/44.A
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 1/7007 by using electricity, e.g. electro-osmosis electrochemical desalination or re-alkalisation of reinforced concrete C04B41/00
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/56 Remote control
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/63 Electronic processing
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/88 Electrical aspects, e.g. circuits
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2013/221 to avoid the formation of condensate, e.g. dew
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/20 Humidity
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 3/14 by humidification; by dehumidification

Abstract

A system for monitoring and dehumidifying walls is described. The system has at least one apparatus for dehumidifying walls provided with dehumidifying means that is active for promoting the dehumidification of at least a portion of wall. The apparatus is also provided with at least one monitoring unit that is active on the wall-dehumidifying means to enable monitoring of their operation. The apparatus also includes a communication module for receiving, from a remote unit, instructions on modifying the operating modes of the apparatus. The system can consist of a plurality of fixed humidity sensors for detecting wall humidity and of at least one portable electronic apparatus for detecting wall humidity.

Claims

1. A system for dehumidifying walls comprising at least one apparatus for dehumidifying walls, the apparatus comprising:

wall-dehumidifying means that is active for promoting dehumidification of at least a portion of a wall,

at least one monitoring unit that is active on said wall-dehumidifying means to enable operation to be monitored, and

at least one communication module that is at least suitable for receiving instructions from a remote unit, said instructions being sent to the monitoring unit to modify the operating modes of the apparatus for wall dehumidification.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus further comprises a memory containing at least one dehumidifying profile and the monitoring unit is active on the wall-dehumidifying means to monitor the wall-dehumidifying means in function of the set dehumidifying profile.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the monitoring unit is active on the wall-dehumidifying means to vary the operating parameters thereof in function of the instructions coming from the remote unit that are received.

4. The system according to claim 2, wherein the monitoring unit is active on said memory to modify the set dehumidifying profile, in function of the instructions received from the remote unit.

5. The system according claim 1, wherein the communication module is suitable for transmitting information to said remote unit relating to the operation of the apparatus for dehumidifying walls, said communication module transmitting at request of the remote unit or automatically when preset events occur.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus further comprises at least one buffer battery that is suitable for powering at least the dehumidifying means to enable operating independence.

7. The system according to claim 1, further comprising at least one humidity sensor that is operationally in communication with the monitoring unit to transmit the detected parameters, said detected parameters being used by the monitoring unit for comparison with the set dehumidification profile and modifying the operation of the apparatus in function of the movements.

8. A system for monitoring wall humidity, comprising an apparatus for detecting wall humidity, the apparatus comprising:

a monitoring unit;

means for determining the wall humidity slaved to the monitoring unit having at least two electrodes, and a reading unit, the reading unit comprising;

at least one measuring bridge provided with resistors on at least three branches and, on a fourth branch, a capacitor, the armatures of which are defined by the measuring electrodes;

at least one phase comparator that is electrically connected at the input to said measuring bridge and is suitable for supplying an output signal indicating the capacity variation of said capacitor for the purposes of determining the wall humidity.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein the apparatus for detecting wall humidity further comprises a remote transmission module slaved to the monitoring unit and intended for sending on request, or independently when preset events occur, information relating to at least the wall humidity detected by the means for determining humidity.

10. A system for dehumidifying walls, comprising a plurality of apparatuses for dehumidifying walls, each apparatus comprising:

wall-dehumidifying means that is active for promoting dehumidification of at least a portion of a wall;

at least one monitoring unit that is active on said wall-dehumidifying means to enable operation to be monitored; and

selecting means for setting an apparatus as master and setting the other apparatuses as slave apparatuses, the master apparatus communicating with one or more slave apparatuses directly slaved to the master apparatus,

each slave apparatus being able to communicate with one or more further slave apparatuses directly slaved to the slave apparatus.

11. The system according to claim 10, further comprising a plurality of apparatuses for detecting humidity, comprising selectors for assigning to a specific apparatus for dehumidifying walls, the apparatuses for detecting humidity communicating directly with the apparatus for dehumidifying walls to which they are slaved.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the apparatuses for detecting humidity comprise second selectors for defining an order of assignment inside an assignment group of apparatuses for detecting humidity assigned to a single apparatus for wall dehumidification.

13. The system according to claim 10, wherein the master apparatus receives through successive communications between the apparatuses for detecting humidity and the master or slave apparatus of a respective assignment, and through communications between the slave apparatuses and the slave apparatuses of a respective assignment, and through communications between the slave apparatuses and the master apparatus, the data detected by the apparatuses for detecting the connected humidity.

14. The system according to claim 10, wherein the wall-dehumidifying means is an electromagnetic dehumidification means and comprises at least a solenoid valve traversed by current with a preset wave, amplitude and frequency form to spread in the surrounding environment an electromagnetic wave interacting with the humidity between the wall water to reduce the rising thereof by capillarity.

15. A moisture-detecting apparatus comprising a movable unit having means for determining the humidity or moisture of a wall, further comprising means for detecting the scanning co-ordinates adapted to determine the position of the movable unit at least during detection of moisture by said means for determining the humidity or moisture of a wall.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said means for detecting the scanning co-ordinates comprises at least one coordinate reference device, and a unit for detection of the scanning co-ordinates mounted on the movable unit and movable with said means for determining of the wall moisture.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said unit for detection of the scanning coordinates comprises at least one transmitter and at least one receiver, said coordinate reference device comprising at least one receiver and at least one transmitter, the transmitter of the detection unit emitting a first signal received by the receiver of the reference device;

following reception of said first signal the transmitter of the reference device emitting a response signal that can be received by the receiver of the unit for detection of the scanning co-ordinates.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

at least two measurement electrodes;

at least one reading unit to read the electric capacity between the two electrodes;

a control unit configured for receiving in input the electric capacity data measured or the detected-humidity data determined as a function of the electric capacity measured, and for receiving in input the position data or the data for determining the position of the means for determining the wall moisture; and

a memory for storing the position/s and the related moisture value/s measured.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the electrodes are flat electrodes, said electrodes being disposed at a surface of the movable unit designed to come into contact with the wall surface to be analyzed.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising at least one thermal probe for measuring the wall temperature.

21. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said movable unit comprises a box-shaped housing adapted to house the means for determining the wall moisture, the box-shaped housing having at least one manual grip member to enable a scanning movement along the wall surface.

22. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a remote transmission module operatively connected to a control unit to send the measured moisture data and/or the scanning co-ordinate data to a remote apparatus.

23. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

at least one display;

a control unit for receiving in input the measured moisture data and the data of the related measurement position;

a software module configured to be run by said control unit and adapted to show a graphic representation of the detected moisture on said display, as a function of the detection position; and

a software module suitable for interpolation of the measured moisture data for reconstruction of the humidity profile in areas of the wall surface that are not submitted to scanning.

24. The apparatus as claimed in claim 18, wherein the reading unit comprises:

at least one comparison bridge having resistors n at least three branches and, on a fourth branch, a capacitor the armatures of which are defined by the measurement electrodes; and

at least one phase comparator electrically connected at an input of said comparison bridge and adapted to output a signal indicative of the capacity variation of said capacitor for the purpose of determining the wall moisture.