Device for the exchange of thermal energy between the interior of a housing and an environment

• US 6,170,562 B1
• Filed: 08/27/1998
• Issued: 01/09/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pfannenberg GmbH
• Original Assignee: OTTO Pfannenberg Electro-Spezialgeratebau GmbH
• Inventors: Knoblauch, Harald
• Primary Examiner(s): Lazarus, Ira S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MCKINNON, TERRELL L
• Application Number:
  US09/141,310
• Time in Patent Office: 866 Days
• Field of Search: 165/80.3, 165/104.14, 165/104.33, 165/104.34, 165/122, 361/384
• US Class Current: 165/104.33
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 12/001 with heat-exchange between supplied and exhausted air
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 9/00 Heat-exchange apparatus having stationary plate-like or laminated conduit assemblies for both heat-exchange media, the media being in contact with different sides of a conduit wall F28F3/083, F28F3/086 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/206 Air circulating in closed loop within cabinets wherein heat is removed through air-to-air heat-exchanger
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/56 Heat recovery units

Abstract

A device (200) for the exchange of thermal energy between an interior of a housing, more particularly for a telecommunication apparatus and an environment, in order to convey heat from the housing interior to the outside and, in this case, in order to maintain the internal temperature for the components involved within tolerated limits one heat exchanger block (11) possesses two fluid duct systems (12,16) which are separated from each other and that are in thermal energy-transmitting contact with each other, while a first fluid duct system (12) communicates with the housing interior and a second fluid duct system (16) communicates with the surroundings and each fluid duct system (12,16) has allocated to it one fluid pump (22,24) each for conveying a first working fluid (18) in the first fluid duct system (12) and a second working fluid (20) in the second fluid duct system (16).

Claims

1. A device for the exchange of thermal energy between the interior of a housing, more particularly a housing for a telecommunication apparatus, and the environment of said housing, said device comprising:

a heat exchanger block with at least two fluid duct systems that are separated from each other;

a first one of said at least two fluid duct systems communicating with said interior of said housing;

a second one of said at least two fluids duct systems communicating with said environment of said housing;

said first fluid duct system having at least one fluid pump configured to convey a first working fluid in said first fluid duct system;

said second fluid duct system having at least one fluid pump configured to convey a second working fluid in said second fluid duct system; and

a controller mounted in said interior of said housing or in said first fluid duct and configured to control a speed of said fluid pumps of said first and second fluid duct systems based on an internal temperature in said interior of said housing such that said fluid pump of said first fluid duct system runs permanently with a speed variable between a minimum speed and a maximum speed while said fluid pump of said second fluid duct system is switched on at a predetermined minimum value of said internal temperature and reaches a highest speed at a predetermined maximum value of said internal temperature.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein said minimum speed of said fluid pump of said first fluid duct system is 50% of said maximum speed of said fluid pump of said first fluid duct system, said predetermined minimum value of said internal temperature is 35°

C., and said predetermined maximum value of said internal temperature is 55°

C.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein said heat exchanger block is mounted externally on said housing and wherein said housing has apertures allowing flow of said first working fluid between said interior of said housing and said first fluid duct system.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said first and second working fluid is air.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein said fluid pumps of said first and second fluid duct systems are fans selected from the group consisting of radial fans, axial fans, and tangential fans.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein said heat exchanger block comprises a cross-counterflow or counterflow plate exchanger.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein said heat exchanger is made of aluminum, plastic, or a combination of aluminum and plastic.

8. The device according to claim 7, wherein said plastic is polypropylene.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein said controller has a malfunction reporting output.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein said housing is airtight relative to the environment.

11. The device according to claim 10, wherein said housing is hermetically sealed relative to the environment.

12. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a heating means.

13. The device according to claim 12, wherein said heating means is a resistance heating element.