Heating unit
A heating unit for a vehicle features a radial fan ( 100 ) having a housing ( 110 ), which housing has an air inlet ( 116 ) and an air exit opening ( 118 ). The heating unit has an air-directing device ( 140 ) that guides an air flow in a pressure chamber ( 115 ) of the housing ( 110 ) to the exit opening ( 118 ). Arranged in the housing ( 110 ) is a radial fan wheel ( 130 ) that serves to generate a flow from the air inlet ( 116 ) via the pressure chamber ( 115 ) to the air exit opening ( 118 ). Also provided is an electrical heating element, e.g. a PTC (Positive Temperature Coefficient) heating element ( 125 ), that serves to transfer heat to the air flow generated by the fan. Air-directing elements ( 632, 634, 636, 638 ) are provided between the exit opening ( 118 ) and the heating element ( 125 ), in order to generate an air flow having a more uniform ( 680 ) velocity distribution.
1. A heating unit adapted for use in a vehicle, which heating unit comprises:
a radial fan ( 100 ) having a fan housing ( 110 ), said housing defining a pressure chamber with an air inlet ( 116 ) and an air exit opening ( 118 );
an air-directing device ( 140 ) that guides an air flow, within the pressure chamber ( 115 ) of the fan housing ( 110 ), to the air exit opening ( 118 ), said air-directing device including an external, approximately spiral-shaped wall ( 109 ) forming part of a spiral housing ( 140 ) and extending as far as an air exit opening ( 118 ), the air ( 137 ) delivered by the radial fan wheel ( 130 ) during operation having, at the air exit opening ( 118 ) and near the spiral-shaped wall ( 109 ) in a zone ( 510 ) of higher velocity, a higher velocity than in zones ( 520 , 530 ) of lower velocity that are located farther away from the spiral-shaped wall ( 109 );
a radial fan wheel ( 130 ) arranged in the fan housing ( 110 ), for generating an air flow from the air inlet ( 116 ) via the pressure chamber ( 115 ) to the air exit opening ( 118 );
an electrical heating element ( 125 ) arranged adjacent the air exit opening ( 118 ) and serving to transfer heat to the air flow generated by the radial fan ( 100 ); and
wherein there is provided, between the air exit opening ( 118 ) of the spiral housing ( 140 ) and the heating element ( 125 ), a connecting part ( 620 ) in which air-directing elements are provided for generating a predetermined flow profile of the air flow ( 610 ), which air-directing elements are configured to deflect air that emerges from the spiral housing ( 140 ) in a zone ( 510 ) thereof having a relatively higher air velocity, in order to achieve a more uniform velocity distribution in the region of the heating element ( 125 ).
2. The heating unit according to claim 1 , wherein
the electrical heating element ( 125 ; 160 ) comprises, at least in part, a heating wire.
3. The heating unit according to claim 1 , wherein
the electrical heating element ( 160 ) comprises at least one PTC (Positive Temperature Coefficient) resistor ( 310 ).
4. The heating unit according to claim 1 , wherein
the electrical heating element ( 125 , 160 ) defines at least one air passage opening ( 325 ) into which extends a heat dissipation element ( 120 ) that is connected in thermally conductive fashion to the heating element ( 160 ).
5. The heating unit according to claim 1 , wherein
the electrical heating element ( 125 ) is honeycomb-shaped.
6. The heating unit according to claim 5 , wherein the honeycomb-shaped heating element ( 125 ) comprises air chambers ( 210 ) through which flow, during operation, an air flow generated by the radial fan ( 130 ).
7. The heating unit according to claim 6 , wherein the air chambers ( 210 ) have, at least in part, a profile that corresponds approximately to the direction of the air flow near the heating element ( 125 ).
8. The heating unit according to claim 1 , wherein
the radial fan ( 130 ) is implemented as a miniature fan.
9. The heating unit according to claim 1 , wherein
at least some of the air-directing elements ( 1010 , 1020 ) comprise a surface, at least part of which is formed with recesses ( 1012 , 1022 ) in order to reduce thereon the surface resistance of the air-directing elements ( 1010 , 1020 ).
10. The heating unit according to claim 1 , wherein
at least some of the air-directing elements ( 632 , 634 , 636 , 638 , 732 , 734 , 736 ) are approximately columnar.
11. The heating unit according to claim 10 , wherein
at least two columnar air-directing elements ( 634 , 636 ; 632 , 638 ) are arranged on an imaginary straight line ( 642 ; 644 ) that extends substantially parallel to the air exit opening ( 118 ) of the spiral housing ( 140 ).
12. The heating unit according to claim 11 , wherein two columnar air-directing elements ( 634 , 636 ; 732 , 734 ) are arranged on a first imaginary straight line ( 644 ; 720 ) that is located adjacent the air exit opening ( 118 ) of the spiral housing ( 140 ),
the totality of these air-directing elements being offset, away from an imaginary position symmetrical with respect to the air exit opening ( 118 ), toward the zone ( 510 ) of higher velocity.
13. The heating unit according to claim 12 , wherein
at least one columnar air-directing element ( 632 , 638 ; 736 ) is arranged on a second imaginary straight line ( 642 ; 710 ), which latter extends approximately parallel to the first straight line ( 644 ; 720 ) and has a greater spacing from the air exit opening ( 118 ) than the first straight line ( 644 ; 740 ),
and is arranged there in a region of the zones ( 520 , 530 ) of lower velocity.
14. The heating unit according to claim 1 , wherein
at least some of the air-directing elements ( 832 , 834 , 836 , 932 , 934 , 936 ) are generally scoop-shaped.
15. The heating unit according to claim 14 ,
wherein at least some of the scoop-shaped air-directing elements ( 932 , 934 , 936 ) are of approximately a uniform length and are configured in substantially straight fashion.
16. The heating unit according to claim 14 , wherein at least some of the scoop-shaped air-directing elements ( 832 , 834 , 836 ) are of different lengths and are arc-shaped.
17. The heating unit according to claim 14 , wherein at least some of the scoop-shaped air-directing elements ( 832 , 834 , 836 ; 932 , 934 , 936 ) extend approximately as far as an imaginary straight line ( 840 ; 850 ) that extends substantially parallel to the air exit opening ( 118 ) of the spiral-shaped housing ( 140 ).
18. A heating unit adapted for use in a vehicle, which heating unit comprises:
a radial fan ( 100 ) having a fan housing ( 110 ), said housing defining a pressure chamber with an air inlet ( 116 ) and an air exit opening ( 118 );
an air-directing device ( 140 ) that guides an air flow, within the pressure chamber ( 115 ) of the fan housing ( 110 ), to the air exit opening ( 118 );
a radial fan wheel ( 130 ) arranged in the fan housing ( 110 ), for generating an air flow from the air inlet ( 116 ) via the pressure chamber ( 115 ) to the air exit opening ( 118 ); and
an electrical heating element ( 125 ) arranged adjacent the air exit opening ( 118 ) and serving to transfer heat to the air flow generated by the radial fan ( 100 ),
wherein there is provided, between the air exit opening ( 118 ) of the spiral housing ( 140 ) and the heating element ( 125 ), a connecting part ( 620 ) in which four approximately columnar air-directing elements ( 632 , 634 , 636 , 638 ) are arranged at the corners of an imaginary parallelogram ( 646 ) in which two sides extend approximately parallel to the air exit opening ( 118 ) of the spiral housing ( 140 ).
19. A heating unit adapted for use in a vehicle, which heating unit comprises:
a radial fan ( 100 ) having a fan housing ( 110 ), said housing defining a pressure chamber with an air inlet ( 116 ) and an air exit opening ( 118 );
an air-directing device ( 140 ) that guides an air flow, within the pressure chamber ( 115 ) of the fan housing ( 110 ), to the air exit opening ( 118 );
a radial fan wheel ( 130 ) arranged in the fan housing ( 110 ), for generating an air flow from the air inlet ( 116 ) via the pressure chamber ( 115 ) to the air exit opening ( 118 ); and
an electrical heating element ( 125 ) arranged adjacent the air exit opening ( 118 ) and serving to transfer heat to the air flow generated by the radial fan ( 100 ),
wherein there is provided, between the air exit opening ( 118 ) of the spiral housing ( 140 ) and the heating element ( 125 ),
a connecting part ( 620 ) in which three air-directing elements ( 732 , 734 , 736 ) are provided, of which two air-directing elements ( 732 , 734 ) are arranged on a first straight line ( 720 ) that extends approximately parallel to the air exit opening, and the third air-directing element ( 736 ) is arranged between the first straight line ( 720 ) and the electrical heating element ( 125 ).