ES2774399A1 - VARIABLE FILTRATION SYSTEM TO IMPROVE AIR QUALITY AND OTHER FLUIDS AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding) - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention describes a variable filtration system in equipment connected to a pipeline of an installation by means of the splitting of a main circulation path for the fluid to be filtered in a bypass path, these pathways being able to be inside the equipment, forming a unfolded route, or outside the equipment, forming part of the installation duct, forming a unfolded duct, the bypass path containing a filtering alternative so that, if there is a filtering system in the section of the main path determined, in the bypass there is an alternative filtering system, including in either case the possibility that there is more than one filter or that there is no filter. Thus, by means of a gate system, the type of filtering that the fluid will undergo can be selected. (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding)

Description

DESCRIPTION

VARIABLE FILTRATION SYSTEM TO IMPROVE AIR QUALITY AND

OTHER FLUIDS AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The present invention, as expressed in the wording of this specification, refers to a variable filtration system in a fluid treatment or impulsion equipment connected to a conduit of an installation by doubling a main circulation path. of the fluid to be filtered in a bypass path, these paths may be inside the equipment, forming a path, or outside the equipment, forming part of a conduit of the installation, forming a conduit, so that the path Fluid circulation is selected by incorporating at least one gate (7).

The splitting can take place inside the fluid treatment or impulsion equipment, so that a section of a main fluid path incorporates a by-pass path, or also outside, in a section of a main conduit of the installation by means of the incorporation of a bypass duct. In any of the cases, the by-pass route contains a circulation alternative for filtering the fluid so that, if a specific filtering system is found in this section of the main route, an alternative filtering system is found in the by-pass , including in either case the possibility that there is more than one filter or that there is no filter. Thus, by means of a system of gates, the type of filtering that the fluid is going to undergo can be selected.

This combination of features is very interesting, since the filtering requirements are often variable:

- the level of outdoor and indoor air pollution and the type of outdoor and indoor air pollution can be variable;

- the generation of indoor pollutants can be variable;

- Indoor air quality requirements can be variable;

- the quality of the supply water can be variable;

- the quality requirements of drinking water can be variable;

- In general, the presence of pollutants and particles, both in gases and liquids, prior to their filtering processes can be variable, and

- The purity requirements and the absence of contaminants and particles in gases and liquids after their filtering process can also be variable.

The invention finds special application in the field of the industry of air conditioning systems for air conditioning and also for the treatment of all types of fluids, liquids, such as water, or gaseous, with a special impact on energy efficiency and, consequently, savings costs involved.

TECHNICAL PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

To guarantee the health and comfort of people with regard to the air they breathe and the water they drink, as well as for different fluid treatments, it is normal to have fixed filters suitable for the most common situation to which they must be dedicated according to the design criteria, but which cannot be adapted to the different filtering requirements that occur over time, either by size or by type of particles or pollutant to be filtered.

Furthermore, the energy consumption due to the passage of fluids through the filters chosen for the usual situation to which they must be dedicated, can be much higher than the energy consumption due to the passage of the fluid through the filters that would have been necessary for situations of less requirement of filtering, which will also happen. An example of this case is the outdoor air quality in cities, which in times of rain or winds capable of displacing pollutants is usually much better than usual, thus purifying the air and having lower filtering requirements.

On the other hand, the design situation of filtering requirement foreseen as usual is sometimes overcome by situations that would correspond to a more demanding filtration and / or a broader spectrum of contaminants. Therefore, fixed filters are not installed for the actual filtering requirement of those moments of greatest filtering requirement. This can lead to an inadequate quality of air or water for people or, also, to the fact that the requirements of purity and the absence of contaminants and particles in the fluid are not met, once the fixed filter installed has been exceeded. Unlike that in the previous case, an example of this case is with the quality of the outdoor air of the cities, which in times of lack of rain and lack of winds is usually much worse than usual, giving rise to more and more common “pollution alerts” that lead to restrictions on road traffic, but even worse, lead to a high concentration of pollutants in the air that are not filtered by most air conditioning equipment. Specifically, this happens with nitrogen oxides and sulfur oxides that are not retained by the usual particle filters.

In other words, the fixed filters that incorporate current air conditioning systems, as well as other systems for the treatment, transport, supply or discharge of fluids, give rise to energy consumption by filtering that fluid, which does not decrease when the filtering requirements decrease. or they change and give rise to a filtering effect that does not improve when the situation requires it.

Fluid filtration systems have evolved up to the present time in which there are different types of filter for each need and for each type of pollutant, chemical compound or particle to be filtered.

On the other hand, in the specific case of air conditioning and ventilation systems, in addition to evolving in terms of the efficiency of compressors and fans, they have evolved, among other aspects, in improving the efficiency of compressors and partial load boilers and in reducing its electricity consumption by means of variable speed fans capable of providing a variable air flow. In addition, current air conditioning systems are capable of regulating the flow of external ventilation air based on the requirements of air quality and pollution load of the ventilated spaces.

In other words, current air conditioning equipment is capable of reducing its consumption when the thermal load is lower than the maximum expected and when the requirement for external ventilation air is lower than the maximum expected, thanks to the possibility of variable operation of the equipment. current air conditioning based on these parameters.

However, we do not know in the current state of the art an air conditioning or ventilation equipment, or a fluid filtration system, that has a variable operation in function of filtration requirements as it is in the present invention.

The current air conditioning and ventilation equipment that has filters, as well as the current filtration systems for other fluids, have fixed operation filters that cannot be selected to determine whether they work or not, so the energy consumption due to the passage of the Fluid through the filters does not decrease in those moments of lower requirement, contrary to what the present invention proposes, which makes it possible to reduce energy consumption when the filtration requirement decreases. In addition, with the proposed invention, the cost of maintenance due to replacement or cleaning of filters decreases significantly, since the periods without the need for maintenance increase, as the filters are not used at times when their filtering effect is not necessary. .

The present invention solves the problems posed by a filtration system that, in a section of the main duct, incorporates a by-pass duct with an alternative filtering situation. This means that if the main duct section incorporates a certain type of filter, the by-pass duct incorporates a different one. In this situation, the possibility is also contemplated that in one of the two ducts there may be the circumstance that there is no filter or that there is more than one filter, even in the two ducts. Furthermore, both the section of the main duct and the by-pass duct incorporate at least one gate for the alternative choice of either of the two ducts for conducting the fluid, and it may even be possible to partially select the two ducts. On the other hand, as it is a by-pass duct, it is always possible to cancel it, or to cancel the section of the main duct, using the gates, to carry out the maintenance of the corresponding filter that it incorporates. On the other hand, the system of the invention can be implemented both inside the treatment equipment and outside, directly in a conduit of the installation, applying the concepts in a similar way.

The variable filtration system proposed by the present invention produces that the energy consumption per filtration decreases when the filtration requirements are lower than those foreseen in the design.

In addition, with the variable filtration system it would be possible to install filters of different features, capable of successfully coping with extreme real situations of some type of special filtering requirement, without thereby penalizing the consumption of the installation in excess, since with the use of the by-pass duct, the activation of filters with special requirements, and their associated energy consumption, could only occur in specific situations in which these higher performance filters are required.

In this way, it is possible to have an adequate filtration system even at times of extreme filtering requirement, while making it possible to reduce energy consumption at times of less filtering requirement. In the case of air conditioning, this means being able to provide people inside buildings with adequate indoor air quality, even on days with higher levels of pollution, and being able to save energy on days when the outside air is present. cleaner.

In addition, as mentioned, with the proposed invention, the cost of maintenance due to replacement or cleaning of filters decreases in a remarkable way, since the periods without the need for maintenance increase, as the filters are not used at times when it is not necessary. necessary its filtering effect.

To achieve this combination of benefits, the variable filtration system of the present invention, in the case of air conditioning or ventilation, consists in that the by-pass duct incorporates a filter to be used in a specific way to filter particles such as oxides of nitrogen, sulfur oxides, volatile organic matter, other chemical or biological pollutants, odors and / or particles in suspension, so that this filter is not normally used in normal situations, reducing energy consumption when its activation is not necessary. On the other hand, this system does not prevent this filter or set of filters from being combined with a fan, as an impeller, to overcome the pressure drop produced by the filters.

In the general case of other fluids, different from air and water, the variable filtration system incorporates filters for particles or other physical, chemical or biological contaminants, for which they are intended, and also with the ability to be deactivated to reduce the energy consumption when its activation is not necessary, this filter or set of filters may be combined, as in the previous case, with a fan or a pump, in the case of liquids, as impellers, which overcome the pressure drop produced by the filters.

Throughout the present specification, no distinction is made between the term used for the means of transporting the fluid, depending on whether it is liquid or gaseous, the terms conduit, path, path or pipe being used interchangeably.

In the same way, the term gate, used as an element located in the means of transporting the fluid (conduit, path, route or pipe) with the capacity to completely or partially close the passage to the fluid, is made extensively, including, therefore, all kinds of valves, doors and elements for closing or regulating the flow of fluids, both gases and liquids, including of course air and water.

Furthermore, the term impeller, pump or fan, also used interchangeably, can refer to fans of air or other types of gases, water pumps or other types of liquids and any other type of device capable of causing the forced movement of a fluid, covering of course fixed speed and variable speed pumps and fans, this variability of the pump and fan speed being the one that contributes to the variability in their flow and pressure curve, and therefore their capacity. to overcome different filters with different head losses at different times, complying with the flow requirements, so in reality it is the variable speed pumps and fans that best adapt to the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In order to achieve the objectives and avoid the aforementioned drawbacks, the present invention describes a variable filtration system for improving the quality of air and other gases and liquids and energy efficiency that includes a treatment or impulsion equipment for fluid with a pre-filter and a main path, located inside it, for the circulation of the fluid to be filtered, and which also comprises a section of the main conduit of an installation to which the fluid treatment or impulsion equipment is connected. The system also comprises an additional path for the circulation of the fluid intended to be filtered, located in by-pass to the main path, either the main path or the main duct, a gate for selecting the path of fluid circulation by blocking the fluid passage and a filter.

The invention presents two embodiments depending on whether the additional path is located in a section of the installation duct, outside the fluid treatment and impulsion equipment or, on the other hand, the additional path is located inside the equipment for fluid treatment and impulsion.

In this way, the additional path for the circulation of the fluid can be a by-pass duct, located parallel to a section of the main duct, or a by-pass path located parallel to a section of the main path inside the equipment.

The first embodiment is described below, where the bypass is carried out in a section of the main conduit of the installation, outside the fluid treatment or impulsion equipment.

In this first embodiment, the filter is housed in a filter element, and can be a main filter, an additional filter, be made up of a combination of the two types of filters, or include a plurality of additional filters. Furthermore, optionally, it may also comprise an internal impeller.

The filter element can be located in the main duct, so that in the by-pass duct there may either be no filter or there may be one or more additional filters, or it can be located in the by-pass duct, so that in the main duct there may be no filter or there may be a main filter, so that the filters of the two ducts always complement each other.

In addition, the variable filtration system can also comprise an external impeller that, although preferably located between the fluid treatment or drive equipment and the by-pass conduit, could also be located downstream of the by-pass conduit or even in the own bypass conduit.

To determine the type of filtration to be carried out on the fluid, the variable filtration system comprises a gate designed to block the passage of the fluid through either of the two ducts, for which the gate may be located in a common area of the main duct section and the by-pass duct.

However, the system can also comprise a gate both in the section of the main conduit and in the by-pass conduit, each one in charge of blocking the passage of fluid through the corresponding conduit. These two gates can also be joined by a connecting plate that synchronizes the movement of the two gates, so that the percentage of fluid flow that circulates through each of the conduits can be decided.

On the other hand, the by-pass duct can also incorporate a gate at the other end, on the outlet side, so as to prevent the entry of fluid when the fluid is forced to circulate through the main duct. In this case, the two gates of the by-pass duct are synchronized to be simultaneously in the same position, either open or closed.

Furthermore, the system, to improve fluid circulation, can incorporate an external impeller, located in a position that can be upstream of the by-pass duct, downstream of the by-pass duct or in the by-pass duct itself.

A practical way to install the variable filtration system of the present invention consists of defining an enclosing element, configured to replace a section of main duct existing in an installation, which includes the by-pass duct together with the section of main duct on the which is located and an external impeller.

A simplified wrapping element is also defined, also configured to replace a section of main duct in an installation, which includes the wrapping element, but without the external impeller.

The second embodiment of the invention is described below, where the bypass is carried out inside the fluid treatment or impulsion equipment.

In this embodiment, as indicated, the additional path for the circulation of the fluid is a by-pass path located parallel to a section of the main path carried out by the fluid inside the treatment equipment.

The filter can be a main filter that is located upstream of the by-pass path, so that the fluid destined to be filtered is forced to pass through it at all times, with no possibility of choice. This is a configuration that is not present in the first embodiment.

It must be taken into account that, with the exception of the configuration described in the previous paragraph, the configuration of both the filters and the gates in the routes of this embodiment is the same as that described in the ducts of the first embodiment.

The section of the main route can be configured so that it incorporates a main filter or that it does not incorporate any type of filter.

Thus, in this second embodiment, in the main path there may either be no filter, so that in the by-pass path there may be a main filter and, optionally, one or more different additional filters, or there may be a filter main, so that in the by-pass route there may either not be any type of filter, or there may be one or more different additional filters, so as to complement the filtering in the equipment depending on the route that is selected, either by the main route or by the bypass route. In this way, the type of filtering to be carried out can be selected more flexibly, even not doing any type of filtering.

As in the first embodiment, in this case the variable filtration system can also comprise a gate located in a common area of the main route section and the by-pass route with the ability to block the passage of fluid through any of the two tours. Alternatively, both the main route section and the by-pass route may comprise a gate, each one in charge of blocking the passage of fluid through the corresponding route. These two gates can also be joined by a connecting plate that synchronizes the movement of the two gates, so that the percentage of flow can be decided of fluid that circulates through each of the routes. Furthermore, the by-pass route can also incorporate two gates, one at each end, which would be synchronized to be open or closed at the same time, as in the case of the first embodiment.

Finally, the variable filtration system can comprise a plurality of by-pass paths, each of which comprises a different additional filter. In this case, at least one of the by-pass paths may comprise a plurality of additional filters.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

To complete the description of the invention and in order to help a better understanding of its characteristics, according to a preferred example of its embodiment, a set of drawings is attached in which, with an illustrative and non-limiting nature, they have been represented the figures described below.

Figure 1 represents a fluid treatment or drive unit, with an outlet from which the fluid, treated or driven, leaves the main conduit of an installation.

Figure 2 represents an embodiment of a filtration element incorporated in the system, which inside has an impeller and a main filter.

Figure 3 represents another embodiment of the filter element, which inside has an impeller, a main filter and a series of different additional filters.

Figure 4 represents the variable filtering system of the invention in a first embodiment where, to the main duct, a bypass duct has been attached that incorporates a filtration element, incorporating a gate located in a common area of the two ducts , the main and the by-pass, so that it can block access to either of the two ducts.

Figure 5 represents the variable filtering system of figure 4 but incorporating each of the ducts a gate to decide to block one of the two ducts, the main and the by-pass, the access to the main duct being blocked.

Figure 6 represents the variable filtering system of figure 5 where the two gates have been joined by a plate to move in synchrony.

Figure 7 represents the variable filtering system of Figure 5 where the main duct, before reaching the bypass bifurcation, incorporates an external impeller.

Figure 8 is similar to Figure 7 with the difference that there is an enclosing element that includes the elements of the system, such as the by-pass duct, including the filtering element, the section of main duct on which it is located the by-pass duct and the external impeller, for their incorporation into a main duct like the one in figure 1.

Figure 9 is similar to Figure 8 with the difference that the wrapping element is simplified and does not incorporate the external impeller.

Figure 10 is similar to Figure 5, with the difference that the by-pass conduit includes a gate at each end instead of presenting a single gate.

Figure 11 is similar to Figure 7, except that the filter element is located in the main duct run instead of in the by-pass duct.

Figure 12 represents the variable filtration system of the invention in a second embodiment where the variable filtration takes place inside the air treatment or supply equipment, in which the main path has widened to bifurcate into two paths that incorporate separate filters in parallel, each one accompanied by the corresponding gate to decide to block the path, showing the circulation of the fluid through the main path.

Figure 13 represents the variable filtering system of Figure 12 but showing the flow of the fluid through the by-pass path.

Figure 14 is similar to Figure 13, with the difference that one of the by-pass path includes two additional filters instead of just one.

Figure 15 is similar to Figure 12, with the difference that the by-pass route includes a gate at each end instead of presenting a single gate.

Figure 16 represents a variant of Figure 14 in which the main filter is located upstream of the branch of the by-pass path.

Figure 17 represents the variable filtering system of figure 12 where the main path does not incorporate any filter, showing the fluid circulation through the main path.

Figure 18 represents the variable filtering system of figure 17 but showing the flow of the fluid through the by-pass path.

Figure 19 represents the variable filtering system of Figure 18 but with more than one by-pass route, showing the fluid flow through all by-pass routes.

Figure 20 is similar to Figure 19, with the difference that one of the by-pass paths incorporates more than one additional filter.

Below is a list of the references used in the figures:

1. Filtering element.

2. Internal impeller.

3. Main filter.

4. Additional filter.

5. Fluid treatment or impulsion equipment.

6. Fluid.

7. Gate.

8. Joint plate.

9. External impeller.

10. Surround element.

11. Simplified wrapping element.

12. Main duct.

13. Bypass duct.

14. Prefilter.

15. Heat exchange element.

16. Original impeller.

17. Main course.

18. Bypass course.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

Considering the numbering adopted in the figures, the applications of the variable filtration system of the present invention are described below.

The variable filtration system of the invention is usable in all types of facilities, processes, transport systems, equipment and feeding, inlet, discharge or emission points, in which some fluid is the element treated, supplied, transported, discharged or issued and that, for different technical or economic reasons, a variable filtration system can contribute to reducing energy consumption, reduce the cost or complexity of maintenance and / or can contribute to improving purity, quality, and / or the absence of particles, contaminants and unwanted elements in the fluid treated, supplied, transported, spilled or released.

As systems, facilities and elements in which this innovation can be implemented are all those that already use one or more filters, as well as all those in which the incorporation of filters can lead to an improvement in quality, purity or the lack of pollutants in the air, water or any other fluid, or that could lead to an environmental improvement. Some examples are listed below:

1. Air conditioning and ventilation installations and equipment, in which one or more variable action filters could come into operation, in order to achieve the desired air quality, and stop operating when they were not necessary for the purpose. to achieve energy savings and maintenance savings (cleaning, replacement or filter maintenance).

2. Installations, equipment or industrial processes in which air is used as a heat transfer fluid, as a sweeping fluid, as a pollutant removal fluid, such as compressed air, or as one more element in the production process. In these cases, the variable filtration system will be capable of providing adequate air filtration at the required points, and of providing energy and maintenance savings when filtration requirements decrease.

3. Installations and equipment for the production, transport, use, supply and discharge of gases other than air, such as medicinal gases, welding gases, refrigerant gases, combustible gases and other gases. In these cases, the variable filtration system will be capable of providing adequate gas filtration at the required points, and of providing energy and maintenance savings when filtration requirements decrease.

4. Facilities and equipment for the treatment, distribution, supply, feeding and use of drinking water, including the plumbing facilities. In these cases, the variable filtration system will be able to provide adequate water filtration at the required points, capable of achieving the desired water quality and providing energy and maintenance savings when the filtration requirements decrease without penalizing it. the quality of the water to parameters below those desired.

5. Installations and equipment for treatment, distribution, supply, feeding, discharge and use of non-potable water, as well as other liquids other than water, including fuels, and including industrial processes that use water or another liquid. as a heat transfer fluid, as a sweeping fluid and / or pollutant eliminator, as a fluid subject to evaporation, as steam, as a fuel or as one more element in the production process. In these cases, the variable filtration system will be able to provide adequate filtration of the liquid at the required points, capable of achieving the desired liquid quality and of providing energy savings when the filtration requirements decrease without penalizing the quality of the liquid to parameters below those desired.

6. Chimneys and smoke outlets for boilers in buildings and homes, especially those whose fuel is diesel, coal, pellets or wood, and the smoke outlets and polluting gases from industries, which may have a variable filtration system that is activated at times when less emission of smoke into the atmosphere is required (for example due to periods or moments of high pollution in cities or because the direction of the wind would move the smoke to sensitive areas , to areas with an already high level of contamination or to areas that you want to protect such as schools or hospitals and others) and that is deactivated when less smoke emission is not required, saving on energy and maintenance at those times.

7. Smoke outlets from the exhaust pipes of motor vehicles, including private vehicles and vehicles intended for public transport, which may have a variable filtration system that is activated at times when a lower emission of smoke into the atmosphere is required (for example due to periods or moments of high pollution in cities, due to the entry of the vehicle in cities where it is desired to protect air quality, or due to the proximity or passing through areas of high sensitivity or areas that you want to protect such as schools, hospitals and others, and that is deactivated when less emission of smoke is not required, saving on fuel and maintenance in those moments of deactivation.

The variable filtration system of the invention is intended to be applied in an installation comprising fluid treatment or impulsion equipment (5) connected to a main conduit (12) of an installation through which the fluid (6) circulates, according to is represented in figure 1. The treatment or impulsion equipment (5) incorporates an original impeller (16), responsible for driving the fluid (6) to the main conduit (12) of the installation, a prefilter (14), responsible for make an initial filtering in the installation and, optionally, a heat exchange element (15), in charge of providing the appropriate temperature to the fluid (6).

In a first preferred embodiment, as represented in Figures 4 to 11, the variable filtration system of the invention is composed of a by-pass duct (13) and a section of the main duct (12) from the installation to the which is connected to the by-pass duct (13) and to which the equipment (5) is connected, in an area where an additional type of filtering is to be carried out. The system comprises, in this area, a gate (7) that is activated to select the duct (12, 13) through which the fluid (6) will circulate, either the main (12) or the by-pass (13), so that you can select the type of filtering to apply. To carry out the selection of the duct (12, 13), the gate (7) is located in an area common to the two ducts (12, 13) that can block either of the two ducts (12, 13) interchangeably, depending on is represented in figure 4.

However, to carry out a more exhaustive control of the blocking of the ducts (12, 13), the system can also incorporate a gate (7) in each duct (12, 13), as shown in figure 5. Furthermore, in Figure 6 represents an improvement to this last configuration where, to be able to partially block the two ducts (12, 13) in a simultaneous and controlled way, the two gates (7) are joined by a connecting plate (8) in such a way that the movement of one of the gates (7) implies the movement of the other gate (7). Thus, the percentage of fluid (6) that circulates through each conduit (12, 13) can be decided. A final configuration of the gate system consists of incorporating, in addition to the situation of Figures 4 to 6, an additional gate (7) at the other end of the by-pass duct (13), at the outlet end, as shown in Figure 10, so that, with the gate (7) closed at the inlet of the by-pass duct (13) and the fluid (6) circulating through the main duct (12), it does not access the by-pass duct (13) by the outlet end, causing unnecessary pressure drops in the system. The two gates (7) of the by-pass duct (13) are synchronized to be open or closed at the same time.

In this embodiment, the system incorporates a filtration element (1) having a configuration as represented in figure 2, comprising a main filter (3) and, optionally, an internal impeller (2), or as represented in figure 3, where it also comprises at least one additional filter (4) to carry out another type of specific filtering. The different filters (3, 4) used differ depending on the size, type or composition of the polluting particles or chemical compounds to be filtered, such as SOx, NOx, volatile organic compounds, ozone or process precursors allergic, among others.

With the described configuration, two different situations can arise, depending on the location of the filtering element (1), which always acts in the filtering process. These Two situations are described below.

In the first situation, represented in Figures 4 to 10, the section of the main duct (12) where the by-pass duct (13) is connected does not incorporate any filter (3, 4). In this case, it is the by-pass duct (13) that incorporates the filtration element (1), which will be activated when appropriate.

In the second situation, represented in figure 11, it is the area of the main duct (12) that incorporates the filtering element (1), so that the by-pass duct (13) does not incorporate any filter (3, 4) . This situation is used when the fluid (6) must normally pass through the filter element (1) and there are cases in which it is convenient not to use any type of filtering in the installation.

A situation not represented in the figures but that can also occur is one in which, instead of there being no filter (3, 4) in either of the two ducts (12, 13), there is a main filter (3 ), accompanied or not by an additional filter (4) in the main duct (12), and in the by-pass duct (13) there is another additional filter (4), so that you can select the type of particle you want filter and not just choose between filter and no filter.

As represented in Figures 7, 8, 9 and 11, the variable filtration system of the invention may also comprise an external impeller (9) located, preferably, between the treatment equipment (5) and the bypass duct (13 ), although it can also be located downstream of the by-pass duct (13) or even in the by-pass duct (13) itself. The fact of incorporating an external impeller (9) is interesting in case it may be convenient to deactivate the original impeller (16) of the equipment (5) for reasons of inefficiency or maintenance, as well as to provide a higher pressure to the fluid ( 6) before their arrival at the filters (3, 4) in the installation and thus compensate the loss of load due to the filters (3, 4) located in the filter element (1), for which the system will activate the gates (7) so that the fluid (6) circulates mainly through them. In addition, as indicated above, the filtering element (1) does not have to have an internal impeller (2) so, in these situations, it is convenient to have an additional external impeller (9) to avoid leakage. load due to the new filter (3, 4) incorporated.

These configurations are especially applicable to the case in which the installation is carried out on main ducts (12) of existing installations. In the case of new installations, the variable filtration system, composed of the bypass duct (13), the main duct section (12) and the corresponding filters (3, 4) are installed as part of the same set.

Thus, figure 8 represents a situation in which an enclosing element (10) comprising the external impeller (9), the by-pass duct (13) together with the alternative main duct section (12), with the corresponding gates (7) and filter element (1). The enveloping element (10) is intended to be able to incorporate the entire assembly in any of the configurations described, directly in a section of the main duct (12) of an installation and, although it is more designed for existing installations for ease of mounting, for example, can also be applied in new installations.

Alternatively, figure 9 represents a situation similar to that defined in figure 8 where a simplified envelope element (11) is defined, different from the previous one in that it does not incorporate the external impeller (9), as it is incorporated into the simplified envelope element (11) independently.

In the case of new installations, the variable filtration system of the invention is presented in a second preferred embodiment, as represented in figures 12 to 20, where the system is focused on the same principle described in the first form of implementation, but carrying out the concept of bifurcation of the fluid (6) in a main path (17) inside the fluid treatment or impulsion equipment (5) instead of doing it in a section of the main conduit (12) of installation. This situation is also valid in installations where what is renewed is only the fluid treatment or impulsion equipment (5).

In this way, inside the treatment equipment (5), in addition to the prefilter (14), the heat exchange element (15) and the original impeller (16), it is shown as, inside the equipment (5) , the main path (17) of the fluid (6) bifurcates in a by-pass path (18). As in the first embodiment, in this case there are also gates (7) in charge of selecting the path (17, 18) of the fluid and with the same functionality. Thus, like the cases described above for the first embodiment of the invention and represented in Figures 4, 5, 6 and 10, there may be a gate (7) located in an area common to the two paths (17 , 18) that can block any of the two paths (17, 18), there is a gate (7) in each path (17, 18), the two gates (7) are joined by a connecting plate (8) and even There must be an additional gate (7) at the other end of the by-pass path (18), at the outlet end, to avoid unnecessary head losses in the system.

Figure 12 represents the fluid (6) circulating through the main route (17), the gate (7) of the by-pass route (18) being closed, until it exits the main conduit (12) of the installation, already outside the equipment. treatment (5). In this way the fluid (6) is forced to pass through the main filter (3).

Figure 13 represents the fluid (6) circulating through the by-pass route (18), the gate (7) of the main route (17) being closed, to return to the main route (17) downstream of the main filter (3) and then exit to the main conduit (12) out of the treatment equipment (5). In this way the fluid (6) is forced to pass through the additional filter (4).

Figure 14 represents a variant of Figure 13 in which in the by-pass path (18), instead of a single additional filter (4), there are two additional filters (4). This figure can correspond to the possible practical application of an air conditioning unit that has a medium or low efficiency particle filter as the main filter (3) and as additional filters (4) it has a high efficiency particle filter and a carbon filter.

Figure 15 represents a variant of figure 12, in which there is a gate (7) added downstream of the by-pass path (18). The function of this added gate (7) is to avoid pressure losses in a situation with the gate (7) of the by-pass path (13) closed, forcing the fluid to circulate through the main path (17), preventing the entry of the fluid (6) through the outlet of the by-pass path (18), in a similar way to that represented in figure 10 for the first embodiment. In this case, as in the first embodiment, the two gates (7) of the by-pass path (18) must be configured to always be in the same position, either open or closed.

Figure 16 represents a variant of figure 14 in which the main filter (3) is located upstream of the bifurcation of the by-pass route (18), that is, upstream of any gate (7), behaving in a this mode as a fixed main filter (3) through which the fluid (6) always passes. In the by-pass path (18) there are two additional filters (4), as in figure 14, although it can also be one, as shown in figure 13. This figure 16, in case of incorporating a single additional filter (4), it can correspond to the possible practical application of an air conditioning unit that as the main filter (3) has an electrostatic filter capable of retaining particles with very low pressure drop, through which the air will always pass, and as a filter additional (4) has a carbon filter capable of eliminating contaminating chemical compounds from the fluid stream (6), which will be activated when these chemical compounds need to be removed from the fluid stream (6).

Figure 17 represents the fluid (6) circulating through the main route (17) of the equipment (5), which is without any filter (3, 4), the gate (7) of the by-pass route (18) being closed, until leaving the main conduit (12) out of the treatment equipment (5), so that the only filtering that is carried out is due to the prefilter (14).

Figure 18 represents the fluid (6) circulating through the by-pass route (18), the gate (7) of the main route (17) being closed, which is without main filter (3), to return to the main route (17 ) and then exit to the main conduit (12) outside the treatment equipment (5). In this way the fluid (6) is forced to pass through the additional filter (4).

Figure 19 represents a variant of figure 18 where there is more than one bypass path (18) placed one after the other, with its corresponding gate (7) and additional filter (4) for filtering a specific pollutant , so that the type of filtering to be carried out focused on various pollutants can be selected. Although not represented, in this case the main path (17) can incorporate a main filter (3).

Figure 20 represents a variant of Figure 19 in which in the second by-pass path (18), instead of a single additional filter (4), there are two additional filters (4).

This figure can correspond to the possible practical application of an air conditioning unit which, as the main filter (3), has a medium or low efficiency particulate filter and, as additional filters (4), has a particulate filter of high efficiency and a carbon filter.

One of the objectives of the variable filtration system of the invention is to provide adequate air quality to heated or ventilated spaces, by forcing the air to pass through one or more filters (3, 4), so that the Air is cleaned of particulate matter, nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, volatile organic, other chemical or biological contaminants, odors, and / or suspended particles, as determined.

The deactivation of one or more filters (3, 4) of the filtering system in these cases will have the purpose of reducing the energy consumption of ventilation and / or air conditioning, by preventing the air from passing through one or more filters (3, 4), saving in this way the energy necessary for the air to pass through said filter (s) (3, 4), due to the pressure drop that the filters (3, 4) generate when an air stream passes through them to be filtered.

In air conditioning and ventilation, to determine whether a filter (3, 4) should be activated or not, criteria based on indoor air quality, outdoor air quality or air quality downstream of the filter (3 , 4), although discretionary criteria, time criteria and / or criteria for the use of spaces may also be used to activate or deactivate the filters (3, 4). The activation and deactivation criteria based on outdoor air quality can start from air quality probes located outside the building, data from remote probes that can receive different buildings, from alerts of high levels of pollution or alerts of high levels of allergens in the air emitted by municipal, regional or national governments.

The description based on ventilation and / or air conditioning systems is made because it is one of the most common filtering systems, although it can be extended to any other system or installation in which filters are used.

In this way, in either of the two embodiments described, where a by-pass duct (13) is incorporated in a section of the main duct (12) of an installation or a by-pass path (18) parallel to the main path (17 ) in a treatment team or fluid impulsion (5) you can select the type of filtering to which a fluid is subjected (6), considering not only the type of component to be eliminated from the circulation but also the energy savings due to the elimination of filters (3 , 4) unnecessary.

Thus, the variable filtration system incorporates at least one filter (3, 4), which will be exerting its filtering work as the fluid (6) object of filtration passes through them or it may be deactivated, without the fluid ( 6) go through none of the filters (3, 4).

The variable filtration system is also capable of modifying the filtering action, regulating it by forcing the fluid (6) to pass through the filters (3, 4) considered.

In addition, the variable filtration system can have different filters (3, 4) intended for different types of pollutant or particle, or for the same ones, with different filtering efficiencies of the pollutant or appropriate for different particle sizes. In these cases, when the filtration requirements increase, the activation of the more efficient filters (3, 4), associated with a greater uptake of particles or pollutants, is associated with the deactivation of less efficient filters (3, 4), associated less uptake of particles or pollutants. On the contrary, when the filtration requirements decrease, the deactivation of the more efficient filters (3, 4), associated with a greater uptake of particles or pollutants, is associated with the activation of the less efficient filters (3, 4), associated with less uptake of particles or pollutants. The classification of filters (3, 4) into very efficient and not very efficient is relative and based on the type of pollutant or on the percentage and size of the particles that are eliminated from the fluid (6).

The way of activating and deactivating the filters (3, 4) can be different, but the objective is the same: to provide the fluid (6) downstream of the filtration system or in an enclosure, chamber, tank or room downstream of the filtration system, of adequate quality and purity in relation to the absence of particles, chemical compounds and other contaminants that are to be avoided, even when the quality or purity of the fluid (6) upstream of the filtration system is not adequate, and enable maximum energy savings in ventilation or pumping by being able to deactivate one, several or all of the filters (3, 4) at times when one or more of the filters (3, 4) are not necessary to equip the main duct (12) downstream of the filtration system or to the downstream enclosure, chamber, tank or room of the filtration system of adequate quality and purity in relation to the absence of particles, chemical compounds and other contaminants that you wish to avoid.

The operating mode envisaged for the variable filtration system is automatic operation so that, in an automatic way, only the filters (3, 4) necessary to provide the main duct (12) downstream of the filtration system can be activated or to the enclosure, chamber, tank or room downstream of the filtration system, of a quality and purity of the fluid within the desired parameters, and the filters (3, 4) that are not necessary to achieve the quality and purity of the desired fluid (6).

It is contemplated that the system may be used in a manual mode as an alternative or supplement to the automatic mode.

To determine whether a filter (3, 4) should be activated or not, criteria based on the quality and purity of the fluid (6) in the main conduit (12) upstream of the filtration system, or from outside and / or criteria based on the quality of the fluid (6) in the main duct (10) downstream of the filtration system or in the enclosure, chamber, tank or room downstream of the filtration system, although discretionary criteria, time criteria and / or criteria of use to activate or deactivate the filters (3, 4).

In all cases, the possibility of operation in two extreme positions is considered depending on whether the corresponding filter (3, 4) is activated or deactivated, and the possibility of partial operation, where only a part of the fluid (6) passes through a filter (3 , 4) determined, leaving another part of the fluid (1) without passing through that filter (3, 4) or passing only partially. In addition, the possibility of locating several additional different filters (4), one after the other, is also contemplated, so that the type of filtering to be carried out can be selected with more flexibility.

The filter element (1), in addition to incorporating a main filter (3), and being able to incorporate an internal impeller (2), as shown in figure 2, can also incorporate a plurality of different additional filters (4), one next to the other, as represented in figure 3. This situation can occur in only one of the ducts (12, 13) or in both simultaneously, just as the situation may also arise that in one of the ducts (12, 13) there is no type of filter (3, 4) or that in either of the ducts (12, 13) there is more than one filter (3, 4).

In this way, the operation of the filter (3, 4) can be total, null or gradual, so that part of the fluid (6) passes through a filter (3, 4) and another part of the fluid (6) does not.

In the different configuration alternatives of the present invention, the possibility that there is a fixed main filter (3), that is, that it does not have variable operation, which means that the fluid (6) will always flow through it, such and as represented in figure 16, it is valid for all the operating options presented, and includes the possibility that there is more than one fixed filter as indicated.

Thus, the present invention should not be limited to the embodiments described herein. Other configurations can be made by those skilled in the art in light of the present description, especially by combining filtration elements (1), certain types of filters (3, 4) or even the absence of filters (3, 4 ) filter in the different ways (12,13, 17,18), either the main one (12, 17) or the by-pass (13, 18). Accordingly, the scope of the invention is defined by the following claims.

Claims (26)

1. - Variable filtration system for filtering fluids (6) comprising a fluid treatment or impulsion equipment (5), with a pre-filter (14) and an internal main path (17) for fluid circulation (6 ), and a section of a main conduit (12) of an installation to which the fluid treatment or impulsion equipment (5) is connected, characterized in that it comprises an additional path (13, 18) for the circulation of the fluid (6 ) intended to be filtered, a gate (7) for selecting the circulation path (12, 13, 17, 18) by blocking the fluid passage (6) and a filter (3, 4). 2. - Variable filtration system according to claim 1, characterized in that the additional path (13, 18) for the circulation of the fluid (6) is a by-pass duct (13), located parallel to the section of the main duct ( 12). 3. - Variable filtration system, according to claim 2, characterized in that the filter (3, 4) is housed in a filtration element (1) and is to be selected between a main filter (3) and an additional filter ( 4). 4. - Variable filtration system according to claim 3, characterized in that the filtration element (1) comprises an internal impeller (2). 5. - Variable filtration system according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the filter element (1) comprises a plurality of additional filters (4). 6. - Variable filtration system according to one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that the filter element (1) is in a location to be selected between the main duct (12) and the bypass duct (13). 7. - Variable filtration system according to one of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that the gate (7) is located in a common area of the main duct section (12) and the by-pass duct (13) with the capacity to block the passage of fluid (6) through either of the two conduits (12, 13). 8. - Variable filtration system according to one of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that both the main duct section (12) and the by-pass duct (13) comprise a gate (7) with the ability to block the passage of fluid (6). 9. - Variable filtration system according to claim 8, characterized in that the two gates (7) are joined by a connecting plate (8) that synchronizes the movement of the two gates (7). 10. - Variable filtration system according to claim 8, characterized in that the bypass duct (13) comprises a gate (7), with the ability to block the passage of fluid (6), at each end. 11. - Variable filtration system according to claim 10, characterized in that the two gates (7) of the bypass duct (13) are synchronized to be simultaneously in the same position, either open or closed. 12. - Variable filtration system according to any of the preceding claims 2 to 11, characterized in that it comprises an external impeller (9). 13. - Variable filtration system, according to claim 12, characterized in that the external impeller (9) is located in a position to be selected between upstream of the by-pass duct (13), downstream of the by-pass duct (13) and in the bypass duct (13). 14. - Variable filtration system according to claim 12, characterized in that the by-pass duct (13) together with the main duct section (12) on which it is located defines a simplified enveloping element (10) that is configured to replace a section of the main duct (12) existing in an installation. 15. - Variable filtration system according to claim 14, characterized in that the simplified enveloping element (10) together with the external impeller (9) define an enveloping element (11) that is configured to replace a section of the main duct ( 12) in a facility. 16. - Variable filtration system according to claim 1, characterized in that the additional path (13, 18) for the circulation of the fluid (6) is a by-pass path (18) located parallel to a section of the main path ( 17). 17. - Variable filtration system according to claim 16, characterized in that the filter (3, 4) is a main filter (3) that is located upstream of the by-pass path (18), so that the fluid ( 6) destined to be filtered is forced to pass through. 18. - Variable filtration system according to claim 16, characterized in that the section of the main route (17) has a configuration to be selected between incorporating a main filter (3) and not incorporating any filter (3, 4). 19. - Variable filtration system according to claim 17 or 18, characterized in that the bypass route (18) comprises an additional filter (4). 20. - Variable filtration system according to claim 17 or 18, characterized in that the bypass route (18) comprises a plurality of additional filters (4) different. 21. - Variable filtration system according to any of claims 16 to 20, characterized in that it comprises a gate (7) located in a common area of the main route section (17) and the by-pass route (18) with capacity for block the passage of the fluid (6) through either of the two paths (17, 18). 22. - Variable filtration system according to any of claims 16 to 20, characterized in that both the main route section (17) and the by-pass route (18) comprise a gate (7) with the ability to block the passage of the fluid (6). 23. - Variable filtration system according to claim 22, characterized in that the two gates (7) are joined by a connecting plate (8) that synchronizes the movement of the two gates (7). 24. - Variable filtration system according to claim 22, characterized in that the bypass route (18) comprises a gate (7) at each end. 25.- Variable filtration system, according to any of claims 21 to 24, characterized in that it comprises a plurality of by-pass routes (18), where each by-pass route (18) comprises a gate (7) and an additional filter ( 4) different. 26.- Variable filtration system, according to claim 25, characterized in that at least one of the by-pass routes (18) comprises a plurality of additional filters (4).