Naturally air-conditioned dwellings

Claim 2

Dwelling equipped with an airconditioning installation comprising a living space, at least one thermal enclosure, a frontage element of the dwelling exposed to solar radiation and an outer wall transparent to solar radiation and opaque to the far infrared radiation defining said thermal enclosure, said outer wall being arranged close to said frontage element, passage means arranged to make the top and the bottom of this thermal enclosure communicable with the living space, first distributor means arranged to direct hot air from the thermal enclosure optionally to one at least of the living sPace and the outside, and a cold air inlet device provided with closure means arranged in a wall exposed to no more than minimal solar radiation to admit cold air into the living space, the air thereby circulating by natural convection and, when directed from the thermal enclosure to the outside, causing aspiration of cold air into the living space through said cold air inlet.

Claim 3

Dwelling according to claim 1, wherein the first distributor means are also adapted to direct hot air partly into the living space and partly to the outside.

Claim 4

Dwelling according to claim 1, wherein the thermal enclosure is extended below the level of the dwelling.

Claim 5

Dwelling according to claim 1, wherein the frontage element comprises internal insulation.

Claim 6

Dwelling equipped with an air conditioning installation comprising a living space, at least one thermal enclosure, a frontage element of the dwelling exposed to solar radiation and an outer wall transparent to solar radiation and opaque to the far infrared defining said thermal enclosure, said outer wall being arranged close to said frontage element, passage means arranged to make the top and the bottom of this thermal enclosure communicable with the living space, the thermal enclosure being associated with at least one re-entry passage, leading hot air to the top of the frontage element, whence it can be distributed in the living space, said dwelling being constructed from modules each comprising a thermal enclosure associated with at least one passage arranged laterally with respect to an opening, said opening being situated above said thermal enclosure.

Claim 7

Dwelling equipped with an air conditioning installation comprising a living space, at least one thermal enclosure, a frontage element of the dwelling exposed to solar radiation and an outer wall transparent to solar radiation and opaque to the far infrared defining said thermal enclosure, said outer wall being arranged close to said frontage element, passage means arranged to make the top and the bottom of this thermal enclosure communicable with the living space, the thermal enclosure being associated with at least one re-entry passage, leading hot air to the top of the frontage element, whence it can be distributed in the living space, said dwelling being constructed from modules each comprising a thermal enclosure associated with at least one passage arranged laterally with respect to an opening, said opening being situated above said thermal enclosure.

Claim 8

Dwelling according to claim 5, constructed from modules each comprising a thermal enclosure associated with two passages arranged on both sides of an opening situated above the frontage element concerned.

Claim 9

Dwelling equipped with an air conditioning installation comprising a living space, at least one thermal enclosure, a frontage element for the dwelling exposed to solar radiation and an outer wall transparent to solar radiation and opaque to the far infrared defining said thermal enclosure, said outer wall being arranged close to said frontage element, passage means arranged to make the top and the bottom of this thermal enclosure able to communicate with the living space, first distributor means arranged to direct hot air from the thermal enclosure optionally to one at least of the living space and the outside cold air inlet means for the living space, the air thereby circulating by natural convection and, when directed from the thermal enclosure to the outside, causing aspiration of cold air into the living space through said cold air inlet means wherein the frontage element comprises a closed storage space containing a liquid whose mass is sufficient to accumulate the thermal energy resulting from the exposure of said frontage element.

Claim 10

Dwelling equipped with an air conditioning installation comprising a living space, at least one thermal enclosure, a frontage element for the dwelling exposed to solar radiation and an outer wall transparent to solar radiation and opaque to the far infrared defining said thermal enclosure, said outer wall being arranged close to said frontage element, passage means arranged to make the top and the bottom of this thermal enclosure able to communicate with the living space, first distributor means arranged to direct hot air from the thermal enclosure optionally to one at least of the living space and the outside cold air inlet means for the living space, the air thereby circulating by natural convection and, when directed from the thermal enclosure to the outside, causing aspiration of cold air into the living space through said cold air inlet means wherein the frontage element comprises a closed storage space containing a liquid whose mass is sufficient to accumulate the thermal energy resulting from the exposure of said frontage element.

Claim 11

Dwelling according to claim 7, wherein the liquid contained in the storage space comprises water.

Claim 12

Dwelling equipped with an air conditioning installation comprising a living space, at least one thermal enclosure, a frontage element of the dwelling exposed to solar radiation and an outer wall transparent to solar radiation and opaque to far infrared radiation defining said thermal enclosure, said outer wall being arranged close to aid frontage element, passage means arranged to make the top and the bottom of this thermal enclosure able to communicate with the living space, first distributor means arranged to direct hot air from the thermal enclosure optionally to one at least of the living space and the outside cold air inlet means for the living space, the air thereby circulating by natural convection and, when directed from the thermal enclosure to the outside, causing aspiration of cold air into the living space through said cold air inlet means; wherein the frontage element comprises an intercepting space containing a liquid and communicating with a reserve space arranged to restore part at least of the stored thermal energy to contribute to the air conditioning of the dwelling, the total mass of liquid contained in this intercepting space and this reserve space being sufficient to store the thermal energy resulting from the exposure of this frontage element.

Claim 13

Dwelling equipped with an air conditioning installation comprising a living space, at least one thermal enclosure, a frontage element of the dwelling exposed to solar radiation and an outer wall transparent to solar radiation and opaque to far infrared radiation defining said thermal enclosure, said outer wall being arranged close to aid frontage element, passage means arranged to make the top and the bottom of this thermal enclosure able to communicate with the living space, first distributor means arranged to direct hot air from the thermal enclosure optionally to one at least of the living space and the outside cold air inlet means for the living space, the air thereby circulating by natural convection and, when directed from the thermal enclosure to the outside, causing aspiration of cold air into the living space through said cold air inlet means; wherein the frontage element comprises an intercepting space containing a liquid and communicating with a reserve space arranged to restore part at least of the stored thermal energy to contribute to the air conditioning of the dwelling, the total mass of liquid contained in this intercepting space and this reserve space being sufficient to store the thermal energy resulting from the exposure of this frontage element.

Claim 14

Dwelling according to claim 9, wherein the reserve space is situated above the intercepting space, the communication between the intercepting space and the reserve space being effected through at least one ascending passage and at least one descending passage.

Claim 15

Dwelling according to claim 9, wherein the reserve space is arranged in a room of the dwelling exposed to no more than minimal solar radiation.

Claim 16

Dwelling according to claim 9, wherein the reserve space restores its thermal energy by forced circulation of air around said reserve space.

Claim 17

Dwelling according to claim 9, wherein the reserve space restores its thermal energy by radiation.

Claim 18

Dwelling equipped with an air conditioning installation comprising a living space, at least one thermal enclosure, a frontage element for the dwelling exposed to solar radiation and an outer wall transparent to solar radiation and opaque to the far infrared radiation defining said thermal enclosure, said outer wall being arranged close to said frontage element, passage means arranged to make the top and the bottom of this thermal enclosure able to communicate with the living space, wherein the frontage element comprises a thin, light intercepting panel and the thermal enclosure comprises in its upper portion, first distributor means arranged to direct hot air from the thermal enclosure optionally to one at least of the living space and the outside cold air inlet means for the living space, the air thereby circulating by natural convection and, when directed from the thermal enclosure to the outside, causing aspiration of cold air into the living space through said cold air inlet means, second distributor means arranged to direct hot air optionally to one at least of the living space and to a storage device arranged to store the thermal energy introduced by this air, and to restore part at least of the stored thermal energy to contribute to the air conditioning of the dwelling.

Claim 19

Dwelling equipped with an air conditioning installation comprising a living space, at least one thermal enclosure, a frontage element for the dwelling exposed to solar radiation and an outer wall transparent to solar radiation and opaque to the far infrared radiation defining said thermal enclosure, said outer wall being arranged close to said frontage element, passage means arranged to make the top and the bottom of this thermal enclosure able to communicate with the living space, wherein the frontage element comprises a thin, light intercepting panel and the thermal enclosure comprises in its upper portion, first distributor means arranged to direct hot air from the thermal enclosure optionally to one at least of the living space and the outside cold air inlet means for the living space, the air thereby circulating by natural convection and, when directed from the thermal enclosure to the outside, causing aspiration of cold air into the living space through said cold air inlet means, second distributor means arranged to direct hot air optionally to one at least of the living space and to a storage device arranged to store the thermal energy introduced by this air, and to restore part at least of the stored thermal energy to contribute to the air conditioning of the dwelling.

Claim 20

Dwelling according to claim 14, wherein the second distributor means are also arranged to direct hot air, partly into the living space, partly to the storage device.

Claim 21

Dwelling according to claim 14, wherein the hot air directed to the storage device is then re-ejected outside the dwelling, at least one opening provided with a closure device being arranged in a non-exposed wall of this dwelling.

Claim 22

Dwelling according to claim 14, wherein the hot air directed to the storage device is then re-ejected to a room of the dwelling to introduce therein its residual thermal energy.