Apparatus and Method for Treating Gas and Air-Conditioning Device

Abstract

Apparatus for treating gas having: a compressor with a compressor input and a compress output; a heat exchanger with a first heat exchanger input, a first heat exchanger output, a second heat exchanger input and a second heat exchanger output, wherein the heat exchanger is configured as gas-gas heat exchanger; a turbine with a turbine input and a turbine output, wherein the compressor output is connected to the second heat exchanger input and wherein the second heat exchanger output is connected to the turbine input; an input interface for coupling the compressor input and the first heat exchanger input to a gas supply; and an output interface for coupling the turbine output and the first heat exchanger output to a gas exhaust.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of copending International Application No. PCT/EP2022/053989, filed Feb. 17, 2022, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, and additionally claims priority from German Application No. 102021201530.1, filed Feb. 17, 2021, which is also incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

The present invention relates to apparatuses and methods for treating gas and, in particular, to apparatuses that can be used for heating or cooling gas, such as air, separately or together with an air-conditioning device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Known devices are cold air refrigerating machines. The same are used, for example, in astronautics. In the publication “High-capacity turbo-Brayton cryocoolers for space applications”, M. Zagarola u. a., Cryogenics 46 (2006), pages 169 to 175, a cryocooler is disclosed, which is illustrated schematically in FIG. 9. A compressor C compresses gas that circulates in the closed system. The compressed gas is cooled by a heat exchanger schematically indicated by “heat sink” or “heat dissipation”. The cooled gas is fed into a recuperator R, which supplies the cooled gas to a turbine E. From the turbine E, cold gas is dissipated, which absorbs heat via a heat exchanger or causes a cooling effect. The gas leaving the heat exchanger providing the cooling effect and that is again warmer than the gas at the input of the same is also fed into the recuperator R to be heated again.

The temperature entropy diagram of the cycle in FIG. 9 is illustrated in FIG. 10. By the compressor C, isentropic compression takes place as shown by the transition from transition point 1 to the transition point 2. By the heat exchanger for heat dissipation, isobaric heat dissipation takes places as illustrated by the transition of point 2 to point 3 in FIG. 10. By the recuperator R, also isobaric heat dissipation takes place as illustrated by the transition between point 3 and point 4. Then, isentropic expansion takes place in the turbine 4 as illustrated by the transition between point 4 and point 5. The cooling effect of the heat exchanger again represents an isobaric heat supply as illustrated by the transition from point 5 to point 6. The heat dissipated in the heat exchanger is illustrated in the temperature entropy diagram as the temperature difference between point 2 and point 3. Accordingly, the temperature reduction obtained by the turbine expansion is illustrated by the temperature difference between point 4 and point 5.

Finally, the temperature difference that can be used for cooling, which is illustrated as “available cooling” is illustrated between point 5 and point 6.

Further cooling air refrigerating machines in different other implementations are illustrated in the lecture “Luft als Kältemittel—Geschichte der Kaltluftkältemaschine” by I. Ebinger, held at the Historikertagung (Historian Convention) 2013 in Friedrichshafen on Jun. 21, 2013.

Compared to heat pumps used for cooling and heating, gas refrigerating machines have the advantage that energy-intensive circulation of liquid refrigerants can be prevented. Additionally, gas refrigerating machines do not require continuous evaporation on the one hand and continuous condensation on the other hand. In the cycle shown in FIG. 9, merely gas circulates without any transitions between the different aggregate states. Further, very low pressures close to vacuum are needed for heat pumps, in particular if refrigerants that are problematic for the climate are to be dispensed with, and these pressures can lead to considerable expense for generation, handling and maintenance during operation, especially in terms of equipment.

Such cold air refrigerating machines include a compressor, a turbine, a recuperator and a heat exchanger. By the heat exchanger in a cold air refrigerating machine, heat is withdrawn and dissipated to a heat sink. This typically takes place in an air-liquid heat exchanger. Cold air refrigerating machines as described, for example, in the German application 10 2020 213 544.4 can be used to operate as open system to use the air of a room as working medium of the cold air refrigerating machine to dissipate a respectively cooled air to this room in the sense of an open system. In particular, such cold air refrigerating machine includes a recuperator at the compressor input. A compressor-heat exchanger-turbine combination of such a gas refrigerating machine is connected to a recuperator output. Due to the usage of a recuperator, a compressor, a heat exchanger, a turbine and a heat sink, for the coupling of which the heat exchanger has to be configured as air-liquid heat exchanger, this implementation includes a large number of components.

SUMMARY

According to an embodiment, an apparatus for treating gas may have: a compressor with a compressor input and a compress output; a heat exchanger with a first heat exchanger input, a first heat exchanger output, a second heat exchanger input and a second heat exchanger output, wherein the heat exchanger is configured as gas-gas heat exchanger; a turbine with a turbine input and a turbine output, wherein the compressor output is connected to the second heat exchanger input and wherein the second heat exchanger output is connected to the turbine input; an input interface for coupling the compressor input and the first heat exchanger input to a gas supply, wherein the input interface includes, on an input side as the gas supply, an outlet gas input and a fresh gas input, and includes, on an output side, a first input interface output and a second input interface output, wherein the input interface is configured to couple the input interface to the output side of the input interface; and an output interface for coupling the turbine output and the first heat exchanger output to a gas exhaust, wherein the output interface includes, on an input side of the output interface, a first output interface input and a second output interface input, and on an output side of the output interface, as the gas exhaust, an inlet gas channel and an exhaust gas channel, wherein the output interface is configured to couple the input side of the output interface to the output side of the output interface.

According to another embodiment, an air-conditioning device may have: a room outlet air terminal; a room inlet air terminal; and an inventive apparatus, wherein the room outlet air terminal is coupled to the gas supply and the room inlet air terminal is coupled to the gas exhaust.

Another embodiment relates to a method for operating an apparatus for treating gas including a compressor with a compressor input and a compressor output; a heat exchanger with a first heat exchanger input, a first heat exchanger output, a second heat exchanger input and a second heat exchanger output, wherein the heat exchanger is configured as gas-gas heat exchanger; a turbine with a turbine input and a turbine output, an input interface for coupling the compressor input and the first heat exchanger input to a gas supply, wherein the input interface includes, on an input side as the gas supply, an outlet gas input and a fresh gas input, and includes, on an output side, a first input interface output and a second input interface output, wherein the input interface is configured to couple the input interface to the output side of the input interface; and an output interface for coupling the turbine output and the first heat exchanger output to a gas exhaust, wherein the output interface includes, on an input side of the output interface, a first output interface input and a second output interface input, and on an output side of the output interface, as the gas exhaust, an inlet gas channel and an exhaust gas channel, wherein the output interface is configured to couple the input side of the output interface to the output side of the output interface, having the steps of: feeding compressed gas from the compressor output into the second heat exchanger input; and feeding gas from the second heat exchanger output into the turbine input and relaxing the gas in the turbine.

According to another embodiment, a method for producing an apparatus for treating gas including a compressor with a compressor input and a compressor output; a heat exchanger with a first heat exchanger input, a first exchanger output, a second heat exchanger input and a second heat exchanger output wherein the heat exchanger is configured as gas-gas heat exchanger; and a turbine with a turbine input and a turbine output, may have the steps of: connecting the compressor output to the second heat exchanger input; and connecting the second heat exchanger output to the turbine input; coupling the compressor input and the first heat exchanger input to a gas supply with an input interface, wherein the input interface includes, on an input side as the gas supply, an outlet gas input and a fresh gas input and includes, on an output side, a first input interface output and a second input interface output, wherein the input interface is configured to couple the input side of the input interface to the output side of the input interface; coupling the turbine output and the first heat exchanger output to a gas exhaust with an output interface, wherein the output interface includes, on an input side of the output interface, a first output interface input and a second output interface input and, on an output side of the output interface as the gas exhaust, an inlet gas channel and an exhaust gas channel, wherein the output interface is configured to couple the input side of the output interface to the output side of the output interface.

The present invention is based on the finding that a simple and at the same time robust measure for treating gas is the usage of a compressor-heat exchanger-turbine combination where the heat exchanger is configured as gas-gas heat exchanger and coupled between the compressor output and the turbine input at its primary side. The primary side of the gas-gas heat exchanger, which can also be referred to as recuperator, can be provided with different gas flows, depending on the implementation.

In embodiments, the compressor gas-gas heat exchanger turbine combination is provided with an input interface and an output interface, wherein the input interface is configured to couple the compressor input and the heat exchanger input of the primary side with a gas supply. Then, the output interface is configured to couple the turbine output and the heat exchanger output of the primary side of the heat exchanger to a gas exhaust.

Depending on the implementation, the input interface and the output interface can be firmly “wired”, i.e., firmly installed to place the apparatus for treating gas into a “summer operation”, where the cooling power of the apparatus for treating is emphasized. In another implementation of the input interface and/or the output interface, the apparatus for treating gas is “firmly wired” placed into a “winter operation”, where the heating, i.e., the heating effect of the apparatus is emphasized.

In again another embodiment, both the input interface and the output interface are configured in a controllable manner to place the input side of the apparatus for treating gas and the output side of the apparatus for treating gas into a cooling operation or a heating operation, depending on a control signal that can be detected manually or automatically. Detecting the environmental situation, such as temperature detection or target temperature detection of inlet air for a room can take place automatically by using a temperature sensor or a flow sensor or both sensors, or can be derived manually or in dependence on a greater control, for example a building control.

Depending on the implementation, the input interface or the output interface can be set as two-way switch having two inputs and two outputs, wherein switching can take place between two connections from the inputs to the outputs. Alternatively, the interface can also consist of individual switching elements to connect an input to one of two outputs depending on a control signal.

In embodiments, the apparatus for treating gas is configured to have a specific compressor turbine combination, wherein the compressor wheel and the turbine wheel are arranged on one axis, wherein a drive motor is arranged between the compressor wheel and the turbine wheel and wherein in particular the rotor of the drive motor is arranged on the same axis on which also the turbine wheel and the compressor wheel are arranged.

In embodiments of the present invention, further, the heat exchanger that is a gas-gas heat exchanger is configured as a recuperator, wherein further a counter-flow principle is used, wherein a plurality and in particular, a large amount of flow channels forming the primary side are in thermal interaction with the plurality and in particular a large number of flow channels that form the secondary side. Further, it is advantageous that the heat exchanger has a rotationally symmetric shape with a first recuperator output in the center of the recuperator.

In embodiments of the present invention, the apparatus for treating gas is coupled to an air-conditioning device via the input and/or output interface, in particular with an air-conditioning device offering an outlet air terminal, an inlet air terminal, and possibly also an exhaust air terminal and a fresh air terminal. The air-conditioning device typically dissipating at least part of the outlet air from a room, typically to the outside as exhaust air, is supplemented by the apparatus for treating gas in that, for example, for heating in the room i.e., in winter operation, the terminal energy is drawn from the outlet air and is transferred to the inlet air via the heat exchanger. In that way, also for cooling in the room, energy is drawn from the supplied fresh air and removed from the system via the already warm outlet air via the exhaust air. In the compressor/turbine combination, relatively “hot” fresh air can be used to generate even hotter exhaust air from the outlet air, such that inlet air can still bring adequate cooling power into the room.

In particular in an embodiment, the air-conditioning device has a divider that divides the room outlet air into an outlet air flow and a re-feeding flow. The re-feeding flow is treated by a treater, such as amended regarding humidity, disinfected or enriched with oxygen, but typically not thermally amended, i.e., with respect to its temperature. This treated air flow is supplied to a combiner that at the same time receives air-conditioned fresh air from the apparatus for treating gas which then, depending on the implementation, is cold when the room is to be cooled, i.e., when the room inlet air is to be colder than the room outlet air or that is warm when the room is to be heated, i.e., when the room is to be heated, i.e., when the room inlet air is to be warmer than the room outlet air.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the present invention will be detailed subsequently referring to the appended drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an apparatus for treating gas according to an embodiment;

FIG. 2 is an apparatus for treating gas for “summer operation” according to an embodiment;

FIG. 3 is an apparatus for treating gas according to a further embodiment for a “winter operation”;

FIG. 4a is an implementation of the input interface or the output interface;

FIG. 4b is a control table for configuring the interfaces in the summer or winter operation;

FIG. 5a is an alternative implementation of the apparatus for treating gas;

FIG. 5b is a control table for the control of the switches in FIG. 7a;

FIG. 5c is an implementation of the input or output interface as a two-way switch;

FIG. 6a is an embodiment of an air-conditioning device that can be coupled to the apparatus for treating gas;

FIG. 6b is a further embodiment of an air-conditioning device that can be coupled to the apparatus for treating gas;

FIG. 7a is a perspective view of a compressor-turbine combination;

FIG. 7b is a side view of the compressor-turbine combination of FIG. 7a;

FIG. 8a is a schematic illustration of a section through a heat exchanger/recuperator with collecting rooms on the secondary side and the primary side;

FIG. 8b is a schematic top view of a recuperator of FIG. 8c with collecting rooms on the primary side and the secondary side;

FIG. 8c is an alternative implementation of the apparatus for treating gas according to an embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a schematic illustration of a known cold air refrigerating machine; and

FIG. 10 is a temperature-entropy diagram of the known cold air refrigerating machine of FIG. 9.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 shows an apparatus for treating gas 600 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The apparatus 600 for treating gas includes a compressor 40 having a compressor input 41 and a compressor output 42. Further, the apparatus includes a heat exchanger 10, which will be referred to as recuperator below, and which comprises a first heat exchanger input 11, a first heat exchanger output 12, a second heat exchanger input 13 and a second heat exchanger output 14. The heat exchanger 10 is configured as gas-gas heat exchanger in that both on its primary side formed by the first heat exchanger input 11 and the first heat exchanger input 12 as well as its secondary side formed by the second heat exchanger input 13 and the second heat exchanger input 14 the same type of gas is used, for example air. However, independent of the fact whether gas is used in the combination of compressor, heat exchanger secondary circuit and turbine and a different gas flows in the primary side of the heat exchanger, the heat exchanger is still configured as gas-gas heat exchanger.

In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the heat exchanger can also be configured as liquid-gas heat exchanger or solid-gas heat exchanger. Then, at least one input interface or an output interface or both interfaces are provided, which couple to a material supply that is a gas supply or also a liquid supply. In both cases, the input or output interface cannot only be switchable or firmly wired, but the respective interface can also include a heat exchanger to bring thermal energy from the material supply into the heat exchanger or to dissipate thermal energy from the heat exchanger 10.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the apparatus 600 for treating gas is supplemented by an input interface 100 or an output interface 200 or both interfaces. The input interface 100 is configured to couple the compressor input 41 and the heat exchanger input 11 to a material supply, which is a gas supply, which consists of an outlet air channel 102a and a fresh air channel 102b. Further, the output interface 200 is configured to couple the turbine output 72 and the first heat exchanger output 12 to a material exhaust, which is a gas exhaust, which comprises an inlet air channel 202a and an exhaust air channel 202b. In particular, the input interface comprises an outlet air input or channel 102a on an input side and a fresh air input 102, also on the input side. Further, the input interface 100 comprises a first input interface output 104 and a second input interface output 106 on an output side of the input interface 100. Further, the output interface 200 comprises an inlet air output 202a and an exhaust air output 202b on an output side and a first output interface input 206 and a second output interface input 204 on an input side of the output interface 200.

As shown in FIG. 1, in the apparatus 600 for treating gas, the compressor output 42 is connected to the second heat exchanger input 13. Further, the second heat exchanger output 14 is connected to the turbine input 71. In an embodiment of the present invention, the turbine output 72 is connected to the first output interface input 206. Further, the first heat exchanger output 12 is connected to the second output interface input 204. Further, the first input interface output 104 is connected to the first heat exchanger input 11 and the second input interface output 106 is connected to the compressor input 41. The above illustrated connections are direct connections of a gas channel with a different gas channel such that the gas flows directly from the first input interface output 104, for example, into the first heat exchanger input 11 on the primary side of the heat exchanger 10.

Above that, the input interface 100 is configured to couple the input side of the input interface 100 to the output side of the input interface 100. Above that, the output interface is configured to couple the input side of the output interface 200 to the output side of the output interface 200.

Depending on the implementation, this coupling can be a fixed coupling as illustrated for example in FIG. 2 or 3, or can be a switchable coupling, as for example illustrated in FIG. 4a or in FIG. 5 with respect to the input interface 100 and the output interface 200, wherein a switch, as for example shown in FIGS. 5c and 4a can be used to perform respective switching from one coupling to the other. Thereby, for example cooling operation or summer operation is obtained as illustrated in FIG. 2 or heating operation or winter operation as illustrated in FIG. 3. Alternatively or additionally, the fixed coupling or the switchable coupling can be performed via a further heat exchanger.

Further, FIG. 1 shows an implementation where the input interface or the output interface can be controlled in dependence on a control signal 302, 304, wherein the apparatus comprises a control 300 that is configured to obtain a control input and to provide the control signal 302, 304, wherein the control 300 is configured to obtain the control signal by manual input or sensor-controlled input.

The control 300 is configured to set the input interface 100 or the output interface 200 by the control signal 302, 304 to a summer operation for cooling a gas for an inlet gas channel 202 for the gas exhaust, and to set the input interface 100 or the output interface 200 by the control signal 302, 304 into a winter operation for heating a gas for the inlet gas channel 202a. The control can store, for example, a control table 301 of FIG. 4b or a control table 303 of FIG. 5b in a memory and use it accordingly.

In the embodiment of FIG. 2 of the apparatus 600 for treating gas, the input interface 100 is configured as fixed connection between the fresh air channel 102b and the compressor input 41. This means that there is a direct connection between the second input interface output 106 and the fresh air channel 102b. Accordingly, the outlet air channel 102a is also directly connected to the first heat exchanger input 11 or the second input interface output 106.

A respective direct connection exists further between the output interface input 206 and the inlet air channel 202a on the one hand and the first heat exchanger output 12 or the output interface input 204 and the exhaust air output 202b as shown in FIG. 2.

Further, FIG. 2 shows a coupling of the apparatus 600 with an air-conditioning device coupled to a room 400 via a room outlet air channel 508 and room inlet air channel 510. The air-conditioning device 500 explained in more detail in FIG. 6a or 6b includes a divider 502 possibly comprising a blower to suck air out of the room and to pump it into the input interface 100, an optional treater 504 and a combiner 506 comprising a blower 506a of FIG. 8c to pump the room inlet air in the room inlet air channel 510 into the room and to suck in the respective inlet air from the inlet terminal 202a.

Further, FIG. 2 includes different exemplary temperature values to explain the cooling effect of the apparatus for treating gas. Relatively hot fresh air having 50° C. is sucked in by the compressor 40 via a fresh air input. Even in very hot regions in summer, it will hardly be the case that the temperature in the shade, i.e. the outside air, will be above 50° C. The compressor 40 is configured, for example, such that the same has a rotational speed or reaches a compression ratio that has the effect that the air at the output of the guide room of the compressor, which is not shown in FIG. 2, has a temperature of 90° C. This temperature of 90° C. is reduced in the heat exchanger 10 to 28° C. at the second heat exchanger output 14 due to the heat transfer and thermal heat coupling with the primary side. The cooled air that is under high pressure having a temperature of approximately 28° C. is relaxed in the turbine 70 to a temperature of, for example, 5° C. which is due to the fact that a relaxation to the original pressure ratio is obtained.

The 5° C. cold air is then given into the inlet air channel 202a and can be used for cooling purposes in the room 400. The primary side of the heat exchanger 10 includes, on the input side, hot air from the room having, for example, a temperature of 25° C. and this temperature is increased to a temperature of approximately 87° C. by the effect of the heat exchanger 10, and this now very hot air is dissipated to the outside, for example a shadow side or roof of a building via the exhaust air channel 202b. Even when an outside temperature is very high and is around 50° C., the exhaust air with 87° C. is still significantly hotter than the environmental air and it has therefore shown that the energy dissipated via the exhaust air can be easily received by the environment and no additional heat sink is needed. Typical heat exchanger temperature differences of 3° C. have been assumed for the heat exchanger 10, which exist between the secondary side input and the secondary side output or the primary side input and the secondary side output.

By mixing the 5° C. cold air into the output of the treater 504 in the combiner 506 by the combiner 506 of the air-conditioning device, for example, 18° C. cold air can be easily generated, which can be fed for cooling purposes into the room 400, which is, for example, a room in a building, such as a conference room, a room, a hall or the same or also a “function room” such as a data center.

FIG. 3 shows an alternative implementation of the apparatus 600 for treating gas, which is now switched to winter operation where a heating effect is to be obtained in the room 400. Here, it is again assumed that it is too cold in the room, i.e. for example air having a temperature of 18° C. is drawn from the room and fed into the divider 502. The divider 502 feeds the outlet air channel 102a connected to the compressor 40. The compressor receives the 18° C. warm air and increases the temperature of the air due to its compressing effect to, for example, 48° C. Due to the effect of the heat exchanger 10, this 48° C. warm air is cooled down to approximately −27° C. The −27° C. cold air, which is still at a very high pressure that is present at the compressor output 42, is relaxed via the turbine 70 and cooled down to a temperature of, for example, −57° C. This very cold air is dissipated to the environment via an exhaust air output, which is, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, already a very cold temperature of −30° C. The environment air is fed into the primary side input 11 of the heat exchanger 10 via the fresh air channel 102b and heated to a temperature of 45° C. due to the effect of the heat exchanger. The 45° C. hot air is mixed with the 18° C. warm air at the output of the treater 504 via the combiner 508, to achieve, in the end effect, for example a temperature of 25° C. in the room inlet air channel 510.

The temperature examples shown in FIG. 2 for cooling and in FIG. 3 for heating are extreme examples. Thus, for example, the example in FIG. 2 shows that even at extremely high outside temperatures of 50° C., a cooling effect is easily obtained and an exhaust air can be generated that is 87° C. hot and therefore can be fed easily into the environment as heat sink.

The same applies for the temperature example shown in FIG. 15, wherein very cold outside temperatures of −30° C. are assumed, wherein very cold exhaust air of −57° C. can be generated, for example, by the inventive compressor-heat exchanger-turbine combination which can be dissipated easily into the −30° C. cold environment. In other words, even −30° C. cold inlet air serves as a sufficient heat source to obtain an increase of the fresh air temperature to a temperature of 45° C. via the heat exchanger 10, which is easily sufficient for heating.

Although in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 intermediate connection of an air-conditioning device with divider 502 and combiner 506 has been illustrated, it can easily be seen that even without intermediate connection of a divider 502 and a combiner 506, cooling in the room or heating in the room can be obtained when, for example, the warm air shown in FIG. 3 at a temperature of 45° C. is directly fed into the room or when, as shown in FIG. 2, the 5° C. cold air is fed directly into the room. For compatibility with existing air-conditioning plants where only part of the air becomes exhaust air and another part is again fed in after treating in the treater 504, according to the invention, the usage of elements 502, 504, 506 is advantageous, as they will be illustrated in more detail below with reference to FIG. 6a.

It should be noted that, when the outside temperatures are warmer than FIG. 2 for heating or colder than in FIG. 3 for cooling, the requirements for the compressor and the turbine are relaxed. These relaxed requirements or when the current temperature becomes more extreme in the other direction, more tense requirements can be implemented by decreasing or increasing the rotational speeds of compressor and turbine.

FIG. 6a shows a detailed illustrated of the air-conditioning device 500 with a room outlet air channel 508 and a room inlet air channel 510, which are both connected to a room 400 to be air-conditioned. The air-conditioning device 500 includes the divider 502, the optional treater 504 and the combiner 506. The divider divides the air flow in the room outlet air channel 508 into the outlet air channel 102a and the re-feeding flow 512, wherein the outlet air existing in the outlet air channel 102 becomes exhaust air after a certain processing or air-conditioning.

The part of the room outlet air in the channel 508, which does not finally become the exhaust air via the channel 102a, represents the re-feeding flow 512 whose temperature is typically not changed but can merely be treated with respect to other air quality parameters in the treater 504, such as enriched with oxygen, enriched with humidity or depleted from humidity. Further treating processes are disinfecting the re-feeding flow or filtering the re-feeding flow for dust or biological particles, such as bacteria or viruses. As illustrated in dotted manner in FIG. 6a, the treater 508 can also be bridged or omitted.

In the combiner 506, the inlet air in the inlet air channel 202a, which is based on fresh air with a changed temperature, is combined with the re-feeding flow directly or the processed re-feeding flow and supplied to the room 400 via the room inlet air channel 510. For this, the combiner 506 includes a blower, e.g. 506a of FIG. 8c, which can be used to suck in inlet air via the inlet air channel 202a, i.e. draw the same through the primary side of the heat exchanger with respect to FIG. 8c. At the same time, a blower can also be present in the divider 502, which draws the room outlet air from the room 400 and feeds air into the outlet air channel 102a in order to transport the same, for example during summer operation, through the heat exchanger 10 as exhaust air into the environment.

FIG. 6b shows a further embodiment of an air-conditioning device that can be coupled to the apparatus while treating gas. The apparatus in FIG. 6b is similar to the apparatus of FIG. 6a. However, the treater 505 is not located between the divider 502 and the combiner 506 but in the flow direction of the room inlet air between the combiner 506 and the inlet air inlet of the room 400. Thereby, it is obtained that in contrary to the embodiment in FIG. 6a not only the room outlet air is treated but also the inlet air from the terminal 202a, which is air-conditioned fresh air. If the fresh air is, e.g., odor-polluted, as can occur, for example, close to agricultural plants, the feature 504 is able to remove this odor pollution. In contrary to FIG. 6a, the treater 504 in FIG. 6a has to process less gas flow than in FIG. 6b, since in FIG. 6a merely that portion of the outlet air is processed that is returned to the room 400, while in FIG. 6b the entire gas flow has to be treated. As the divider 502 in embodiments turns more than 50% and more than 70% or more than 80% of the outlet air flow into the feeding flow 512, this point is of no particular importance. Further, it has shown to be advantageous that, when placing the treater 504 after the combiner 506 at the terminals 102a and 202a, the same pressures prevail, i.e. the same pressure region prevails. Therefore, it is advantageous to implement the divider 502 without blower or fan, but, for example, in a passive manner. Then, the optional fan L, indicated by 21 in FIG. 5a, would be present, which otherwise does not have to be present as schematically illustrated by the dotted line 22. The alternative placing of the treater where also a fan exists to blow the treated air into the room and at the same time to favor a passive divider 502 so that the feeding flow 512 is sucked by the fan in the treater 504 and the air-conditioned fresh air is drawn into the combiner 506, can also be used in FIG. 2 or FIG. 3. Alternatively, the fan L 21 can also be placed at the output of the heat exchanger prior to terminal A4. However, the placing in FIG. 5a is advantageous as here the gas flow is pressed through the heat exchanger and is not sucked as with the placing at the terminal A4 is.

It should further be noted that the room 400 can be any room such as a house, an office, an office space but also a car or even the inside of a tumble dryer. Even a room that is not divided off completely, such as a partly open outside room, for example, of a restaurant can be air-conditioned according to the invention, such as cooled or heated.

The present invention is further particularly advantageous as tasks normally to be performed can be simply performed in addition to air-conditioning by the apparatus for treating gas, such as dehumidifying the inlet air in particular for the cooling operation, for example in the summer. With respect to the exemplary temperatures shown in FIG. 2, the dew point will occur in the outlet pipe of the turbine. Here, fog formation will take place. Controlled dehumidification can simply take place in that a drop catcher is placed in the outlet flow of the turbine 70 that catches a desired portion of the formed drops and dissipates the same to a condensed liquid exhaust location.

On the other hand, air humidification, such as for the heating operation in winter as illustrated in FIG. 3 can be easily obtained simply in that at the first output 12 of the heat exchanger 10, i.e. in front of the combiner where the gas is relatively hot, such as 45°, an open water area is placed, which can automatically be refilled with liquid, for example by a floater construction. Due to the gas streaming out of the heat exchanger, which is too dry for the temperature, the liquid will easily evaporate from the open water area. Alternatively, water can also be sprayed in at this location, which is also possible without much effort.

It should be noted that in contrary to existing air-conditioning devices, where heat recovery from the room outlet air flow takes place by using a heat pump that uses a liquid, for example water, as working medium, the inventive apparatus for treating gas operates completely without any liquid as working medium, but merely uses gas as working medium. Therefore, the inventive apparatus for treating gas can be implemented in a particularly efficient and energy-saving manner as all losses resulting from circulating water or from the expensive (due to a very small needed pressure) and energy-intensive evaporation of water become obsolete. According to the invention, merely gas is used both in the primary circuit of the heat exchanger and the secondary circuit of the heat exchanger, such that the heat exchanger is implemented as gas-gas heat exchanger. In the entire apparatus, merely gas is used as working medium, such that all difficulties accompanying the usage of a liquid as working medium are obsolete. Such problematic and expensive implementations when using liquids as working medium are, for example, also the storage and sealing of liquids, even when environmentally friendly liquids such as water are used and in the measures needed, for example, for evaporating water at low temperatures.

FIG. 4a shows an implementation of the input interface 100 or the output interface 200 as two-way switch as shown, for example, schematically in FIG. 57c. By rotating the switch 700 in FIG. 5c, a connection of the terminal A1 to the terminal A4 on the one hand and a connection of the terminal A2 to the terminal A3 on the other hand can be obtained such that the outlet air is connected to the terminal A1 shown at 104 in FIG. 4a and the fresh air is connected to the terminal A3 as the current “switch position” of the switch 700 shows. If the switch 700 is rotated by 90°, the fresh air channel is connected to the terminal A1 and the outlet air channel is connected to the terminal A3.

The implementation of the output interface is analogously, wherein here the bottom labeling in FIG. 5c is relevant. At the current position of the switch 700, the inlet air 202a is connected to the terminal A2 and the exhaust air 202b is connected to the terminal A4. If the switch 700 is rotated by 90°, the inlet air is connected to the terminal A4 and the exhaust air is connected to the terminal A2.

FIG. 4b shows a respective control table showing that in summer operation shown, for example, in FIG. 2, the outlet air is connected to the terminal A1, the fresh air is connected to the terminal A3, the inlet air is connected to the terminal A2 and the exhaust air is connected to the terminal A4. If however, the inventive apparatus for treating gas according to FIG. 3 is configured in winter operation, the outlet air is connected to the terminal A3, the fresh air is connected to the terminal A1, the inlet air is connected to the terminal A4 and the exhaust air is connected to the terminal A2.

FIG. 5a shows an alternative implementation of the input interface and the output interface, wherein the input interface is implemented with two individual switches each, in contrary to a two-way switch of FIG. 4a. The input interface includes a first switch 100a for the terminal A3 and a second switch 100b for the terminal A1.

The output interface includes a first switch 200a for the terminal A2 and a second switch 200b for the terminal A4. The first switch 100a has a fresh air terminal 308 and an outlet air terminal 320. The second switch 100b has an outlet air terminal 108 and a fresh air terminal 120. The terminal 108 and the terminal 320 can be separate terminals or can all go back to the same outlet air terminal or outlet air channel. The fresh air terminal 120 and the fresh air terminal 308 can again be different terminals or can go back to the same fresh air channel.

The control of the switch takes place via a control signal 302b for the first control signal C1 and via a second control signal 302a via the control terminal C3.

The output interface 200 is implemented analogously via a first switch 200a and a second switch 200b. The output interface includes, for the first switch, an inlet air channel 208 and an exhaust air channel 220 and, for the second switch, an exhaust air channel 400 and an inlet air channel 420. The exhaust air channel 220 and the exhaust air channel 400 can be different channels or the same exhaust air channel. The same applies for the inlet air channel 420 and the inlet air channel 208, which can be configured separately or which can lead into a common inlet air channel. The control takes again place via a control signal 304a for the second switch i.e. for the control signal C2 and via a second control signal 304b for the control terminal C4.

FIG. 5b shows a further control table 303 indicating how the individual control terminals C1, C2, C3, C4 are to be adjusted to obtain either summer operation or winter operation, i.e. to either obtain a cooling in the room, for example according to FIG. 2 or heating in the room according to FIG. 3.

FIG. 8c shows a further implementation of an apparatus for treating gas, again comprising the turbine 70, the compressor 40 and the heat exchanger 10. However, FIG. 8c shows a specific embodiment of the heat exchanger 10 as rotationally symmetrical heat exchanger in cross-section. Here, gas in the compressor output 42 is fed into the secondary or second heat exchanger input 13 communicating with a different collecting room 17 via collecting room 18 via which gas is then fed into the second heat exchanger output 14 and into the turbine input 71. At the same time, the first heat exchanger input 11 is supplied with gas via the terminal A1 via a primary-side collecting room 19a, which extends on the outside around the other collecting room 17. The gas flows via the input A1 into the individual channels from the first heat exchanger input into the primary-side or first heat exchanger output 12 and collects in the suction area 30 limited by a wall 31, wherein the suction area 30 acts as second primary-side collecting room 19b. The gas sucked there will be introduced into the room inlet air channel via a blower 506a, for example in the combiner 506 of FIG. 6a. Alternatively, a blower not shown in FIG. 8c can be arranged “above” the terminal A1 which could then be present in the divider 502 and brings the gas from the primary input into the primary output or first heat exchanger output 12 or the suction area 30 and from there into the terminal A4 and pumps the same from there further into the room or the environment, depending on the output interface wiring.

FIG. 8b shows a schematic top view of a recuperator 10 with collecting rooms also on the secondary side. In the embodiment, the apparatus is completely closed towards the top by a closed lid. However, FIG. 8b shows the situation where the lid is transparent. In the center, the suction area 30 is shown, which is limited by the suction wall 31. Around the suction area 30, the limitation 6a for the inner collecting area 18 and the limitation 17a for the outer collecting room 17 extend. The gas flow takes place from outside towards the inside as illustrated by the arrows 50, namely from the first recuperator or heat exchanger input 11 to the first recuperator or heat exchanger output 12 for the primary side. Then, the gas in the suction area 31 flows towards the bottom as shown by the arrow ends 51 in the area 30. Further, gas flows on the secondary side into the second recuperator or heat exchanger input 13 from the compressor output 42. From there, it flows from the bottom to the top as shown by the arrowheads in the collecting room 18. Through the recuperator 10, the gas flows again to the outside in the collecting room 17 and from there to the bottom as illustrated by the arrow ends 53. From the collecting room 17, the gas reaches the turbine input 71 via the recuperator or second heat exchanger output 14.

It should be noted that the flow directions can be configured differently, depending on the implementation, as long as in the recuperator 10 the lines 15 on the one hand and 16 on the other hand are separate, so that essentially no short circuit of gas flows takes place. In the same way, the collecting rooms 17, 18 are separate from the lines 15. In the shown embodiment, the collecting rooms 17, 18 are allocated to the lines 16, which connect the second recuperator or heat exchanger input 13 to the second recuperator or heat exchanger output 14. Alternatively, the implementation can also be such that the collecting rooms are allocated to the first recuperator input and the first recuperator output and the second input and the second recuperator output are isolated from the collecting rooms as regards to gas.

FIG. 8a further shows a schematic illustration for a heat exchanger that is not configured in a rotationally symmetrical manner in contrary to FIG. 8c or FIG. 8b, but for example for a heat exchanger configured for example in a cylindrical or cuboid shape where gas flows via the first recuperator or heat exchanger input 11 into a primary-side first collecting room 19a via the channels 15 to the first recuperator or heat exchanger output 12 and in particular to a second primary-side collecting room 19b and from there the same leaves the recuperator 10 via the second heat exchanger output 12. The secondary side includes a second recuperator or heat exchanger input 13 via which gas flows through the channels 16 from the collecting room 18 into the other collecting room 17 and from there leaves the recuperator 10 or heat exchanger via the second recuperator or heat exchanger output 14. Thereby, thermal interaction between the two channels is obtained, which are, however, isolated from each other as regarding to gas. In the same way, the primary-side first collecting room 19a and the primary-side second collecting room 19b are accordingly isolated with regard to gas from the secondary-side collecting rooms 17 and 18 so that no short-circuit results in the heat exchanger.

At the same time, however, FIG. 8a also serves for an illustration of at least part of a rotationally symmetrical heat exchanger as illustrated in a top view in FIG. 8b, wherein from the top, seen from the outside, the collecting room 19a of FIG. 8a is illustrated, further to the inside in a dotted manner the secondary-side collecting room 17 and again further to the inside the further secondary-side collecting room 18 is illustrated, wherein in particular the suction area 30 or the central area represents the further collecting room 19b of the primary side. FIG. 8b, however, shows the case that the first heat exchanger or recuperator output 12 is at the bottom with respect to the drawing plane as illustrated by the passage 51 directed to the bottom in FIG. 8b and as illustrated schematically in FIG. 8c when at least with respect to the heat exchanger 10, FIG. 8c shows the actual setup direction. For the functionality, the setup direction is irrelevant as the gravity is not decisive for gas compared to an implementation of a heat pump with liquid as working medium. This shows another advantage of the present invention compared to a heat pump having liquid as working medium, especially as the setup direction plays an important part due to the high weight and the high density compared to gas, which is however not the case in the present invention, which allows significantly greater flexibility in the application of the present invention.

The recuperator extends by a distance of more than 10 cm and advantageously more than 60 cm in longitudinal cylinder direction. Further, the gas channels are arranged such that the same are distributed essentially evenly on all sides across the volume and can hence guide as much air as possible as efficiently as possible from the primary-side heat exchanger input 11 with little resistance into the suction area.

In a method for operating the apparatus according to the present invention, the apparatus is operated such that gas-gas operation is obtained in the heat exchanger.

In a method for producing the apparatus, the individual elements are configured and arranged such that the specific compressor-heat exchanger-turbine arrangement is obtained.

Although not illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 10, the recuperator 10 can also be implemented with other heat exchanger technologies, i.e. with a heat exchanger that, for example, does not operate in the counter-flow and where the gas channels are not parallel to one another or not arranged perpendicular to the housing direction or in a horizontal operating direction.

The compressor and the turbine also do not necessarily have to be arranged on the same axis, but other measures can be taken to use the energy released by the turbine for driving the compressor.

Above that, the compressor and the turbine do not necessarily have to be implemented as radial wheels although this is advantageous, as by continuous rotational speed control of the compressor via an electronic assembly 102 of FIG. 7b, favorable power adaptation can be obtained.

Depending on the embodiment, the compressor can be configured as turbo compressor with radial wheel and with a guide path or guide room obtaining a 180° deflection of the gas flow. However, other gas guiding measures can be obtained via different shape of the guide room, for example via a different form of the radial wheel to still obtain a particularly efficient structure resulting in a good efficiency.

FIG. 7a shows a perspective view of a compressor-turbine combination and FIG. 7b shows a side view of the compressor-turbine combination of FIG. 7a. The combination is configured a monolithic unit or integrally of the same material. The same includes a top or first bearing area 40b, where the compressor wheel 40a is arranged. The compressor wheel 40a transitions into a first intermediate area 43a which is also illustrated as axis 43. This axis area 43a transitions again into the rotor 44, which again transitions into a further intermediate area 43b. The same is followed by the turbine wheel 70a, which can be suspended via a bottom bearing portion 70b. The suspensions for the bearing areas are arranged on the wall of the suction area 30 of FIG. 8c for the first bearing area 40b and the bearing area 70b for the turbine wheel 70a is mounted to a suspension in the turbine output 72. Roller bearings or ball bearings are used as bearings.

In embodiments, the combination is formed of a material such as aluminum or plastic, wherein the rotor 44 is surrounded by a ferromagnetic feedback ring on which the magnets are for example mounted by adhesive in order to form a motor gap with a stator not shown in FIG. 7a or 7b.

As further shown in FIG. 7b, the combination is dimensioned such that the diameter of the compressor wheel 40a is greater than the diameter of the rotor 44 and that the diameter of the rotor 44 (without feedback 44a and magnets 44b) is the same as or greater than the diameter of the turbine wheel 70a. Thereby, it is possible to push a feedback ring 44a over the turbine wheel 70a and to mount the same to the rotor 44 at its circumference.

FIG. 7b shows an exemplary arrangement of an electronic assembly 102. Here, the electronic assembly is arranged in a so-called “machine room” between the base of the compressor wheel 40a and the base of the turbine wheel 70a. In particular, the arrangement of the assembly 102 on the top limitation 71a of the turbine input 71 spaced apart from the quickly rotating turbine wheel is advantageous, as this area is well tempered due to the gas coming from the heat exchanger. Motor loss heat or waste heat of the electronics or sensor technology in the assembly will thereby easily be dissipated via the turbine 70.

The electronic assembly 102 for the electrical supply of the apparatus with energy and/or control signals an opening in the center and is disc-shaped and extends around the stator of a drive motor for the compressor 40 or is integrated with the stator and is further exemplarily arranged in an area between the base of a compressor wheel 4a of the compressor 40 and the base of a turbine wheel 71a of the turbine.

Although a ring-shaped assembly is shown in FIG. 7b in cross section, the assembly can be formed in any shape as long as the same is incorporated in the machine room and is in thermal interaction with the limitation 71a of the input 71 of the turbine i.e. for example, mounted on the limitation 71a. Here, it is further advantageous to guide the feeding line for energy 101a and data 101b for the motor through the lateral limitation 14a of the second recuperator or heat exchanger output 14 and through the housing 100 at the respective location.

Although some aspects have been described in the context of an apparatus, it is obvious that these aspects also represent a description of the corresponding method, such that a block or device of an apparatus also corresponds to a respective method step or a feature of a method step. Analogously, aspects described in the context of a method step also represent a description of a corresponding block or detail or feature of a corresponding apparatus. Some or all of the method steps may be performed by a hardware apparatus (or using a hardware apparatus), such as a microprocessor, a programmable computer or an electronic circuit. In some embodiments, some or several of the most important method steps may be performed by such an apparatus.

While this invention has been described in terms of several advantageous embodiments, there are alterations, permutations, and equivalents, which fall within the scope of this invention. It should also be noted that there are many alternative ways of implementing the methods and compositions of the present invention. It is therefore intended that the following appended claims be interpreted as including all such alterations, permutations, and equivalents as fall within the true spirit and scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An apparatus for treating gas, comprising:

a compressor with a compressor input and a compress output;

a heat exchanger with a first heat exchanger input, a first heat exchanger output, a second heat exchanger input and a second heat exchanger output, wherein the heat exchanger is configured as gas-gas heat exchanger;

a turbine with a turbine input and a turbine output, wherein the compressor output is connected to the second heat exchanger input and wherein the second heat exchanger output is connected to the turbine input;

an input interface for coupling the compressor input and the first heat exchanger input to a gas supply, wherein the input interface comprises, on an input side as the gas supply, an outlet gas input and a fresh gas input, and comprises, on an output side, a first input interface output and a second input interface output, wherein the input interface is configured to couple the input interface to the output side of the input interface; and

an output interface for coupling the turbine output and the first heat exchanger output to a gas exhaust, wherein the output interface comprises, on an input side of the output interface, a first output interface input and a second output interface input, and on an output side of the output interface, as the gas exhaust, an inlet gas channel and an exhaust gas channel, wherein the output interface is configured to couple the input side of the output interface to the output side of the output interface.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, configured for cooling operation, wherein the input interface is configured to connect the compressor input to the fresh gas input of the gas supply and to connect the first heat exchanger input to an outlet gas input of the gas supply, and

wherein an output interface is configured to connect the turbine output to the inlet gas channel of the gas exhaust, and to connect the first heat exchanger output to the exhaust gas channel of the gas exhaust.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, configured for heating operation, wherein the input interface is configured to connect the compressor input to the outlet gas input of the gas supply and to connect the first heat exchanger input to the fresh gas input of the gas supply, and

wherein the output interface is configured to connect the turbine output to the exhaust gas channel of the gas exhaust and to connect the first heat exchanger output to the inlet gas channel of the gas exhaust.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the input interface or the output interface are controllable depending on a control signal, and wherein the apparatus comprises a control that is configured to acquire a control input and to provide the control signal in response to the control input, wherein the control is configured to acquire the control signal by manual input or sensor-controlled input.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the control is configured to set the input interface or the output interface by the control signal into a summer operation for cooling a gas for an inlet gas channel of the gas exhaust and to set the input interface or the output interface by the control signal into a winter operation for heating a gas for the inlet gas channel.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the input interface comprises a two-way switch comprising the outlet gas input and the fresh gas input for the gas supply and comprises the first input interface output connected to the first heat exchanger input and the second input interface output connected to the compressor input, wherein the two-way switch is configured to connect the outlet gas input either to the first input interface output or the second input interface output and to connect the fresh gas input either to the second input interface output or the first input interface output.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the output interface comprises a two-way switch comprising the inlet gas channel and the exhaust gas channel for the gas exhaust, wherein the two-way switch is configured to connect the inlet gas channel to the turbine output and the exhaust gas channel to the first heat exchanger output or to connect the exhaust gas channel to the turbine output and the inlet gas channel to the first heat exchanger output.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the input interface comprises a first switch or a second switch,

wherein the first switch comprises an output connected to the first heat exchanger input and wherein the first switch comprises a first input connected to an outlet gas input of the gas supply and a second input connected to the fresh gas input of the gas supply, wherein the first switch is controllable by a control signal to either connect the first input or the second input to the output, or

wherein the second switch comprises an output connected to the compressor input, and wherein the first switch comprises a first input connected to the outlet gas input of the gas supply and a second input connected to the fresh gas input of the gas supply, wherein the first switch is controllable by a control signal to connect either the first input or the second input to the output.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the output interface comprises a first switch or a second switch,

wherein the first switch comprises an input connected to the turbine output, and wherein the first switch comprises a first output connected to the inlet gas channel of the gas exhaust and comprises a second output connected to the exhaust gas channel of the gas exhaust, wherein the first switch is controllable by a control signal to either connect the first output or the second output to the input, or

wherein the second switch comprises an input connected to the second heat exchanger output, and wherein the second switch comprises a first output connected to the inlet gas channel of the gas exhaust and comprises a second output connected to the exhaust gas channel of the gas exhaust, wherein the first switch is controllable by a control signal to either connect the first output or the second output to the input.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the inlet gas is an inlet air, wherein the outlet gas is an outlet air, wherein the fresh gas is fresh air and wherein the exhaust gas is exhaust air, or

which is configured for cooling operation and a drop catching apparatus is arranged in an outlet flow of the turbine to remove and dissipate the condensation liquid drops from the outlet flow, or

which is configured for heating operation and a humidification apparatus is arranged at the first heat exchanger output, which brings liquid to be evaporated in touch with the gas flow at the first heat exchanger output, or

wherein a fan is arranged at the first heat exchanger input to press gas into the first exchanger input, or wherein a fan is arranged at the first heat exchanger output to suck gas out of the first heat exchanger output.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, configured to be coupled to an air-conditioning device, wherein the air-conditioning device comprises an outlet air terminal, an inlet air terminal, an exhaust air terminal and a fresh air terminal, wherein the apparatus for treating gas can be coupled to the air-conditioning device via the input interface or the output interface.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the compressor is arranged above the turbine in operating direction.

13. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the compressor comprises a compressor wheel and the turbine comprises a turbine wheel, wherein the compressor wheel and the turbine wheel are arranged on a common axis, wherein a rotor of the drive motor is arranged on the common axis, which interacts with a stator of the drive motor, or

wherein a compressor wheel has a greater diameter than a rotor of a drive motor or a greater diameter than a turbine wheel of the turbine.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the rotor is arranged between the compressor wheel and a turbine wheel, or

wherein the compressor wheel, a first axis portion, a rotor, a second axis portion and the turbine wheel are configured integrally, or

wherein a first bearing portion is formed at the compressor wheel and a second bearing portion at the turbine wheel, or

wherein the rotor is formed of a non-ferromagnetic material, such as aluminium, and a ferromagnetic feedback element is arranged around the rotor and magnets are arranged on the feedback element.

15. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger comprises a volume shape comprising a central opening positioned in a central area forming a suction area, wherein a suction wall extends from a first end of the central opening to a second end, which is closed by a cover.

16. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger is rotationally symmetrical, wherein a symmetry axis of the heat exchanger essentially corresponds to an axis of the compressor or an axis of the turbine or an axis of the gas output or the gas input or with an axis of the suction area.

17. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger comprises a counter-flow heat exchanger.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17, configured such that gas in the heat exchanger moves from the first heat exchanger input to the first heat exchanger output from the outside to the inside and gas moves from the second heat exchanger input to the second heat exchanger output from the inside to the outside.

19. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger comprises a volume comprising a counter-flow heat exchanger structure in an outer area and is connected to a suction area in an inner area, wherein the first heat exchanger input is arranged on the outside at the outer area, wherein the first heat exchanger output is arranged at the inner area to guide gas into the suction area, wherein the second heat exchanger input is also arranged at the inner area and the second heat exchanger output is also arranged at the outer area,

wherein the first heat exchanger input and the second heat exchanger output are fluidically separated in the heat exchanger and the first heat exchanger output and the second heat exchanger input are fluidically separated in the heat exchanger.

20. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger comprises connected first gas channels from the first heat exchanger input to the first heat exchanger output and connected second gas channels between the second heat exchanger input and the second heat exchanger output,

wherein the first gas channels and the second gas channels are arranged in thermal interaction, wherein the heat exchanger comprises, a the second heat exchanger input, a first collecting area connecting the second gas channels on one side and extending along the inner area and forming the second heat exchanger input, and a second collecting area connecting the second gas channels on a different side and extending along an edge area of the outer area and forming the second heat exchanger output, wherein a suction wall limits the first collecting area and separates the first collecting area from a suction area.

21. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an electronic assembly for supplying a drive motor for the compressor with energy or for providing control data to an element of the apparatus or for detecting sensor data from an element of the apparatus is arranged in an area of the apparatus that is configured to cool the electronic assembly, or

wherein an electronic assembly for the electrical supply of the apparatus with energy and/or control signals is arranged in an area between the turbine output and the gas output and a housing wall of the housing outside the gas output, or

wherein an electronic assembly for the electrical supply of the apparatus with energy and/or control signals is arranged in an area between a base of a compressor wheel of the compressor and a base of a turbine wheel of the turbine, or

wherein an electronic assembly for the electrical supply of the apparatus with energy and/or control signals is arranged at a limiting element of a turbine input of the turbine, wherein the electronic assembly is further arranged outside the turbine input of the turbine, or

wherein an electronic assembly for the electrical supply of the apparatus with energy and/or control signals comprises an opening in the center and is disc-shaped and extends around a stator of a drive motor for the compressor or is integrated with the stator and is arranged, for claim, in an area between a base of a compressor wheel of the compressor and the base of a turbine wheel of the turbine.

22. An air-conditioning device, comprising:

a room outlet air terminal;

a room inlet air terminal; and

an apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the room outlet air terminal is coupled to the gas supply and the room inlet air terminal is coupled to the gas exhaust.

23. The air-conditioning device according to claim 22, comprising:

a divider for dividing air from the room outlet air terminal into an outlet air flow for an outlet air channel and a feeding flow;

a treater for rendering the feeding flow; and

a combiner for combining an output of the treater with an inlet air flow from an inlet air channel to feed air into the room inlet air terminal,

wherein the gas supply of the apparatus is configured to receive the outlet air flow from the outlet air channel and wherein the gas exhaust is configured to provide the inlet air flow for the inlet air channel,

or

a divider for dividing air from the room outlet air terminal into an outlet air flow for an outlet air channel and a feeding flow;

a combiner for combining the feeding flow with an inlet air flow from an inlet air channel to acquire a combined air flow; and

a treater for rendering the combined air flow to acquire a rendered air flow that is fed into the room inlet air terminal; and

wherein the gas supply of the apparatus is configured to receive the outlet air flow from the outlet air channel, and wherein the gas exhaust is configured to provide the inlet air flow for the inlet air channel.

24. The air-conditioning device according to claim 23,

wherein the treater is configured to treat the feeding flow as regards to oxygen, humidity or disinfection.

25. The air-conditioning device according to claim 23,

wherein the divider or the combiner are controllable to adjust, in dependence on a temperature in the room or a target temperature in the room inlet air terminal, a ratio between an amount of air in the outlet air flow or an amount of air in the feeding flow or a ratio between an amount of air of the output of the treater and an amount of air of the inlet air flow.

26. The air-conditioning device according to claim 23, wherein the combiner comprises a blower to suck the inlet air flow in the inlet air channel, or wherein the divider comprises a blower to pump the outlet air flow into the outlet air channel, or wherein the divider comprises flow control to move, due to an effect of the compressor of the apparatus, air via the room outlet air terminal from the room into the divider and into the compressor input.

27. A method for operating an apparatus for treating gas comprising a compressor with a compressor input and a compressor output; a heat exchanger with a first heat exchanger input, a first heat exchanger output, a second heat exchanger input and a second heat exchanger output, wherein the heat exchanger is configured as gas-gas heat exchanger; a turbine with a turbine input and a turbine output, an input interface for coupling the compressor input and the first heat exchanger input to a gas supply, wherein the input interface comprises, on an input side as the gas supply, an outlet gas input and a fresh gas input, and comprises, on an output side, a first input interface output and a second input interface output, wherein the input interface is configured to couple the input interface to the output side of the input interface; and an output interface for coupling the turbine output and the first heat exchanger output to a gas exhaust, wherein the output interface comprises, on an input side of the output interface, a first output interface input and a second output interface input, and on an output side of the output interface, as the gas exhaust, an inlet gas channel and an exhaust gas channel, wherein the output interface is configured to couple the input side of the output interface to the output side of the output interface, comprising:

feeding compressed gas from the compressor output into the second heat exchanger input; and

feeding gas from the second heat exchanger output into the turbine input and relaxing the gas in the turbine.

28. A method for producing an apparatus for treating gas comprising a compressor with a compressor input and a compressor output; a heat exchanger with a first heat exchanger input, a first exchanger output, a second heat exchanger input and a second heat exchanger output wherein the heat exchanger is configured as gas-gas heat exchanger; and a turbine with a turbine input and a turbine output, comprising:

connecting the compressor output to the second heat exchanger input; and

connecting the second heat exchanger output to the turbine input;

coupling the compressor input and the first heat exchanger input to a gas supply with an input interface, wherein the input interface comprises, on an input side as the gas supply, an outlet gas input and a fresh gas input and comprises, on an output side, a first input interface output and a second input interface output, wherein the input interface is configured to couple the input side of the input interface to the output side of the input interface;

coupling the turbine output and the first heat exchanger output to a gas exhaust with an output interface, wherein the output interface comprises, on an input side of the output interface, a first output interface input and a second output interface input and, on an output side of the output interface as the gas exhaust, an inlet gas channel and an exhaust gas channel, wherein the output interface is configured to couple the input side of the output interface to the output side of the output interface.