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Title:
SELF-SUPPORTING THERMAL PANEL
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO/2015/057091
Kind Code:
A1
Abstract:
The subject of the invention is self-supporting thermal panel designed for heating and cooling rooms. The panel casing is made of two metal sheets located opposite each other and joined in such a way that between these sheets is created space for heating-cooling liquid agent flow which is exchanged by opposite located collectors equipped with hydraulic couplings. In accordance with the invention at least one of metal sheets (2, 3) has at least one hollow (4, 17) directed inside the panel (1) and flat oval convexity (10) located along panel side edges (6, 7) which are its collectors (1 1, 12) exchanging heating-cooling liquid agent, and at least one of metal sheets (2, 3) has near its side edges (7) the redrawing joints creating hollow (14) for gasket or sealing substance (15) and the side edges (6,7) of the sheets (2, 3) are profiled upwards at the right angle and joined each other by the redrawing joints or rivets (8).

Inventors:
STRYJSKI ROMAN (PL)
PSIUK JAN (PL)
Application Number:
PCT/PL2014/000113
Publication Date:
April 23, 2015
Filing Date:
October 15, 2014
Export Citation:
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Assignee:
IQ ENERGY S A (PL)
International Classes:
F24S10/70; F28F3/14; B21D53/04; F24S10/40
Domestic Patent References:
WO2004083556A12004-09-30
Foreign References:
US4243020A1981-01-06
EP1462751A12004-09-29
DE2919848B11980-10-09
US4369836A1983-01-25
EP2239512A12010-10-13
EP1278018B12006-11-29
EP1170553B12006-02-08
PL193961B12007-04-30
PL190268B12005-11-30
EP2259001A12010-12-08
EP1512933A22005-03-09
US7132629B22006-11-07
EP1204495B12003-05-21
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
GOŁĘBNIAK, Andrzej (61-495 Poznań, PL)
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Claims:
Claims

1. Self-supporting thermal panel of which casing is made of two metal sheets located opposite each other and joined in such a way that between sheets is created space for heating-cooling agent flow exchanging with opposite collectors having a hydraulic connections characterized in that at least one of its metal sheets (2, 3) has at least one hollow (4, 17) directed inside the panel (1) and the flat oval-shape convexity (10) located along panel side edges (6, 7) which are the collectors (11, 12) supplying and discharging a liquid heating or cooling agent and also at least one metal sheet (2, 3) has near its side edges (7) the redrawing joints crating hollow (14) for gasket or sealing substance (15) with side edges (6, 7) of the panels (2, 3) profiled upwards at the right angle and joined each other by redrawing joints or with rivets (8).

2. The panel according to claim 1 characterized in that the hollows (4, 17) of upper sheet (2) and the ones (4, 17) of lower sheet (3) are fitted tightly to each other by their bottoms (5, 18).

3. The panel according to claim 1 characterized in that the hollows (4, 17) of its upper sheet (2) are fitted tightly each other by their bottoms to the flat surface of the lower sheet (3).

4. The panel according to claim 1 or 2 or 3 characterized in that the hollows (4) of the sheets (2, 3) have oval shape.

5. The panel according to claim 1 or 2 or 3 characterized in that the hollows (4) of the sheets (2, 3) have flat oval shape.

6. The panel according to the claim 1 or 2 or 3 characterized in that the hollows (17) of the sheets (2, 3) have round shape.

7. The panel according to claim 1 or 2 or 3 characterized in that the upper sheet (2) and lower one (3) are joined each other by redrawing joints (16) without perforation located in the hollows (4, 17).

8. The panel according to claim 4 characterized in that the oval- shape hollow (4) is located one redrawing joint (16) without perforation.

9. The panel according to claim 5 characterized in that the flat oval- shape hollow (4) are located at least two redrawing joints (16) without perforation.

10. The panel according to claim 6 characterized in that the round-shape hollow (17) is located one redrawing joint (16) without perforation.

1 1. The panel according to claim 1 characterized in that collectors (1 1, 12) have two openings for installation of hydraulic couplings (19) exchanging heating-cooling agent.

12. The panel according to claim 1 or 1 1 characterized in that openings in collectors (11, 12) exchanging heating-cooling agent are equipped with reinforcing flanges (20) for hydraulic coupling (19).

13. The panel production method characterized in that sheet cold forming technology is applied only.

14. The panel application method characterized in that it is located directly on supporting structure.

15. The panel application method according to claim 14 characterized in that it is located on supporting structure in a case that meets the hygienic and/or acoustic and/or decorative functions.

Description:
Self-supporting thermal panel

The subject of invention is the self-supporting thermal panel, designed for room heating and cooling, applied in dry building development, suspended ceiling and interior walls installation. The panel has its universal character because of applying opportunities in all kind of buildings regardless their capacity they take or destination they are designed for. For example they can be applied in multi-capacity rooms such as sports and recreation halls or industrial and office buildings, shopping centers and at last in public buildings such as schools, hospitals or nursery schools and living housing ones as well.

The modern heating panel self-supporting module, prefabricated installation solutions are well known which are some kind of water-based radiators, thanks to them are build heating-cooling suspended ceiling systems. The mentioned panels can be installed on interior building walls.

In such kind of systems the heat or cold exchanging is done based on radiation effect where the most applied heat carrier is water which is the result of its physical and technical properties. While other systems, for example using electrical circuits as a main element of thermal energy carrying can operate only as heating system or the one using air flow devices applied for room cooling only, this system being the subject of the invention is the mixture of the mentioned above two separate ones in which the water can be both cooling and heating agent. The exchangers are heated by warm water and then they emit energy to rooms they heat. The cooling effect is obtained the same way Where the inversion occurs because it is the cold water, not the warm one which flows through cooling ceiling panels. People and the objects present in the room are the source of heat emission themselves because they have higher temperature than the ceiling have. Additionally the radiation-based system supports the convection effect: heated air floats up towards the ceiling returning the heat and then cooled air returns back to the room.

There are few known solutions of cooling-heating ceiling system development, often called thermal ceiling. The thermal ceiling is the simple module system which can be quick developed and easy adapted to existing or being installed suspended ceiling. The well known is the system in which its separate elements are rectangular prefabricated plaster-paper- board panels where the coil tube circuits are installed. Each such panel on its front side can have both smooth or perforated surface. Because of plaster panel high density they have good thermal conductance. No less known and the equally often applied solutions are the ones in which the separate module elements of thermal ceiling are the metal panels (made of steel or aluminium sheet). In real applications they are multi-layer ones - the separate layers consist of 7mm plaster panel and about 20mm mineral wool padding which is used as environment thermal insulation and finally of the metal panel which is the front one installed towards the room. Each panel has the tube coil system build-in, for example made of copper or plastic (eg. acid-proof polybutene) which because of their high flexibility have the advantage over metal tube coils being mainly applied due to their high thermal conductance. Panels are joined each other with multi-layer PEX pipe made of two different materials: metal (aluminium) and plastic (polyethylene).

This kind of thermal ceiling is very quiet system. In solutions of coil systems there is no noise occurrence or any other effect related to tube flowing liquid. There is also no noise caused for example by forced air blowing as it occurs in air conditioning systems. The system is installed on ceiling structure which is covered underside with special panels having good thermal conductance.

Panels are installed to the suspended ceiling or to interior walls by means of standard metal profiles. The joint between one panel and the other is done by means of three-way pipe to the feeding pipes. The three- way pipes are usually made of multi-layer oxygen-proof pipe and equipped with pipe couplings to joint PEX multi-layer pipes to the oxygen-proof interior panel tube system.

The panel surface is usually finished by painting or paper decoration which is no problem at all as thermal panels can be covered by such painting materials as: wiping and cleaning proof synthetic dispersing emulsions, multi-color effect liquid film, oil-based paint, matte varnish, acrylic and polymer resin-based paint, polyurethane varnish (PUR), epoxy varnish (EP), and wallpapers: paper, textile and synthetic ones.

Additionally in case of applying front panels different perforation (eg. square or round ones) and different structure, the ceiling visual effect can be very attractive.

The thermal ceiling is not a closed structure but it is the easy to disassemble system allowing to replace broken panels or removing single panels in order to obtain the access to ceiling spacing and make some inspection, for example to expand the telephone network.

The known from German application pattern DE 2919848 B l (published also as US 4369836) is the heat exchanger which can be applied both on building roofs, ceilings and in locations where the heat exchanging system is needed. It is the rectangular panel consisting of load-bearing metal front panel and supporting one with optionally profiled, curved hollows (6) in which the tube system is installed or the piping is installed to the supporting panel flat surface by means of holders or specially designed installation plates. Tubes through which the heat exchanging medium flows are configured as meander profile. Additionally the supporting panel, holders and installation plates are equipped with ports parallel located to each other with perpendicularly edges to the supporting panel surface having rough edges which are used for adjusting and bolting to other load-bearing front panel.

Further more the known from the EP 2239512 Al patent description is the module, prefabricated radiation panel, designed for suspended ceiling installation. This panel according to the description is layer-based structure which is also called the sandwich structure. Between rear and front material layer is a hollow space ensuring first of all lightness, deformation-proof, easy handling and processing properties of the panel. The rear material layer is to be the thermal insulation. It can be made of plastic, for example foam-based ones such as polyurethanes, polystyrenes or natural ones as cork. In its profiled hollows is embedded the conducting medium piping. The tubs have the same diameter and runs according to the few ways of location. Some part of piping with recommended 8mm diameter is coil-profiled or semi-circular one running along hollows in four independent circuits expanding evenly and filling in almost the whole area of the panel. Regardless the above, towards the longitudinal oriented panel section along its middle on both its sides runs two straight-line hollows in which the tubs are located having much more diameter - recommended 20mm. Each tube is the feeding pipe equipped with coupling. Between one and the other panel are installed three-way pipes joined to the feeding ones.

As the material for forming front layer which is the front load-bearing panel is applied the plaster-paper panel, felt one or done of other waterproof materials with sound-proof properties. Two layers are joined each other by means of known pressure-glue methods. In order to improve pipe heat conductance it can be applied additional element to the rear layer such as thin aluminium foil.

The panel module splitting properties is the additional advantage because its front layer is made not from the single piece but it consists of four the same rectangular elements obtained by splitting the panel along its two middle sections - longitudinal and lateral lines. This way the panel is extremely functional.

The similar solutions known as module thermal panels are applied at suspended ceiling installation and consist of the few layers made of different materials with different physical properties integrated each other by means of well known methods and containing interior radiator which is the piping system with tube coils or the profiled ones or at last the pipe line rows with inlets and outlets for heating agent, located in one of the panel layers. They are known from other descriptions such as EP 1278018 Bl (metal panel) or EP 1170553 B l (according to which the panel contains additionally perforated metal sheet installed on its front, in other words from the room point of view, making it a visually attractive surface) or finally from descriptions of Polish inventions - PL 193961 B l and PL 190268 B l .

The innovative solution is also the EP 2259001 Al sheet panel which is now the subject of Patent European Application where one of the heat conductance layers emitted vertically is graphite substance applied as film, made of natural expanded graphite - being an unique material with good electrical and heat conductance, suitable for its exchanging which has also corrosion-proof, non-inflammable and lightness properties. In this graphite layer is embedded copper tube and the whole is enclosed in special steel sheet casing. The steel sheet is equipped with reinforced side and upper edges which improves its durability so much that the panel is statically self-supporting. Further more, there is possibility of additional insulation layer installation. In accordance with this solution, both joining tubes are located at the same side which enables an easy and quick panels joining. Taking into account the panel tubes location (not the whole its area is occupied, there is a free space left along its sides) the additional hollows can be done according to the user's needs which can be used for fans, ventilators, lighting, speakers, fire sensors installation and so on. The similar solution concerning sheet panel of multi-layer structure that contains on its one layer the profiled pipe through which the medium flows and using graphite substance as one of its layers is known from the EP1512933 A2 patent description (published also as US 7132629 B2). In the mentioned above two solutions, the single panel sheets are joined each other by means of such elements as specially designed joining tubes. While ceiling panels installation can be done by means of steel cables which are attached to the ceiling.

In the known by now thermal panels solutions in which at least one layer is made of steel or aluminium sheet, the neighbouring panel sheets are joined by welding method, pressure welding, gluing or their edges are joined by folding, soldering or spot welding.

This heat exchanger is known from EP 1204495 Bl patent description of which casing is made of two metal sheets equipped with hollows, located opposite one another and joined in points by means of redrawing joints, commonly called as clinch forming ones. Through designed in such a way chamber flows liquid heat agent. The side edges of the chamber are tightly joined by means of soldering and to the opposite corners of exchanger are soldered joining ferrules. The exchanger is mainly designed for solar panels applications.

The applied in this solution method of thin sheets redrawing joint called clinch forming is known since the end of 19 th century but its practical industrial application was implemented in 80s of 20 th century for metal sheets joining of car body mass production.

In previously known solutions of heating-cooling ceiling systems the main priority was they had to meet a few functions at the same time. The undoubtedly advantages of these kind of solutions is first of all the possibility of heating and cooling the room by the same ceiling because it cools the air during the heat, however in cold seasons is the source of heat. The heat comfort is obtained among other by proper selection of heat emission. The heat is carried evenly and permanently. There is no temperature difference in the room and probability of cold disease occurrence is lower than while using traditional central heating systems. Thanks to heating the air from upper part of the room direction there is no dust movement occurrence which is the important factor for people suffering from allergy.

At the same time the other function of known suspended ceiling solutions is possibility of hiding many elements of other installations which are commonly applied in the building. Furthermore in case of perforated panels - they improve the acoustic comfort of the room and may be used as decorative element as well. In the common solutions are applied piping system as the only option for medium flow in case of liquid heating agent. The panel piping application can't ensure however the even heat flow through the whole panel's area but only through its limited one which is determined by piping allocation (coil or parallel oriented to one another). Consequently, the piping panel system especially with copper tubes application makes panel have big mass (some of them can weigh even 15kg) which has significant influence on the whole load of the installed of these kind of panels suspended ceiling.

The self-supporting thermal panel according to this invention is made of two metal sheets located opposite each other and joined in such a way that between them is the space created for heating-cooling agent flow which is fed by opposite collectors equipped with hydraulic couplings. In accordance with the invention at least one of the metal sheets has at least one hollow, directed towards panel interior and the flat oval- shape convexity located along panel side edges which are the collectors exchanging heating-cooling liquid agent. At least one of the metal sheets has near its side edges the redrawing joint, creating hollow for gasket or seal substance and all sheet side edges are profiled upwards at the right angle and are joined each other by the redrawing joints or by means of rivets. When both panel sheets have hollows then the hollows of upper and lower one are fitted tightly by their bottoms.

When the one sheet only have the hollows then the hollows upper one adhere their bottoms to the lower flat sheet surface.

The sheets hollows can have any shape but the recommended ones should have the shape of oval, flat oval or the round one.

The upper and lower sheet are joined one another by means of the redrawing joints without perforation located in hollows.

In the oval or flat oval- shape hollows is recommended to locate at least one redrawing joint however in round or flat oval-shape ones is required one redrawing joint only.

The collectors exchanging heating-cooling agent have openings for hydraulic couplings installation application. It is recommended that collectors' openings should have reinforcing flanges equipped with gaskets.

The method of producing self-supporting thermal panel according to the invention project is that sheet forming process is done without any thermal method application that is soldering, welding or pressure welding.

The application method of self-supporting thermal panel in accordance with the invention is characterized that panels are located to one another directly on supporting structure without any casing or if required they can be installed in the one used as hygienic, acoustic or decorative casing.

Thanks to this solution applied in the invention is obtained self-supporting thermal panel which is easy to install, stable, stiff, stress and deformation-proof and also interior pressure-proof and at the same time is lighter than previously applied ones. It is ergonomic and ensuring evenly temperature circulation in its interior emitting heat and consequently in the whole room where is installed.

The subject of the invention is shown as its example projects in the following figures:

Fig. 1 - upper view of self-supporting thermal panel in the first example project;

Fig. 2 - lower view of self-supporting thermal panel in the first example project;

Fig. 3 - corner panel view of vertical section along collector axis;

Fig. 4 - corner panel view of horizontal section perpendicular to collector axis;

Fig. 5 - corner view of vertical section in axonometric perspective in the first example project;

Fig. 6 - upper view of self-supporting thermal panel in the second

example project;

Fig. 7 - lower view of self-supporting thermal panel in the second

example;

Fig. 8 - corner view of vertical section in axonometric perspective in the second example;

Fig. 9 - lower view of self-supporting thermal panel in the third example;

Fig. 10 - corner view of vertical section in axonometric perspective in the third example;

Fig. 11 - upper view of self-supporting thermal panel project in

axonometric perspective in the fourth example;

Fig. 12 - corner view of vertical section in axonometric perspective in the fourth example;

Fig. 13 - corner view of vertical section in axonometric perspective of self- supporting thermal panel in fifth example;

Fig. 14 - corner view of vertical section in axnometric perspective of self- supporting thermal panel in sixth example. Self-supporting thermal panel 1 in the first project example according to the invention (Fig. 1 ÷ Fig. 5), consists of two square aluminium sheets 2 and 3 of 0,8 mm thickness and 60 cm x 60 cm dimension. The upper 2 and lower 3 sheet have oval and flat oval hollows 4 which are located on the surfaces of each 2, 3 sheets and are fitted tightly to each other by their bottoms 5. The side edges 6 of upper sheet 2 and side edges 7 of lower sheet 3 are profiled upwards at the right angle and joined the side redrawing joints 8 which are at the same time the edges of the side panel. Inside the panel 1 between 2 and 3 sheet is created the flowing space 9 used for medium free flow - liquid heating-cooling agent. Hollows location 4 creates labyrinth channel in its flowing space 9, forcing turbulent medium circulation.

According to two opposite panel edges 6, 7 are located two redrawing joint flat oval-shape convexities 10 creating channels which are the collectors - from one side carrying in medium collector 11 and parallel along other edge 6 - carrying off medium collector 12. In the area of collectors 11, 12, in the lower sheet 3 are created hollows 13 directed to interior of these collectors, improving heating-cooling medium flow conditions. The upper sheet 2 has near its side edges 6 the redrawing joint, creating constant circuit hollow 14 in which the gasket 15 is located.

Self-supporting thermal panel 1 in the second example project according to the invention (Fig. 6 ÷ Fig. 8) consists of two square metal sheets 2 and 3 of 0,6 i 0,8 mm thickness and 60 cm x 60 cm dimension. The upper 2 and the lower 3 sheet are permanently joined by means of redrawing joints 16 without perforation, located in oval and flat oval hollows 4 which are situated on the surfaces of each of sheets 2, 3 and adheres to one another by their bottoms 5.

In each oval hollow 4 is located one redrawing joint 16 without perforation and in the flat oval hollows are located two or three redrawing joints 16 also without perforation. The other technical specifications of the invention project are the same as in the first example. In the self-supporting thermal panel 1 in accordance with the third project example (Fig. 9 i Fig. 10) the upper sheet 2 and lower one 3 are permanently joined by means of redrawing joints 16 without perforation, located in oval and flat oval hollows 4, situated on the upper sheet 2 surface only and are fitted tightly one another by their bottoms 5 to the flat surface of lower sheet 3. The other technical specifications of the invention project are the same as in the second example.

The fourth, fifth and sixth project examples are the modification of the first, second and third ones which consist in round hollows 17 application.

In the fourth project example (Fig. 1 1 and Fig. 12) the panel according to the invention has round hollows 17 evenly located on upper surface of the sheet 2 and the lower one 3 which are fitted tightly each other by their bottoms 18. In each hollow 17 is one redrawing joint 16 without perforation. The other technical specifications of the invention project are the same as in the second example.

In the fifth project example (Fig. 13) the panel according to the invention has round hollows 17 located on upper sheet surface 2 fitted tightly one another by their bottoms 18 to the flat upper surface of the sheet 3. In each hollow 17 is one redrawing joint without perforation 16. The other technical specifications of the invention project are the same as in third example.

The sixth project example of panel 1 according to invention is the fourth version of example in which the upper sheet 2 and the lower one 3 are joined by means of side redrawing joints 8 located in the side panel edges 7 without additional hollows' joint 17 by means of redrawing joints 16 without perforation. The other technical specifications of the invention project are the same as in fourth example.

Collector 11 carrying in to the panel the heating-cooling agent and the collector 12 carrying off the mentioned agents are joined by means of hydraulic couplings 19 with not shown in the figure heating or air condi- tioning system. Hydraulic couplings 19 are located in not shown in the figure collectors' 11, 12 openings equipped with reinforced flanges 20 with gaskets 21.

The shown project examples of self-supporting thermal panel according to the invention do not spend the all possibilities of further modify- cations. The separate panel solutions can have different shapes, for example hexagonal or triangular which is only limited by possibilities of joining them in complex units. There is also possibility of different hollows shape application on sheets' surface and their allocation. The panel side edges joints can be done with other known means eg. with rivets or bolts. The best shape of panels according to invention project is square with dimensions 600 x 600 mm or 625 x 625 mm.

Panels can be easily joined in units which in that way is obtained ceiling surface emitting heat in winter season or cooling in the summer. For improving effectiveness of suspended ceiling operation, made of self- supporting thermal panels according to the invention the upper part of panels can be insulated by additional mineral wool layer application or other insulation material which in that way the panels can be active from one side only not emitting heat upwards.

However the visible panels' surface in the room, in other words the front surface of lower sheets 3 can be covered with special plaster substance or other material applied in construction finishing works such as wallpaper, textile, film, paint and the likes to obtain appropriate acoustic, hygienic or decorative properties.