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Title:
MODULAR ELECTRIC HEATING SYSTEM
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO/2022/265526
Kind Code:
A1
Abstract:
A modular electric heating system for use on any flat surface, comprising autonomous modules, where a single module comprises a wear layer, a carrier plate having at least one mounting groove milled longitudinally therein in which a heating element is mounted, and a heating plate placed above said heating element, characterised in that a metal guide (7) is mounted in the mounting groove (6) of the carrier plate (3) and the heating plate is a perforated metal panel (2) where the metal guide (7) is in longitudinal contact with the perforated metal panel (2) and where the metal guide (7) has a heating cable (8) which supplies thermal energy which is distributed through the metal guide (7) and the metal panel (2) in the structure of the module towards the lower thermal resistance, i.e. the wear layer (1).

Inventors:
OCWIEJA JAROSLAW (PL)
Application Number:
PCT/PL2021/000053
Publication Date:
December 22, 2022
Filing Date:
August 02, 2021
Export Citation:
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Assignee:
OCWIEJA JAROSLAW (PL)
International Classes:
F24D13/02; E04F15/00
Foreign References:
KR102253799B12021-05-20
DE202013100483U12014-05-06
DE102008019888A12009-04-23
CN111237845A2020-06-05
KR20110000921A2011-01-06
EP2679915A12014-01-01
CN111692627A2020-09-22
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
SAWICKI, Igor (PL)
Download PDF:
Claims:
Claims

1. A modular electric heating system for use on any flat surface, comprising autonomous modules, wherein a single module comprises a wear layer, a carrier plate having at least one mounting groove milled out longitudinally in which groove a heating element is mounted, and a heating plate located above the said heating element, characterised in that a metal guide (7) is mounted in the mounting groove (6) of the carrier plate (3), and the heating plate is a metal panel (2), where the metal guide (7) is in longitudinal contact with the metal panel (2), and where the metal guide (7) has a heating cable (8) which provides thermal energy that is distributed through the metal guide (7) and the metal panel (2) in the structure of the module towards the lower thermal resistance, i.e. the wear layer (1).

2. Modular system according to claim 1, characterised in that the metal panel (2) has perforations (10) and notches (11) made on its surface.

3. Modular system according to claim 1, characterised in that the metal panel (2) has a rough surface.

4. Modular system according to claims 1 and 3, characterised in that the metal panel (2) is permanently bonded between a carrier plate (3) and a wear layer (1).

5. Modular system according to claim 1, characterised in that the metal guide (7) and the metal panel (2) are connected to each other, advantageously by means of a spot melting, spot welding or spot soldering.

6. Modular system according to claim 1, characterised in that both the metal guide (7) and the metal panel (2) are made of a metal with a high coefficient of thermal conductivity, advantageously aluminium alloys.

7. Modular system according to claim 1, characterised in that the wear layer (1) is advantageously made of oak lamellas, decorative HDF board, ceramic tiles, stone, vinyl or floor covering.

8. Modular system according to claim 1, characterised in that the carrier plate (3) is made of a material with low thermal conductivity, advantageously plywood, wood-based panels or plastic.

9. Modular system according to claim 1, characterised in that the mounting groove (6) of the carrier plate (3) has widenings (14) at its ends.

10. Modular system according to claim 1, characterised in that the length of the metal guide (7) is less than the length of the mounting groove (6) of the carrier plate (3) in which it is embedded.

11. Modular system according to claim 1, characterised in that the external diameter of the metal guide (7) is greater than the depth of the mounting groove (6) of the carrier plate (3) in which it is embedded.

12. Modular system according to claim 1, characterised in that the metal guide (7) has a longitudinal slit along its entire length.

13. Modular system according to claim 1, characterised in that the carrier plate (3) has more than one mounting groove (6) for metal guides (7).

14. Modular system according to claim 1, characterised in that the heating cable (8) is placed in the metal guide (7) slidingly.

15. Modular system according to claim 1, characterised in that under the carrier plate (3) there is a thermal insulator (9).

16. Modular system according to claim 1, characterised in that the consecutive modules (13) share a common heating cable (8).

Description:
Modular electric heating system

The present invention relates to a modular electric heating system designed for installation on any flat surface such as a floor, wall or ceiling.

From the description of the patent EP 2952651, there is known a multi-layer floor covering comprising in its structure a floor heating system characterised in that its thermal insulation has cavities milled out in it, in which fluid filled installation pipes (heat emitters) are mounted resting directly on supporting foam placed on a layer of rigid thermal insulation. After mounting the installation pipes, a heating panel is laid on top. After fitting the heating panel, any decorative top layer (wooden lamellas, ceramics, granite, marble or other floor covering) is glued onto its surface.

There are also commonly known electric space heating solutions where heating resistance wires have been installed in the floor screed layer and supply heat to the screed.

Another well-known solution is the installation of resistance wires or heating foil on the surface of the screed under floor coverings such as ceramic tiles, stone, floor panels or multi layer parquet.

It should be noted that where wood-based flooring is fitted in the above-mentioned way, there is present an underlay made of insulating material such as cork, polyurethane foam or other type of thermal and acoustic insulation between the heat source (resistance wire or heating foil) and the floor covering.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a solution for an electric modular heating system intended for installation on any flat surface, providing high energy efficiency while reducing the thermal inertia of the entire system relative to the currently known solutions.

A modular electric heating system according to the invention, intended for use on any flat surface, comprising autonomous modules wherein a single module comprises a wear layer, a carrier plate having at least one mounting groove milled out longitudinally in which a heating element is mounted, and a heating plate placed above this heating element, which system is characterised in that a metal guide is mounted in the mounting groove of the carrier plate and the heating plate is a metal panel, wherein the metal guide is longitudinally in contact with the metal panel and in the metal guide there is placed a heating cable which provides thermal energy which is distributed across the structure of the module through the metal guide and the metal panel towards the lower thermal resistance, i.e. the wear layer.

It is advantageous if the metal panel has holes made in its surface.

It is advantageous if the metal panel has a rough surface.

It is advantageous if the metal panel is permanently bonded between the carrier plate and the wear layer. It is advantageous if the metal guide and the metal panel are connected with each other by means of spot melting, spot welding or spot soldering.

It is advantageous if both the metal guide and the metal panel are made of a metal with a high coefficient of thermal conductivity, advantageously of aluminium alloys.

It is advantageous if the wear layer is advantageously made of oak lamella, decorative HDF board, ceramic tiles, stone, vinyl or floor covering.

It is advantageous if the carrier plate is made of a material with low thermal conductivity, advantageously plywood, wood-based panels or plastic.

It is advantageous if the mounting groove of the mounting plate is widened at the ends.

It is advantageous if the length of the metal guide is less than the length of the mounting groove of the carrier plate in which it is embedded.

It is advantageous if the external diameter of the metal guide is greater than the depth of the mounting groove of the carrier plate in which it is embedded, so that when all the components of the module are compressed in a hydraulic press, a direct line of contact between the metal guide and the metal panel is achieved.

It is advantageous if the metal guide has a longitudinal slit along its entire length, which makes it possible to use a larger external diameter of the above-mentioned guide, which in turn makes it possible to obtain an even better contact surface between the metal guide and the perforated rough aluminium panel of each module during the process of bonding the module in the press.

It is advantageous if the carrier plate has more than one mounting groove for metal guides.

It is advantageous if the heating cable is arranged in the metal guide slidingly.

It is advantageous if there is a thermal insulator under the carrier plate.

It is advantageous if consecutive modules have a common heating cable.

The principle of operation of the modular electric heating system comprising individual heating modules which are connected to each other by means of edge locks and through which a heating cable is deployed in such a way that it is freely pulled through the guides of the individual modules is that the heating cable, which has been inserted into the metal guide of the module after heats up being connected to electricity and transfers thermal energy by conduction to the guide in points of contact with the metal guide.

Where there is no direct contact with the guide when electric current flows through it, the resistance wire transfers thermal energy to the guide of the module by radiation. The metal guide comes into contact with a metal, perforated, rough surfaced aluminium panel and a carrier plate with thermal energy storage capacity and transfers the thermal energy absorbed from the heating cable to them by conduction.

The perforated rough surfaced metal panel, which is firmly sandwiched between the heat storage carrier plate and the wear layer made of oak lamellas, draws thermal energy from the metal guide and the carrier plate by conduction.

The thermal energy dissipates very quickly in the structure of the perforated, rough surfaced metal panel and is transferred by conduction to the wear layer from which layer it is emitted to the environment by radiation.

The carrier plate, which is also the thermal energy storage element in the heating module, rests on a thermal insulator which may be bonded to the module or the module is laid on top of it in an unbonded manner, which makes the whole system energy-oriented, i.e. the thermal energy flows in the direction of lower thermal resistance, i.e. in the direction of the wear layer.

As the source of heat is located in the metal guide which is in contact with the perforated rough surfaced metal panel, which distributes the thermal energy from the module, the energy efficiency of the electric modular heating system being described is incomparably higher than for the currently known large-scale electric heating systems.

The heating cable, which is the source of heat, is routed through each of the modules in a free manner, which makes it possible to adapt the electric modular heating system to any shape of the flat surface on which it is installed in such a way that the modules are cut to length and width accordingly and then a common heating cable is routed through their guides.

The present invention in a non-limiting embodiment is shown in the drawings where:

• Fig. 1 shows a top view of a single heating module having a wear layer, a mounting tongue, a mounting groove and a heating cable.

• Fig. 2 shows a cross-section of a single heating module with a wear layer, metal panel, carrier plate, tongue side lock, groove side lock, mounting groove and a heating cable placed in a metal guide.

• Fig. 3 shows a cross-section of a single heating module having a wear layer, a metal panel, a carrier plate, a tongue side lock, a groove side lock, a mounting groove and a heating cable without a metal guide.

• Fig. 4 shows a cross-section of a single heating module having a wear layer, a metal panel, a carrier plate, a tongue side lock, a groove side lock 5, a mounting groove, a metal guide 7, a heating cable and a thermal insulator 9.

• Fig. 5 shows a cross-section of a metal panel with perforations and a rough surface.

• Fig. 6 shows a top view of a metal panel with perforations. • Fig. 7 shows a top view of a metal panel with perforations and notches.

• Fig. 8 shows an assembly of three unconnected heating modules having a common heating cable.

• Fig. 9 shows an assembly of three heating modules 13 connected with each other and having a common heating cable.

• Fig. 10 shows a carrier plate having a mounting groove milled out, which groove is widened at both ends.

• Fig. 11 shows a cross-section of the composite arrangement of a metal panel and a metal guide with the longitudinal cut shown.

• Fig. 12 shows a side view of the composite arrangement of the metal panel 2, the metal guide 7 and stress-relieving transverse notches.

The modular electric heating system according to the present invention comprises interconnected heating modules 13.

A single module 13 comprises a wear layer 1 made of oak lamellas, an aluminium panel 2 and a carrier plate 3.

The metal panel 2 is permanently bonded between the wear layer 1 and the carrier plate 3.

In order to obtain an adequate quality of permanent bonding to the carrier plate 3 and to the wear layer 1, the metal panel 2 has been degreased on both sides and then sanded with a wide belt sander using a coarse sandpaper in order to obtain a rough tenacious surface 12 on both sides (Fig. 5), which allows the adhesive to adhere well thereto.

In the rough surfaced metal panel thus obtained multi-point perforations 10 and transverse cuts 11 were then made by means of a laser cutter, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7. The adhesive joint passing through the perforation thus made bonds directly the carrier plate 2 with the wear layer 1, which significantly strengthens the structure of the entire module.

Each module has a tongue side lock 4 and a groove side lock 5 which serve to connect them to each other.

A mounting groove 6 is milled in the carrier plate 3, in which a metal guide 7 is placed. The metal guide 7, which has an oval shape in cross-section, is an aluminium tube the external diameter of which is slightly larger than the depth of the mounting groove 6 in the carrier plate 3 so that a direct line of contact between the metal guide 7 and the metal panel 2 is obtained when all the module elements are compressed in a hydraulic press.

Through the metal guide 7, which is in linear contact with the metal panel 2 on the upper side, there is freely routed an electrical resistance heating cable 8, which is common to all the modules 13 and which heats up when it is connected to electricity and constitutes a source of thermal energy for all the modules through which it is routed, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9. The metal panel 2 and the metal guide 7 are advantageously made of an aluminium alloy with thermal conductivity l=200 W/(mK).

The carrier plate 3 of the module is made of waterproof birch plywood which has a high thermal energy storage capacity of =2000 J/(kgK).

The wear layer 1 is comprised of oak lamellas with heat transfer coefficient l< 0.4 W/(mK).

In the embodiment, the metal panel 2 is smaller in size than the wear layer 1 bonded thereto.

Also in the embodiment, the length of the metal guide 7 is smaller than the length of the mounting groove 6 in which the metal guide 7 is embedded.

The metal guide 7 has a longitudinal slit along its entire length, which makes it possible to use a larger external diameter of the said guide 7, which in turn makes it possible to obtain an even better contact surface between the metal guide 7 and the metal panel 2 of the single module 13 in the process of bonding the module in the press, as shown in Fig. 11.

During the assembly of the module, the metal guide 7 may be pre-flattened on the side of the metal panel 2, which also has an advantageous effect on the contact surface obtained between the metal guide 7 and the metal panel 2.

Another example of making the connection between the metal guide 7 and the metal panel 2 is to connect them by means of spot melting, spot welding or spot soldering, which is carried out before the module is bonded together. With this type of solution, transverse notches 16 should be made in the metal guide 7 every few tens of centimetres in order to achieve longitudinal relaxation of the guide and plate system, as shown in Fig. 12.

The mounting groove 6 located in the carrier plate 3 is widened at both ends 14. This widening compensates for all inaccuracies in the mutual linear alignment of the guides of the heating modules that are connected longitudinally to each other. The widening of the mounting groove 6 also allows for a convenient installation of consecutive heating modules with the metal guides 7 through which the heating cable 8 is routed.

The heating cable 8 used in the present invention is routed through metal guides 7 located in the heating modules that are successively connected in a sliding and free manner. For long heating modules having a length of 2 m and more, the heating cable 8 can be installed in the metal guide 7 by means of a flexible fish tape.

The metal guide 7 of a single heating module 13 may have a cross-section other than oval; it may be e.g. square, rectangular, triangular, trapezoidal, etc. in cross-section.

In another embodiment of the invention, shown in Fig. 3, the heating cable is routed in the mounting groove 6 without a metal guide 7.

The modular electric heating system according to the invention can be fitted on a flat surface in an oil-free (floating) manner on the thermal insulator 9, or it can be fitted in a permanent manner in such a way that the thermal insulator 9 is glued to the carrier plate 3 on the bottom side, and then the heating module 13 together with its own thermal insulation 9 is glued by means of an adhesive to the ground (Fig. 4).

In the embodiment, a single module 13 the width of which does not exceed 150 mm has a single mounting groove 6 with a metal guide 7 embedded therein while a module 13 with a width greater than 150 mm has a greater number of mounting grooves 6 together with their metal guides.

Embodiment of a single heating module.

A single module 13 of the electric modular heating according to the embodiment with external dimensions (width x length x thickness): 150 x 1100 x 16 mm is a rectangular solid of a durable construction which was formed in a process of bonding in a press with heated platens and using glue.

A single module described herein comprises a wear layer 1, a metal panel 2, a carrier plate 3, a metal guide 7 and a heating cable 8.

In the carrier plate 3, a longitudinal mounting groove 6 has been milled out for installing the metal guide 7. The mounting groove 6 is widened at both ends 14.

The carrier plate 3 has a tongue side lock 4 and a groove side lock 5.

The metal panel 2 was sanded on both sides with coarse sandpaper to obtain a rough surface 12; additionally, multi-point perforations 10 and transverse notches 11 were made in it. The perforated, rough metal panel 2 used in the structure of the module has a heat transfer coefficient l=200 W/(mK).

In the next step, the metal guide 7 was inserted into the mounting groove 6 of the carrier plate 3, and then a layer of glue was applied on the carrier plate 3 together with the metal guide 7 on the side of the perforated rough surfaced metal panel 2; glue was also applied on one of the wider sides of the wear layer 1.

The next step was to assemble the module in such a way that the perforated rough surfaced metal panel 2 was placed onto the carrier plate 3 together with the mounted metal guide 7 where the plate was coated with glue over its entire surface; then, the wear layer 1, having adhesive applied on the side of the perforated rough metal panel 2, was placed onto the perforated rough metal panel 2.

The module thus assembled was loaded into a press, where the press used had the option of adjusting the temperature of the platens because the components that were bonded together had different coefficients of thermal expansion; thus, the module being bonded was subjected to a pressure of 2,000 kg for 15 minutes at a temperature of 39°C. After this time, the module was removed from the press and left under a constant load of 50 kg at room temperature for a period of 24 hours. The wear layer 1 was made of 3.5 mm thick oak lamellas which were sanded and subjected to surface hydrophobisation by applying Osmo oil wax after being glued to the rest of the components of the module.

In the final stage, the heating cable 8 was pulled through the aluminium guide 7, and thus the fabrication of a single heating module 13 was completed.

The single heating module 13 thus fabricated was placed on a thermal insulator 9, advantageously a cork underlay with a thickness of 5 mm, and subjected to a heating test in such a way that the heating cable 8 was connected to electricity and temperature readings were taken on the surface of the wear layer 1 at intervals of 1 minute.

This test revealed that the electric modular heating system in question has a very low thermal inertia and that the temperature measured on the surface of the wear layer 1 increased by 0.5°C after the first minute of measurement.

After five minutes of the test, the temperature on the surface of the wear layer 1 reached a value 2°C higher than the temperature recorded at the beginning of the test. Similar tests were performed with other wear layers 1 such as ceramic, stone, floor covering, vinyl and decorative HDF board.

The single module 13 obtained in this way has subtle internal stresses in its structure, which stresses disappear when the module is heated by the metal resistance wire routed through its metal guide 7, and the module remains stable. In the same way, further individual modules 13 are fabricated, and these form a modular electric heating system together with the resistance heating wire 8 routed through their metal guides 7.