AU2004100394A4 - Fluid services for multi-storey buildings - Google Patents

Description

5-04;16!52 :DAVIES COLLISON CAVE Pat.&Trad ;61 7 3368 2262 8/ 27 Bia~tU 22 Oak. *aq -1- FLUID SERVICES FOR MULTI-STOREY

BUILDINGS

TECHNICAL

FIELD

The present invention relates to a fluid service system, commonly referred to as "hydraulic services", for multi-level buildings. The invention particularly concerns a fluid service system including a hot water service or a cold water service or a gas service for multi-storcy buildings.

BACKGROUND

ART

The provision of hydraulic/gas services for multi-level, residential and hotel buildings represents a considerable expense in the cost of building construction, labour construction time and ongoing maintenance and running costs for completed buildings.

Therefore it is considered that there is a continual need for improvements in the provision of hydraulic/gas service systems for residential and hotel buildings given the increasing demand for high-rise buildings in cities and resort locations. Use of now, innovative and environmentally sensitive design solutions can enable the provision of cost effective and more environmentally friendly hydraulic/gas service systems for such multi-level buildings. Advantages to be gained from innovative hydraulic/gas service systems include lower sub-contracting costs and time savings, reductions in the amount of hardware, materials and plant equipment required, a decrease in the maintenance and running costs for completed buildings, greater flexibility of design and wider options to create asthetic and functional solutions, and ultimately an improvement in the return on capital invested.

OBJECT

The present invention seeks to provide an improved fluid service system for a multi-level building, or at least to provide the public with a useful choice over existing systems.

COMS ID No: SBMI-00764673 Received by IP Australia: Time 17:08 Date 2004-05-25 5-04;16!52 ;DAVIES COLLISOIN CAVE Pat. &Trad 6736822 #9/2 ;61 7 336B 2262 9/ 27 -2- DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION Throughout this specification and the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise", and variations such as "comprises" or "comprising" will be undertood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the ecwlusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps.

The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as, an acknowledgment or any form of suggestion that that prior art fonns part of the comnmon general knowledge in the field of endeavour.

In one broad aspect of the present invention there is provided a water services delivery system for a multi-storey building including a water supply line for feeding water to respective floors of the building, manifold means at a floor to be supplied with water from the supply line a plurality of delivery lines for directing water from the manifold means to facilities on the floor, and a fire service outlet on the floor for directing water from the water supply line to a fire fighting device.

A cold water service utilizing a fluid service system of the present Invention includes a main distribution pipe which extends to each floor of a multi-storey building where cold water is required, whereby the cold water distribution pipe has a manifold at each floor for the supply of cold water to one or more rooms of the building on each respective floor.

Preferably the cold water is distributed from a mn~ifold to each room on a floor, at least in part, by a fully retrievable poly pipe installed in a conduit cast within a respective concrete slab floor of the building. This ani-ngement maintains pipe work retrievability if required.

Typically the cold water distribution pipe manifold has a plurality of meters to individually monitor the water supplied to each serviced room. Preferably the manifold COMS ID No: SBMI-00764673 Received by IP Australia: Time 17:08 Date 2004-05-25 5-04:'16!52 ;DAVIES COLLISON CAVE Pat.&Trad ;1736 22#1/2 ;61 7 3368 2262 10/ 27 -3and meters are installed in onc central cupboard on each floor supplied with cold water.

Typically, this cupboard may be the fire hose reel cupboard or another cupboard specifically designed to accommodate the hot and cold water manifolds and meters.

Preferably the cold water distribution pipe also supplies water to each fire hose reel as it passes through all floor levels of the building. The supply pipe is sized to cater for the demands of the building. In addition the entire system may be maintained at the required design pressure in order to provide a satisfactory performance to all fixture outlets.

In comparison with conventional methods of cold water distribution, preferred embodiments of the present invention achieve a reduction in installation costs, equally bawacd hot and cold water pressure, obviates the need to access each apartment for meter readings or maintenance and the centralising of all valving and metering in each fire hose reel cupboard.

A hot water service of the present invention includes a centralised boiler feeding a main hot water distribution pipe extending to each floor of the building where hot water is required, wherby the hot water distribution pipe has a manifold at each required floor for the supply of hot water to one or more rooms of the building. The hot water system distribution pipe is preferably insulated and fitted with a plurality of heat trace cables and thermostatic mixing valves connected to a ventralised temperature control system. The hot water is preferably distributed to each mroo, as required, by a fully retrievable poly pipe installed in a conduit cast within concrete slab floors of the building. Typically each manifold on the hot Water distribution pipe has a plurality of meters to individually monitor the water supplied to each serviced room, and the manifold and meters are installed in one central cupboard on each floor supplied with hot water.

A fluid service system of the invention may also include a gas service including a vertical gas riser extending to each floor of the building where gas is required, whereby the vertical gas riser has a manifold at each floor for the distribution of gas to one or more roomns of the building, as required. The gas mnay be distributed to each room by a lagged copper pipe cast within concrete slab floors of the building. Typically the manifold has a COMS ID No: SBMI-00764673 Received by IP Australia: Time 17:08 Date 2004-05-25 5-04:16:52 ;DAVIES COLLISON CAVE Pat.&Trad :1736 22#1/2 *61 7 3368 2262 11/ 27 tl~lO~l~fpuft~inu~u4WN &0C*fl Oman am -4plurality of meters to individually monitor the gas supplied to each serviced moorn, and the manifold and meters are installed in one central cupboard on each floor supplied with gas.

The cold water service system may also include a fire service pressurised by a service pump. The same service pump may also be used to assist in the pressurisation of the hot water service and the cold water service.

The hot water service utilised in embodiments of an hydraulic service system of the present invention includes a ccntralised boiler feeding a main hot water distribution pipe extending to each floor of the building where hot water is required, whereby the hot water distribution pipe has a manifold at each floor for the supply of hot water to one or more rooms of the building. Most preferably the hot water distribution pipe is insulated and fitted wit a plurality of heat trace cables and thermostatic mixing valves connected to a centralised temperature control "ysem. The centralised temperature control system maintains the required hot water temperature throughout the hot water distribution pipe extending through the floors of the building. This system is suitable for both metallic and non-metallic piping materials, such as thermal plastics. This heat trace system eliminate s return lines, flow and return pumnps, balancing valves and air release valves in order to recirculate the hot water thereby reducing heat lass and lowering the cost to installt run and maintain -the system.

The desired hot water storage and delivery temperatures are preferably achieved by utilising a centralised temperature control system, which through a series of thermostatic mixing valves and temperature sensors stores and distributes the hot water at any predetermined temperature. The use of a centralised control of the system maintains the required design temperatures and pressures in the main hot water distribution pipe extending to each floor of the building to provide a satisfactory performance to all fixture outlets.

The performance of the hot water suppiy may be greatly improved by having both the hot and cold water supplies function at similar pressures and flows, thereby providing a COMS ID No: SBMI-00764673 Received by IP Australia: Time 17:08 Date 2004-05-25 5-04:16!52 ;DAVIES COLLISON CAVE Pet. &Trad :1736 22#1/2 :61 7 3368 2262 12/ 27 more unifonn, balanced and controlled hot water delivery to each fixture outlet. The ageold problem of pressure and temperature fluctuations whilst showering is addressed by emrbodiments of a hot water service utilising the present invention, Utilisation of a central hot water boiler installed in a dedicated plant room obviates the need for individual hot water heaters being installed in each apartment, thereby reducing the amount of hardware, materials and plant equipment required in the provision of the hot water service. The centralised control of the hot water allows the building wanagernent to control the energy consumed by the hot water plant The energy consumed by the hot water plant is demand driven by simple cable connection between the hot water plant room and the management system of the building. As the occupancy rate of the building increases, additional hot water plant can be activated automatically allowing only the necessary energy to be consumed. Conversely, as the occupancy rate decreases the hot water plant can be progressively de-activated so that the energy consumed is reduced, being solely driven by demand. This method has shown to be a most efficient option for both installation and the minimisation of energy consumption. Control of the energy consumed by the hot water system may be achieved by the centralised boiler comprising a plurality of individual water heaters connected in parallel to the hot water service. 'As the hot water demand increases or decreases, the individual water heaters may be switched on or off to ensure supplies are available to meet demand.

Typically government and regulatory bodies require hot water systems to heat water to a given temperature such as W(C or more and store the water for a period of time sufficient to kill legionnaires' bacteria and other microbes. However, the delivery temperature of hot water to fixture outlets is typically regulated to a maximum of S0rC.

Usually temperature regulation is achieved by the installation of a temperature lmiting valve to each hotel room or apartment. These valves reduc the hot water temperature from the main distribution pipe down to the maximum of 500C as the hot water supply enters each hotel room or apartment. To obviate the need for supplying a temperature limiting valve to each hotel room or apartmnent, and the inherent inefficiencies in both the installation and commissioning costs to the project, a preferred hot water service of the COMS ID No: SBMI-00764673 Received by IP Australia: Time 17:08 Date 2004-05-25 5-04:116:52 ;DAVIES COLLISON CAVE Pat, &Trad ;1736 22#1/2 :61 7 3368 2262 13/ 27 -6present invention utilises the centralised temperature control system to regulate the temperature in the main hot water distribution pipe. This system utihlses a series of thermostatic mixing valves installed adjacent to the hot water plant in a manifolded configuration. From these valves water is supplied from the cenfraliseci boiler to the mrainl hot water distribution pipe and up to the fixture outlet at a maximum temperature of WO'C.

The centralised temnper-ature control system and the thennostatically controlled mnain hot water distribution pipe eliminates the need for a temperature limiting valve to be installed in every hotel room or apartment. The use of a centralised system is able to reduce installation costs of the hot water service compared with. separate in unit installations auad tO also to provide a more accurate and controlled hot water temperature delivery to each fixture.

In a further preferred embodiment of the invention the hot water is distributed to each hotel room Or Apartment by a fully retrievable poly pipe installed in a conduit cast within concrete slab floors of the building, which maintains pipe work retrievability if required.

The main hot water distrbution pipe manifolds may have a plurality of meters to individually monitor the water supplied to- each serviced room. The manifold and meters maybe installed in one central cupboard on each floor supplied with hot water, and preferably the cupboard is a fire hose reel cupboard, utilising the often empty space in such cupboards.

In comparison with conventional methods Of hot water distribution, the present system ameliorates installation costs, running costs, and may equally balance hot and cold water pressure. Such an installation can obviate the aced for access into each apartment for meter reading or maintenance and eliminate the need for hot water mains within each apartment, resulting in more useable floor space and the elimination of noise and heat from the mains.

A servce System Of the Present invention is also applicable to a gas service COMS 1D No: SBMI-00784673 Received by IP Australia: Time 17:08 Date 2004-05-25 5-04;16!52 ;DAVIES COLLISON CAVE Pet.&Trad ~1736 22i1/2 '61 7 3368 2262 14/ 27 -7including a 'vertical gas'riser extending to each floor of the building where gas is required, whereby the vertical gas riser has a manifold at each floor for the supply of gas to one or more rooms of the building. The gas may be distributed to each room by a lagged copper pipe cast within concrete slab floors of the building Typically the vertical gas riser manifold has a plurality of meters to individually monitor the gas supplied to each serviced room. The manifold and meters may be installed in one central gas supply cupboard, and the cupboard may be separate from or the same as that used to house the hot and cold water manifolds and meters. The supply piping to each hotel room or apartment may be used to supply gas to any area of the apartment as required, such as to the cook top, for room heating, to the balcony barbecue, and the like.

An advantage of the aforesaid gas service is the requirement for only one gas riser and the central location of all the valving and metering in one cupboard located in a commron area. This system obviates the need for several individual risers, and valves and meters within apartments requiring greater quantities of piping installation time and difficulties in accessing meter for reading.

An hydraulic service system of the present invention preferably includes the provision of a fire service. I a prefcrred embodiment the fire and domestic cold water systems are combined such that, in the event of a fire, the building management would adopt a tire mode which requires all occupants to vacate the building. At no time would both the fire and cold water services be required to be utilised simultaneously, reducing the requirement for individual piping for both cold water and fire services to the building.

The fire service, hot water service and cold water service may be pressuxisod by the mains, or pressurisation may be assisted by a service pump, if required. Typically hydraulic service systems utilise a first pump to maintain the domestic supply, with a second, dedicated pump sitting idle for the fire service. An hydraulic service systern of the present invention preferably combines the two individual pump sets, by the supply of water to each respective service by the one pump set. The pump is sized to satisfy the larger demand of either service and has the advantage that the fmr service is connected to COMS ID No: SBMI-00764673 Received by IP Australia: Time 17:08 Date 2004-05-25 5-04:16:52 :DAVIES COLLISON CAVE Pat. &Trad :1736 22#1/2 :61 7 3368 2262 15/ 27 -8the pump used daily in order to maintain the domestic cold water supply, rather than beiag connected to an idle pump, only being tested periodicaly. The improvements gained by the combined fire and domestic cold water system offers significant cost savings in the supply and maintenance of the pumping plant and equipment, whilst also improving the peirformanice and reliability of the services.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS The foregoing and other aspects of the present invcntion, which should be considered in all its novel aspects, will become apparent from the following description of embodiments, which is given by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying dmawings, in which:, Figure I is a schematic drawing showing a gas service employing an embodiment of the present invention applied to a multi-storey building, Figure 2 is an elevation view diagrammatically depicting the gas service manifold distributor employcd on each floor of the arrangement shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a schematic drawing showing hot and cold water services both employing embodiments of the present invention; Figure 4 is a diagrammatic elevation view showing one embodiment of a cold water manifold in accordance with the present Invention; Figure 5 is a diagrammatic elevation view of an embodiment of a hot water manifold in accordance with the present invention; Figure 6 is a diagrammatic elevation view showing an embodiment of an installation incorporating cold and hot water manifolds in accordance with the present in a common process area on each floor of a rnulti-storey building; COMS ID No: SBMI-00764673 Received by IP Australia: Time 17:08 Date 2004-05-25 5-04:16!52 ;DAVIES COLLISON CAVE Pat.&Trad :61 7 3368 2262 16/ 27 -9- Figure 7 is an elevation view diagrarmatically depicting an alternative gas service manifold distributor for use in place of the embodiment of Figu-e 2; Figure 8 is an elevation view diagrammatically depicting an alternative hot water service manifold embodiment to be used in place of the embodiment of Figure Figure 9 is an elevation view diagrammatically depicting an alternative cold water service manifold embodiment to be used in place of the embodiment of Figure 4; Figure 10 is an isometric diagrammatic view of a plurality of parallel connected gas fred hot water units as may be emnployed in installations using embodiment$ of the present invention; and Figure 11 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view through a concrete slab floor depicting one embodiment of a water pipe installed in a building.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Figure 1 shows a schematic anangemert for supplying gas for heating and cooking purposes to a multi-storey building- In this case the building is 15 storeys with two basement levels plus ground level to level 4 being employed for car parking qr the like.

A

gas service riser 10 feeds incoming gas from gas main 11 to each of the required levels of the building, The first take off point at level 4 is provided for pool and spa heating, at a common amenities area for the building block. At each of levels 5 15 there is a gas take-off point which feeds directly into a gas service manifold 12.

From each manifold 12 there is a separate distribution or feeder line 13 to each unit in the block, Gas riser 10 extends to the roof level to feed a plurality of gas fired hot water units 14. The details of the gas service riser feeding a manifold at one of floor levels 6 15 is more clearly shown in Figure 2. As depicted in that drawing, the gas COMS ID No: SBMI-00764673 Received by IP Australia: Time 17:08 Date 2004-05-25 26- 5-04:16!52 :DAVIES COLLISON CAVE Pat. &Trad :1736 22 #1/2 '61 7 3368 2262 17/ 27 1PAWPCQOCVwwq*uwrMwia tfON u2209wa 2402 service at each floor level is located wit a distribution cupboard iS for aesthetic and security measons, As shown throughout the drawings the flow diretion of liquids or gases is indicated by arrows drawn parallel to pipes containing those fluids.

Referring now to Figure 3 which shows a combined hot and cold water service which arc both fed from a common domestic water supply line 20. Supply line 20 is branched into cold water dropper line 21 and cold water input line 22 which inflows into each of the eight hot water units 23 and to a downstream hot water temperature control system 24 for regulating the outlet temperature of hot water from the hot water units which enters the hot water dropper line Each of levels 5 15 are shown as being fitted with respective hot water and cold water manifolds 26 and 27, respectively. The arrangement of manifolds 26 and 27 is more clearly shown in Figures 4 and 5 which may be located in separate access cupboards as shown by Figures 4 and 5 or combined together into a fire hose reel cupboard as showni in the embodiment of Figure 6. Commaron elements between Figures 4, 5, and 6 are marked with the same reference numerals.

Cold water dropper service line 2 1, as shown in Figures 4 and 6, feeds to a fire hose reel 28 within fire hose reel cupboard 29- The cold water line 3 0 to each unit is fitted with an on-off valve 31.

For the hot water service supply shown in Figure 5, dropper line 25 feeds a manifold 26 from which depend separate supply lines 32, each having an on-off valve 33 2$ and a meter 34 for measuring the quantity of hot water supplied to each of the five respective lines 32. Hot water dropper 25 and manifold 26 are both shown as heat insulated.

Figures 7 to 9, show alternate embodiments of manifolds of the present invention to the ones shown in Figures I to 6, COMS ID No: SBMI-00764673 Received by IP Australia: Timne (Him) 17:08 Date 2004-05-25 5-04;16!52 :DAVIES COLLISON CAVE Pat.&Trad ;61 7 3368 2262 18/ 27 n.WnaD fl9.detflrAui5siaqM tAM Oflvw IND In Figure 7, gas riser 60 forms both a riser and a plurality of manifolds 61 connected in series. The dual function served by riser 60 of this embodiment eliminates the requirement for a separate manifold projecting from the riser to which distribution or feeder lines are connected. In the embodiment of Figure 7 distribution or feeder lines 62 are directly connected to riser 60 at manifold portion 61.

The embodiments of Figures 8 and 9 which relate to hot and cold water services, respectively, are of the general form of the gas service embodiment of Figure 7. In these Figures corresponding reference numerals to those used in Figures 4 and 5 have been used to denote like components.

Figure 10 shows a group of 10 parallel connected hot water units in a layout essentially as shown in Figure 3. Each hot water unit 40 has. inlet cold water from supply line 41 via take-off line 42. Hot water is selectively drawn off from each heater 40 via line 43 into a manifold 44. Heated water from manifold 44 is controllably mixed with cold water from supply line 41 into manifold 45. Manifold 45 feeds into a hot water dropper line (not shown) to supply hot-water to respective levels of a multi-storey building.

For ease of repair or replacement of water supply lines to each of relevant locations on each level an arrangement as shown in Figure II can be employed. In that drawing a concrete floor slab 50 is shown with a pre-sleeved flexible water pipe 51 cast therein.

Where the water pipe protrudes from floor slab 50 is fitted with a sleeve end cap 52 mounted on the ends of sleeve 53 containing pipe 51. Once end caps 52 are removed the flexible water pipe 51 fitted within sleeve 53 in floor slab 50 can be withdrawn from sleeve 53 for repair or replacement.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that building codes, practices, guidelines, regulations and laws can differ from each locality, province, state and country.

The hydraulic service system of the present invention may be modified so as to conform with any such regulations as required without necessarily departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

COMS ID No: SBMI-00764673 Received by IP Australia: Time 17:08 Date 2004-05-25 5-04:16:52 :DAVIES COLLISON CAVE Pat.&Trad '61 7 3368 2262 19/ 27 12- Whilst it is particularly preferred that an hydraulic service system of the invention includes both cold and hot water service units, it will be understood that the various innovative modifications and improvements described herein may be made to any of the hot water service or cold water service units and still be within the scope of the present invention. In addition, it will become apparent from the foregoing detailed description of embodiments of the invention that further modifications and improvements may also be proposed to the water or gas service systems without departing from the spirit or scope of this invention.

COMS ID No: SBMI-00764673 Received by IP Australia: Time 17:08 Date 2004-05-25

Claims (2)

1. 5-04;16!52 ;DAVIES COLLISON CAVE Pat.&Trad :61 7 3368 2262 20/ 27
2. 13- THE CLAIMS DEFINTNG THE -V ENION ARE AS FOLLOWS: 1. A water services delivery system for a multi-storey building including a water supply line for feeding water to respective floors of the building, manifold means at a floor to be supplied with water from the supply line, a plurality of delivery lines for directing water from the manifold means to facilities on the floor, and a fire service outlrt on the floor for directing water from the water supply line to a fire fighting device. 2. A system as claimed in claim lwherein the fire fighting device is a fire hose reel. 3. A system as claimed in either of claims 1 or 2 wherein each manifold at a building floor is formed by a portion of a fluid riser or dropper that traverses each floor. 4. A system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the manifold means further comprises a plurality of meters to individually monitor water supplied to each of one or more rooms of the building. A method of delivering water services to a plurality of floors of a multi-storey building, said method including feeding water to the plurality of floors via a common water supply line, taking-off water from the supply line through manifolds at respective floors to a plurality of water user locations at respective floors, and taking-off water from the supply line at respective floors for fire services and, optionally monitoring water supplies to each water user location. Dated this 25th day of May, 2004 STEVE PAUL HOLDINGS PTY LTD By Its Patent Attorneys DAVIES COLLISON CAVE COMS ID No: SBMI-00764673 Received by IP Australia: Time 17:08 Date 2004-05-25