CA2274410A1 - In radiant floor, wall and celling hydronic cooling systems and heating and cooling systems, using metal plates that are heated or cooled by attached tubing that is fed hot or cold water, structures of plates and tubing attachments - Google Patents
In radiant floor, wall and celling hydronic cooling systems and heating and cooling systems, using metal plates that are heated or cooled by attached tubing that is fed hot or cold water, structures of plates and tubing attachments Download PDFInfo
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- CA2274410A1 CA2274410A1 CA002274410A CA2274410A CA2274410A1 CA 2274410 A1 CA2274410 A1 CA 2274410A1 CA 002274410 A CA002274410 A CA 002274410A CA 2274410 A CA2274410 A CA 2274410A CA 2274410 A1 CA2274410 A1 CA 2274410A1
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- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02B—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS
- Y02B30/00—Energy efficient heating, ventilation or air conditioning [HVAC]
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Abstract
In a hydronic radiant heating and/or cooling system of the kind having a heating/cooling loop including a length of tubing that conducts water, mounted in a floor, wall or ceiling of a room heated/cooled by said system and a metal plate or sheet providing a radiation surface mounted in the room floor, wall or ceiling, adjacent a surface thereof, the length of tubing being held against the plate in intimate thermal contact therewith, so that the plate is heated/cooled by conduction of heat between the water in the tubing and the plate, the improvement comprising:
a plurality of separate identical panels each comprising a single board; the panels being equipped for arranging on a floor, wall or ceiling side by side to provide elongated spaces into which the tubing is inserted and held against the plate; so that a finished floor, wall or ceiling covering can be installed thereon and the system operated to heat or cool said room.
a plurality of separate identical panels each comprising a single board; the panels being equipped for arranging on a floor, wall or ceiling side by side to provide elongated spaces into which the tubing is inserted and held against the plate; so that a finished floor, wall or ceiling covering can be installed thereon and the system operated to heat or cool said room.
Description
IN RADIANT FLOOR, WALL AND CEILING HYDRONIC
COOLING SYSTEMS AND HEATING AND COOLING
SYSTEMS, USING METAL PLATES THAT ARE
HEATED OR COOLED BY ATTACHED TUBING
THAT IS FED HOT OR COLD WATER, STRUCTURES OF PLATES AND
TUBING ATTACHMENTS
to BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to radiant hydronic systems using metal plates that are heated or cooled by attached tubing that is fed hot or cold water for heating and/or cooling dwellings, offices, etc., the metal plates being held in the floor, walls or ceiling of a room as part of an assembly of modular panels into which the tubing is inserted so that the plates radiate heat to the room when the tubing is fed hot water, to heat the room; or absorbs heat from the room by radiation when the tubing is fed cold water, to cool the room; the tubing being secured in the panels in intimate thermal contact with the radiation plate and covered by a finished floor, wall or ceiling of the room.
In particular, several structures of such modular panels and additional modular parts assembled and into which the tubing is inserted for heating and/or cooling include are disclosed.
DRY MODOLAR PANEL RADIANT HYDRONIC HEATING
Hydronic radiant floor heating (RFH), radiant wall heating (RWH) and radiant ceiling heating (RCH) are techniques of heating a room in a dwelling or commercial building for human and creature comfort. It is believed by many that hydronic radiant heating is the ideal way to warm the human body and superior to forced hot air heating.
Typical hydronic heating systems require a supply of hot water from a boiler and means for modulating the temperature of the water from the supply that is fed to the heating loops of the system, which include tubing and heating elements. This is particularly the case where modular panels are used in a dry installation in the floor for RFH, in the wall for RWH or in the ceiling for RCH. For example, if the supply water temperature is 180°F for laundry, it must be modulated to about 100°F (or lower) for RFH. A suitable system for reducing and controlling the supply water temperature for RFH, RWH and RCH is described in US Patent Number 5,119,988, issued June 09, 1992, entitled "Hydronic Heating Water Temperature Control System, to Joachim Fiedrich, the inventor herein. In that patent a three-way, modulated diverting or by-pass valve is provided in the return line to the boiler, for diverting some of the cooler return water to the hot supply water to reduce the temperature of the supply water feeding the heating loop supply header. This is sometimes called temperature dilution and the diverting valve is modulated by a feedback signal derived from the diluted water temperature.
Modular panel heating elements for RFH, RWH and RCH are described in US Patent No. 5,292,065, issued 03/08/94, entitled "Radiant Floor And Wall Hydronic Heating Systems", to Joachim Fiedrich, the inventor herein. The panel elements include a metal radiation plate or sheet attached to two spaced apart boards for holding the tubing in intimate thermal contact with the radiation plate, so that the plate is heated by conduction of heat from the tubing, and the plate has a substantial radiating surface that radiates heat to the room.
Thermal conduction from the tubing to the plate and mechanical attachment of the tubing to the panel are insured by a resilient thermally conductive filler material as described in US
Patent No. 5,579,996, issued 12/03/96, entitled "Radiant Floor And Wall Hydronic Heating Systems", also to Joachim Fiedrich, the inventor herein.
A mechanical adaptation that increases further the thermal path from the tubing to the plate consists of an undercut in each of the holding boards immediately adjacent the plate and the space for holding the tubing, that is filled with the thermally conductive filler material, providing a greater "thermal footprint" for the tubing on the plate. This mechanical adaptation is described in currently pending US Patent Application Serial No. 08/500,069, filed 07/10/95, entitled Radiant Floor And Wall Hydronic Heating System Tubing Attachment To Radiant Plate, also by Joachim Fiedrich, the inventor herein.
Hydronic heating systems using the modular panel heating elements described in the aforementioned US Patent Nos. 5,292,065 and 5,579,996 and in the aforementioned pending US Application Serial No. 08/500,069 to cool as well as heat are described in currently pending US Patent Application Serial No. [not yet received], filed 06/05/97, entitled "Hydronic Heating And/Or Cooling Systems Using Metal Radiation Plates That Are Heated Or Cooled By Attached Tubing Fed Hot Or Cold Water" by Joachim Fiedrich, the inventor herein. The systems described in that pending application include floor, wall and ceiling installations of modular panel elements and tubing. The floor installations are particularly effective for heating and can also be used for cooling; the ceiling installations are particularly effective for cooling and can also be used for heating; and the wall installations are effective for both heating and cooling.
Cooling is done by feeding cool water to the tubing to reduce the temperature of the radiation plate in the modular panel, to below room temperature so that heat is radiated from the room to the plate and conducted from the plate to the cool water in the tubing, heating the water slightly and the water is fed to a heat exchanger where it gives up the heat and is fed back to the panels. This circulation of cool water is continuous and may be a closed system. Systems for heating, systems for cooling and systems for doing both are described in that application.
In any of the systems described in the aforementioned US
Patent Application Serial Number [not yet received], hot and/or cold spots on the surface of the finished floor, wall or ceiling that covers the modular panels sometimes occurs. These spots are identified as being hotter during heating or cooler during cooling than elsewhere on the finished surface, whereas uniform surface temperature is preferred. Cold spots on the finished covering during cooling can be particularly troublesome, because when the temperature of the cold spot falls below the dew point - in the room, undesirable condensation occurs on the surface.
These problems are addressed in US Patent Application Serial No.
[not yet received], filed 05/23/97, entitled "For Radiant Floor, Wall and Ceiling ---- And Avoiding Condensation When Cooling", by Joachim Fiedrich, the inventor herein.
Methods and means of providing a "dry" installation of the metal radiation plates in a floor, wall or ceiling of a room to be heated and/or cooled, so that the tubing can be installed and held securely in intimate thermal contact with the plates, in a dry installation, have advantages over "wet" installations as discussed above. The disclosures herein present several structures for a "dry" installation providing advantages and alternatives over the prior art, including: simplicity of parts, ease of installation, performance of installation and costs.
SL~~?ARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and means of providing a "dry" installation of metal radiation plates and tubing for hydronic heating and/or cooling of a room or an area of a dwelling, that have advantages and/or are alternatives over the prior art, including: simplicity of parts, ease of installation, performance of installation and costs..
According to embodiments of the present invention, the modular radiation panels contain all or part of the radiation plate, as in the prior art, however, each panel provided for the installation contains means for aligning it with adjacent identical panels and providing the required elongated slot for holding the tubing and means for providing thermal connection between the radiation plate and the tubing. In all embodiments, the panels may all be identical and where an additional part is provided for the installation it is modular.
In all embodiments, the tubing is inserted after the panels and additional modular parts are mounted in a floor wall or ceiling and can serve for heating or for cooling the room. In all embodiments, the panels can be arranges in line attached to the sub-flooring for RFH/RFC, the wall studs for RWH/RWC and the - ceiling rafters, joists or strapping for RCH/RCC. Then the tubing is inserted into the aligned holding slots and may be secured therein by thermally conductive resilient filler material. Following that, the finished floor, wall or ceiling covering is installed over the panels.
Thus, RFH/RFC and RWH/RWC and RCC/RCH are installed "dry"
(without wet concrete, cement or plaster embedding the 'tubing) and can be accessed later by simply removing the finished floor, wall or ceiling covering.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure lA shows an embodiment in cross-section of an installation of identical panels on top of a sub-floor with tubing inserted,~ready for installation the finished floor covering;
Figure 1B shows in cross-section one of the panels of Figure lA;
Figure 2A shows another embodiment in cross-section of an installation of identical panels on top of a sub-floor with tubing inserted, ready for installation the finished floor covering;
Figure 28 shows in cross-section one of the panels of Figure 2A;
Figure 3A shows another embodiment in cross-section of an installation of identical panels and a separate metal plate that fit together and tubing in between, all on top of a sub-floor, ready for installation the finished floor covering;
Figure 3B shows in cross-section one of the panels of Figure 3A and the separate metal plate;
Figure 4A shows another embodiment in cross-section of an installation of identical panels and a separate metal channel piece (extrusion) that fit together and tubing inserted, on top of a sub-floor, ready for installation the finished floor covering;
COOLING SYSTEMS AND HEATING AND COOLING
SYSTEMS, USING METAL PLATES THAT ARE
HEATED OR COOLED BY ATTACHED TUBING
THAT IS FED HOT OR COLD WATER, STRUCTURES OF PLATES AND
TUBING ATTACHMENTS
to BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to radiant hydronic systems using metal plates that are heated or cooled by attached tubing that is fed hot or cold water for heating and/or cooling dwellings, offices, etc., the metal plates being held in the floor, walls or ceiling of a room as part of an assembly of modular panels into which the tubing is inserted so that the plates radiate heat to the room when the tubing is fed hot water, to heat the room; or absorbs heat from the room by radiation when the tubing is fed cold water, to cool the room; the tubing being secured in the panels in intimate thermal contact with the radiation plate and covered by a finished floor, wall or ceiling of the room.
In particular, several structures of such modular panels and additional modular parts assembled and into which the tubing is inserted for heating and/or cooling include are disclosed.
DRY MODOLAR PANEL RADIANT HYDRONIC HEATING
Hydronic radiant floor heating (RFH), radiant wall heating (RWH) and radiant ceiling heating (RCH) are techniques of heating a room in a dwelling or commercial building for human and creature comfort. It is believed by many that hydronic radiant heating is the ideal way to warm the human body and superior to forced hot air heating.
Typical hydronic heating systems require a supply of hot water from a boiler and means for modulating the temperature of the water from the supply that is fed to the heating loops of the system, which include tubing and heating elements. This is particularly the case where modular panels are used in a dry installation in the floor for RFH, in the wall for RWH or in the ceiling for RCH. For example, if the supply water temperature is 180°F for laundry, it must be modulated to about 100°F (or lower) for RFH. A suitable system for reducing and controlling the supply water temperature for RFH, RWH and RCH is described in US Patent Number 5,119,988, issued June 09, 1992, entitled "Hydronic Heating Water Temperature Control System, to Joachim Fiedrich, the inventor herein. In that patent a three-way, modulated diverting or by-pass valve is provided in the return line to the boiler, for diverting some of the cooler return water to the hot supply water to reduce the temperature of the supply water feeding the heating loop supply header. This is sometimes called temperature dilution and the diverting valve is modulated by a feedback signal derived from the diluted water temperature.
Modular panel heating elements for RFH, RWH and RCH are described in US Patent No. 5,292,065, issued 03/08/94, entitled "Radiant Floor And Wall Hydronic Heating Systems", to Joachim Fiedrich, the inventor herein. The panel elements include a metal radiation plate or sheet attached to two spaced apart boards for holding the tubing in intimate thermal contact with the radiation plate, so that the plate is heated by conduction of heat from the tubing, and the plate has a substantial radiating surface that radiates heat to the room.
Thermal conduction from the tubing to the plate and mechanical attachment of the tubing to the panel are insured by a resilient thermally conductive filler material as described in US
Patent No. 5,579,996, issued 12/03/96, entitled "Radiant Floor And Wall Hydronic Heating Systems", also to Joachim Fiedrich, the inventor herein.
A mechanical adaptation that increases further the thermal path from the tubing to the plate consists of an undercut in each of the holding boards immediately adjacent the plate and the space for holding the tubing, that is filled with the thermally conductive filler material, providing a greater "thermal footprint" for the tubing on the plate. This mechanical adaptation is described in currently pending US Patent Application Serial No. 08/500,069, filed 07/10/95, entitled Radiant Floor And Wall Hydronic Heating System Tubing Attachment To Radiant Plate, also by Joachim Fiedrich, the inventor herein.
Hydronic heating systems using the modular panel heating elements described in the aforementioned US Patent Nos. 5,292,065 and 5,579,996 and in the aforementioned pending US Application Serial No. 08/500,069 to cool as well as heat are described in currently pending US Patent Application Serial No. [not yet received], filed 06/05/97, entitled "Hydronic Heating And/Or Cooling Systems Using Metal Radiation Plates That Are Heated Or Cooled By Attached Tubing Fed Hot Or Cold Water" by Joachim Fiedrich, the inventor herein. The systems described in that pending application include floor, wall and ceiling installations of modular panel elements and tubing. The floor installations are particularly effective for heating and can also be used for cooling; the ceiling installations are particularly effective for cooling and can also be used for heating; and the wall installations are effective for both heating and cooling.
Cooling is done by feeding cool water to the tubing to reduce the temperature of the radiation plate in the modular panel, to below room temperature so that heat is radiated from the room to the plate and conducted from the plate to the cool water in the tubing, heating the water slightly and the water is fed to a heat exchanger where it gives up the heat and is fed back to the panels. This circulation of cool water is continuous and may be a closed system. Systems for heating, systems for cooling and systems for doing both are described in that application.
In any of the systems described in the aforementioned US
Patent Application Serial Number [not yet received], hot and/or cold spots on the surface of the finished floor, wall or ceiling that covers the modular panels sometimes occurs. These spots are identified as being hotter during heating or cooler during cooling than elsewhere on the finished surface, whereas uniform surface temperature is preferred. Cold spots on the finished covering during cooling can be particularly troublesome, because when the temperature of the cold spot falls below the dew point - in the room, undesirable condensation occurs on the surface.
These problems are addressed in US Patent Application Serial No.
[not yet received], filed 05/23/97, entitled "For Radiant Floor, Wall and Ceiling ---- And Avoiding Condensation When Cooling", by Joachim Fiedrich, the inventor herein.
Methods and means of providing a "dry" installation of the metal radiation plates in a floor, wall or ceiling of a room to be heated and/or cooled, so that the tubing can be installed and held securely in intimate thermal contact with the plates, in a dry installation, have advantages over "wet" installations as discussed above. The disclosures herein present several structures for a "dry" installation providing advantages and alternatives over the prior art, including: simplicity of parts, ease of installation, performance of installation and costs.
SL~~?ARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and means of providing a "dry" installation of metal radiation plates and tubing for hydronic heating and/or cooling of a room or an area of a dwelling, that have advantages and/or are alternatives over the prior art, including: simplicity of parts, ease of installation, performance of installation and costs..
According to embodiments of the present invention, the modular radiation panels contain all or part of the radiation plate, as in the prior art, however, each panel provided for the installation contains means for aligning it with adjacent identical panels and providing the required elongated slot for holding the tubing and means for providing thermal connection between the radiation plate and the tubing. In all embodiments, the panels may all be identical and where an additional part is provided for the installation it is modular.
In all embodiments, the tubing is inserted after the panels and additional modular parts are mounted in a floor wall or ceiling and can serve for heating or for cooling the room. In all embodiments, the panels can be arranges in line attached to the sub-flooring for RFH/RFC, the wall studs for RWH/RWC and the - ceiling rafters, joists or strapping for RCH/RCC. Then the tubing is inserted into the aligned holding slots and may be secured therein by thermally conductive resilient filler material. Following that, the finished floor, wall or ceiling covering is installed over the panels.
Thus, RFH/RFC and RWH/RWC and RCC/RCH are installed "dry"
(without wet concrete, cement or plaster embedding the 'tubing) and can be accessed later by simply removing the finished floor, wall or ceiling covering.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure lA shows an embodiment in cross-section of an installation of identical panels on top of a sub-floor with tubing inserted,~ready for installation the finished floor covering;
Figure 1B shows in cross-section one of the panels of Figure lA;
Figure 2A shows another embodiment in cross-section of an installation of identical panels on top of a sub-floor with tubing inserted, ready for installation the finished floor covering;
Figure 28 shows in cross-section one of the panels of Figure 2A;
Figure 3A shows another embodiment in cross-section of an installation of identical panels and a separate metal plate that fit together and tubing in between, all on top of a sub-floor, ready for installation the finished floor covering;
Figure 3B shows in cross-section one of the panels of Figure 3A and the separate metal plate;
Figure 4A shows another embodiment in cross-section of an installation of identical panels and a separate metal channel piece (extrusion) that fit together and tubing inserted, on top of a sub-floor, ready for installation the finished floor covering;
Figure 4B shows in cross-section one of the panels of Figure 4A and the separate metal channel piece;
- Figure 5A shows another embodiment in cross-section of an installation of identical panels on top of a sub-floor with tubing inserted, ready for installation the finished floor covering;
Figure 5B shows in cross-section one of the panels of Figure 5A;
Figure 6A shows another embodiment in cross-section of an installation of identical panels and a separate metal piece that provides part of the plate and holder for the tubing and fits the panels, and tubing inserted, on top of a sub-floor, ready for installation the finished floor covering;
Figure 6B shows in cross-section one of the panels of Figure 6A and the separate metal piece;
Figure 7A shows another embodiment in cross-section of an installation of identical panels and a separate metal piece that provides part of the plate and holder for the tubing (smaller diameter tubing) and fits the panels, and tubing inserted, on top of a sub-floor, ready for installation the finished floor covering;
Figure 7B shows in cross-section one of the panels of Figure 7A and the separate metal piece;
Figure 8A shows another embodiment in cross-section of an installation of identical panels and a separate metal piece that provides part of the plate and holder for two lengths of the tubing (smaller diameter tubing) and fits the panels, and tubing inserted, on top of a sub-floor, ready for installation the finished floor covering;
Figure 8B shows in cross-section one of the panels of Figure 8A and the separate metal piece;
Figure 9A shows another embodiment in cross-section of an installation of identical panels and a separate metal piece of formed sheet metal that fit together with the tubing inserted in between, all on top of a sub-floor, ready for installation the finished floor covering;
- Figure 5A shows another embodiment in cross-section of an installation of identical panels on top of a sub-floor with tubing inserted, ready for installation the finished floor covering;
Figure 5B shows in cross-section one of the panels of Figure 5A;
Figure 6A shows another embodiment in cross-section of an installation of identical panels and a separate metal piece that provides part of the plate and holder for the tubing and fits the panels, and tubing inserted, on top of a sub-floor, ready for installation the finished floor covering;
Figure 6B shows in cross-section one of the panels of Figure 6A and the separate metal piece;
Figure 7A shows another embodiment in cross-section of an installation of identical panels and a separate metal piece that provides part of the plate and holder for the tubing (smaller diameter tubing) and fits the panels, and tubing inserted, on top of a sub-floor, ready for installation the finished floor covering;
Figure 7B shows in cross-section one of the panels of Figure 7A and the separate metal piece;
Figure 8A shows another embodiment in cross-section of an installation of identical panels and a separate metal piece that provides part of the plate and holder for two lengths of the tubing (smaller diameter tubing) and fits the panels, and tubing inserted, on top of a sub-floor, ready for installation the finished floor covering;
Figure 8B shows in cross-section one of the panels of Figure 8A and the separate metal piece;
Figure 9A shows another embodiment in cross-section of an installation of identical panels and a separate metal piece of formed sheet metal that fit together with the tubing inserted in between, all on top of a sub-floor, ready for installation the finished floor covering;
Figure 9B shows in cross-section one of the panels of Figure 9A and the separate metal piece;
- Figure 10 shows another embodiment in cross-section of an installation of identical panels as shown in Figure 5A and 5B
with the tubing inserted and a separate metallized piece of flexible tape on top of the panels over the tubing, adhering to the side by side panels and the tubing, all on top of a sub-floor, ready for installation the finished floor covering;
Figure 11 (Prior Art) is a perspective view of a RFH/RFC
installation of modular panels on a sub-floor side by side and end to end with tubing inserted, ready for installation of the finished floor covering; and Figure 12 is a front view of the RWH/RWC installation showing the wall sole plate, studs and top plate with several horizontal courses of the panels and tubing inserted, ready the finished wall covering.
DESCRIPTION OF EI~ODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
First Embodiment - Metal Clad Board Figure 1 shows an embodiment in cross-section of an installation of identical panels 5 on top of a sub-floor 10 showing a floor board il and floor joists 12 with tubing 1 inserted, ready for installation the finished floor covering and Figure 1B shows in cross-section one of the panels 5 of Figure lA. The boards are all the same size and each is a covered or clad on the bottom face and two edges by a metal sheet 7 that is preferably a unitary piece of aluminum sheet that is shaped to fit the board and covers the full length of the board.
At installation, the boards are laid parallel and evenly spaced apart to provide between the boards an elongated space such as 8 into which the tubing is inserted and is in intimate thermal contact with the metal sheet cladding along the edges of the two spaced apart boards. To insure such thermal contact, a thermally conductive filler material (not shown) may be inserted into space 8 just before the tubing is inserted. Also the width of space 8 may be slightly less than the diameter of the tubing so that when the tubing is inserted, it is a tight fit.
Second Embodiment - Metal Clad Board With Plate Attached - Figure 2A shows another embodiment in cross-section of an installation of identical panels 25 on top of a sub-floor 10 with tubing 1 inserted, ready for installation the finished floor covering and Figure 2B shows in cross-section one of the panels of Figure 2A. The boards 26 are all the same size and each is a covered or clad on the bottom face and two edges by a metal sheet 27 that is preferably a unitary piece of aluminum sheet that is shaped to fit the board and covers the full length of the board.
In addition, a plate 29 is attached to the cladding along the bottom of each board. The plate 29 may be metal and may be thicker than the sheet of cladding so that it serves as a guide for spacing the boards apart when they are laid on the floor to insure that they are spaced apart (elongated space 28) the right amount and evenly; and if made of metal, they add to the thermal conduction and radiation At installation, the boards 25 are laid parallel and evenly spaced apart, insured by the plates 29 of side by side boards that abut each other, to provide between the boards an elongated space such as 28 into which the tubing is inserted and is in intimate thermal contact with the metal sheet cladding along the edges of the two spaced apart boards. To insure such thermal contact, a thermally conductive filler material (not shown) may be inserted into space 28 just before the tubing is inserted.
Also the width of space 28 may be slightly less than the diameter of the tubing so that when the tubing is inserted, it is a tight fit.
Third Embodiment - Plain Hoard With Separate Plate On Top Figure 3A shows another embodiment in cross-section of an installation of identical panels 35, each consisting of two identical boards 36 and 37 and a separate metal plate 38 having a contoured ridge 39 along the center, the full length thereof, that fit together with the tubing 1 in between, all on top of a sub-floor, ready for installation the finished floor covering and Figure 38 shows in cross-section one of the panels of Figure 3A
- Figure 10 shows another embodiment in cross-section of an installation of identical panels as shown in Figure 5A and 5B
with the tubing inserted and a separate metallized piece of flexible tape on top of the panels over the tubing, adhering to the side by side panels and the tubing, all on top of a sub-floor, ready for installation the finished floor covering;
Figure 11 (Prior Art) is a perspective view of a RFH/RFC
installation of modular panels on a sub-floor side by side and end to end with tubing inserted, ready for installation of the finished floor covering; and Figure 12 is a front view of the RWH/RWC installation showing the wall sole plate, studs and top plate with several horizontal courses of the panels and tubing inserted, ready the finished wall covering.
DESCRIPTION OF EI~ODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
First Embodiment - Metal Clad Board Figure 1 shows an embodiment in cross-section of an installation of identical panels 5 on top of a sub-floor 10 showing a floor board il and floor joists 12 with tubing 1 inserted, ready for installation the finished floor covering and Figure 1B shows in cross-section one of the panels 5 of Figure lA. The boards are all the same size and each is a covered or clad on the bottom face and two edges by a metal sheet 7 that is preferably a unitary piece of aluminum sheet that is shaped to fit the board and covers the full length of the board.
At installation, the boards are laid parallel and evenly spaced apart to provide between the boards an elongated space such as 8 into which the tubing is inserted and is in intimate thermal contact with the metal sheet cladding along the edges of the two spaced apart boards. To insure such thermal contact, a thermally conductive filler material (not shown) may be inserted into space 8 just before the tubing is inserted. Also the width of space 8 may be slightly less than the diameter of the tubing so that when the tubing is inserted, it is a tight fit.
Second Embodiment - Metal Clad Board With Plate Attached - Figure 2A shows another embodiment in cross-section of an installation of identical panels 25 on top of a sub-floor 10 with tubing 1 inserted, ready for installation the finished floor covering and Figure 2B shows in cross-section one of the panels of Figure 2A. The boards 26 are all the same size and each is a covered or clad on the bottom face and two edges by a metal sheet 27 that is preferably a unitary piece of aluminum sheet that is shaped to fit the board and covers the full length of the board.
In addition, a plate 29 is attached to the cladding along the bottom of each board. The plate 29 may be metal and may be thicker than the sheet of cladding so that it serves as a guide for spacing the boards apart when they are laid on the floor to insure that they are spaced apart (elongated space 28) the right amount and evenly; and if made of metal, they add to the thermal conduction and radiation At installation, the boards 25 are laid parallel and evenly spaced apart, insured by the plates 29 of side by side boards that abut each other, to provide between the boards an elongated space such as 28 into which the tubing is inserted and is in intimate thermal contact with the metal sheet cladding along the edges of the two spaced apart boards. To insure such thermal contact, a thermally conductive filler material (not shown) may be inserted into space 28 just before the tubing is inserted.
Also the width of space 28 may be slightly less than the diameter of the tubing so that when the tubing is inserted, it is a tight fit.
Third Embodiment - Plain Hoard With Separate Plate On Top Figure 3A shows another embodiment in cross-section of an installation of identical panels 35, each consisting of two identical boards 36 and 37 and a separate metal plate 38 having a contoured ridge 39 along the center, the full length thereof, that fit together with the tubing 1 in between, all on top of a sub-floor, ready for installation the finished floor covering and Figure 38 shows in cross-section one of the panels of Figure 3A
including boards 36 and 37 and the plate 39 with contoured ridge 39. The plate 39 is metal and may be thicker than the sheets of cladding metal in other embodiments. It covers half the width of each board and each board is shared by adjacent panels. That is half of it is covered by one plate and the other half is covered by the adjacent plate.
At installation, the boards like 36 and 37 are laid on the floor parallel and evenly spaced apart to provide between the boards an elongated space such as 34. Next the tubing 1 is inserted and is inserted into the spaces 34. Then the plates like plate 38 are attached on top of the boards, each with the contoured ridge 39 thereof inserted into space 34 on top of the tubing 1 in intimate thermal contact with the tubing. To insure such thermal contact, a thermally conductive filler material (not shown) may be inserted into space 34 on top of the tubing 1 just before the plate is attached with the contoured ridge 39 thereof inserted into space on top of the tubing. Also the width of space 34 may be slightly less than the diameter of the tubing so that when the tubing is inserted, it is a tight fit.
2o Fourth Embodiment - Clad Hoard With Channel Between Figure 4A shows another embodiment in cross-section of an installation of identical panels 45 and a separate metal channel piece 49 (extrusion) that fit together and tubing 1 inserted, on top of a sub-floor 10, ready for installation the finished floor covering. Figure 4B shows in cross-section one of the panels 45 of Figure 4A and the separate metal channel piece 49.
The boards 46 are all the same size and each is a covered or clad on the bottom face and two edges by a metal sheet 47 that i~
preferably a unitary piece of aluminum sheet that is shaped to fit the board and covers the full length of the board. In addition, a separate metal channel piece 49 is installed between each clad board. The metal channel piece 49 serves as a guide for spacing the boards apart when they are laid on the floor to insure that they are spaced apart the right amount and evenly;
and it may be contoured on the inside to accept the tubing and hold it in a snug fit and contacting the tubing over a maximum of its surface area.
At installation, the clad boards 45 are laid parallel and - evenly spaced apart with the channel piece 49 fitting snugly in between making intimate thermal contact with the cladding of each board. Here, the elongated space 48 for receiving the tubing is the inside of the channel and , as mentioned above that space may be contoured or shaped so the it makes intimate thermal contact with the tubing over at least half of the outside surface area of the tubing.
Fifth Embodiment - Hoard With Extending Plate Attached Figure 5A shows another embodiment in cross-section of an installation of identical panels 55 on top of a sub-floor 10 with tubing 1 inserted, ready for installation the finished floor covering and Figure 5B shows in cross-section one of the panels 55 of Figure 5A.
Each panel is a board 56 with a relatively thick metal plate 59 attached to the bottom. The boards 56 are all the same size and the plate 59 is wider than the board so that it extends evenly equal distances 53 and 54 from opposite edges of the board. Plate 59 may be thicker than the sheets of cladding in other embodiments so that it serves as a guide for spacing the panels apart when they are laid on the floor to insure that they are spaced apart (elongated space 58) the right amount and evenly.
At installation, the panels 55 are laid parallel and evenly spaced apart, insured by the plates 59 of side by side boards abuting each other. This provide elongated space 58 between the boards into which the tubing 1 is inserted and held securely in intimate thermal contact with the adjacent plates To insure such thermal contact, a thermally conductive filler material (not shown) may be inserted into space 58 just before the tubing is inserted. Also the width of space 58 may be slightly less than the diameter of the tubing so that when the tubing is inserted, it is a tight fit.
Bi$th Embodiment - Hoard With Plate Attached And Plats Hetwsen Figure 6A shows another embodiment in cross-section of an installation of identical panels 65 and a separate metal piece 62 that provides part of the plate and holder for the tubing 1 and - fits the panels, and tubing inserted, on top of a sub-floor, ready for installation the finished floor covering.
Figure 6B shows in cross-section one of the panels 65 of Figure 6A and the separate metal piece 62 with a contoured ridge 69 extending the length thereof . Metal piece 62 is the same thickness as plate 67 and at installation it abuts the plates of adjacent panels on each side and fills in under the boards of adjacent panels at 63 and 64.
Each panel 65 is a board 66 with a relatively thick metal plate 67 attached to the bottom. The boards 66 are all the same size and the plate 67 is not as wide as the board so that the board extends evenly equal distances at 63 and 64 from opposite edges of the plate. Plate 67 may be thicker than the sheets of cladding in other embodiments so that it abuts the edge of metal piece 62 which serves as a guide for spacing the panels apart when they are laid on the floor to insure that they are spaced apart (elongated space 68) the right amount and evenly.
At installation, the panels 65 are laid parallel and evenly spaced apart by metal pieces 62 that abuts plates 67 of side by side boards. This provide elongated space 68 between the boards with the contoured ridge 69 of metal piece 62 inserted into space 68 from the bottom providing a contoured metal surface that matches the outer surface of the tubing. The when the tubing is inserted that surface is in intimate thermal contact with the tubing.
To further insure such thermal contact, a thermally conductive filler material (not shown) may be inserted into space 68 just before the tubing is inserted. Also the width of space 68 may be slightly less than the diameter of the tubing so that when the tubing is inserted, it is a tight fit.
Seventh Embodiment - Board With Plate Attached And Holder Plate For Smaller Tubiag Between Figure 7A shows another embodiment in cross-section of an installation of identical panels 75 and a separate metal piece 72 that provides part of the plate and tubing holder ridge 79 for the tubing 1 (smaller diameter tubing) and fits the panels, and - tubing inserted, on top of a sub-floor, ready for installation the finished floor covering. Figure 7B shows in cross-section one of the panels 75 of Figure 7A and the separate metal piece 7~
With the tubing holder ridge 79.
Metal piece 72 is the same thickness as plate 77 and at installation it abuts the plates of adjacent panels on each side and fills in under the boards of adjacent panels at 73 and 74.
Each panel 75 is a board 76 with a relatively thick metal plate 77 attached to the bottom. The boards 76 are all the same size and the plate 77 is not as wide as the board so that the board extends evenly equal distances at 73 and 74 from opposite edges of the plate. Plate 77 may be thicker than the sheets of cladding in other embodiments so that it abuts the edge of metal piece 72 which serves as a guide for spacing the panels apart when they are laid on the floor to insure that they are spaced apart (elongated space 78) the right amount and evenly.
At installation, the panels 75 are laid parallel and evenly spaced apart by metal pieces 72 that abuts plates 77 of side by side boards. This provide elongated space 78 between the boards with the contoured ridge 79 of metal piece 72 inserted into space 78 from the bottom providing a contoured metal surface that matches the outer surface of the tubing. Then when the tubing i=
inserted that surface is in intimate thermal contact with the tubing.
Eighth Embodiment - Hoard With Plate Attached And Holder Plate For Two Lengths of Tubing Between Figure 8A shows another embodiment in cross-section of an installation of identical panels 85 and a separate metal piece 82 that provides part of the plate and holder for two lengths of the tubing (smaller diameter tubing) and fits the panels, and tubing inserted, on top of a sub-floor, ready for installation the finished floor covering. Figure 8B shows in cross-section one of the panels 85 of Figure 8A and the separate metal piece 82.
Metal piece 82 is the same thickness as plate 87 and at installation it abuts the plates of adjacent panels on each side - and fills in under the boards of adjacent panels at 83 and 84.
Each panel 85 is a board 86 with a relatively thick metal plate 87 attached to the bottom. The boards 86 are all the same size and the plate 87 is not as wide as the board so that the board extends evenly equal distances at 83 and 84 from opposite edges of the plate. Plate 87 may be thicker than the sheets of cladding in other embodiments so that it abuts the edge of metal piece 82 which serves as a guide for spacing the panels apart when they are laid on the floor to insure that they are spaced apart (elongated space 88) the right amount and evenly.
At installation, the panels 85 are laid parallel and evenly spaced apart by metal pieces 82 that abuts plates 87 of side by side boards. This provide elongated space 88 between the boards with the contoured ridge 89 of metal piece 82 inserted into space 88 from the bottom providing side by side contoured metal surface 89a and 89b that matches the outer surface of the tubing and so two lengths of the tubing 1 can be installed in the contoured ridge of piece 82 and when the tubing is inserted that surface is in intimate thermal contact with the tubing.
Ninth Embodiment - Plain Hoard With separate Formed sheet Metal Plate On Top Figure 9A shows another embodiment in cross-section of an installation of identical panels 95 and a separate metal piece 98 of formed sheet metal that fit together with the tubing 1 inserted in between, all on top of a sub-floor, ready for installation the finished floor covering. Figure 9B shows in cross-section one of the panels of Figure 9A including boards 96 3o and 97 and the plate 98 with contoured ridge 99.
The plate 98 is metal and may be formed of sheet metal or it may be an extrusion. It covers half the width of each board and each board is shared by adjacent panels. That is half of it is covered by one plate and the other half is covered by the adjacent plate.
At installation, the boards like 96 and 97 are laid on the floor parallel and evenly spaced apart to provide between the - boards an elongated space such as 94. Next the tubing 1 is inserted and is inserted into the spaces 94. Then the plates like plate 98 are attached on top of the boards, each with the contoured ridge 99 thereof inserted into space 94 on top of the tubing 1 in intimate thermal contact with the tubing. To insure such thermal contact, a thermally conductive filler material (not shown) may be inserted into space 94 on top of the tubing 1 just before the plate is attached with the contoured ridge 99 thereof inserted into space on top of the tubing. Also the Width of space 94 may be slightly less than the diameter of the tubing so that when the tubing is inserted, it is a tight fit.
Tenth Embodiment - Hoard With Extending Plate Attached And Metalized Tape On Top Figure to shows another embodiment in cross-section of an installation of identical panels 55 as shown in Figure 5A and 5B
with the tubing inserted and a separate metalized piece of flexible tape 108 on top of the panels over the tubing, adhering to the side by side panels and the tubing, all on top of a sub-floor, ready for installation the finished floor covering.
Floor Installation - Panels And Tubing On Sub-Floor A typical wood frame construction wall structure sub-floor is shown in Figure 11. It includes a sub-floor of plywood, particle board or one inch boards on floor joists. The installation on modular panels and additional pieces and tubing is all on top of the sub-floor. It includes several of the straight run modular panels and U turn modular panels, arranged side by side and end to end on the floor, providing a horizontal arrangement of several passes of the tubing and ready for covering by the finished floor covering. This installation is described fully in said aformentioned US patent No. 5,292,065 and shown in Figure 22 thereof.
Wall Installation - Panels And Tubing Horizontal Across Studs A typical wood frame construction wall structure is shown in Figure 12. It includes a wall sole plate, studs and top plate with several of the straight run modular panels and U turn modular panels, arranged side by side and end to end on the - studs, providing a horizontal arrangement of several passes of the tubing across the studs and ready for covering by a finished wall covering. This installation is described fully in said aformentioned US patent No. 5,292,065 and shown in Figure 25 thereof .
Ceiling Installation - Panels And Tubing Across Rafters, Etc.
Radiant hydronic cooling described herein is effective when installed in the ceiling, because the cooled air against the ceiling falls to the floor creating a convection flow that is favorable to providing even cooling throughout the room. In typical wood frame construction the ceiling of a room before the finished ceiling is installed is bare rafters, joists or strapping. Such a ceiling installation would be essentially the same as the wall installation shown in Figure 12, except it would be on the rafters, joists, etc. of the ceiling instead of the wall studs as in Figure 12.
Compliant Thermally Conductive Filler Material The compliant filler material around the tubing held in the tubing holding space in any of the embodiments herein is applied to the space before the tubing is inserted or forced into the space. A purpose of the filler material is to hold the tubing in the space as an adhesive, while at the same time allowing the tubing to expand and contract longitudinally within the space of successive modular pieces that hold a length of tubing~at installation. The tubing must be free to expand and contract, while the modular pieces are fixed by staples, nails, screws, etc. to the sub-floor, wall studs or ceiling rafters. Another purpose of the filler material is to reduce noise created by expansions and contractions of the tubing in the space. Yet another and important purpose is to provide a medium of thermal conduction from the tubing to the plate. A suitable filler material for any of these purposes is silicone rubber.
A convenient form of silicone rubber that can be used in the installations described herein is available commercially as a sealant or a caulking in viscous liquid form, usually dispensed from a tube by simply forcing it out of a nozzle on the tube.
Such a sealant/caulking is usually a prepared mix of silicone dioxide, methanol and ammonia. A commercial source of this sealant/caulking mix is a General Electric product called SILICONE II that remains resilient for many years after it is applied.
CONCLUSIONS
While the inventions described herein are described in connection with several preferred embodiments, it will be understood that it is not intended to limit the invention to those embodiments. It is intended to cover all alternatives, modifications, equivalents and variations of those embodiments and their features as may be made by those skilled in the art within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
At installation, the boards like 36 and 37 are laid on the floor parallel and evenly spaced apart to provide between the boards an elongated space such as 34. Next the tubing 1 is inserted and is inserted into the spaces 34. Then the plates like plate 38 are attached on top of the boards, each with the contoured ridge 39 thereof inserted into space 34 on top of the tubing 1 in intimate thermal contact with the tubing. To insure such thermal contact, a thermally conductive filler material (not shown) may be inserted into space 34 on top of the tubing 1 just before the plate is attached with the contoured ridge 39 thereof inserted into space on top of the tubing. Also the width of space 34 may be slightly less than the diameter of the tubing so that when the tubing is inserted, it is a tight fit.
2o Fourth Embodiment - Clad Hoard With Channel Between Figure 4A shows another embodiment in cross-section of an installation of identical panels 45 and a separate metal channel piece 49 (extrusion) that fit together and tubing 1 inserted, on top of a sub-floor 10, ready for installation the finished floor covering. Figure 4B shows in cross-section one of the panels 45 of Figure 4A and the separate metal channel piece 49.
The boards 46 are all the same size and each is a covered or clad on the bottom face and two edges by a metal sheet 47 that i~
preferably a unitary piece of aluminum sheet that is shaped to fit the board and covers the full length of the board. In addition, a separate metal channel piece 49 is installed between each clad board. The metal channel piece 49 serves as a guide for spacing the boards apart when they are laid on the floor to insure that they are spaced apart the right amount and evenly;
and it may be contoured on the inside to accept the tubing and hold it in a snug fit and contacting the tubing over a maximum of its surface area.
At installation, the clad boards 45 are laid parallel and - evenly spaced apart with the channel piece 49 fitting snugly in between making intimate thermal contact with the cladding of each board. Here, the elongated space 48 for receiving the tubing is the inside of the channel and , as mentioned above that space may be contoured or shaped so the it makes intimate thermal contact with the tubing over at least half of the outside surface area of the tubing.
Fifth Embodiment - Hoard With Extending Plate Attached Figure 5A shows another embodiment in cross-section of an installation of identical panels 55 on top of a sub-floor 10 with tubing 1 inserted, ready for installation the finished floor covering and Figure 5B shows in cross-section one of the panels 55 of Figure 5A.
Each panel is a board 56 with a relatively thick metal plate 59 attached to the bottom. The boards 56 are all the same size and the plate 59 is wider than the board so that it extends evenly equal distances 53 and 54 from opposite edges of the board. Plate 59 may be thicker than the sheets of cladding in other embodiments so that it serves as a guide for spacing the panels apart when they are laid on the floor to insure that they are spaced apart (elongated space 58) the right amount and evenly.
At installation, the panels 55 are laid parallel and evenly spaced apart, insured by the plates 59 of side by side boards abuting each other. This provide elongated space 58 between the boards into which the tubing 1 is inserted and held securely in intimate thermal contact with the adjacent plates To insure such thermal contact, a thermally conductive filler material (not shown) may be inserted into space 58 just before the tubing is inserted. Also the width of space 58 may be slightly less than the diameter of the tubing so that when the tubing is inserted, it is a tight fit.
Bi$th Embodiment - Hoard With Plate Attached And Plats Hetwsen Figure 6A shows another embodiment in cross-section of an installation of identical panels 65 and a separate metal piece 62 that provides part of the plate and holder for the tubing 1 and - fits the panels, and tubing inserted, on top of a sub-floor, ready for installation the finished floor covering.
Figure 6B shows in cross-section one of the panels 65 of Figure 6A and the separate metal piece 62 with a contoured ridge 69 extending the length thereof . Metal piece 62 is the same thickness as plate 67 and at installation it abuts the plates of adjacent panels on each side and fills in under the boards of adjacent panels at 63 and 64.
Each panel 65 is a board 66 with a relatively thick metal plate 67 attached to the bottom. The boards 66 are all the same size and the plate 67 is not as wide as the board so that the board extends evenly equal distances at 63 and 64 from opposite edges of the plate. Plate 67 may be thicker than the sheets of cladding in other embodiments so that it abuts the edge of metal piece 62 which serves as a guide for spacing the panels apart when they are laid on the floor to insure that they are spaced apart (elongated space 68) the right amount and evenly.
At installation, the panels 65 are laid parallel and evenly spaced apart by metal pieces 62 that abuts plates 67 of side by side boards. This provide elongated space 68 between the boards with the contoured ridge 69 of metal piece 62 inserted into space 68 from the bottom providing a contoured metal surface that matches the outer surface of the tubing. The when the tubing is inserted that surface is in intimate thermal contact with the tubing.
To further insure such thermal contact, a thermally conductive filler material (not shown) may be inserted into space 68 just before the tubing is inserted. Also the width of space 68 may be slightly less than the diameter of the tubing so that when the tubing is inserted, it is a tight fit.
Seventh Embodiment - Board With Plate Attached And Holder Plate For Smaller Tubiag Between Figure 7A shows another embodiment in cross-section of an installation of identical panels 75 and a separate metal piece 72 that provides part of the plate and tubing holder ridge 79 for the tubing 1 (smaller diameter tubing) and fits the panels, and - tubing inserted, on top of a sub-floor, ready for installation the finished floor covering. Figure 7B shows in cross-section one of the panels 75 of Figure 7A and the separate metal piece 7~
With the tubing holder ridge 79.
Metal piece 72 is the same thickness as plate 77 and at installation it abuts the plates of adjacent panels on each side and fills in under the boards of adjacent panels at 73 and 74.
Each panel 75 is a board 76 with a relatively thick metal plate 77 attached to the bottom. The boards 76 are all the same size and the plate 77 is not as wide as the board so that the board extends evenly equal distances at 73 and 74 from opposite edges of the plate. Plate 77 may be thicker than the sheets of cladding in other embodiments so that it abuts the edge of metal piece 72 which serves as a guide for spacing the panels apart when they are laid on the floor to insure that they are spaced apart (elongated space 78) the right amount and evenly.
At installation, the panels 75 are laid parallel and evenly spaced apart by metal pieces 72 that abuts plates 77 of side by side boards. This provide elongated space 78 between the boards with the contoured ridge 79 of metal piece 72 inserted into space 78 from the bottom providing a contoured metal surface that matches the outer surface of the tubing. Then when the tubing i=
inserted that surface is in intimate thermal contact with the tubing.
Eighth Embodiment - Hoard With Plate Attached And Holder Plate For Two Lengths of Tubing Between Figure 8A shows another embodiment in cross-section of an installation of identical panels 85 and a separate metal piece 82 that provides part of the plate and holder for two lengths of the tubing (smaller diameter tubing) and fits the panels, and tubing inserted, on top of a sub-floor, ready for installation the finished floor covering. Figure 8B shows in cross-section one of the panels 85 of Figure 8A and the separate metal piece 82.
Metal piece 82 is the same thickness as plate 87 and at installation it abuts the plates of adjacent panels on each side - and fills in under the boards of adjacent panels at 83 and 84.
Each panel 85 is a board 86 with a relatively thick metal plate 87 attached to the bottom. The boards 86 are all the same size and the plate 87 is not as wide as the board so that the board extends evenly equal distances at 83 and 84 from opposite edges of the plate. Plate 87 may be thicker than the sheets of cladding in other embodiments so that it abuts the edge of metal piece 82 which serves as a guide for spacing the panels apart when they are laid on the floor to insure that they are spaced apart (elongated space 88) the right amount and evenly.
At installation, the panels 85 are laid parallel and evenly spaced apart by metal pieces 82 that abuts plates 87 of side by side boards. This provide elongated space 88 between the boards with the contoured ridge 89 of metal piece 82 inserted into space 88 from the bottom providing side by side contoured metal surface 89a and 89b that matches the outer surface of the tubing and so two lengths of the tubing 1 can be installed in the contoured ridge of piece 82 and when the tubing is inserted that surface is in intimate thermal contact with the tubing.
Ninth Embodiment - Plain Hoard With separate Formed sheet Metal Plate On Top Figure 9A shows another embodiment in cross-section of an installation of identical panels 95 and a separate metal piece 98 of formed sheet metal that fit together with the tubing 1 inserted in between, all on top of a sub-floor, ready for installation the finished floor covering. Figure 9B shows in cross-section one of the panels of Figure 9A including boards 96 3o and 97 and the plate 98 with contoured ridge 99.
The plate 98 is metal and may be formed of sheet metal or it may be an extrusion. It covers half the width of each board and each board is shared by adjacent panels. That is half of it is covered by one plate and the other half is covered by the adjacent plate.
At installation, the boards like 96 and 97 are laid on the floor parallel and evenly spaced apart to provide between the - boards an elongated space such as 94. Next the tubing 1 is inserted and is inserted into the spaces 94. Then the plates like plate 98 are attached on top of the boards, each with the contoured ridge 99 thereof inserted into space 94 on top of the tubing 1 in intimate thermal contact with the tubing. To insure such thermal contact, a thermally conductive filler material (not shown) may be inserted into space 94 on top of the tubing 1 just before the plate is attached with the contoured ridge 99 thereof inserted into space on top of the tubing. Also the Width of space 94 may be slightly less than the diameter of the tubing so that when the tubing is inserted, it is a tight fit.
Tenth Embodiment - Hoard With Extending Plate Attached And Metalized Tape On Top Figure to shows another embodiment in cross-section of an installation of identical panels 55 as shown in Figure 5A and 5B
with the tubing inserted and a separate metalized piece of flexible tape 108 on top of the panels over the tubing, adhering to the side by side panels and the tubing, all on top of a sub-floor, ready for installation the finished floor covering.
Floor Installation - Panels And Tubing On Sub-Floor A typical wood frame construction wall structure sub-floor is shown in Figure 11. It includes a sub-floor of plywood, particle board or one inch boards on floor joists. The installation on modular panels and additional pieces and tubing is all on top of the sub-floor. It includes several of the straight run modular panels and U turn modular panels, arranged side by side and end to end on the floor, providing a horizontal arrangement of several passes of the tubing and ready for covering by the finished floor covering. This installation is described fully in said aformentioned US patent No. 5,292,065 and shown in Figure 22 thereof.
Wall Installation - Panels And Tubing Horizontal Across Studs A typical wood frame construction wall structure is shown in Figure 12. It includes a wall sole plate, studs and top plate with several of the straight run modular panels and U turn modular panels, arranged side by side and end to end on the - studs, providing a horizontal arrangement of several passes of the tubing across the studs and ready for covering by a finished wall covering. This installation is described fully in said aformentioned US patent No. 5,292,065 and shown in Figure 25 thereof .
Ceiling Installation - Panels And Tubing Across Rafters, Etc.
Radiant hydronic cooling described herein is effective when installed in the ceiling, because the cooled air against the ceiling falls to the floor creating a convection flow that is favorable to providing even cooling throughout the room. In typical wood frame construction the ceiling of a room before the finished ceiling is installed is bare rafters, joists or strapping. Such a ceiling installation would be essentially the same as the wall installation shown in Figure 12, except it would be on the rafters, joists, etc. of the ceiling instead of the wall studs as in Figure 12.
Compliant Thermally Conductive Filler Material The compliant filler material around the tubing held in the tubing holding space in any of the embodiments herein is applied to the space before the tubing is inserted or forced into the space. A purpose of the filler material is to hold the tubing in the space as an adhesive, while at the same time allowing the tubing to expand and contract longitudinally within the space of successive modular pieces that hold a length of tubing~at installation. The tubing must be free to expand and contract, while the modular pieces are fixed by staples, nails, screws, etc. to the sub-floor, wall studs or ceiling rafters. Another purpose of the filler material is to reduce noise created by expansions and contractions of the tubing in the space. Yet another and important purpose is to provide a medium of thermal conduction from the tubing to the plate. A suitable filler material for any of these purposes is silicone rubber.
A convenient form of silicone rubber that can be used in the installations described herein is available commercially as a sealant or a caulking in viscous liquid form, usually dispensed from a tube by simply forcing it out of a nozzle on the tube.
Such a sealant/caulking is usually a prepared mix of silicone dioxide, methanol and ammonia. A commercial source of this sealant/caulking mix is a General Electric product called SILICONE II that remains resilient for many years after it is applied.
CONCLUSIONS
While the inventions described herein are described in connection with several preferred embodiments, it will be understood that it is not intended to limit the invention to those embodiments. It is intended to cover all alternatives, modifications, equivalents and variations of those embodiments and their features as may be made by those skilled in the art within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
Claims (10)
1. In a hydronic radiant heating and/or cooling system having a heating/cooling loop including a length of tubing that conducts water, mounted in a floor, wall or ceiling of a room heated/cooled by said system and a metal plate or sheet providing a radiation surface (herein called the radiation plate) mounted in the room floor, wall or ceiling, adjacent a surface thereof, the length of tubing being held against the radiation plate in intimate thermal contact therewith, so that the radiation plate is heated/cooled by conduction of heat between the water in the tubing and the plate, the improvement comprising, (a) a plurality of separate identical panels each comprising a single board, (b) said panels being equipped for arranging on a floor, wall or ceiling side by side to provide elongated spaces into which said tubing is inserted and held against said radiation plate, (c) whereby a finished floor, wall or ceiling covering can be installed thereon and said system operated to heat or cool said room.
2. A hydronic radiant heating and/or cooling system as in Claim 1, wherein, (a) said panel board has fixedly attached thereto part of said radiation plate.
3. A hydronic radiant heating and/or cooling system as in Claim 1, wherein there is further included:
(a) a modular metal piece that spaces said side by side panels apart and provides part of said radiation plate.
(a) a modular metal piece that spaces said side by side panels apart and provides part of said radiation plate.
4. A hydronic radiant heating and/or cooling system as in Claim 1, wherein, (a) said panel board is partially clad by said radiation plate.
5. A hydronic radiant heating and/or cooling system as in Claim 4, wherein there is further included:
(a) a modular metal piece that spaces said side by side panels apart and provides part of said radiation plate.
(a) a modular metal piece that spaces said side by side panels apart and provides part of said radiation plate.
6. A hydronic radiant heating and/or cooling system as in Claim 5, wherein:
(a) said modular metal piece that spaces said side by side panels apart and provides part of said radiation plate also provides contoured surface in said elongated space into which said tubing fits in intimate thermal contact therewith .
(a) said modular metal piece that spaces said side by side panels apart and provides part of said radiation plate also provides contoured surface in said elongated space into which said tubing fits in intimate thermal contact therewith .
7. A hydronic radiant heating and/or cooling system as in Claim 1, wherein, (a) said panel board has fixedly attached thereto on at least one face and two long edges thereof at least part of said radiation plate.
8. A hydronic radiant heating and/or cooling system as in Claim 1, wherein, (a) said panel board has fixedly attached thereto on at least one face and two long edges thereof all of said radiation plate.
9. A hydronic radiant heating and/or cooling system as in Claim 1, wherein, (a) said panel board is clad on at least one face and two long edges thereof by a unitary sheet of metal that provides at least part of said radiation plate.
10. A hydronic radiant heating and/or cooling system as in Claim 1, wherein, (a) said panel board has attached thereto a metal spacing plate that extends beyond one edge of said board and does not extend to the opposite edge of said board and (b) said metal spacing plates of adjacent panels abut and provide at least part of said radiation plate.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US9211098A | 1998-06-05 | 1998-06-05 | |
| US09/092,110 | 1998-06-05 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2274410A1 true CA2274410A1 (en) | 1999-12-05 |
Family
ID=31186092
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002274410A Abandoned CA2274410A1 (en) | 1998-06-05 | 1999-06-07 | In radiant floor, wall and celling hydronic cooling systems and heating and cooling systems, using metal plates that are heated or cooled by attached tubing that is fed hot or cold water, structures of plates and tubing attachments |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA2274410A1 (en) |
Cited By (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN102338435A (en) * | 2011-08-09 | 2012-02-01 | 北京凯乐工程技术有限公司 | Top plate coiler radiation-type air conditioner system |
| CN115751432A (en) * | 2022-11-07 | 2023-03-07 | 沧州青尚环保科技有限公司 | Indoor heating and ventilation processing system |
-
1999
- 1999-06-07 CA CA002274410A patent/CA2274410A1/en not_active Abandoned
Cited By (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN102338435A (en) * | 2011-08-09 | 2012-02-01 | 北京凯乐工程技术有限公司 | Top plate coiler radiation-type air conditioner system |
| CN115751432A (en) * | 2022-11-07 | 2023-03-07 | 沧州青尚环保科技有限公司 | Indoor heating and ventilation processing system |
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