CA2738977C

CA2738977C - Heating system

Info

Publication number: CA2738977C
Application number: CA2738977A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Ronald Theaker
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2008-10-06
Filing date: 2009-10-05
Publication date: 2017-03-28
Anticipated expiration: 2029-10-05
Also published as: WO2010041961A4; CA2738977A1; NZ591705A; WO2010041961A1

Abstract

According to the invention there is provided a heating system comprising a building having a foundation slab, a solar energy collector associated with the building, a heat core which stores heat below the level of the slab, a layer of thermal in-sulation between the slab and the heat core, transfer means for transferring heat energy between: a. the solar energy collector on the one hand and the slab and/or the heat core on the other hand; and b. the slab and the heat core, the heating system also com-prising a controller which determines the temperature of the interior of the building and within the heat core and distributes energy stored within the heat core to the building to regulate the temperature within the building.

Description

TITLE
Heating System FIELD OF INVENTION
This invention relates to heating system for buildings whether residential, commercial, industrial, public or otherwise.
BACKGROUND
Many known heating systems for buildings can be expensive and inefficient to run. It is accordingly an object of a preferred embodiment of the present invention to go at least some way towards addressing this problem or to at least provide the public with a useful choice.
The term "comprising" and derivatives thereof, eg "comprises", if and when used herein in relation to a combination of features should not be taken as excluding the possibility that the combination may have further unspecified features.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a heating system comprising a building having a foundation slab, a solar energy collector associated with the building, a heat core which stores heat below the level of the slab, a layer of thermal insulation substantially thermally isolating the slab from the heat core, transfer means for transferring heat energy between:
a) the solar energy collector on the one hand and the slab and/or the heat core on the other hand; and b) the slab and the heat core;
the heating system also comprising a controller which determines the temperature of the interior of the building, the slab, and of the heat core and distributes energy stored within the heat core to the building to regulate the temperature within the building.
Preferably the heat core is substantially directly below the slab.
Preferably the heat core is substantially comprised of earthen material.
Optionally the earthen material comprises soil and/or gravel and/or rock and/or sand.

2 Preferably the sides and base of the slab are thermally insulated.
Optionally the heat core is substantially surrounded by thermal insulation, although in some embodiments of the invention the bottom of the heat core may not be insulated, or may only be insulated through its top and sides.
Preferably the transfer means comprises piping carrying fluid from the solar energy collector to the slab and/or the heat core to transfer heat, by way of the fluid, for storage within the slab and/or the heat core.
Preferably the transfer means comprises piping carrying fluid between the slab and the heat core to transfer heat, by way of the fluid, between the slab and the heat core.
Preferably the controller senses when the temperature within the building reaches a predetermined level and consequently withdraws heat energy from the slab for storage within the heat core to reduce the temperature within the building.
Preferably heat is transferred from the heat core to the slab to warm the interior of the building when the controller determines that the interior of the building is at or below a predetermined temperature, and direct solar is unavailable.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
Some preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawing, of which:
Figure 1 is a schematic view showing a heating system in the context of a residential dwelling. Commercial examples scale up.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Referring to figure 1, the heating system comprises a well insulated house/building 1 fitted with a solar energy collector 2. The collector 2 collects solar energy which is used to heat water running through a network of pipes 3. The water may or may not contain

3 an antifreeze additive. In some embodiments of the invention an alternative fluid to water may be selected. The house/building has a concrete foundation slab 4 set on a body of earthen material 5 which is, for example, made up of anyone or combination of soil, gravel, rock and sand. The body of earthen material directly beneath the house/building functions as a heat core 6, for example a kind of "thermal mass system", and this may for example be 1 m or more deep. The heat core 6 may be as large as the footprint as the structure or any other suitable size. The sides and base of the slab have a layer of thermal insulation 7, and the sides and optionally the base of the heat core 6 also have a layer of thermal insulation 8. Preferably the layers of thermal insulation 7, 8 carry at least a Metric R3 rating. The layers of thermal insulation 7, 8 are preferably of an ICF (insulated concrete form) type although any suitable type of insulation may be employed.
In some embodiments of the invention the base of the heat core may not be insulated. This may facilitate a 'doming down' heat storage effect and enable a greater amount of heat to be stored than would otherwise occur. However in cases where the heat core 6 is in wet ground or proximate flowing water the base of the heat core may be lined with a water proof sheet and/or a layer of insulation.
As indicated by reference numbers 9 and 10 the network of pipes 3 extends into the slab 4 and heat core 6 respectively. Water within the network which has been heated by the solar energy collector 2 is pumped into and around the internal body of the slab 4 and/or heat core 6 and releases its heat to these, eg by conduction of heat through the pipes. Because the slab 4 and heat core 6 each have a large mass, and because they are well insulated, the slab and heat core are able to store a considerable amount of heat. Water circulating through the slab 4 and heat core 6, after releasing its heat to these, returns to the solar collector to be reheated, and from there it circulates back to the slab 4 and/or the heat core 6 to repeat the process described above. Preferably the parts of the network of pipes which are not within the slab or the heat core are well insulated to minimise heat loss.
Preferably the insulation at the base of the slab 4 is sufficient to thermally isolate the slab from the heat core 6, except of course for the network of pipes that carries water between the slab and the heat core. This enables the slab (and thus the house/building) to be held at a substantially different temperature to the heat core.

4 In at least some embodiments of the invention the part of the network of pipes which is within the heat core 6 is situated more in the upper parts of the earthen material than the lower parts thereof. Further, the part of the network of pipes which is within the heat core may be laid in sand or similar, so as to give a measure of pipe protection.
Over a summer period the system is able to capture a significant amount of solar energy and convert this to heat stored within the slab 4 and/or the heat core 6. In some embodiments of the invention the heat core can be heated in this way to temperatures in excess of 50 C. Because such heat is stored in the heat core 6, which is well insulated from the slab and thus the rest of the house/building, the temperature of the house/building can be kept at a comfortable level regardless of the amount of solar energy being captured, converted, and stored at anyone time. The heat in the heat core 6 is transferred, via the network of pipes 3, to the slab 4 and/or heaters inside the structure so that it can be used to warm the house/building when ambient temperatures drop, for example during the night time or at colder periods of the year.
To enable the transfer of heat between the interior of the house/building, the slab 4 and the heat core 6 the system employs a series of temperature sensors together with a series of control valves associated with the network of pipes. When, for example, it is determined that the house/building is too warm then solar energy collected by the collector 2 is converted and sent by way of the network of pipes directly to the heat core 6, effectively by-passing the slab 4. Further, in order to cool the slab 4 and thus the interior of the house/building the series of valves operates to circulate water via the network of pipes to draw heat away from the slab and store it in the heat core 6.
The opening and closing of individual valves within the series of valves is regulated by an electronic controller 11 which, in preferred embodiments of the invention, has a touch sensitive key pad. The controller 11 can be used to regulate the temperature of the interior of the house/building, the slab 4, the heat core 6 and the rate at which the solar energy collector 2 collects energy. The controller 11 is able to decide by way of software and the temperatures of the house/building interior, the slab and the heat core just where to target heat generated from the solar collector 2 for efficient heating of the house/building and storage of energy. For example in some embodiments of the invention the controller may be programmed to send heat energy from the collector 2 to the house's/building's normal hot water supply system without storing energy in the slab or heat core.

In some embodiments of the invention the controller 11 can be used to send heat energy directly to a hot water heating system of the structure 12. The heat energy may transfer to the hot water heating system 12 via the network of pipes directly from the solar energy collector 2 or from the slab 4 and/or the heat core 6.

5 In some embodiments of the invention the house/building may have a combustion burner, for example a wood burning heater, and any excess heat from that may be transferred via a heat exchanger and the network of pipes to the slab 4 and/or to the heat core 6.
In further embodiments of the invention the house/building may be associated with a heat pump and/or a source of geothermal other energy and in each case energy therefrom may be directed by the controller 11, via the network of pipes, to the slab 4 and/or to the heat core 6 as desired.
Preferably the heating system incorporates means to prevent overheating of the solar energy collector 2, the slab 4 and the heat core 6, for example a radiator for dumping excess heat when need be. The series of valves may also have a pressure relief mechanism to prevent the build up of unsafe pressures therein.
In some embodiments of the invention the heat core 6 stores enough energy to enable the internal temperature of the house/building to be maintained at or above 20 C for significant parts of the winter, that is once the heat core 6 is 'fully charged'. The ability of the heat core to store sufficient energy for long periods of time will to at least some extent depend on the prevailing climate. For example in warmer climes a fully charged heat core may be better able to provide warmth to a well insulated house/building for longer periods than in colder climes.
In some embodiments of the invention the controller is able to select which of a plurality of solar panels forming part of the solar energy collector 2 should be used as a primary source of energy. The selection will depend on which part of the house/building the panels are fitted to and the position of the sun at various times of the day so as to facilitate efficient collection of energy. The solar panels may be mixed and grouped to ensure adequate collection of solar energy to enable the heat core 6 to function effectively post winter.
In preferred embodiments of the invention pipes which carry cold water, for example the house/building's sewage line, are routed away from the heat core, or are well insulated, so that the cold water which typically runs through these does not rob heat from the

6 core. In some embodiments of the invention warm water, for example shower runoff, may be routed through the heat core but only in cases where the heat is at low temperatures otherwise that too may undesirably rob heat from the heat core.

Claims

1. A heating system comprising a building having a foundation slab, a solar energy collector associated with the building, a heat core which stores heat below the level of the slab, a layer of thermal insulation substantially thermally isolating the slab and surrounding earth from the heat core, and transfer means for transferring heat energy between:
a. the solar energy collector on the one hand and the slab and/or the heat core on the other hand; and b. the slab and the heat core;
the heating system also comprising a controller which determines the temperature of the interior of the building and of the heat core, slab and distributes energy stored within the heat core to the building to regulate the temperature within the building.

2. A heating system according to claim 1, wherein the heat core is substantially directly below or lateral to the slab.

3. A heating system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the heat core is substantially comprised of earthen material.

4. A heating system according to claim 3, wherein the earthen material therein comprises soil and/or gravel and/or rock and/or sand.

5. A heating system according to any one of claims 1-4, wherein the sides and base of the slab are thermally insulated.

6. A heating system according to any one of claims 1-5, wherein the heat core is substantially surrounded by thermal insulation.

7. A heating system according to any one of claims 1-6, wherein the transfer means for transferring heat between the solar energy collector on the one hand and the slab and/or the heat core on the other hand, comprises a fluid.

8. A heating system according to any one of claims 1-7, wherein the transfer means for transferring heat between the heat core on the one hand and the slab on the other hand, comprises a fluid.

9. A heating system according to any one of claims 1-8, wherein the controller senses when the temperature within the building slab reaches a predetermined level and consequently withdraws heat energy from the solar panels to heat core storage as required to maintain the temperature within the building.

10. A heating system according to any one of claims 1-9, wherein heat is transferred from the heat core to the slab to warm the interior of the building when the controller determines that the interior of the building is at or below a predetermined temperature and no direct solar energy is available.

11. A heating system according to any one of claims 1-10, further comprising thermal sensors within the heat core, slab, and solar energy collectors, said thermal sensors connected to the controller to manage heat distribution and/or transfer.