GB2102112A - Controlling the temperature of rooms in a building - Google Patents

Abstract

A building having curtain walls comprising a metal skeleton made up of columns and horizontal members (3) to which façade elements and, if required, window surfaces (5) are secured, has a temperature-control arrangement 1 which is disposed on metal skeleton within the room. The arrangement (1) includes a pipeline system aligned with the columns and/or horizontal members (3), in which a heat-transmitting fluid flows. Heat-transmitting members (51) are in direct thermal coupling with the pipeline system being of hollow closed box-section, with the pipelines disposed within them. The pipelines and the heat-transmitting members are of integral aluminium construction. <IMAGE>

Description

(,,, UK Patent Application (l.) GB (11) 2 102 112 A (21) Application No

8204127 (54) Controlling the temperature of (22) Date of filing 19 May 1979 rooms in a building Ddte lodged 12 Feb 1982 (30) Priority data (31) 2817345 2904005 (32) 20 Apr 1978 2 Feb 1979 (57) A building having curtain walls comprising a metal skeleton made up of columns and horizontal members (33) Fed. Rep. of Germany (DE) (3) to which facade elements and, if (43) Application published required, window surfaces (5) are 26 Jan 1983 secured, has a temperature-control (51) INT CL3 arrangement 1 which is disposed on F24D 12100 the metal skeleton within the room. The (52) Domestic classification F4S 41 A3Y 41 A5 41 A7Y (56) Documents cited GB 1559293 GB 1349961 GB 1294862

(58) Field of search

F4S F4V (60) Derived from Application No 7913683 under Section 15(4) of the Patents Act 1977 (71) Applicants Josef Gartner and Co.

(FR Germany), D-8883 Gundelfingen, West Germany (72) Inventor Karl Gartner (74) Agent S. Jones-Robinson.

The Laurels, 320 London Road, Chariton Kings.

Cheltenham.

Gloucestershire GL52 6YJ1 52- ERRATUM SPECIFICATION NO 2102112A arrangement (1) includes a pipeline system aligned with the columns and/or horizontal members (3), in which a heat-transmitting fluid flows. Heat-transmitting members (51) are in direct thermal coupling with the pipeline system being of hollow closed box-section, with the pipelines disposed within them. The pipelines and the heat-transmitting members are of integral aluminium construction.

Front pageffleading (22) Date of filing for 19 May 1979 read 19 Apr 1979 THE PATENT OFFICE 25 Appil 1983 -52 The drawings originally filed were informal and the print here reproduced is taken from a later filed formal copy.

C) 00 N ---1 0 Bas 25081218 bi __1 1\i GB 2 102 112 A 2 the outer side of box-section member remote from the pipeline preferably being secured to the skeleton member. The heat from the pipeline, which in accordance with the invention is integral with the heat-transmitting member, is thus transmitted directly by thermal conduction from the pipeline to the co-ordinated skeleton member during operation of the temperature-control facility. The use of a pipeline, which preferably has 0 an internal diameter of 22 mm, integral with a hollow box-section heat- transmitting member, provides a rapid thermal response with a relatively small quantity of the heat-transmitting fluid in circulation due to the small pipe diameter.

As the temperature control facility is aligned relative to the skeleton within the room the latter is insulated from the skeleton, so that there is an increase in thermal radiation from the skeleton members to the side, i.e. in a plane parallel to the 0 wail which usually contains window areas. For example, people who sit by a temperaturecontrolled part of the skeleton near a window in winter experience pleasant heat radiation in spite of the cold window surfaces, so that comfort is maintained or even increased near the wall. This increased comfort in winter also occurs in summer, particularly when solar radiation acts at an angle on the skeleton members through the windows, and the members discharge the incident 0 heat of radiation together with the heat radiated by people near the window. It has been found that, as a result of the rapid removal of heat by the heat-transmitting fluid in the pipeline system of the temperature- control facility of the invention, there are substantially no effects of radiation on that side of the facility facing towards the room interior. This practically eliminates undesired side effects of radiation on the room temperature.

The invention will now be further described D with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate, by way of example, several temperature-control facility arrangements according to the invention. In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a detail view of a temperature control facility in accordance with the invention, in 110 horizontal section through the wall of a building; Figure 2 shows how this temperature-control facility is disposed at the corner of a building; and Figure 3 is a view similar to that of Figure 1 but illustrating an alternative construction.

Figure 1 is a horizontal section through a portion of the wall or facade of a building, showing a temperature-control facility 1 according to the invention and an associated curtain wall skeleton member or column 3. The facility 1 is disposed within a room, i.e. on the inner side of the column 3 with which it is co-ordinated and which it directly abuts. On each side the column 3 supports double-glazed glass panes 5.

0 The facility 1 comprises a single pipeline constructed integrally with a heat-transmitting section member 51 made of aluminium, this member having a closed hollow box-like section within which the pipeline runs. The region of the member 51 which is furthest from the pipe region of the facility 1 faces and abuts the associated column 3 which is to be temperature-controlled. Heat transfer from the wall structure to the structure of facility 1 can be used for heating purposes by conveying heating or cooling water from the sunny side of the building to the shady side. This results in indirect heat transmission from the hot to the cold side.

The pipeline which contains the heat- transmitting medium and is formed integrally within the box-section heat- transmitting member 51 does not extend completely across the internal cross-section thereof. It is disposed centrally to leave two free lateral recesses at the sides of the pipeline within the box section. These recesses have the advantage of saving a considerable amount of material without reducing the stability of the temperature-control facility 1 or the efficiency of heat transfer from the pipeline to the associated skeleton member 3.

Figure 2 shows how two temperature-control facilities 1, each as illustrated in Figure 1, can be disposed at a corner of the building and respectively associated with wall columns 3. In addition to being disposed on and abutting the columns 3, the box-section members 51 are connected at the corner by an aluminium angle member 53 in the neighbourhood of the internal pipelines. This results in a heat bridge between the two so-connected temperature-control facilities 1.

Figure 3 illustrates a facility 1 which is basically the same as that of Figure 1, except that the pipeline is disposed to one side within the boxsection member 51.7hus it is disposed at an internal corner in the member 51, leaving a comparatively wide single lateral recess 54. This recess provides enough space to receive other structural or securing components such as screws.

The arrangements illustrated in the drawings, with a single pipeline formed integrally with an aluminium box-section heat-transmitting member 51, have a common feature in that comparatively little heat-conveying liquid flows through the facility during operation thereof. No flow, occurs through most of the hollow-section member 51, yet good and efficient heat transfer is achieved. An advantageous result of the small quantity of heat transfer fluid in circulation is that the temperature of a room in a building can be easily and rapidly adjusted, so that abrupt large changes in the environmental temperature can be very efficiently compensated.

Claims (5)

1. A device for controlling the temperature of rooms in a building having curtain walls comprising a metal skeleton made up of columns and horizontal members to which facade elements and, if required, window surfaces are secured so as to be substantially free of heat bridges, with a temperature control facility which is disposed on the metal skeleton inside the room and which contains a pipeline system co-ordinated with the columns and/or horizontal members, in which a heat-transmitting fluid flows and with heat- n 1 i.' ii 1, 1 GB 2 102 112 A 1 SPECIFICATION A device for controlling the temperature of rooms in a building This invention relates to a device for controlling 5the temperature of rooms in a building having curtain walls comprising a metal skeleton made up of columns and horizontal members to which facade elements and, if required, window surfaces are secured so as to be substantially free of heat bridges.

A room is comfortable if the room temperature and the environmental temperature, when the air is substantiall stationary, are about 201C. This temperature of 2WC has not been maintained by prior art metal front walls or curtain walls. As a rule, the temperature is considerably lower, since most undivided metal structural or skeleton members comprise vertical uprights and horizontal members which bear front or curtain walls and do not provide thermal insulation or resist the 85 transmission of heat, and are thus equivalent to orindary sheet-metal walls in the last-mentioned respect. The requirements of DIN 4103 are usually not met.

Consequently, if people in a room stay near the 90 aforementioned curtain walls, they lose considerable heat via the cold metal structural members during winter. In summer, on the contrary, the uprights and horizontal members of the metal wall skeleton are heated by solar radiation and in turn heat the room and reduce the comfort of persons inside the room because of the heat transmitted from the heated curtain structure, more particularly when the metal skeleton is anodised or painted in dark colours, as is common nowadays. It is not uncommon for rooms to be heated to 361C or more in summer.

It is known to obviate this difficulty by using temperature-control or -induction- air conditioning plant which comprises a central temperature-control installation and an induction device in each room. The induction devices are connected to the central temperature-control installation via pipes, which means that an inlet and outlet is required for the heat-supplying medium together with an inlet and outlet for a heat-removing medium and a supply pipe for primary air. These pipes must be separately conveyed to each induction device in each room.

A disadvantage of such induction temperature control installations is that they are very expensive to install, use up a great deal of energy during operation, and continuously disturb the dust in the individual rooms. Another disadvantage is that the induction installation has practically no effect on the temperature of "radiation holes", e.g. wall regions at a temperature very different from the average room temperature. Typical examples of radiation holes are glass windows which, in summer, may additionally heat the metal wall construction through solar radiation.

It is also known to control the temperature of the outer rooms of a building by using a device comprising incorporated facade components, having a skeleton made up of hollow columns and hollow horizontal members for facade elements and window surfaces connected in a predetermined manner so that flow can occur from one to another and a heat-transmitting fluid is conveyed inside the skeleton between an inlet and an outlet. In this manner, cold or warm parts of the metal skeleton of a room wall can be satisfactorily temperatu re-control led, so that the room interior becomes comfortable. However, the last-mentioned temperature-control facility has a disadvantage in that the metal skeleton must comprise a flow path for the heat-transmitting medium. Another disadvantage is that, since the inside hollow in the metal skeleton has a relatively large cross-section, a corespondingly large amount of heat-transmitting medium is required in circulation, and this slows down the rate at which adjustments to the room temperature can be made.

An object of the invention is to provide a device for controlling the temperature of rooms in a building having curtain walls, which permits rapid and simple control of the room temperature and which can be installed relatively inexpensively.

To this end a device for controlling the temperature of rooms in a building having curtain walls comprising a metal skeleton made up of columns and horizontal members to which facade elements and, if required, window surfaces are 99 secured so as to be substantially free of heat bridges, has a temperaturecontrol facility which is disposed on the metal skeleton inside the room and which contains a pipeline system coordinated with the columns and/or horizontal members, in which a heat-transmitting fluid flows and with heat- transmitting section members in direct thermal coupling with the pipeline system, said heat-transmitting section members being integrally connected with the co-ordinated pipelines and made of aluminium.

An advantageous result of the invention is indirect heat transmission from the hot side of the room to a cold side so that, if the room grows cold for example, the transfer of heat from a facade structure to a cooling structure can be used for heating purposes by conveying the fluid in the temperature control facility from the sunny side to the shady side of the room. As the temperaturecontrol facility is aligned relative to the skeleton members and is disposed on the skeleton heat can be transmitted by thermal conduction.

Preferably the heat-transmitting section members are of closed box-like hollow section, for example being rectangular with external dimensions of the order of 100 x 60 mm. The pipelines are preferably disposed within such a hollow box section so as to leave free lateral recesses within the heat-transmitting members. Such recesses may be provided on both sides of the pipelines, or the latter may be arranged to one side within the boxsection members so as to leave a single lateral rebess therein.

The temperature control facility may be directly secured to the corresponding skeleton member, 3 GB 2 102 112 A 3 transmitting section members in direct thermal coupling with the pipeline system, said heat transmitting section members being integrally connected with the co-ordinated pipelines and made of aluminium.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the heat-transmitting section members are of closed box-like section with the pipelines disposed within them so as to leave free lateral recesses within these members.

3. A device according to claim 2, wherein said recesses are arranged on both sides of the 40 pipelines.

4. A device according to claim 2, wherein the pipelines are arranged to one side in the co ordinated heat-transmitting section members so as to leave a single lateral recess within these members.

5. A device for controlling the temperature of rooms in a building, constructed and arranged substantially as herein particularly described with reference to any one of the accompanying 50 drawings.

New claims or amendments to claims filed on 25 August 82.

Superseded claims 1-4.

New or amended claims:- 1. A device for controlling the temperature of rooms in a building having curtain walls comprising a metal skeleton ' made up of columns and horizontal members to which facade elements and, if required, window surfaces are secured so as to be substantially free of heat bridges, said device comprising a temperature control means which is disposed at the inner or room side of the metal skeleton and contains a pipeline system which is co-ordinated with the columns and/or horizontal members and in which a heattransmitting fluid flows, and wherein heattransmitting members which are co-extensive with associated sections of the pipeline system are also in direct conductive heat- exchange relationship therewith, said heat-transmitting members being integrally connected with the associated pipeline sections and made of aluminium. 2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the heat- transmitting members are of closed box-like hollow section with the pipeline sections disposed within them so as to leave free lateral recesses within these members. 3. A device according to claim 2, wherein said recesses are arranged on both sides of the pipeline sections. 55 4. A device according to claim 2, wherein the pipeline sections are arranged to one side in the heat-transmitting members so as to leave a single lateral recess within those members.

Printed for Her Majesty's Stationery Office by the Courier Press, Leamington Spa, 1983. Published by the Patent Office 25 Southampton Buildings, London, WC2A lAY, from which copies may be obtained.

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