GB2499601A

GB2499601A - Building heating system having external isolation valves for connection to a backup boiler outside the building

Info

Publication number: GB2499601A
Application number: GB201202951A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stephen Paul Gelder
Original assignee: GELDER Ltd
Current assignee: GELDER Ltd
Priority date: 2012-02-21
Filing date: 2012-02-21
Publication date: 2013-08-28
Anticipated expiration: 2032-02-21
Also published as: GB2499601B; GB201202951D0

Abstract

The building heating system has a primary heat source, such as a boiler 2, connected to a heating circuit by a flow pipe 4 and a return pipe 5. The heating circuit may comprise a number of radiators located in different rooms of the building 1. The flow and return pipe each have a respective primary isolation valve 6,7 to enable the boiler to be isolated from the rest of the system. Also, the flow and return pipe are each connected to a respective hose connector, each hose connector having a respective secondary isolation valve 10,11. The hose connectors and their respective secondary isolation valves are located outside the building. In the event of failure of the boiler, an auxiliary boiler 13 can be provided as a back-up while the boiler is repaired or replaced. The auxiliary boiler can be connected to the flow and return pipe via the secondary isolation valves using hoses 19,20. Since the secondary isolation valves are disposed outside the building, the auxiliary boiler need not be brought inside, thereby reducing disturbance to building occupants. The secondary isolation valves can be housed in a box (21, figure 2) on an external wall of the building.

Description

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BUILDING HEATING SYSTEM

Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a building having a heating system, particularly of the type having a heating fluid circulating through pipes around the building. Background to the Invention

In a typical building heating system, a primary heat source such as a boiler fuelled with gas, oil, or a solid fuel, heats water pumped around a heating circuit feeding heat exchangers (radiators) around the building. The circuit will include supply and return pipes to the boiler. In some buildings, such as nursing homes or hospitals, failure of a heating boiler can have very serious consequences, while in others, such as hotels and offices, failure of heating on cold weather can be damaging to business. One solution would be to install a duplicate boiler to provide a reserve which can be operated when the other boiler is inoperable. However, this solution is not always possible, for example through considerations of space, and is in any event costly, since failure of a boiler is likely to be a very rare event.

Summary of the Invention

According to the invention, there is provided a building having an internal heating fluid circuit connected to a primary heat source through flow and return fluid pipes each including a primary isolation valve, the flow and return pipes each being additionally connected to a respective hose connector external to the building, each said hose connector including a secondary isolation valve.

A mobile secondary heat source is thus connectable to the external hose connectors, said primary isolation valves being closed to isolate the primary heat source from the heating fluid circuit. The mobile secondary heat source may be, for example, an oil-fired boiler mounted on a vehicle. The mobile secondary heat source is suitably connected to the external hose connectors through a pair of hoses, each hose having a non-return valve at each end thereof. The non-return valves are preferably configured to co-operate with the respective connectors to open when connected and to close when disconnected, thereby preventing escape of fluid from the hoses when disconnected, but allowing flow through the hoses when connected.

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The building configured in accordance with the invention is thus readily connected to a mobile auxiliary boiler or the like to maintain heating in the event of a failure of the existing boiler, or to allow scheduled maintenance without a significant interruption to the heating of the building.

The external hose connectors are conveniently mounted within a locka-ble box, which can be provided with short lengths of pipe to extend into the building, allowing simple installation separately of the plumbing operations to connect the pipes into the fluid flow and return pipes within the building. Thus, the box may be installed by someone without plumbing skills, and the plumbing connections made subsequently within the building.

Brief Description of the Drawing

In the drawings, which illustrate exemplary embodiments of the invention: Figure 1 shows diagrammatically a building heating system with an auxiliary heating system installed; and

Figure 2 illustrates in sectional view the installation of the external valves. Detailed Description of the Illustrated Embodiment

Referring to Figure 1, the building is represented by the broken line 1. A heating boiler 2 is fuelled for example by oil (it will be appreciated that the primary heat source need not be a combustion heater - it could, for example, be a ground source heat exchanger, an electric heater or any other form of heat source used for building heating; it will also be appreciated that the term "boiler" in this context does not necessarily mean that a fluid is vaporised in it, the term including appliances in which water or other fluid is simply raised to an elevated temperature below the boiling point). The boiler heats water which is circulated to the heating circuit (consisting typically of radiators in each room in the building, and not shown in the drawing) by a pump 3 via flow and return pipes 4 and 5. Manually-operable isolation valves 6 and 7 are provided to isolate the boiler 2 from the heating circuit, for example for maintenance purposes. Such valves are conventionally provided in heating installations.

Branch connections 8 and 9 are provided from the flow and return pipes 4 and 5 at a convenient location in the circuit, conveniently terminating externally of the building. This does not need to be immediately adjacent to the boiler 2,

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but will be selected to permit ready vehicular access to the external terminations, which include isolation valves 10 and 11. It will typically be desirable to site the external connections in a manner to prevent unauthorised operation of the valves, for example within a secure enclosure.

In the event of a failure of the boiler 2, or for scheduled maintenance requiring it to be shut down, a mobile auxiliary heating unit 12 may be readily brought into operation in its place. The auxiliary unit 12 will typically comprise a trailer vehicle mounting an auxiliary oil-fired boiler 13, an oil supply tank 14, and connectors 15 and 16, each with its own isolation valve 17 and 18. Insulated flexible hoses 19 and 20 are used to link the mobile unit 12 with the building heating system. Each hose 19 and 20 is provided at each end thereof with a spring-loaded ball valve that opens automatically when the hose is connected, but closes when the hose is released from the connector, thus preventing loss of the fluid within the hose, and more importantly limiting the introduction of air into the heating system, which could result in air locks being created within the system preventing proper flow. The primary boiler 2 may thus be isolated by closing valves 6 and 7, and the auxiliary unit 12 connected to the external connectors. When the external valves are opened, the auxiliary boiler 13 may be started to provide heat to the system while work is done on the primary boiler 2, or in the extreme case that boiler is replaced with a new one. In this way, the heating of the building may be re-established quickly before a significant drop in internal temperature occurs.

By permitting the external connectors to be located at any convenient position outside the building, rather than being adjacent to the existing boiler installation, the auxiliary unit 12 can readily be brought into use without the arrangement being noticeable to users of the building. This may be important in the case of a hotel, for example.

Figure 2 shows the preferred installation of the external connectors in a wall-mounted box, which can be lockable to prevent unauthorised access to the connectors. The box 21 has the two valves 10 and 11 mounted in it (only one valve being visible in this view), with short lengths of (typically) copper pipe 22 projecting rearwardly through the box to permit connections to be made inside

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the building. The box will be supplied with a mounting template, for example of cardboard, allowing the position of the holes for the pipes, and mounting screw holes, to be accurately marked on the exterior of the wall 23. The pipe holes are then drilled through the wall, as well as holes to receive wall plugs for the mounting screws to mount the box 21 on the wall. The box is then positioned on the wall with the pipes projecting into the building, as shown in the Figure, so that the internal pipe connections can be completed by the plumber.

The connectors 10/11 comprise a manually-operable valve and a spigot 24 co-operable with the spring-loaded ball valves 25 at the ends of the hoses 19 and 20, the connection being made simply by pushing the valve 25 on to the spigot. The hose may be released by a slidable sleeve around the valve 25, in conventional manner.

The box is conveniently provided with a hinged flap or door(s) permitting access for the hoses 19 and 20, the flap or door(s) being lockable when connection of the auxiliary heating unit is not required.

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Claims

1. A building having an internal heating fluid circuit connected to a primary heat source through flow and return fluid pipes each including a primary isolation valve, the flow and return pipes each being additionally connected to a respective hose connector external to the building, each said hose connector including a secondary isolation valve.

2. A building according to Claim 1, wherein a mobile secondary heat source is connected to the external hose connectors, said primary isolation valves being closed to isolate the primary heat source from the heating fluid circuit.

3. A building according to Claim 2, wherein the mobile secondary heat source is an oil-fired boiler mounted on a vehicle.

4. A building according to Claim 2 or 3, wherein the mobile secondary heat source is connected to the external hose connectors through a pair of hoses, each hose having a non-return valve at each end thereof.

5. A building according to Claim 4, wherein the non-return valves are configured to co-operate with the respective connectors to open when connected and to close when disconnected, thereby preventing escape of fluid from the hoses when disconnected, but allowing flow through the hoses when connected.

6. A building according to any preceding claim, wherein the primary heat source is a gas-fired or oil-fired boiler.

7. A building, substantially as described with reference to, and/or as shown in, the drawings.