Heatable air gap insulation for house walls

Abstract

The present invention relates to an air gap insulation for house walls, comprising a first wall and a second wall. The two walls extend parallel to each other along their surface, i.e., in the longitudinal and vertical directions. The first wall and the second wall are bounded longitudinally and vertically by adjacent surfaces such as ceilings, floors, and / or walls, and / or are connected to other walls. The first wall and the second wall are separated from each other in the depth direction, i.e., perpendicular to the surface, by a gap that forms an air gap between the first wall and the second wall and the adjacent surfaces. This gap also includes a pipe in the floor and / or at the lower end of the air gap, through which a heated liquid medium flows, allowing heat transfer between the liquid medium and the air in the air gap.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to air gap insulation for house walls, comprising a first wall and a second wall. The two walls extend parallel to one another in their wall surfaces, i.e. in the longitudinal and vertical directions. The first wall and the second wall are delimited in the longitudinal and vertical directions by adjacent surfaces such as ceilings, floors and / or walls and / or are connected to further walls. The first wall and the second wall are spaced apart in the depth direction, i.e. perpendicular to the wall surface, by a distance which defines an air gap between the first wall and the second wall and the adjacent surfaces. The distance also includes a pipe in the floor and / or at the lower end of the air gap, through which a heated, first liquid medium flows and heat can be transferred between the first liquid medium and the air in the air gap.

[0002] Houses require good thermal insulation to keep living spaces warm in cold outside temperatures with the lowest possible heating output. While appropriate thermal insulation is taken into account in new buildings, additional thermal insulation is usually necessary in older buildings. Due to ever-increasing energy costs, retrofitting good thermal insulation in existing houses makes sense and contributes to heating costs and the conservation of energy, fuel, and raw materials.

[0003] Thermal insulation usually consists of additional layers of insulating material attached to the house wall. This material is often applied to the exterior facade. This has the advantage that the living space is not restricted by the additional insulation. Furthermore, the warm / cold interface is located on the exterior of the house, so any condensation or dew that may form only forms on the exterior of the house and can easily drain away.

[0004] Due to the facade of old buildings, it is sometimes impossible to install exterior insulation. For example, if the building is listed as a historic monument, its exterior appearance must be preserved. Even if a building is not listed, it may be advisable not to install exterior insulation for aesthetic reasons. Ornaments, half-timbered structures, or similar features often define the character of old houses and are therefore worth preserving. In these cases, interior thermal insulation is necessary and / or advisable.

[0005] The state of the art for such thermal insulation for interior use usually consists of insulation mats or insulation boards made of, for example, plasterboard or calcium silicate. The water vapor diffusion resistance of such insulation materials for interior insulation can vary massively. Since interior insulation creates the cold / warm interface inside the house between the wall and the insulation material, condensation of the moisture contained in the air can occur here. The condensate that forms at the cold / warm interface can then lead to rot and / or fungal growth. Both are harmful to the occupants and the structure of the house. The various materials used either attempt to shield this cold / warm interface as effectively as possible or to enable the liquid to transport through the insulating wall.Experience shows that both variants are nevertheless prone to moisture buildup – with the consequences described for residents and masonry; moreover, the insulation materials reduce the living space due to their thickness.

[0006] This results in the need for thermal insulation for old buildings that does not change the external appearance of the facade, can therefore be installed inside, offers good thermal insulation, is as space-saving as possible and also prevents rot and / or fungal infestation.

[0007] It has been shown that this problem can be solved by air gap insulation for house walls, which comprises a first wall and a second wall. The two walls extend parallel to each other in their wall surface, i.e. in the longitudinal and vertical directions. The first wall and the second wall are delimited in the longitudinal and vertical directions by adjacent surfaces such as ceilings, floors and / or walls and / or are connected to other walls. The first wall and the second wall are spaced apart in the depth direction, i.e. perpendicular to the wall surface, which space forms an air gap between the first wall and the second wall and the adjacent surfaces. The space also includes a pipe in the floor and / or at the lower end of the air gap, through which a heated, first liquid medium flows and heat can be transferred between the first liquid medium and the air in the air gap.

[0008] The first wall is the exterior wall of the old building, which, for aesthetic reasons or for reasons of historical preservation, should not be visibly insulated from the outside. A second wall is built behind this wall on the interior. This second wall can be made of various materials. For example, the wall could be constructed of sand-lime bricks. It is also conceivable that the wall could be made of other stones or sand-lime brick slabs. Sand-lime brick has the advantage of being moisture-permeable, thus creating a pleasant indoor climate. Other materials that allow moisture to permeate can also be used.

[0009] It is also conceivable to use a material that does not allow water to diffuse. It is also conceivable to use a combination of diffusive and non-diffusion materials.

[0010] Mats that act as vapor barriers or vapor retarders can be attached to the second wall or can be part of the second wall. These mats can also have the property of allowing water to diffuse in only one direction.

[0011] The second wall runs parallel to the first wall both lengthwise and vertically. Since walls in older buildings are sometimes not exactly plumb, there may be deviations in parallelism between the first and second walls. If the first wall is crooked, the second wall is built as straight as possible so that it covers the crooked wall and is no longer visible to the residents. However, a minimum distance between the first and second walls is maintained, ensuring an air gap between the first and second walls.

[0012] The second wall can extend to an adjacent surface, such as a ceiling, a floor, or even adjacent walls. For example, if the room in a corner consists of two exterior walls and two walls separating it from other rooms, a second wall can be installed parallel to each of the two exterior walls. If the two exterior walls meet at an angle, the respective parallel second walls can meet at the same angle.

[0013] A gap in the depth direction of the walls is always present between the first and second walls. This allows air to circulate between the first and second walls.

[0014] The air gap between the first and second wall is limited by the adjacent surfaces, such as ceilings, floors and walls.

[0015] A pipe is installed in the floor or, alternatively, at the lower end of the air gap. A warm, first liquid medium flows through this pipe. This first liquid medium can be water, for example. However, it can also be mixed with glycol or other substances that, for example, reduce deposits in the circuit or prevent the first liquid medium from freezing when the heatable air gap insulation is switched off at sub-zero temperatures.

[0016] The tube is designed to dissipate heat into the environment—in this case, to the air in the air gap. This transfer of heat from the first liquid medium to the air in the air gap causes the air to circulate within the air gap. The air warmed by the first liquid medium rises, as heating the air reduces its density. Cold, denser air, in turn, sinks and is heated by the first liquid medium, or rather, the tube through which it flows. This creates a circulation of air in the air gap between the first and second walls.

[0017] The pipe is preferably made of a material with good thermal conductivity. Examples of pipes for this application include those also used for underfloor heating. Such pipes can be multilayer composite pipes or pipes made of cross-linked plastic. Pipes made of copper, aluminum, or stainless steel are also advantageous, as these also ensure good heat transfer. In general, any material with a low heat transfer coefficient, robustness, and impermeability to the first liquid medium is possible. The pipes can also be PEX pipes (cross-linked polyethylene).

[0018] According to a preferred embodiment, the air gap insulation for house walls has a distance between the first wall and the second wall in a range of 10 mm to 300 mm inclusive, preferably in a range of 15 mm to 150 mm and particularly preferably between 25 mm and 40 mm.

[0019] The space created by the depth difference between the first and second walls forms an air gap. This air gap serves as insulation between the first and second walls, thus indirectly between the interior and exterior of the house.

[0020] To ensure air circulation in the air gap, the distance between the two walls should be in the range of 10 mm to 300 mm. Since the air in the gap needs to be heated, it is advantageous to limit the air volume. A distance between the first and second walls of 15 mm to 150 mm is therefore advantageous. A distance of 25 mm and 40 mm is particularly advantageous. At this distance, the volume of the air gap is large enough to create an insulating layer between the first and second walls, where air circulation is established through the constant heating of the air by the first liquid medium in the tube and its cooling.

[0021] According to a preferred embodiment of the air gap insulation for house walls, the second wall has a wall thickness in the depth direction which is in a range of 10 mm to 250 mm inclusive, preferably in a range of 30 mm to 150 mm and particularly preferably between 50 and 70 mm.

[0022] The second wall is advantageously made of sand-lime blocks, which have a high heat storage capacity. Furthermore, a tongue-and-groove system on the ends of the blocks facilitates wall construction. This is particularly advantageous for thin walls. The surface of such a wall is smooth, and joints are minimized. Sand-lime blocks with a width of 60 mm have proven to be optimal.

[0023] Embodiments in which the second wall is formed by means of panels that are optionally attached to a substructure made of metal and / or wood or to the adjacent walls and ceilings are also conceivable.

[0024] Different materials such as brick, aerated concrete, wood, reinforced concrete, plasterboard, or composite materials are also conceivable.

[0025] Since the second wall reduces the living space, it is advantageous to make it as thin as possible. The insulating effect of the second wall itself is not the only decisive factor, as the insulating effect is primarily achieved through the air gap between the first and second walls and the heated first liquid medium.

[0026] According to a preferred embodiment, the air gap insulation for house walls has a tube with an outer diameter of 5 mm to 30 mm inclusive, preferably 10 mm to 25 mm, particularly preferably 15 mm to 20 mm.

[0027] The pipe for the air gap insulation must contain the heated first liquid medium. It must be leak-proof for decades and require no maintenance, as it is housed inaccessibly between the first and second walls. An example of this pipe is a PEX pipe, as used in underfloor heating systems.

[0028] In one exemplary embodiment, the air gap insulation can even be connected to the same circuit as the underfloor heating and / or the radiators for heating the rooms. In this exemplary embodiment, the first liquid medium that heats the air in the air gap insulation between the first and second walls is thus the same as the liquid medium in the heating circuit for heating the rooms.

[0029] According to a further preferred embodiment of the air gap insulation for house walls, the pipe has ribs and / or a surface that enlarges the pipe surface to optimize heat transfer.

[0030] The heat transfer between the first liquid medium and the air in the air gap occurs via the pipe. Thus, the first liquid medium heats the pipe, and the pipe transfers the heat to the air. The heat transfer from the first liquid medium to the air thus occurs indirectly via the pipe. Due to the high heat transfer coefficient from water to pipe, which is approximately 100 times higher than that from pipe to air, it can be assumed, as a first approximation, that the temperature of the pipe corresponds to that of the first liquid medium; optimization of this heat transfer can be neglected.

[0031] The heat flow between two media is determined by the product of the heat transfer coefficient, the surface area, and the temperature difference between the media. The heat transfer coefficient is determined by the type of transfer and the flow velocity (of the air through the pipe). It is therefore fixed and cannot be optimized for the heat transfer described. The temperature in the air gap must be increased and is therefore the target variable to be optimized. The only variables are the temperature of the first liquid medium (and thus also of the pipe) and the surface area of ​​the pipe. Increasing the temperature of the first liquid medium (and of the pipe) therefore also increases the temperature of the air in the air gap, all other conditions being equal. If the temperature of the first liquid medium also remains constant, the only way to increase the temperature of the air in the air gap is to increase the surface area of ​​the pipe.This can be achieved, for example, by ribbing the outside of the tube. The surface area can also be increased by coiling the tube.

[0032] According to a preferred embodiment of the air gap insulation, the pipe with the first liquid medium is connected to a waste heat user with at least one inlet line and at least one return line, wherein the waste heat user comprises a volume and a heat exchanger, wherein the volume comprises a chimney, a jacket pipe and surfaces, wherein the volume can be filled with a second liquid medium, wherein the second medium in the volume can be heated by the exhaust gas flowing through the chimney, wherein heat can be transferred from the second liquid medium to the first liquid medium in the heat exchanger.

[0033] For particularly effective utilization of the heating system's energy or fuel, the otherwise unused waste heat from the exhaust gases can be further utilized for heating in the chimney. This waste heat utilization consists of a casing around the chimney pipe or chimney through which the exhaust gases flow.

[0034] Flue gas is the product of fuel such as gas, petroleum, wood, wood pellets, or similar, combined with air. This product is created by combustion in the burner / combustion chamber. The hot flue gas is discharged into the atmosphere through the chimney pipe. As close as possible to the burner, the heating pipe is surrounded by a casing pipe. Surfaces between the chimney and the casing pipe seal off a volume. This volume is filled with a second liquid medium. This can be water, but also a mixture of water and glycol. The second liquid medium can contain other components that prevent calcification or corrosion of adjacent components.

[0035] The exhaust gas flowing through the chimney pipe heats the chimney pipe and the second liquid medium located in the described volume. Without this device, the heat transferred from the exhaust gas to the second liquid medium would have been released unused into the outside air / atmosphere.

[0036] To further utilize the heat stored in the second liquid medium, it is equipped with a heat exchanger. In the heat exchanger, the heat is transferred from the second liquid medium to the first liquid medium.

[0037] According to a preferred embodiment of the air gap insulation for house walls, the volume has the shape of a hollow cylinder and / or the jacket pipe has a circular cross-section.

[0038] The casing pipe has a round cross-section for optimal heat utilization. This minimizes the surface area, ensuring that as little heat as possible is lost unused to the surroundings of the casing pipe.

[0039] Insulating material, which in another embodiment is attached around the casing pipe to minimize heat loss, is also smaller due to this shape with minimized surface area than, for example, in a square embodiment.

[0040] According to a preferred embodiment of the air gap insulation for house walls, the heat exchanger consists of a pipe arranged spirally in the volume, wherein the pipe carries the first liquid medium on the inside and is surrounded on the outside by the second liquid medium.

[0041] To further utilize the heat stored in the second liquid medium, it is equipped with a heat exchanger. The first liquid medium flows through this heat exchanger; thus, the heat is transferred from the second liquid medium to the first liquid medium.

[0042] The first liquid medium is pumped in a circuit from the heat exchanger through the pipes in the air gap and back into the heat exchanger. This can be achieved with the help of a circulation pump. This circulation pump is ideally installed upstream of the circuit, in the upper section of the exhaust gas heat recovery unit. It is located in the flow direction of the first liquid medium, thus after the heat exchanger and before the piping in the air gaps.

[0043] In further preferred embodiments, the circulation pump is installed in the return line of the circuit.

[0044] According to a preferred embodiment of the air gap insulation for house walls, the heat exchanger line has fins and / or a surface-enlarging shape to optimize heat transfer.

[0045] The heat exchanger can be designed as a simple tube that is wound or coiled into the space between the chimney pipe and the casing pipe. To further improve heat transfer, the heat exchanger can have a larger surface area.

[0046] According to a preferred embodiment of the air gap insulation for house walls, the second wall has a closable gap at the upper ceiling adjacent thereto.

[0047] The gap can be used for maintenance purposes and / or for ventilation. The gap can be present across the entire length of the second wall or only in certain areas of the second wall.

[0048] In another embodiment, a maintenance gap can also be installed on the lower side of the wall. This can be advantageous, for example, at nodes or branching points in the piping; these gaps can also be closed. Figure 1 : Schematic side view of a heatable air gap insulation for house walls Figure 2 : Schematic three-dimensional view of first and second wall Figure 3 : Schematic top view of a corner Figure 4 : Schematic top view of a corner Figure 5 : Schematic side view of a waste heat user Figure 6 : Schematic plan view of a waste heat user Figure 7 : Schematic representation of a pipe with enlarged surface Figure 8 : Schematic representation of a pipe with enlarged surface

[0049] Figure 1shows, as an example, a schematic side view of a heatable air gap insulation system for house walls. The ceilings 5 ​​are connected to the first wall 1. Thermal insulation 6 is applied to the ceiling 5 according to the current state of the art. The floor 7, for example, screed and / or a floor covering made of wood or composite material, is applied to this.

[0050] A second wall 2 is mounted at a distance 9 from the first wall 1. This wall runs parallel in the vertical direction h and in the longitudinal direction l of the wall surface. A pipe 3 containing the first liquid medium 12 is mounted in the air gap 4 between the first wall 1 and the second wall 2. The pipe 3 can rest either on the ceiling 5 (upper ceiling 5) or on the floor 7 (lower ceiling 5). It is also conceivable for the pipe to be mounted on the screed 6.

[0051] The insulation provided by the air gap 4 between the first wall 1, which represents the outer wall, and the second wall 2 does not affect the appearance of the first wall 1 from the outside. This allows ornaments 8 or similar elements to remain clearly visible from the outside while still providing insulation.

[0052] Figure 2 shows the schematic three-dimensional view of first wall 1 and second wall 2. The facing wall surfaces 11 of first wall 1 and second wall 2 are arranged parallel to each other at a distance 9, so that an air gap 4 is created between first wall 1 and second wall 2. The first wall 1 and second wall 2 are spaced 9 apart from each other in the depth direction t.

[0053] Figure 3shows a schematic top view of a corner with air gap insulation. The first wall 1 is the outer wall, and the second wall 2 is the inner wall. The pipe 3 for the first liquid medium 12 is mounted in the air gap 4. The first wall 1 is connected to a second wall 1. The second wall 2 is also connected to a second wall 2.

[0054] Figure 4 shows a schematic top view of a corner with air gap insulation. The first wall 1 is connected to another wall 10. Wall 10 is generally an interior wall, meaning it is located inside the house on both sides, so no insulation is required for wall 10. The second wall 2 therefore ends at wall 10.

[0055] Figure 5shows a schematic side view of a waste heat user. A casing pipe 13 is mounted around the chimney pipe 14. Surfaces 16 create a fluid-tight volume 15 containing the second liquid medium 21. The surfaces 16 are mounted horizontally at the top and bottom ends of the casing pipe and connect the casing pipe 13 to the chimney pipe 14. In an exemplary embodiment, the surfaces 16 are welded and / or glued to the casing pipe 13 and the chimney pipe 14. The volume 15 has an inlet 24 for the second liquid medium 21 and an outlet 25 for the second liquid medium 21.

[0056] The heat exchanger line 23 is coiled within the volume 15. This line carries the first liquid medium 12, which is connected to the pipe 3 via the supply line 19 and the return line 20. The flow of the first liquid medium 12 through these lines can be adjusted via a circulation pump 18.

[0057] The chimney 14 has a maintenance shaft 26 through which cleaning work can be carried out, for example.

[0058] Figure 6 shows a schematic top view of a waste heat user. The casing pipe 13 is round. The chimney 14 is arranged inside, through which the exhaust gas 22 flows, heating the second liquid medium 21 in volume 15. The pipe 23 for the first liquid medium 12 is arranged in this volume 15.

[0059] Figure 7shows a schematic representation of a tube 3 with an enlarged surface. The tube 3 has ribs 27 on its surface. These ribs 27 are arranged in the longitudinal direction I of the tube 3. In this exemplary representation, there are 16 of these radially arranged ribs 27 running in the longitudinal direction of the tube 3. Any other number of ribs is also conceivable. The width and height of the ribs can be varied depending on the manufacturing process, material, and requirements for the enlarged surface.

[0060] Figure 8 shows a schematic representation of a tube 3 with an enlarged surface. The tube 3 has ribs 27 on its surface. These ribs 27 are arranged in the transverse direction q to the tube. The width and height of the ribs can be varied depending on the manufacturing process, material, and surface enlargement requirements. List of reference symbols

[0061] 1First wall 2Second wall 3Pipe 4Air gap 5Ceiling 6Thermal insulation 7Floor 8Ornaments 9Distance 10Wall 11Wall surface 12First liquid medium 13Jacket pipe 14Chimney 15Volume 16Surfaces 17Heat exchanger 18Circulation pump 19Inlet line 20Return line 21Second liquid medium 22Exhaust gas 23Heat exchanger line 24Inlet of second liquid medium 25Outlet of second liquid medium 26Maintenance shaft lLength direction tDepth direction hHeight direction qTransverse direction

Claims

1. Air gap insulation for house walls, comprising a first wall (1) and a second wall (2), wherein the two walls extend parallel to one another in their wall surface (11), i.e. in the longitudinal direction (I) and in the vertical direction (h), wherein the first wall (1) and the second wall (2) are delimited in the longitudinal direction (I) and in the vertical direction (h) by adjoining surfaces such as ceilings (5), floors (7) and / or walls (10) and / or are connected to further walls (10) characterized in that the first wall (1) and the second wall (2) are spaced apart (9) in the depth direction (t), i.e. perpendicular to the wall surface (11), by an air gap (4) between the first wall (1) and the second wall (2) and the adjacent surfaces, comprising a tube (3) in the base (8) and / or at the lower end of the air gap (4), a heated first liquid medium (12) flowing through the tube (3); heat being transferable between the first liquid medium (12) and air in the air gap (4).

2. Air gap insulation for house walls according to claim 1 characterized in that the distance between the first wall (1) and the second wall (2) is in a range of 10 mm to 300 mm inclusive, preferably in a range of 15 mm to 150 mm and particularly preferably between 25 mm and 40 mm.

3. Air gap insulation for house walls according to one of the two preceding claims characterized in that the second wall (2) has a wall thickness in the depth direction (t) which is in a range of 10 mm to 250 mm inclusive, preferably in a range of 30 mm to 150 mm and particularly preferably between 50 and 70 mm.

4. Air gap insulation for house walls according to one of the preceding claims characterized in that the tube (3) has an outer diameter of 5 mm to 30 mm inclusive, preferably 10 mm to 25 mm, particularly preferably 15 mm to 20 mm.

5. Air gap insulation for house walls according to one of the preceding claims characterized in thatthe tube (3) has fins and / or a surface that enlarges the tube surface to optimize heat transfer.

6. Air gap insulation for house walls according to one of the preceding claims characterized in that the pipe (3) with the first liquid medium (12) is connected to a waste heat user by means of at least one inlet line (19) and at least one return line (20), the waste heat user comprising a volume (15) and a heat exchanger (17), the volume (15) comprising a chimney (14), a jacket pipe (13) and surfaces (16), the volume being fillable with a second liquid medium (21); the second medium (21) in the volume (15) being heatable by the exhaust gas (22) flowing through the chimney (14), heat being transferable from the second liquid medium (21) to the first liquid medium (12) in the heat exchanger (17).

7. Air gap insulation for house walls according to claim 6 characterized in thatthe volume (15) has the shape of a hollow cylinder and / or the jacket tube (13) has a circular cross-section.

8. Air gap insulation for house walls according to claim 6 or 7 characterized in that the heat exchanger (17) consists of a heat exchanger line (23) arranged spirally in the volume (15), wherein the heat exchanger line (23) carries the first liquid medium (12) on the inside and is surrounded on the outside by the second liquid medium.

9. Air gap insulation for house walls according to claim 8 characterized in that the heat exchanger line (23) has fins and / or a surface-enlarging shape to optimize heat transfer.

10. Air gap insulation for house walls according to one of the preceding claims characterized in that the second wall (2) has a closable gap at the upper ceiling adjacent thereto.

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