Improvements in or relating to underfloor heating

Abstract

A hydronic underfloor heating insulation board 10 comprising a plurality of projecting generally circular bosses 20, where the projections are mutually spaced to provide pipework layout pathways. The

Description

Underfloor heating is an efficient way to heat buildings, providing many benefits over traditional radiator systems. Heat is radiated into a room through the floor, s providing a more efficient and even distribution of heat compared to traditional radiators. There are two types of underfloor heating systems - water and electric. io Water - or wet - underfloor heating systems comprises a series of pipes which are laid beneath the floor and are connected to a boiler, which allows the circulation of warm water in order to heat the area. Water underfloor heating can sit beneath stone, tile, wooden, laminate and carpeted floor, for example. is The present invention seeks to provide improvements in or relating to underfloor heating. An aspect of the present invention provides a hydronic underfloor heating insulation board, the board comprising a plurality of upstanding bosses, the 20 bosses are substantially circular and are mutually spaced to provide pipework layout pathways. Bosses / protrusions / projections may be faced with foil or cement, for example. The board may be formed from material comprising: extruded polystyrene, expanded polystyrene, polyisocyanurate or phenolic foam. The board size may be approximately 600mm x 1200mm or approximately s 2400mm x 1200mm. Insulation thickness may, for example, range from approximately 20mm up to approximately 150mm. io Boards may further comprise one or more part-circular bosses e.g. a semicircle, a sector, a quadrant. The present invention also provides a hydronic underfloor heating system comprising one or more boards as described herein. I5 A further aspect provides an underfloor heating board, the board comprising a plurality of mutually spaced, generally circular protrusions. A further aspect provides a castellated floor panel for receiving underfloor 20 heating pipes, a plurality of mutually spaced, generally circular protrusions are provided on or by the panel. Different aspects and embodiments of the invention may be used separately or together. Further particular and preferred aspects of the present invention are set out in the accompanying independent and dependent claims. Features of the dependent claims may be combined with the features of the independent claims as appropriate, and in combination other than those explicitly set out in the s claims. Examples of aspects and embodiments of the present invention are shown in the accompanying drawings. io In the description, all orientational terms, such as upper, lower, front, rear, radially and axially, are used in relation to the drawings and should not be interpreted as limiting on the invention or its connection to a closure. Example embodiments are described and shown in sufficient detail to enable is those of ordinary skill in the art to embody and implement the systems and processes herein described. It is important to understand that embodiments can be provided in many alternate forms and should not be construed as limited to the examples set forth herein. 20 Accordingly, while embodiments can be modified in various ways and take on various alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof are shown in the drawings and described in detail below as examples. There is no intent to limit to the particular forms disclosed. On the contrary, all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the appended claims should be 25 included. The terminology used herein to describe embodiments is not intended to limit the scope. The articles “a,” “an,” and “the” are singular in that they have a single referent, however the use of the singular form in the present document should s not preclude the presence of more than one referent. In other words, elements referred to in the singular can number one or more, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes,” and / or “including,” when used herein, specify the presence of stated features, items, steps, operations, elements, and / or io components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, items, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof. Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) is used herein are to be interpreted as is customary in the art. It will be further understood that terms in common usage should also be interpreted as is customary in the relevant art and not in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein. 20 UNDERFLOOR HEATING INSULATION BOARD The present invention (which may be known as LoopSpace) is an underfloor heating insulation board, which is designed to be installed without the need for extensive renovations or modifications. It uses a unique circular spacing and fixing design, which allows installers to benefit from bidirectional pipe laying; spiral, zigzag, and serpentine layouts. Insulation thicknesses can range from 20mm up to 150mm making the design s ideal for retrofit installs and renovations that need to conform with building regulations. This design offers full fixing flexibility and is perfect for all Underfloor Heating pipe material types. The board will use more adhesive, smoothing compound io and screed coverage than similar boards, however, this aids in better heat transfers. About the boards - Figure 1 15 A hydronic underfloor heating insulation board 10. The board is generally rectangular and comprises a plurality of regularly arranged upstanding bosses 20. The bosses 20 are substantially circular (in plan) and are mutually spaced to provide pipework layout pathways. Along the sides and ends of the board are generally semicircular bosses 30 and at the corners are quarter circle 20 bosses 40. This means that there are bosses covering as much of the surface of the board as possible, and the board 10 can be placed in an array with one or more other such boards to cover a required area to be heated. Part-circular bosses at the edges of boards can fit together to form complete circles, for example. Other arrangements / distributions of bosses (circular and / or part-circular) may be provided in other embodiments. For example a board with only circular bosses may be provided; or a board with a combination of circular and partcircular bosses. s The circle design can manufacture on various insulation boards - Extruded Polystyrene (XPS), Expanded Polystyrene (EPS), PIR (Polyisocyanurate), and PF (Phenolic Foam) type materials. io The board sizes can, for example, be 600mm x 1200mm, or larger when using PIR &PF insulations at 2400mm x 1200mm. Insulation thicknesses range from 20mm up to 150mm. Each board has pre-formed channels on its surface that serve as pathways for 15 installing 16mm (for example) pipes. The full circle design can be manufactured with a Plain, Foiled, cementitious fiberglass mesh, or plain fiberglass mesh, depending on the installer’s preferences. Each has advantages depending on the flooring covering and 20 finishes. Installation Advantages Pre-grooved Underfloor Heating Boards on the market today, only have one 25 serpentine layout option and will require extra pipe routing or bespoke modification. In contrast, the LoopSpace board can be used straight away because of the multi-direction laying options. There are 3 key advantages to installers: s 1. Less up-front planning needed - the boards can be laid straight away without in-depth planning, or pipe routing. 2. Easier to install around obstacles - the installer can utilise the circle design in more intricate areas. 3. Time-saving - work can be done much faster with fewer board io modifications during installation. Heating Advantages - Figure 3 Another key benefit of LoopSpace is that more of the pipe is exposed to the 15 adhesive / levelling compound / screed. This creates: 1. Increased heat output - Maximises heat transfer into the surface layers. 2. Improved heat distribution - More even distribution across the floor surface which avoids cold spots. 20 3. Increased thermal mass - The ability to absorb and store heat help to stabilise the temperature, leading to more efficient heating and longer heat retention. 4. Better responsiveness and control - the system can adjust more quickly to temperature changes, allowing for more precise control over 25 room temperatures 5. Energy efficiency - the system can operate at lower water temperatures while still providing sufficient warmth. Resulting in energy savings and reduced costs. s Installation - Figure 4 The boards can be fixed down onto a floor with either nonsolvent adhesive or screws and washers. The pipes are then laid within the grooves of the board in the appropriate spacing for the heating requirements. io Once the pipes are installed and connected, a suitable separation layer is then laid directly onto the board, that being flexible tile adhesive or a levelling / smoothing compound, which then can adhere to your chosen floor finish type. 15 New Build dwellings and Extensions, will require thicker insulation at a minimum of 100mm; usually of a PIR and PF type material. This will then require a liquid, semi-dry, or concrete screed to conform with building regulations. 20 Pipe layout options Option 1 - Serpentine layout (Figure 2A and Figure 2B) This is the most commonly used pipe-laying method. It provides efficient heat distribution and allows for more flexibility in the design and installation process. The serpentine pattern can be adjusted to accommodate different heat loads and room layouts. Option 2 - Spiral layout s The pipe starts at one end of the room, loops around in a spiral, and then returns back to the starting point. This creates a continuous loop of pipe that covers the entire floor area. The spiral loop effect allows for a more uniform heat distribution across the floor surface and is useful for lower-temperature heating systems, for example, Air Source Heat Pumps. io Option 3 - Zigzag layout The zigzag layout offers great heat distribution in tight spaces, greater flexibility in design, enhanced efficiency, and better comfort compared to other underfloor heating layout options. However, the suitability of a specific layout may depend is on factors like room size, shape, insulation, and the type of flooring material used. In detail 20 The LoopSpace wet underfloor heating board design enables the installation of underfloor heating without fuss. It provides an efficient method for adding the comfort and benefits of underfloor heating to a space, even in retrofit or renovation scenarios. Professional installers typically ensure proper pipe layout and connection to ensure the system functions effectively and provides optimal 25 heat distribution. Here's how a typical wet underfloor heating board works using the LoopSpace effect: s Insulation: The LoopSpace retrofit board consists of an insulation layer that helps to reduce heat loss and enhance the efficiency of the heating system. The insulation layer is usually made of extruded polystyrene (XPS) high-density EPS (Expanded Polystyrene insulation), PIR (Polyisocyanurate), and PF (Phenolic Foam) type materials. The board sizes can be 600mm x 1200mm or larger io when using PIR &PF at 2400mm x 1200mm. Pre-formed full circle channels: The LoopSpace board may be manufactured with the circled pre-formed channels or on their surface. These channels serve as pathways for installing 16mm pipes that carry the hot water for heating. 15 Unique in its class on such materials, the LoopSpace boards offer bidirectional pipe laying with serpentine, zigzag, and spiral effect laying patterns. Pipe installation: The pipes are laid and fixed into the pre-formed full-circle channels on the board, following a specific layout at 150mm spacing, also 20 determined by the heating requirements. The pipes are typically secured in place via the grooves. Connection to the heating system: The pipes are connected to a manifold, which acts as the central control and distribution point for the heating system. The manifold allows for regulating the flow of hot water to each zone or loop of pipes. Finishing: Once the pipes are installed and connected, a suitable floor covering, s such as tiles can be laid directly onto the board using flexible tile adhesive. Other floor finishes such as wood, or laminate will require a separation layer, being a 5 / 1 Omm fibrous Smoothing Compound on top of the LoopSpace boards. A deeper liquid, semi-dry, or concrete screed will be required in new build dwellings and extensions that are under building regulations where much io thicker PIR or PF insulations are used. Flexible adhesives, smoothing compounds and screeds absorb and transfer heat with their high thermal mass, giving even heat across the floor. Your chosen floor finish covering acts as the final surface and further allows for heat transfer from the pipes and ambient heat to the room. I5 Figures 5A to 5E - example: 600mm (length) x120mm (width) x 20mm (thick). Side, end, upper perspective, lower perspective, plan views. Cement and foil faced facings - Figures 6 (example of cement faced) and 7 20 (exam pie of foi I faced). Current Board Market Examples - Figures 8 and 9. Although illustrative embodiments of the invention have been disclosed in detail 25 herein, with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is understood that the invention is not limited to the precise embodiments shown and that various changes and modifications can be effected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A hydronic underfloor heating insulation board, the board comprising a plurality of upstanding bosses, the bosses are substantially circular and are s mutually spaced to provide pipework layout pathways.

2. A board as claimed in claim 1, in which the bosses are faced with foil.

3. A board as claimed in claim 1, in which the bosses are faced withio cement.

4. A board as claimed in any preceding claim, formed from material comprising: extruded polystyrene, expanded polystyrene, polyisocyanurate or phenolic foam.I55. A board as claimed in any preceding claim, in which board size is approximately 600mm x 1200mm or approximately 2400mm x 1200mm.

6. A board as claimed in any preceding claim, in which insulation 20 thicknesses ranges from approximately 20mm up to approximately 150mm.

7. A board as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising one or more part-circular bosses.

7. A hydronic underfloor heating system comprising one or more boards as claimed in any preceding claim.

8. An underfloor heating board, the board comprising a plurality of mutually s spaced, generally circular protrusions.

9. A castellated floor panel for receiving underfloor heating pipes, a plurality of mutually spaced, generally circular protrusions are provided on or by the panel.io

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