Cooling / heating system

Abstract

To provide a cooling / heating system for enabling efficient heat exchange in a building of such a type that a heat storing body made of a concrete plate is not installed on the reverse of a floor plate.SOLUTION: By using a panel (20), an underfloor space (12) is sectioned into a supply side flow path (22) for supplying cooling / heating fluid and a return side flow path (24) for recovering the cooling / heating fluid. The panel has an upward protruded shape, and a number of openings are provided near the top of the panel while being spaced at equal distances in the longitudinal direction. The cooling / heating fluid flows from the supply side flow path through the openings into the return side flow path to actualize the heat transmission to a floor plate (12b).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention generally relates to a heating and cooling system, and more particularly to a heating and cooling system capable of efficiently heating and cooling a room by utilizing an underfloor space. [Background technology]

[0002] There are various types of heating and cooling systems that are installed indoors in buildings. Among them, there is a system that adjusts the temperature of the floorboards by passing a fluid (e.g., water or air) under the floor, thereby heating and cooling the room.

[0003] The present inventors have also proposed a heat exchange structure that enables efficient heat exchange in buildings in which heat storage bodies made of concrete plates are installed on the undersides of floor panels (see Patent Document 1).

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6153203 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In conventional systems that circulate a cooling / heating fluid under the floor, it is difficult to circulate the cooling / heating fluid evenly under the floor. On the other hand, the heat exchange structure for heating and cooling described in Patent Document 1 is able to perform efficient heat exchange and also simplifies construction, so it has been fortunately well received.

[0006] The present invention aims to provide a heating and cooling system that enables more efficient heat exchange in buildings that do not have concrete heat storage bodies installed on the underside of floor panels. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The heating and cooling system described in claim 1 of the present application, which is installed in a building having an underfloor space surrounded by a floor slab, floor panels and surrounding walls, is characterized in that the underfloor space is divided into a supply side flow path that supplies heating and cooling fluid and a return side flow path that recovers the heating and cooling fluid by a plurality of panels arranged parallel to each other at intervals within the underfloor space, the panels have an upwardly convex shape and a number of openings are provided near the top of the panels at equal distances in the longitudinal direction, and heat is transferred to the floor panels by the heating and cooling fluid flowing from the supply side flow path through the openings into the return side flow path.

[0008] The heating and cooling system described in claim 2 of the present application is characterized in that, in the heating and cooling system of claim 1, a connecting protrusion extending in the longitudinal direction is provided on the top of the panel, and a receiving portion made of an elastic material extending in the longitudinal direction is provided at a corresponding location on the underside of the floor board, and the connecting protrusion is fitted into a groove of the receiving portion.

[0009] The heating and cooling system described in claim 3 of the present application, which is installed in a building having an underfloor space surrounded by a floor slab, floor panels and surrounding walls, is characterized in that the underfloor space is divided into a supply side flow path that supplies heating and cooling fluid and a return side flow path that recovers the heating and cooling fluid by a plurality of panels arranged parallel to each other at intervals within the underfloor space, the panels are formed by vertically extending plates, and a number of openings are provided at the top of the panels at equal distances apart in the longitudinal direction, and heat is transferred to the floor panels by the heating and cooling fluid flowing from the supply side flow path through the openings into the return side flow path.

[0010] The heating and cooling system described in claim 4 of the present application is characterized in that, in the heating and cooling system of claim 3, a connecting protrusion extending in the longitudinal direction is provided at a portion of the top of the panel where no opening is provided, and a receiving portion made of an elastic material extending in the longitudinal direction is provided at a corresponding portion on the underside of the floorboard, and the connecting protrusion is fitted into a groove of the receiving portion.

[0011] The heating and cooling system described in claim 5 of the present application is characterized in that, in the heating and cooling system of any one of claims 1 to 4, the heating and cooling fluid that flows out of the underfloor space from the return side flow path is configured to flow into a living room located above the floorboard. Effect of the Invention

[0012] According to the heating and cooling system of the present invention, by dividing the underfloor space 12 by the panels 20, the heating and cooling fluid can be circulated evenly in the underfloor space 12, thereby reducing temperature unevenness. In the first embodiment, the underfloor space 12 is divided into a supply side flow path 22 and a return side flow path 24 by the panels 20 having an upwardly convex shape and an opening 20b provided near the top 20a, so that the heating and cooling fluid can be sprayed upward from a close distance toward the underside of the floorboard 12b, thereby efficiently transferring heat to the floorboard 12b. In the second embodiment, the underfloor space 12 is divided into a supply side flow path 22 and a return side flow path 24 by the plate-shaped panels 40 having a large number of openings 40a provided at the upper edge, so that the heating and cooling fluid can be diffused along the underside of the floorboard 12b, thereby efficiently transferring heat to the floorboard 12b.

[0013] In addition, by providing connecting protrusions 20d, 40c on the tops of the panels 20, 40 and fitting the connecting protrusions 20d, 40c into the grooves of the receiving portions 12b1 on the underside of the floor board 12b, it is possible to ensure airtightness, prevent the floor board 12b from squeaking, and avoid the need to place unnecessary support members in the underfloor space 12 by indirectly supporting the floor board 12b with the panels.

[0014] Furthermore, by allowing the heating and cooling fluid that has flowed out of the underfloor space 12 from the return side flow path 24 to flow into the living space 28 located above the floorboard 12b, heat transfer by convection can be utilized in addition to heat transfer by radiation, thereby providing an even more efficient heating and cooling environment. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] FIG. 1(a) is a partially cutaway perspective view showing the underfloor space in which the main parts of a heating and cooling system according to a first embodiment of the present invention are installed, and FIG. 1(b) is an enlarged view of portion 1b of FIG. 1(a). [Diagram 2] FIG. 2(a) is a perspective view showing the state in which the floorboards and panels in FIG. 1(a) have been removed, and FIG. 2(b) is an enlarged view of a portion 2b in FIG. 2(a), showing the support legs. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the heating and cooling system of FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 in FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5(a) is a perspective view of a panel according to the first embodiment, FIG. 5(b) is a cross-sectional view of the panel of FIG. 5(a), and FIG. 5(c) is a plan view of the panel of FIG. 5(a). [Figure 6] FIG. 6(a) is an enlarged view of a portion 6a in FIG. 4, FIGS. 6(b) and 6(c) are views showing modified examples of the connecting protrusion, and FIG. 6(d) is an enlarged view of a portion 6d in FIG. 6(a). [Figure 7] 11 is a series of diagrams illustrating another configuration of the panel. [Figure 8] FIG. 8(a) is a perspective view of a panel according to the second embodiment, FIG. 8(b) is a cross-sectional view of the panel of FIG. 8(a), and FIG. 8(c) is a plan view of the panel of FIG. 8(a). [Figure 9] Figure 9(a) is a view similar to Figure 6(a) showing a heating and cooling system relating to the second embodiment, Figure 9(b) is a view similar to Figure 6(a) showing a heating and cooling system relating to a modified example of the second embodiment, and Figure 9(c) is a view taken along line 9c-9c in Figure 9(b). DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0016] (First embodiment) Next, a heating and cooling system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1(a) is a partially cutaway perspective view showing an underfloor space in which the main parts of the heating and cooling system according to the first embodiment of the present invention are installed, Fig. 3 is a plan view of the heating and cooling system of Fig. 1(a), and Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 1(a).

[0017] A cooling and heating system according to a first embodiment of the present invention, generally designated by reference numeral 10 in FIG. 1(a), includes an underfloor space 12 installed under the floor of a room .

[0018] The underfloor space 12 is a space surrounded by a floor slab 12a, a floor plate 12b, and a surrounding wall 12c, and the floor slab 12a is supported by a plurality of support legs 14 arranged at a predetermined interval. FIG. 2(a) is a perspective view showing a state in which the floor plate 12b and the panel 20 are removed from FIG. 1(a) in order to clearly show the underfloor space 12. The support legs 14 shown in FIG. 2(b) are configured to be raised and lowered by rotating as shown by the arrows, and the height can be adjusted, but other types of support legs may be used as long as they have a similar function. The end walls 16a and 18a shown in FIG. 2(a) are used to form a supply side flow path 22 and a return side flow path 24, which will be described later.

[0019] The end wall 16a is spaced from one of the surrounding walls 12c by a predetermined distance L, and the end wall 18a is also spaced from the other surrounding wall 12c by a predetermined distance L (see FIG. 2(a)). The space between the end wall 16a and one of the surrounding walls 12c serves as an inflow path 16 for the cooling and heating fluid, and the space between the end wall 18a and the other surrounding wall 12c serves as an outflow path 18 for the cooling and heating fluid.

[0020] The heating and cooling system 10 also includes a panel 20 disposed within the underfloor space 12. The panel 20 has a length substantially equal to the distance X from the end wall 16a to the end wall 18a, and has a cross-sectional shape formed into an upwardly convex shape.

[0021] FIG. 5(a) is a perspective view of the panel 20, FIG. 5(b) is a cross-sectional view of the panel 20, and FIG. 5(c) is a plan view of the panel 20. The panel 20 has a number of openings 20b spaced at equal intervals in the longitudinal direction near a top 20a described later. Preferably, the openings 20b are provided at positions within 0.2H below the top 20a (H: height of the panel 20) as shown in FIG. 5(b). More preferably, the openings 20b are provided at positions within 0.1H below the top 20a. The openings 20b are provided at such positions in order to spray the cooling / heating fluid upward from a close distance toward the underside of the floorboard 12b.

[0022] As shown in Fig. 5(a), the panel 20 is formed by bending a single elongated plate material in one direction at two parallel points near the center to form a trapezoidal top 20a, and bending both edges of the plate material in opposite directions to form flanges 20c. Alternatively, a single elongated plate material may be bent in one direction at two points near the center to form a trapezoidal top 20a, and separate flanges may be attached to both edges of the plate material by an appropriate method. The plate material forming the panel 20 may be one having substantially the same length as the distance X, or one shorter than the distance X may be joined by an appropriate method to form a plate material having substantially the same length as X.

[0023] A connecting protrusion 20d extending in the longitudinal direction is provided on the top 20a of the panel 20. Meanwhile, a receiving portion 12b1 made of an elastic material (e.g., rubber) extending in the longitudinal direction is provided on the corresponding portion of the underside of the floorboard 12b. When installing the floorboard 12b, the flange 20c of the panel 20 is screwed to the floor slab 12a with the connecting protrusion 20d fitted into the groove of the receiving portion 12b1. Alternatively, after fixing the panel 20 to the floor slab 12a, the floorboard 12b is installed with the connecting protrusion 20d of the panel fitted into the groove of the receiving portion 12b1.

[0024] The panel 20 is formed of a suitable material such as a metal material, a synthetic resin material, etc. The connecting projection 20d is also formed of a suitable material such as a metal material, a synthetic resin material, etc., and is attached to the top portion 20a of the panel 20 by a suitable method such as welding or adhesive.

[0025] Fig. 6(a) is an enlarged view of portion 6a in Fig. 4 (part of end wall 16a is cut away to clearly show return-side flow path 24), showing the state in which connecting projection 20d and receiving portion 12b1 are fitted together. By configuring the connecting portion between panel 20 and floorboard 12b in this way, airtightness of supply-side flow path 22 and return-side flow path 24, which will be described later, is ensured, which has the effect of enabling good heat transfer of the cooling / heating fluid to floorboard 12b. In addition, since floorboard 12b is elastically supported by panel 20 (in other words, receiving portion 12b1 made of elastic material serves as a kind of cushioning material), it has the effect of minimizing floor creaking caused by the load acting on floorboard 12b. Furthermore, since the floor plate 12b is indirectly supported on the panel 20 via the receiving portion 12b and the connecting protrusion 20c, there is no need to place extra support members in the underfloor space 12 that would hinder the flow of heating and cooling fluid, which also has the effect of further improving heat transfer of the heating and cooling fluid to the floor plate 12b.

[0026] 6(b) and 6(c) are diagrams showing modified examples of the connecting protrusion 20c. The shapes of the connecting protrusion 20c shown in Figs. 6(a) to 6(c) are illustrative, and other shapes may be adopted as long as they can reliably engage with the receiving portion 12b. Fig. 6(d) is an enlarged view of a portion 6d in Fig. 6(a). In the example shown in Fig. 6(d), the support leg 14 supports the floor plate 12b via the spacer 14a, but the spacer 14a may be omitted and the floor plate 12b may be directly supported.

[0027] The panel 20 shown in Fig. 5 has a trapezoidal cross-sectional shape as a whole, but other shapes may be adopted as long as the cross-sectional shape is an upwardly convex shape. Fig. 7 is a series of diagrams showing panels of other shapes. That is, Fig. 7(a) has a triangular cross-sectional shape, Fig. 7(b) has a cross-sectional shape of the upper half of a regular polygon (a regular dodecagon is shown), Fig. 7(c) has a circular arc cross-sectional shape, and Fig. 7(d) has an elliptical arc cross-sectional shape, all of which are upwardly convex shapes. The reason why the panel 20 has an upwardly convex cross-sectional shape is that it is suitable for forming a connection part with the floor plate 12b as described above, and that it is suitable for providing an opening for spraying the cooling and heating fluid upward from a close distance toward the underside of the floor plate 12b.

[0028] By arranging the panels 20 inside the under-floor space 12 , the under-floor space 12 is divided into a supply-side flow passage 22 and a return-side flow passage 24 adjacent to the supply-side flow passage 22 .

[0029] In addition, each of the inlet passage 16 and the return side passage 24 is closed by an end wall 16a, as best shown in FIG. 1(b), which is an enlarged view of portion 1b of FIG. 1(a), and each of the outlet passage 18 and the supply side passage 22 is closed by an end wall 18a (see FIG. 2(a)).

[0030] With the above configuration, the inlet passage 16 is fluidly connected to the outlet passage 18 via the supply side passage 22, the opening 20c of the panel 20, and then the return side passage 24.

[0031] 4, the outflow passage 18 preferably communicates with a living room 28 located above the floorboard 12b via a living room inflow passage 26, and a living room outflow passage 30 extending from the living room 28 is connected to the inflow passage 16. This forms a circulation passage for the cooling and heating fluid from the inflow passage 16 through the supply side passage 22, the opening 20b of the panel 20, the return side passage 24, the outflow passage 18, the living room inflow passage 26, the living room 28, and the living room outflow passage 30. A pump for circulating the fluid and a cooling and heating fluid source (neither shown) for supplying the cooling and heating fluid are installed in the circulation passage.

[0032] Next, referring mainly to FIG. 4, the operation of the cooling and heating system 10 configured as above will be described using the heating example. First, a heating fluid (for example, hot air) is supplied to the inflow passage 16. The hot air flows from the inflow passage 16 into the supply side passage 22, and flows into the return side passage 24 through the opening 20b of the panel 20. At this time, since the opening 20c is provided near the top 20a of the panel 20, the hot air is sprayed upward toward the underside of the floorboard 12b (see the white arrow in FIG. 6(a)), so that heat transfer to the floorboard 12b is more efficient. The living room 28 is heated by radiation due to the heat transferred to the floorboard 12b. Meanwhile, the hot air that flows into the return side passage 24 flows into the living room 28 from the outflow passage 18 via the living room inflow passage 26. The living room 28 is heated by convection in the living room 28 caused by the hot air that flows into the living room 28. The warm air is then returned to the inlet passage 16 via the room outlet passage 30. In this manner, the heating fluid is circulated, so that the room 28 can be heated efficiently.

[0033] The operation in the cooling case is similar to that in the heating case described above, except that a cooling fluid (eg, cold air) is supplied instead of a heating fluid.

[0034] Second embodiment In the first embodiment, a panel 20 having a cross-sectional shape shaped to be convex upward is used, whereas the second embodiment has substantially the same configuration as the first embodiment, except that a plate-shaped panel 40 is used.

[0035] FIG. 8(a) is a perspective view of a panel 40 used in the second embodiment, FIG. 8(b) is a cross-sectional view of the panel 40, and FIG. 8(c) is a plan view of the panel 40. The panel 40 has a number of openings, i.e., notches 40a, spaced at equal distances in the longitudinal direction at its upper edge. In the panel 20 used in the first embodiment, the openings 20b are provided at positions where the cooling / heating fluid is sprayed upward from close range toward the underside of the floorboard 12b, while in the panel 40 used in the second embodiment, the openings 40a are provided at positions where the cooling / heating fluid is diffused along the underside of the floorboard 12b (see the white arrows in FIG. 9(a) and FIG. 9(b)). Both types of panels 20 and 40 can be expected to provide good heat transfer to the floorboard 12b.

[0036] A flange 40b is provided on the lower edge of the panel 40, and the panel 40 is fixed in place by screwing the flange 40b to the floor slab 12a. A connecting protrusion 40c is provided on the upper edge of the panel 40 except for the portion where the opening, i.e., the notch 20b, is provided, and the connecting protrusion 40c is configured to be fitted into a receiving portion 12b1 made of an elastic material (e.g., rubber) provided at a corresponding portion on the underside of the floor plate 12b. By configuring the connecting portion between the panel 40 and the floor plate 12b in this way, it is possible to obtain the effects of ensuring airtightness of the supply side flow path 22 and the return side flow path 24, elastically supporting the floor plate 12b by the panel 40, and indirectly supporting the floor plate 12b by the panel 40, as in the case of the panel 20.

[0037] FIG. 9(a) is a view similar to FIG. 6(a) showing a heating and cooling system according to the second embodiment, and FIG. 9(b) is a view similar to FIG. 6(a) showing a heating and cooling system according to a modified example of the second embodiment (in FIGS. 9(a) and 9(b), a part of the end wall 16a is shown cut away to clearly show the inflow of the heating and cooling fluid into the return side flow path 24). The only difference between the configuration of FIG. 9(a) and the configuration of FIG. 9(b) is the installation position of the support leg 14 (i.e., in the configuration of FIG. 9(a), the support leg 14 is arranged in the supply side flow path 22, but in the configuration of FIG. 9(b), the support leg 14 is arranged in the return side flow path 24).

[0038] In addition, since the cross-sectional shapes of the supply side flow path 22 and the return side flow path 24 in the second embodiment are different from the cross-sectional shapes of the supply side flow path 22 and the return side flow path 24 in the first embodiment, the shape of the end wall 16a closing the inlet path 16 and the return side flow path 24, and the shape of the end wall 18a closing the outlet path 18 and the supply side flow path 22 are also different from the shapes of the end walls 16a, 18a in the first embodiment.

[0039] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments of the invention, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention described in the claims, and it goes without saying that these modifications are also included within the scope of the present invention.

[0040] For example, the detailed shapes of the panels 20, 40 shown are illustrative and not limiting. [Explanation of symbols]

[0041] 10. Heating and Cooling Systems 12 Underfloor space 12a Floor slab 12b floorboard 12b1 Receiving part 12c Perimeter wall 14 Support legs 14a Spacer 16 Inflow channel 16a End wall 18 Outflow channel 18a End wall 20 Panel (first embodiment) 20a top 20b opening 20c flange 20d connecting protrusion 22 Supply side flow path 24 Return flow path 26 Room inflow channel 28 Room 30 Living room outflow path 40 Panel (Second embodiment) 40a opening 40b flange 40c connection protrusion

Claims

1. In a heating and cooling system installed in a building having a floor space surrounded by a floor slab, a floor plate, and a surrounding wall, The underfloor space is divided into a supply-side flow path that supplies a cooling / heating fluid and a return-side flow path that recovers the cooling / heating fluid by a plurality of panels that are arranged in parallel at intervals in the underfloor space, The panel has an upwardly convex shape, and a number of openings are provided near the top of the panel at equal distances in the longitudinal direction, A heating and cooling system characterized in that heat is transferred to the floor panel by the heating and cooling fluid flowing from the supply side flow path through the opening and into the return side flow path.

2. The heating and cooling system described in claim 1, characterized in that a connecting protrusion extending in the longitudinal direction is provided on the top of the panel, a receiving portion made of elastic material extending in the longitudinal direction is provided at a corresponding location on the underside of the floor board, and the connecting protrusion is fitted into a groove of the receiving portion.

3. In a heating and cooling system installed in a building having a floor space surrounded by a floor slab, a floor plate, and a surrounding wall, The underfloor space is divided into a supply-side flow path that supplies a cooling / heating fluid and a return-side flow path that recovers the cooling / heating fluid by a plurality of panels that are arranged in parallel at intervals within the underfloor space, the panel being formed by a vertically extending plate having a number of openings at the top of the panel equidistantly spaced apart along the length of the panel; A heating and cooling system characterized in that heat is transferred to the floor panel by the heating and cooling fluid flowing from the supply side flow path through the opening and into the return side flow path.

4. The heating and cooling system described in claim 3, characterized in that a connecting protrusion extending in the longitudinal direction is provided at a portion of the top of the panel where the opening is not provided, a receiving portion made of elastic material extending in the longitudinal direction is provided at a corresponding portion of the underside of the floor board, and the connecting protrusion is fitted into a groove of the receiving portion.

5. The heating and cooling system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the heating and cooling fluid that flows out of the underfloor space from the return side flow path is caused to flow into a room located above the floorboard.

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