System and method for removing moisture in a building structure

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system (1) for removing moisture in a building structure (10) The system comprises a building structure (10) being a floor structure or a wall structure of a building; at least one channel (12) arranged inside the building structure, wherein the at least one channel (12) is permeable to moisture; and a ventilation arrangement (20) configured to supply a flow of a gaseous medium through said at least one channel (12) to remove moisture from the building structure through the at least one channel. The invention further relates to a method (100) for manufacturing a building structure (10).

Description

[0001] SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR REMOVING MOISTURE IN A BUILDING

[0002] STRUCTURE

[0003] Technical Field

[0004] The present disclosure relates to a system and a method for removing moisture in a building structure.

[0005] Background

[0006] Building structures, such as floor structures or wall structures, of buildings are traditionally formed by concrete casted in a mold, followed by a drying process using e.g. fans and heating elements. The drying and curing may take long time.

[0007] A prefabricated dried concrete ground plate would solve problems concerning drying and curing on site, but may be difficult to arrange for some kinds of building structures.

[0008] Consequently, there is a need for a facilitated way of forming a building structure regarding time and effectiveness when it comes to drying, curing and construction.

[0009] Summary

[0010] It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved solution that alleviates the mentioned drawbacks with present devices. Furthermore, it is an object to provide a way of drying building structures in an efficient and environmentally friendly way.

[0011] The invention is defined by the appended independent claims, with embodiments being set forth in the appended dependent claims, in the following description and in the drawings.

[0012] According to a first aspect of the invention a system for removing moisture in a building structure is provided. The system comprises a building structure being a floor structure or a wall structure of a building, wherein the building structure is made of concrete, cement or clay, or a mixture thereof, or a material with characteristics similar to concrete, cement or clay; at least one channel arranged inside the building structure, wherein the at least one channel is permeable to moisture; and a ventilation arrangement configured to supply a flow of a gaseous medium through said at least one channel to remove moisture from the building structure through the at least one channel, wherein the building structure is casted with the at least one channel inside such that the at least one channel is enclosed by the material of the building structure.

[0013] By having the moisture permeable channel provided inside the building structure, moisture can effectively be ventilated out of the building structure. The ventilation arrangement may provide an airing function for ventilating the building structure. The building structure may be formed out of a material with a high water content level at an initial stage after formation. Such material may for instance be concrete, cement, or clay, or a mixture thereof. It may also be material with similar characteristics as concrete, cement or clay. The material of the building structure may further comprise one or more binders. Examples of binders may be fly ash binder, coal-based binder, slag, or recycled lime residue products.

[0014] There is a high value in making the drying process as efficient as possible. By supplying a flow of gaseous medium through the at least one channel, moisture from the wet material of the building structure may enter the channel and be transported out of the channel.

[0015] The building structure may be a building structure formed at a construction site of a building, and the ventilation arrangement may be configured to remove moisture from the building structure at the construction site. The building structure may then be dried during construction of the building. The building structure may be casted in a mold at the construction site. Alternatively, the building structure may be a prefabricated building structure formed at a facility for prefabrication of building structures. The ventilation arrangement may be configured to dry the building structure at said facility. The dried prefabricated building structure may then be used at a construction site for a building.

[0016] The at least one channel may comprise at least one input in fluid connection with the ventilation arrangement. The at least one channel may be configured to absorb moisture to be transported out of the building structure. If the building structure comprises a plurality, e.g. two, three, four or more, channels, each channel may have an inlet in fluid connection with the ventilation arrangement, and an outlet through which the flow of gaseous medium exits the building structure. Each channel may have an individual inlet and an individual outlet. In some embodiment, each of a plurality of channels may an individual inlet in fluid connection with the ventilation arrangement, but a common outlet of the building structure by joining to a common channel section inside the building structure.

[0017] The building structure may be a floor structure in a building, or a wall structure in a building. The floor or wall structure may be an external or internal structure in a building.

[0018] The at least one channel may be permeable to moisture but not to the material of the building structure. The at least one channel may further be permeable to water. The at least one channel may be formed of for instance plastics, rubber, or metal. The at least one channel may be perforated in order to be permeable to moisture and / or water, but not to the material of the building structure. The at least one channel may be made of a mesh formed material. The at least one channel may be formed of a hose permeable to moisture and / or water, such as a drip hose or an injection hose.

[0019] The building structure may be formed by casting, with the at least one channel inside. The building structure may be formed in a mold, and the at least one channel may be arranged in the mold prior to filling the mold with the material of the building structure.

[0020] The at least one channel may be filled with a granulate material. The granulate material may prevent that the permeability to moisture of the channel is reduced in a too large extent due to for instance the material of the building structure reaching into the channel. This may in particular be a problem with channels of a small dimension which may suffer from a reduced flow of the gaseous medium. The granulate material may be a non-organic granulate material, such as gravel, foam glass, lightweight-expanded aggregate, pumice, macadam, sand or the like. The whole at least one channel may be filled with the granulate material.

[0021] The at least one channel may have a diameter of between 10-120 mm, preferably between 20-50 mm, more preferably between 30-40 mm. The size of the at least one channel may depend on the thickness of the building structure. The size of the at least one channel may be selected based on thickness of the building structure, the level of moisture to be ventilated out of the building structure, and / or the strength of the final building structure.

[0022] The building structure may have a thickness, and the at least one channel may be arranged in a central location along the direction of said thickness inside the building structure. The at least one channel may be arranged symmetrically along the direction of the thickness of the building structure. The placement of the at least one channel inside the building structure may be selected to optimize the at least one channel’s ability to receive and transport moisture in the building structure.

[0023] The at least one channel may comprise channels in at least two layers inside the building structure. Each layer of channel may be arranged in a plane inside the building structure. Each plane may be in parallel with an outer surface of the building structure. The two or more planes may be in parallel with each other. The plane may be symmetrically distributed inside the building structure, along a direction of a thickness of the building structure. The channels of two adjacent layers may be arranged such that they are above and below each other along the direction of the thickness of the building structure. Alternatively, the channels of adjacent layers may be arranged offset each other. The channels in the layers may be arranged to optimize the coverage inside the building structure, to improve the moisture removal from the building structure.

[0024] The gaseous medium may be air. Other gaseous medium with similar characteristics for transporting moisture through the at least one channel may be used.

[0025] The ventilation arrangement may control the flow of gaseous medium through the at least one channel in terms of one or more of flow rate, relative humidity, pressure, temperature, or the like. The relative humidity of the gaseous medium supplied to the at least one channel may be between 0-50%, preferably between 0- 40%, or between 0-30%. The temperature of the gaseous medium supplied to the at least one channel may be between 0-45 degrees Celsius, preferably between 15-40 degrees Celsius. The flow rate of the gaseous medium supplied to the at least one channel may be between 1-5 m / s.

[0026] The ventilation arrangement may be configured to control the flow of gaseous medium through the at least one channel based on a detected parameter of the gaseous medium at an outlet of the at least one channel. The system may comprise a sensor unit at the outlet of the at least one channel. The sensor unit may be configured to detect at least the parameter of the gaseous medium. The parameter may be one or more of temperature or humidity of the gaseous medium leaving the at least one channel at the outlet. The ventilation arrangement may be configured to control the flow of gaseous medium through the at least one channel based on the measurement of the parameter by sensor unit. The ventilation arrangement may be configured to control one or more of the parameters of the flow of gaseous medium as discussed above.

[0027] The ventilation arrangement may comprise a control unit configured to receive information of the detection made by the sensor unit, and / or to control the flow of gaseous medium through the at least one channel. Controlling the flow of gaseous medium may comprises adjusting the temperature, humidity, flow rate and / or pressure of the flow of gaseous medium in response to the detected parameter by the sensor unit.

[0028] According to a second aspect of the present invention, a method of manufacturing a building structure being a floor structure or a wall structure for a building is provided. The method comprises the steps of arranging at least one channel permeable for moisture in a casting mold for the building structure; casting the building structure in said mold such that the at least one channel (12) is enclosed by the material of the building structure (10), wherein the material of the building structure is concrete, cement or clay, or a mixture thereof, or a material with characteristics similar to concrete, cement or clay; ventilating, by a ventilation arrangement, the building structure by generating a flow of gaseous medium through the at least one channel to remove moisture in the building structure.

[0029] The step of ventilating the building structure may comprise controlling the flow of gaseous medium through the at least one channel based on a detected parameter of the gaseous medium at an outlet of the at least one channel.

[0030] The mold may be a mold formed at a construction site for a building where the building structure is to be used. Alternatively, the mold may be a mold for a prefabrication of the building structure at a manufacturing facility for prefabricated building structures.

[0031] The method may comprise features corresponding to the features of the system according to any of the embodiments described herein.

[0032] The building structure may be a building structure as in the system according to any one of the embodiments herein.

[0033] Brief Description of the Drawings

[0034] The invention will in the following be described in more detail with reference to the enclosed drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 shows a cross-sectional view of a building structure in a system according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0035] Fig. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of a building structure according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0036] Fig. 3 shows a top view of a building structure mold in a system according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0037] Fig. 4 shows a top view of a building structure in a system according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0038] Fig. 5a shows a cross-sectional view of a building structure in a system according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0039] Fig. 5b shows a cross-sectional view of a building structure in a system according to an embodiment of the invention; and

[0040] Fig. 6 shows a flow chart of a method according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0041] Description of Embodiments

[0042] The present invention will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. In the drawings, like numbers refer to like elements.

[0043] Fig. 1 illustrates a system 1 with a cross-section of a building structure 10 according to an embodiment. The building structure 10 comprises a channel 12 extending in a pattern inside the building structure 10. Alternatively, the building structure 10 may comprises a plurality of channels 12 extending inside the building structure 10, at different portions of the building structure 10. The plurality of channels 12 may be interconnected in a pattern, such as in a cross pattern, to cover different portions of the building structure 10.

[0044] The system 1 further comprises a ventilation arrangement 20. The ventilation is in fluid connection with the channel 12 and configured to supply a flow of gaseous medium, e.g. air, into the channel 12. The channel 12 is permeable to moisture 2, as further illustrated in fig. 2. When the flow of gaseous medium is supplied in the channel 12, moisture 2 in the building structure 10 may reach inside the channel 12 and be transported out of the building structure 10 by the gaseous medium.

[0045] As further seen in fig. 2, the building structure 10 may have a thickness T1 . The channel 12 may be arranged symmetrically in the thickness direction inside the building structure 10. This may provide an efficient moisture extraction from the building structure 10.

[0046] The building structure 10 may be formed by casting the building structure 10 in a mold 30, as illustrated in fig. 3. Before casting the building structure, by e.g. concrete, cement or clay, the channel 12 is arranged in the mold 30. The channel 12 may be permeable to moisture, and optionally to water, but not to the material of the building structure 10.

[0047] The channel 12 may have an inlet 14 and an outlet 15. The inlet 14 is configured to be coupled to the ventilation arrangement 20. When arranged in the mold 30 prior to casting, the channel 12 may be disconnected from the ventilation arrangement 20.

[0048] When the building structure 10 is casted in the mold 30, the channel becomes enclosed within the material of the building structure 10, as illustrated in fig. 4. The ventilation of the building structure 10 by supplying a flow of gaseous medium through the channel 12 by the ventilation arrangement 20 may then be initiated. Moisture 2 reaching the channel 12 by means of the permeability of the channel 12 may then be transported through the channel 12 and out through the outlet 15. The wet material of the casted building structure 10 may thereby be efficiently dried.

[0049] Fig. 5 illustrates an embodiment wherein the building structure 10 comprises two layers of channel 12. The two layers may be symmetrically distributed along the direction of the thickness T1 of the building structure 10. The two layers of channel 12 may be interconnected to form one consecutive channel, or two separate channels 12, independently in fluid connection with the ventilation arrangement 20. If being two separate channels 12, they may have individual inputs and outputs, each functioning correspondingly as to embodiments comprising one single channel 12. In the illustrated embodiment, the two layers of channels 12 are arranged such that, when seen in cross-section as in fig. 5, channels 12 of the two layers are straight above and below each other along the direction of the thickness T1 of the building structure 10. In other embodiments, the channel 12 of one layer may be offset the channel of the other layer.

[0050] Fig. 6 illustrates a flowchart of a method 100 of manufacturing a building structure 10 according to an embodiment of the invention. At least one channel 12 is arranged 102 in a casting mold 30 for the building structure 10. The at least one channel 12 is permeable to moisture 2. Further, the mold 30 is filled with the material of the building structure 10 to cast 104 the building structure 10. To dry the material of the casted building structure 10, a step of ventilating 106, by means of a ventilation arrangement, the building structure 10 is performed. The ventilation 106 is provided by generating a flow of gaseous medium, e.g. air, through the at least one channel 12 to remove moisture in the building structure 10.

[0051] The method 100 and the step of ventilating 106 the building structure 10 may further comprise a step of controlling the flow of gaseous medium through the channel 12 based on a detected parameter of the gaseous medium at the outlet 15 of the at least one channel 12

[0052] In the drawings and specification, there have been disclosed preferred embodiments and examples of the invention and, although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for the purpose of limitation, the scope of the invention being set forth in the following claims.

Claims

CLAIMS1. System (1) for removing moisture in a building structure (10), the system comprising a building structure (10) being a floor structure or a wall structure for a building, wherein the building structure is made of concrete, cement or clay, or a mixture thereof, or a material with characteristics similar to concrete, cement or clay; at least one channel (12) arranged inside the building structure, wherein the at least one channel (12) is permeable to moisture; a ventilation arrangement (20) configured to supply a flow of a gaseous medium through said at least one channel (12) to remove moisture from the building structure (10) through the at least one channel, wherein the building structure (10) is casted with the at least one channel (12) inside such that the at least one channel is enclosed by the material of the building structure (10).

2. The system (1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one channel (12) is permeable to moisture but not to the material of the building structure (10).

3. The system (1 ) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the at least one channel (12) is perforated.

4. The system (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one channel (12) is filled with a granulate material.

5. The system (1) according to claim 4, wherein the granulate material is a non-organic material, such as gravel, foam glass, lightweight-expanded aggregate, pumice, macadam, or sand.

6. The system (1 ) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one channel (12) has a diameter of between 10-120 mm, preferably between 20-50 mm, more preferably between 30-40 mm.

7. The system (1 ) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the building structure (10) has a thickness (T1 ), and the at least one channel (12) is arranged in a central location along the direction of said thickness inside the building structure (10).

8. The system (1 ) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the gaseous medium is air.

9. The system (1 ) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one channel (12) comprises channels in at least two layers inside the building structure (10).

10. The system (1 ) according to claim 9, wherein the at least two layers of channels in the building structure (10) are evenly distributed along a direction of a thickness (T1 ) of the building structure (10).11 . The system (1 ) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the ventilation arrangement (20) is configured to control the flow of gaseous medium through the at least one channel (12) based on a detected parameter of the gaseous medium at an outlet (15) of the at least one channel (12).

12. A method (100) of manufacturing a building structure (10) being a floor structure or a wall structure for a building, the method comprising the steps of arranging (102) at least one channel (12) permeable for moisture in a casting mold (30) for the building structure (10); casting (104) the building structure (10) in said mold (30) such that the at least one channel (12) is enclosed by the material of the building structure (10), wherein the material of the building structure is concrete, cement or clay, or a mixture thereof, or a material with characteristics similar to concrete, cement or clay; ventilating (106), by a ventilation arrangement (20), the building structure (10) by supplying a flow of gaseous medium through the at least one channel (12) to remove moisture in the building structure (10).

13. The method (100) according to claim 12, wherein the step of ventilating (106) the building structure (10) comprises controlling the flow of gaseous medium through the at least one channel (12) based on a detected parameter of the gaseous medium at an outlet (15) of the at least one channel (12).

14. The method (100) according to any one of the claims 12-13, wherein the building structure (10) is a building structure as in the system (1) according to any one of the claims 1-11.

Images