Dual-Conduit Trench Filling With Local Thermal Insulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
District heating and cooling systems face inefficiencies due to inadequate insulation for both heated and cooled conduits, leading to increased heat loss or gain, especially over long distances, and the existing insulation methods are not suitable for bidirectional thermal energy distribution systems.
Innovation Solution
A trench filling method where each conduit is surrounded by a different type of filling material with varying thermal conduction coefficients, allowing for customized insulation of conduits based on their temperature, enabling better thermal management and easier leak detection and repair.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If a single type of filling material is used to surround both conduits, then the construction is simple and cost-effective, but the thermal insulation performance is inadequate for both heated and cooled conduits simultaneously
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by using different filling materials with different thermal conduction coefficients for different conduits. Specifically, a first filling material with lower thermal conduction coefficient is used around the first conduit, while a second filling material with higher thermal conduction coefficient is used around the second conduit. This allows each conduit to have insulation properties tailored to its thermal requirements, optimizing heat loss prevention for both heated and cooled conduits simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the filling material into distinct sections around different conduits. The trench is divided such that each conduit is surrounded by its own specific filling material rather than using a uniform material throughout. This segmentation enables independent optimization of thermal properties for each conduit while maintaining separate insulation zones.
2Loss of energy
If conduits are insulated with traditional materials, then heat loss is reduced, but leak detection and repair become more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs color changes as a visual indicator system for leak detection. The filling materials are provided in different colors - the first filling material has a first color and the second filling material has a second color. When a leak occurs, the colored filling material becomes visible, allowing operators to easily detect the location and type of leak. This color-coding system maintains thermal insulation performance while dramatically improving leak detection capability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach reduces heat loss or gain by optimizing insulation for each conduit, allowing for efficient temperature control, easier maintenance, and the use of simpler and cheaper conduit materials, while enabling the conduits to be arranged in various configurations for better control and accessibility.
Implementation Method 1
the filling material of the first type has a first thermal conduction coefficient and the filling material of the second type has a second thermal conduction coefficient
Implementation Method 2
In order to reduce the heat losses, the conduits are insulated. This is done either by directly covering and surrounding the conduits with insulation
Implementation Method 3
This is done by choosing the filling material such that the friction between the conduits and the filling material is enough to absorb the axial thermal forces
Data Source
AI summary
A filled trench is disclosed. The filled trench comprises: a pair of conduits (3a, 3b) for delivering fluid with a different temperature in each of the conduits, the pair of conduits being surrounded by filling material; a first section (5a) filled with a filling material of a first type (4a), wherein the first filled section (5a) of the filled trench occupies a space surrounding a first conduit (3a) of the pair of conduits; and a second section (5b) filled with a filling material of a second type (4b), wherein the second filled section (5b) of the filled trench occupies a space surrounding a second conduit (3b) of the pair of conduits. The filling material of the first type (4a) has a first thermal conduction coefficient and the filling material of the second type (4b) has a second thermal conduction coefficient, the second thermal conduction coefficient being different from the first thermal conduction coefficient.