A heat energy system for heating or maintaining thermal balance in the interiors of buildings or building parts
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional solar heat energy systems for buildings are limited to one-way energy transfer, unable to balance thermal energy within the building by dissipating heat surplus, leading to temperature differences and inefficient energy use.
Innovation Solution
A thermal energy system that connects heat gaining and losing surfaces through a network of thin containers filled with a fluid medium, allowing heat transfer between these surfaces to maintain thermal balance, with the option to store excess heat for later use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If conventional solar heat energy systems are used with separate heating and cooling systems, then heating function is provided, but temperature balance cannot be maintained and energy efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines heating and cooling functions into a single integrated thermal energy system. Thin containers filled with fluid medium are installed in building surfaces to collect solar heat, which then automatically distributes to both heating surfaces (radiators, floor heating) and cooling surfaces (chillers, cooling panels) through a unified fluid circulation network, eliminating the need for separate systems and maintaining temperature balance throughout the building.
Solution Approach 2:
The thermal energy system performs multiple functions simultaneously: it collects solar heat energy, stores thermal energy in the fluid medium, distributes heat to heating surfaces, and provides cooling to cooling surfaces. The same fluid circulation system serves both heating and cooling demands, making the system universal and highly efficient in maintaining indoor temperature balance.
2Use of energy by moving object
If thin containers filled with fluid medium are installed in building surfaces, then solar heat collection is enhanced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses thin containers (flexible shells) filled with fluid medium that can be installed directly into building surfaces such as walls, roofs, and floors. These thin containers have large surface area to volume ratio, enabling efficient solar heat collection while occupying minimal space and integrating seamlessly with the building structure, thus enhancing heat collection without significantly increasing system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs a fluid medium (hydraulic system) to transfer thermal energy throughout the building. The fluid circulates through the thin containers to absorb solar heat, then distributes the thermal energy to heating and cooling surfaces through pipes and valves. This hydraulic approach simplifies the overall system by using a single fluid circulation network for multiple functions rather than requiring separate mechanical systems for each thermal demand.
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 system effectively balances indoor temperatures by transferring heat from warm areas to cold areas, reducing energy consumption and enabling efficient use of solar heat, both in heating and cooling applications.
Implementation Method 1
The containers (15) are made by a heat and light conducting material... the heat energy system works by the fluid infill absorbing and storing the heat energy from the sun and by forwarding it to the heating or cooling surfaces
Implementation Method 2
the fluid infill absorbing and storing the heat energy from the sun and by forwarding it to the heating or cooling surfaces
Implementation Method 3
a transparent or translucent insulation layer (41) is placed on the external side of the containers (15)
Implementation Method 4
the fluid infill absorbing and storing the heat energy from the sun
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
A heat energy system which can be used to heat or maintain thermal balance in the interiors of buildings or buildings parts. According the invention there are containers built near and/or instead of surrounding surfaces of a room: of upper and lower surrounding surfaces to at least certain extent, and at least two parts of opposite side surrounding surfaces; and the neighboring containers are connected, and all containers define one closed fluid volume which is filled with heat transporting fluid. The typical layout of the invention is shown in