Self-Supporting Graphite Composite Panel for Radiant HVAC
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing composite components for air conditioning devices in buildings are complex and costly to produce, requiring additional stiffening frames for stability, which increases weight and complexity.
Innovation Solution
A composite component design featuring a self-supporting structure with a heat-conducting plate and a carrier plate of U-shaped cross-section, where the carrier plate's legs encompass the heat-conducting plate, eliminating the need for external frames by providing inherent rigidity and allowing direct attachment to building surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If additional stiffening frames are used to ensure stability, then structural rigidity is improved, but device complexity and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The carrier plate is integrated directly into the composite component, merging the support function with the main structure. The U-shaped cross-section of the carrier plate provides inherent rigidity without requiring separate stiffening frames, thus reducing device complexity while maintaining structural stability
Solution Approach 2:
The carrier plate employs a U-shaped cross-section geometry that utilizes three-dimensional structural efficiency. This dimensional design provides high rigidity-to-weight ratio, eliminating the need for additional frames while maintaining structural integrity
2Stability of the object's composition
If additional stiffening frames are used to ensure stability, then structural rigidity is improved, but weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The carrier plate is integrated directly into the composite component, merging the support function with the main structure. This eliminates the need for separate stiffening frames, thereby reducing overall weight while maintaining structural rigidity
Solution Approach 2:
The thin-walled U-shaped carrier plate structure provides high strength-to-weight ratio. The optimized wall thickness and geometric shape deliver sufficient rigidity without requiring heavy materials or additional framing, thus minimizing weight
3Ease of manufacture
If the composite component is designed to be inherently rigid and self-supporting, then ease of manufacture is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The composite component is divided into distinct functional elements (heat-conducting plate, carrier plate, insulation layer) that can be manufactured separately and then assembled. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific manufacturing process while maintaining overall precision requirements
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
The design simplifies and cost-reduces production, achieves high dimensional stability, and enhances heat transfer efficiency through the use of expanded graphite layers, while minimizing material and weight, allowing for efficient air conditioning without additional stiffening elements.
Implementation Method 1
at least one thermally conductive plate containing expanded graphite
Implementation Method 2
the at least one heat-conducting plate and the at least one carrier plate are bonded to one another at contact surfaces
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
The invention relates to a composite component (1) for a floor, wall or ceiling air conditioning device of a building, comprising at least one pipe (2) provided for the flow of a liquid heat transfer medium, which is received with at least a part of its cross-section in at least one heat conduction plate (10) containing graphite expanded material.The invention provides that the composite component is designed as a inherently rigid and self-supporting structure consisting of at least one heat-conducting plate (10) and at least one supporting plate (4) made of one or more materials not containing graphite expanded clay, wherein the supporting plate (4) has a U-shaped cross-section with legs (15) which at least partially surround the heat-conducting plate (10) at its side surfaces (14) and the at least one heat-conducting plate (10) and the at least one supporting plate (4) are materially bonded to each other at contact surfaces (8, 11) which at least partially encompass the legs (15) of the supporting plate (4) and the side surfaces (14) of the heat-conducting plate (10).