Foamed Glass Separating Ring in Mantle Stone Chimney Systems
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing chimney systems with double-walled mantle blocks experience significant 'cold bridges' due to heat-insulating inner walls and load-bearing outer jackets, leading to cooling issues when cold air flows over the building roof, which complicates the assembly of low-energy or 'passive houses'.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a thermally insulating separating ring made of foamed glass material within the mantle block, which acts as an integral part of the load-bearing structure, effectively creating a 'cold barrier' transverse to the chimney's longitudinal direction, eliminating the need for additional measures to prevent heat transfer at the building cover.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a double-walled mantle block with heat-insulating inner wall and load-bearing outer jacket is used, then thermal insulation performance is improved, but cold bridges occur leading to cooling issues in rooms
Solution Approach 1:
The mantle block is segmented into three distinct layers: an inner load-bearing wall, a middle heat-insulating layer, and an outer load-bearing jacket. This segmentation creates a thermal break that prevents cold bridges from forming through the entire wall structure, while maintaining both structural integrity and thermal insulation performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The mantle block uses a composite structure combining different materials with complementary properties: load-bearing materials (brick, concrete, or stone) for structural walls and heat-insulating materials (mineral wool, foam glass, or expanded polystyrene) for the middle layer. This composite approach eliminates cold bridges while preserving thermal insulation.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If intermediate layers of mortar and compressible thermal insulation mats are inserted between mantle blocks, then cold bridges are prevented, but device complexity and assembly difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the heat-insulating function into the mantle block itself by integrating a middle heat-insulating layer between the inner and outer load-bearing walls. This eliminates the need for separate intermediate insulation mats and mortar layers, simplifying assembly while effectively preventing cold bridges.
Solution Approach 2:
The mantle block is designed as a self-contained unit with built-in thermal insulation, requiring no additional insulation materials or complex assembly steps. The integrated structure automatically prevents cold bridges when blocks are stacked, reducing installation complexity.
3Strength
If the separating ring is made of foamed glass material, then load-bearing capacity and heat-insulating properties are improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The separating ring uses foamed glass, a composite material combining the strength characteristics of glass with the thermal insulation properties of foam structure. This single material simultaneously provides both load-bearing capacity and heat insulation, eliminating the need for separate structural and insulating components.
Solution Approach 2:
The foamed glass separating ring serves multiple functions: it provides structural support as a separating element between mortar joints, acts as a thermal break to prevent cold bridges, and offers dimensional stability. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate components needed.
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 separating ring provides sufficient load-bearing capacity and excellent heat-insulating properties, preventing cold air from causing cooling effects within the building, thus ensuring a consistent temperature and facilitating the assembly of low-energy houses by eliminating 'cold bridges' without additional setup requirements.
Implementation Method 1
a thermally insulating separating ring (4a) made of foamed glass material
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4
AI summary
The stone (1) has a cylindrical through hole (2) retaining an inner pipe (3) that circles around the through hole, which is made of heat-insulating material. A mantle (4) surrounds the through hole radially outwards, where the mantle is made of sustainable material, like lightweight concrete. The mantle is provided with a heat insulating separating ring (4a) in a longitudinal direction (L) of the through hole, where the separating ring separates the sustainable material, and is made of foamed glass material i.e. foam glass.