Overlapping Foil Assembly for Radiant Panel Heat Transfer

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing surface temperature control systems for building ceilings, walls, and floors are not flexible enough for easy assembly and require precise installation, leading to inefficiencies in heat transfer due to limited contact area between pipes and thermally conductive materials.

Innovation Solution

A surface temperature control system featuring an installation board with pipe routing channels and overlapping thermally conductive foils that are easily applied to create a large contact area, allowing for flexible handling and simple assembly, with the foils being pressed into the channels during pipe insertion to enhance heat transfer.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If a single thermally conductive foil is used to cover the pipe guide channel, then the assembly process becomes more complex due to the need for precise lamination, but the contact area with the pipe is maximized

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelamination precisionVSAvoidassembly complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The single thermally conductive foil is divided into two separate foils that are applied to opposite sides of the pipe guide channel. This segmentation reduces the lamination precision requirement for each individual foil while collectively providing comprehensive thermal contact with the pipe when the foils are pressed together during pipe insertion.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Loss of energy

If the thermally conductive foils are pressed firmly into the pipe guide channel to maximize heat transfer, then the heat transfer efficiency improves, but the assembly effort and difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat transfer efficiencyVSAvoidassembly effort
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The pipe insertion process itself serves to press the thermally conductive foils into the pipe guide channel. As the pipe is inserted, it automatically compresses the foils against the channel walls, eliminating the need for separate pressing operations and reducing assembly effort while ensuring adequate thermal contact.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Manufacturing precision

If the thermally conductive foils are made to completely cover the pipe guide channel to ensure uniform lining, then the heat transfer uniformity improves, but the material consumption and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelining uniformityVSAvoidfoil material consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The thermally conductive foils are applied selectively to specific areas of the pipe guide channel rather than completely covering it. The foils are positioned to provide thermal contact where most needed, with the overlapping arrangement ensuring adequate coverage and uniformity while reducing overall material consumption compared to complete channel lining.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

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 solution enables efficient heat transfer with reduced assembly effort, compensates for lamination tolerances, and allows for customizable coverage of pipe areas, maintaining high efficiency in heating and cooling without the cost disadvantages of fully lined systems.

Implementation Method 1

two thermally conductive foils, which are applied to the upper side of the installation panel in such a way that the two thermally conductive foils overlap at least along a section of the pipe routing duct, so that when a pipe is inserted into the pipe routing duct, the thermally conductive foils are pressed into the pipe routing duct along the section and this at least partially undress

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentEP3168542B1Area temperature control system, heat exchanger assembly, method and method of installation
Publication Date: 2020.04.22 UPONOR INNOVATION AB
  • EP3168542B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3168542B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a surface temperature control system (1) for cooling or heating ceilings, walls or floors of a building, comprising - an installation panel (2) into which at least one pipe routing channel (4) open to an upper side (3) of the installation panel (2) is introduced is; and - two thermally conductive foils (5, 6), which are applied to the upper side (3) of the installation board (4) in such a way that the two thermally conductive foils (5, 6) overlap at least along a section of the pipe routing channel (4), so that when Inserting a pipe (11) into the pipe guide channel (4), the heat-conducting foils (5, 6) are pressed into the pipe guide channel (4) along the section and at least partially line it. The invention further relates to a heat exchanger arrangement (20), a method and an assembly method.