Pressure Equalized Rainscreen Panel Mounting and Drainage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Pressure equalized rainscreen (PER) systems face challenges in reliability and cost associated with installation, manufacturing, and repair, particularly in regions with heavy precipitation, where moisture penetration and air flow management are critical, and existing systems are prone to degradation and inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of specialized panels with specific openings for draining moisture and flowing air, combined with a mounting assembly that allows for non-sequential installation and flexible positioning, facilitating faster pressure equalization and reducing stress on panels through movable engagement with mounting strips.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional mass wall systems are used to block moisture, then moisture penetration is prevented, but the system becomes expensive and unreliable
Solution Approach 1:
The wall system is divided into multiple functional layers: an outer wall for moisture management, a cavity for drainage and pressure equalization, and an inner wall as air barrier. This segmentation allows each layer to perform its specific function efficiently, replacing the need for expensive mass wall systems while maintaining reliable moisture protection.
Solution Approach 2:
A cavity with free-draining material is introduced as an intermediary layer between the outer and inner walls. This cavity manages moisture through drainage and pressure equalization, providing a cost-effective solution that prevents moisture penetration without requiring expensive mass construction.
2Reliability
If face-seal approach is used to control water penetration, then water ingress is prevented, but reliability decreases under temperature cycling and solar radiation due to seal degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing function is extracted from the primary water penetration control mechanism. Instead of relying on seals to prevent water ingress, the system uses a drained cavity approach where water is managed through drainage and pressure equalization, reducing the burden on seals and extending their operational life.
Solution Approach 2:
The drained cavity acts as an intermediary that manages water between the outer and inner walls, reducing the need for continuous sealing and minimizing the impact of temperature cycling and solar radiation on seal degradation.
3Reliability
If drained cavity approach is used to prevent moisture contact, then moisture penetration is reduced, but moisture is forced across the outer wall under large pressure gradients leading to inner wall penetration
Solution Approach 1:
The cavity with free-draining material serves as an intermediary that manages moisture under pressure gradients. The cavity allows pressure equalization and provides a drainage path, preventing moisture from being forced directly across the outer wall to the inner wall even under large pressure differences.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the pressure parameter within the cavity through equalization mechanisms, transforming the pressure gradient condition from harmful to manageable, allowing the drained cavity to effectively control moisture penetration even under varying pressure conditions.
4Reliability
If pressure equalized rainscreen system is used to equalize pressure, then moisture penetration is reduced, but installation cost and complexity increase due to sequential panel installation requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The panel design segments the pressure equalization function into discrete, self-contained units with defined openings and compartments. This allows panels to be manufactured independently and installed in various sequences without compromising the pressure equalization functionality, reducing installation complexity and cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The panels are designed as universal, multi-functional units that combine moisture management, pressure equalization, and structural functions. This universality allows for flexible installation sequences and reduces the need for specialized components, lowering installation costs while maintaining effective moisture penetration control.
5Reliability
If panels are used to define pressure equalized compartments, then moisture penetration is controlled, but panels fail and require expensive repairs
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the pressure equalization function into multiple independent panels with defined openings. This segmentation allows individual panels to be replaced without affecting the entire system, reducing repair costs and improving ease of maintenance while maintaining moisture penetration control through the remaining functional panels.
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 enhances the reliability and reduces the costs of PER systems by enabling faster installation, easier repair, and improved moisture management, while accommodating rapid changes in wind conditions and thermal stresses, thereby mitigating moisture penetration and extending the system's lifespan.
Implementation Method 1
The cavity or free draining material manages moisture penetration due to capillarity, surface tension and gravity
Implementation Method 2
The cavity or free draining material manages moisture penetration due to capillarity, surface tension and gravity
Implementation Method 3
The cavity or free draining material manages moisture penetration due to capillarity, surface tension and gravity
Implementation Method 4
The slot may generate a layer of moving air for mitigating moisture drainage through openings for flowing air via the Bernoulli effect
Implementation Method 5
The slot may rely on a venturi effect to facilitate pressure equalization and may be recessed to mitigate moisture penetration
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for a pressure equalized rainscreen (PER) and for mounting the same to a building. A PER system includes a panel disposed over an exterior wall that defines a cavity adjacent to the building for pressure equalization. Moisture is drained out of the cavity via a first opening(s), and air flows into and out of the cavity for pressure equalization via a second opening(s). The panel is configured to hinder flowing air via the first opening(s) and hinder draining moisture via the second opening(s). The PER system is mounted using a plurality of mounting strips that demarcate wall portions corresponding to panels for covering those wall portions. Each panel is movably engaged with a mounting strip for support and to allow deformation of the panel once fastened to the exterior wall.