US20090308942A1

US20090308942A1 - Thermanator Thermal Insulation Retrofit Panel

Info

Publication number: US20090308942A1
Application number: US12/137,360
Authority: US
Inventors: James B. Goldsmith; John Douglas Tolmar
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2008-06-11
Filing date: 2008-06-11
Publication date: 2009-12-17

Abstract

A heating system for heating an interior room may include a radiator member for generating heat, a wall member being positioned in a space relationship to the radiator member and a panel member being positioned between the radiator member and the wall member. The panel member may include an attachment member to attach the panel member to the wall member, and the panel member may include an inclined surface. The panel member may include a horizontal surface, and the panel member may include an inclined surface and a horizontal surface. The inclined surface may extend to an edge of the horizontal surface, and the panel member may include a substantially flat back surface. The attachment member may be a layer of adhesive, and the attachment member may substantially cover a back surface of the panel member. The attachment member may only cover a portion of the back surface of the panel member. The panel member may encapsulate air for insulation.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to thermal insulation and more particularly relates to a attachable panel that reduces heat transfer and can be retrofitted to existing heating systems.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Heat is transferred from one material to another by conduction, convection and radiation. In home insulation, the R value is an indication of how well a material insulates.
Hydronic heating uses hot water to provide whole or a portion of home heating. Water is heated in a boiler and then pumped through piping to panel radiators in each room. Heat is transferred directly from the radiators to the air. Every building using central heating radiators wastes heat, principally through heat loss through walls. To cover this waste of heat, additional fuel is burnt needlessly, wasting for the average house approximately 7.5 tons of Carbon Dioxide (C02) into the atmosphere every year, significantly contributing to global warming.
Radiators work by heating air that flows past them. Warm air rises from the radiators and colder air in the room falls. This circulation develops a flow of air around the room sending warm air from the radiator and delivering cool air back to the radiator to be heated. Therefore, for radiators to work well there should be adequate clearance around them so air flow isn't restricted by the position of the radiator. This is why radiators are mounted off the wall a little and above the floor. As it is said “Radiators don't radiate”. A home's performance is rated in terms of the energy use per square meter of the floor area, energy efficiency based on fuel costs and environmental impact based on Carbon Dioxide (C02) emissions. The energy efficient rating is a measure of the overall efficiency of a home. The higher the rating the more energy efficient the home is and the lower the fuel bills will be. The environmental impact rating is a measure of a home's impact on the environment in terms of Carbon Dioxide (C02) emissions. The higher the rating the less impact it has on the environment.
While it is possible to weigh a quantity of gas, by comparing the weight of an evacuated container compared to one filled at a known pressure, climate scientists do not rely on direct measurements. Instead, they use estimates based on the molecular weight of Carbon Dioxide; the weights of other greenhouse gases are converted to their greenhouse impact as compared with that of a ton of Carbon Dioxide.
Carbon Dioxide, the benchmark greenhouse gas implicated in global warming, has a molecule containing one Carbon atom and two Oxygen atoms. The C02 output from burning a quantity of coal or oil is known. Depending on the fuel, the Carbon Dioxide can weigh almost three times as much as the fuel, because of the addition of oxygen from the air.

SUMMARY

A heating system for heating an interior room may include a radiator member for generating heat, a wall member being positioned in a space relationship to the radiator member and a panel member being positioned between the radiator member and the wall member.
The panel member may include an attachment member to attach the panel member to the wall member, and the panel member may include an inclined surface.
The panel member may include a horizontal surface, and the panel member may include an inclined surface and a horizontal surface.
The inclined surface may extend to an edge of the horizontal surface, and the panel member may include a substantially flat back surface.
The attachment member may be a layer of adhesive, and the attachment member may substantially cover a back surface of the panel member.
The attachment member may only cover a portion of the back surface of the panel member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention may be understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which, like reference numerals identify like elements, and in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the heating system of the present invention with the panel member detached;

FIG. 2 illustrates another side view of the heating system of the present invention with the panel member attached;

FIG. 3 illustrates a back view of the panel member of the present invention;

FIG. 4 illustrates a front view of the panel member of the present invention;

FIG. 5 illustrates a side view of the panel member including an attachment member of the present invention;

FIG. 6 illustrates the airflow associated with a radiator;

FIG. 7 illustrates the airflow associated with the panel member and the radiator member of the present invention;

FIG. 8 illustrates a side view of the panel member, attachment member and radiator member.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The device of the present invention reduces wasted heat by reflection reducing radiative heat transfer. Furthermore, the present invention reduces wasted heat by painting or by lamination a reflective surface of the panel member so that any film of dirt or moisture will not alter the emissivity and hence the performance of the radiant barriers. The present invention allows the radiant barriers to face an open air space to gain maximum performance. The present invention advantageously employs a restricted air space that will reduce conductive heat transfer by reducing physical contact between objects. Air always contains some moisture; any air movement carries moisture with it. As heat travels from a hot space to a cold space, even if it has to go through a wall, water vapor will travel from a space with a high moisture concentration to a space with a lower moisture concentration, again, even if it has to go through a wall. If moisture forms within the insulation, the insulation will not insulate as well as it should and the heating bills will increase.
The present invention reduces convective heat transfer due to a series of vortices in the small valleys forcing the warm airflow away from the surface of the panel creating a fluid limit layer between the panel and the radiator. This reduced airspace between the radiator and the panel increases the air flow speed between the fluid limit layer and the radiator into the room. This fluid limit layer extending for a predetermined distance which may be 2 to 3 meters above the radiator and out into the room in an approximate figure of eight pattern prevents heat dissipation through the wall and any window above, also improving the comfort level in the room, and at the same time eliminating deterioration behind the radiator and discoloration above. The front of the panel stays cool and the radiator now heats the air in the room as opposed to compensating for heat loss through the wall directly behind the radiator. The panel stops heat loss through the wall, and the water returns hotter to the boiler.
The panel has a shaped surface in the front and a substantially flat surface in the back. The panel may be formed from steel or other suitable material. The panel traps any air which may penetrate the interior of the panel and manages humidity (water vapor) on the wall side of the radiator. The flat surface of the panel is easily affixed to the cold wall. The thermal insulation achieved by the panel of the present invention modifies the convective, conductive and radiative heat transfer between wall and radiator, so as to significantly reduce losses to the wall by up to 30% resulting in a reduction of C02 emissions by 7.5 tones per average home per year.
With a night time set back of radiator temperature, additional significant heat losses occur from the dynamic effects of heating and cooling the building, especially in evaporating the water from outside walls during the day, to be replaced by cold water condensing during the night. One effect of the panel is to thermally insulate the wall behind the radiator from the radiator itself, by means of encapsulated air within the profiled thermal insulation panel. This is just where the temperature range is greatest, further producing substantial savings in the transient component of heat loss.
With the installation of the panel in conjunction with the radiator, the water in the central heating system will be sent back to the boiler at a higher temperature and will therefore require less energy to bring it back to the level needed to heat the house. The savings in fuel use and carbon dioxide (C02) emissions are important.
The panel includes a front surface having horizontal ridges, such that a cross-section approximates a saw tooth shape, with teeth facing upwards. The tooth pitch may be approximately 29 mm long, and the panel traps a layer of air between the front surface and the rear surface (which is fixed to the wall) and the distance between the front surface in the rear surface varies linearly from about 2 mm at the bottom of a tooth to about 7 mm at the top.
The panel is affixed to the wall in order to maintain a space relationship between the panel and the radiator. The panel and the radiator may be off-white or other suitable color. The panel is affixed to the wall surface using an attachment device. Attaching the panel to the wall after the radiator has been installed, presents additional difficulties. The distance between the wall and the radiator may be small, preventing the use of conventional tools. Using specialized tools may add to the cost of installing system, and should be avoided unless absolutely necessary.
The panel and radiator are designed to eliminate heat loss through the wall that it is fixed to and at the same time improve the comfort level in a room.
The present invention is energy efficient, thus saving the owner money.
The present invention provides more uniform temperatures throughout the space. There is less temperature gradient both vertically and horizontally from exterior walls, ceilings and windows, thus producing more comfortable occupant environment when outside temperatures are extremely cold. The present invention may have no recurring expense. Unlike heating equipment, the panels and radiators are permanent and do not require maintenance, upkeep, or adjustment. The present invention will produce greenhouse gas savings year on year.
FIG. 1 illustrates a heating system 100 of the present invention. The heating system 100 may include a radiator member 101 which may be a hot-water radiator in which hot-water passes through the radiator member 101 and warms the fluid which may be air around the radiator member 101. The heating system 100 additionally includes a panel member 103 which is affixed to a wall member 113 in order to maintain a fixed space relationship with the radiator member 101. The panel member 103 may include an attachment member 109 which may be retrofitted to the existing wall member 113 and may cooperate with the radiator member 101 to create any upward fluid flow 115, for example airflow. The back surface 105 of the panel member 103 is substantially vertical and parallel to the surface of the wall member 113. The front surface 117 of the panel member 103 includes multiple horizontal surfaces 107 which are formed in a substantially periodic nature and between the horizontal surfaces 107 are an inclined surface 111 which extends outwards to the edge of the horizontal surface 107. The back surface 105 includes an attachment member 109 which may be a layer which may cover the entire back surface 105 or may cover predetermined portions of the back surface 105 and which may be for attachment to the wall member 113. The attachment member 109 may be permanently attached to the wall member 113 or may be detachably connected to the wall member 113. The attachment member 109 may be a layer of adhesive, Velcro, double-sided tape or any other appropriate attachment device. The attachment member 109 may be covered with a detachably connected sheet to prevent contamination of the adhesive before it is used to attach to the wall member 113. FIG. 1 additionally illustrates the substantially vertical airflow 115 which may be generated by the heat from the radiator member 101. Substantially, the air does not penetrate the panel member 103. When installed, the panel member 103 may encapsulate a volume of fluid such as air in order to provide additional insulation between the wall 113 and the airflow 115. Air is a good insulator and consequently is a poor conductor. Air works well as an insulator when it is encapsulated.
FIG. 2 illustrates a heating system 100 of the present invention. The heating system 100 may include a radiator member 101 which may be a hot-water radiator in which hot-water passes through the radiator member 101 and warms the fluid which may be air around the radiator member 101. The heating system 100 additionally includes a panel member 103 which may be affixed to a wall member 113 in order to maintain a fixed spaced relationship between the panel member 103 and the radiator member 101. FIG. 2 illustrates that the attachment member 109 may be positioned on the wall member 113 to cooperate with the radiator member 101. The attachment member 109 facilitates the installation between the wall member 113 and the radiator member 101. The back surface 105 of the attachment member 109 substantially vertical and parallel to the surface of the wall member 113. The front surface 117 of the panel member 103 includes multiple horizontal surfaces 107 which are formed in the periodic nature and between the horizontal surfaces 107 are an inclined surface 111 which extends outwards to the horizontal surface 107. The front surface 117 includes an attachment surface 109 which is substantially vertical for attachment to the wall member 113. FIG. 2 additionally illustrates the substantially vertical airflow 115 which is generated by the heat from the radiator member 101. Substantially, the air does not penetrate the panel member 103.
FIG. 3 illustrates the back surface 105 of the attachment member 109 which may be connected to the panel member 103.
FIG. 4 illustrates the front surface 117 of the panel member 103 and shows the inclined surface 111 and the horizontal surface 107.
FIG. 5 illustrates the panel member 103 positioned between the radiator member 101 and the wall member 113. FIG. 5 illustrates the attachment member 109 may be substantially vertical and illustrates the horizontal surface 107 and the inclined surface 111.
FIG. 6 illustrates the airflow 641 generated by the radiator member 101 without the panel member 103 and FIG. 6 illustrates that the airflow 641 is substantially horizontal and flows substantially unimpeded to the wall member.
In contrast, FIG. 7 illustrates the airflow 743 which flows between the panel member 103 and the radiator member 101 in a substantially vertical and rising direction. The panel member 103 directs the airflow 743 to avoid the wall member.
FIG. 8 illustrates a side view of the panel member 103, the attachment member 109 and the radiator member 101.
While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and are herein described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the description herein of specific embodiments is not intended to limit the invention to the particular forms disclosed.

Claims

1. A heating system for heating an interior room, comprising:

a radiator member for generating heat;

a wall member being positioned in a space relationship to the radiator member; and

a panel member being positioned between the radiator member and the wall member,

wherein the panel member includes an attachment member to attach the panel member to the wall member.

2. A heating system for heating an interior room as in claim 1, wherein the panel member includes an inclined surface.

3. A heating system for heating an interior room as in claim 1, wherein the panel member includes a horizontal surface.

4. A heating system for heating an interior room as in claim 1, wherein the panel member includes an inclined surface and a horizontal surface.

5. A heating system for heating an interior room as in claim 1, wherein the inclined surface extends to an edge of the horizontal surface.

6. A heating system for heating an interior room as in claim 1, wherein the panel member includes a substantially flat back surface.

7. A heating system for heating an interior room as in claim 1, wherein the attachment member is a layer of adhesive.

8. A heating system for heating an interior room as in claim 7, wherein the attachment member substantially covers a back surface of the panel member.

9. A heating system for heating an interior room as in claim 7, wherein attachment member only covers a portion of the back surface of the panel member.

10. A heating system for heating an interior room as in claim 1, wherein the panel member encapsulates air for insulation.