Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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WO 2011/080337 Al
CEILING OR WALL ELEMENT WITH A HEATING OR COOLING
REGISTER
The invention relates to a ceiling or wall element
according to the preamble of claim 1 and a ceiling or
wall element according to the preamble of claim 14 as
well as the use of a composite material consisting of a
non-woven fabric and a graphite film as a ceiling or
wall element. The invention further relates to a
thermally activatable concrete wall or concrete ceiling
to which such ceiling or wall elements are fixed.
Ceiling or wall elements which have a frame with a base
plate which can be fixed to the ceiling or the wall and
a heating or cooling register arranged in the frame are
already known from the prior art. Known from DE 20 2007
010 215 U1 for example is a wall or ceiling cladding
with a heating or cooling register in the form of pipes
which are fixed to heat conducting profiles. The heat
conducting profiles rest on a rear side of a cladding
surface formed by cladding panels. The cladding panels
are fixed to supporting rails having a U-shaped cross-
section. The supporting rails and the cladding panels
fastened thereon thus form a frame which can be fixed
to a ceiling or wall with a base formed by the cladding
panels. The heat conducting profiles are arranged in
the interior of this frame and abut against the
cladding panels. The heat conducting profiles and the
pipes fixed thereon form the heating or cooling
register. In order to produce good heating conducting
contact between the pipes and the cladding surface,
binders are provided transversely to the elongate heat
conducting profiles which hold at least two adjacent
heat conducting profiles on the cladding panel under
spring tension.
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The heat conducting profiles have an approximately
semicircular shoulder on their rear side in which the
pipes are arranged. The pipes have heating or cooling
medium such as hot or cold water, for example, flowing
through them depending on the intended application as a
heating or cooling line. The heat conducting profiles
are usually made of metal, for example, made of
aluminium. The cladding panels can, for example,
comprise plasterboard panels.
In such wall or ceiling claddings the efficiency of the
heat or cold transmission from the wall or ceiling
claddings to the room is very low. This is on the one
hand due to the intermediate spaced between the
adjacent heat conducting profiles. These intermediate
spaces act like an insulating layer and prevent a
uniform dissipation of the heat flow over the surface
of the wall or ceiling claddings facing the room. On
the other hand, the heat or cold transmission from the
heating or cooling lines to the cladding panels is very
inefficient because the cladding panels comprise poor
heat conductors.
Starting from this, it is the object of the invention
to further develop a generic ceiling or wall element so
that efficient heat transmission can be ensured between
the heating or cooling register and the room to be
heated or cooled. Furthermore, the ceiling or wall
element should have good sound absorption.
This object is solved by a ceiling or wall element
having the features of claim 1. The object is further
solved in the presence of a thermal activatable
concrete wall or concrete ceiling having a ceiling or
wall element with the features of claim 2. Preferred
embodiments of these ceiling or wall elements can be
deduced from claims 3 to 18.
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In a ceiling or wall element which has a frame with a
base which can be fixed to a ceiling or a wall, in
which a heating or cooling register is disposed, the
object forming the basis of the invention is solved in
that a non-woven fabric and a perforated graphite film
are disposed between the base of the frame and the
heating or cooling register. The non-woven fabric
preferably comprises a carbon fibre non-woven. However,
it can also comprise a glass fibre non-woven. The
carbon fibre non-woven has a higher thermal
conductivity than a glass fibre non-woven but is more
expensive. The non-woven brings about good sound
absorption of the ceiling or wall element. The graphite
film preferably comprises a film of expanded graphite
which is provided with a perforation. The perforated
graphite film ensures good thermal contact between the
heating or cooling register and the base plate of the
ceiling or wall element. The base of the ceiling or
wall element is preferably made of a thermally
conductive material, in particular of a metal sheet or
a graphite-modified panel such as a graphite-modified
plasterboard panel. The frame is preferably formed as a
cassette, where at least the base is made of a punched
metal sheet or metal sheet provided with a perforation.
The punching or the perforation in the base combined
with the non-woven fabric resting on the base in the
interior of the frame ensures good sound absorption.
The non-woven fabric and the perforated graphite film
disposed thereon preferably comprises a composite which
can be produced by calendering. Such a composite can
particularly expediently be made from a carbon fibre
non-woven and a graphite film made of expanded
graphite. The production of expanded graphite (so-
called expanded graphite) is known inter alia from US
3,404,061-A. In order to produce expanded graphite,
graphite intercalation compounds or graphite salts such
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as, for example, graphite hydrogen sulphate or graphite
nitrate are heated in a shock manner. The volume of the
graphite particles is thereby increased by a factor of
about 200 - 400 and at the same time the bulk density
decreases to values of 2 - 20 g/l. The expanded
graphite thus obtained consists of worm- or concertina-
shaped aggregates. If completely expanded graphite is
compacted under the directional action of pressure, the
layer planes of the graphite are preferably arranged
perpendicular to the direction of action of the
pressure, where the individual aggregates become
entangled. In this way, self-supporting surface
structures such as, for example, webs, plates or
moulded bodies can be produced from expanded graphite.
Thin films (having thicknesses in the range of 50 pm to
3 mm) can be produced by pressing or rolling webs of
expanded graphite. When calendering a film of expanded
graphite thus produced with a carbon fibre non-woven,
the carbon fibres of the non-woven surface and the
surface of the graphite film become entangled so that a
firm and non-detachable composite is formed between the
carbon fibre non-woven and the graphite film.
Perforation of the graphite film increases its
flexibility and thereby facilitates the handling of the
film. Since graphite is a brittle material, there is a
risk that the film will tear or break when handling
thin films of expanded graphite. This risk can be
reduced significantly by the perforation of the
graphite film.
The heating or cooling register can comprises heating
or cooling lines fixed to heat conducting profiles. In
order to ensure good thermal contact between the
heating or cooling register and the base of the frame,
the base is in thermal contact with the heat conducting
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profiles via the composite comprising the non-woven
fabric and the perforated graphite film.
The heating or cooling register can also comprise a
lightweight panel of expanded graphite in which heating
or cooling lines are embedded. In this exemplary
embodiment the surface of the graphite lightweight
panel is preferably in thermal contact with the
perforated graphite film over its entire principal
area. Good thermal contact between the heating or
cooling lines and the base of the frame is made in this
way via the good heat-conducting composite comprising
the perforated graphite film and the non-woven fabric.
The heat (or cold) carried in the heating or cooling
lines can be distributed very efficiently and uniformly
over the entire surface of the ceiling or wall element
in the room in which the ceiling or wall element is
located. The surface of the graphite lightweight panel
opposite the graphite film is preferably in thermal
contact over its entire principal surface with the
surface of the wall or the ceiling to which the ceiling
or wall element is f ixed. As a result of this thermal
contact, the heat coming from the heating or cooling
lines can be released partially via the graphite
lightweight panel to the wall or ceiling so that the
mass of the wall or ceiling can be used as a thermal
accumulator for a delayed release of heat.
So-called concrete core activation systems are known
from the prior art for the air conditioning of rooms
having concrete ceilings or concrete walls. In these
systems pipes carrying heating or cooling media are
mounted in, below or on the concrete ceiling or the
concrete wall. By storing the heating or cooling energy
in the concrete mass of the ceiling or the walls and a
time-delayed delivery of the stored heating or cooling
energy, an energy-efficient air conditioning of the
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rooms can be achieved. Thus, for example, at night a
cooling fluid (for example, water) is cooled and passed
through the pipes in a concrete core activated ceiling
or wall, whereby the ceiling or the wall is slowly
cooled. The cooling energy stored in the concrete
ceiling or wall can then be released into the room
during the day in particular in the warm summer months,
to slowly lower the room temperature in the room.
For the cladding of such thermally activatable concrete
ceilings or walls, the invention provides a ceiling or
wall element comprising a frame with a base which can
be fixed to the wall or the ceiling, where a non-woven
fabric and a perforated graphite film are provided
between the base of the frame and the wall or the
ceiling. In this exemplary embodiment a lightweight
panel of expanded graphite is preferably additionally
provided between the graphite film and the wall.
In this exemplary embodiment of the invention the non-
woven ensures good sound absorption of the ceiling or
wall element. Good thermal contact between the
thermally activatable wall or ceiling and the base of
the frame is ensured by means of the perforated
graphite film and graphite lightweight panel provided
between the graphite film and the wall or ceiling
surface. This provides efficient heat transmission
between the thermally activatable wall or ceiling and
the room.
The invention is explained in detail hereinafter by
means of exemplary embodiments with reference to the
accompanying drawings. In the drawings:
Figure 1: shows a schematic view of a first embodiment
of a ceiling or wall element according to the
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invention with a frame in which a heating or
cooling register is arranged;
Figure 2: shows a schematic view of an alternative
embodiment of a ceiling or wall element
according to the invention with a frame and a
heating or cooling register arranged therein;
Figure 3: shows a schematic view of a ceiling or wall
element arranged on a thermally activatable
ceiling or wall.
In the exemplary embodiments of the invention described
hereinafter, the use of ceiling or wall elements
according to the invention for fixing to a ceiling 5
extending in the horizontal plane is shown. We
therefore talk of ceiling elements in each case. The
ceiling or wall elements according to the invention can
however also be used in a corresponding manner for
fixing to a vertical wall. In the exemplary embodiments
shown in the drawings the same or corresponding parts
are provided with the same reference numbers.
Insofar as thermally activatable concrete ceilings or
walls are mentioned, this is understood as concrete
ceilings or walls in which pipes are laid for the
passage of a heating or cooling medium. These pipes are
used for the thermal activation of the ceiling or the
wall.
Figure 1 shows a first exemplary embodiment of a
ceiling element 10 according to the invention for
fixing to a ceiling, where the ceiling element 10 has a
frame 2 which can be fixed to a ceiling 5.
The frame 2 comprises a base formed by a base plate 2a
and side walls 2b disposed thereon or formed integrally
with the base plate 2a. A fixing flange 2c is formed on
the upper edge of the side walls 2b by which means the
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frame 2 can be fixed to the ceiling, in particular can
be screwed thereon. The frame 2 is preferably formed in
a cassette shape with four side walls 2b arranged
circumferentially around the base plate 2a. The frame 2
is preferably made of metal, in particular from a metal
sheet. The base plate 2a is provided with a
perforation. The holes of the perforation in the base
plate 2a ensure that sound waves can penetrate into the
frame 2 and can be damped there.
A heating or cooling register 9 is arranged in the
cassette-shaped frame 2. In the exemplary embodiment
shown in Figure 1, the heating or cooling register 9
comprises a plurality of fixing profiles 11 arranged
next to one another and parallel to one another, which
are formed in a strip shape and fabricated from a heat-
conductive material, in particular a metal. The fixing
profiles 11 preferably comprise aluminium profiles.
Heating or cooling lines 12 (hereinafter designated as
pipes) are fixed to the fixing profiles 11. The pipes
12 can, for example, be engaged positively or non-
positively in semicircular receiving tabs on the upper
side of the fixing profiles 11. Other possibilities for
fastening are, however, also feasible such as, for
example, a fixing by means of pipe clips or similar.
The fixing profiles 11 are disposed on a perforated
graphite film in thermal contact with the graphite film
1. Expediently, the underside of each fixing profile 11
is adhesively bonded to the graphite film 1 by means of
a thermally conducting adhesive. A non-woven fabric 3
is disposed between the perforated graphite film 1 and
the inner surface of the base plate 2a. The non-woven
fabric 3 can comprises a glass fibre non-woven or
preferably a carbon fibre non-woven. The non-woven 3 is
adhesively bonded to the inner surface of the base
plate 2a by means of a thermally conducting adhesive.
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The non-woven fabric 3 and the perforated graphite film
1 expediently comprise a composite material. A
composite produced by calendering from a carbon fibre
non-woven 3 and the perforated graphite film 1 is
particularly suitable.
The graphite film 1 expediently comprises a thin film
of expanded graphite with a perforation. A hole
fraction of ?% to ?% ensures good handling of the
perforated graphite film 1 and prevents breaking or
tearing of the graphite film.
Figure 2 shows another exemplary embodiment of a
ceiling or wall element according to the invention
which has a heating or cooling register 9 arranged in
the frame 2. Unlike in the exemplary embodiment shown
in Figure 1, the heating or cooling register 9 is here
formed by a lightweight panel 13 of expanded graphite
in which heating and cooling lines 12 are embedded. The
underside of the lightweight plate 13 is in thermal
contact with the surface of the perforated graphite
film 1. A non-woven fabric, in particular a glass fibre
or a carbon fibre non-woven is again arranged between
the perforated graphite film 1 and the base plate 2a of
the frame 2. As in the exemplary embodiment of Figure
1, the non-woven fabric 3 and the perforated graphite
film 1 expediently comprises a non-detachable composite
of a carbon fibre non-woven and a film of expanded
graphite provided with a perforation. In order to
ensure the best possible thermal contact between the
upper side 15 of the graphite lightweight panel 13 and
the surface 14 of the ceiling 5, the upper side 15 of
the graphite lightweight plate 13 is adhesively bonded
to the ceiling surface 14 with a thermal adhesive 4.
In both exemplary embodiments the non-woven expediently
has a thickness of 50 pm to 3 mm and the thickness of
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the perforated graphite film is preferably between 200
pm and 3 mm.
Figure 3 shows a ceiling element 10 fixed to a
thermally activatable concrete ceiling S. Pipes 7
through which a heating or cooling medium can be passed
for thermal activation of the ceiling 5 run in the
concrete ceiling. The ceiling element 10 has a frame 2
which, as in the two previous exemplary embodiments,
comprises a base plate 2a and at least two side walls
2b. As in the two previous exemplary embodiments, the
frame 2 is expediently cassette-shaped with a base
plate 2a and four peripheral side walls 2b. The frame 2
is made of a metal sheet and the base plate 2a has a
perforation which ensures that sound waves can enter
into the frame interior and be absorbed there.
A non-woven fabric 3 lying on the base plate 2a and
preferably glued thereon and a perforated graphite film
1 located thereon is again disposed in the interior of
the cassette-shaped frame 2. The non-woven fabric 3 and
the perforated graphite film 1 expediently again
comprise a carbon fibre non-woven and a film of
expanded graphite. A lightweight panel 13 of expanded
graphite is disposed on the graphite film 1 in flat and
thermal contact therewith.
For fixing the ceiling element 10 on the thermally
activatable concrete ceiling 5, the frame 2 is fixed in
a known manner to the surface 14 of the ceiling 5, for
example, by screwing. In order to ensure the best
possible thermal contact between the upper side 15 of
the graphite lightweight panel 13 and the surface 14 of
the ceiling 5, the upper side 15 of the graphite
lightweight panel 13 is glued to the ceiling surface 14
with a thermally conducting adhesive 4. However, the
use of an adhesive can also be omitted. In particular,
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the use of an adhesive can be omitted if the surface 15
of the graphite lightweight panel 13 projects over the
upper edge of the side walls 2b of the frame 2 when not
yet mounted. Then, when screwing the frame 2 to the
ceiling surface 14, the lightweight panel 13 made of
compressible graphite is slightly compressed. This
ensures good thermal contact between the upper side 15
of the graphite lightweight panel 13 and the ceiling
surface 14 over the entire area, where slight
unevenesses in the ceiling surface 14 can be
compensated by compressing.
The material composite used in the exemplary
embodiments of Figures 1 to 3 consisting of a non-woven
fabric 3 and a graphite film 1 joined to the non-woven
fabric 3 can be fixed directly to a ceiling 5 or a wall
without a supporting frame as ceiling or wall element
10. In this case, the material composite is adhesively
bonded to the ceiling 5 or the wall by means of a
thermally conducting adhesive, where the thermally good
conducting graphite film 1 is preferably adhesively
bonded to the surface of the ceiling 5 or the wall over
the entire area in order to make a good heat-conducting
coupling over the entire surface of the ceiling or
wall. This arrangement ensures on the one hand a rapid
heat exchange between the room and the ceiling or wall
whereby the mass of the ceiling or wall (which is
formed for example as a concrete ceiling or wall) can
be used as a thermal accumulator from which the stored
heat can be released in a time-delayed manner again
into the room. On the other hand, the non-woven fabric
3 of the material composite ensures good sound
absorption so that the ceiling or wall element 10
formed from the material composite can serves as a
sound-absorbing acoustic element.
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Like the material composite used in Figures 1 to 3,
consisting of the non-woven fabric 3 and a graphite
film 1 connected to the non-woven fabric 3, the
graphite film 1 is preferably perforated and
expediently has a perforation with a hole fraction of
more than 5% per unit area. The non-woven fabric (3)
preferably comprises a carbon fibre non-woven which has
been joined to the graphite film (1) by calendering.
