Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 03142912 2021-12-07
The Swedish Patent Office PCT/SE2020/050572
PCT International Application 23-03-2021
Method and arrangement for drying a water damaged floor structure
Technical area
[001] This invention relates to a method and arrangement for drying a water
damaged floor
structure having a ventilated isolating layer below a concrete layer extending
throughout an
enclosed space, and the enclosed space having a tiled flooring above the
concrete layer.
Background
[002] This kind of floor structure, where the enclosed space is typically a
wet space such as a
bathroom, is difficult to dry as the concrete layer and the tiled flooring,
which commonly also
has a waterproofing layer, form a cover that obstructs ventilation and
evaporation of water
from the floor structure. In prior art drying methods the tiled flooring
including the waterproof-
ing layer therefore needs to be removed and replaced after completion of the
drying process.
Disclosure of the invention
[003] An object of the invention is to obtain a method and an arrangement that
will effectively
dry a water damaged floor structure of the above identified kind without the
need of removing
and replacing the tiled flooring and the waterproofing layer.
[004] In an aspect of the invention, the method is comprised by providing an
outlet opening
into the floor structure and to the isolating layer outside of an end of the
enclosed space, heat-
ing the tiled flooring, and drawing ambient air through the isolating layer
and out of the outlet
opening.
[005] In this way, the moisture in the floor structure is gradually seized by
ambient air flowing
along the isolating layer and out of the floor structure. Because the floor
structure is also heat-
ed from above, the flowing ambient air will also be heated by the floor
structure and thereby
more effectively attract moisture from the surrounding floor structure.
Thereby the drying pro-
cess is highly accelerated as compared to known methods only drying the air in
the enclosed
space.
[006] While the flooring may be heated by a heater transferring heat to the
flooring, in one
embodiment the tiled flooring being heated is covered by a heat insulated
flexible layer. There-
by the heat is more effectively transferred to the floor structure. In this
case the heating may
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be accomplished by heating elements that may be incorporated in the heat
insulated flexible
layer like in a heating blanket. A heating blanket may also be located under
the heat insulated
flexible layer.
[007] The heating may also be provided by forcing hot air between the heat
insulated flexible
layer and the tiled flooring.
[008] More than one outlet opening may be provided when necessary, which may
be the typi-
cal case. The openings may then be arranged in a line outside of and parallel
to a wall confining
the enclosed space.
[009] While the ambient air generally may enter into the isolating layer from
the floor struc-
ture by the floor structure being permeable to air flow, in an embodiment of
the invention,
wherein the concrete layer extends beyond the enclosed space, the method is
comprised by
providing also an inlet opening through the floor structure and to the
isolating layer outside of
a second end of the enclosed space.
[010] This embodiment may be practiced in a case where the concrete layer
forms a more or
less air-impermeable cover over the isolating layer. The inlet opening will
accordingly supply
the ambient air flowing along the isolating layer.
[011] Also in this case more than one outlet opening and inlet opening may be
provided when
necessary, which may be the typical case.
[012] In another embodiment of the invention the ambient air is drawn through
the isolating
layer via a hollow perforated pipe driven into the isolating layer.
[013] This may be the case when the isolating layer is relatively dense and
counteracting to
airflow. The perforated hollow pipe may then facilitate the airflow.
[014] More than one perforated pipe may be forced into the isolating layer,
which may be the
typical case.
[015] The invention also relates to an arrangement having the necessary
features for perform-
ing the method according to the invention.
[016] In the arrangement a suction blower and a dehumidifier can be serially
interconnected.
Thereby heat generated in the suction blower, primarily by its motor, can be
transferred to the
air dried by the dehumidifier.
[017] The suction blower and the dehumidifier can also be arranged in a common
sound and
heat insulated casing. Thereby heat generated by the blower may be more
effectively trans-
ferred to the air dried by the dehumidifier. This is advantageous and of high
value for this type
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of drying operation, where the dry air supplied by the dehumidifier needs to
be as hot as possi-
ble for the best drying effect. The resulting combined one-piece suction
blower and dehumidi-
fier will also be easier to handle, install and operate.
[018] Other features and advantages of the invention are apparent from the
detailed descrip-
tion and the appended claims.
Brief description of the drawing
[019] FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic lateral cutaway view, partly in section, of a
floor structure being
dried according to a method of the invention;
[020] FIG. 2 is a view corresponding to FIG.1 showing an alternative method of
the invention;
[021] FIG. 3 is a view corresponding to FIG.1 showing another alternative
method of the in-
vention;
[022] FIG. 4 is a view corresponding to FIG.1 showing still another
alternative method of the
invention;
[023] FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic cutaway top plan view of a floor structure
being dried according
to still another alternative method of the invention;
[024] FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic lateral cutaway view, partly in section, of a
floor structure being
dried according to yet another alternative method of the invention;
[025] FIG. 7 is a lateral view of a perforated pipe for use in the method
according to the inven-
tion shown in FIG. 6; and
[026] FIG. 8 is a lateral view of an extension pipe according to the invention
shown in FIGS. 6
and 7.
[027] FIG. 9 is a view, partly in section, of a drying apparatus that may be
used in the inven-
tion;
[028] FIG. 10 is an oblique cutaway view of a drying apparatus that may be
used in the inven-
tion;
[029] In the drawing, components having mutually similar functions may be
denoted by same
reference numerals.
Detailed description of embodiments
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[030] The floor structures 10 shown in FIGS. 1-6 are generally floor
structures having a water
damage in an enclosed space 200, for example a bathroom, where typically floor
structures 10
and walls 202 may be expected to be exposed to water.
[031] Each floor structure 10 is comprised of a tiled flooring 22 in the
enclosed space 200. The
tiled flooring 22 covers a concrete layer 12 and a ventilated
isolating/insulating porous layer 18
below the concrete layer 12. "Ventilated" in this context does not necessarily
mean that specif-
ic ventilating means are present, but that air drawn from the isolating porous
layer 18 may also
be replaced by air entering thereinto from adjoining permeable structures.
Between the tiled
flooring 22 and the concrete layer 12 there is usually also a waterproofing
layer (not shown). In
each embodiment there is also a bottom layer 20 that may be a ground layer or
a foundation
slab resting on a ground layer 20' (FIG. 6), or possibly even a floor-
supporting concrete layer.
[032] Outside a wall 202 confining the enclosed space, one or more outlet
openings 16 are
provided from above, for example by drilling, in the floor structure 10 and at
least down to the
isolating layer 18.
[033] Each outlet opening 16 is sealingly connected, for example by a suitable
flange or socket
74, as in FIGS. 1-4, to an outlet tubing 66 that in turn is connected to
suction blower 60. The
suction blower 60 can be a side channel blower. Such blower can be selected to
obtain the rela-
tively high suction force needed to draw ambient air through the isolating
layer 18.
[034] The floor structure 10 below and around the enclosed space 200 may be
heated in dif-
ferent ways.
[035] In the example of FIG. 1, the floor structure 10 is heated by a heating
source 50 transfer-
ring heat to the tiled flooring 22 of the floor structure 10. The heating
source 50 may in this
case be any suitable heater, such as a fan heater or an infrared heater.
[036] In the example of FIG. 2, the heating source 50 comprises a flexible
heat insulating layer
24 covering the tiled flooring 22 and possibly also bottom parts of the walls
202 (not shown).
The flexible layer 24, in this case, comprises heating elements 51 such as
heating cables incor-
porated in the flexible layer, like a heating blanket, or covered by a heat
insulated portion of
the flexible layer 24.
[037] In the example of FIG. 3, a heat insulating flexible layer 24 that is
also porous, and may
now not comprise heating elements, is placed over the tiled flooring 22 in the
enclosed space
200. The flexible layer 24 covers the tiled flooring 22, and may also here
have a larger area than
the tiled flooring 22 to extend slightly up along the walls 202 (not shown).
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[038] An outlet hot air tubing 56 connected to the hot air source comprising a
dehumidifier 50
extends to open in a space 23 defined between the insulating porous flexible
layer 24 and the
tiled flooring 22. The hot air source may here as well comprise another hot
air source, such as a
hot air blower (not shown). Hot air tubing 56 enters the space 23 through an
opening 25
formed through the flexible layer 24 as indicated in FIG. 3. Hot air tubing 56
may alternatively
be inserted under an edge of the flexible layer 24 as indicated in FIG. 5.
[039] The water damaged floor structure is then dried as in the following
drying process:
[040] Dry hot air produced by heating source 50 heats the floor structure 10
according to the
different embodiments shown in FIGS. 1-6. Dry hot air produced by the heating
source 50 in the
FIG. 4-6 embodiments is forced by the dehumidifier 50 into to the space 23.
The dry hot air
heats the floor structure 10, while in most embodiments the heat insulating
flexible layer 24 in-
hibits heat from escaping into the enclosed space 200.
[041] Concurrently, ambient air is drawn by the suction blower 60 to flow
along the isolating
layer 18 below the enclosed space and out of the floor structure 10.
[042] The flowing ambient air is heated by the heated floor structure 10, and
thereby increas-
es its capacity of continuously absorbing moisture from the floor structure
10, to become moist
air.
[043] The drying process continues accordingly until the floor structure 10 is
considered to be
appropriately dried, for example by use of a moisture meter.
[044] FIG. 4 shows a case when the floor structure 10 is more or less
impermeable to air flow
so that sufficient amounts of ambient air cannot reach the isolating layer 18.
In that case the
concrete layer 12 may extend beyond the enclosed space 200. Then one or more
inlet openings
14 for ambient air can be formed through the floor structure 10 down to the
isolating layer 18
at a second, opposite end of the enclosed space 200 and outside a confining
wall 202 thereof.
The drying process will then be performed substantially as that described
above. In case there
is no opposite end available, the second end may be another distant end of the
enclosed space
200 (not shown).
[045] FIG. 5 illustrates a possibility to use a suction blower and a
dehumidifier in serial connec-
tion and usable in all embodiments described herein using a flexible layer 24.
FIG. 5 also shows
a typical arrangement of hot air tubing and respective inlet and outlet
openings 14, 16 outside
opposite ends of the enclosed space 200.
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[046] The embodiment shown in in FIG. 6 includes a number of perforated hollow
flexible
pipes 30, 32 to be inserted in the isolating layer 18 and to facilitate the
drawing of ambient air
through the isolating layer 18 in case the isolating layer is more or less
impervious / impermea-
ble to airflow.
[047] As evident from FIG. 6, a forward pipe 30 of the perforated pipes 30, 32
has a pointed
tip 38 and one or more external helical threads 36. The pipe 30 is thereby
capable of advancing
into the porous isolating layer 18 by being rotated. The external helical
threads 36 are suitably
shaped for incising into or pushing away the porous isolating material when
advancing on rota-
tion of the pipe 30. The pipes 30, 32 may also be resilient so as to return to
their original
straight shape when released from bending forces.
[048] The pipes 32, i.e. the pipes to be serially connected to a forward pipe
30, may also have
one or more external threads 36 and are serially connectable to each other and
to a rearward
end of the forward pipe 30 by mutually engageable screw threads 40 (FIGS. 7
and 8).
[049] To facilitate rotation of the pipes 30, 32 being advanced into the
isolating layer 18, a
socket 42 (FIG. 6) for a rotating tool may be used. Socket 42 has a forward
screw thread 40 that
can be engaged with a mating thread 40 of a rearward end of the pipe(s) that
is (are) advanced
into the isolating layer. Socket 42 also has a rearward end portion 44 for
engagement with a tip
of the rotating tool such as a power screw driver (not shown).
[050] To keep the integrity of the floor structure 10 in the space 200, in the
FIG. 6 embodi-
ment, the pipes 30, 32 are advanced into a lateral face 18a of the isolating
layer 18 from an out-
let opening 16 outside of the space 200. To that end, the opening 16 is formed
as a cavity in the
floor structure outside of the wall 202 of space 200. The cavity is
dimensioned for allowing drill-
ing a bore 16a in the partition wall before inserting, rotating and advancing
the flexi-
ble/bendable pipes 30, 32 into the isolating layer 18. The partition wall may
occasionally also
rest on the concrete layer 12 (not shown). In that case the opening 16 may be
provided as in
the previously described embodiments.
[051] The pipes 30, 32, accordingly installed in the isolating layer, are
connected to the suction
blower via outlet tubing 66 as in the previously described embodiments.
[052] As diagrammatically indicated in phantom on FIG. 6, and analogously to
the previously
described embodiments, depending on the extent of the water damage, a
sufficient array 26 of
serially connected pipes 30, 32 distributed in the isolating layer 18 may be
connected to outlet
tubing 66 via a manifold 77.
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[053] Like in the previously described embodiments, outlet tubing 66 is in
turn connected to
the suction blower 60, in this case in a combined drying apparatus 100.
Apparatus 100 may be
placed in the space 200 as shown, where outlet tubing 66 is passed through the
doorway 204 in
partition wall 202. Apparatus 100 may likewise be placed outside the space 200
(not shown). In
the apparatus 100, suction blower 60 is serially connected (not shown) to the
dehumidifier 50.
Dehumidifier SO has outlet hot air tubing 56 extending through the porous
flexible layer 23.
Dehumidifier 50 may also have a wet air outlet and an ambient air inlet (not
shown in FIG .6) as
known in the art. While the blower 60 and dehumidifier 50 are diagrammatically
shown con-
tained in a common case, they may also be serially connected separate machines
or non-
connected machines as described in connection with the relevant other
embodiments shown in
the drawing. In the latter case the efficiency of the drying process may be
decreased as the dry
air in space 23 would possibly be less heated.
[054] The drying apparatus 100 according to the invention and shown in FIG. 9,
which appa-
ratus 100 may optionally be used in all relevant embodiments described above,
is further pro-
vided with a sound and heat insulation inside the casing 102. The sound and
heat insulation
comprises a laminate having a thicker sound and heat insulating layer 104 and
a thinner sound
and heat reflecting layer or film 106. The laminate may be adhesively bonded
to the interior
face of the casing 102.
[055] Inside the sound and heat insulation 104, 106 in the housing 102, the
dehumidifier 50 is
mounted in parallel with and above the suction blower 60. Specifically, the
dehumidifier 50 is
suitably installed against one side of the housing 102, and the suction blower
60 is mounted in
near heat-conducting contact directly against a bottom face of the
dehumidifier 50.
[056] The suction blower 60 is a side channel blower comprising an electric
motor 122 and a
centrifugal blower housing 124. The suction blower 60 has a suction channel
126, arranged to
be connected to the above-mentioned outlet tubing 66, and an outlet channel
128 connected
to an inlet 152 of the dehumidifier 50.
[057] The dehumidifier 50 is a sorption dehumidifier also having an inlet 170
for ambient air
172. At the inlet 170 there is a fan, such as a duct fan 154, to further
increase the mixed flow of
the ambient air 172 and the process air flow 68 heated by the suction blower
into the dehumid-
ifier 50. Downstream of the fan 154, the resulting mixed process air is led
into a sorption block
156 which may be of the rotary type. The sorption block 156 has an absorbent
for accumulating
moisture in the process air and is capable of dividing the output flow into a
dry air flow 58, exit-
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ing the apparatus 100 through a dry air outlet channel 52, and a wet air flow
78 which is dis-
charged from the dryer 100 through an outlet channel 162 from which it can be
discharged
through a wet air tubing 76. The dehumidifier 50 also has a regeneration
chamber 158 where
there is a self-regulating PTC (Positive Temperature Coefficient) element 160
to further heat up
the resulting dry air when needed. Without such a PTC element, the
dehumidification would be
degraded by the overheating protection being released and the operation
thereby deteriorat-
ing.
[058] In FIG. 9, a slightly modified drying apparatus 100 is further shown
mounted on a trolley
108 to be easily moved over shorter distances.
[059] The foregoing detailed description is given primarily for clearness of
understanding and
no unnecessary limitations are to be understood therefrom. Modifications will
become obvious
to those skilled in the art upon reading this disclosure and may be made
without departing
from the scope of the appended claims.
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