INSULATING ARRANGEMENT FOR AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The invention relates to an air conditioning system according to the preambles of claims 1 and 7 and comprising a support structure and an insulating material, the support structure being at least partly detachable.

[0002] Centralized air conditioning systems in buildings and industrial establishments interconnect many very different spaces. To maximize fire safety, the air conditioning systems connecting the spaces must be made fireproof to prevent a fire from spreading by the action of hot flue gases carried through the air conditioning systems from one space to another or from the air conditioning system to the structures of the building. Flue gas valves are used in air conditioning systems to prevent a fire from spreading, and, when closed tightly, they prevent hot flue gases from spreading through the air conditioning systems from one space to another, allowing a fire to be restricted and prevented from spreading. In addition to flue gas valves, the elements in an air conditioning system have to be insulated so that the heat conveyed with the hot flue gases is not carried to the structures of buildings. To prevent this, present air conditioning systems use various ceramic materials as insulating materials, and they are fastened to the elements of the air conditioning systems. These ceramic masses gather heat and prevent it from spreading to the structures of buildings. The insulating materials to be installed must always be checked to ensure sufficient fire safety and to follow fire instructions.

[0003] Generally used insulators are complete laminar insulating pieces made from a solid material and attached in pieces to the air conditioning system elements to be insulated. The quality of such insulating pieces can be checked before being installed in the elements of an air conditioning system. The characteristics of new ceramic materials are such that they are substantially fluid before they are installed in the elements to be insulated. After installation, these materials solidify forming a solid insulation. The above-described property enables for instance the casting of the insulating material into the element to be insulated, thus facilitating and enhancing the insulation process. A problem in the use of these workable ceramic masses is checking the quality of the insulation. Once such a workable ceramic mass is installed in an element of an air conditioning system, its quality has to be checked, so that large cavities not containing insulating mass do not remain inside the mass upon its installation. At the cavities, the insulation does not work in the desired manner; on the contrary heat is conveyed to the structures, which may cause a risk of fire. To avoid cavities, a ceramic insulation mass is randomly checked by detaching pieces from the insulation mass at randomly selected points. The mass tends to fasten to the supporting structures of an insulating arrangement, making the detachment of the mass difficult, and the workable or cast mass always has to be broken, whereby the mass is often detached in pieces of uncontrollable sizes, thus hampering the reparation of the insulator into its original faultless condition. DE-43 13 589 A1 describes a solution, where film of solid material is used between the insulation material and the support structure according to prior art.

[0004] A need has therefore arisen to evolve the insulation so as to facilitate the checking of the quality of the insulating mass and the reparation of the mass. The checking can be facilitated by adding properties to the elements and the insulation of the air conditioning system to facilitate the detachment and the reinstallation of the mass.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0005] The object of the invention is to provide an insulating arrangement for an air conditioning system, solving the above problems.

[0006] The air conditioning system of the invention is characterized in what is stated in the characterizing parts of independent claims 1 and 7 The preferred embodiments of the invention are disclosed in the dependent claims.

[0007] The invention is based on placing a film inside the insulator in the element of the air conditioning system upon installation, the film dividing the insulator into two parts. The material of the film is such that it detachably separates the insulator parts remaining on the different sides of the film or the insulator part and the support structure from each other in a manner allowing the insulating material to be detached upon checking from the element of the air conditioning system into two parts or allowing the support structure on top of the insulating material to be detached from the insulating material. In this manner the insulating material remains intact upon checking and the detachable part of the insulator is also detached easily. Thanks to the film, the insulating material is detached in the desired manner in pieces of a suitable size and depth, which are easily reinstalled in place after the checking. In accordance with the invention, the film material is substantially liquid, whereby its installation in the insulating arrangement is easy and fast, and, when need be, the film can be made very thin.

[0008] An advantage of the method and system of the invention is the ability to detach the insulating material in a controlled manner for checking, and to reinstall the detached insulating material easily in place after the checking.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0009] In the following, preferred embodiments of the invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which

Figure 1 a is a side view of a partition of the air conditioning system of the invention;

Figure 1b shows a cross section of the air conditioning system of Figure 1a;

Figures 2a and 2b show a conduit element of the air conditioning system of the present invention, wherein the support structure constitutes an external and an internal jacket for the conduit element, between which the insulating material is installed;

Figures 3a and 3b show a conduit element of the air conditioning system of the present invention, wherein the support structure constitutes an internal jacket for the conduit element, the insulating material being installed on the outer surface of the jacket;

Figures 4a and 4b show a conduit element of the air conditioning system of the present invention, wherein the support structure constitutes an internal jacket for the conduit element, the insulating material being installed on the inner surface of the jacket:

Figures 5a and 5b show a conduit element of the air conditioning system of the present invention, wherein the insulating material is installed on both sides of the support structure;

Figures 6a, 6b, 6c and 6d show a closing element of the air conditioning system of the present invention, comprising a support structure and an insulating material attached thereto.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Figure 1a shows a partition of a typical air conditioning system comprising a conduit element 1, a closing element 2 and an actuator 3 for controlling the closing element. Figure 1b is a cross section of the air conditioning system of Figure 1a, the conduit element 1 comprising a support structure including an external jacket 4 and an internal jacket 5, and an insulating material 6 attached between the jackets of the support structure. This type of solution, wherein the originally substantially fluid insulating material 6 is fastened between the external and internal jackets 4, 5 of the conduit element 1 during manufacture, enables the checking of the sealing material after the manufacture of the air conditioning system, provided the external jacket is made at least partly detachable. During the manufacture of such an insulating arrangement, wherein an originally substantially fluid material is used that later solidifies, such an insulating material is fastened to the support structures of the elements to be insulated, i.e. for example to the external and internal jackets of Figures 1a and 1b. An insulating arrangement for the conduit element 1 and closing element 2 of an air conditioning system will be studied next; wherein the insulating material fastened to the elements comprises a film. In this context, a tubular conduit element refers to an elongated and tubular element having any kind of cross section, along which element the substances flowing in the air conditioning system pass.

[0011] Figures 2a and 2b show a tubular conduit element of an air conditioning system, wherein the support structure comprises an external jacket 4 and an internal jacket 5, between which an originally substantially fluid insulating material 6 is fastened. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a film 7 made from a substantially fluid material is preferably placed on the inner surface of the at least partly detachable external jacket 4, between the external jacket 4 and the insulating material 6 or between the internal jacket 5 and the insulating material 6 during manufacture. The film may be made from any liquid material suitable for the purpose; it is preferably a Teflon-based or mould oil-based substance that prevents the partitions of the insulating material or the support structure and the insulating material from bonding together. Accordingly, the film may be installed during manufacture onto the surface of either the insulating material 6 or the surface of the support structure 4, 5. When the film is between the external jacket 4 and the insulating material 6, only the external jacket 4 can be removed during the checking. During manufacture, the film is preferably placed on the surface of the external jacket such that the bonding together of the insulating material and the jacket is avoided as the insulating material dries and hardens. Usually such a detachable external jacket is formed in such a manner that the jacket has a longitudinal seam closed with screws, studs or the like means. This seam can thus be opened and the jacket spread allowing it to be threaded away without breaking the insulating material. If, instead, the film 7 is installed between the internal jacket 5 and the insulating material 6, the internal jacket has to be removed from inside the conduit element. In these cases, the insulating material 6 can be checked from either its inner or outer surface.

[0012] In a second embodiment of the present invention, the originally substantially fluid insulating material 6 is fastened, preferably by casting, between the internal and the external jackets 4, 5. In this embodiment, a film 7 dividing the insulating material 6 into two parts that are detachable from one another is placed inside the insulating material 6 during manufacture. The film may be made from any substantially fluid material suitable for the purpose, preferably it is a Teflon-based or mould oil-based substance that prevents the partitions of the insulating material or the support structure and the insulating material from bonding together. During its installation, the insulating material of the conduit element 1 shown in Figures 2a and 2b is fastened to the internal and external jackets 4, 5. In this case, the external jacket 4 is made detachable in such a manner that when the external jacket 4 is being detached, the part of the insulating material 6 fastened thereto is detached with the external jacket 4 up to the film 7, but the part of the insulating material 6 fastened to the internal jacket 5 on the other side of the film remains in place in the conduit element 1. Once the external jacket 4 and the outermost part of the insulating material 6 up to the film 7 are detached, the quality of the insulation can be easily checked without breaking the insulation. After the check, the detached external jacket 4 and the insulating material fastened thereto are easy to reinstall in place.

[0013] Figures 3a and 3b show a conduit element 1 of an air conditioning system of the present invention, comprising an internal jacket 5 and an insulating material 6 of the invention fastened thereto and comprising a film 7. In this case, the insulating material 6 constitutes the outer surface of the conduit. As in Figures 2a and 2b, the film 7 may be installed inside the insulating material 6 or between the internal jacket 5 and the insulating material 6 during manufacture. In the previous case, only the uppermost partition of the insulating material up to the film 7 is removed during checking of the insulating material 6, and the checking can thus be made on the inner parts of the insulating material. In the latter case, the insulating material 6 is removed up to the internal jacket 5 at the checking point.

[0014] In the embodiment of Figures 4a and 4b, the conduit element 1 of the air conditioning system only comprises an at least partly detachable external jacket 4, the insulating material 6 fastened inside the external jacket 4 constituting the inner surface of the conduit. In the embodiment of the present invention, the film 7 is installed either inside the insulating material 6, whereby it divides the insulating material 6 into two parts, or between the external jacket 4 and the insulating material 6. When the film 7 is installed inside the insulating material 6, the insulating material 6 is detached up to the film 7 together with the external jacket 4 during the checking. But if the film 7 is installed between the external jacket 4 and the insulating material 6, only the external jacket 4 is detached during the checking.

[0015] In the embodiment of Figures 5a and 5b, insulating material 6 is placed on both sides of a support structure 8 of the conduit element of the air conditioning system, the outer and inner surfaces of the conduit being composed of the insulating material 6. In this case, one or more films 7, may be used optionally. In accordance with the present invention, the films may be installed either inside the insulating material 6, between the support structure 8 and the insulating material 6 or in a combination of said places. The use of several films 7 enables the checking of the insulating material 6 at different depths without the entire insulation being broken.

[0016] In the following, a corresponding insulating arrangement for a dosing element in the conduit element 1 of an air conditioning system will be studied by means of examples according to the present invention. The same features are typical of the insulating arrangement of the closing element 2 as are of the above-described insulation of the conduit element 1.

[0017] Figure 6a is a front view of a typical closing element 2, by means of which the conduit element 1 of an air conditioning system can be sealed when needed in connection with fires or otherwise when required. Such a closing element 2 that turns shut in the conduit element 1 to insulate the conduit has to be insulated in the same way as the conduit element.

[0018] Figure 6b shows the cross section of an embodiment of a dosing element 2 of Figure 6a. Such a closing element comprises a support structure 9 and an insulating material 6 fastened thereto. The solution of Figure 6b comprises an at least partly detachable support structure 9, between which the insulating material 6 is fastened. The insulation of the closing element 2 is checked in the same way as the insulation of the conduit element by installing a film 7 inside or on top of the insulating material during manufacture of the element In the solution of Figure 6b, the film 7 is installed during manufacture inside the insulating material 6 or between the insulating material 6 and the support structure 9. Once the film 7 is installed inside the insulating material 6, the support structure 9 can be detached from one side of the closing element 2 during the checking, whereby part of the insulating material 6 is detached along with the support structure. The procedure is the same when the film 7 is installed between the insulating material 6 and the support structure, but in this case, during the checking, only one of the support structures 9 is detached, and the insulating material remains in place.

[0019] Figure 6c shows another embodiment of an insulating arrangement for the closing element 2, wherein the insulating material 6 is fastened only on one side of the support structure 9. In the embodiment of Figure 6d, the insulating material 6 is fastened to both sides of the support structure 9 during manufacture. In both these cases, as above, the film 7 can be installed inside the insulating material 6 or between the support structure 9 and the insulating material 6 during manufacture of the element. It is also to be noted that more than one film can be used in all insulating arrangements of the closing element, For instance the use of two films is particularly suitable for the insulating arrangement of Figure 6d, wherein both sides of the support structure 9 have separate insulator layers.

[0020] According to the principle of the present invention, the insulating arrangement of the invention can be applied also to other components of an air conditioning system, wherein an originally substantially fluid insulating material is used, inside or on top of which a film of the invention is placed. Such air conditioning system components may include various valves, for example.

[0021] In accordance with the invention, there may be several films and they can be placed in various positions in accordance with the above-described embodiments. The material of the film may be any substantially liquid material, allowing the use of the insulating arrangement according to the invention. The film is preferably of a Teflon-based or mould oil-based liquid substance. The insulating arrangement of the invention is characterized in that the film may be installed in only part of the air conditioning system or in given parts of its elements. Furthermore, the film may be placed inside the insulating material, on top of the insulating material or on the surface of the support structure during manufacture, as desired.

[0022] In accordance with the invention, the film 7 is installed during manufacture of the element of the air conditioning system. Herein, a substantially liquid film material is applied by spreading, spraying or by a corresponding manner onto the surfaces of the support structure 4, 5, 8; 9 so as to form the film 7. Substantially fluid insulating material 6 is then led to the surface of the support structure or to a space formed thereby for instance by casting. The insulating material is such that it hardens and tends to attach to the support structure when hardening. However, herein, the material of the film 7 is such that it prevents the insulating material 6 from attaching to the support structure 4, 5, 8; 9, whereby the support structure and the insulating material remain detachably separate from one another.

[0023] Alternatively, the film material may be installed on the sur face of a hardened insulating material in a manner allowing either the support structure 4, 5, 8: 9 or more insulating material to be installed onto the formed film 7, whereby the film remains inside the insulating material.

Claims

1. An element for an air conditioning system, the element including a support structure (4, 5, 8; 9) and an insulating material (6), the support structure being at least partly detachable characterized in that at least the surfaces of the detachable parts of the support structure (4, 5, 8; 9) are provided with a film (7) of substantially liquid material between the support structure (4, 5, 8; 9) and the insulating material (6) for preventing the insulating material (6) from attaching to the support structure, so as to enable removing of at least a portion of the support structure (4, 5, 8; from the insulating material (6).

2. An element for an air conditioning system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the element constitutes a tubular conduit element (1).

3. An element for an air conditioning system as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the element further includes a closing element (2).

4. An element for an air conditioning system as claimed in claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the support structures (4, 5, 8; 9) constitute an internal and an external jacket (4, 5; 9) for the conduit element (1), the insulating material (6) being installed between the jackets.

5. An element for an air conditioning system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the film (7) is preferably of a Teflon-based or mould oil-based substance.

6. An element for an air conditioning system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that support structure further comprises detaching and/or attaching means for detaching and/or attaching at least part of the support structure.

7. A method of manufacturing an element for an air conditioning system, the element including a support structure (4, 5, 8; 9) and an insulating material (6), characterized by
providing the element for the air conditioning system with a support structure (4, 5, 8; 9).
installing a substantially liquid material on the surface(s) of the support structure (4, 5, 8; 9) provided so as to form a film (7):
applying a substantially fluid insulating material (6) on the surface of the support structure (4, 5, 8; 9) or into a space formed thereby in such a manner that the film (7), formed from the substantially liquid material, remains between the insulating material (6) and the support structure (4, 5, 8; 9); and
letting the insulating material (6) harden, whereby the film (7) prevents the hardening insulating material (6) from attaching to the support structure (4, 5, 8; 9) and keeps the insulating material and the support structure detachably separate.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7, characterized by placing the film (7) on the surface of the insulating material and/or on the surface of the support structure (4, 5, 8; 9) after hardening of the insulating material (6).

9. A method as claimed in claim 7 or 8, characterized by installing the film (7) by spreading or by spraying.

Ansprüche

1. Element für eine Klimaanlage, wobei das Element eine Halterungsstruktur (4, 5, 8; 9) und ein Isolationsmaterial (6) aufweist, wobei die Halterungsstruktur mindestens teilweise lösbar ist, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass mindestens die Oberflächen der lösbaren Teile der Halterungsstruktur (4, 5, 8; 9) mit einem Film (7) aus im Wesentlichen flüssigem Material zwischen der Halterungsstruktur (4, 5, 8; 9) und dem Isolationsmaterial (6) versehen sind, um zu verhindern, dass das Isolationsmaterial (6) an der Halterungsstruktur anhaftet, um das Entfernen mindestens eines Teils der Halterungsstruktur (4, 5, 8; 9) vom Isolationsmaterial (6) zu ermöglichen.

2. Element für eine Klimaanlage nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das Element ein röhrenförmiges Leitungselement (1) bildet.

3. Element für eine Klimaanlage nach Anspruch 1 oder 2, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das Element ferner ein Schließelement (2) aufweist.

4. Element für eine Klimaanlage nach Anspruch 2 oder 3, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Halterungsstrukturen (4, 5, 8; 9) einen inneren und einen äußeren Mantel (4, 5; 9) für das Leitungselement (1) bilden, wobei das Isolationsmaterial (6) zwischen den Mänteln installiert ist.

5. Element für eine Klimaanlage nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 4, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der Film (7) vorzugsweise eine auf Teflon oder Schalungsöl basierende Substanz ist.

6. Element für eine Klimaanlage nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 4, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Halterungsstruktur ferner eine Einrichtung zum Lösen und/oder Befestigen umfasst, um mindestens einen Teil der Halterungsstruktur zu lösen und/oder zu befestigen.

7. Verfahren zur Herstellung eines Elementes für eine Klimaanlage, wobei das Element eine Halterungsstruktur (4, 5, 8; 9) und ein Isolationsmaterial (6) aufweist, gekennzeichnet durch Bereitstellen des Elementes für die Klimaanlage mit einer Halterungsstruktur (4, 5, 8; 9), Installieren eines im Wesentlichen flüssigen Materials auf der (den) Oberfläche(n) der Halterungsstruktur (4, 5, 8; 9), das so bereitgestellt wird, dass es einen Film (7) bildet;
Aufbringen eines im Wesentlichen flüssigen Isolationsmaterials (6) auf die Oberfläche der Halterungsstruktur (4, 5, 8; 9) oder in einen Raum, der dadurch in einer solchen Weise gebildet wird, dass der Film (7), der aus dem im Wesentlichen flüssigen Material gebildet ist, zwischen dem Isolationsmaterial (6) und der Halterungsstruktur (4, 5, 8; 9) verbleibt; und Aushärtenlassen des Isolationsmaterials (6), wodurch der Film (7) verhindert, dass das härtende Isolationsmaterial (6) an der Halterungsstruktur (4, 5, 8; 9) anhaftet, und das Isolationsmaterial und die Halterungsstruktur lösbar getrennt hält.

8. Verfahren nach Anspruch 7, gekennzeichnet durch Anordnen des Films (7) auf der Oberfläche des Isolationsmaterials und/oder auf der Oberfläche der Halterungsstruktur (4, 5, 8; 9) nach dem Härten des Isolationsmaterials (6).

9. Verfahren nach Anspruch 7 oder 8, gekennzeichnet durch Installieren des Films (7) durch Ausbreiten oder durch Sprühen.

Revendications

1. Elément pour un système de climatisation d'air, lequel élément comprend une structure de support (4, 5, 8 ; 9) et un matériau isolant (6), la structure de support étant au moins partiellement détachable, caractérisé en ce que les surfaces des parties détachables au moins de la structure de support (4, 5, 8 ; 9) comportent un film (7) se composant d'un matériau essentiellement liquide entre la structure de support (4, 5, 8 ; 9) et le matériau isolant (6) afin d'empêcher que le matériau isolant attache à la structure de support et de manière à pouvoir retirer une partie au moins de la structure de support (4, 5, 8 ; 9) par rapport au matériau isolant (6).

2. Elément pour un système de climatisation d'air tel que revendiqué dans la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce qu'il consiste en un élément de type conduit tubulaire (1).

3. Elément pour un système de climatisation d'air tel que revendiqué dans la revendication 1 ou 2, caractérisé en ce qu'il comprend en outre un élément de fermeture (2).

4. Elément pour un système de climatisation d'air tel que revendiqué dans la revendication 2 ou 3, caractérisé en ce que les structures de support (4, 5, 8 ; 9) constituent des chemises interne et externe (4, 5 ; 9) pour l'élément de type conduit (1), le matériau isolant (6) étant disposé entre les chemises.

5. Elément pour un système de climatisation d'air tel que revendiqué dans l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 4, caractérisé en ce que le film (7) consiste de préférence en une substance à base de Teflon ou à base d'huile de moulage.

6. Elément pour un système de climatisation d'air tel que revendiqué dans l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 4, caractérisé en ce que la structure de support comprend en outre un moyen de détachement/attachement permettant de détacher/attacher une partie au moins de la structure de support.

7. Procédé de fabrication d'un élément pour un système de climatisation d'air, ledit élément comprenant une structure de support (4, 5, 8 ; 9) et un matériau isolant (6), caractérisé en ce que :

- l'élément pour le système de climatisation d'air comporte une structure de support (4, 5, 8 ; 9) ;

- un matériau essentiellement liquide est placé sur la ou les surfaces de la structure de support (4, 5, 8 ; 9) de manière à former un film (7) ;

- un matériau isolant essentiellement fluide (6) est appliqué sur la surface de la structure de support (4, 5, 8 ; 9) ou dans l'espace formé par cette dernière de sorte que le film (7), se composant du matériau essentiellement liquide, demeure entre le matériau isolant (6) et la structure de support (4, 5, 8 ; 9) ; et

- on laisse durcir le matériau isolant (6), le film (7) empêchant le matériau isolant (6) se durcissant d'attacher à la structure de support (4, 5, 8 ; 9) et maintenant le matériau isolant et la structure de support séparés de manière détachable.

8. Procédé tel que revendiqué dans la revendication 7, caractérisé en ce que le film (7) est placé sur la surface du matériau isolant et/ou sur la surface de la structure de support (4, 5, 8 ; 9) après le durcissement du matériau isolant (6).

9. Procédé tel que revendiqué dans la revendication 7 ou 8, caractérisé en ce que le film (7) est appliqué par étalement ou par vaporisation.

Drawing