METHOD FOR COOLING OF PREMISES AND DEVICE FOR CARRYING THROUGH SAID METHOD

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and a device for cooling of premises, whereby a medium (14) in the summertime is cooled during the night by means of cool night air and is brought to cool a floor over crawl space (5) under the premises (2) for cooling of said premises (2) during the day. In order to eliminate, in this method and device, the risk for migration of moisture from the ground and upwards through the floor over crawl space (5), said floor over crawl space (5) and an underlying foundation (5a) are cooled so that at least upper portions of said floor over crawl space (5) reach a minimum temperature which substantially exceeds the temperature in the ground (4) under said foundation (5a).

Description: Method for cooling of premises and device for carrying through said method. The present invention relates to a method for coo¬ ling of premises, whereby a medium in the summertime is cooled during the night by means of cool night air and is brought to cool a floor over crawl space under the premises for cooling of said premises during the day. The invention also relates to a device for carrying through this method. According to SE public specification 351 716 it is already known to utilize the floor over crawl space in a building as an accumulator for cold. This accumulator is cooled during the night in the summer and used to cool the premises in the daytime. However, there is a risk that cooling of said accumulator causes an undesired migration of moisture from the ground and upwards through the floor over crawl space. The object of the present invention has been to pro¬ vide a simple method and a simple device which remedies this shortcoming. The method according to the invention includes substantially the characterizing features of claim 1, while the device according to the invention has substantially the characterizing features of claim 15. Thanks to the method and device according to the inven¬ tion, undesired migration of moisture from the ground and upwards through the floor over crawl space is prevented. The invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which fig. 1 schematically illustrates a device for carry¬ ing through the method according to the inven ion; fig. 2 is a section II-II through the device of fig. 1; fig. 3 is a section III-III through the device of fig. 1; and fig. 4 is a section through a conduit system forming part of the device according to the invention. In fig. 1 there is illustrated a building 1, e.g. a school building with premises 2 and 3, e.g. school pre¬ mises. The building 1 has a floor over crawl space 5 which is located on a bed or foundation 5a placed on the ground 4 under the building 1. The foundation 5a consists of an upper layer 5b of stone material, e.g. macadam, and a lower layer 5c of another stone and/or gravel material. The foundation 5a preferably has a depth of about 30 cm, whereby the upper layer 5b is about 20 cm and the lower layer 5c about 10 cm. Between the premises 2 and 3 there is an intermediate floor structure 6. In order to cool the floor over crawl space 5 and the intermediate floor structure 6 during the summer, there is provided a cooling device 7 comprising a refri- gerating machine 8 located outdoors. The refrigerating machine 8 includes a fan device 9 and a coolant system 10 with a coolant which preferably contains an anti-freeze agent, e.g. glycol, for protecting the coolant system 10 from bursting by the frost in the winter. The coolant sys- tern 10 cooperates with a first heat exchanger 11 and a tube system 12 also cooperates with said first heat ex¬ changer 11, said tube system 12 being connected for commu¬ nication with a conduit system 13 which is located in the floor over crawl space 5 and/or the bed or foundation 5a and in the intermediate floor structure 6. The conduit system is free from freon and includes no compressor. The object of said cooling device 7 is in the summer, during the night, to transport by means of the fan device 9, cool night air through the refrigerating machine 8 for cooling the coolant in the coolant system 10. The chilled coolant is fed through the coolant system 10 to the first heat exchanger 11 and cools therein, the liquid 14 located in the tube system 12 and the conduit system 13 and consisting preferably of water or a mixture of substantially water. For being able to chill the premises in the summer¬ time for an entire working day, i.e. up to about 8 hours, with full desired capacity, the chilled liquid 14 is during the night brought to cool not only the floor over crawl space 5 but also the bed or foundation 5a until said floor over crawl space 5 as well as said foundation 5a have been sufficiently cooled. The accumulator formed by the floor over crawl space 5 as well as the foundation 5a is sufficiently large to cool the premises 2 as men¬ tioned, i.e. up to about 8 hours. The liquid 14 is brought to cool the foundation 5a to a depth of at least about 20 cm, preferably about 30 cm, whereby the upper layer 5b has been cooled in its full depth and the lower layer 5c at least in the major part of its depth. Additionally, the floor over crawl space 5 as well as the foundation 5a is cooled in their full or substan¬ tially full lengths and widths. The liquid 14 may be brought to cool the floor over crawl space 5 in a direction from below and upwards and simultaneously, the bed or foundation 5a in a direction from above and downwards. Preferably, the liquid 14 can be fed through lower portions of the floor over crawl space 5 located adjacent the underlying foundation 5a. The intermediate floor structure 6 and thus, the premi¬ ses 3, are also chilled or cooled during the night. In order to heat the floor over crawl space 5 and eventually the bed or foundation 5a as well as the inter¬ mediate floor structure 6 during the winter, there is provided a heating device 15 comprising a heating system 16, e.g. a district heating system or eventually a hea- ting boiler, which cooperates with a second heat exchan¬ ger 17. A tube system 18 also cooperates with the second heat exchanger 17 and said tube system 18 is further con¬ nected for communication with the conduit system 13. The object of said heating device 15 is, in the win- ter, to transfer heat in the second heat exchanger 17 from the heating system 16 to the liquid 14 in the con¬ duit system 13 for heating the floor over crawl space 5 and the intermediate floor structure 6 and thus, the air in the premises 2 and 3. In order to effectively ensure that no migration of moisture occurs from the ground 4 up through the floor over crawl space 5, said floor over crawl space and the foundation 5a are cooled so that at least upper parts of said floor over crawl space 5 reach a minimum tempera¬ ture which substantially exceeds the temperature in the ground 4. This can be carried through in may ways, e.g. by dimensioning or designing the members in question therefor, or by adapting the flow of liquid in question therefor and/or by providing at control device 19a there¬ for in the cooling device 7 or in another suitable loca¬ tion. Since the average temperature in the ground 4 over a year is about 8°C, the ground temperature is somewhat lower in the winter and somewhat higher in the summer. For preventing said migration of moisture in the summer, the floor over crawl space 5 and the bed or foundation 5a are preferably cooled to a minimum temperature not lower than about 16°C, and in the winter said floor over crawl space 5 is heated to a temperature which is substantially higher, preferably about 25-26°C. Determination of the minimum temperature in the floor over crawl space 5 in the winter can also be carried through in different ways, e.g. by means of a control device 19b. The conduit system 13 is preferably located on top of the bed or foundation 5a, e.g. on the upper layer 5b or preferably on a separating layer 21, e.g. a fiber cloth, which is placed on said upper layer 5b. When the conduit system 13 is located in this way, a casting layer 22, e.g. of concrete material, is cast on top of the foun¬ dation 5a or preferably on top of the separating layer 21 and the conduit system 13, so that cooling occurs in a direction upwards through the floor over crawl space 5 and at the same time in downwards direction through the foundation 5a. In the intermediate floor structure 6, the conduit system 13 is preferably located on a reinforcing device 23, e.g. a steel fabric, which is provided in the upper portion of the intermediate floor structure 6 or substan- tially therein. Hereby, the conduit system 13 will also be located in e.g. an upper third of the intermediate floor structure 6. Preferably, the conduit system 13 is placed or mounted on the reinforcing device 23 before the intermediate floor structure 6 is cast and then, concrete material is filled into the mould for finishing said inter¬ mediate floor structure 6. The conduit system 13 preferably comprises at least one flexible hose 24 of such rubber material or such corresponding material that the liquid 14 can not come in contact with surrounding material in the floor over crawl space 5 and the foundation 5a or in the intermediate floor structure 6. The hose 24 can be bent manually to a suitable shape so that it runs in the floor over crawl space 5 and the intermediate floor structure 6 as loops in a conduit without joints. In the embodiment shown, the conduit system 13 comprises elongated double-hose units 25, which may be bent manually and which includes two hoses 24 which run in parallel with each other and are connected to each other through manually bendable con- necting members 26 of the same material as the hoses 24. Eventual excessive heat obtained during said method may be used for heating air which is blown into the pre¬ mises by means of a fan device (not shown) . The method and device described above may vary with- in the scope of the subsequent claims. Thus, the bed or foundation 5a may consist of another material than one or more layers placed on the ground. As an example of an alternative foundation, one should mention a natural rock base or similar. It is also possible in certain cases to use another medium than liquid 14 for cooling/heating of the floor over crawl space 5 and the foundation 5a as well as eventually, the intermediate floor structure 6, there may be more than one intermediate floor structure 6 which is cooled/heated if the building has many stories and the conduit system 13 may be of another type than a flexible hose or several hoses. Furthermore, it iε also possible to feed said medium 14 through the floor over crawl space 5 as well as the foundation 5a or eventually only through said foundation 5a. It is also possible in certain cases, besides the floor over crawl space 5 and the foundation 5a, to cool the underlying ground 4.

Claims: Claims : 1. Method for cooling of premises, whereby a medium (14) in the summertime is cooled during the night by means of cool night air and brought to cool a floor over crawl space (5) under the premises (2) for cooling of said pre- ises during the day, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that besides the floor over crawl space (5) , said medium (14) is also brought to cool a bed or foundation (5a) of stone and/or gravel material located under said floor over crawl space (5) and that said medium (14) is brought to cool the floor over crawl space (5) and the foundation (5a) so that at least upper portions of said floor over crawl space (5) reach a minimum temperature which sub¬ stantially exceeds the temperature in the ground (4) under the foundation (5a) in order to prevent undesired migration of moisture from the ground in upwards direc¬ tion through the floor over crawl space (5) . 2. Method according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e ¬ r i z e d i n that said medium (14) is brought to cool the floor over crawl space (5) and the foundation (5a) so that said floor over crawl space (5) or at least upper portions thereof reach a minimum temperature of about 16°C. 3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d i n that said medium (14) in the winter is brought to heat the floor over crawl space (5) and preferably also the foundation (5a) . 4. Method according to claim 3, c h a r a c t e ¬ r i z e d i n that said medium (14) is brought to heat the floor over crawl space (5) and preferably upper por¬ tions thereof to temperatures of about 25-26°C. 5. Method according to any preceding claim, c h a ¬ r a c t e r i z e d i n that said medium (14) is brought to cool the foundation (5a) down to a depth of at least about 20 cm, preferably to a depth of at least about 30 cm. 6. Method according to any preceding claim, c h a - r a c t e r i z e d i n that said medium (14) is brought to cool an upper layer (5b) of the foundation (5a), con¬ sisting of stone material, e.g. macadam, until said layer (5b) is cooled in its full depth and that said medium (14) is also brought to cool a lower layer (5c) located under the upper layer (5b) and consisting of stone and/or gravel material, until at least the major part of its depth has been cooled. 7. Method according to any preceding claim, c h a ¬ r a c t e r i z e d i n that said medium (14) is brought to cool the foundation (5a) down to at least the major part of its depth and eventually also a portion of the ground (4) under the foundation (5a) . 8. Method according to any preceding claim, c h a ¬ r a c t e r i z e d i n that said medium (14) is brought to cool the floor over crawl space (5) in a direction from below and upwards and at the same time the foundation (5a) in a direction from above and downwards. 9. Method according to any preceding claim, c h a ¬ r a c t e r i z e d i n that said medium (14) is fed through lower portions of the floor over crawl space (5) located adjacent the underlying foundation (5a) . 10. Method according to any preceding claim, c h a ¬ r a c t e r i z e d i n that said medium (14) is a liquid, preferably water or a mixture consisting of sub- stantially water, which is fed through the floor over crawl space (5) and/or the foundation (5a), whereby said liquid (14) is used for cooling in a conduit system (13) without freon and compressor. 11. Method according to any preceding claim, c h a - r a c t e r i z e d i n that said medium (14) is also fed through at least one intermediate floor structure (6) for cooling of premises (2, 3) located above said inter¬ mediate floor structure (6) . 12. Method according to claim 11, c h a r a c t e - r i z e d i n that said medium (14) is fed through at least one intermediate floor structure (6) via a conduit system (13) of the same or substantially the same type as the one located in the floor over crawl space (5) and/or the foundation (5a) . 13. Method according to claim 11 or 12, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d i n that the conduit system (13) is loca- ted on a reinforcing device (23), preferably a steel fab¬ ric, in the intermediate floor structure (6), before said intermediate floor structure (6) is finished, whereby the conduit system (13) is placed in the upper third or in substantially the upper third of the intermediate floor structure (6). 14. Method for cooling of premises, whereby a medium (14) in the summertime is cooled during the night by means of cool night air and brought to cool a floor over crawl space (5) under the premises (2) for cooling of said pre- mises during the day, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that besides the floor over crawl space (5) , said medium (14) is also brought to cool a bed or foundation (5a) of stone and/or gravel material located under said floor over crawl space (5) and that a conduit system (13) for said medium (14) is located on top of the foundation (5a) or preferably on top of a separating layer (21), e.g. a fiber cloth, on said foundation (5a) , after which the floor over crawl space (5) is formed, preferably cast, on top of the foundation (5a) , preferably on top of the separating layer (21), and the conduit system (13) . 15. Device for cooling of premises, whereby a cooling device (7) is provided, in the summer during the night, to cool a medium (14) which is provided to cool a floor over crawl space (5) under the premises (2) for cooling of said premises (2) during the day, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that besides the floor over crawl space (5) , said medium (14) is provided also to cool a bed or founda¬ tion (5a) of stone and/or gravel material under said floor over crawl space (5), and that said medium (14) is provi- ded to be cooled in the cooling device (7) for cooling the floor over crawl space (5) and the foundation (5a) to a minimum temperature which substantially exceeds the temperature in the ground (4) under said floor over crawl space (5) and said foundation (5a) for preventing undesi¬ red migration of moisture from the ground (4) in upwards direction through the floor over crawl space (5) . 16. Device according to claim 15, c h a r a c t e ¬ r i z e d i n that said medium (14) is provided to be heated in a heating device (15) in the winter for heating the floor over crawl space (5) and eventually the founda¬ tion (5a) . 17. Device according to claim 16, c h a r a c t e ¬ r i z e d i n that said medium (14) is provided, in the summer, to cool the floor over crawl space (5) and the foundation (5a) to a minimum temperature of about 16°C, and that said medium (14) is provided, in the winter, to heat said floor over crawl space (5) and eventually the foundation (5a) to minimum temperatures of about 25-26°C. 18. Device according to claim 16 or 17, c h a r c ¬ t e r i z e d i n that the cooling device (7) compri¬ ses a coolant system (10), preferably containing an anti- -freeze agent, that a refrigerating machine (8) located outside is provided to cool a coolant in the coolant system (10), that a first heat exchanger (11) is provided to transfer cold from the coolant system (10) of the coo¬ ling device (7) to a medium (14) in a conduit system (13) which is located in the floor over crawl space (5) and preferably also in at least one intermediate floor struc¬ ture (6), that the heating device (15) comprises a hea¬ ting system (16) which preferably is a district heating system, and that a second heat exchanger (17) is provi- ded to transfer heat from the heating system (16) to said medium (14) in the conduit system (13) in the floor over crawl space (5) and preferably also in a conduit system (13) in at least one intermediate floor structure (6) . 19. Device according to any of claims 15-18, c h a - r a c t e r i z e d i n that the conduit system (13) forms part of a system without freons and compressors. 20. Device according to any of claims 15-19, c h a ¬ r a c t e r i z e d i n that the conduit system (13) is provided to feed the liquid (14) through lower portions of the floor over crawl space (5) adjacent the underlying foundation (5a) . 21. Device according to any of claims 15-20, c h a ¬ r a c t e r i z e d i n that the conduit system (13) is located in the upper third or substantially upper third of an intermediate floor structure (6) between two premises (2, 3) and on a reinforcing device (23), pre¬ ferably a steel fabric, forming part of said intermediate floor structure (6), and that the conduit system (13) in the intermediate floor structure (6) and in the floor over crawl space (5) is preferably of the same type. 22. Device according to any of claims 15-21, c h a ¬ r a c t e r i z e d i n that the conduit system (13) comprises at least one flexible hose (24), preferably consisting of rubber material, that the hose (24) is bent to loops of a conduit mounted in the floor over crawl space (5) and preferably also in an intermediate floor structure (6), and that the hose (24) located in the floor over crawl space (5) and in the intermediate floor structure (6) preferably has no joints. 23. Device according to any of claims 15-22, c h a - r a c t e r i z e d i n that the conduit system (13) comprises elongated double-hose units (25) which may be bent manually and which includes two hoses (24) which run in parallel with each other and are connected to each other through manually bendable connecting members (26) of the same material as the hoses (24) . 24. Device for cooling of premises, whereby a cooling device (7) is provided, in the summer during the night, to cool a medium (14) which is provided to cool a floor over crawl space (5) under the premises (2) for cooling of said premises (2) during the day, c h a r a c t e ¬ r i z e d i n that said medium (14) is provided in a conduit system (13) which is provided such that said medium (14) , besides the floor over crawl space (5) , also cools a foundation (5a) of stone and/or gravel material located under said floor over crawl space (5) , that the conduit system (13) is located on top of the foundation (5a) or preferably on top of a separating layer (21) , e.g. a fiber cloth, on said foundation (5a) , and that the floor over crawl space (5) is formed, preferably cast, on top of the foundation (5a) , preferably on top of the separating layer (21), and the conduit system (13).

Inventors: LILJEDAHL HANS ARNE BERTIL, LILJEDAHL, HANS, ARNE, BERTIL
Applicants: LILJEDAHL HANS ARNE BERTIL, LILJEDAHL, HANS, ARNE, BERTIL
Application year: 1996
Main classification: F24D11
IPC codes: F24D3, F24D11, F24F5