Abstract:
The invention is concerned with an arrangement for preventing weather-induced formation of ice to a top surface ( 76 ) of an outdoor surface layer ( 74 ), comprising a heat conduit received in the surface layer ( 74 ). The heat conduit comprises a conduit ( 10, 12 ) for a circulating fluid adapted to emit heat to the surface layer ( 74 ) from a collector line ( 20, 22 ) adapted to receive heat from a volume ( 40 ) of water.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    This invention relates to a concrete cofferdam defining a closed space and being arranged to be received floating in a volume of water and comprising a collector conduit for a circulating fluid connected to a heat conduit, and adapted to absorb heat from the volume of water. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    It is generally known to prevent formation of ice on top of outdoor surface layers such as market places and pavements, by heating lines located in the surface layers. From WO2005/095199A1 it is further known to heat a space in a floating concrete construction by means of the surrounding water. 
       DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    An object of the present invention is to further develop the prior art, whereby a surface layer disposed on a bridge deck in the vicinity of the volume of water can be kept free of ice by means of heat from the volume of water. 
         [0004]    According to an aspect of the invention, the cofferdam has 
         [0005]    a roof forming a bridge deck of the cofferdam; 
         [0006]    a heat conduit for a circulating fluid received in the surface layer and connected to the collector conduit for emitting heat to the surface layer. 
         [0007]    The concrete cofferdam can form a part of a pier assembled from a plurality of concrete cofferdams. 
         [0008]    The concrete cofferdam can also form a substructure for a building construction such as a floating home. 
         [0009]    In one embodiment the circulating fluid can be collected directly from the water in the volume of water. A pump may thus circulate sea or lake water directly into the collector conduit from the natural volume of water and through the heat conduit. 
         [0010]    The circulating fluid can, however, also collect heat by heat exchange with the volume of water. The collector conduit and the heat conduit can then form a closed loop in common that contains a heat receiving and emitting fluid. 
         [0011]    The circulating fluid can also collect heat from the volume of water via a heat pump. 
         [0012]    Other features and advantages with the invention may be apparent from the appended claims and the following description of exemplary embodiments. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
         [0013]      FIG. 1  is a diagrammatic sectional view of an arrangement according to the invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is an oblique view from above of a floating construction provided with an arrangement according to the invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is a sectional view along the plane  3  of  FIG. 2  of a floating construction having a modified arrangement according to the invention; and 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  is a plane view of a plurality of connected floating constructions according to the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
       [0017]      FIG. 1  generally shows a surface layer  74  of concrete having cast therein a surface heater or a surface heating loop or coil  12  comprising a heat conduit  10  for a circulating and heat emitting fluid adapted to prevent weather-induced formation of ice by emission of heat to a top surface  76  of the surface layer  74 . Surface layer  74  is placed on an insulating layer  78  to prevent heat emission from the coil to a supporting layer  72 . While the supporting layer may be a ground layer below a pavement, for example, in the exemplary embodiment shown on  FIGS. 2-4 , the supporting layer  72  is a top layer forming a bridge deck on the upper side of a floating construction in the shape of a concrete cofferdam  70 . 
         [0018]    The heat pipe conduit  10  is connected to a collector pipe conduit  20  for receiving heat from a volume or mass of water  40 , such as a sea, lake or possibly a man-made volume of water, in relative proximity to the surface layer  74 . Collector conduit  20  comprises a collector loop or coil  22  located in the volume of water. Collector coil  22  can be placed on a floor  42  of the volume  40  of water, as indicated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . Collector coil  22  may, however, also be located at the underside of the concrete cofferdam  70 , as shown in  FIG. 3 . More precisely, coil  22  may in a way known per se be placed in recesses or grooves  88  in the bottom  86  of the concrete cofferdam  70 , or also be molded (not show) into the bottom  86  of the cofferdam  70 . Such a recessed or molded-in coil may then be protected against various kinds of external influences such as anchoring of sea vessels. 
         [0019]    In one embodiment, the heat conduit  10  can collect the heat emitting fluid directly from the volume of water. In a manner not shown, collector conduit  20  then has an open inlet end and an open outlet end to circulate water directly from the volume  40  of water through the heat conduit  10  and its coil  12 . In that case, a control center  30  may comprise a circulation pump (not shown) for the water. 
         [0020]    In another embodiment the heat conduit  10  and the collector conduit  20  may in common form a closed coil containing a heat receiving and emitting fluid that by heat exchange receives heat from the volume  40  of water and emits heat to the surface layer  74 . In that case the control center  30  also has a circulation pump. 
         [0021]    In still another embodiment the collector conduit  20  can be closed and contain a heat receiving and emitting fluid that received heat from the volume  40  of water and by heat exchange emits heat to the heat conduit  10 . In that case the control center  30  can include a heat pump. 
         [0022]    As apparent from  FIGS. 2-4 , the concrete cofferdam  70  can be a modular element included in a pier or bridge for access to a plurality of building constructions in the shape of, for example, floating homes  100 . 
         [0023]    As apparent from  FIG. 4 , also the buildings  100  can be places on substructures i the shape of concrete cofferdams  70  provided with bridge decks or supporting layers  72  according to the invention. 
         [0024]    The concrete cofferdam  70  defines an closed space  90  in which the control center  30  can be located. The concrete cofferdam  70  may further be provided with laterally oriented projections  80  to which the floating homes  100  may be anchored. As apparent from  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the heat conduit  10 , may also extend in the projections  80  so that they also can be kept free from ice formation. 
         [0025]    In different embodiments of the invention, the control center  30 , besides circulation pumps, may include leveling vessels, filling/emptying possibilities, deaerators, expansion vessels, possible filters as well as possibilities for connection of conduits that heat other surrounding constructions, for example the floating homes, houseboats. Piers, cofferdams etc., to thereby heat not only the object in which it is housed. 
         [0026]    As is partially apparent from the foregoing, the design of the control central  30  can be dependent on the function of the collector and the heating coil in accordance with the following alternative embodiments: 
         [0027]    Som delvis framg{dot over (a)}r av det föreg{dot over (a)}ende, kan ufformningen av drivcentralen  30  kan vara beroende av kollektorns och ytvärmeslingans funktion enligt följande alternativa ufföringsformer: 
         [0028]    1) The collector and the heating coil may be an open system where the center  30  in principle consists of a circulation pump and a possible filter. In that case the collector has no function, as water is drawn directly from the volume of water and passes through the surface heating coil. (The collector then forms only a pressure drop, without any heat accumulating function—it is accordingly not needed in this embodiment.) 
         [0029]    2) The collector and the surface heating coil are closed but are open relative to each other. Control center  30  then includes at least one circulation pump, filling-emptying device, expansion vessel, security valve and deaerator. The same fluid circulates through the collector and the surface heating coil. 
         [0030]    3) The collector and the surface heater coil are both closed circuits, and-the heat transfer is performed in a heat exchanger. In that case are needed two circulation pumps etc. An advantage in that case is that two types of fluids may be used, if needed. (Larger temperature variations are obtained at the surface layer, from minus degrees to maybe 40° C. in summer and high sunshine.) 
         [0031]    4) As above, but now the heat exchanger is replaced by a heat pump that upgrades the heat from the collector to temperatures that are higher than the collector temperature. (It is to be noted that in the three cases discussed above the temperature of the surface heater is always lower than that of the collector.) The center  30  comprises the heat pump as well as the remaining surrounding components according to the above paragraphs. 
         [0032]    When the cofferdams are serially connected, there should be at least one common control center that serves the other centers, i.e. the center having for example a heat pump, is then not present in each of the other centers. The center in one cofferdam may, however, be connected to the center in the next cofferdam via feeding pipes (not shown). 
         [0033]    The above detailed description is primarily intended to facilitate the understanding and any unnecessary limitations of the invention should not be interpreted therefrom. Modifications that are apparent to the skilled person when reading the description may be made without deviating from the spirit of invention or the scope of the following claims.