Heat transfer and building support system
AssigneesStephen J. Ledet, Jr., James Donald Elder
InventorHervin J. Bergeron, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The system is composed in essence of an aggregate mass through which air can be blown, film sheeting enveloping the mass, and apparatus for directing a flow of air from the interior of a home or other building structure through the aggregate mass and back into the interior. The slab or floor of the home rests on and is supported in part by the enveloped mass. The aggregate mass is a relatively poor conductor of heat and thus heat transfer occurs mainly between the air flowing through the mass and the slab or floor above the mass and the ground below the mass. Apparatus for recovering waste heat within the home is described. Desirably, the system is used in conjunction with a solar collector. The system with or without the solar collector reduces substantially the energy required to heat and cool the home.
Claims32
A support and temperature regulating structural system for use with a generally enclosed structure having at least enclosing walls, a roof and a slab/floor, which structural system comprises:
- (a) an aggregate mass having void air spaces therein enabling air to pass through said mass;
- (b) film sheet enveloping said mass for preventing water flow into said mass from the exterior;
- and
- (c) means adapted to direct a flow of air from the interior of said enclosed structure through a substantial portion of the void air spaces of said mass and thence back into the interior of said structure;
- said mass being further characterized in that:
- (d) said mass together with its film sheet envelope rests upon and is supported by the ground at the site of said structure and is adapted to communicate with and support at least 30 percent of the area of the underside of said slab/floor;
- and
- (e) said mass is substantially non-heat conductive particulate expanded clay aggregate;
- said system further including footings extending downwardly into the ground at the site of said structure, said footings being positioned and adapted to support the underside of said slab-floor at least around the perimeter thereof
A support and temperature regulating, structural system for use with a generally enclosed structure having at least enclosing walls, a roof and a concrete slab floor, which structural system comprises:
- a. a mass of particulate expanded clay lightweight aggregate having void air spaces therein enabling air to pass through said mass;
- b. film sheet enveloping said mass for preventing water flow into said mass from the exterior;
- c. means adapted to direct a flow of air from the interior of said enclosed structure through a substantial portion of said mass and thence back into the interior of said structure for discharge therein at a plurality of locations around the lower perimeter of said interior;
- said mass being further characterized in that
- d. said mass together with its film sheet envelope rests upon and is supported oy the ground at the site of said structure and is adapted to communicate with and support a substantial portion of said slab;
- and
- e. said mass has an R factor of at least 2.5.
A temperature control system ror use with a generally enclosed structure having at least enclosing walls, a roof and a slab/floor, said system comprising:
- a. a mass of particulate expanded clay aggregate having void air spaces therein enabling air to pass through said mass, said mass being positioned on the site for said structure and adapted to furnish support to the slab/floor thereof;
- b. film sheet enveloping said mass for preventing water flow into said mass from said site;
- c. means adapted to (i) receive a flow of air from the interior of the enclosed structure and a flow of air from the means of (e) hereinarter specified, (ii) effect heat transfer between the air from said received flows, (iii) distribute a portion of the air into said aggregate mass at at least one generally interior location thereof and (iv) distribute another portion of the air into the means of (e) hereinafter specified;
- d. means adapted to receive flowing air at locations around the periphery of said mass and to distribute the air at peripheral locations within the interior of the enclosed structure;
- and
- e. means adapted to (i) receive air from said means of (c), (ii) expose said received air to solar radiation to heat the air, and (iii) return the heated air to said means of (c).
An aerated thermal cap air circulation apparatus for generally enclosed structures, as a home, said apparatus comprising:
- (a) a generally enclosed structure having exterior wall and roof portions which define an inner space to be heated or cooled;
- (b) continuous floor means extending over a ground surface structure, said floor means having an upper floor area which during use communicates with said inner space;
- (c) an enlarged continuous void air space formed between said floor means and the underlying earth;
- (d) a mass of particulate expanded clay lightweight aggregate having a grain size within the range of about 0.5 to about 1.5 inches and an R factor of at least about 2.5 subsurface to said floor means and communicating with an underlying earth which extends to below the frost line, said mass occupying at least partially said air space;
- (e) envelope means, surrounding said mass, for confining air flow thereto;
- (f) blower means for circulating air between said inner space and said void air space;
- (g) air flow conduit means communicating between said void air space and said inner space for balancing air flow between said void air space and said inner space;
- and
- (h) insulation means surrounding the perimeter of said mass for insulating said void air space against heat exchange with the surroundings outside the perimeter of said insulation means thereby encouraging heat exchange between said void air space and the underlying earth below said air space.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.