U.S. patent application number 12/229026 was filed with the patent office on 2009-02-26 for c.o.r.e. - continuous omnidirectional radian energy geodesic hubs/structures.
Invention is credited to Joseph Timothy Blundell, Sarah Grace Perkins.
Application Number | 20090049763 12/229026 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40378455 |
Filed Date | 2009-02-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090049763 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Blundell; Joseph Timothy ;
et al. |
February 26, 2009 |
C.O.R.E. - Continuous Omnidirectional Radian Energy geodesic
hubs/structures
Abstract
The present invention relates to heating and cooling thermally
efficient structures, in particular, it relates to controlling
interior temperature of geodesic structures, through continuous
omnidirectional radiant energy hubs and channels. The hubs can be
engineered to meet any size or frequency of a geodesic structure.
Thermodynamic principles are used in combination with a thermal
mass storage of hot or cold thermal energy that is either heated by
solar collectors or cooled by a geothermal cooling array, in order
to regulate the temperature of the thermal mass or of the entire
structure. This thermodynamic climate control in the present
invention harnesses solar energy and geothermic energy and uses it
to control internal temperature of the air traveling through hubs
and channels or struts. The air travels through the system using
natural thermodynamic forces, assisted by a fan and valves.
Inventors: |
Blundell; Joseph Timothy;
(Joplin, MO) ; Perkins; Sarah Grace; (Joplin,
MO) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Richard Gearhart, Esq.
4 Femdale Road
Chatham
NJ
07928
US
|
Family ID: |
40378455 |
Appl. No.: |
12/229026 |
Filed: |
August 19, 2008 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60965526 |
Aug 21, 2007 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
52/81.1 ;
52/80.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y02E 10/40 20130101;
F24S 20/67 20180501; F24T 10/10 20180501; F24F 2005/0057 20130101;
F24T 10/30 20180501; F28D 20/00 20130101; Y02E 60/14 20130101; Y02E
70/30 20130101; E04B 1/3211 20130101; F24S 20/66 20180501; Y02E
10/10 20130101; E04B 1/74 20130101; F24F 5/0046 20130101; F24F
5/0017 20130101; Y02B 10/20 20130101; Y02B 10/40 20130101; F24F
2005/0064 20130101; Y02E 10/44 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
52/81.1 ;
52/80.1 |
International
Class: |
E04B 1/32 20060101
E04B001/32 |
Claims
1. A fabrication, comprising: a thermally efficient structure
having a flow system integral with the thermally efficient
structure, the flow system having a hub and at least one base
connection; a thermal storage means connected to the at least one
base connection; and a thermal conduit having first and second
ends, the first end connected to the hub and the second end
connected to the thermal storage means.
2. The fabrication of claim 1, wherein, the thermally efficient
structure is at least partially a geodesic structure.
3. The fabrication of claim 1, wherein the thermally efficient
structure is a hemispherical geodesic structure.
4. The fabrication of claim 1, wherein the thermally efficient
structure is at least partially conical, pyramidal, spherical or
cigar shaped.
5. The fabrication of claim 2, wherein the partially geodesic
structure is a flow system having a geodesic configuration with
glass panels disposed on the flow system.
6. The fabrication of claim 2, wherein the thermal conduit is a
rigid tube that supports the at least partial geodesic
structure.
7. The fabrication of claim 1, wherein the thermal conduit has a
fan.
8. The fabrication of claim 1, wherein the thermal conduit has a
exhaust pipe with an exhaust valve below the hub, a central valve
below the exhaust pipe, a air intake pipe with an air intake valve
below the central valve, and a fan below the air intake pipe.
9. The fabrication of claim 1, wherein the structure has at least
one passive air or water solar panel thereon.
10. The fabrication of claim 1, wherein the thermal storage means
is below ground.
11. The fabrication of claim 10, wherein the thermal storage means
is a piping configuration.
12. The fabrication of claim 11, wherein the piping configuration
is buried in dirt.
13. The fabrication of claim 11, wherein the piping configuration
is set in concrete.
14. The fabrication of claim 11, wherein the piping configuration
is set in concrete, and phase change salts are imbedded or added to
the concrete.
15. The fabrication of claim 11, wherein the piping configuration
is set in concrete, and at least one water barrel are proximately
located to said piping configuration.
16. The fabrication of claim 1, wherein the flow system is at least
partially made from 2 inch pipe.
17. The fabrication of claim 1, wherein the fabrication is a
dwelling.
18. The fabrication of claim 1, wherein the fabrication is a
greenhouse.
19. The fabrication of claim 1, wherein the fabrication distills
water.
20. The fabrication of claim 1, wherein the fabrication is used for
methane harvesting.
21. The fabrication of claim 1, wherein the fabrication has
multiple stories.
22. The fabrication of claim 21, wherein each story has a floor and
the flow system is also disposed in each floor.
23. The fabrication of claim 1, wherein the fabrication has a
plurality of base connections.
Description
CLAIM OF PRIORITY
[0001] This application claims the priority of U.S. Ser. No.
60/965,526 filed on Aug. 21, 2007, which is incorporated herein by
reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The invention relates to using thermodynamic principles for
heating and cooling a thermally efficient structure.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] The need for energy efficient homes and buildings is
becoming increasingly necessary due to dwindling energy sources and
resultant high prices of energy from traditional sources, such as
oil and coal. Another consideration is the pollution and harm
caused to the planet from using non-renewable resources.
Alternative sources of energy, designed to reduce pollution and
reliance on non-renewable resources, have been available for many
years but are increasing in popularity as the related technology
improves and costs of alternative energy systems are lowered. One
building structure that lends itself particularly well to
alternative energy use is the geodesic dome, popularized by Dr.
Buckminster Fuller in the 1950s and 1960s.
[0004] The present invention, called the CORE, employs an elegant
design that builds on the work of Dr. Fuller and others in this
area by combining energy collection and storage elements with the
geodesic dome. This combination results in a structure that has
increased energy efficiency and also allows storage of energy. The
C.O.R.E. is a self-sustaining system that provides heating and
cooling for a living space with little or no consumption of
non-renewable resources. The C.O.R.E. technology is optimized
through use with a geodesic dome. The C.O.R.E. technology may be
used with a wide variety of structures.
[0005] The present invention relates to heating and cooling
thermally efficient structures, in particular, it relates to
controlling the interior temperature of geodesic structures,
through continuous omnidirectional radiant energy hubs and
channels. These hubs are the connecting points for a thermal
processing geodesic structure or C.O.R.E. structure. The hubs can
be engineered to meet any size or frequency of a geodesic
structure. Thermodynamic principles are used in combination with a
thermal mass storage of hot or cold thermal energy that is either
heated by solar collectors or cooled by a geothermal cooling array,
in order to regulate the temperature of the thermal mass or of the
entire structure. The thermodynamic climate control of the present
invention harnesses solar energy and geothermic energy and uses it
to control internal temperature of the air traveling through hubs
and channels or struts. The air travels through the system using
natural thermodynamic forces, assisted by a fan and valves. In this
way, reliance on conventional heating and cooling means is greatly
reduced, if not eliminated altogether. Thus, the present invention
serves as a response to rapidly increasing energy costs, and also
greatly contributes to reducing greenhouse gasses.
[0006] Known prior art geodesic structures and thermodynamic
heating or cooling systems include U.S. Pat. No. 4,250,957; U.S.
Pat. No. 4,703,594; U.S. Pat. No. 4,848,047; U.S. Pat. No.
4,945,693; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,996,288.
[0007] U.S. Pat. No. 4,250,957 discloses a heating and cooling
structural arrangement for a building, such as a house, wherein the
interior of the house is caused to assume the temperature of the
ground. A liquid reservoir is located in the ground. A pump is to
move liquid from the reservoir to a series of panels which are
mounted as part of the interior wall structure of the building. If
the ground temperature is 70 degrees, this means that the interior
temperature of the house should also become 70 degrees. In the
winter, the interior of the building would normally be heated and
in the summer, the interior of the building would normally be
cooled.
[0008] The U.S. Pat. No. 4,703,594 shows a building construction
using pentagonal and hexagonal concavo-convex components joined by
connectors into which the rod ends of the building components are
inset and positioned in a diverging manner. The connectors are
apertured to receive fasteners which serve to temporarily attach
forms to the building components in a spaced manner. A column
supports an uppermost pentagonal form as well as floor joists. The
forms define two sets of openings for form securement to either
equilateral or isosceles triangular areas of the hexagonal and
pentagonal building components.
[0009] The U.S. Pat. No. 4,848,047 describes a building of
generally spherical configuration. Substantially all of the panels
are light-transmitting, and may be made of glass. Partitions extend
from the lower to the upper portion of the building between the two
skins and divide the inter-skin region into a plurality of sectors
running from the lower to the upper portion of the building.
Particulate insulative material is provided, along with apparatus
for selectively filling the sectors with insulative material by
delivering insulative material to the upper ends thereof, and to
selectively empty the sectors of insulative material by withdrawing
insulative material from the bottom ends thereof. The building can
be controlled in such a way as to allow open or empty sectors to
track the sun in the winter, thus maximizing solar heating, and to
face away from the sun in hot weather, thus minimizing overheating
while allowing light entry.
[0010] The U.S. Pat. No. 4,945,693 discloses a concentric dome
energy generating building enclosure makes possible the passive
transfer of renewable energy from the wind and the sun into
mechanical and/or electrical energy. This invention provides the
means for moving thermal and/or pneumatic pressure differentials
created by the action of ambient energy on the dome through a
conduit between concentric dome walls and directing these air
pressure differentials through a turbine at the apex of the dome
building enclosure causing the turbine to rotate thereby generating
power which can be used to operate tools and equipment inside the
building enclosure.
[0011] U.S. Pat. No. 5,996,288 describes various architectural
joints for use in constructing geodesic domes. The joints disclosed
are less costly to manufacture and are of increased strength over
prior art joints. Through the use of the joints disclosed,
construction of novel geodesic domes not found in the prior art is
now possible.
[0012] Methods of using solar power for heat and geothermal energy
for cooling, as well methods of constructing geodesic or conical
structures, have been described in the past. But these methods
tended to be complex, almost improbable to achieve, and certainly
too impractical to be implemented on a large scale by a significant
segment of the population. On the other hand, the present invention
discloses an elegant structure with a simple but realistic
mechanism of controlling temperature. This will not only cut
implementation costs but also make a significant positive impact on
the environment by making the invention accessible to a large
segment of potential builders and property owners.
[0013] One embodiment of this invention is illustrated in the
accompanying drawings and will be described in more detail herein
below.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0014] The present invention is a fabrication, comprising a
thermally efficient structure having a flow system integral with
the thermally efficient structure, the flow system having a hub and
at least one base connection, a thermal storage means connected to
at least one base connection, and a thermal conduit having first
and second ends, the first end connected to the hub and the second
end connected to the thermal storage means.
[0015] It is an object of the present invention to provide a
thermally efficient structure.
[0016] It is an object of the present invention to provide a flow
system that would carry heated air between said thermal storage
means and the hub.
[0017] It is an object of the present invention to provide a flow
system that utilizes a dual directional fan to create suction that
would enable the system to be used for both cooling and
heating.
[0018] It is an object of the present invention to provide a flow
system that utilizes a geo thermal cooling array.
[0019] It is an object of the present invention to provide a flow
system that can function as a closed system and as an open
system.
[0020] It is an object of the present invention to provide a hub
and struts that will function both as structural members and as
integral components of the flow system.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0021] FIG. 1 is a side view of a preferred embodiment of the
invention, a geodesic dome, underground piping structure, and a
flow system displaying a heating system.
[0022] FIG. 2 is a side view of a preferred embodiment of the
invention, a geodesic dome, underground piping structure, and a
flow system displaying a cooling system.
[0023] FIG. 3 is a detailed, partial view of the heating system,
showing a thermal conduit, a thermal conduit pipe valve, a fan
assembly and exhaust and intake valves.
[0024] FIG. 4 is a detailed, partial view of the cooling system,
showing a thermal conduit, a thermal conduit pipe valve, a fan
assembly and exhaust and intake valves.
[0025] FIG. 5 is an exploded view of a hub with connecting
struts.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0026] The preferred embodiments of the present invention will now
be described with reference to FIG. 1-5 of the drawings. Identical
elements in the various figures are identified with the same
reference numerals.
[0027] FIG. 1 discloses a side view of a geodesic dome structure
with subterranean components. Shown are a thermally efficient
structure 1 with a thermal conduit 10 connected to a thermal
storage means 20 by a base connector 3, a thermal conduit control
valve 30, a geo thermal cooling array 40, hubs 50, struts 60, an
exhaust valve 70, an exhaust pipe 80, an air intake valve 90, an
air intake pipe 100, a fan assembly 110, and a solar collector 120.
The arrows describe the direction of the air flow within the struts
60 in a thermodynamic heating process. The air is warmed in two
ways. First, direct sunlight raises the wall temperature of the
struts 60 and hubs 50, thus warming the air within these
components. Second, an optional solar collector 120 converts
sunlight into heated air, heating the air within the struts 60 and
hubs 50. The air then gravitates upwards through the flow system by
employing a naturally occurring thermodynamic processes. The flow
system is comprised of piping, with a preferred embodiment using 2
inch pipe. A fan assembly 110 is then activated either manually or
automatically to suck the warm air downward, through the thermal
conduit 10, into the thermal storage means 20 of the structure,
which also functions as the foundation. The air within the thermal
storage means 20 is below ground and cooler than the air coming
from above. This cold air is displaced by the newly arriving warm
air and moves into the superstructure to be warmed. Once this cycle
is completed, the fan assembly 110 shuts off to allow the air in
the superstructure to heat up. The geo thermal cooling array 40
would not be participating in the thermal flow of air and the air
intake valve 90 would be shut off.
[0028] FIG. 2 is another side view of a geodesic structure. FIG. 2
describes the flow of air used for cooling the structure. Shown are
a thermally efficient structure 1 with a thermal conduit 10
connected to a thermal storage means 20 by a base connector 3,, a
thermal conduit control valve 30, a geo thermal cooling array 40,
hubs 50, struts 60, an exhaust valve 70, an exhaust pipe 80, an air
intake valve 90, an air intake pipe 100, a fan assembly 110, a
solar collector 120. During the cooling cycle, the fan assembly 110
creates a suction to pull in cool air from the air intake pipe 100,
and then circulate it upwards through the structure, eventually
expelling it at the top through the exhaust pipe 80.
[0029] Still referring to FIG. 2, the first step in constructing a
geodesic structure described in the present invention is to
excavate the site to the proper ground depth, correlating with the
location and size of the structure to be built. A standard
foundation, such as an Insulated Concrete Form, ICF, is then used
as the thermal storage means 20. This process is similar to a
basement being constructed for traditional buildings. This thermal
storage means 20 is then layered with pipe that will be coupled
into the geodesic flow matrix and backfilled with a thermal mass
material such as but not limited to dirt, water, concrete with
added phase change materials such as phase changing salts, or any
combination of these or other materials. Due to expense it is
preferable to use dirt; but for high-rise applications a greater
thermal mass would need to be achieved for the amount of interior
space; for this application, water or phase change material could
be used. By insulating the thermal mass, a thermal battery is
created that the structure can feed thermal energy into or bleed
thermal energy out of. This rate of heat gain or heat loss is
determined by whether the flow system is functioning in an open or
closed circuit setting.
[0030] Vertical piping is then layered into the interior of the
thermal storage means 20. The vertical members of the pipe
correspond with the geodesic structure, coupling to the hub flow
system above the foundation. The pipe is layered inside the thermal
storage means 20 in a pattern which maximizes the ability to
control the thermal mass. This pattern is a zigzag of vertical and
horizontal pipes spaced one horizontal pipe every foot of thermal
mass corresponding with a 1 foot vertical pipe with two 45.degree.
angles to connect to the next layer of horizontal pipe. This is
used to reach the appropriate surface area inside the thermal mass
for greater temperature control. The pipes finish their circuit by
connecting to the central pillar/pipe, also known as the thermal
conduit 10 that is connected to the center pentagon at the top of
the geodesic structure and runs vertically down the structure to
meet with the bottom of the thermal mass piping. At this time, the
appropriate water lines, electric lines, and sewer lines are laid
for the desired application of the structure.
[0031] The area inside the thermal storage area 20 is then
backfilled with soil, water storage containers, phase change
materials, or virtually any material that can be used to store
thermal energy. When the desired material is backfilled into the
thermal storage area, a cap of concrete, or any other stable
building platform, is used to cap off the thermal battery under the
structure. This "cap" is the building surface for the interior of
the home.
[0032] Still referring to FIG. 2, the thermal conduit 10 is shown
as a central pillar/pipe--a vertical pipe running from the hub 50
at the top of the structure, to the hub 50 at the very bottom of
the structure--is the mechanism by which the structure gathers
thermal energy, or releases thermal energy, into the thermal
battery created in the sub structure. The central pillar/pipe, or
the thermal conduit 10, functions to transfer heated or cooled air
throughout the structure, creating the thermal flow. This thermal
flow of heated or cooled air is maintained by the thermal conduit
10 connecting the center top hub 50 of the geodesic structure to
the center bottom of the thermal storage means 20. Within this
thermal conduit 10, there is the configuration of three valves. An
exhaust valve 70 leading to the exhaust pipe 80, an air intake
valve 90 regulating the flow of air within the air intake pipe 100,
and one fan assembly 110. This is all that is needed to control the
heating or cooling of the thermal mass, and thus the structure. The
exhaust valves may be any type of valve, and the fan assembly may
be any system that moves air in the desired manner.
[0033] For the use of a self heating only structure, for
applications such as water distillation, or for harvesting methane
from sludge rather than for a foundation being built, a complete
geodesic sphere with the hub flow dynamic is required; in these
cases the bottom half of the sphere is finished like a swimming
pool. For these applications it is only required that the structure
heats itself so the central pillar pipe, or the thermal conduit 10,
would only need to contain one fan and no valves or ports.
[0034] The thermal conduit 10 is shown as a central pillar or pipe
for illustrative purposes, but any configuration that results in
the transfer of energy within the structure may be used, including
but not limited to, an insulated hose or a similar material, which
could be substituted and redirected along the inside of the
structure, as long as the hose or substitute was connecting the
center top hub 50 to the center bottom hub 50 and maintained the
proper configuration of the three valves, an exhaust valve 70, an
air intake valve 90, and one fan assembly 110. A central
pillar/pipe adds structural integrity to the structure, however,
replacing it with a hose or substitute may weaken the overall
structure since it eliminates a load bearing structural component.
Adding a load bearing aspect to the center aids the structural
integrity. The spacing distance between the valves, ports, and fan
is not critical, as long as the proper order of air intake, exhaust
valve 70, air intake valve 90, fan assembly 110, and exhaust vent
80 is maintained.
[0035] From the top to the bottom of the structure, where the
thermal conduit 10 fits into the hub 50, the order is as follows: a
standard T pipe connector is used to branch off of the thermal
conduit 10, where it leads to an exhaust pipe 80 with an automatic
or manual exhaust valve 70 located at the top of the structure.
Consequently, excess thermal energy caught in an open-loop flow can
quickly be expelled from the structure. Next down the central
pillar/pipe, which is functioning as a thermal conduit 10, is an
automatic or manual thermal conduit control valve 30, which
controls whether the system is functioning in a thermal gain
closed-loop flow, or a thermal loss open-loop flow. Next in the
configuration is the cool air intake pipe 100. This is a standard T
junction for the thermal conduit 10 with an automatic or manual air
intake valve 90 leading to a geo-thermal cooling array 40 that is
buried outside the thermal mass of the thermal storage means 20,
which accesses the ambient cool temperatures in the ground outside
of the insulated foundation in order to lower the temperature of
the thermal mass, and thus the temperature of the structure.
[0036] Still referring to FIG. 2, there are a myriad of ways to
introduce heated air into the pipe-structure matrix, making it
available for standard heating and cooling units to be tied into
the system, such as, but not limited to, fireplace radiation and
the like. The method shown in FIG. 2 uses solar collectors 120. The
environmentally best way is through a flat-plate, where passive
solar collectors are used to heat the air inside the pipe-structure
matrix (hubs 50 and struts 60); as many flat plate solar collectors
may be added as needed. These flat-plate, passive solar collectors
are placed on the proper side of the structure--southern side for
northern hemisphere, and northern side for southern
hemisphere--where the exact placement of the passive solar heating
units on the structure itself is determined by the longitude of
where the structure is being built. The solar heating units may be
passive air or water solar panels.
[0037] The structure illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 shows a geodesic
dome. The structure may be a full dome or a partial geodesic dome.
It may be hemispherical, or it may be partially conical, pyramidal,
spherical or cigar shaped. The structure may have glass panels
disposed on the flow system. FIG. 3 is a detailed view of the
thermal heating system. Shown are a thermal conduit 10, a thermal
conduit control valve 30, an exhaust valve 70, an exhaust pipe 80,
an air intake valve 90, an air intake pipe 100, and a fan assembly
110. FIG. 3 shows the proper configuration of open and closed
valves to allow the thermal battery of the structure to heat, aided
with the circulation of the fan. This is a closed-loop matrix, with
the exhaust valve 70 closed, the thermal conduit control valve 30
open, and the air intake valve 90 closed. This configuration
creates a closed-circuit-loop; thereby redirecting the energy of
the structure back into the sub-structure where the dynamics of the
shape of the building itself feed the majority of thermal energy
back into the sub-structure's thermal battery in the thermal
storage means 20.
[0038] FIG. 4 is a detailed view of the cooling system using the
thermal mass. Shown are a thermal conduit 10, a thermal conduit
control valve 30, an exhaust valve 70, an exhaust pipe 80, an air
intake valve 90, an air intake pipe 100, and a fan assembly 110.
For the cooling of the thermal mass, and thus the structure, the
following thermal conduit 10 and valve configuration is used: the
exhaust valve 70 is open, the thermal conduit control valve 30 is
closed, the air intake valve 90 is open, and the fan assembly 110
is actively pulling air in through the geo-thermal cooling array
40, through the sub-structure (thermal storage means 20), up around
the walls, and finally up and out the open exhaust valve 70 on the
top. This redirection of thermally cooled air quickly expels the
heat from solar radiation during warmer months. With this
configuration, the ambient cool temperatures of the surrounding
earth will lower the temperature of the thermal mass in the
sub-structure and greatly augment the cooling of the structure.
Additional cooling mechanisms can be added to the flow dynamic in a
closed-loop flow, including but not limited to, a traditional
condenser type air conditioning, or a hydronic cooling array in the
thermal conduit 10, if a cooler internal area is desired for
freezer applications.
[0039] FIG. 5 is an exploded view of a hub with connecting struts.
Shown is a hub 50 with a plurality of struts 60. The hubs 50, are
adjustable, depending on the size of the structure, hexagonal and
pentagonal pieces that can be created from the following processes
and materials, including but not limited to, machined or stamped
metal; pressure formed, vacuumed formed, thermoformed, or twin
sheet formed plastics. These hubs 50 are the connecting points for
a thermal processing of a geodesic embodied by the present
invention. The hubs 50 can be engineered to meet any size or
frequency of a geodesic structure.
[0040] A geodesic structure can be constructed in many variations
from 3/8ths of a sphere, a half sphere, to a full sphere itself;
frequencies of geodesic range from 1V or the first frequency up to
6V or a sixth frequency. For our example, a 3V or third stage
geodesic will be described. For a 3V geodesic, three (3) different
strut lengths are needed for the structure. For a 3/8ths dome
structure to be placed on the thermal storage means 20 A struts, 40
B struts, and 50 C struts are required to build the structural flow
matrix of the geodesic that personifies the present invention. For
this frequency the present invention's geodesic requirements are:
(15) 4-way hubs, (6) pentagonal hubs, and (25) hexagonal hubs. The
hubs 50 and the struts 60 only need to allow air flow through the
void space inside them. The hubs 50 also contain removable interior
and exterior caps in used to attach and tighten wall covering, as
well as to seal the glazing.
[0041] Covering material for the structure can be any material,
including but not limited to, polycarbonate or glass, for
greenhouse and distillery applications, or standard construction
materials, such as plywood, for home building applications. The
interior materials can be any material, preferably but not limited
to, conventional interior building materials, such as drywall,
polycarbonate, or any other interior facing material which is
desired. When using Expanded Poly Styrene (EPS) or any material
with similar properties, with a geo-polymer for facing the
structure, the top and bottom caps of the hubs 50 are not needed.
While for our description we include the hubs 50 into the system,
the structure can be erected without the hubs 50 and struts 60 in
place, if the air flow areas are created as negative voids in the
EPS foam. This flow dynamic leads to the very center of the top of
the structure, where the thermal conduit 10 can be attached to the
apex, where it then runs through the structure to meet with the
bottom center of the thermal mass. This flow dynamic is the key to
the structure being able to control the thermal mass in the
substructure.
[0042] Although solar and geothermal are described as the preferred
sources of energy for the C.O.R.E., any energy source may be used.
For instance, the principle of the C.O.R.E. technology may be
employed with a structure that uses wind energy, nuclear energy,
hydrothermal energy, or even non-renewable energy sources such as
coal or oil, or any combination of these or other energy sources
may be employed.
[0043] Although the energy storage and transfer described in the
C.O.R.E. is applied to a geodesic dome, it may be applied to any
structure for which it is suited. For instance, the C.O.R.E.
technology may be retrofitted to a standard rectangular structure,
or one may choose to build any shape or form of building that
employs the components of this system. The structure employing the
C.O.R.E. system may reside above, below, or partially below ground.
It may be a structure for housing humans (such as a dwelling),
animals (such as a doghouse), plants, (such as a greenhouse)
inanimate objects (such as temperature controlled storage or
instrument, machine, or equipment rooms), or any combination
thereof.
[0044] Additionally, the structure may have multiple stories,
either with a configuration where all stories rely on one C.O.R.E.
flow system, or wherein each story has a floor and a separate flow
system is disposed in each floor. The fabrication may also have a
plurality of base connections, including but not limited to
individual connections or grid or array connection.
[0045] Although the C.O.R.E. technology is illustrated as
controlling temperature within an entire single free-standing
geodesic dome, the C.O.R.E. technology may be added to any portion
of any building, and may be used in conjunction with other heating
and cooling systems. For example, a user may choose to enlarge his
dwelling and incorporate the C.O.R.E. technology in the new part of
the dwelling. In this case, the user would use a combination of
conventional heating/cooling systems along with the C.O.R.E. system
to regulate temperature in the entire dwelling.
[0046] Additionally, a dwelling or other structure may be retrofit
for use with the C.O.R.E. technology. For example, a home owner may
choose to outfit his basement with the piping for the thermal
battery and then fill in the basement with dirt. Alternatively, a
swimming pool may be retrofitted to be the battery.
[0047] It also is not necessary that the building reside directly
over the thermal battery, as it shown in the FIGS. 1-4. The battery
may be displaced from the building as long as there is a pathway
for the flow system and thermal conduit to connect to the thermal
storage means.
[0048] The energy stored in the thermal battery may be used for the
structure to which the battery is connected, or the energy may be
harvested for use in other applications. For instance, the
technology of the C.O.R.E. system may be used for, including but
not limited to, distilling water or enabling other chemical
processes, and harvesting methane or other gases.
[0049] For the water distillation application, there are two basic
methods the C.O.R.E. system could easily incorporate. The first
method would be utilized near a constant water source, such an
ocean, lake, or river; and the second method would be utilized for
inland water collection without a constant water supply.
[0050] The first method is the C.O.R.E. geodesic grid-work taking
the energy from the very top of a glass faced structure and
channeling it to the bottom where the pipes would follow a bracket
grid-work doubling in all directions to the exterior of the dome. A
highly conductive black metal surface would be laid on this
grid-work, where water would then be poured onto the metal plate,
and the evaporation harvested with a guttering system on the inside
glass or siphon the warm moist air from the top of the structure
for re-condensation. This configuration would also work with a
complete geodesic sphere, with the bottom half being highly
conductive metal that water could run across, or filled in batches
at a time, and with the metal heated by the C.O.R.E. process, water
would be rapidly heated and evaporated for collection.
[0051] The second easily implemented method would be an inland
water distiller with an excavated hole and the geodesic grid-work
open on the bottom of the hole. A tarp or inverted pyramidal piece
of metal is inverted to make a central point of condensation, where
directly below the central point is a collection container for the
evaporated water. This is essentially a Boy Scout method for
distilling water, but for the fact that the C.O.R.E. system
superheats the Earth inside the hole, drawing cooler water and
moisture from within the Earth to the central point of the hole
like a candle wick. In essence, this process is hyper-harnessing
the ever present system of natural water harvesting methods.
[0052] Although this invention has been described with a certain
degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present
disclosure has been made only by way of illustration and that
numerous changes in the details of construction and arrangement of
parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and the
scope of the invention.
* * * * *