Insulating wall, a column assembly therefore and a method of constructing such an insulating wall

Abstract

The present invention concerns a columns assembly for an insulating wall of a building structure, said column having a side surfaces adapted to receive and retain insulation panels of the insulating wall, said column assembly comprising an inner spacer element made of mineral wool fibers, a central element made of mineral wool fibers, an outer spacer element made of mineral wool fibers, wherein the spacer elements are assembled with first and second intermediate profiles between the spacer elements, and wherein the density of the mineral wool in the central element is higher than the density in the inner and outer spacer elements. The invention also concerns an insulating wall assembly of a building structure with such a column assembly and a method of constructing such insulating wall.

Claims

1. A column assembly for a substantially thermal bridge free insulating wall of a building structure, said column assembly having side surfaces adapted to receive and retain insulation panels of the insulating wall, said column assembly comprising: an inner spacer element made of mineral wool fibres; a central element made of mineral wool fibres; an outer spacer element made of mineral wool fibres; wherein the spacer elements are assembled with first and second intermediate profiles between the spacer elements, and wherein the density of the mineral wool in the central element is higher than the density in the inner and outer spacer elements, whereby a substantially thermal-bridge-free load bearing column is provided.

2. A column assembly according to claim 1, wherein the column assembly provides a thermal performance of 0.00499 W/mK.

3. A column assembly according to claim 1, wherein the central element is thinner than the inner and outer spacer elements.

4. A column assembly according to claim 1, wherein the inner spacer element is provided with an innermost mounting element for supporting a mounting of an inner wall finish.

5. A column assembly according to claim 4, wherein the innermost mounting element is made of plywood.

6. A column assembly to claim 1, wherein the outer spacer element is provided with an outermost mounting element for supporting a mounting of an external building facade cladding.

7. A column assembly according to claim 6, wherein the outermost mounting element is wider than the outer spacer element.

8. A column assembly according to claim 1, wherein the first and second intermediate profiles are made of steel or of a bent steel sheet.

9. A column assembly according claim 1, wherein the central element has a density of 300-600 kg/m.sup.3 or of approx. 500 kg/m.sup.3.

10. A column assembly according to claim 1, wherein the inner and outer spacer elements have a density of 70-100 kg/m.sup.3 or of approx. 90 kg/m.sup.3.

11. A column assembly according to claim 1, wherein the inner and outer spacer elements, the first and second intermediate profiles and the central element are symmetrically assembled about a longitudinal axis.

12. A method of constructing an insulating wall comprising the steps of: providing a first column assembly according to claim 1 on a base structure; placing a middle insulation panel of mineral wool fibres abutting the central element of the first column assembly, and then providing a second column assembly according to claim 1 on the base structure and with the central element of said second column assembly fitted around the middle insulation panel; placing an outer insulation panel of mineral wool fibres between the outer spacer elements of two neighboring first and second column assemblies; installing a screen panel on the inside of the middle insulation panel; and placing an inner insulation panel of mineral wool fibres between the inner spacer elements of two neighboring first and second column assemblies on the inside of the screen panel.

13. A method according to claim 12, further comprising the step of mounting an inner wall structure on inner mounting elements of the first and second column assemblies.

14. A method according to claim 12, further comprising the step of mounting an outer wall structure on outer mounting elements of the column assemblies.

15. An insulating wall assembly of a building structure, comprising: at least a base structure; a plurality of column assemblies; the column assemblies each having first and second side surfaces, which are abutted by contact sides of a plurality of insulating panels fitted between two adjacent column assemblies, wherein the column assemblies each comprise an inner spacer element made of mineral wool fibres; a central element made of mineral wool fibres; an outer spacer element made of mineral wool fibres; wherein the spacer elements are assembled with first and second intermediate profiles between the spacer elements, and wherein the density of the mineral wool in the central element is higher than the density in the inner and outer spacer elements, whereby a substantially thermal-bridge-free load bearing column is provided.

16. An insulating wall assembly according to claim 15, wherein the wall assembly provides a U-value of below 0.15 W/m.sup.2K, preferably 0.10 W/m.sup.2K.

17. An insulating wall assembly according to claim 15, wherein an inner, a middle and an outer insulation panel of mineral wool fibre insulation panels are provided between the column assemblies, and wherein the middle insulation panel is abutting the central element of the column assemblies and retained between the intermediate profiles on the column assemblies.

18. An insulating wall assembly according to claim 17, wherein the middle insulation panel has a higher density than the inner and outer insulation panels, the middle insulation panel having a density of 60-80 kg/m.sup.3and the inner and outer insulation panels have a density in the range of 35-50 kg/m.sup.3.

19. An insulating wall assembly according to claim 17, wherein a screen panel is disposed between the middle insulation panel and the inner insulation panel.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) In the following, the invention is described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an insulating wall assembly according to an embodiment of the invention;

(3) FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a columns assembly according to an embodiment of the invention;

(4) FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of the columns assembly of FIG. 2; and

(5) FIG. 4 is a thermo-graphic calculation of the insulating wall assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(6) With reference to FIG. 1, an insulating wall assembly according to an embodiment of the invention comprise a plurality of column assemblies 1 of which two are shown in the figure. Between the column assemblies 1 three layers of mineral fibre boards 2 are accommodated. On the inside the wall assembly is provided with an internal wall cover 3, such as gypsum boards. On the outside of the wall assembly there is provided an outer building cover 4. A screen panel 5 is provided between the middle insulation panel 21 and the innermost insulation panel 23. The screen panel 5 may be a plywood board.

(7) The column assembly 1 is shown in isolation and in more detail in the FIGS. 2 and 3. The column assembly 1 is made up by a central element 12, which is preferably made by a high density mineral wool fibre board, having a density of approx. 500 kg/m3. On each side of the central element 12, an outer spacer element 13 and an inner spacer element 11 are provided along a longitudinal symmetry axis L, which is preferably substantially perpendicular to the plane of the wall assembly.

(8) A first intermediate profile 14 is provided between the central element 12 and the inner spacer element 11. The first profile 14 is provided with two upright flanges 14a in between which the central element 12 fits tightly. The first profile 14 is further provided with transverse flanges 14b extending in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L and in the plane of the insulating wall assembly. The transverse flanges 14b provide a planar inner surface onto which the inner spacer element 11 is fixed. The first profile 14 is preferably wider than the width of the inner spacer element 11 whereby the flanges 14b can act as support flanges for the middle insulation panel 21 on the outside of the flanges and as mounting flanges for the screen panel 5 on the inside.

(9) A second intermediate profile 15 is provided between the central element 12 and the outer spacer element 13. The second profile 15 is provided with two upright flanges 15a in between which the central element 12 fits tightly. The second profile 15 is further provided with transverse flanges 15b extending in a direction perpendicular on the longitudinal axis L. The transverse flanges 15b provide a planer outer surface onto which the outer spacer element 13 is fixed. The width of the second profile 15 corresponds to the thickness of the outer spacer element 13. The first profile 14 is preferably wider than the second profile 15.

(10) The profiles 14, 15 are fixed to the central element 12 by suitable means, such as glue and/or fastening means, like e.g. screws, bolts, rivets etc.

(11) Mounting elements 17 are provided on the distal ends of the spacer elements 11, 13. The inner mounting element 16 is preferably provided with a width similar to the inner spacer element 11, whereas the outer mounting element 17 is slightly wider than the outer spacer element 13. Hereby, a recess is created on each side of the column assembly 1 which will act as a natural stop for the insulation panels and thereby facilitate the installation of the wall assembly.

(12) The mounting elements 16, 17 may be fixed to the spacer elements by suitable means, such as glue and/or fastening screws 18 which penetrate through the spacer element 13 for fixation in the transverse flanges 15b. A similar arrangement may suitably be provided in relation to the inner mounting element 16 (not shown in FIG. 2, but see FIG. 3). The fastening screws 18 may be provided in the central longitudinal line L of the column assembly 1 or parallel to but off-set from this line L.

(13) The wall assembly includes three layers of insulation panels 21, 22, 23. The middle insulation panel 21 fits between the transverse flanges 14b, 15b of the column assemblies 1. This middle insulation panel 21 has a higher density than the inner and outer insulation panels 22, 23. Accordingly, in an embodiment the middle insulation panel 21 has a density of 60-80 kg/m.sup.3, preferably approx. 70 kg/m.sup.3, and the inner and outer insulation panels 22, 23 preferably have a density in the range of 35-50 kg/m.sup.3, more preferably approx. 45 kg/m.sup.3.

(14) In an embodiment, the central element 12 of the column assembly 1 has a density of 300-600 kg/m.sup.3, preferably approx. 500 kg/m.sup.3. The inner and outer spacer elements 11, 13 have a density of 70-100 kg/m.sup.3, preferably approx. 90 kg/m.sup.3. The mounting elements 16, 17 are preferably made of plywood. Hereby, a column assembly is achieved which has a good bending stiffness and very good thermal insulation properties.

(15) In the preferred embodiment, the first and second intermediate profiles 14, 15 are made of steel, preferably a profiles formed by bending a steel strip.

(16) The installation of the wall assembly is fast and simple. A first column assembly 1 on a base structure. The middle insulation panel 21 of mineral wool fibres abutting the central element 12 of the first column assembly 1, and then mounted spaced apart in a vertical orientation with a predetermined distance on a preferably horizontal base structure a second column assembly 1 is positioned on the base structure and with the central element 12 of said second column assembly 1 fitted around the middle insulation panel 21. The outer insulation panel 22 of mineral wool fibres may then be fitted between the outer spacer elements 13 of the two neighbouring first and second column assemblies 1. Before fitting the inner insulation panel 23 of mineral wool fibres between the inner spacer elements 11 of two neighbouring column assemblies 1, the screen panel 5, such as the plywood panel, is mounted between the column assemblies 1 and fixed to the flanges 14b of the first intermediate profiles 14 of the two neighbouring column assemblies 1. When the air-tightness of the wall assembly is thereby secured, the inner insulation panel 23 of mineral wool fibres is then fitted between the inner spacer elements 11 of two neighbouring column assemblies on the inside of the screen panel 5.

(17) When the insulation 2 is installed between the column assemblies 1, the inner cladding 3 and the outer cladding 4 is easily mounted onto the mounting elements 16, 17 of the column assemblies 1. Furthermore, if electrical cabling or the like is needed to be concealed in the wall assembly, it is by the invention realised that this cabling may be installed before the fitting of the inner insulation boards 23 so that this fitting is automatically concealed when the inner cladding 3, such as the gypsum boards, are mounted.

(18) In the following an example of an embodiment of a wall assembly according to the invention is described with reference to FIG. 4. FIG. 4 shows a thermo-graphic calculation of the U-value of the whole insulating wall assembly with the dimensions and materials described below. A wall assembly according to this example results in a U-value of 0.1 W/m.sup.2K.

(19) According to this example, the column assembly 1 is made of an outer spacer element 13, which is made of mineral wool fibres with a density of 93 kg/m.sup.3 with the dimensions of 80170 mm. The inner spacer element 11 is made of a mineral wool fibre element with a density of 93 kg/m.sup.3 with the dimensions of 4041 mm. The central element 12 is made of a mineral wool fibre board with the dimensions of 2898 mm with a high density of approx. 500 kg/m.sup.3. The mounting panels are made of plywood with a thickness of 27 mm.

(20) In between the high performing column assemblies, three layers of mineral wool fibre insulation panels are fitted:

(21) The outer insulation panel has a thickness of 170 mm and a density of 45 kg/m.sup.3, made of a mineral fibre wool material having lambda value declared at 0.034 W/mK.

(22) The central insulation panel has a thickness of 100 mm and a density of 70 kg/m.sup.3, made of a mineral fibre wool material having lambda value declared at 0.033 W/mK.

(23) The wooden screen panel is a 12 mm OSB board.

(24) The inner insulation panel has a thickness of 50 mm and a density of 45 kg/m.sup.3, made of a mineral fibre wool material having lambda declared 0.034 W/mK.

(25) Hereby, there is achieved an U-value of 0.10 W/m.sup.2K (0.1045) and a total thickness of 332 mm excl. inner and outer cladding.

(26) The present invention has in details been described in terms of an insulating wall system comprising the novel column profiles. However, it should be noted that the technical teaching also applies to a similar roof construction as part of an insulating building envelope structure.