Radiant Floor Heating Technology for Expeditionary Shelters

TIAX LLC proposes an improved shelter heating system based on modular radiant flooring panels to dramatically cut fuel consumption for shelter heating. The TIAX flooring system is a hydronic system, powered by direct fuel-fired water heating. This configuration reduces the total heating demand of a typical HDT STAT 32 Airbeam shelter by about 20%. In conjunction with the switch to direct fuel-fired heating vs. the current electric powered heating, the reduction in primary fuel usage is greater than 70% during extreme cold weather (outdoor ambient -25 F). A further advantage of the hydronic system is that it can be powered from existing heat sources, such as a stationary engine genset or vehicle engine coolant loop, solar thermal collectors, or other liquid-cooled systems. In these cases, a separate water boiler is not required, and the heat supplied can be effectively free. The lightweight system is capable of outputting 60,000 BTU/h and achieving comfort conditions inside the shelter during extreme weather conditions. The unique panel design makes the system both rugged and quickly deployable.