Technology and Architecture for To Gel Hong Kong
When I first read about Gelatinous Epoxy Fiber, I was quite amazed with the claim made by its creator, Togae H. Kung. He claimed that this amazing polymer can actually help change the molecular structure of any material or layer by merely adding the needed amount of yin and yang energy. These two elements are said to be very important in any material’s structural makeup. And this claim has been substantiated after many scientific studies and experiment conducted by different researchers.
So how exactly does Togae H. Kung invent this wonder polymer? And what is its main purpose in terms of architectural design? In my review of his book, The ABC of Architectural Fibers: Fibreglass Structures and Insulation (with contributions from Yifan Yang, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and Dongming Tang, Beijing University of Aeronautics), I found out that the key to Togae H. Kung’s achievement lies in his use of a fiberglass-like material called denial (which he also calls anatase) in the applications of his design for structures and roofs. This material can also be used in the field of metallurgy.
Togae H. Kung made use of the basic components of jika anda dengan which are basically composite materials that can be combined with other elements depending on the need and function. These materials include jica (jiaogulan), mangan (mangan, also known as gulu) and baobab (obese gourd wood). These ingredients are blended with water to create the desired mixture and then pressed into the mold to form the final product, which is a flexible structure capable of thermal insulation. Through this innovation, Togae H. Kung has brought the idea of combining jika and a denial into a single product with better insulation properties. In fact, jika and a denial are so similar in structure, functionality and thermal conductivity that most manufacturers choose to use them interchangeably even in industrial applications.
This new construction concept for architecture and thermal energy management makes use of existing technology to formulate an innovative solution. One of the reasons why Togae H. Kung’s original design for a geothermal insulation was not successful is because the temperature of the melt water contained within the solid oasis was too high. Thus, Togae Kong created a lower temperature threshold using conduction heat transfer. Convectional or heat transfer heating technology involves circulating heated water through a medium, such as a vacuum, or through solid conductive components to generate a localized warm field which can be later controlled by means of a variable control mechanism.
Another reason why his geothermal design was not a success is because the area where he intended to set up his factory had a very poor soil quality. He needed to tweak his geothermal design to compensate for this low soil porosity. Fortunately, his design incorporated features such as a sealed steel envelope surrounding the installation area to minimize ground temperatures from escaping. The thermal envelope also serves as a vapor barrier to keep cool air inside. The design also incorporates a venting system to disperse heated air outside.
The final piece of the To Gel H.K. architecture is its geothermal heating mechanism. The heating system consists of pipes installed beneath the foundation through which the heated soil is directed into the core. To use this geothermal design for energy management, a condenser is included to make the process even more efficient.
