Method of using stored solar heat for water heating
OwnerDipak R. Biswasinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A novel method is described for water heating using stored solar heat. Solar heat is stored in an insulated tank by using scrap and inexpensive heat absorbing or heat storing materials. Stored solar heat can then be used to heat water in a storage tank by extracting the solar heat using an antifreeze liquid which in turn heat cold water in the water tank. Water temperature in the storage tank is controlled by a thermostat. When the water temperature drops below the set point on the thermostat, a circulating pump turns on and pump the cold water until it reaches the desired set temperature. Once it reaches the set point in the thermostat, the water circulation pump turns off.
Claims20
In a sunlight environment receiving solar rays of ambient sunshine, a method of storing solar heat, comprising:
- concentrating the solar rays from a parabolic mirror or an angled flat mirror to a lens into an insulated heat storage tank, the insulated heat storage tank including a solid mass of heat storage materials having a heat storage capacity and selected based on a specific heat;
- absorbing the concentrated solar rays from the lens at a focal point by heat conducting materials;
- transferring heat to the solid mass of heat storage materials using the heat conducting materials including copper in the form of plates or rods in the surrounding area around the focal point in the insulated heat storage tank;
- directing the solar rays from the angled flat or parabolic mirror through the lens, the lens aligned with a quartz window affixed to a side of the insulated heat storage tank;
- conducting heat from the concentrated rays along the heat conducting materials into the insulated heat storage tank and absorbing the heat from the concentrated rays by the heat storage materials;
- extending a copper coil through the insulated heat storage tank;
- circulating an antifreeze liquid through the copper coil, the circulation responsive to a thermocouple within the heat storing materials for circulation and thermal extraction to water stored in a storage tank;
- upon an occurrence of insufficient solar exposure, compensating the thermal extraction using backup electrical resistance heating.
The method as defined in claim in 1, wherein the lens is at least one of a convex or Fresnel lens.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.