US 12,405,012 B2Granted

Apparatus and method for solar heat collection

AssigneeLasting Image Laser Etching Company

InventorsDaniel S. Hokanson, Greg M. Smith

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Abstract

Subterranean thermal capacitance for an environmental-control apparatus mechanized via a solar thermal system. The method and apparatus use a solar collector and a plurality of heating-energy-storage cells that are each thermally insulated from one another, wherein heating energy-transfer fluid (HETF) coming from the solar collector is transferred to the energy-storage cell having the highest temperature that is greater than the temperature of the HETF, in order to segregate energy-storage cells to more efficiently store heating energy. Some embodiments further include an energy radiator that radiates thermal energy to an environment and thereby cools a cooling-energy-transfer fluid (CETF) and a plurality of cooling-energy-storage cells that are each thermally insulated from one another, wherein the CETF coming from the energy radiator is transferred to the cooling-energy-storage cell having the lowest temperature that is lower than the temperature of the ETF, in order to segregate cooling-energy-storage cells to more efficiently store cooling energy.

Claims30

Dependent claims

An apparatus comprising:

a solar collector mounted to a building that absorbs solar energy and that heats a liquid heating-energy-transfer fluid (HETF);
a first plurality of energy-storage cells that form a foundation of a building, wherein each one of the first plurality of energy-storage cells is configured as a generally horizontal layer having a horizontal extent that is larger than a vertical extent, and that are each thermally insulated from one another by a generally horizontal layer of foamed cellular concrete on both a top face and a bottom face of each of the first plurality of energy-storage cells, wherein the first plurality of energy-storage cells includes a first energy-storage cell and a second energy-storage cell;
a first pump;
a first plurality of temperature sensors, wherein the first plurality of temperature sensors includes a first temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of the first energy-storage cell and a second temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of the second energy-storage cell and a third temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of the HETF coming from the solar collector;
a first plurality of valves;
a controller, operatively coupled to the first pump, to the first plurality of temperature sensors, and to the first plurality of valves, wherein the controller controls a flow of the HETF from the solar collector through one or more fluid conduits to the first plurality of energy-storage cells, and wherein, in a first mode, the controller is configured to cause the first pump and the first plurality of valves to:
move the HETF from the solar collector first to the first energy-storage cell and later back to the solar collector if the temperature of the HETF coming from the solar collector is greater than the temperature of the first energy-storage cell and the temperature of the HETF coming from the solar collector is less than the temperature of the second energy-storage cell, and
move the HETF from the solar collector first to the first energy-storage cell and then to the second energy-storage cell if the temperature of the HETF coming from the solar collector is greater than the temperature of the first energy-storage cell and the temperature of the first energy-storage cell is greater than the temperature of the second energy-storage cell, and
recirculate the HETF in the solar collector if the temperature of the HETF coming from the solar collector is less than the temperature of the first energy-storage cell and the temperature of the HETF coming from the solar collector is less than the temperature of the second energy-storage cell.

6 more elements

A method comprising:

mounting a solar collector to a building and orienting the solar collector to absorb solar energy and heat a liquid heating-energy-transfer fluid (HETF);
providing a first plurality of energy-storage cells that form a foundation of a building, wherein each energy-storage cell is configured as a generally horizontal layer having a horizontal extent that is larger than a vertical extent, and that are each thermally insulated from one another by a generally horizontal layer of foamed cellular concrete on both a top face and a bottom face of each of the first plurality of energy-storage cells wherein the first plurality of energy-storage cells includes a first energy-storage cell and a second energy-storage cell;
pumping the HETF from the solar collector to the first plurality of energy-storage cells;
measuring a temperature of the first energy-storage cell and a temperature of the second energy-storage cell and a temperature of the HETF coming from the solar collector;
controlling a flow of the HETF from the solar collector through one or more fluid conduits to the first plurality of energy-storage cells, and wherein, in a first mode, the controlling controls:
moving HETF from the solar collector first to the first energy-storage cell and later back to the solar collector if the temperature of the HETF coming from the solar collector is greater than the temperature of the first energy-storage cell and the temperature of the HETF coming from the solar collector is less than the temperature of the second energy-storage cell, and
moving HETF from the solar collector first to the first energy-storage cell and then to the second energy-storage cell if the temperature of the HETF coming from the solar collector is greater than the temperature of the first energy-storage cell and the temperature of the first energy-storage cell is greater than the temperature of the second energy-storage cell, and
recirculating HETF in the solar collector if the temperature of the HETF coming from the solar collector is less than the temperature of the first energy-storage cell and the temperature of the HETF coming from the solar collector is less than the temperature of the second energy-storage cell.

5 more elements

An apparatus comprising:

a solar collector mounted to a building that absorbs solar energy and heats a liquid heat-energy-transfer fluid (HETF),
a first plurality of energy-storage cells that form a foundation of a building, wherein each energy-storage cell is configured as a generally horizontal layer having a horizontal extent that is larger than a vertical extent, and that are each thermally insulated from one another by a generally horizontal layer of foamed cellular concrete on both a top face and a bottom face of each of the first plurality of energy-storage cells, wherein the first plurality of energy-storage cells includes a first energy-storage cell and a second energy-storage cell;
means for pumping the liquid HETF from the solar collector to the first plurality of energy-storage cells;
means for measuring a temperature of the first energy-storage cell and a temperature of the second energy-storage cell and a temperature of the HETF coming from the solar collector;
and
means for controlling a flow of the HETF from the solar collector through one or more fluid conduits to the first plurality of energy-storage cells, and wherein, in a first mode, the means for controlling controls:
moving the HETF from the solar collector first to the first energy-storage cell and later back to the solar collector if the temperature of the HETF coming from the solar collector is greater than the temperature of the first energy-storage cell and the temperature of the HETF coming from the solar collector is less than the temperature of the second energy-storage cell, and
moving the HETF from the solar collector first to the first energy-storage cell and then to the second energy-storage cell if the temperature of the HETF coming from the solar collector is greater than the temperature of the first energy-storage cell and the temperature of the first energy-storage cell is greater than the temperature of the second energy-storage cell, and
recirculating the HETF in the solar collector if the temperature of the HETF coming from the solar collector is less than the temperature of the first energy-storage cell and the temperature of the HETF coming from the solar collector is less than the temperature of the second energy-storage cell.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/928,713Filed 14 Jul 2020 · us provisional application
Priority: 15 Jul 2019
Published: US 2021/0018184 A121 Jan 2021
Granted: 2 Sep 2025
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification26 codes

F24D 11/003
Water heating system: combined with solar energy
C04B 28/04
Containing hydraulic cements other than calcium sulfates: portland cements
C04B 38/10
Porous mortars, concrete, artificial stone or ceramic ware; Preparation thereof: by using foaming agents or by using mechanical means, e.g. adding…
F24S 10/72
The working fluids being conveyed through tubular absorbing conduits: the tubular conduits being integrated in a block; the tubular conduits…