Solar energy system
OwnerPaul Curtis, Robert Curtis +1inventors
InventorsPaul Curtis, Robert Curtis, Rosa Delaney
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Abstract
The present invention discloses a solar array cell (15) able to be used both thermally and photovoltaically, together with an array (3) formed from a plurality of the cells (15). A solar energy system for a building which incorporates the array (3) is also disclosed. Each cell (15) is formed from an air duct (16) of parallelogram cross-sectional shape which makes for easy sealing between ducts and a reliable water shedding arrangement for the cells of the array. An air/liquid heat exchanger (35) for a solar hot water supply is also disclosed.
Claims23
An air duct having a thermal solar absorber formed on one (upper) surface of said duct and in thermal communication with the interior of the duct, said absorber having a transparent pane through which said duct upper surface can be illuminated by solar radiation with a stagnant atmosphere between said pane and said duct upper surface, wherein said pane and said duct upper surface are substantially co-extensive, said duct has at least one inlet and at least one outlet, the periphery of said pane substantially overlies said inlet(s) and outlet(s), and the intended flow of air through said duct below said pane is substantially unidirectional.
A method of sealing adjacent air ducts in an array of air ducts forming a thermal solar collector, said method comprising carrying out, not necessarily in sequence, the steps of:
- (i) inclining to a substantially like extent at least one pair of adjacent side walls of at least one pair of said ducts,
- (ii) locating an opening in each said adjacent side wall,
- (iii) aligning said openings,
- (iv) interposing between said adjacent side walls a strip of resilient material which extends in a loop around the periphery of each said opening, and
- (v) moving one of said pair of ducts vertically with respect to the other of said pair of ducts to thereby generate a compressive horizontal component force which compresses said strip to thereby seal said openings.
A method of joining cells in an array of solar thermal absorber cells in a water shedding arrangement on an inclined roof, said method comprising the steps of:
- (i) forming each said cell with a transparent upper surface which is substantially co-extensive with said cell,
- (ii) forming an overlap portion at one longitudinal edge of each said cell,
- (iii) arranging said cells in columns and rows to form said array on said inclined roof with said one longitudinal edge lowermost, and
- (iv) overlapping said one longitudinal edge of each cell with the opposite longitudinal edge of the longitudinally adjacent cell.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.