Solar heating and pasteurisation system
OwnerAlan Derek Wrightinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A solar water heating arrangement comprising a solar water heating element and a hot water storage vessel having a heat insulated internal volume for storage of hot water for use by a user and conduits linking them to form a fluid circulation loop is improved by providing a further, intermediate storage tank linked to the solar water heating arrangement to form another fluid circulation loop whereby the flow of fluid from the solar water heating element to the hot water storage vessel and the intermediate storage tank through the respective fluid circulation loops may be controlled for enhanced heat capture efficiency and heat storage management.
Claims43
A solar water heating arrangement comprising a hot water storage vessel having a heat insulated internal volume for storage of hot water for use by a user and linked thereto a solar water heating system comprising
- a solar energy capture element having an internal volume for containing water to be heated, an element fluid inlet and an element fluid outlet;
- an intermediate fluid storage tank configured for fluid communication with the element fluid inlet and the element fluid outlet of the solar heat capture element;
- a water supply feed to the intermediate storage tank;
- an inlet feed line for providing water to the element fluid inlet of the solar energy capture element from the intermediate fluid storage tank;
- an outlet feed line for feeding water from the element fluid outlet of the solar energy capture element to the intermediate fluid storage tank and to an outlet draw line through which heated water may be drawn;
- and
- an outlet regulator associated with the outlet draw line, said outlet regulator being responsive to temperature whereby water may pass the outlet from the solar energy capture element through the outlet draw line when a desired temperature or relative temperature of water at the outlet draw line is reached,
- wherein the arrangement further comprises a demand outlet for the drawing of water from the hot water storage vessel by the user, a vessel inlet for receiving solar heated water at the hot water storage vessel from the outlet draw line of the solar water heating system, and a vessel conduit for transfer of water from the hot water storage vessel to the solar water heating system, the solar water heating arrangement configured such that, in use, when the temperature of water in the hot water storage vessel is lower than or a predetermined increment lower than the temperature at or associated with the outlet regulator of the solar water heating system, water from the outlet feed line will be fed into the hot water storage vessel via the vessel inlet and water from the hot water storage vessel will be fed via the vessel conduit to the solar water heating system.
A solar water heating arrangement as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein a temperature sensor is provided in a lower portion of the hot water storage vessel for use in the determination of the temperature of water in the hot water storage vessel relative to the temperature of water at outlet regulator of the solar water heating system.
A solar water heating arrangement as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, which further comprises a vessel supply inlet for replenishing the volume of water in the hot water storage vessel that is drawn by a user from the demand outlet, the vessel supply inlet being fed by a vessel supply feed line from the intermediate tank of the solar water heating system.
A solar water heating arrangement as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the hot water storage vessel is provided with a further water heating system, optionally selected from a water heating circuit with a conventional boiler, a heat exchange loop provided within the hot water storage vessel from a further heat source or an emersion heater.
A solar water heating arrangement as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the hot water storage vessel is a domestic unpressurised hot water cylinder.
A solar water heating arrangement as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the solar water heating system is vented to atmosphere at an upper portion of the system or at an upper portion of the solar heat capture element, whereby the vapour or steam may escape to avoid a build up of pressure in the system and whereby the maximum operating temperature of the system is limited to about the liquid-vapour transition temperature of the fluid.
A method for the capture, control, management and/or storage of heat in water from a solar heat capture element, the method comprising
- providing a solar heat capture element, a hot water storage vessel from which heated water may be drawn and an intermediate storage tank provided with an inlet supply of fluid;
- providing at least two fluid circulation loops, a first fluid circulation loop configured for fluid to flow from the solar heat capture element to the intermediate storage tank and back to the solar heat capture element and a second fluid circulation loop configured for flow from the solar heat capture element to the hot water storage vessel and back to the solar heat capture element;
- and
- causing the fluid to flow about the first and/or second fluid circulation loops according to certain criteria, preferably for optimum heat capture and/or storage efficiency.
A solar fluid heating system comprising
- a solar energy capture element having an internal volume for containing a fluid to be heated, an element fluid inlet and an element fluid outlet;
- an intermediate fluid storage tank configured for fluid communication with the element fluid inlet and the element fluid outlet of the solar heat capture element;
- a fluid supply feed to the intermediate storage tank;
- an inlet feed line for providing fluid to the element fluid inlet of the solar energy capture element from the intermediate fluid storage tank;
- an outlet feed line for feeding fluid from the element fluid outlet of the solar energy capture element to the intermediate fluid storage tank and to an outlet draw line through which heated fluid may be drawn;
- and
- an outlet regulator associated with the outlet draw line, said outlet regulator being responsive to temperature whereby fluid may pass the outlet from the solar energy capture element through the outlet draw line when a desired temperature or relative temperature of fluid at the outlet draw line is reached.
A solar fluid heating arrangement for space heating, the arrangement comprising
- a solar energy capture element having an internal volume for containing a fluid to be heated, an element fluid inlet and an element fluid outlet;
- an intermediate fluid storage tank configured for fluid communication with the element fluid inlet and the element fluid outlet of the solar heat capture element;
- an inlet feed line for providing fluid to the element fluid inlet of the solar energy, capture element from the intermediate fluid storage tank;
- an outlet feed line for feeding fluid from the element fluid outlet of the solar energy capture element to the intermediate fluid storage tank;
- and
- coupled with the intermediate fluid storage tank a fluid-carrying space heating circuit the arrangement configured such that when the temperature of the fluid in the intermediate fluid storage tank is greater than or is greater than by a predetermined increment the temperature of the space in which the space heating circuit is configured to heat, the fluid is caused to circulate through the space heating circuit thereby providing space heating.
A solar energy capture element for the capture of solar energy in a fluid to produce a fluid at a raised temperature, the element comprising
- a front solar radiation receiving surface;
- a back surface
- an internal volume or fluid space between the front and back surfaces having a depth defined by the thickness of an edge;
- two side edges;
- an upper edge (upper being defined by its relative position in use)
- a lower edge, the direction from the lower edge to the upper edge defining a longitudinal direction;
- a plurality of longitudinal conduits arranged in a longitudinal direction
- a first cross-conduit traversing the plurality of longitudinal conduits in an upper portion of the element
- a second cross-conduit traversing the plurality of longitudinal conduits in a lower portion of the element,
- a fluid inlet for receiving fluid to be heated into the element;
- a fluid outlet for dispensing heated fluid from the element, the fluid outlet being positioned in an upper portion of the element;
- and, optionally,
- a vapour vent to allow the release of air or fluid vapour, the vapour vent emanating from the element at a position in the upper edge or between the fluid outlet and the upper edge.
A solar energy capture element comprising a first polycarbonate sheet and a second polycarbonate defining therebetween an internal volume for containing a fluid to be heated, the internal volume having a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet and a plurality of longitudinal channels within the internal volume defined by plurality of divider elements, wherein the first polycarbonate sheet is translucent to solar radiation and the second polycarbonate sheet is coated or impregnated with a broad spectrum dye or pigment, such as carbon black, for absorbing solar energy.
A solar panel comprising
- a planar solar energy capture element for capture of solar energy in a fluid in its internal volume, the planar solar energy capture element comprising a front solar radiation receiving surface;
- a first layer of sheet insulation located in front of the front solar radiation receiving surface of the solar energy capture element, the first layer of sheet insulation being translucent to at least a portion of the solar radiation spectrum;
- a second layer of sheet insulation located behind the solar energy capture element;
- and
- a panel frame for holding the assembly of solar heat capture element and the first and second layers of insulation together, the panel element comprising a front gripping element and a rear gripping element configured to abut the front and rear of the assembly and to have applied between the front and rear gripping elements sufficient tension to hold the assembly in place, whereby it allows relative movement and thermal expansion of the solar heat capture element and the first and second layers of sheet insulation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.