Building structure for solar energy recovery and utilization

A building structure comprising:

• exterior walls and roof structure including spaced inner and outer walls;
• heat storeage means comprising subterranean trenches filled with gravel sized to provide air spaces between said gravel and forming horizontal air passages therethrough, said gravel having an average particle diameter in the range of 3/8 to 2 inches, said heat storage means being in heat-exchange relation with the ground and located beneath or adjacent said building structure;
• means for circulating air between said walls and through said heat storage means;
• conduit means connecting said circulating means and the interior space of said building structure;
• and
• control means governing air flow through said conduits, heat storage means and between said inner and outer walls.

A building structure comprising:

• exterior walls and roof structure including spaced inner and outer walls;
• heat storage means comprising a load-bearing layer of sized gravel supporting the floor of said building structure, air spaces between said gravel forming an air passage therethrough and including a thinner top layer of smaller size gravel and a thicker lower layer of larger size gravel;
• said heat storage means being in heat-exchange relation with said floor and the ground;
• means for circulating air between said walls and laterally through said heat storage means;
• conduit means connecting said circulating means and the interior space of said building structure;
• and
• control means governing air flow through said conduits, heat exchange means and between said inner and outer walls.

A building structure comprising:

• exterior walls and roof structure;
• heat storage means comprising subterranean pits filled with gravel, air spaces between said gravel forming an air passage therethrough, said heat storage means being located beneath or adjacent said building structure;
• fossil fuel combustion means including combustion air intake means and combustion gas exhaust means;
• means for separately circulating air and combustion gas through said heat storage means;
• conduit means connecting said respective circulating means and said intake and exhaust means;
• and
• control means governing flow of air and exhaust gas through said conduits, heat storage means and said fuel combustion means, whereby heat in said combustion gas may be recuperated prior to exhaust, and air may be preheated prior to combustion.