Solar heat collector
AssigneeThe Center for the Environment & Man
InventorsFrederick C. Henriques, Joseph P. Pandolfo, Peter Lunde
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A solar heat collector designed to obtain maximum heat from sunlight rays when operational and minimum heat from sunlight rays when non-operational. The solar heat collector contains two sheets of solid material spaced and confronting each other between which a heat transfer liquid flows through a baffle arrangement so as to increase the efficiency for obtaining higher temperatures of the heat transfer liquid.
Claims12
A solar heating panel comprising means in the form of a first sheet of substantially flat solid material to convert visible radiation into heat, a second sheet of substantially-flat solid material which is at least partially transparent to visible radiation and which is substantially opaque to infrared radiation through which to transfer visible radiation energy to said first sheet, means holding said sheets in confronting spaced-relation, means giving access to the space between said sheets for filling said space with a heat transfer liquid, means to guide said heat transfer liquid in a substantially laminar flow mode between said sheets, such that when said space is filled with a liquid having an index of refraction approximating the index of refraction of said second sheet substantially all visible radiation that is incident upon said panel will be transmitted therethrough to said first sheet for conversion into heat, and said liquid flowing in said laminar flow mode will thermally insulate said sheets one from the other.
In a solar heating system, a solar heating panel comprising a substantially flat first sheet of solid material for converting radiant energy into heat, a substantially flat second sheet of diatherminous material for transferring such energy to said substantially flat first sheet having an index of refraction approximately equal to an index of refraction of a substantially transparent to visible light heat transfer liquid, means peripherally joining said substantially flat sheets in confronting spaced-apart relation to form a cell enclosing a space between said substantially flat sheets, means to introduce said substantially transparent to visible light heat transfer liquid into said space along a peripheral edge of said space, means to remove said liquid from said space along a second peripheral edge thereof, and means to move said liquid in a substantially laminar mode of flow through said space from said first edge to said second edge while maintaining said space substantially entirely filled with said moving liquid.
A solar heating panel adapted to be mounted in an inclined position facing the sun comprising:
- an absorber panel adapted to absorb radiation from the sun;
- a transmitter panel substantially transparent to the sun's radiation in the visible spectral range and opaque to the sun's radiation in the infra red range positioned in front of the absorber panel essentially coextensive with said absorber panel and spaced therefrom to define a heating chamber;
- said heating chamber having an upper end and a lower end;
- means around the periphery of said heating chamber to seal the transmitter panel to the absorber panel, whereby a liquid can be contained in said heating chamber;
- an inlet port at the bottom end of said heating chamber to introduce a substantially transparent to visible light heat transfer liquid into said heating chamber;
- an outlet port at the upper end of said heating chamber to discharge said substantially transparent to visible light heat transfer liquid from said heating chamber;
- and baffles within said heating chamber to direct the flow of said substantially transparent to visible light heat transfer liquid in contact with said absorber panel and across essentially the entire area of said absorber panel, said baffles positioned and arranged to impede the free flow of said liquid through said heating chamber;
- said baffles, extending substantially across and less than fully across said heating chamber and defining a tortuous path for guiding liquid substantially in laminar-mode flow through said chamber.
A solar heating panel adapted to be mounted in an inclined position facing the sun and having an upper and a lower end, comprising:
- an absorber panel adapted to absorb radiation from the sun;
- a transmitter panel substantially transparent to the sun's radiation at least in the visible spectral range positioned in front of the absorber panel essentially coextensive with said absorber panel and spaced therefrom to define a heating chamber;
- means around the periphery of said heating chamber to form a top wall, a bottom wall and side walls sealing the transmitter panel to the absorber panel, whereby a liquid can be contained in said heating chamber;
- an inlet port at the lower end of said panel to introduce a substantially transparent to visible light heat transfer liquid into said heating chamber;
- an outlet port at the upper end of said panel to discharge said heat transfer liquid from said heating chamber;
- baffles within said heating chamber to direct the flow of heat transfer liquid in contact with said absorber panel and across essentially the entire area of said absorber panel, said baffles positioned and arranged to impede the free flow of liquid through said heating chamber;
- a first set of baffles joined to one side wall of said heating chamber, slanting upwardly and extending partly across said heating chamber, and;
- a second set of baffles joined to the opposite side wall of said heating chamber, slanting upwardly and extending alternately between alternate baffles of said first set of baffles to define a tortuous upward path of substantially laminar-mode liquid flow through the heating chamber.
A solar heating system comprising a plurality of solar collectors mounted and positioned in a location to receive radiation from the sun,
- means to supply a substantially laminar-mode flow of heat transfer liquid to each of said solar collectors and means to receive and direct a flow of said liquid away from said solar collectors,
- each of said solar collectors being inclined upwardly to face the sun during the day's travel of the sun at an angle of elevation approximating the angle of elevation of the sun at noon,
- each of said solar collectors comprising a back absorber panel adapted to absorb radiation from the sun,
- a front transmitter panel substantially transparent to the sun's radiation at least in the visible spectral range positioned in front of the absorber panel, essentially coextensive with said absorber panel and spaced therefrom to define a heating chamber,
- means around the periphery of said heating chamber to seal the transmitter panel to the absorber panel, whereby a liquid can be contained in said heating chamber,
- an inlet port to introduce a substantially transparent to visible light heat transfer liquid unto said heating chamber,
- an outlet port to discharge said heat transfer liquid from said heating chamber,
- and baffles within said heating chamber to direct the flow of heat transfer liquid in contact with said absorber panel and across essentially the entire area of said absorber panel, said baffles positioned and arranged to impede the free flow of liquid through said heating chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.