Solar heating system and operation thereof
OwnerGeorge O. G. Lofinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A solar heating system, using a pebble bed as a heat storage, includes an auxiliary heater, providing heat for the system and/or for the pebble bed during times of low solar heat accumulation and during off-peak use loading of the public utility network system in the area of the solar heating system. A plurality of temperature sensors are provided in various levels of the pebble bed to determine the availability of stored heat and to actuate the auxiliary heating system according to heat requirements and to the time of day.
Claims14
A heating system for a building comprising:
- a. solar heat collector means for air heat transfer medium;
- b. heat storage means including an elongated bed of solid particulate matter arranged for air passage therethrough and including a plenum chamber;
- c. duct means for circulating air from said solar heat collector through said plenum chamber and then through said bed of particulate matter from one end in one direction for heating the same and from the opposite end in the opposite direction through said bed of particulate matter for heating air to be used to heat said building;
- d. auxiliary heater means mounted in said plenum chamber for heating air passing therethrough;
- e. means for moving air through said ducts and said bed of particulate matter;
- f. temperature sensor means in said bed of particulate matter;
- g. means for actuating said means for moving air through said ducts and said bed of particulate matter in response to said temperature sensor means;
- h. control means for actuating said auxiliary heater means in response to said temperature sensor means and during a predetermined period corresponding to a low power load interval during a day so as to pass heated air to said heat storage means in the same direction as heated air from said solar heat collector;
- i. temperature sensor means in said building;
- and
- j. means for directing air through said bed of particulate matter so as to heat air directed into said building in response to a predetermined setting of said temperature sensor means in said building.
A method of operating a heating system for a building which includes a solar heat collector for supplying hot air to heat storage means including solid particulate material having a nominally hot end and a cool end and an auxiliary heater, and including temperature sensors in the building to be heated and temperature sensor means in the heat storage means spaced from end to end in the storage means which comprises:
- a. passing air from the cool end of said storage means to said solar heat collector during times of effective solar radiation and then to the hot end of the collector;
- b. passing air through the heat storage means with the exit air from the hot end of said storage means on demand of the temperature sensors in the building to be heated;
- c. operating the auxiliary heater in response to need signals from the temperature sensor means in the storage means and during predetermined time periods as set by time determining means;
- and
- d. circulating air through said storage means, during operations of said auxiliary heater, from hot to cool end thereof to store heat in said storage means supplied by said auxiliary heater.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.