US 4,273,100 AGranted

Passive solar heating and cooling panels

AssigneeW. R. Grace & Co.

InventorJoseph A. Cogliano

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Abstract

A heat pipe is used to transfer heat from an outside solar panel into a building where the heat can be stored in a heat absorber. Various heat pipe structures are disclosed where the pipe passes through the wall of the building and where it has an end portion thermally contacting the solar panel. Heat transfer can be stopped by rotating the heat pipe, by the use of plungers and trap chambers in the pipe or by specially designed heat pipes that can be easily removed. The heat pipe can also be used to remove heat from the inside to the outside. The inside end portion of the heat pipe is in thermal contact with a heat absorber inside the building which contains a phase change material. Modular wall units can also be made having the solar panel and heat absorber integral on each side of the wall with the heat pipe in between.

Claims30

Dependent claims

An apparatus to provide a heat exchange relationship across a generally vertical wall defining the inside and outside of a building, said wall having means for mounting a heat pipe at its middle portion for rotational motion of said heat pipe in said wall about said middle portion, said apparatus comprising

a heat pipe having a middle portion passing through the wall with two closed ends, said ends being arranged with respect
to a middle portion axis extending axially along the length of the middle portion of the heat pipe and
to a plane passing through said axis
so that one closed end extends only perpendicularly above the plane while the other closed end extends perpendicularly to the axis and only below the plane, said heat pipe being mounted in the wall to rotate about the axis of the middle portion of the pipe;
a thermally conductive solar heat panel on the outside of the building and having the side facing the wall in thermal contact with one end portion of the heat pipe;
and
a thermally conductive heat absorber on the inside of the building and having the side facing the wall in thermal contact with the other end portion of the heat pipe, whereby when the end portion on the outside is extending downward solar heat is transferred to the inside of the building to warm the building, and when the heat pipe is rotated so the end portion on the inside is extending downward, the inside heat is transferred to the outside to cool the building.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 06/012,733Filed 16 Feb 1979
Granted: 16 Jun 1981
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification11 codes

F28D 15/06
In which the medium condenses and evaporates, e.g. heat pipes: control arrangements therefor
F24S 10/95
Using internal thermosiphonic circulation: having evaporator sections and condenser sections, e.g. heat pipes
F24S 20/66
Solar heat collectors integrated in fixed constructions, e.g. in buildings: in the form of facade constructions, e.g. wall constructions
F24S 60/10
Arrangements for storing heat collected by solar heat collectors: using latent heat