Solar energy thermalization and storage device
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
InventorJohn F. McClelland
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A passive solar thermalization and thermal energy storage assembly which is visually transparent. The assembly consists of two substantial parallel, transparent wall members mounted in a rectangular support frame to form a liquid-tight chamber. A semitransparent thermalization plate is located in the chamber, substantially paralled to and about equidistant from the transparent wall members to thermalize solar radiation which is stored in a transparent thermal energy storage liquid which fills the chamber. A number of the devices, as modules, can be stacked together to construct a visually transparent, thermal storage wall for passive solar-heated buildings.
Claims7
A visually transparent, passive solar thermalization and thermal energy storage assembly comprising:
- a first transparent substantially planar wall member,
- a second transparent substantially planar wall member, the second member being substantially parallel to and spaced apart from the first member,
- a semi-transparent substantially planar thermalization plate located between the wall members and substantially parallel to both,
- sealing means between the first and second wall members for forming a liquid-tight chamber containing the thermalization plate,
- a transparent, thermal energy storage liquid in the chamber
- and means for preventing convective heat transfer within said liquid, said means for preventing convective heat transfer consisting of a plurality of visually transparent, horizontal accordian pleated baffles positioned between the thermalization plate and each wall member.
A modular, visually transparent, passive solar thermalization and thermal energy storage assembly comprising:
- an open, rectangular-shaped support frame having substantially parallel first and second open sides,
- a first transparent wall member in the first open side,
- a second transparent wall member in the second open side, the two wall members together with the frame forming a liquid-tight chamber within the frame,
- a semitransparent thermalization plate in the chamber, the plate being parallel with and spaced about equidistant between the two walls,
- a transparent, thermal energy storage fluid within the chamber,
- and means for preventing convective heat transfer within said storage fluid, said means for preventing convective heat transfer consisting of a plurality of visually transparent, horizontal accordian pleated baffles positioned between the thermalization plate and each wall member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.