Solar energy control system

A solar energy control system including a solar collector unit, a space unit to be heated, a heat storage unit, and means for selectively enabling heat flow between said solar collector unit and said heat storage unit, said solar collector unit and space unit to be heated, and said heat storage unit and space unit to be heated, said solar collector unit having a heat medium inlet and outlet, said heat storage unit having upper and lower regions, said upper region having first and second heat medium couplers with said lower region having third and fourth heat medium couplers, and said space unit to be heated having a heat medium inlet and outlet, comprising:

• at least one temperature-to-signal transducer coupled to each of said units;
• difference means coupled to said transducers for providing selected difference signals from the outputs of each of said transducers;
• an amplification means having a single amplification channel;
• a first multiplex means for sequentially applying said difference signal to said amplification means;
• a reference temperature means for supplying sequentially signals representing a preselected temperature difference;
• a signal modification means coupled to said reference temperature means for modifying the output signal of said amplification means;
• other multiplex means coupled to the output of said amplification means for supplying sequential signals;
• a logic control coupled to the output of said other multiplex means and having a command signal output;
• and
• means responsive to said command signal for controlling said means for selectively enabling heat flow between said units;
• and
• said solar energy control system being further defined by:
• a first temperature-to-signal transducer thermally coupled to said solar collector unit;
• a second temperature-to-signal transducer thermally coupled to said lower region of said storage unit;
• a third temperature-to-signal transducer thermally coupled to the upper region of said storage unit;
• a fourth temperature-to-signal transducer thermally coupled to said space unit;
• a first conduit interconnecting between the outlet of said space unit and inlet of said solar collector, and a second conduit interconnecting between said outlet of said solar collector and inlet of said space unit;
• said first and second couplers of said upper region of said heat storage unit being coupled to said first conduit at spaced points along said first conduit, with said first coupler being downstream in flow with respect to said second coupler;
• said third and fourth couplers of said lower region of said heat storage unit being coupled to said second conduit, with said third coupler being upstream in flow from said fourth coupler;
• a first damper D1 positioned in said first conduit adjacent to said first coupler, said damper D1 being positionable between a "1" position, with flow through said conduit to said solar collector blocked and flow enabled through said first coupler, and in a "0" position, with flow through said conduit to said collector unit enabled and flow through said first coupler blocked;
• a second damper D2 positioned adjacent to said second coupler and positionable between a "1" position, with flow through said second coupler blocked and flow from said space unit enabled, and a "0" position, with flow through said second coupler enabled and flow to said inlet of said solar collector enabled;
• a third damper D3 positioned adjacent to said third coupler and positionable between a "0" position, with flow through said third coupler enabled and flow from said outlet of said collector blocked, and in a "1" position, with flow through said third opening blocked and flow from said outlet of said solar collector enabled;
• a fourth damper D4 positioned adjacent to said fourth coupler and positionable between a "0" position, with flow through said fourth coupler enabled and flow in said second conduit to said space unit blocked, and in a "1" position, with flow through said fourth coupler blocked and flow through said second conduit to said space unit enabled;
• a fan in said conduit between said third and fourth couplers and responsive to a "1" signal for operating said fan to an "on" state for causing air flow in said second conduit in a direction between said third and fourth couplers, said fan being in an "off" state in response to a "0" signal;
• first temperature differential means for providing a first signal representative of the difference between the outputs of said first and fourth temperature-to-signal transducers, and first signal means including a first signal means for providing a "1" output when the output of said first transducer exceeds the output of said fourth transducer and a "0" output when it does not;
• second temperature differential means for providing a second signal representative of the difference between the outputs of said first and third temperature-of-signal transducers, and second signal means including a second signal means for providing a "1" output when the output of said first transducer exceeds the output of said third transducer and a "0" output when it does not;
• temperature selection means for providing a "1" signal output when the temperature in said space unit is less than a selected value and a "0" output when the temperature in said space unit is greater than a selected value;
• and
• logic means responsive to said first, second, and third signals of said differential means and the output of said temperature selection means for operating said dampers to a "0" to "1" position and said fan to an "on" or "1" state as set forth in the following truth table:
• ______________________________________ D1 D2 D3 D4 fan ______________________________________ mode 1 0 1 1 1 on mode 2 0 0 1 0 on mode 3 1 1 0 1 on ______________________________________
• wherein:
• mode 1 is selected when said first
• signal is a "1" signal, and said output of said temperature selection means is a "1" signal,
• mode 2 is selected when the output of said temperature selection means is "0", and said second signal of said second differential means is a "1", and
• mode 3 is selected when said third signal of said third differential means is "1", said first signal of said differential means is "0", and the output of said temperature selection means is "1".