Solar control system
AssigneeThe Southwall Corporation
InventorDay Chahroudi
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Apparatus for inhibiting the transmission of solar energy above a predetermined temperature range, but permitting transmission of said energy below that range, is disclosed. A layer of material is provided which undergoes a reversable, macroscopically non-mechanical change affecting the transmissivity of the material to solar energy in the desired temperature range. Because of such change, the material is at least 50% less transmissive to solar energy above the transition temperature range than below the range. This layer of material is mounted so that its physical configuration is substantially maintained.
Claims20
Apparatus for inhibiting the transmission of solar energy above a predetermined temperature range, but permitting transmission of said energy below that range, said apparatus comprising:
- a layer of a porous polymeric material, a solvent impregnating said porous material, and a temperature-sensitive substance impregnating said porous material and having a negative entropy of solution in said temperature range, causing said layer to undergo a reversible, macroscopically non-mechanical change affecting the transmissivity of said material to solar energy in said temperature range so that said layer is at least 50% less transmissive to said solar energy above said temperature range than below said temperature range;
- and
- means for mounting said layer of material so that the configuration of said layer is substantially maintained.
Apparatus for inhibiting the transmission of solar energy above a predetermined temperature range, but permitting substantially unrestricted transmission of said energy below that range, said apparatus comprising:
- a layer of porous polymeric material resistant to depolymerization in the presence of solar ultraviolet radiation;
- a solvent impregnating said porous material;
- and
- a temperature-sensitive substance impregnating said porous material and having a negative entropy of solution in said temperature range.
Apparatus for inhibiting the transmission of solar energy above a predetermined temperature range and permitting transmission of said energy below said temperature range, said apparatus comprising:
- a layer of a substance having an optical thickness of approximately n/2+1/4 visible wavelength below said temperature range and a different optical thickness above said temperature range, n being zero or an integer;
- and
- a pair of thin film metallic reflective layers on opposite sides of said substance sandwiching said substance therebetween so that solar radiation is transmitted through said layers below said temperature range and reflected above said temperature range.
Apparatus for inhibiting the transmission of solar energy above a predetermined temperature range and permitting transmission of said energy below said temperature range, said apparatus comprising a plurality of parallel layer sets, each said layer set including:
- a layer of substance having an optical thickness of approximately n/2+1/4 visible wavelength, n being zero or an integer;
- and
- a nonmetallic layer having an optical thickness of n/2+1/4 visible wavelength located parallel to said substance layer and having a real index of refraction substantially equal to that of said substance layer below said temperature range and a different real index of refraction above said temperature range so that solar radiation is transmitted through said substance below said temperature range and reflected above said temperature range;
- each said layer set being tuned to have a maximum reflection above said temperature range at a particular wavelength so that the layer sets in combination give high reflectance across a wavelength band.
Apparatus for inhibiting the transmission of solar energy above a predetermined temperature range but permitting transmission of such energy below said temperature range, said apparatus comprising an admixture of electron-rich metal particles and a semiconductor material which undergoes a conductivity transition in said temperature range so that said admixture is reflective to solar radiation above said temperature range.
Apparatus for inhibiting the transmission of solar energy above a predetermined temperature range, but permitting transmission of said energy below that range, said apparatus comprising:
- at least two parallel layers of material, at least one of which undergoes a reversible, macroscopically non-mechanical change effecting its refractive index in said temperature range causing optical interference above said temperature range between the layers in the transmission of solar energy through said layers in combination resulting in the combined layers being at least 50% less transmissive to said solar energy above said temperature range than below said temperature range;
- and
- means for mounting said layers of material so that the configuration of said layers is substantially maintained.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.