Self-contained passive solar heating system

A method of passively transferring solar heat, comprising,

• providing first and second heat pipes, each having a refrigerant medium therein, an evaporator portion and a condenser portion,
• coupling the condenser portion of said first pipe in thermal communication with the evaporator portion of said second heat pipe,
• providing a third heat pipe having a refrigerant medium therein and a thermostatic portion,
• exposing the evaporator portion of said first heat pipe to a source of solar heat,
• exposing the condenser portion of the second heat pipe to a medium cooler than said source of heat thereby transferring heat from the condenser portion of said first heat pipe to the evaporator portion of said second heat pipe and from the condenser portion of said second heat pipe to said medium,
• exposing said thermostatic portion of the third heat pipe to said medium to be heated, and
• increasing the size of said condenser portion of the second heat pipe in response to a decrease in pressure in said thermostatic portion occasioned by a decrease in the temperature of said medium, thereby increasing the rate of heat transfer to said medium.

A heat transfer device, comprising,

• a first heat pipe having a refrigerant medium therein and having a condenser portion and an evaporator portion,
• a second heat pipe having a refrigerant medium therein and having a condenser portion and an evaporator portion,
• the condenser portion of said first heat pipe being coupled to the evaporator portion of said second heat pipe for transfer of heat from the condenser portion of said first heat pipe to the evaporator portion of said second heat pipe when the pressure within said first heat pipe is greater than the pressure within said second heat pipe,
• a third heat pipe coupled to said second heat pipe,
• said third heat pipe including a refrigerant medium therein and a thermostatic portion in contact with the ambient medium of an area to be heated,
• said second heat pipe having a coupling portion in contact with said ambient medium for transferring heat thereto at times, and
• piston means between said thermostatic portion of said third heat pipe and said coupling portion of said second heat pipe whereby changes in pressure within said thermostatic portion occasioned by changes in temperature of said medium will cause movement of said piston means to change the pressure within said coupling portion, whereby said thermostatic portion will determine the position of said pistons and hence the effective size of said coupling portion to vary the quantity of heat transferred from said coupling portion to said medium.