# US 4,392,482 A · Solar heating panel arrangement > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 4,392,482 A - Document ID: US4392482A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 06/267,346 - Filed: 1981-05-26 - Granted: 1983-07-12 - Earliest claimed: 1979-08-02 - Inventors: Moo K. Chang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4392482A ## CPC - F24S 23/30: with lenses - F24S 23/70: with reflectors - F24S 23/72: with hemispherical reflective surfaces - F24S 70/60: characterised by the structure or construction (absorbing coatings or surface treatment for increasing absorption F24S70/20; auxiliary coatings F24S70/30) - F24S 2023/872: {Assemblies of spaced reflective elements on common support, e.g. Fresnel reflectors} - Y02E 10/40: Solar thermal energy, e.g. solar towers - Y02E 10/44: Heat exchange systems - F24S: SOLAR HEAT COLLECTORS; SOLAR HEAT SYSTEMS (for producing mechanical power from solar energy F03G6/00) - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract A solar heating panel arrangement and method wherein a plurality of spherical lenses transmit and focus solar radiation onto the upper surface of a fluid passage for various relative positions of the sun. The upper surface of the passage is in heat transfer proximity to the fluid therein, causing solar radiation focused thereon to be transferred to the fluid in the form of heat. Solar radiation not directly incident on the lenses may be reflected onto them to increase the amount of solar energy available for transfer to the fluid. A supplementary insulating flow of fluid may also be provided above the passage to absorb heat passing upwardly therefrom and retain the heat within the system. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A solar heating panel arrangement comprising: a plurality of spherical lenses for transmitting and focusing incident solar radiation; fluid passage means having upper and lower boundary portions defining a series of relatively thin hemispherical fluid passages concentric with said lenses, respectively, said upper boundary portions being in heat transfer proximity to fluid flowing through the passages and having upper surfaces which include the focal points of the lenses for incident solar radiation of various directions; and means for reflecting solar radiation onto the lenses for transmission to the upper boundary portions, said reflecting means including a plurality of multifaceted reflective structures each comprising three planar reflective portions arranged vertically about a portion of one of the lenses; such that solar radiation is focused at a plurality of locations on each of said upper boundary portions to heat said fluid, one of said locations representing radiation directly incident on the corresponding lens and the other location or locations representing radiation reflected onto the lens by said reflecting means. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The solar heating panel arrangement recited in claim 1 wherein the three planar reflective portions are substantially contiguous with one another. ### Claim 3 A solar heating panel arrangement comprising: a plurality of spherical lenses for transmitting and focusing incident solar radiation; fluid passage means having upper and lower boundary portions defining a series of relatively thin hemispherical fluid passages concentric with said lenses, respectively, and establishing an air space between each of the lenses and the respective upper boundary portion, said upper boundary portions being in heat transfer proximity to fluid flowing through the passages and having upper surfaces which include the focal points of the lenses for incident solar radiation of various directions; means for reflecting solar radiation onto the lenses for transmission to the upper boundary portions; and means for producing a thermally insulating flow of said fluid past the passage means, the insulating flow means being upstream of the passage means and including a series of substantially planar annular fluid conduits positioned horizontally over the passage means and the air spaces at locations substantially about the lenses; such that solar radiation is focused at a plurality of locations on each of the upper boundary portions to heat the fluid, one of said locations representing radiation directly incident on the corresponding lens and the other location or locations representing radiation reflected onto the lens by the reflecting means, and heat escaping from the passage means is absorbed by the fluid and carried thereby into the passage means. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The solar heating panel arrangement recited in claim 3 which includes a layer of heat insulating material located above the series of substantially planar fluid conduits to inhibit heat transfer between the conduits and the ambient air, the layer of insulating material intersecting the lenses adjacent meridians thereof. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The solar heating panel arrangement recited in claim 4 wherein the lenses are bonded to the layer of insulating material. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The solar heating panel arrangement recited in claim 5 wherein the layer of insulating material is asbestos board. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) The solar heating panel arrangement recited in claim 3 wherein the conduits are connected in series with each other and with the fluid passage means. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The solar heating panel arrangement recited in claim 7 wherein said insulating flow means and said fluid passage means are constructed and arranged to maintain the fluid in a pressurized state to prevent vaporization of the fluid when high fluid temperatures are achieved. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The solar heating panel arrangement recited in claim 7 wherein the hemispherical fluid passages are arranged in terraced fashion with a plurality of rows of the passages running up the terraces. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The solar heating panel arrangement recited in claim 9 wherein each of the rows comprises at least four of the passages. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The solar heating panel arrangement recited in claim 9 wherein the passages within each of the rows are connected in series, and the rows are connected in parallel with each other. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The solar heating panel arrangement recited in claim 11 wherein the insulating flow means is constructed and arranged to permit a gravity induced flow of the fluid in a generally downward direction through the series of conduits, said gravity induced flow forcing the fluid upwardly through the rows of hemispherical passages. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The solar heating panel arrangement recited in claim 12 wherein each of the hemispherical fluid passages has an upper rim and a lower end and is provided with a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet for connecting the passages in series, the fluid inlet extending upwardly into the lower end and the fluid outlet extending outwardly from a point on the upper rim. ### Claim 14 A solar heating panel arrangement comprising: a plurality of spherical lenses for transmitting and focusing solar radiation; fluid passage means having a plurality of upper and lower boundary portions defining a series of relatively thin hemispherical fluid passages concentric with said lenses, respectively, and establishing an air space between each of the lenses and the respective upper boundary portion, said upper boundary portions being in heat transfer proximity to fluid flowing through the passages and having upper surfaces which include the focal points of the lenses for incident solar radiation of various directions; such that solar radiation incident on the lenses is focused on the upper surfaces to heat the fluid within the passage means; and means for producing a thermally insulating flow of the fluid past the passage means, the insulating flow means being upstream of the passage means and including a series of substantially planar annular fluid conduits positioned horizontally over the passage means and the air spaces at locations substantially about the lenses, to cause heat escaping from the passage means to be absorbed by the fluid and carried thereby into the passage means. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The solar heating panel arrangement recited in claim 14 which includes a layer of heat insulating material located above the series of substantially planar fluid conduits to inhibit heat transfer between the conduits and the ambient air, the layer of insulating material intersecting the lenses adjacent meridians thereof. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The solar heating panel arrangement recited in claim 15 wherein the lenses are bonded to the layer of insulating material. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The solar heating panel arrangement recited in claim 16 wherein the layer of insulating material is asbestos board. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The solar heating panel arrangement recited in claim 14 wherein the annular fluid conduits are connected in series with each other and with the fluid passage means. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The solar heating panel arrangement recited in claim 18 wherein the insulating flow means and the fluid passage means are constructed and arranged to maintain the fluid in a pressurized state to prevent vaporization of the fluid when high fluid temperatures are achieved. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The solar heating panel arrangement recited in claim 18 wherein the hemispherical fluid passages are arranged in terraced fashion with a plurality of rows of the passages running up the terraces. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The solar heating panel arrangement recited in claim 20 wherein each of said rows comprises at least four of the passages. ### Claim 22 (depends on 20) The solar heating panel arrangement recited in claim 20 wherein the passages within each of the rows are connected in series, and the rows are connected in parallel with each other. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The solar heating panel arrangement recited in claim 22 wherein the insulating flow means is constructed and arranged to permit a gravity induced flow of the fluid in a generally downward direction through the series of conduits, said gravity induced flow forcing the fluid upwardly through the rows of hemispherical passages. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The solar heating panel arrangement recited in claim 23 wherein each of the hemispherical fluid passages has an upper rim and a lower end and is provided with a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet for connecting the passages in series, the fluid inlet extending upwardly into the lower end and the fluid outlet extending outwardly from a point on the upper rim.