Solar heating and storage unit
OwnerJohn W. Minorinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A hemispherically shaped solar heater and storage unit comprises an insulated base, a hemispherically shaped inner dome having a surface capable of absorbing solar energy, and attached to the base to form a reservoir capable of withstanding a preselected pressure, a substantially transparent hemispherically shaped outer dome having a diameter larger than the inner dome and positioned over the inner dome, means for introducing a fluid under pressure into the bottom area of the reservoir, a diffuser for introducing the fluid into the reservoir without substantially disturbing the fluid at the top of the reservoir, and means for removing heated fluid from the top of the reservoir.
Claims12
A solar heater and storage unit comprising:
- an insulated base structure,
- a hemispherically shaped inner dome having a surface capable of absorbing solar energy and attached to said base to form a reservoir capable of withstanding a preselected pressure,
- a substantially transparent hemispherically shaped outer dome having a diameter larger than said inner dome and positioned over said inner dome,
- means for introducing a fluid under pressure into the bottom area of said reservoir,
- a diffuser, said fluid being introduced into said reservoir through said diffuser without disturbing the fluid at the top of said reservoir, and
- exit means for removing heated fluid under said pressure from the top of said reservoir.
A method for heating water comprising:
- introducing water under pressure into a solar heater and storage unit through an insulated base structure, said unit having a hemispherically shaped inner dome positioned on said base with a substantially watertight seal to form a reservoir, said inner dome having a solar energy absorbing surface,
- diffusing said water under pressure into said reservoir without disturbing water at the top of said reservoir,
- exposing said inner dome to solar radiation through a substantially transparent hemispherically shaped outer dome having a diameter larger than said inner dome and placed over said inner dome, and
- withdrawing heated water under said pressure from the top of said reservoir.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.