Solar energy system

A solar energy system comprising:

• a solar energy receiver selected from the group consisting of a flat plate collector, and a panel of photovoltaic cells;
• the solar energy receiver comprising a bottom side opposite a sun-facing side, the sun-facing side receiving incident solar energy radiation;
• a plurality of vertically-tilted pipes wherein each vertically-tilted pipe in the plurality of vertically-tilted pipes comprises a top section, a middle section and a bottom section;
• the plurality of vertically-tilted pipes being in thermal communication with the bottom side of the solar energy receiver so as to function as a heat sink for the solar energy receiver;
• at least three horizontal pipes flowably interconnect each of the plurality of vertically-tilted pipes, the three horizontal pipes comprise the required three horizontal pipes;
• the required three horizontal pipes consisting of:
• a bottom-horizontal pipe located in the bottom section;
• a top-horizontal pipe located in the top section;
• and a working-fluid-supply pipe located in the top section, the top-horizontal pipe located above the working-fluid-supply pipe;
• a working fluid filling the bottom-horizontal pipe and a portion of each vertically-tilted pipe in the plurality of vertically-tilted pipes, the working fluid comprising liquid water;
• a thermal storage tank comprising a heat storage medium;
• and
• a distilled water storage tank located inside the thermal storage tank, the distilled water storage tank in fluid communication with at least one of the required three horizontal pipes so as to receive the working fluid in gaseous state and condense it to a liquid state by transferring heat to the heat storage medium.

A solar energy system comprising:

• a plurality of solar energy receivers;
• each solar energy receiver in the plurality of solar energy receivers selected from the group consisting of a flat plate collector, and a panel of photovoltaic cells;
• each solar energy receiver in the plurality of solar energy receivers comprising a bottom side opposite a sun-facing side, the sun-facing side receiving incident solar energy radiation;
• a plurality of vertically-tilted pipes spaced apart wherein each vertically-tilted pipe in the plurality of vertically-tilted pipes comprises a top section, a middle section and a bottom section;
• the plurality of vertically-tilted pipes being in thermal communication with the bottom side of each solar energy receiver in the plurality of solar energy receivers so as to function as a heat sink for each such solar energy receiver;
• at least three horizontal pipes flowably interconnect each of the plurality of vertically-tilted pipes, the three horizontal pipes comprise the required three horizontal pipes;
• the required three horizontal pipes consisting of:
• a bottom-horizontal pipe located in the bottom section;
• a top-horizontal pipe located in the top section;
• and a working-fluid-supply pipe located in the top section, the top-horizontal pipe located above the working-fluid-supply pipe;
• the top-horizontal pipe in each solar energy receiver in the plurality of solar energy receivers being interconnected;
• the bottom-horizontal pipe in each solar energy receiver in the plurality of solar energy receivers being interconnected;
• the working-fluid-supply pipe in each solar energy receiver in the plurality of solar energy receivers being interconnected;
• a working fluid filling the bottom-horizontal pipe and a portion of each vertically-tilted pipe in the plurality of vertically-tilted pipes, the working fluid consisting of a liquid at atmospheric temperature and pressure;
• a thermal storage tank comprising a heat storage medium;
• and
• a heat exchanger within the thermal storage tank, the heat exchanger in fluid communication with at least one of the required three horizontal pipes so as to receive the working fluid in gaseous state and condense it to a liquid state by transferring heat to the heat storage medium.