Stoves and furnaces – Solar heat collector – With means to convey fluent medium through collector
Patent
1995-02-14
1997-07-08
Yeung, James C.
Stoves and furnaces
Solar heat collector
With means to convey fluent medium through collector
126669, 126709, F24J 224
Patent
active
056450443
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The invention is concerned with apparatus for collecting solar radiant energy. In particular, materials are selected and combined in a novel manner so as to obtain a high-efficiency radiant energy system at a relatively low cost. In addition to the efficient energy collecting properties, structural contributions and apparatus of the invention comprise novel features.
The amount of solar energy collected and made available for utilization by the present invention is maximized by substantially eliminating loss of solar energy reflectance from the cell; and through the use of a liquid containing jacket covering the entire radiant energy receptive surface area of each cell.
Experiments using a specific embodiment of the invention increased solar cell liquid temperature approximately 25.degree. C. above that of a comparable metal-surfaced solar energy collector.
Experiments, using another embodiment of the invention, having corrugated fiberglass sheets, resulted in the formation of a thin, even jacket of water covering the entire surface area of the cell due to the water's surface adhesion tension and capillary force.
In another embodiment of the invention, it was found that an air layer above a layer of solar energy receptive liquid, both positioned between two membranes, improved solar energy collection.
An additional contribution results from utilization of solar thermal cells of the invention as a protective roof which can be readily and securely mounted on underlying structural timber or over an existing roof. With proper installation, neither solar liquid of the cells nor rain water seeps through fastening points or seams between cells. On top of a greenhouse, such installation prevents excessive heat and UV radiation in the greenhouse interior in the summer, and provides an insulation layer to minimize heat losses during colder seasons of the year.
Optimizing solar energy collection, maximizing the solar energy absorbed and minimizing the solar energy loss by reflectance for a given solar exposure is a primary objective of the invention. In addition, utilization of substantially the entire radiant energy receptive surface area of a solar thermal cell's exposed surface, provides for maximizing solar energy collection. Three different embodiments of the invention are described which utilize these important factors.
All of the embodiments are of a layered assembly, and common to all three is a base layer having good insulating properties and a surface, in a direction toward the solar radiation, having a dark, radiation-absorbing coloring for stopping the solar radiation. A preferred material meeting the above criteria is mineral wool board having a darkened surface, for example, by painting the surface with a flat black paint. The thermal conductivity of such material is between about 0.31 to 0.33 BTU per sq. ft. per hr. per inch thickness per degree F. at 90.degree. F.
Such base layer material can be fastened to conventional structural underlying roofing materials, using fasteners to form a roof covering, without need for additional roof covering such as shingles; or, such base layer material can be fastened to a finished roof surface. Such material can be obtained in sheet sizes such as approximately 2 meters by 6 meters. Tongue and groove features on edges of panels of such material facilitate assembly and present a weather-tight seal when used for such roofing construction.
Such base layer insulating material is an important contribution of the invention since mineral wool board material has low heat capacity, low thermal conductivity and high radiation absorption. Such properties are due in part to the dark porous surface of the material.
Contiguous to such insulating material surface in a direction toward the solar energy source is a containment means for a solar energy receptive liquid. Such liquid, to improve its receptive properties, can be colored black.
In one embodiment, such containment means comprises two thin material sheets peripherally sealed to form an envelope for containment of such liqu
REFERENCES:
patent: 4008708 (1977-02-01), Hagarty
patent: 4055163 (1977-10-01), Costello et al.
patent: 4114597 (1978-09-01), Erb
patent: 4182308 (1980-01-01), Reynolds
patent: 4426999 (1984-01-01), Evans
Angeli Michael de
Sunin Ltd.
Yeung James C.
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