U.S. patent application number 12/464854 was filed with the patent office on 2010-11-18 for solar heater.
Invention is credited to Arthur Drevnig.
Application Number | 20100288266 12/464854 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 43067492 |
Filed Date | 2010-11-18 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100288266 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Drevnig; Arthur |
November 18, 2010 |
Solar Heater
Abstract
The inventive device provides a means to concentrate solar
thermal energy and transmit this energy to the fluid in a tank.
This tank may be relatively distant and otherwise inaccessible to
sunlight such as a hot water heater in a residence. By
supplementing traditional energy sources, the invention could
reduce the duty cycle of a conventional hot water heater's energy
source and hence increase efficiency and lower operating cost. The
device performs these duties via a series of lenses, mirrors and
control systems which can be powered by integrated photovoltaic
panels. The system can therefore be self-powered.
Inventors: |
Drevnig; Arthur; (Toronto,
CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Arthur Drevnig
57 Ranee Avenue
Toronto
ON
M6A 1M8
CA
|
Family ID: |
43067492 |
Appl. No.: |
12/464854 |
Filed: |
May 12, 2009 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
126/602 ;
126/683 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y02E 10/47 20130101;
F24S 23/30 20180501; F24S 30/452 20180501; F24S 23/70 20180501;
F24S 60/30 20180501; F24S 50/20 20180501 |
Class at
Publication: |
126/602 ;
126/683 |
International
Class: |
F24J 2/38 20060101
F24J002/38; F24J 2/06 20060101 F24J002/06 |
Claims
1. A solar heater for a conventional water heater comprising: A
two-lens system to concentrate solar energy into a beam multiple
mirrors, actuators and control systems to position said beam into
the inside a fluid-filled tank a heliostatic control system to
point the device at the sun
2. The device of claim 1 where the heliostatic control system uses
date, time, compass orientation (e.g. North, South, East, West) and
latitude and longitude of the apparatus to determine the location
of the sun and orient the apparatus
3. The device of claim 1 where the heliostatic control system is
based on sensors to determine the brightest light source in the sky
and use that information to orient the apparatus
4. The device of claim 1 where the heliostatic control system uses
both: date, time, compass orientation (e.g. North, South, East,
West) and latitude and longitude of the apparatus for coarse
adjustment to determine the location of the sun and orient the
apparatus and sensors to determine the brightest light source in
the sky and use that information for fine adjustment to orient the
apparatus
5. The device of claim 1 where the two-lens system consists of one
converging lens and one diverging lens to create a concentrated
beam.
6. The device of claim 1 where the two-lens system consists of two
converging lenses.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates generally to the fields of
solar energy collection and heaters and relates specifically to the
ability to concentrate solar thermal energy and then transfer this
energy to a desired region inside a fluid-filled tank in order to
raise the temperature of a fluid such as water or air.
[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0004] Much of the prior art in the solar thermal energy field
consists of passive systems which simply concentrate solar energy
and perhaps apply it to water. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,416,256
to Korwill uses solar energy as a first stage to an integrated
gas-based water heating system. U.S. Pat. No. 2,213,894 to Barry
positions an insulated dome over a water-filled coil in order to
collect solar energy in water.
[0005] In some cases, these systems may include one or more mirrors
to make simple alterations to the path of the resulting beam. For
example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,667,653 to Cornell runs the water through
a reflective inner surface.
[0006] The systems may also include some temperature control. For
example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,763,826 to Gumm includes a method to
prevent the water temperature from exceeding a predefined
level.
[0007] However, none of these systems encompass both a heliostatic
control system to track the sun as it traverses the sky and an
advanced control system of multiple mirrors to control and positing
the resulting beam.
[0008] Furthermore, much of the prior art in the water heater field
consists of methods and innovations to hold, heat and control the
temperature of water using conventional energy sources such as
wood, electricity, gas or oil. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,355,841
to Moore discusses a way to integrate a burner into the water
heater. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,510,890 to Cowan discusses a way
to place a burner on the side of the water heater and transmit the
energy to the water.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] It is an object of the present invention to concentrate
solar thermal energy and transfer that energy to the fluid in a
tank. In one embodiment of the device, the tank consists of a
conventional hot water heater in which case the device supplements
the external energy needs and costs of heating the water.
[0010] The system uses multiple lenses oriented to concentrate the
solar energy into a parallel beam. A heliostatic control system
also positions the system to continuously face the sun when
visible. Another control system positions mirrors so that the
resulting concentrated solar beam is oriented vertically and onto a
particular point.
[0011] From this point, additional mirrors are deployed to position
the beam so that it terminates inside the remote tank. The tank
includes a glass window and hollow tube ending in a block of matter
that provides physical isolation from the fluid but allows thermal
transfer to occur.
[0012] The system also includes photovoltaic cells and a battery to
power the control systems.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0013] The attached FIGURE 1 illustrates the solar heater.
[0014] Energy from the sun 1 enters lens 2 and lens 3 and gets
concentrated into solar beam 5. This beam strikes mirror 6 which is
held in place by spacer 7 and oriented via stepper motor 8 to alter
the beam to be vertical. This vertical beam then strikes fixed
mirror 9 which re-orientates the beam to be horizontal where it
exits the main portion of the apparatus.
[0015] For power and control, photovoltaic panels 4 are used to
charge the battery 10 which powers the various control systems 11.
These control systems link to the stepper motors 8 as well as the
two orientation stepper motors 12 which control the azimuth and
altitude of the upper portion of the apparatus in order to point
the device at the sun.
[0016] After exiting the device from fixed mirror 9, the beam may
optionally strike additional mirrors in order to be positioned
inside the remote fluid-filled tank 12. The beam enters the tank
via glass plate 13 and tube 14 which is terminated in block 15
which is thermally conductive in order to pass the heat to the
fluid.
REFERENCES
[0017] U.S. Patent Documents Cited
[0018] U.S. Pat. No. 4,416,256 November 1983 Korwill
[0019] U.S. Pat. No. 2,213,894 September 1940 Barry
[0020] U.S. Pat. No. 4,667,653 May 1987 Cornell
[0021] U.S. Pat. No. 6,763,826 July 2004 Gumm et al.
[0022] U.S. Pat. No. 5,355,841 October 1994 Moore
[0023] U.S. Pat. No. 4,510,890 April 1985 Cowan
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