Abstract: A solar heating collector is employed in the form of a plenum constituted of the greenhouse translucent roof and a roof floor of black plastic sheeting. Hot air from the plenum is distributed by air directing means to a heat storage chamber in a charge cycle or directly to the greenhouse in a direct heat cycle. In a discharge cycle air from the greenhouse is directed through the heat storage chamber to be heated and discharged into the greenhouse. Specially designed collapsible tubes are employed in the system for distribution of exhaust air and distribution of heated air from a manifold. The heat storage chamber employs cylindrical containers of a phase change material to store solar energy and serves to support the air directing means and the aforementioned collapsible tubes to provide a central unit for providing and monitoring solar heat distribution.

Abstract: A thermal energy storage device and method for making the same. The thermal energy storage device is in the form of a sealed tube-like container such as a tube-like cylinder or other geometrical configuration partially filled with a phase change material such as calcium chloride hexahydrate. The cylinder is made of tubular high density polyethylene and more particularly an ultra high molecular weight high density polyethylene having a molecular weight of about 500,000 to 700,000 which is tough, chemically resistant, withstands low and high temperatures, acts as a moisture vapor barrier and can be fused and sealed. The calcium hexahydrate is filled in an open top cylinder, closed at the bottom by dissolving two parts of calcium chloride dihydrate with one part of water to provide calcium chloride hexahydrate in liquid form. The cylinder is filled to about 90% by volume and a cap of the same material is then preheated to about fusion temperature.