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.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

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.

2. Description of the Prior Art

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

The system also includes photovoltaic cells and a battery to power the control systems.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The attached FIGURE 1 illustrates the solar heater.

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.

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.

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

U.S. Patent Documents Cited

U.S. Pat. No. 4,416,256 November 1983 Korwill

U.S. Pat. No. 2,213,894 September 1940 Barry

U.S. Pat. No. 4,667,653 May 1987 Cornell

U.S. Pat. No. 6,763,826 July 2004 Gumm et al.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,355,841 October 1994 Moore

U.S. Pat. No. 4,510,890 April 1985 Cowan

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.