International Solarthermics Corporation

Other

Robert George Strickland

John H Keyes

Charles Irvin Strickland

A self-contained apparatus for collecting, storing and transmitting solar heat includes an elongated insulated housing in which a quantity of heat retaining material is confined and a collector on one face of the housing which has a multi-layered glass face through which solar heat may pass and be collected upon a unique heat-collecting bed which is insulated from the ambient environment by the glass face. Conditioning pump means are provided within the housing to circulate conditioning air through the collector and the heat retaining material in the housing so that heat is transferred from the collector to the material in the housing. Specially designed and positioned ducts connect the collector to the interior of the housing in a manner such that air interchange between the collector and the interior of the housing is prevented except during operation of the conditioning pump. Both the collector and the interior of the housing are provided with appropriately positioned baffles to optimally expose the conditioning air to the heat collecting bed and to the heat retaining material in the housing. Reflective solar amplifiers are pivotally connected to the housing in a manner such that they are movable from an open operative position wherein they reflect solar radiation into the collector and a closed protective position overlying the glass face of the collector. Utility pump means are also provided in the apparatus for withdrawing air from the interior of the housing and circulating it through a building structure to be heated thereby.

Method and apparatus for collecting, storing and transmitting solar heat

The method of collecting, storing and transmitting solar heat includes the steps of absorbing solar heat on a collector surface wherein the collector surface is insulated from the ambient environment, passing air across the collector surface in a heat transfer process whereby the heat absorbed by the collector surface is transferred to the air, passing the hot air leaving the collector surface through a horizontal duct disposed at a lower elevation than the collector surface, and passing the hot air flowing from the duct into an elevated storage chamber containing material with heat absorbent and heat retaining characteristics whereby the heat in the hot air is transferred from the hot air to the material and retained by said material until it is removed therefrom by a relatively cool air flow.

Method of collecting and storing solar heat

A self-contained apparatus for collecting, storing and transmitting solar heat includes an elongated insulated housing in which a quantity of heat retaining material is confined and a collector on one face of the housing which has a multi-layered glass face through which solar heat may pass and be collected upon a unique heat-collecting bed which is insulated from the ambient environment by the glass face. Conditioning pump means are provided within the housing to circulate conditioning air through the collector and the heat retaining material in the housing so that heat is transferred from the collector to the material in the housing. Specially designed and positioned ducts connect the collector to the interior of the housing in a manner such that air interchange between the collector and the interior of the housing is prevented except during operation of the conditioning pump. Both the collector and the interior of the housing are provided with appropriately positioned baffles to optimally expose the conditioning air to the heat collecting bed and to the heat retaining material in the housing. Reflective solar amplifiers are pivotally connected to the housing in a manner such that they are movable from an open operative position wherein they reflect solar radiation into the collector and a closed protective position overlying the glass face of the collector. Utility pump means are also provided in the apparatus for withdrawing air from the interior of the housing and circulating it through a building structure to be heated thereby. The method of collecting, storing and transmitting solar heat includes the steps of absorbing solar heat on a collector surface wherein the collector surface is insulated from the ambient environment, passing air across the collector surface in a heat transfer process whereby the heat absorbed by the collector surface is transferred to the air, passing the hot air leaving the collector surface through a horizontal duct disposed at a lower elevation than the collector surface, and passing the hot air flowing from the duct into an elevated storage chamber containing material with heat absorbent and heat retaining characteristics whereby the heat in the hot air is transferred from the hot air to the material and retained by said material until it is removed therefrom by a relatively cool air flow.

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Nederland, CO, United States of America

Robert George Strickland