초록 ▼

A highly effective modular passive solar energy heating unit for heating an enclosed space employs phase change heat storage material, which is optically transparent to visible light when in high-stored-energy liquid state enabling a viewer to see through clearly and which is translucent milky white

A highly effective modular passive solar energy heating unit for heating an enclosed space employs phase change heat storage material, which is optically transparent to visible light when in high-stored-energy liquid state enabling a viewer to see through clearly and which is translucent milky white when in low-stored-energy solid state for providing pleasant illumination to the enclosed space when first illuminated by sunlight in the morning. This phase change material, in a sealed container having two opposite surface areas transparent to sunlight, is polyethylene glycol having a heat of fusion of about 33 to 37 cal./gm. (4,170 to 4,670 Btu\s per cubic ft.), a melting point of about 13°to 25°C. (55°F. to 77°F.), a specific gravity of about 1,125 at 20°C., and desirable isotropic freezing and melting characteristics with only very modest volume change during phase change. A dye soluble therein may be included for increasing solar-energy-absorptivity when translucent and for decreasing glare and direct penetration of sunlight into the space when transparent. The unit additionally contains at least one clearly optically transparent glazing layer facing the sunlight, preferably including an insulation layer to transmit short wavelength solar radiation while blocking longer heat rays for retaining thermal energy within the enclosed space. In preferred embodiments, there are two layers of closely spaced parallel transparent glazing near the sealed container, these layers being between incident solar radiation and the container.

대표청구항 ▼

A modular passive solar energy heating and outdoors viewing unit adapted to absorb and store solar energy and subsequently release said solar energy as thermal energy in an enclosed space comprising: a fluid-tight rigid container member having two opposite surface areas clearly optically transparent

A modular passive solar energy heating and outdoors viewing unit adapted to absorb and store solar energy and subsequently release said solar energy as thermal energy in an enclosed space comprising: a fluid-tight rigid container member having two opposite surface areas clearly optically transparent and adapted to receive solar energy, solar energy heat storage phase change material disposed in said container, said phase change material being polyethylene glycol characterized by a heat of fusion of about 33 to 37 ca./gm (4,170 to 4,670 Btu\s per cubic ft.), a melting point of from about 13°to 25°C. (55°to 77°F.) and a specific gravity of approximately 1.125 at 20°C., said phase change material in said fluid-tight container member being translucent milky white when in its low-stored-energy solid state and being clearly optically transparent to visible light when in its high-stored-energy liquid state for enabling a viewer to look through said container member, clearly optically transparent glazing in sheet form having an inner and an outer side, said transparent glazing being separated from said fluid-tight container member, and being positioned so as to permit solar radiation to pass through the glazing to a transparent surface area of the fluid-tight container member, the outer side of said glazing being disposed to face incoming solar radiation, said inner side of said glazing facing toward said transparent surface area of the fluid-tight container member, said inner side of the glazing being separated from said transparent surface area of the fluid-tight container member by a gas space, said glazing transmitting short wavelength solar and visible light rays while preventing longer wavelength heat rays from radiating through the glazing, said glazing being positioned on the opposite side of said fluid-tight container member from said enclosed space, whereby when said phase change material is in its low-stored-energy solid state said fluid-tight container member presents a back-illuminated milky white appearance to a viewer in said enclosed space, and whereby when said phase change material is in its high-stored-energy liquid state a viewer can see through said fluid-tight container and through said glazing.