초록 ▼

Solar collectors heat and self pump heat transfer fluid at reduced system pressure without mechanical intervention for heat exchange with hot water in a storage tank. Slugs of hot fluid are pumped by steam bubbles formed in solar collector tubes through an upper manifold and an exit-tube into an upp

Solar collectors heat and self pump heat transfer fluid at reduced system pressure without mechanical intervention for heat exchange with hot water in a storage tank. Slugs of hot fluid are pumped by steam bubbles formed in solar collector tubes through an upper manifold and an exit-tube into an upper hot fluid reservoir. Hot fluid flows downward through a heat exchanger at the tank. Cold fluid returns to a lower reservoir. Vapor flows from the upper reservoir and is condensed by cooler water and walls of the lower reservoir. The cool fluid returns from the lower reservoir to a lower manifold supplying the collector tubes. Below ambient pressure is automatically established in the system. When heat build-up increases pressure in the system, fluid flows to a third closed variable volume reservoir. A float valve in the bottom of the third reservoir allows liquid to return to the system when it cools.

대표청구항 ▼

I claim: 1. A self pumping solar water heating system comprising: a solar collector having upwardly sloped or vertical panels with riser tubes, a lower collector manifold connected to lower ends of the riser tubes, an upper header collector manifold connected to upper ends of the riser tubes, exit

I claim: 1. A self pumping solar water heating system comprising: a solar collector having upwardly sloped or vertical panels with riser tubes, a lower collector manifold connected to lower ends of the riser tubes, an upper header collector manifold connected to upper ends of the riser tubes, exit tubes connected to the upper header for lifting hot heat transfer fluid, a first reservoir connected to the exit tubes for receiving the hot heat transfer fluid from the exit tubes, a first pipe connected to the first reservoir, a heat exchanger connected to the first pipe for receiving hot transfer fluid from the first reservoir, a hot water storage tank connected to the heat exchanger, a second pipe connected to the heat exchanger for returning the cooled fluid, a second reservoir positioned below the first reservoir and connected to the second pipe, a return tube connected to the second reservoir and to the lower collector manifold, and a vapor pipe connected from an upper part of the first reservoir for releasing vapor from the first reservoir to condensate in the second reservoir, further comprising a third reservoir connected to a top of the second reservoir and a float valve connected to a bottom of the third reservoir for opening to permit vapor and heat transfer fluid into the third reservoir and to permit the heat transfer fluid return from the third reservoir to the second reservoir. 2. The system of claim 1, further comprising heat transfer fluid in the riser tubes, the lower manifold, the first and second pipes and the heat exchanger and partially filling the second reservoir to about ½ to ⅓ full. 3. The system of claim 1, wherein the third reservoir is closed and expandable. 4. The system of claim 3, further comprising a heat transfer fluid flow line connected to the lower manifold and to the third reservoir, the flow line having an inverted U-shaped tube extending above the second reservoir for permitting flow of the heat transfer fluid from the lower manifold to the third reservoir via the flow line and the inverted U-shaped tube for flowing heat transfer fluid from the collector to the third reservoir when pressure increases in the riser tubes. 5. The system of claim 4, further comprising a pressure restriction orifice connected between the top of the second reservoir and the flow line for permitting flow of vapor from the second reservoir to flow to the third reservoir via the orifice and the flow line. 6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a one-way valve connected to the return tube and to the lower manifold for permitting flow from the return tube to the lower manifold while blocking flow in opposite directions. 7. A self pumping solar water heating system comprising: one, two or more solar collectors having vertical or upwardly sloped risers for heating heat transfer fluid and forming vapor bubbles in the risers, a lower manifold connected to lower ends of the risers, an upper header manifold connected to upper ends of the risers, exit tubes connected to the upper header manifold for lifting hot heat transfer fluid, a first reservoir connected to the exit tubes for receiving the hot heat transfer fluid from the exit tubes, a first pipe connected to the first reservoir, a heat exchanger connected to the first pipe for receiving hot transfer fluid from the first reservoir, a hot water tank connected to the heat exchanger, a second pipe connected to the heat exchanger for returning the cooled fluid, a second reservoir positioned below the first reservoir and connected to the second pipe, a return tube connected to the second reservoir and to the lower manifold, and a vapor pipe connected from an upper part of the first reservoir for flowing hot vapor from the first reservoir to the second reservoir to condense in the second reservoir, and a third closed and expandable reservoir for receiving vapor from the top of the second reservoir in the third closed and expandable reservoir and a float valve connected to a bottom of the third reservoir for opening to permit vapor and heat transfer fluid into the third reservoir and to permit heat transfer fluid to return from the third reservoir to the second reservoir. 8. The system of claim 7, further comprising an inherent overheat protection system having a flow line connected to the lower manifold and to the third reservoir and having an inverted U-shaped tube extending above the second reservoir for transferring the heat transfer fluid from the risers to the third reservoir upon heat and pressure buildup in the risers. 9. The system of claim 7, wherein the first and second pipes are flexible, low cost and easy to install PEX tubes. 10. The system of claim 7, wherein the system is a simple solar heat self pumping system without electric pumps, controllers, wires or adjusting valves. 11. The system of claim 7, wherein the system is maintenance free with no mechanical components and is self emptying on overheating. 12. A method of heating, comprising: providing a system with a solar collector with vertical or upward sloping risers, connecting upper and lower manifolds to the risers, providing heat transfer fluid in the lower manifold and in the risers, forming bubbles of hot vapor in the risers and driving slugs of hot heat transfer fluid upward through the risers, through the upper manifold and through exit tubes to a first upper reservoir, separating the hot vapor and hot fluid in the upper reservoir, flowing the hot heat transfer fluid through a first pipe and a heat exchanger for heating a second fluid, returning cooled heat transfer fluid from the heat exchanger through a second pipe to a second lower reservoir, receiving the hot vapor from the first reservoir in the second reservoir and condensing the vapor with the cooled heat transfer fluid therein, and flowing the cooled fluid to the lower manifold and continuing the method, providing a third reservoir, and flowing hot vapor from a top of the second reservoir to the third reservoir upon excess pressure in the system. 13. The method of claim 12, further comprising operating the system without electricity at an internal pressure less than atmospheric. 14. The method of claim 12, further comprising providing overheat protection by flowing hot heat transfer fluid from the lower manifold through an inverted U-shaped tube to the third reservoir for overheat protection of the system. 15. The method of claim 12, further comprising providing flowing the hot vapor through an orifice from a top of the second reservoir to the third reservoir upon over pressure within the system. 16. The method of claim 12, further comprising providing a vapor line and an orifice between a top of the second orifice and providing automatic sub-atmospheric pressure restoring by flowing vapor and gas from the top of the second reservoir through the orifice of vapor line and check valve to the third reservoir. 17. The method of claim 12, wherein the collectors, risers and manifolds are standard, and further comprising retrofitting a geyser pump to the standard collectors by connecting the exit tubes, the first upper reservoir, and connecting the second lower reservoir and the third reservoir. 18. The method of claim 12 further comprising flowing vapor from the system into the third reservoir via a one-way float valve upon higher than atmospheric pressure in the system to automatically prevent over-pressure in the system, flowing condensed heat transfer fluid back into the system from the third reservoir via the float valve, when the system cools and pressure is reduced below atmospheric. 19. The method of claim 12, further comprising automatically flowing all of the heat transfer fluid from the collectors and manifolds into the third reservoir upon increased pressure in the system, and returning the heat transfer fluid to the collectors and manifolds from the third reservoir via the float valve when pressure in the system falls to sub-atmospheric. 20. A method of heating, comprising: providing a system with a solar collector with vertical or upward sloping risers, connecting upper and lower manifolds to the risers, providing heat transfer fluid in the lower manifold and in the risers, forming bubbles of hot vapor in the risers and driving slugs of hot heat transfer fluid upward through the risers, through the upper manifold and through exit tubes to a first upper reservoir, separating the hot vapor and hot fluid in the upper reservoir, flowing the hot heat transfer fluid through a first pipe and a heat exchanger for heating a second fluid, returning cooled heat transfer fluid from the heat exchanger through a second pipe to a second lower reservoir, receiving the hot vapor from the first reservoir in the second reservoir and condensing the vapor with the cooled heat transfer fluid therein, and flowing the cooled fluid to the lower manifold and continuing the method, further comprising providing an adaptive system in which flow and temperature adjust automatically by increasing pressure in the system, flowing fluid and hot vapor from the second reservoir through a float valve to a third expandable reservoir, and returning the heat transfer fluid from the third reservoir to the system when the system pressure falls.