Conventional equipment for commercial water heating consists of many separate components assembled on site into a system. The components typically include a boiler or water heater, with an insulated tank to preserve the heat stored therein. Alternatively, the boiler and hot water storage tank may be separate units. Other components for generating, controlling, and distributing the heated water include pumps, valves, site gauges, temperature sensors, flow sensors, heat exchangers and others which are usually not insulated, or only partially insulated, causing a significant loss of heat from the system. It has been customary to oversize the boiler or water heater capacity to compensate for these losses.
In addition, conventional hot water storage tanks typically have uninsulated ports and mounting bases, and various uninsulated fittings and gauges. The heat loss and inefficiency are great which means a large amount of energy is wasted. Most equipment rooms are very hot due to the excessive heat lost from hot water system components.
Solar power has also provided energy to heat water. This energy source may involve complex systems to efficiently harness and store energy from the sun. Specifically, solar power requires an array of solar collectors to capture the rays of the sun and heat water. A fluid such as water may be used to transport the solar energy from the collector to a storage tank. The solar heated fluid may be used directly as hot water, or used to heat portable water through a heat exchanger. Whatever the manner of creating solar hot water, a key consideration in any system is the transport, storage, and control of heated liquids.
Solar water heating systems convert sunlight into thermal energy to heat water. Excessive heat may be wasted by the system through uninsulated or poorly insulated components. Likewise, there are different solar system designs that have different levels of wasteful components. Systems using antifreeze and pressurized storage tanks are an example of a wasteful system. These systems require pressure relief valves, heat exchangers between the collectors and tank, check valves, expansion tanks, air vents, heat dumps, and other components that are usually field installed and may be uninsulated or only partially insulated.
Several controls in a variety of materials and configurations are required to run the system. Their purpose is not to decrease the heat loss, and may actually contribute to wasted energy. Hot fluids going through the components from the collectors to the storage tank to the load will lose heat to the surroundings when these components are not insulated and are exposed to the ambient air. These components may be a significant source of heat loss. Some of the components cannot be insulated, such as some air cooled motors, however, other components may not be insulated because it is difficult or inconvenient to do so.
Vents are also used to maintain atmospheric pressure equilibrium in non-pressurized systems, but these vents are designed in a manner which results in heat loss as well as evaporation of the liquid.
In one drainback solar system design, the heat lost from the components above is almost completely eliminated, resulting in the highest thermal efficiency possible. This application describes designs and methods for integrating all the components of a drainback solar system into one integrated, factory assembled package that contains the storage tank and heat losing and heat generating components inside one insulating shell. This system also minimizes the heat wasted through typical tank mounting systems.
Thus, there has not been an effective device or system for efficiently transferring and storing heated liquids. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a device for the effective storage of heated liquids coupled with insulated components that can store and transfer heated liquids without the loss of heat or liquid volume due to static evaporation losses while addressing the limitations of the conventional devices.
The Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described in the Detailed Description of Illustrative Embodiments. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.
Disclosed herein is a solar hot water system. The system includes a collector system for receiving thermal energy from the sun and a fluid handling system in communication therewith and including a storage tank and a heat exchanger configured for converting thermal energy from the collector system into heating energy for heating a water source.
According to one or more embodiments, the insulation on the storage tank is extended to form a cavity into which operating components can be placed, thereby eliminating or minimizing their heat loss, or effectively capturing their heat gain.
According to one or more embodiments, an immersion vent is defined in the storage tank and extending from a sidewall thereof at an angle into a top portion of the tank.
According to one or more embodiments, the system may include heat losing components such as heat exchangers, site glasses, valves, thermal wells, piping, and other components positioned within the insulated cavity defined in the tank.
According to one or more embodiments, the system may include heat generating components such as pumps, BTU meters, and other electrical and heat producing devices positioned within the insulated cavity defined in the tank.
According to one or more embodiments, the system includes one or more supports for supporting the tank on a ground surface, the supports having insulative properties for insulating the tank from the ground surface. Some jurisdictions do not allow materials that are not fireproof, such as wood, unless specially treated with a fire retardant. Non conducting structural materials such as polymers may be used in lieu of wood. However, metal skids welded directly to the tank cause severe heat loss from the tank.
According to one or more embodiments, a solar collection assembly is provided. The assembly includes an array configured for receiving energy from sunlight and passing a fluid therethrough to heat the fluid, a tank assembly in fluid communication with the array and configured for storing heated fluids, and an insulated support that carries the tank assembly spaced-apart from a surrounding surface.
According to one or more embodiments, the support includes a skid that runs about the length of the tank assembly and the skid is made from an insulating material.
According to one or more embodiments, the support includes supports that define a joint about a medial portion, the joint defining a gap that receives a block of insulating material.
According to one or more embodiments, the solar collection assembly includes an immersion vent defined in a storage tank of the tank assembly and extending from a sidewall thereof at an angle into a top portion of the tank.
According to one or more embodiments, the tank assembly includes a tank that is receivably enclosed within an insulated casing, the tank having a length shorter than the casing to thereby define an insulated cavity therein.
According to one or more embodiments, a line extends from the tank through the insulated cavity outward of the tank assembly for supplying liquid to the array.
According to one or more embodiments, the solar collection assembly further includes a pump positioned outward of the tank assembly and in communication with the line for pumping liquids to the array.
According to one or more embodiments, one or more heat generating components are positioned within the insulated cavity.
According to one or more embodiments, the one or more heat generating components are one of a heat exchange, pump, and flow sensor.
According to one or more embodiments, a tank assembly for use with a solar collection assembly is provided. The tank assembly includes a casing defining an inner insulating layer and an insulated cavity therein, a tank that is received within the insulated cavity, and an insulated support that carries the tank assembly spaced-apart from a surrounding surface.
The foregoing Summary, as well as the following Detailed Description of various embodiments, is better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purposes of illustration, there is shown in the drawings exemplary embodiments; however, the presently disclosed invention is not limited to the specific methods and instrumentalities disclosed. In the drawings:
This disclosure is described with specificity to meet statutory requirements. However, the description itself is not intended to limit the scope of this patent. Rather, the inventor has contemplated that the claimed inventions might also be embodied in other ways, to include different steps or elements similar to the ones described in this document, in conjunction with other present or future technologies.
Disclosed herein are one or more storage tanks and associated control components for transfer and storage of heated liquids.
Simultaneously, domestic cold water (DCW) 1 may be circulated through the heat exchanger 318 which resides submerged within the storage tank 306. DCW 1 is warmed as it passes through the heat exchanger 318 by the heated fluid within the storage tank 306. The warmed DCW 1 flows from the heat exchanger 318 to a domestic hot water heater (DHW heater) 500 where it may be boosted to the final output temperature as needed, and made available for use. A flow sensor 322 monitors the flow of water through the heat exchanger 318 to the DHW heater 500 to provide information to the owner about the amount of energy delivered by the solar system.
As illustrated in
As used herein, support may be any of a skid, mount, base plate, upright, or the like. Any structure capable of positioning and support of the one or more tanks and systems described herein may be provided.
While the embodiments have been described in connection with one or more embodiments of the various figures, it is to be understood that other similar embodiments may be used or modifications and additions may be made to the one or more embodiments for performing the same function without deviation therefrom. Therefore, the one or more embodiments disclosed herein should not be limited to any single embodiment, but rather construed in breath and scope in accordance with the appended claims.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/570,119 entitled “SOLAR WATER HEATING SYSTEM” that was filed on Dec. 13, 2011, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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61570119 | Dec 2011 | US |