Compact solar heater

Abstract

A compact solar heater has a one-piece body having a tank part and a coil part, with an entrance of the coil part for a cold water connected to the tank part and an exit of the coil part for hot water connected to the tank part, a solar ray resistant and transparent element arranged above a coil in the coil part to provide an internal space between the transparent element and the coil which acts as a greenhouse, wherein the transparent element has accommodation edges which are plane and coplanar with each other and with a remaining portion of the transparent element, and a flow control assembly is arranged in a passing hole in a side of the tank part and operative for monitoring a water level contained in the tank part and for controlling a water flow circulating in the heater as a whole, to automatically ensure a replacement of cold water at the entrance of the coil part as an exit of hot water from the tank is open.

1 . A compact solar heater, comprising a one-piece body having a tank part and a coil part, and means for connecting said tank part to an entrance of said coil part for a cold water descent from said tank part to said coil part and for connecting an exit of said coil part with said tank for hot water ascent from said coil part to said tank part; a solar ray resistant and transparent element arranged above a coil in said coil part to provide an internal space between said transparent element and said coil which acts as a greenhouse, said transparent element having accommodation edges which are plane and coplanar with each other and with a remaining portion of said transparent element; and a flow control assembly arranged in a passing hole in a side of said tank part and operative for monitoring a water level contained in said tank part and for controlling a water flow circulating in the heater as a whole, to automatically ensure a replacement of cold water at said entrance of said coil part as an exit of hot water from said tank part is open.  
     
     
         2 . A compact solar heater as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said means for connecting include a first tubing section which connects said tank part with said entrance of said coil part, and a second tubing section for connecting said exit of said coil part with said tank part.  
     
     
         3 . A compact solar heater as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said one-piece body is composed of two plates and has a flat bottom.  
     
     
         4 . A compact solar heater as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said tank part has a finishing cover provided with an inner layer of a thermal insulating material.  
     
     
         5 . A compact solar heater as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said flow control assembly is configured as a mechanical assembly and has a float valve.  
     
     
         6 . A compact solar heater as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said flow control assembly is configured as a temporized and electronic assembly.  
     
     
         7 . A compact solar heater as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said flow control assembly is configured so as to allow an entrance of cold water during a day between 8:00 and 17:00, blocking the entrance of cold water after 17:00, avoiding a mixture of cold water with hot water contained in said tank part during a period of more use of hot water that usually is after 17:00.  
     
     
         8 . A compact solar heater as defined in  claim 2 , wherein said first tubing for cold water is configured as a descent tubing having an increasing diameter from said tank part toward said coil part, said second tubing for hot water being configured as an ascent tubing with an increasing diameter from said coil part toward said tank part.