Solar collector with integral drain back reservoir

Abstract

The Sol-Reliant solar thermal collector with integral drain back reservoir (USPTO trademark Ser. No. 78,369,183) is the first solar water heater to combine solar collector, drain back reservoir, and photovoltaic module into one complete unit. The drain back system has proven to be the most reliable of all solar water heaters with only one drawback: the size of the pump needed to lift fluid from a remote reservoir. Sol-Reliant overcomes that obstacle by 1) orienting the solar collector horizontally, 2) Placing the reservoir just below the bottom of the solar collector, and 3) integrating a photovoltaic module capable of powering a 12-volt DC pump.

1 ) the sol-reliant solar thermal collector with integral drain back reservoir USPTO trademark Ser. No. 78,369,183) is the first solar water heater to combine solar collector and drain back reservoir into one complete unit.  
   
   
       2 ) The Sol-Reliant also includes an integral photovoltaic module capable of powering a 12-volt DC circulating pump for the drain-back system.  
   
   
       3 ) The Sol-Reliant system contains 3 distinct components: the solar thermal collector, the drain-back reservoir, and the photovoltaic module assembled together as an integrated and complete unit, capable of powering a 12-volt DC circulating pump.