Solar water heating system

Abstract

A solar water heating system employs at least one solar heat collector having an upper manifold, a lower manifold, and at least one fluid passage between the upper and lower manifold. The upper and lower manifolds each are inclined, so that air within the manifolds travels to the manifolds upper ends. A liquid reservoir, located above the collector, has an outlet at a bottom portion and a supply inlet at an upper portion. A float valve within the liquid reservoir maintains a constant hydrostatic head pressure at the reservoir output. An air vent is connected between the collector and the liquid reservoir so that air bubbles within the collector vent to the liquid reservoir. A metering valve varies the flow rate of liquid from the solar heat collector, thereby varying dwell time of liquid within the collector. The system may be evacuated entirely to a benchmark water level.

1 . A solar water heating system for heating liquid drawn from a liquid source, the solar water heating system comprising: 
 at least one solar heat collector having an upper manifold and a lower manifold and at least one fluid passage between the upper and lower manifold, the upper and lower manifolds each being inclined and each having an upper end and a lower end;    a liquid reservoir located at an elevation above said solar heat collector, the liquid reservoir having an inlet and an outlet, the outlet being coupled to the upper end of said upper manifold;    an air venting conduit providing fluid communication between the upper end of said upper manifold and said liquid reservoir;    a fluid supply conduit providing fluid communication between the supply inlet of said liquid reservoir and said liquid source; and    a pump disposed inline in said fluid supply conduit between said liquid source and said liquid reservoir, the pump being adapted to draw liquid from the liquid source and pump the liquid to said liquid reservoir.    
     
     
         2 . The solar water heating system according to  claim 1 , wherein said air venting conduit is coupled to an upper portion of said liquid reservoir.  
     
     
         3 . The solar water heating system according to  claim 1 , further comprising an air venting conduit coupled between the upper end of said lower manifold and said liquid reservoir.  
     
     
         4 . The solar water heating system according to  claim 1 , wherein said liquid reservoir further comprises a check valve located at an upper portion of said liquid reservoir, the check valve being adapted to vent air from said reservoir while preventing liquid from overflowing through the check valve.  
     
     
         5 . The solar water heating system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a fluid returning conduit providing fluid communication between the lower end of said lower manifold and said liquid source.  
     
     
         6 . The solar water heating system according to  claim 5 , further comprising a metering valve disposed inline in said fluid returning conduit.  
     
     
         7 . The solar water heating system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a float activated valve disposed between said fluid supply conduit and said liquid reservoir, the float activated valve being adapted to control the flow of liquid from said fluid supply conduit into said liquid reservoir according to a liquid level within said liquid reservoir.  
     
     
         8 . The solar water heating system according to  claim 7 , wherein said float activated valve includes an activating float disposed within said liquid reservoir.  
     
     
         9 . The solar water heating system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a liquid overflow conduit having a first end coupled to said liquid reservoir and a discharge end.  
     
     
         10 . The solar water heating system according to  claim 9 , wherein the discharge end of said overflow conduit is located above said liquid source whereby an overflow liquid discharged from the discharge end is audibly returned to said liquid source.  
     
     
         11 . A solar water heating system for heating liquid drawn from a liquid source, the solar water heating system comprising: 
 at least one solar heat collector having an upper manifold and a lower manifold and at least one fluid passage between the upper and lower manifold, the upper and lower manifolds each having a first end and a second end;    a pressure regulator located at an elevation above said solar heat collector, the pressure regulator having an outlet and an inlet, the outlet being coupled to the first end of said upper manifold, the inlet being coupled to said liquid source;    a fluid returning conduit providing fluid communication between the second end of said lower manifold and said liquid source;    a metering valve disposed inline in said fluid returning conduit; and    a pump coupled between said liquid source and said pressure regulator, the pump being adapted to draw liquid from the liquid source and pump the liquid to said pressure regulator.    
     
     
         12 . The solar water heating system according to  claim 11 , wherein said pressure regulator comprises a liquid reservoir.  
     
     
         13 . The solar water heating system according to  claim 12 , wherein said pressure regulator further comprises a float activated valve coupling said liquid source and said liquid reservoir.  
     
     
         14 . The solar water heating system according to  claim 13 , wherein said float activated valve includes an activating float disposed within said liquid reservoir.  
     
     
         15 . The solar water heating system according to  claim 11 , wherein said liquid reservoir further comprises a check valve located at an upper portion of said liquid reservoir.  
     
     
         16 . The solar water heating system according to  claim 11 , wherein the upper manifold is inclined, having its first end elevated relative to its second end.  
     
     
         17 . The solar water heating system according to  claim 16 , further comprising an air venting conduit coupled to the first end of said upper manifold.  
     
     
         18 . The solar water heating system according to  claim 11 , wherein the lower manifold is inclined, having its first end elevated relative to its second end.  
     
     
         19 . The solar water heating system according to  claim 18 , further comprising an air venting conduit coupled to the first end of said lower manifold.  
     
     
         20 . The solar water heating system according to  claim 11 , further comprising a liquid overflow conduit having a first end coupled to said pressure regulator and a discharge end in fluid communication with said liquid source.  
     
     
         21 . The solar water heating system according to  claim 1 , wherein said liquid is water.  
     
     
         22 . The solar water heating system according to  claim 1 , wherein said liquid source is a swimming pool.  
     
     
         23 . The solar water heating system according to  claim 1 , wherein said solar heat collector is positioned at an elevation above said liquid source.