Perforated transparent glazing for heat recovery and solar air heating

Abstract

A heat collector comprises a transparent glazing exposed to the ambient. The transparent glazing is spaced from a back surface to define a plenum therewith. A plurality of perforations is defined through the transparent glazing for allowing outside air to flow through the transparent glazing into the plenum and substantially maintain the transparent glazing at the ambient temperature, thereby providing for higher thermal efficiency.

1 . A heat collector comprising a transparent glazing exposed to the ambient, the transparent glazing being spaced from a back surface to define a plenum therewith, a plurality of perforations defined through the transparent glazing for allowing outside air to flow through the transparent glazing into the plenum, the perforations being distributed over a surface area of the transparent glazing, the plenum having an outlet, and air moving means to draw heated air from said plenum via said outlet. 
     
     
         2 . The heat collector defined in  claim 1 , wherein the back surface includes a solar radiation absorbing panel. 
     
     
         3 . The heat collector defined in  claim 2 , wherein said solar radiation absorbing panel overlies a layer of insulation material. 
     
     
         4 . The heat collector defined in  claim 2 , wherein said solar radiation absorbing panel is curved. 
     
     
         5 . The heat collector defined in  claim 1 , wherein the back surface comprises at least one photovoltaic panel. 
     
     
         6 . The heat collector defined in  claim 1 , wherein the back surface is of a light color. 
     
     
         7 . The heat collector defined in  claim 2 , wherein the solar radiation absorbing panel is corrugated. 
     
     
         8 . The heat collector defined in  claim 1 , wherein the back surface has an elongated pipe-like configuration with the perforated glazing running longitudinally along one side thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The heat collector defined in  claim 1 , wherein the plenum is at least partly delimited by a building wall. 
     
     
         10 . The heat collector defined in  claim 1 , wherein the back surface includes a transparent membrane forming part of a building envelope of a greenhouse. 
     
     
         11 . The heat collector defined in  claim 1 , wherein the back surface is at least partly defined by a ground surface. 
     
     
         12 . A device for heating air comprising a perforated transparent surface allowing solar radiations to pass therethrough, a solar radiation absorption surface located behind said perforated transparent surface for absorbing the solar radiations, and a gap of air defined between said perforated transparent surface and said radiation absorption surface, the air flowing in the gap absorbing heat from the radiation absorption surface while fresh ambient air flowing through the perforations of the perforated transparent surface provides for a minimal temperature delta through the transparent surface. 
     
     
         13 . The device defined in  claim 12 , wherein air moving means are provided for maintaining said gap under negative pressure. 
     
     
         14 . The device defined in  claim 13 , wherein the perforated transparent surface is mounted to a building surface, the gap of air being defined between the perforated transparent surface and the building surface. 
     
     
         15 . The device defined in  claim 14 , wherein the building surface is a transparent membrane extending over a greenhouse skeleton structure. 
     
     
         16 . The device defined in  claim 14 , wherein the building surface forms part of the solar radiation absorption surface and is of a light color. 
     
     
         17 . The device defined in  claim 12 , wherein the solar radiation absorption surface comprises a collector panel mounted to a building surface, the perforated transparent surface separating the collector panel from the ambient.