Solar heat exchanger

Abstract

A solar heat exchanger assists an air-to-air heat pump by introducing warm solar solution into thermal contact with the saturated vapor, thereby enabling the refrigerant to extract more heat at low ambient temperatures. Thus, the air-to-air heat pump is able to achieve improved heating ability at lower temperatures. The solar heat exchanger may run simultaneously and in parallel with the heat pump to thereby improve the efficiency of the heat pump.

1 . A heating arrangement comprising:
 a heat pump including:
 an indoor coil having an inlet and an outlet; 
 an outdoor coil having an inlet and an outlet; 
 a first conduit fluidly interconnecting the outlet of the indoor coil and the inlet of the outdoor coil; 
 a second conduit fluidly interconnecting the outlet of the outdoor coil and the inlet of the indoor coil; 
   a solar collector including a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, the collector being configured to collect solar heat, transfer the heat to a heat transfer fluid, and pump the heat transfer fluid through the fluid outlet; and   a heat exchanger in thermal engagement with the second conduit, the heat exchanger in fluid communication with the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet of the solar collector such that the heat transfer fluid circulates between the solar collector and the heat exchanger.   
     
     
         2 . An arrangement as in  claim 1  in which said heat exchanger includes a chamber in fluid communication with the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet of the solar collector. 
     
     
         3 . An arrangement as in  claim 1  in which said heat transfer fluid is propylene glycol. 
     
     
         4 . An arrangement as in  claim 1  in which said heat exchanger is substantially cylindrically-shaped. 
     
     
         5 . An arrangement as in  claim 4  in which said heat exchanger has a substantially donut-shaped cross section when viewed in a longitudinal direction of the heat exchanger. 
     
     
         6 . An arrangement as in  claim 4  in which said heat exchanger has a substantially circular cross section when viewed in a longitudinal direction of the heat exchanger. 
     
     
         7 . An arrangement as in  claim 1  in which said heat exchanger substantially surrounds the second conduit. 
     
     
         8 . A heating arrangement comprising:
 a heat pump including:
 an indoor coil having an inlet and an outlet; 
 an outdoor coil having an inlet and an outlet; 
 a first conduit fluidly interconnecting the outlet of the indoor coil and the inlet of the outdoor coil; 
 a second conduit fluidly interconnecting the outlet of the outdoor coil and the inlet of the indoor coil; 
   a solar collector including a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, the collector being configured to collect solar heat and transfer the heat to a heat transfer fluid; and   a heat exchanger substantially surrounding at least a portion of the second conduit, the heat exchanger being in fluid communication with the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet of the solar collector such that the heat transfer fluid may circulate between the solar collector and the heat exchanger and thereby transfer the heat to the second conduit.   
     
     
         9 . An arrangement as in  claim 8  in which said heat exchanger includes a chamber in fluid communication with the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet of the solar collector. 
     
     
         10 . An arrangement as in  claim 8  in which said heat transfer fluid is propylene glycol. 
     
     
         11 . An arrangement as in  claim 8  in which said heat exchanger is substantially cylindrically-shaped. 
     
     
         12 . An arrangement as in  claim 11  in which said heat exchanger has a substantially donut-shaped cross section when viewed in a longitudinal direction of the heat exchanger. 
     
     
         13 . An arrangement as in  claim 11  in which said heat exchanger has a substantially circular cross section when viewed in a longitudinal direction of the heat exchanger. 
     
     
         14 . A heat storage and transfer apparatus comprising:
 a substantially hollow, substantially enclosed tank, the tank including first and second fluid inlets and first and second fluid outlets;   a first conduit centrally disposed within the tank and being in fluid communication with the first inlet and the first outlet of the tank;   a solar energy collection unit disposed outside the tank and being in fluid communication with the first inlet and the first outlet of the tank;   a pump in fluid communication with at least one of the first conduit and the solar energy collection unit, the pump being configured to circulate a heat transfer liquid between the first conduit and the solar energy collection unit;   a second conduit disposed within the tank and in fluid communication with the second inlet and the second outlet of the tank;   a thermally conductive heat transfer medium substantially filling the tank and configured to receive heat from the first conduit, store the heat, and transmit the heat to the second conduit; and   a water heater having a cold water inlet selectively in fluid communication with the second conduit.   
     
     
         15 . An apparatus as in  claim 14  in which the cold water inlet of the water heater is selectively in fluid communication with a source of cold water. 
     
     
         16 . An apparatus as in  claim 15  in which the second conduit is selectively in fluid communication with the source of cold water. 
     
     
         17 . An apparatus as in  claim 14  further comprising a hot water coil of a forced air heating system, the hot water coil being in selective fluid communication with the second conduit. 
     
     
         18 . An apparatus as in  claim 17  wherein the hot water coil is disposed in a return air duct of the forced air heating system. 
     
     
         19 . An apparatus as in  claim 17  further comprising a pump configured to circulate water between the hot water coil and the second conduit. 
     
     
         20 . An apparatus as in  claim 14  in which the second conduit is disposed radially outwardly from the first conduit.