Interior solar energy collector with fluid-based heat transfer system

Abstract

An interior solar energy collector system includes an interior heat exchanger unit for mounting on, or integral with, an interior surface of a roof or wall of a building. A heat transfer fluid system transfers collected heat from the interior heat exchanger to heat storage and heat disposal tanks from which the heat can be used or disposed as desired.

1 . A solar energy collector system for collecting and utilizing energy derived from incident solar radiation on an external surface of a roof of a building that is absorbed by the roof and that is conducted through the roof to an interior surface of the roof, which is supported by a plurality of rafters, or that is radiated from the interior surface of the roof, wherein said solar energy collector apparatus comprises:
 a plurality of heat exchanger panels, each of which panels comprises at least one tube that has high thermal conductivity and extends in a generally longitudinal direction from a fluid flow connection with an inlet header to a fluid flow connection with an outlet header, and a sheet of material that has high thermal conductivity and that is sized and shaped to fit between the rafters for fastening to the interior surface of the roof between the rafters, wherein the tube is mounted in heat conducting contact with the sheet;   a primary heat storage fluid tank;   a first primary pipe system extending from the primary heat storage fluid tank to the inlet header and from the outlet header to the primary heat storage fluid tank; and   a primary pump in the primary pipe system configured for pumping fluid from the primary heat storage fluid tank to the inlet header.   
     
     
         2 . The solar energy collector system of  claim 1 , wherein the primary heat storage fluid tank is heat insulated and sized and shaped for location in the building. 
     
     
         3 . The solar energy collector system of  claim 2  including:
 a heat disposal fluid storage tank that is not heat insulated and that is sized and shaped for location in the building in heat conductive relation with a foundation of the building or with ground under or adjacent to the building; 
 a secondary pipe system extending from the heat disposal fluid storage tank to the inlet header; and 
 a secondary pump in the secondary pipe system configured for pumping fluid from the heat disposal fluid storage tank to the inlet header and from the outlet header to the heat disposal fluid tank. 
 
     
     
         4 . The solar energy collector system of  claim 3  including a utility heat exchanger in the primary heat storage fluid tank adapted for connection to a domestic water supply that serves the building and to a domestic water heater that supplies hot water to hot water furnishings in the building, wherein the utility heat exchanger conducts heat from a heat storage fluid in the primary heat storage fluid tank to domestic water from the domestic water supply before such domestic water flows to the hot water heater. 
     
     
         5 . The solar energy collector system of  claim 4 , including a supplemental heater in the primary heat storage fluid tank for providing additional heat to the heat storage fluid in the primary heat storage fluid tank. 
     
     
         6 . The solar energy collector system of  claim 5 , including a control system comprising:
 a roof temperature sensor positioned adjacent to the interior surface of the roof for detecting temperature at the interior surface of the roof;   a primary heat storage fluid temperature sensor positioned in the primary heat storage fluid tank for sensing temperature of the heat storage fluid in the primary heat storage fluid tank;   a controller that is programmed to receive signals from the roof temperature sensor and from the primary heat storage fluid temperature sensor and to output a signal to turn on the primary heat storage fluid pump to pump fluid from the primary heat storage fluid tank to the inlet header when the temperature at the interior surface of the roof is greater than the temperature of the heat storage fluid in the primary heat storage fluid tank.   
     
     
         7 . The solar energy collector system of  claim 6 , wherein the secondary pipe system is connected and integrated in fluid flow relation with the primary pipe system such that the primary heat transfer fluid pump is also the secondary pump for pumping fluid from either the primary heat storage fluid tank or the heat disposal fluid tank or both to the inlet header. 
     
     
         8 . The solar energy collector system of  claim 7 , including a building heating system that is configured to draw heated fluid from the primary heat storage fluid tank for transfer to and heating of an interior environment in the building. 
     
     
         9 . The solar energy collector system of  claim 8 , including a building cooling system that is configured to draw cold fluid from the secondary fluid storage tank for transfer to and cooling of the interior environment of the building. 
     
     
         10 . The solar energy collector system of  claim 8 , including a heat dissipation system that is configured to dissipate heat from the heat disposal fluid to surfaces or interior spaces that are desired to be heated. 
     
     
         11 . The solar energy collector system of  claim 8 , including a ground source heat pump system that utilizes the heat disposal fluid as a source of heat or as a heat sink to dispose of heat. 
     
     
         12 . A method of collecting heat from solar energy that is incident on a roof or exterior wall of building, comprising:
 circulating a heat transfer fluid through a tube that is connected in thermally conductive contact with an interior surface of a sheet that is in thermally conductive contact with, or that forms a part of, the roof or exterior wall of the building so that heat in the sheet transfers by conduction into the heat transfer fluid; and   circulating the heat transfer fluid through a heat storage tank in the building.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , including:
 comparing a temperature of the roof or exterior wall with a temperature of a fluid in the heat storage tank: and   circulating the heat transfer fluid through the heat storage tank only when the temperature of the roof or exterior wall is higher than the temperature of the fluid in the heat storage tank.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , including circulating the heat transfer fluid through the heat storage tank only when the temperature of the roof or exterior wall is higher than the temperature of the fluid in the heat storage tank and the temperature of the fluid in the heat storage tank is less than a predetermined desired maximum temperature. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , including circulating the heat transfer fluid through a heat disposal tank when the temperature of the roof or exterior wall is higher than the temperature of the fluid in the heat storage tank and the temperature of the fluid in the heat storage tank is higher than the predetermined desired maximum temperature.