Glazed solar collectors

Abstract

Solar collector apparatus is described in which solar radiation is collected in a glazed cavity which may also include a transpired solar collector layer. Air warmed in the cavity may be used for space heating within buildings or diverted to heat management systems which facilitate, for example, heat storage. The glazing, particularly coated glazings, improve the performance of the devices by allowing solar energy to enter the cavity and preventing heat loss, and by negating the effect of ambient wind on the transpired solar collector layer.

1 - 29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . An apparatus for collecting solar energy comprising:
 a cavity,   a glazing, arranged to allow solar radiation to pass therethrough and enter the cavity,   an inlet aperture, arranged to allow air to enter the cavity from an external environment and   an outlet aperture, arranged to allow air warmed by the solar radiation, to exit the cavity;   wherein the glazing comprises a coated glass.   
     
     
         31 . The apparatus according to  claim 30 , wherein the coating comprises a low emissivity coating. 
     
     
         32 . The apparatus according to  claim 31 , wherein the coating comprises pyrolytically deposited fluorine doped tin oxide. 
     
     
         33 . The apparatus according to  claim 30 , wherein the coating comprises a titania coating. 
     
     
         34 . The apparatus according to  claim 32 , wherein the coating is located on the internal surface of the glass, relative to the cavity. 
     
     
         35 . The apparatus according to  claim 32 , wherein the coating is located on the external surface of the glass, relative to the cavity. 
     
     
         36 . The apparatus according to  claim 30 , wherein the coating comprises an antireflection coating. 
     
     
         37 . The apparatus according to  claim 30 , comprising an Insulated Glazing Unit (IGU), said IGU comprising at least two glass sheets. 
     
     
         38 . The apparatus according to  claim 37 , wherein the IGU comprises two glass sheets and the coating is located on surface  4  of the IGU. 
     
     
         39 . The apparatus according to  claim 38 , wherein the coating comprises titania. 
     
     
         40 . The apparatus according to  claim 38 , wherein the coating comprises pyrolytically deposited fluorine doped tin oxide. 
     
     
         41 . The apparatus according to  claim 37 , wherein the IGU comprises two glass sheets and the coating is a low E coating located on surface  3  of the IGU. 
     
     
         42 . The apparatus according to  claim 41 , wherein the coating is the product of a sputter deposition process. 
     
     
         43 . The apparatus according to  claim 42 , wherein the coating comprises silver or a compound of silver. 
     
     
         44 . The apparatus according to  claim 37 , wherein the coating is located on surface  1  of the IGU. 
     
     
         45 . The apparatus according to  claim 44 , wherein the coating comprises an antireflection coating. 
     
     
         46 . The apparatus according to  claim 44 , wherein the coating comprises a titania coating. 
     
     
         47 . The apparatus according to  claim 44 , wherein the coating comprises pyrolytically deposited fluorine doped tin oxide. 
     
     
         48 . The apparatus according to  claim 37 , wherein at least one glass sheet comprises a tinted glass. 
     
     
         49 . The apparatus according to  claim 48 , wherein the tinted glass has a composition comprising at least 0.15 wt % iron. 
     
     
         50 . The apparatus according to  claim 30 , wherein at least one sheet of glass comprises a low iron content glass, having an iron content of less than 0.02 wt %. 
     
     
         51 . The apparatus according to  30 , wherein the glazing comprises a major sheet and has integral glass sidewalls. 
     
     
         52 . The apparatus according to  claim 30 , wherein the cavity is divided into first and second regions by a transpired solar collector, the first region being bounded by the glazing,
 said collector comprising a sheet of material having a plurality of holes, the holes providing communication between the two regions, and   wherein the inlet aperture is arranged to allow air to enter the first region and the outlet aperture is arranged to allow air to leave the second region.   
     
     
         53 . The apparatus according to  claim 33 , further comprising means for directing a flow of water on to the titania coated glass surface. 
     
     
         54 . The apparatus according to  claim 51 , comprising two glazings, each glazing comprising a major sheet and two integral glass sidewalls, the glazings arranged to define the cavity therebetween. 
     
     
         55 . An apparatus for collecting solar energy comprising:
 a cavity,   a glazing, arranged to allow solar radiation to pass therethrough and enter the cavity,   an inlet aperture, arranged to allow air to enter the cavity from an external environment and an outlet aperture, arranged to allow air warmed by the solar radiation, to exit the cavity;   wherein the glazing comprises a low iron glass.   
     
     
         56 . The apparatus according to  claim 55 , comprising glass comprises less than 0.02 wt % iron. 
     
     
         57 . The apparatus according to  claim 56 , comprising glass comprises less than 0.015 wt % iron. 
     
     
         58 . The apparatus according to  claim 57 , comprising glass comprises less than 0.01 wt % iron.