Solar illuminated energy conserving greenhouse

• US 4,198,953 A
• Filed: 03/28/1978
• Issued: 04/22/1980
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/1978
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Terra TEK Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Terra TEK Incorporated
• Inventors: Power, Dean V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Scott, Samuel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Barrett, Lee E.
• Application Number:
  US05/891,149
• Time in Patent Office: 756 Days
• Field of Search: 126/270, 126/271, 353/3, 350/258, 350/259, 350/260, 350/264, 350/265, 47/1, 47/17, 47/26
• US Class Current: 126/617
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 9/243 Collecting solar energy in general F24S
• CPC Class Codes: E04D 2013/034 Daylight conveying tubular skylights
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 23/00 Arrangements for concentrating solar-rays for solar heat collectors
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 23/31 having discontinuous faces, e.g. Fresnel lenses
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 30/425 Horizontal axis
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 40/10 Protective covers or shrouds; Closure members, e.g. lids transparent coverings F24S80/50
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 50/20 for tracking
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 40/25 Greenhouse technology, e.g. cooling systems therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/44 Heat exchange systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/47 Mountings or tracking
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 60/12 using renewable energies, e.g. solar water pumping
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 126/909 Linear concentrating lens

Abstract

The present invention in an energy conserving greenhouse involves an insulated and opaque structure whose inner walls are preferably formed, coated or colored to reflect visible light striking thereagainst onto plant surfaces therein, the structure utilizing a shuttered lense arrangement of minimum dimensions, that is open during daylight hours to pass sunlight from a focusing solar collector, that sunlight passing through an infra red trap to heat a material therein, that heat being removed for immediate heating of the structure and/or storage for later heating thereof, the remaining sunlight spectra, including the visible spectra passing therefrom and to a diffuser that directs and disperses it throughout the structure interior.

Claims

1. A solar illuminated energy conserving greenhouse comprising,

a structure adapted for use as a greenhouse having upstanding walls and a roof thereover and having at least one portal formed therethrough, said walls and roof being insulated appropriately so as to minimize heat losses from said structure, said structure having also at least one opening formed therethrough for passing focused sunlight into said structure, said opening being covered appropriately with a transparent arrangement;

a lens means for gathering and focusing sunlight and directing said collected sunlight through said opening into said structure;

a sunlight filtering means for receiving the collected sunlight and for removing for use in heating said structure the infra red spectra portions of that sunlight while passing the remaining spectra portions of said sunlight therethrough, and;

diffuser means arranged to receive said remaining spectra portions of said sunlight from said sunlight filter means spreading and distributing it within said structure.

2. An energy conserving greenhouse as recited in claim 1 wherein the opening for passing sunlight therethrough has multiple transparent panes arranged thereover.

3. An energy conserving greenhouse as recited in claim 1, wherein, the opening is closed over by a focusing lense arrangement.

4. An energy conserving greenhouse as recited in claim 1, further including,

a shutter means arranged for movement across said opening to close off and insulate said opening when sunlight is not directed thereon.

5. An energy conserving greenhouse as recited in claim 1 wherein the lens means consists of, a type of fresnel lense.

6. An energy conserving greenhouse as recited in claim 1 wherein, the sunlight filter means consists of,

an infra red filter arranged to pass a sunlight infra red spectra absorbing media therethrough, through which media the focused sunlight is passed to remove the infra red spectra therefrom, passing the remaining sunlight spectra therethrough.

7. An energy conserving greenhouse as recited in claim 6, wherein,

the infra red filter means is a transparent pipe arranged to pass the infra red spectra absorbing media therethrough.

8. An energy conserving greenhouse as recited in claim 6, wherein the infra red absorbing media is a copper chloride solution.

9. An energy conserving greenhouse as recited in claim 1, wherein the diffuser means consists of,

a convex surface;

and

diffuser surface means covering said convex surface for breaking into a number of beams and reflecting therefrom light striking thereon.

10. An energy conserving greenhouse as recited in claim 1, further including,

reflective surfaces arranged on the interior walls and ceiling of the structure.

11. An energy conserving greenhouse as recited in claim 10, further including,

a reflective surface arranged over the structure floor and over earth areas within said structure wherein plants grow.

12. A solar illuminated energy conserving greenhouse comprising,

a structure adapted for use as a greenhouse having upstanding walls and a roof thereover and having at least one portal formed therethrough, said walls and roof being insulated appropriately so as to minimize heat losses from said structure, said structure having also at least one opening formed therethrough for passing focused sunlight into said structure, said opening being covered appropriately with a transparent arrangement;

a solar collector means consisting of at least one reflective surface arranged to focus sunlight received thereon, and a collimating reflector arranged to receive, from said reflective surface, said focused sunlight to direct appropriately said focused sunlight therefrom;

a sunlight filtering means for receiving the collected sunlight and for removing for use in heating said structure the infra red spectra portions of that sunlight while passing the remaining spectra portions of said sunlight therethrough, and;

diffuser means arranged to receive said remaining spectra portions of said sunlight from said sunlight filter means spreading and distributing it within said structure.

13. An energy conserving greenhouse as recited in claim 12 wherein

the opening for passing sunlight therethrough has multiple transparent panes arranged thereover.

14. An energy conserving greenhouse as recited in claim 12, wherein,

the opening is closed over by a focusing lens arrangement.

15. An energy conserving greenhouse as recited in claim 12, further including,

a shutter means arranged for movement across said opening to close off and insulate said opening when sunlight is not directed thereon.

16. An energy conserving greenhouse as recited in claim 12, wherein, the sunlight filter means consists of,

an infra red filter arranged to pass a sunlight infra red spectra absorbing media therethrough, through which media the focused sunlight is passed to remove the infra red spectra therefrom, passing the remaining sunlight spectra therethrough.

17. An energy conserving greenhouse as recited in claim 16, wherein,

the infra red filter means is a transparent pipe arranged to pass the infra red spectra absorbing media therethrough.

18. An energy conserving greenhouse as recited in claim 16, wherein,

the infra red absorbing media is a copper chloride solution.

19. An energy conserving greenhouse as recited in claim 12, wherein the diffuser means consists of,

a convex surface;

and

diffuser surface means covering said convex surface for breaking into a number of beams and reflecting therefrom light striking thereon.

20. An energy conserving greenhouse as recited in claim 12, further including,

reflective surfaces arranged on the interior walls and ceiling of the structure.

21. An energy conserving greenhouse as recited in claim 20, further including,

a reflective surface arranged over the structure floor and over earth areas within said structure wherein plants grow.