Passive heating and cooling system
First Claim
1. Apparatus for using water to control the internal temperature of an enclosure having a roof exposed to the atmosphere and an enclosed functional area, said apparatus comprising:
- a container for water located within the enclosure and having opposite ends;
a generally flat hollow inclined radiator/absorber proximate and exterior to the enclosure having a higher end and a lower end, said radiator/absorber having a surface exposed to the atmosphere;
a pair of conduits including a warm water conduit between one end of the container and the higher end of the radiator/absorber and a cold water conduit between the other end of the container to proximate the lower end of the radiator/absorber; and
a pump operatively connected with the cold water conduit, whereby the container, radiator/absorber, and conduits can be completely filled with water when cooling is desired so that the water will thermal siphon through the radiator/absorber to provide cooling at night, and whereby the container, radiator/absorber, and conduits can be partially filled with water when heating is desired and the pump actuated during periods of sunshine to provide solar heating.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and method are disclosed by which the temperature of an enclosure can be prevented from reaching extremely high or extremely low points. The enclosure provides a functional area whose temperature is adjusted by heated or cooled water contained within a water container which is located above the functional area and below the ceiling of the enclosure. The water in the water container is heated or cooled, depending on the desired effect, by exposing the water to atmospheric conditions while passing through a radiator/absorber located on the roof of the enclosure. The radiator/absorber has an inclined configuration, with higher and lower ends. The water passes from the water container to the radiator/absorber and back again to the water container through a pair of conduits. A warm water conduit runs between one end of the water container and the higher end of the radiator/absorber, while a cold water conduit runs between the other end of the water container and the lower end of the radiator/absorber. The water will passively travel from the water container to the radiator/absorber during warm weather by creating a thermal siphon at night. A pump is attached to the cold water conduit and used to circulate water in cold weather when heating is desired.
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Citations
44 Claims
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1. Apparatus for using water to control the internal temperature of an enclosure having a roof exposed to the atmosphere and an enclosed functional area, said apparatus comprising:
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a container for water located within the enclosure and having opposite ends;
a generally flat hollow inclined radiator/absorber proximate and exterior to the enclosure having a higher end and a lower end, said radiator/absorber having a surface exposed to the atmosphere;
a pair of conduits including a warm water conduit between one end of the container and the higher end of the radiator/absorber and a cold water conduit between the other end of the container to proximate the lower end of the radiator/absorber; and
a pump operatively connected with the cold water conduit, whereby the container, radiator/absorber, and conduits can be completely filled with water when cooling is desired so that the water will thermal siphon through the radiator/absorber to provide cooling at night, and whereby the container, radiator/absorber, and conduits can be partially filled with water when heating is desired and the pump actuated during periods of sunshine to provide solar heating. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A method for using different quantities of water to control the internal temperature of an enclosure having a roof exposed to the atmosphere and having an enclosed functional area, said method comprising:
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securing a water container having opposite ends above the functional area of the enclosure;
installing a generally flat hollow radiator/absorber in an inclined configuration with a higher end and a lower end proximate and exterior to the enclosure, said radiator/absorber having an exposed surface adapted to radiate heat into the atmosphere and absorb heat from the sun;
connecting one end of the water container to the high end of the radiator/absorber with a warm water conduit and connecting the opposite end the water container to the low end of the radiator/absorber with a cold water conduit;
filling the water container, radiator/absorber, and conduits completely with water when cooling is desired so that the water will thermal siphon through the radiator/absorber to provide cooling at night;
operatively connecting a pump with the cold water conduit; and
filling the water container, radiator/absorber, and conduits partially with water when heating is desired and actuating the pump during periods of sunshine to provide solar heating. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. Apparatus using different quantities of water to control the internal temperature of an enclosure having a roof exposed to the atmosphere and an enclosed functional area with an overhead ceiling, said apparatus comprising:
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a plurality of water tubes aligned parallel to each other and having opposite lateral ends located above the functional area of the enclosure;
a generally flat hollow inclined radiator/absorber proximate and exterior to the enclosure composed of a plurality of panels with a higher end and a lower end;
a pair of conduits including a warm water conduit and a cold water conduit each having a header on both ends, said warm water conduit having one header proximate the higher lateral ends of the water tubes and having the other header proximate the higher end of the radiator/absorber, said cold water conduit having one header proximate the lower and opposite lateral ends of the water tubes and having the other header proximate the lower end of the radiator/absorber;
a pump operatively connected with the cold water conduit;
a plurality of operable shutters located between the water tubes and the functional area of the enclosure to selectively block excess radiant heat from the water tubes when more heat has been stored than needs to be used immediately; and
an adjustable amount of water contained within the water tubes, headers, conduits, and radiator/absorber and flowing either by thermosiphon or actuation of the pump through the water tubes, headers, conduits, and radiator/absorber. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. Apparatus using different quantities of water to control the internal temperature of an enclosure having a roof to expose to the atmosphere and an enclosed functional area, said apparatus comprising:
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a plurality of water tubes aligned parallel to each other and having opposite lateral ends located above the functional area of the enclosure;
a flexible sheet proximate an exterior to the enclosure mounted in an inclined configuration with a higher end and a lower end and having a plurality of interior flow paths extending from the higher end to the lower end of the sheet;
a pair of conduits including a warm water conduit between one end of the water tubes and the higher end of the flexible sheet and a cold water conduit between the other end of the water tubes and the lower end of the flexible sheet;
a pump operably connected with the cold water conduit; and
a quantity of water filling the water tubes, conduits and the channels within the flexible sheet when cooling is desired so that the water will thermal siphon through the flexible sheet to provide cooling at night, and whereby the container, conduits and flexible sheet are partially filled with water when heating is desired and the pump actuated during period of sunshine to provide solar heating. - View Dependent Claims (42)
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43. A method using different quantities of water for controlling the internal temperature of an enclosure having a roof exposed to the atmosphere and having an enclosed functional area, said method comprising;
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exposing the water contained within an upward facing radiator/absorber located on the roof of the enclosure to atmospheric conditions which will cool the water on summer nights and heat the water on winter days;
allowing the water to return to the water tubes which are located above the functional area of the enclosure and below the ceiling of the enclosure so the heated or cooled water can radiate heat or cool into the functional area of the enclosure;
filling the water tubes, radiator/absorber, and conduits completely with water when cooling is desired;
cooling the water which is used to cool the functional area within the enclosure by allowing the water to thermosiphon through the radiator/absorber at night to release the heat absorbed by the water during the day;
filling the water tubes, radiator/absorber, and conduits partially with water when heating is desired to prevent thermal siphoning which would lead to cooling; and
heating the water used to heat the functional area of the enclosure by pumping the water through the radiator/absorber during the day and allowing the water to absorb heat from the sun.
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44. A method for controlling the internal temperature of an enclosure having a roof exposed to the atmosphere and having an enclosed functional area with an overhead ceiling utilizing different quantities of water, said method comprising;
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exposing the water contained within an upward facing radiator/absorber located on the roof of the enclosure to atmospheric conditions which will cool the water on summer nights and heat the water on winter days;
allowing the water to return to the water tubes which are located above the functional area of the enclosure and below the ceiling of the enclosure so the heated or cooled water can radiate heat or cool into the functional area of the enclosure;
filling the water tubes, radiator/absorber, and conduits completely with water when cooling is desired;
cooling the water which is used to cool the functional area of the enclosure by allowing the water the thermosiphon through the radiator/absorber at night to release the heat absorbed by the water during the day;
filling the water tubes, radiator/absorber, and conduits partially with water when heating is desired to prevent thermosiphoning which could lead to cooling;
heating the water used to heat the functional area of the enclosure by pumping the water through the radiator/absorber during the day and allowing the water to absorb heat from the sun; and
controlling the amount of heat radiated by the water tubes into the functional area of the enclosure by opening and closing a plurality of operable shutters located between the functional area of the enclosure and the water tubes.
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Specification