Importance

Loading Importance Indicators...

Abstract

A water heating system includes a solar collector panel, a hot water heater tank, a serpentine tube-in-sheet heat exchanger jacket built into the water tank assembly, pumping means, fluid transfer means and means for securing the heat exchanger jacket around the hot water heater. The solar collector panel has a first passageway which lies beneath the outer surface of the panel such that incident solar energy is used to elevate the temperature of an energy-absorbing fluid which is circulating through this first passageway. The heat exchanger jacket is constructed with second and third passageways which are positioned in a double serpentine coil arrangement. The energy-absorbing fluid from the collector panel flows through connecting conduits to and from the second passageway. Water within the hot water heater is coupled to the third passageway and, as it circulates through the third passageway, this water is elevated in temperature by means of conduction from the energy-absorbing fluid. The energy-absorbing fluid, by raising the temperature of the heat exchanger jacket, also elevates the temperature of the water within the hot water heater by conduction through the wall of the hot water heater. Thus, two modes of heat transfer are used to heat the water within the hot water heater. Suitable pumps and valves are provided in order to control the flow of the fluids during the various climatic conditions.

Loading the Abstract Image...

First Claim