HEAT TRANSFER SYSTEM USING SOLAR ENERGY

摘要

A system for heating a fluid conveyed or contained in a pipe or other process equipment by solar energy is disclosed. The system includes passive and active control methods to control the temperature of the fluid within a selected temperature range. The passive methods use the natural properties of selected materials for the system and the geometry and the orientation of the materials to control the temperature range. The active methods uses one or more than one control mechanism for changing the ratio of energy gain and heat loss at any point in time during a day and between days and across seasons, with these mechanisms including mechanisms to control energy transfer in and heat transfer out of the fluid.

主权项

1. A system for heating a fluid conveyed or contained in a pipe or other process equipment by solar energy includes:
(a) an aperture for allowing energy transfer from solar radiation to the fluid, the aperture including a layer of a first material on at least a part of the pipe or other process equipment, with the layer of the first material being (i) transparent to solar radiation so that solar radiation can pass through the first material with minimal energy loss and heat the fluid during periods when solar radiation is incident on the pipe or other process equipment and (ii) a thermal insulator to minimise heat loss from the fluid via the first material at all times, and (b) a layer of a second material on at least a part of the pipe or other process equipment that is not transparent to solar radiation and is a thermal insulator to minimise heat loss from the fluid via the second material at all times.