Heat Pipe Augmented Passive Solar Heating System

摘要

A heat pipe augmented passive solar space heating system modulates the temperature inside a building structure, particular during heating seasons when the ambient temperature is below levels customarily associated with adequate room comfort, and in some embodiments comprises a solar absorber, a heat pipe surrounding wholly or partially by insulation, the heat pipe having three main sections which are an evaporator at one end proximal to the solar absorber, a condenser at the other end proximal to an interior room being heated, and a rubber adiabatic section between those. Additional aspects such as a mechanical valve in the adiabatic section are disclosed to limit unwanted thermal gains when cooling is needed because the ambient temperatures already exceed room comfort.

主权项

1. A heat pipe for transferring solar energy, comprising:
a conduit for holding a working fluid, the conduit having: a first end comprising an evaporator positioned proximal to a solar absorber to receive solar energy, wherein when a working fluid is present in the first end the solar energy that is received from the solar absorber is transferred to the working fluid while the working fluid is in a liquid state; a second end comprising a condenser that receives the working fluid from the evaporator while the working fluid is in a gas state; and an adiabatic section between the first end and the second end, the adiabatic section comprising a region of conduit formed from a non-metal thermal insulating material different from the material forming at least one of the conduit ends, the adiabatic section configured to resist heat transfer moving in the direction from the condenser to the evaporator.