Solar energy system for heating and cooling of buildings utilizing moist air cycles

摘要

An integrated system for the collection, storage, and utilization of solar energy in the heating and cooling of buildings utilizing a moist air cycle involving evaporation and condensation of water vapor at constant pressure to obtain the advantages of high heat capacity, resulting from phase change, and low mass flow rate. Supersaturated moist air is circulated through solar collectors where evaporation takes place; the coolant leaving the solar collectors in a saturated condition and returning to a hot storage tank. There the coolant flows across the surface of hot stored water where condensation takes place, and thereafter leaves the hot storage tank in a saturated condition and at a temperature only slightly above that of the stored water. The hot storage tank further includes floating heat exchanger means for heating water in the portable water supply system. Upon leaving the hot storage tank the coolant is passed through a novel humidifying device which restores exactly the amount of moisture that was lost by condensation. This device withdraws water from the hot storage tank by means of a pump and introduces the water into the moist air stream in the form of a fog and very fine mist by the process of high pressure atomization. The supersaturated mixture is then returned to the solar collectors to repeat the cycle. Suitable controls modulate both the air and water flow rates in response to the rate at which solar energy is being collected.