Double-walled solar heater apparatus and method for use

Abstract

The solar heater apparatus disclosed comprises an inner container and an outer container each having an opening forming a mouth. The inner container is contained within the outer container and has on its outside surface a solar-selective coating optimized to absorb a large fraction of the incident solar radiation while reradiating little of the absorbed energy. The two containers are joined creating one unified apparatus with a reservoir, an opening and a void between the two containers. The void is evacuated to reduce the heat loss due to thermal conduction from the inner container and the contents of the reservoir. In operation, the reservoir is filled with material and exposed to the sun. The solar radiation from the sun penetrates the outer container and is absorbed by the solar-selective coating and, by conduction, passes thermal energy through the inner container into the apparatus reservoir heating the reservoir contents.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60 / 845,697 filed on Sep. 19, 2006 and all of said application is herein incorporated by reference.STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT:[0002]Not Applicable.NAMES OF PARTIES TO JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT[0003]Not applicable.REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISC APPENDIX[0004]Not Applicable.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0005]1. Field of the Invention[0006]This invention relates to techniques for heating materials using a solar heat apparatus. In one embodiment, the invention relates a solar heat apparatus for heating liquids, such as water, for disinfecting and cooking purposes.[0007]2. Description of the Prior Art[0008]The need for safe drinking water covers the entire world's population. Non-portable drinking water is a major problem for much of the world's population.[0009]Chlorine is consider...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0020]Advances in solar collector design and manufacture enable more efficient solar collector designs. Advances in solar coatings now include cermet solar-selective coatings which have a very high photo-thermal conversion efficiency and very low energy losses due to reradiation. Advances in manufacturing allow these coatings to be applied in an economical way. The costs of high-temperature solar collectors manufactured by these new manufacturing methods make collectors using cermet layers much more economically appealing than other solar collectors.

[0021]The new apparatus disclosed, a solar heater apparatus, comprises an inner container and an outer container each having an opening forming a mouth. The inner container is smaller than and contained within the outer container. The two containers are joined at the mouth of each creating one unified container with an internal reservoir, an opening and a void between the two containers. The gas in the void is removed to create a vacuum that helps reduce thermal conductance loss.

[0022]Although similar, this design deviates from past dewar flask implementations. The outer container of the apparatus is transparent allowing solar radiation to be passed through the void and on to the inner container. The outside surface of the inner container is coated with a solar-selective coating which absorbs solar radiation and converts that radiation to thermal energy. The thermal energy is passed by conduction through the inner container and to the contents of the inner container. In one implementation, using a double cermet layer structure as the inner container coating enables the inner container to efficiently achieve temperatures sufficient to disenfect or sterilize water in the apparatus.

[0031]Another object of this invention is to provide a simple apparatus and method for heating materials such as water.

[0033]Another object of this invention is to provide a reliable apparatus and method for heating materials such as water.

[0034]Yet another object of this invention is to provide an easy-to-operate apparatus and method for heating materials such as water.

Problems solved by technology

Although similar, this design deviates from past dewar flask implementations.

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