Active thermal insulation system including evacuated structures and a vacuum sustaining unit

Abstract

A thermal insulation system includes an evacuated structure including an internal space in which a vacuum is sustained by a vacuum pump operating when it is determined that a pressure within the internal space has risen to a predetermined level. In one embodiment, such a system is used within a dome structure extending over and around a heat receiving structure within a solar heating system.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]Not ApplicableFEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT[0002]Not ApplicableBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]1. Field of the Invention[0004]This invention relates to thermal insulation systems, more particularly to such systems including evacuated structures, and yet more particularly to the use of such systems to allow heat retention within solar heat collectors.[0005]double glazed vacuum structures, and, more particularly, to such structures having a means for providing and maintaining a vacuum between spaced-apart glass sheets for thermally insulating solar heat collectors.[0006]2. Summary of the Background Information[0007]A solar heat collector typically includes a heat receiving structure through which a fluid, such as water, is circulated to be heated by solar radiation. The heat receiving structure comprises elements such as piping, tubing, a reservoir tank, and a thermally conductive structure to absorb heat from radiant energy and to transmit the...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0015]Various difficulties and shortcomings of prior-art thermally insulating systems including evacuated spaces are overcome through the use of the present invention. A dome-shaped central space within a thermally insulating system is provided for holding the heat-receiving portion of a solar heating system. The mechanical weakness of glass panels extending adjacent evacuated spaces is overcome by curving the panels and, optionally, additionally by providing a panel with an impact-resistant film coating and by composing a panel of a ceramic glass material. In applications where transparency is not needed, a strong and resilient material, such as a metal, is used in place of the glass. The reliable, long-term use of large thermally insulating systems is achieved through the use of vacuum sustaining units to make the systems tolerable of small leaks.

Problems solved by technology

However, the use of structures including evacuated spaces for thermal insulation has been the brittleness and relatively low strength of the glass materials generally used and by a lack of reliability of such structures in large thermally insulating systems because small leaks result in a loss of vacuum.

However, the size of the insulated glass member is limited by the forces, principally caused by the air pressure acting on the two glass sections, and possibly additionally by manufacturing and transportation difficulties associated with handling and forming large pieces of glass.

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