31 results about "Solar gain" patented technology

The invention provides a method for optimizing energy usage in commercial buildings. Energy consumption data is used, along with occupant data, to determine appropriate adjustments in energy, and for ongoing monitoring and reporting of energy savings. According to the inventive method, the building of interest is characterized, including calculation of lag parameters—temperature lag, solar gain lag, solar strength lag, and, in some instances, humidity lag, which inform a thermal energy equation particular to the building of interest. Mechanical heating lag and mechanical cooling lag are used for on-going energy use optimization. An outside temperature index may also be used. The resulting accuracy of the thermal energy equation is over 90% for both heat and chilling input, once the building has been optimized according to the inventive method.

An invention is disclosed that shades a building from solar energy gain while simultaneously channeling intercepted energy in the form of heat and electricity for useful purposes. The invention is mounted optimally on exterior building surfaces having some direct exposure to the sun. The invention may be installed on the building surface so that it integrates with the building envelope to provide cladding against the weather in addition to shade. The invention includes modular units, each having several louvers that track the movement of the sun to provide optimal shading, and optionally, lighting when the module is implemented as a skylight to allow daylight to pass through into the building interior. Each louver contains photovoltaic cells, a heat dissipating substrate to which photovoltaic cells are mounted, and an optional concentrator lens and / or reflector used to channel solar energy using inexpensive materials. Alternatively, the invention includes of stationary, modular units with reflective surfaces on the foreground that channel solar energy onto fixed solar receivers in the background. The effect is to avoid solar gain to the building surface and to concentrate solar flux onto solar receivers.

A greenhouse environment control system generates a CO2-enriched air which is supplied to a greenhouse at a controlled temperature suitable for plant growth. An absorption chiller reduces temperature of a CO2-containing stream of processed gasses from an engine. A mixing and blending unit maintains CO2 at an acceptable concentration for enhanced plant growth and human occupation. An HVAC system modulates temperature and positively pressurizes the greenhouse with the CO2-enriched air to reduce risk of contaminant intrusion. Misting further controls temperature. Retractable shades regulate light supplied to plants and solar gain.

The invention provides a method for optimizing energy usage in commercial buildings. Energy consumption data is used, along with occupant data, to determine appropriate adjustments in energy, and for ongoing monitoring and reporting of energy savings. According to the inventive method, the building of interest is characterized, including calculation of lag parameters—temperature lag, solar gain lag, solar strength lag, and, in some instances, humidity lag, which inform a thermal energy equation particular to the building of interest. Mechanical heating lag and mechanical cooling lag are used for on-going energy use optimization. An outside temperature index may also be used. The resulting accuracy of the thermal energy equation is over 90% for both heat and chilling input, once the building has been optimized according to the inventive method.

An automatic and electronic freeze protection system for solar energy collector systems. The system includes a solar collector for collecting solar energy in the form of heat, a circulation pump operated by a DC power source (typically a small photovoltaic module), a storage tank, an ac current connection to provide freeze protection at times when no sun is available, and various valves and piping to complete. Sensors are provided at both the storage tank and the solar collector to monitor the temperature of the water and also the temperature of the collector (more specifically, the temperature of the fluid in the collector). Whenever the fluid in the collector approaches its freeze point, the electronic freeze protection will use AC or battery power to energize the DC circulation pump, thereby circulating water from the storage tank to and through all components of the system. When the temperature of the collector (the temperature of the fluid in the collector) rises to a predetermined point and freezing is no longer imminent or possible, the electronic freeze protection will shut off the circulation pump. This process will repeat as often as is necessary to protect the collector and system components that are exposed to freezing temperatures. The primary difference between our current invention and existing systems is that there is no electronic freeze protection device available for DC-solar systems. In addition, we have combined existing DC differential control with electronic freeze protection for a truly unique and extremely useful improvement. Differential control of the circulation pump will increase efficiency of the system, thereby increasing total solar gain. Finally, and uniquely, this invention includes fault protection in the event of an open or shorted sensor at the collector. In the event of a fault, the present invention will energize the circulation pump, thereby preventing freezing and making the system fail-safe. The invention is unique by three means: combination of electronic freeze protection AND differential control in a single unit, automatic backup with battery and ac power, and fault protection for fail-safe operation.

A greenhouse environment control system generates a CO2-enriched air which is supplied to a greenhouse at a controlled temperature suitable for plant growth. An absorption chiller reduces temperature of a CO2-containing stream of processed gasses from an engine. A mixing and blending unit maintains CO2 at an acceptable concentration for enhanced plant growth and human occupation. An HVAC system modulates temperature and positively pressurizes the greenhouse with the CO2-enriched air to reduce risk of contaminant intrusion. Misting further controls temperature. Retractable shades regulate light supplied to plants and solar gain.

This invention teaches a method of controlling the heating system of a commercial building, to reduce the thermal energy consumed by use of thermal parameters which are derived from readily-available data both internal and external to the building. By deriving a statistical relationship for each of the Solar Gain Rate and Day-time Natural Cool-down Rate from observed data, then based on the weather forecast, it is possible to determine if, when and for how long the mechanical heating system can be turned off or disabled from supplying heat to some of all of the building in question.

To produce food, plants rely on three main ingredients, sun energy, water, and carbon dioxide, the cost of which is zero. To address the food and energy security concerns, two mysteries are resolved for the first time: i)—Photosynthetic efficiency is known to be very low, the scientific full accounting for all the losses is lacking; ii)—Fanning is known to be profitable, yet accounting for the zero cost of solar energy is not understood. This inventor resolved them by the derivation of a simple mathematical law, AgriPAL, comprising explicitly, a new solar gain factor >200× which offset the low efficiency of ˜0.005. In the absence of the sun, the newly found solar gain goes to 1. Since SanSSoil enables harnessing the third dimension, the sky is the limit. Water saving of >100 is realized through the controlled enclosed environment, which also encourages increased use of GMO for food and biofuel.

Low emissivity panels can include a protection layer of silicon nitride on a layer of ZnO on a layer of Zn2SnOx. The low emissivity panels can also include NiNbTiOx as a barrier layer. The low emissivity panels have high light to solar gain, color neutral, together with similar observable color and light transmission before and after a heat treatment process.

Low emissivity panels can include a separation layer of Zn2SnOx between multiple infrared reflective stacks. The low emissivity panels can also include NiNbTiOx as barrier layer. The low emissivity panels have high light to solar gain, color neutral, together with similar observable color before and after a heat treatment process.

Certain example embodiments of this invention relate to coated articles having a metamaterial-inclusive layer, coatings having a metamaterial-inclusive layer, and / or methods of making the same. Metamaterial-inclusive coatings may be used, for example, in low-emissivity applications, providing for more true color rendering, low angular color dependence, and / or high light-to-solar gain. The metamaterial material may be a noble metal or other material, and the layer may be made to self-assemble by virtue of surface tensions associated with the noble metal or other material, and the material selected for use as a matrix. An Ag-based metamaterial layer may be provided below a plurality (e.g., 2, 3, or more) continuous and uninterrupted layers comprising Ag in certain example embodiments. In certain example embodiments, barrier layers comprising TiZrOx may be provided between adjacent layers comprising Ag, as a lower-most layer in a low-E coating, and / or as an upper-most layer in a low-E coating.

Certain example embodiments of this invention relate to coated articles having a metamaterial-inclusive layer, coatings having a metamaterial-inclusive layer, and / or methods of making the same. Metamaterial-inclusive coatings may be used, for example, in low-emissivity applications, providing for more true color rendering, low angular color dependence, and / or high light-to-solar gain. The metamaterial material may be a noble metal or other material, and the layer may be made to self-assemble by virtue of surface tensions associated with the noble metal or other material, and the material selected for use as a matrix. An Ag-based metamaterial layer may be provided below a plurality (e.g., 2, 3, or more) continuous and uninterrupted layers comprising Ag in certain example embodiments. In certain example embodiments, barrier layers comprising TiZrOx may be provided between adjacent layers comprising Ag, as a lower-most layer in a low-E coating, and / or as an upper-most layer in a low-E coating.

A coated article includes a low-emissivity (low-E) coating. The low-E coating includes at least one infrared (IR) reflecting layer of a material such as silver, gold, or the like, and a dielectric overcoat designed to increase solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC) of the coated article. A dielectric undercoat may also be designed to increase SHGC of the coated article in certain example embodiments. In certain example embodiments, the overcoat and / or undercoat are designed to increase SHGC while also providing for desirably high visible transmission (TY or Tvis) and desirably low normal emittance (En).

A coated article includes a low-emissivity (low-E) coating. The low-E coating includes at least one infrared (IR) reflecting layer of a material such as silver, gold, or the like, and a dielectric overcoat designed to increase solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC) of the coated article. A dielectric undercoat may also be designed to increase SHGC of the coated article in certain example embodiments. In certain example embodiments, the overcoat and / or undercoat are designed to increase SHGC while also providing for desirably high visible transmission (TY or Tvis) and desirably low normal emittance (En).

Certain example embodiments of this invention relate to coated articles having a metamaterial-inclusive layer, coatings having a metamaterial-inclusive layer, and / or methods of making the same. Metamaterial-inclusive coatings may be used, for example, in low-emissivity applications, providing for more true color rendering, low angular color dependence, and / or high light-to-solar gain. The metamaterial material may be a noble metal or other material, and the layer may be made to self-assemble by virtue of surface tensions associated with the noble metal or other material, and the material selected for use as a matrix. An Ag-based metamaterial layer may be provided below a plurality (e.g., 2, 3, or more) continuous and uninterrupted layers comprising Ag in certain example embodiments. In certain example embodiments, barrier layers comprising TiZrOx may be provided between adjacent layers comprising Ag, as a lower-most layer in a low-E coating, and / or as an upper-most layer in a low-E coating.

To produce food, plants rely on three main ingredients, sun energy, water, and carbon dioxide, the cost of which is zero. To address the food and energy security concerns, two mysteries are resolved for the first time: i)—Photosynthetic efficiency is known to be very low, the scientific full accounting for all the losses is lacking; ii)—Fanning is known to be profitable, yet accounting for the zero cost of solar energy is not understood. This inventor resolved them by the derivation of a simple mathematical law, AgriPAL, comprising explicitly, a new solar gain factor >200× which offset the low efficiency of ˜0.005. In the absence of the sun, the newly found solar gain goes to 1. Since SanSSoil enables harnessing the third dimension, the sky is the limit. Water saving of >100 is realized through the controlled enclosed environment.

The invention discloses a low-emissivity coated glass capable of enabling a film surface to be tempered downwards, and belongs to the field of environmentally-friendly and energy-saving building materials. The film structure of the low-emissivity coated glass is sequentially as follows: a glass substrate, a first-layer priming coating silicon nitride layer, a second-layer protective layer nickel chromium layer, a third-layer dielectric layer zinc tin oxide layer, a fourth-layer seed layer zinc oxide layer, a fifth-layer functional layer silver layer, a sixth-layer protective layer nickel chromium layer, a seventh-layer dielectric layer silicon nitride layer, and an eighth-layer graphite protective layer. After the glass provided by the invention is tempered, the outdoor reflectance is lessthan 6%, and the single-sheet transmittance reaches 80% or more. After a hollow product is synthesized, the shading coefficient of the product is higher than 0.65, the visible light to solar gain coefficient (LSG) is greater than 1.4, and the emissivity is lower than 0.10, and the produce belongs to high-transmission low-emissivity products and very suitable for use in northern cold regions. At the same time, because the reflection is lower than that of ordinary white glass, the transmittance is higher, and the product has thermal isolation effects, so that the product can be widely used in places such as museums and showcases.

Certain example embodiments of this invention relate to coated articles having a metamaterial-inclusive layer, coatings having a metamaterial-inclusive layer, and / or methods of making the same. Metamaterial-inclusive coatings may be used, for example, in low-emissivity applications, providing for more true color rendering, low angular color dependence, and / or high light-to-solar gain. The metamaterial material may be a noble metal or other material, and the layer may be made to self-assemble by virtue of surface tensions associated with the noble metal or other material, and the material selected for use as a matrix. An Ag-based metamaterial layer may be provided below a plurality (e.g., 2, 3, or more) continuous and uninterrupted layers comprising Ag in certain example embodiments. In certain example embodiments, barrier layers comprising TiZrOx may be provided between adjacent layers comprising Ag, as a lower-most layer in a low-E coating, and / or as an upper-most layer in a low-E coating.

The present disclosure is directed to optically transparent and IR reflecting films having a metal oxide based composite layer which can synergistically improve the optical properties, solar properties, and production speed of the whole composite.

Low emissivity panels can include a protection layer of silicon nitride on a layer of ZnO on a layer of Zn2SnOx. The low emissivity panels can also include NiNbTiOx as a barrier layer. The low emissivity panels have high light to solar gain, color neutral, together with similar observable color and light transmission before and after a heat treatment process.

Intelligent control of solar transmission through windows promises to reduce energy consumption for thermal comfort in buildings. However, the ability of current smart windows to regulate solar gain based on tunable extinction of phase-change materials is not optimum. A thin-film thermochromic device based on tunable light scattering of hydrogel microparticles of prescribed diameters is reported. In the study, poly (N-isopropylacrylamide)-2-Aminoethylmethacrylate hydrochloride (pNIPAm-AEMA) microparticles are synthesized, with low phase transition temperature ˜32° C. Notably, the average size of pNIPAm-AEMA particles can vary from 1388 nm at 25° C. to 546 nm at 35° C., leading to unprecedented infrared transmittance modulation of 75.6%, in agreement with the numerical simulation based on Mie theory. A high luminous transmittance of 87.2% is accomplished. The pNIPAm-AEMA device demonstrates tunable scattering with excellent stability and scalability, which may find application in a broader field of light management beyond energy-saving smart windows.

Low emissivity panels can include a separation layer of Zn2SnOx between multiple infrared reflective stacks. The low emissivity panels can also include NiNbTiOx as barrier layer. The low emissivity panels have high light to solar gain, color neutral, together with similar observable color before and after a heat treatment process.

An forced-air to liquid heat exchanger is used in or adjacent to the attic space of an unmodified residential or commercial building to transfer the latent solar gained heat to a swimming pool, while cooling the attic space and thereby lowering the energy cost of cooling the living space of the said building. The roof material serves as a solar collector, while the attic space provides a temporary storage medium. The present invention allows the transfer of this solar energy to a swimming pool in a very low cost method. The present invention can lower the building summer cooling utility costs by cooling the attic space of the building, while very inexpensively raising the swimming pool temperature and extending the usability season of the swimming pool.

The invention discloses a source end coupled solar gain type coal-fired power plant boiler. The boiler comprises a solar heat collector, a high-pressure heater, a combustion chamber, a deaerator, a water feeding pump and a regulating valve, wherein an outlet of the solar heat collector and an outlet of the high-pressure heater are combined through a pipeline and then communicate with an inlet of the combustion chamber, an outlet of the deaerator is divided into two paths after passing through the water feeding pump, one path communicates with an inlet of the solar heat collector through the regulating valve, and the other path communicates with an inlet of the high-pressure heater. The boiler can realize organic coupling of light energy and the boiler.

The present disclosure is directed to optically transparent and IR reflecting films having a metal oxide based composite layer which can synergistically improve the optical properties, solar properties, and production speed of the whole composite.

Intelligent control of solar transmission through windows promises to reduce energy consumption for thermal comfort in buildings. However, the ability of current smart windows to regulate solar gain based on tunable extinction of phase-change materials is not optimum. A thin-film thermochromic device based on tunable light scattering of hydrogel microparticles of prescribed diameters is reported. In the study, poly (N- isopropylacrylamide)-2-Aminoethylmethacrylate hydrochloride (pNIPAm-AEMA) microparticles are synthesized, with low phase transition temperature of about 32 DEG C. Notably, the average size of pNIPAm-AEMA particles can vary from 1388 nm at 25 DEG C to 546 nm at 35 DEG C, leading to unprecedented infrared transmittance modulation of 75.6%, in agreement with the numerical simulation based on Mie theory. A high luminous transmittance of 87.2% is accomplished. The pNIPAm-AEMA device demonstrates tunable scattering with excellent stability and scalability, which may find application in a broader field of light management beyond energy-saving smart windows.

A coated article includes a low-emissivity (low-E) coating. The low-E coating includes at least one infrared (IR) reflecting layer of a material such as silver, gold, or the like, and a dielectric overcoat designed to increase solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC) of the coated article. A dielectric undercoat may also be designed to increase SHGC of the coated article in certain example embodiments. In certain example embodiments, the overcoat and / or undercoat are designed to increase SHGC while also providing for desirably high visible transmission (TY or Tvis) and desirably low normal emittance (En).

The present disclosure is directed to optically transparent and IR reflecting films having a metal oxide based composite layer which can synergistically improve the optical properties, solar properties, and production speed of the whole composite.