Solar Water Heating and Ground Cooling Without Fossil Fuels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current heating and cooling methods in residences and buildings rely heavily on fossil fuels, leading to air pollution and high energy consumption, with heating water being a significant energy user and air conditioners contributing to carbon dioxide emissions.
Innovation Solution
A zero-fossil-fuel-using apparatus that utilizes the sun's heat and subsurface ground coolness, transferred through water pipes using gravity and garden hose pressure, to provide heating and cooling, and a steam-powered electricity generator to produce electricity during daylight hours with battery charging for nighttime use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If fossil fuels are used for heating and cooling residences, then heating and cooling can be provided, but air pollution and carbon dioxide emissions increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical combustion system (fossil fuel burning) with a thermal system that uses solar energy concentration and subsurface heat exchange. The solar collector with magnifying lenses concentrates sunlight to heat water, while the subsurface heat exchanger uses natural ground temperature for cooling, eliminating the need for combustion engines and reducing air pollution.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces water as an intermediary medium to transfer thermal energy. Water is heated by the solar collector and circulated through piping to provide heating, and similarly, water is cooled by the subsurface heat exchanger for cooling purposes. This intermediary approach replaces direct fossil fuel combustion with a cleaner thermal transfer mechanism.
2Use of energy by moving object
If fossil fuels are used for heating water, then hot water can be provided, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The solar water heating system is designed to be self-service by using passive thermal convection and gravity-driven circulation. The heated water naturally rises and circulates through the piping system without requiring additional energy input for pumping, making the hot water supply system self-sustaining and energy-efficient.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If air conditioners are used for cooling residences, then cooling can be provided, but carbon dioxide emissions increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the naturally warm subsurface ground (which would normally be a source of heat gain in summer) into a beneficial cooling resource. By placing heat exchanger pipes in the subsurface, the system exploits the relatively cooler ground temperature at depth to absorb heat from circulating water, providing natural cooling without carbon dioxide emissions.
4Device complexity
If pumps are used to circulate water for heat transfer, then heat distribution can be improved, but device complexity and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system is designed to operate at equipotential conditions where water circulation is driven by natural convection currents and gravity rather than mechanical pumps. The heated water rises naturally due to buoyancy, and the cooling system uses gravity-driven flow, eliminating the need for energy-consuming pumping equipment and simplifying the overall system.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution reduces fossil fuel consumption, lowers energy costs, and decreases carbon emissions by leveraging solar heat for heating and subsurface coolness for cooling, while providing a pollution-free and cost-effective alternative for heating water and generating electricity.
Implementation Method 1
a magnifying glass or Fresnel lens that focuses sunlight on the solar collector
Implementation Method 2
focuses and magnify the sun's heat
Implementation Method 3
solar collector receiving focused sunlight to heat water
Implementation Method 4
using only the water's heat conduction characteristics
Implementation Method 5
transfer that heat throughout a residence or a building
Implementation Method 6
capture the coolness of the subsurface ground, down four feet below the surface
Implementation Method 7
using only the water's heat conduction characteristics
Implementation Method 8
using only the water's heat conduction characteristics, gravity and garden hose pressure to circulate
Implementation Method 9
garden hose pressure to circulate the heat
Implementation Method 10
a steam-powered expander downstream of and fluidly connected to the solar collector, the steam-powered expander receiving steam from the solar collector
Implementation Method 11
an electricity generator operatively connected to the steam-powered expander for generating electricity
Data Source
AI summary
The invention provides an apparatus which can heat water using a Fresnel lens or magnifying glass to focus and concentrate sunlight on water-filled radiator-like tubes which move water, by the water pressure from a water spigot/bib (without pumping), to: (1) move the heated water through tubes to heat any space inside any building, and (2) provide steam to power a steam-powered electricity generator to provide electricity, and charge a battery, during daylight hours, and then use the charged battery to supply electricity during the night hours, and (3) move water, cooled by the subsurface ground, by water pressure from a water spigot/bib, without pumping, into proximity with any air space inside any building to cool the air space.