Solar energy heating system

Claim 2

A focused solar heating system for collecting both off- and on-axis direct and diffuse solar radiation and applying such radiation to a solar collector, comprising in combination a. focusing reflector having an entrance aperture and a concave reflecting surface positioned behind said entrance aperture, b. a solar collector plate mounted on said focusing reflector generally in the plane of said entrance aperture and substantially covering a lower portion of said entrance aperture when the curvature axes of said focusing reflector are in a horizontal orientation, c. said solar collector plate being blackened or selectively absorbing on both front and rear surfaces thereof and forming a direct entrance aperture with the remainder of said entrance aperture forming a reflective entrance aperture, d. said concave reflective surface being a continuous, substantially curved surface of first and second merging curves formed by first and second radii of curvature, the first radius being substantially equal to the height of said solar collector plate and projecting from the uppermost point on said collector plate to form said first curve having a cylindrical shape behind said solar collector plate, said second radius being greater than said first radius and projecting from a point in front of and below said uppermost point of said first radius to form said second curve behind said reflecting entrance aperture such that solar radiation entering said reflecting entrance aperture is reflectively applied to the rear side of said solar collector plate.

Claim 3

The structure set forth in claim 1 wherein said curves are cylindrical and wherein said second radius is approximately three times said first radius.

Claim 4

The structure set forth in claim 1 wherein said entrance aperture is covered by transparent material.

Claim 5

The structure set forth in claim 1 wherein said focusing reflector is mounted as a part of a vertical wall of a building, wherein part of said focusing reflector is partially transparent in the visible region of the spectrum and reflective at longer wavelengths where most of the solar energy lies, the remainder being totally reflective.

Claim 6

The structure set forth in claim 1 wherein said focusing reflector is mounted on adjustable means for positioning said focusing reflector to track the position of the sun to optimize the collection of solar radiation regardless of the position of the sun.

Claim 7

The structure set forth in claim 1 wherein a movabale reflective surface is mounted on the collector plate end of said focusing reflector to increase the collection area of solar radiation applied to said entrance aperture of said focusing reflector.

Claim 8

The structure set forth in claim 1 wherein said concave reflecting surface is bounded by reflective sidewalls.

Claim 9

The structure set forth in claim 1 wherein said concave reflecting surface is bounded by sidewalls which are transparent adjacent said second curve above said collector plate and reflective adjacent said first curve.

Claim 10

The structure set forth in claim 1 wherein said collector plate has transparent front and rear surfaces with a black fluid enclosed therebetween which constitutes tHe solar absorbing medium.

Claim 11

A focusing radiation cooling system positioned in heat-exchange relation with respect to the cold sky for cooling a fluid medium circulating in the system, comprising in combination a. a focusing reflector having an entrance aperture and a concave reflecting surface positioned behind said entrance aperture, b. a radiating plate having an infrared emitting coating applied to both front and rear surfaces with a circulating fluid medium enclosed therebetween which is desired to be cooled, said radiating plate being mounted on said concave reflecting surface generally in the plane of said entrance aperture whereby a direct heat exchange relationship is established for said front surface of said radiating plate and reflective heat exchange relationship is established by said rear surface of said plate, c. said concave reflective surface being a continuous, substantially curved surface of first and second merging curves formed by first and second radii of curvature, the first radius being substantially equal to the height of said radiating plate to form said first curve having a cylindrical configuration behind said plate, said second radius being greater than said first radius and projecting from a point in front of and below the uppermost point of said first radius to form said second curve behind said entrance aperture such that radiation from said plate is reflectively emitted from said rear surface of said plate through said entrance aperture, d. said focusing reflector and radiating plate being directed toward and in heat exchange relationship with the surrounding cold sky whereby said fluid medium is cooled by said cold sky by radiation from both said front and rear surfaces of said plate.

Claim 12

A focusing radiation cooling system positioned in heat-exchange relation with respect to the cold sky for cooling a fluid medium circulating in the system, comprising in combination a. a focusing reflector having an entrance aperture and a concave reflecting surface positioned behind said entrance aperture, b. a radiating plate having an infrared emitting coating applied to both front and rear surfaces with a circulating fluid medium enclosed therebetween which is desired to be cooled, said radiating plate being mounted on said concave reflecting surface generally in the plane of said entrance aperture whereby a direct heat exchange relationship is established for said front surface of said radiating plate and reflective heat exchange relationship is established by said rear surface of said plate, c. said concave reflective surface being a continuous, substantially curved surface of first and second merging curves formed by first and second radii of curvature, the first radius being substantially equal to the height of said radiating plate to form said first curve having a cylindrical configuration behind said plate, said second radius being greater than said first radius and projecting from a point in front of and below the uppermost point of said first radius to form said second curve behind said entrance aperture such that radiation from said plate is reflectively emitted from said rear surface of said plate through said entrance aperture, d. said focusing reflector and radiating plate being directed toward and in heat exchange relationship with the surrounding cold sky whereby said fluid medium is cooled by said cold sky by radiation from both said front and rear surfaces of said plate.