FLOATING INSULATED SOLAR HEATING PANEL

PANNEAU DE CHAUFFAGE SOLAIRE ISOLE FLOTTANT

English Abstract

The invention provides a simplistic solar panel which utilizes air pressure
for shape,
flotation, wind resistance, and easy of installment on the water surface of
any pool.
The design has four layers of thermoplastic polyolefin elastomer which are
welded
together and do not become glass like until minus 40 degrees C and remain
elastic
until 100 degrees C. The upper two layers are separated to a bubble shape
when
inflated and sealed by a flexible feed tube and the second and third layers
dark to
black in color are additionally welded together to form a manifold to channel
the
water for heat pickup then discharge through flexible flow tubes. Finally the
third and
forth layers are separated by air through a feed tube then sealed to give
elliptical or
semi-elliptical shape to the entire panel for maximum solar collection.

Claims

5
THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN
EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED
ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. A floating insulated solar heating panel unit consisting of four similar
flexible flat
polyolefin elastomer material layers welded together in two distinct type
patterns
creating three internal chambers two for air pressure and one for liquid, said
first
transparent layer and second dark to black colored layer welded one quarter
inch
wide together completely around outer dimensional perimeter penetrated only
between weld by one eighth inch inner dimension tube, said second and third
dark to
black colored layer welded together in shorter even parallel welds to diffuse
liquid
flow and perimeter welded completely about outer dimensions as said first
layer
penetrated only on opposite corners by on half inch inner dimension tubes for
fluid
entrance and exit and shall be known as a manifold, said fourth dark colored
layer to
have identical weld pattern and tube entrance as said first and second layer.
2. The floating insulated solar heating panel unit as claimed in claim 1
wherein said
first layer is overall size of unit composed of one of the following uv
treated
transparent materials, TPO, low density polyethylene, or PVC either smooth
finish or
embossed with magnifying concentric ring pattern being of a nominal thickness
of
0.010" plus or minus 0.005" in thickness, where said overall dimensional area
will
only be limited to manufacturing technique and machine limitations.

3. The floating insulated solar heating panel unit as claimed in claim 1
wherein the
third and forth layer are welded to a flexible uv treated polyolefin tube with
internal port
opening of no less than one eighth of an inch and no greater than one quarter
of an
inch, having a nominal wall thickness 0.062" plus or minus 0.030" and a total
length
of 10 inches plus or minus 2 inches.
4. The floating insulated solar heating panel unit as claimed in claim 1
wherein
second, third, and fourth layers will have identical dimensions and
composition
equaling nominally 0.025" thick plus or minus 0.005" made from dark to black
colored uv treated polyolefin and same overall size as layer one.
5. The floating insulated solar heating panel unit as claimed in claim 1
wherein
second and third layers are welded to a flexible uv treated polyolefin tube
with
internal nominal port opening of 0.500" having a nominal wall thickness of
0.100"
plus or minus 0.025" and having a total length of 12 inches plus or minus 2
inches.
6. The floating insulated solar heating panel unit as claimed in claim 1
wherein the
third and forth layer are welded together to a flexible uv treated polyolefin
tube
having identical description of that in claim 3.

7
7. The floating insulated solar heating panel unit as claimed in claim 5 when
included
in a system are directional tolerant in that one must be connected to source
and one
must be connected to discharge where discharge temperature will be elevated
from
source upon panel activation and a predetermined flow rate by said manifold
linear
weld design and liquid flow volume.
8. The floating insulated solar heating panel unit as claimed in claim 3 and 6
will be
used to fill the chambers claimed in claim 1 with air to a predetermined
elliptical or
semi elliptical shape.

Description

CA 02416501 2003-O1-17
Floating insulated solar beating panel unit and system therefor
The invention addresses the problem of portabiliity, maintenance, assembly,
ice
expansion, floatation, and location placement of ~ solar panel for heat
transfer to
liquid water medium but not limited to water. The invention allows extended
seasonal
use of the solar panel including winter. In addition recycling of components
aver
service life becorraes easy due to simplistic design. All the aforementioned
issues are
solved with one or two but not limited too, types of engineered thermofor~ni g
plastics known as poylolef n elastomers or 'I'P~s and is -ee of rigid parts.
lvlost if not
all liquid types of solar panels address only at best one or two issues of the
problem's
addressed above.
~A~KG1ZOU'i~ ~F 'T'~fE IIV~'ENT'I~N
Solar panels have been used since recorded history throa~gh architecture and
component placement, from a slab of rmck to glass to modern day plastics. The
term
solar means sun and panel means rectangulazr section of a surface. Ex plea of
typical solar panels are given f~-o~n the Canadian Intellectual Properties
Office or last
case LTSA Patents.
108106? Richard Girlach
112139 John h~I. Stewart
1105339 Roy E. ~IcAlister
108353 Barber, Lverett 1VI. ~r
13 6?71 ? Lawrence J ~ Robert 1°l'~I '~lalton, Peter O Parker'
423?? 1 kenning -CJSA Patent

CA 02416501 2003-O1-17
2
'though Borne solar patents have wide spread use they do not integrate or
innovate
designs to cur~°ent plastics technologies, thus leaving roopn for
improvements and new
innovation.
ES'r~~i~PI~~O
Considered broadly solar panels utilize the transfer of sun energy to an
alternative
storage medium such as water. Near higher geographic latitudes available
daylight
cycles are more drarr~atic and larger temperature swing arr~plitude are
experienced.
'The advantages of this invention capture some of this lost pre and post
sunan~er solar
cycle. In addition the invention incorporates a pressurized floatation
charr~ber below a
low resistance self pressurizing elliptical linear manifold covered with an
integrated
transparent inflated spherical membrane welded ~n linear fashion. 'The
transparent
layer diffuses wind cooling effects while allowixig axirnu~~ energy transfer
to the
sandwiched manifold thus providing rr~axi~num heat transfer to the fluid at
virtually
any daylight angle. pig~ure 4 shows vertical arose sectional slice of top view
f gore 2
of simplistic yet uniformed design ini~nicking some of natures natural
occurrences.
'The upper layer 1 air pressurizes through tube 6 and is welded around the
perimeter
to forrr~ an inflated spherical skin which passes sunlight better than flat
surface at
most angles and deflects wind and rain and snow. 'The center section layer 2
and 3 are
referred to as the rnaxaifold which is designed to self pressurize through
liquid flow
into elliptical linear c els of darl~ colored ~.J~ T'hC) to collect axi~nurn
energy
and reduce reflection as is not the case in square, round or triangular type
channels.
ll~Ianifold design specifications of parallel linear port widths are designed
for
maximum gallons per minute flow ratings and can be manufactured with channels,
up
to approximately eight channels rr~axir~~urr~ ,per inch this reduces
resistance ors flow
created by long serpentine path type units notwithstandg other ~nodications

CA 02416501 2003-O1-17
without departing from the scope of the invention. Alternating seal joint non
joint of
the manifold are seen as in items 7 and 10 in figure 4 not to scale where 10
is
expanding elliptical flow port and 7 is seal width. lJayer item 4 known as the
bottom
floatation layer is also tensioned with pressurized air through tube 6 to
create an equal
or lesser tension than layer 1 for rr~axirr~u~~ synZr~aetry and placement use.
1i lova
through the manifold is accomplished with two items S which are one half inch
TPO
tubes sealed between layers 2 and 3, and all tubes are prevented li°om
sealing together
during manufacturing with removable stainless steel or teflon flat inserts
ensuring
passage openings. Placement of inflating tubes 6 are not critical as these
items are
sealed off by knotting after i~~flation however tubes S are critical in
placement fig~xe
2 for balanced parallel liquid flow and arc at opposite corners. ~n looking at
figure S
you will see a typical use of small panel in combination with above ground
swimming pool.
consumers are constantly looking for cost reduction, as well innovative less
complex
maintenance free items and this invention addresses such concerns.
~Ia~~ufacturing
can be dome on a custom size basis or automated with the use of continuous
heat
sealer bar or employing ultrasonic welding to fuse layers together.

CA 02416501 2003-O1-17
4
'I he inventian can be inflated and installed in seconds with just one clamp
ar
multiple units if required as well storage can be reduced by releasing air
pressure and
rollirsg up the inventian. In addition the invention cap handle below zero
terr~per~.tur~
where water freezing tends to expand and fracture other systems items
1,2,x,4,5, and
6 can all handle cold temperature expansions due to elastic properties of 'fP~
where
most plastics systems cannot and thus does not have to be removed or drained
in the
winter: Z'he temperature delta is open loop controlled by the flaw rate and
available
sunlight which is a personnel choice.
Other uses of the invention can only be limited by imagination but some
general uses
could be water heater for campers, floating lake heaters, water evaporators,
hand
wash stations and such.

Representative Drawing