Abstract:
An integrated, modular solar collector comprising an array of solar collection devices, wherein the array of solar collection devices is mounted in a frame providing for air flow, piping and/or electrical connections between the devices.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/087,750, filed Mar. 24, 2005. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    This invention generally relates to solar collectors, and specifically to an apparatus and method for assembling and mounting an integrated solar collector on or as a part of a structure. 
       TECHNICAL BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Solar collectors, such as air transpirant (perforated plate) collectors, solar water heating collectors, and photovoltaic (PV) cell arrays are widely known in the art and are used on houses, multiple dwelling units, commercial buildings, and other structures as a means to efficiently provide ventilation, heating and cooling, hot water, and electricity by harnessing solar energy rather than consuming non-renewable or environmentally damaging power sources. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    It is desirable to provide a system and method for efficient mounting solar collectors on a building, allowing for modular construction of an array of solar collectors that may be tailored to the particular requirements, such as heating, ventilation, electrical and hot water supply, for the building serviced by the solar collectors. It is also desirable to provide a mounting structure or frame having a complementary profile for mounting solar collectors that can be used to mount solar collectors on a building in an array that provides for common channels for air flow, piping, and electrical connections, thereby increasing the efficiency of the collectors. 
         [0005]    Transpirant collectors having a PV cell-powered fan to induce airflow from the collector to the building interior through a duct are also known in the prior art. It is desirable to provide such a combination transpirant collector that is configured to provide optimal performance of both the PV cell and the collector surface, and furthermore to provide an assemblage of transpirant collectors with interconnected air flow routes utilizing at least a single duct through the exterior wall of the building. 
         [0006]    According to a first embodiment, there is provided a modular solar collector for mounting on the exterior face of a building comprising an array of at least two types of solar collection devices, wherein the array is mounted in a frame providing for air flow between the solar collection devices, and a first type of solar collection device is in airflow communication with a second type of solar collection device, wherein the first type of solar collection devices comprises an air transpirant collector, and the second type of solar collection device comprises a panel provided with at least one duct leading to the interior of the building and an intake device for inducing air intake from the exterior of the building to the interior of the building. 
         [0007]    In a further embodiment, there is provided a frame component for mounting a solar collector panel, comprising a transverse wall, a first pair of shelves for mounting panels extending from a first surface of the transverse wall, and a complementary pair of shelves extending from a second surface of the transverse wall, such that a channel is defined by fitting the pair of complementary shelves against a pair of complementary shelves provided by a second frame component, and a solar collector panel is adjacent to one of the first shelves. 
         [0008]    There is also provided a method for mounting a solar collector panel, comprising the steps of providing a pair of frame components for each edge of the solar collector panel, each frame component comprising a transverse wall, a first pair of shelves for mounting panels extending from a first surface of the transverse wall, each of the first pair of shelves being provided with an adjacent open bore, and a complementary pair of shelves extending from a second surface of the transverse wall, such that a channel is defined by fitting the pair of complementary shelves against a pair of complementary shelves provided by a second frame component; and for each edge of the solar collector panel, fitting one frame component of a pair of frame components to the second frame component of the pair of frame components such that the pairs of complementary shelves provided on the first and second frame components define a channel for air flow, and mounting the edge of the solar collector panel in an open bore adjacent one of the shelves of the first pair of shelves. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
         [0009]    In drawings which illustrate by way of example only a preferred embodiment of the invention, 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a frame for a solar collection device. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a side elevation of two adjacent modules of a solar collection device array. 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a frame segment with glazing mounted thereon. 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view elevation of the two adjacent modules of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is a further perspective view of the two adjacent modules of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  is a front elevation of a solar collection device array. 
           [0016]      FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of a frame component of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 8  is a side elevation of a solar collector panel mounted on a frame. 
           [0018]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a solar collector panel mounted on the frame component of  FIG. 7 . 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0019]    An array of solar collectors, as they would be mounted on a wall or roof of a building or as a part of a building envelope structure. is shown in  FIG. 6 . The array may be comprised of transpirant collectors  30 , solar water heating collectors  32 , or arrays of photovoltaic cells  34 , or a combination of two or more of the foregoing in accordance with the building&#39;s particular heating, ventilation, hot water supply, and electrical load requirements. Preferably, the array has a unifoirm appearance, being comprised of differently functioning solar collectors of similar appearance, located on different solar exposed and orientated building surfaces, thus optimizing the usage of non-south exposed building surfaces. Exposed building surfaces facing non-optimal directions, for example, can be covered by appropriate solar collectors working for the lower portion of building thermal load. Each collector  30 ,  32 , or  34  is mounted on the building by means of frame segments  40 , which are used to frame each collector on each edge and to hide electrical and water collector-to-collector piping connection, as well as reduce thermal losses and provide air flow channels connecting the solar collectors as necessary. 
         [0020]    The frame  40 , as shown in  FIG. 1 , is preferably formed of composite plastic, ceramic, or extruded aluminum and is cut to the appropriate length to fit along an edge of the solar collector  30 ,  32 , or  34 , as described below. The frame  40  comprises a transverse wall  42 , provided with slotted beads  44 ,  46  at either edge of the wall  42 . The beads  44 ,  46  are preferably inclined towards one face of the transverse wall  48 , which for convenience is referred to here as the interior face  48 . Provided on the interior face  48  are shelves  8 ,  9 , which are disposed at a substantially right angle to the interior face  48 , and each an equal distance from its proximal bead  44 ,  46  respectively. Within each vertex formed between the shelf  8 ,  9  and the interior face  48 , opposite from the proximal bead  44 ,  46 , there is provided an open bore  6 ,  15 , which serves the dual purpose of retaining collector components and providing mounting means such as a screw chase, as described below. Preferably the shelves  8 ,  9  are of equal depth. 
         [0021]    On the opposing face of the transverse wall  42 . refe rred to here as the exterior face  50 , are complementary shelves  10 ,  11 , which are of equal depth and positioned substantially at a right angle to the transverse wall  42  such that one of the complementary shelves (for example, shelf  10 ) is located closer to its proximal edge of the wall  42 , than the other complementary shelf (for example, shelf  11 ) is to its proximal edge of the wall  42 . This can be seen in  FIG. 1 . The locations of the complementary shelves  10 ,  11  are determined such that when a separate segment of the frame  40 ′ is rotated 180° around its axis  12  as shown in  FIG. 7 , its complementary shelves  11  and  10  may be aligned and fit together with the complementary shelves  10  and  11  of the frame  40  to create a channel  7 , defined by the exterior faces  50 ,  50 ′ and the shelves  11 ,  11 ′ (as shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 ). Preferably, an airtight channel is provided by placing a sealant such as silicon or adhesive tape between the shelves  10 ,  11 ′ and  10 ′,  11 . 
         [0022]    Referring to  FIGS. 8 and 9 , a collector panel  5 , which may comprise either a combination solar collector, described below, or a prior art solar collector, may be mounted using frame segments  40  as follows: the edges of a collector panel  5 , which typically comprises a plate having an air intake and adapted to absorb heat energy, is slip-fit into the open bores  6 . The collector panel  5  preferably comprises a transpirant air absorber, a photovoltaic cell  34 , or a liquid collector  32  containing a heat-transfer fluid or water in a conductor  22  as shown in  FIG. 3 , or another collector panel known in the art. Preferably, the collector panel  5  is fixed in place by means of screws or other fasteners fixed through both the collector panel  5  and the shelf  8 . The back plate  20  of the collector is disposed against the side of shelf  9  proximal to the bead  46  and similarly fixed in place. Thermal insulation  19  is mounted behind the back plate  20 , or between the back plate  20  and the panel  5 , thus defining an airspace between the thermal insulation  19  and the panel  5 . Air thus flows into the transpirant collector through its intake, preferably a series of perforations as shown in  FIG. 8  and is heated by the panel  5 . The thermal insulation  19  and the panel  5  may comprise content phase change material for the purpose of energy storage. In accordance with prior art transpirant collectors, the heated air mav be introduced into the building through a duct and by means of a fan disposed in the collector in front of the duct opening. 
         [0023]    Similary, the frame segments  40  may be used for mounting a solar water heating panel as shown in  FIG. 3 , or a photovoltaic panel. If the collector panel requires protective glazing, the fame  40  provides a means for securely mounting the glazing in place over the collector. Referring to  FIG. 3 , glazing  21  is wrapped on all edges with a gasket  60  formed of rubber or some other suitably resilient medium. The glazing is fit within the frame  40 . resting on the shelf  8  on the surface proximal to the bead  44 ; to fix the glazing in place, a lock  17  is provided. The lock  17  is preferably extruded from aluminum and is shaped at a first end to snap-fit over the bead  44  with a first detent  62 , and at a second end with a second detent  64 . To fix the glazing  21  in place against the frame  40 , the lock  17  is snap fit around the bead  44  and rotated until the second detent  64  is depressed against the gasket  60 , thus securing the gasket  60  against the shelf  8 , and the first detent  62  is retained by the slot in the bead  44 . 
         [0024]    To fit around the corners of a collector panel, which is typically rectangular, the ends of the frame segments  40  may be bevelled at a 45° angle, and secured against a similarly bevelled frame segment  40  to form a right angle, as shown in  FIG. 4 . The screws are fixed within the bores  6 ,  15  of both frame segments  40 . As can be seen in  FIGS. 4 ,  5 , and  6 , by fitting frame segments around each collector panel, and by fitting complementary frame segments to each other as described above, an array of collectors can be provided that is networked by interconnecting channels  7  that allow for air flow between each collector. This arrangement is an improvement over traditionally-mounted solar collectors, which are provided with separate air ducts or piping, as the air flow channels  7  created by the frames  40  do not require additional ductwork that results in heat loss. Closed-cell foam  65 , or another resilient material, may be inserted into channel openings or junctions  66  as shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  5 , and  6  to redirect air flow from module-to-module or from module-to-channel within the array of collectors, to prevent the flow of air from one collector (module) to another, or from the collector to the outside environment. 
         [0025]    Referring to  FIGS. 6 and 9 , if the collectors within the array are all air transpirant collectors, then the collectors may be assembled in an array as described above, preferably with a bottom to top, left to right module-to-channel opening for air flow as shown in  FIG. 6 , a single duct  16  leading to the interior of the building with a single fan providing negative pressure inducing air intake from the outside through the collector panel, and into the building. Effectively, the panels in the array provided without their own fans are “dumb” panels with at least one side module-to-channel opening for air circulation; these “dumb” panels are serviced by the single fan in the “master” collector. 
         [0026]    Preferably, at least some of the panels provided in the array comprise combination solar collectors provide with a fan powered by high-efficiency photovoltaic (PV) cells during daylight hours. In a combination collector, preferably the area of photovoltaic panel is at least 3.5% of the surface area of collector surface. The front panel of a transpirant air collector preferably has a porosivity (open areas vs. gross area) between 0.2% to 1% of the total area. Alternatively, the panel may comprise a flat plate collector preferably covered with a selective paint or cover with an emissivity ratio of less than 0.35. 
         [0027]    In such a combination collector, preferably the surface area covered by the PV cells powering the fan is 10-15% of the total exposed surface area of the transpirant collectors serviced by the fan to provide the most efficient use of the installed solar collectors. (If night time ventilation is required, then an additional power source will be required for the fan.) Furthermore, to increase the turbulent air flow within a transpirant collector and to reduce the proportion of laminar air flow, a pulsation device is introduced within the collector. This pulsation device mav be mechanical in nature, for example a helical blade mounted between the fan and the collector panel, which is rotated at a rate proportional to the velocity of the fan so as to change the air speed and direction to maintain more efficient turbulent air flow. The pulsation device may also realized by modulation of the current provided to the fan, causing the fan to operate at regularly or irregularly varying speeds by electronic current amplification proportional to the unstable solar radiation on the PV surface 
         [0028]    If the collectors in the arrav serve different functions, by mounting them on the building in accordance with the present invention, an aesthetically uniform and attractive appearance may be achieved. If an array is designed to cover an entire exterior surface of a building, or it is intended to substitute as a wall of a building, if desired some panels of the array may be substituted with decorative glazing or other wall or roof finishing treatments. 
         [0029]    Various embodiments of the present invention having been thus described in detail by way of example, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that variations and modifications may be made without departing from the invention The invention includes all such variations and modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.