Combination solar water heater and chiller

Claim 1

A method for heating, cooling, and handling water to make buildings comfortable throughout the year by employing a semi-stationary basic structure to cool water, and, seasonally, adding extra pieces of material so the basic structure can serve to heat water, comprising, in combination, affixing within supporting members a bank of narrow and shallow and uncovered containers that act As the basic structure to chill water during summer, and employing the same basic structure with a transparent panel and insulating cover added to the top and bottom respectively to heat water during winter, suspending or tilting said uncovered containers so the top and bottom are completely surrounded by cool summer night air and thus chilling it, tilting said covered containers to face toward the Sun in winter so as to heat water, periodically filling and emptying said containers by automatically controlling the flow of water into and out of them through piping that does not pierce the bottom or lower portion of said containers, said emptying occuring through syphoning or suction, storing said heated or chilled water until needed, periodically pumping said heated or chilled water into a radiator that is interjected in an air duct system installed in the buildings, blowing air through the radiator and causing heat or cold to flow into the rooms of the buildings, said pumping and blowing being controlled automatically, removing the de-energized water to a storage area, and periodically throughout the day or night moving energized and de-energized water in an endless cycle between the buildings and the various storage areas and a fenced area containing large numbers of said combination solar structures.

Claim 2

A method for heating, cooling, and handling water to make buildings comfortable throughout the year by employing a semi-stationary basic structure to cool water, and, seasonally, adding extra pieces of material so the basic structure can serve to heat water, comprising, in combination, affixing within supporting members a bank of narrow and shallow and uncovered containers that act As the basic structure to chill water during summer, and employing the same basic structure with a transparent panel and insulating cover added to the top and bottom respectively to heat water during winter, suspending or tilting said uncovered containers so the top and bottom are completely surrounded by cool summer night air and thus chilling it, tilting said covered containers to face toward the Sun in winter so as to heat water, periodically filling and emptying said containers by automatically controlling the flow of water into and out of them through piping that does not pierce the bottom or lower portion of said containers, said emptying occuring through syphoning or suction, storing said heated or chilled water until needed, periodically pumping said heated or chilled water into a radiator that is interjected in an air duct system installed in the buildings, blowing air through the radiator and causing heat or cold to flow into the rooms of the buildings, said pumping and blowing being controlled automatically, removing the de-energized water to a storage area, and periodically throughout the day or night moving energized and de-energized water in an endless cycle between the buildings and the various storage areas and a fenced area containing large numbers of said combination solar structures.

Claim 3

A method for heating and cooling a group of buildings comprising, in combination, alternately by season, adding and removing a few materials from a basic structure so that by interchanging materials two different solar phenomina result, one which chills water by exposing it to cool night air, the other heating water by exposing it to sunlight, enclosing a large number of said interchangeable structures within a fenced area, periodically filling and draining said structures after water has been heated or chilled to a satisfactory temperature, storing said heated or chilled water, pumping said heated or chilled water into a radiator and blowing air through it into a duct system so as to heat or cool all the rooms of the buildings, storing the de-energized water, chilling said water by using an interchangeable solar structure comprised basically of a bank of narrow and shallow and uncovered containers, modifying said solar structure seasonally and alternately by applying a transparent panel to the top and an insulating cover to the bottom so as to seal it tight and prevent heat losses while exposing water to sunlight, said pumping of water and blowing of air being accomplished periodically by automatically controlling their flow by using control devices and related equipment.

Claim 4

A method for heating and cooling a group of buildings comprising, in combination, alternately by season, adding and removing a few materials from a basic structure so that by interchanging materials two different solar phenomina result, one which chills water by exposing it to cool night air, the other heating water by exposing it to sunlight, enclosing a large number of said interchangeable structures within a fenced area, periodically filling and draining said structures after water has been heated or chilled to a satisfactory temperature, storing said heated or chilled water, pumping said heated or chilled water into a radiator and blowing air through it into a duct system so as to heat or cool all the rooms of the buildings, storing the de-energized water, chilling said water by using an interchangeable solar structure comprised basically of a bank of narrow and shallow and uncovered containers, modifying said solar structure seasonally and alternately by applying a transparent panel to the top and an insulating cover to the bottom so as to seal it tight and prevent heat losses while exposing water to sunlight, said pumping of water and blowing of air being accomplished periodically by automatically controlling their flow by using control devices and related equipment.

Claim 5

A method for heating and cooling a group of buildings comprising, in combination, alternately by season, adding and removing a few materials from a basic structure so that by interchanging materials two different solar phenomina result, one which chills water by exposing it to cool night air, the other heating water by exposing it to sunlight, enclosing a large number of said interchangeable structures within a fenced area, periodically filling and draining said structures after water has been heated or chilled to a satisfactory temperature, storing said heated or chilled water, pumping said heated or chilled water into a radiator and blowing air through it into a duct system so as to heat or cool all the rooms of the buildings, storing the de-energized water, chilling said water by using an interchangeable solar structure comprised basically of a bank of narrow and shallow and uncovered containers, modifying said solar structure seasonally and alternately by applying a transparent panel to the top and an insulating cover to the bottom so as to seal it tight and prevent heat losses while exposing water to sunlight, said pumping of water and blowing of air being accomplished periodically by automatically controlling their flow by using control devices and related equipment.

Claim 6

A method for heating and cooling a group of buildings comprising, in combination, alternately by season, adding and removing a few materials from a basic structure so that by interchanging materials two different solar phenomina result, one which chills water by exposing it to cool night air, the other heating water by exposing it to sunlight, enclosing a large number of said interchangeable structures within a fenced area, periodically filling and draining said structures after water has been heated or chilled to a satisfactory temperature, storing said heated or chilled water, pumping said heated or chilled water into a radiator and blowing air through it into a duct system so as to heat or cool all the rooms of the buildings, storing the de-energized water, chilling said water by using an interchangeable solar structure comprised basically of a bank of narrow and shallow and uncovered containers, modifying said solar structure seasonally and alternately by applying a transparent panel to the top and an insulating cover to the bottom so as to seal it tight and prevent heat losses while exposing water to sunlight, said pumping of water and blowing of air being accomplished periodically by automatically controlling their flow by using control devices and related equipment.

Claim 7

A method for heating, cooling, and handling water so as to provide year-round comfort for a group of buildings, comprising, in combination, installing within a fenced area what is basically a group of chillers comprised of a bank of narrow and shallow and uncovered containers, tilting or suspending said chillers so they will be surrounded on the top and bottom by cool night air which causes the water temperature to drop to that of the atmosphere, seasonally adding an insulating transparent panel to the top and an insulating panel to the bottom of said chillers, then alternately removing and adding said panels with each passing season so that by the interchange of materials water can also be heated by exposing it to sunlight, periodically filling and emptying and storing the hot or cold water made in said fenced area and pumping it into radiators that are centrally located within an air duct system in the buildings to be heated or cooled, blowing air through the radiators and forcing hot or cold air through the ducts out into all the rooms in the buildings, and comprising the following sequence of operations: periodically throughout the day or night pumping de-energized water from a large storage tank especially designated for such water within a closed cycle of equipment into said interchangeable solar structures by using an automatic device which has been pre-set to automatically open and close the pIping and start and stop a pump which moves said water through said piping from said large storage tank to said interchangeable solar structures, placing a control device within one of the interchangeable structures that closes the piping and stops the pumping after said structures are filled, periodically throughout the day or night pumping energized water made in said interchangeable solar structures into a large storage tank which is especially designated for such water by using an automatic device which has been pre-set to open and close the piping and start and stop a pump which moves said water through said piping from said interchangeable structures to said storage tank, placing a control device within one of the interchangeable structures which senses whether said water is hot or cold enough and which either permits or delays the drainage of water from said interchangeable structures, installing a temperature control device within the buildings to be heated or cooled that automatically controls other automatic devices which control the flow of water and air through the buildings and comprising the following sequence of operations: periodically throughout the day or night pumping energized water from said large storage tank into a small storage tank near the buildings by using a control device inside the small tank which starts a pump when said tank is nearly empty, setting the main temperature control at a desired temperature for keeping the buildings comfortable throughout the day and night and connecting it to an automatic device which has been pre-set to automatically open and close the piping and start and stop a set of pumps which brings energized water to and carries de-energized water away from a radiator that is centrally located in an air duct system and which simultaneously runs a motor-fan unit which blows air through the radiator and air ducts and forces hot or cold air into all the rooms of the buildings, installing a temperature sensing device in the plenum of the air duct system and connecting it to the automatic device which is pre-set to automatically open and close the piping and start and stop the pumps and run the fan unit which blows air through the radiator and duct system so that all these devices continue to re-cycle until all the rooms in the buildings are heated or cooled to the temperature set on the main temperature control, and repeatedly throughout the day and night continuing the above cycles so that the buildings will always remain comfortable.

Claim 8

A method for heating, cooling, and handling water so as to provide year-round comfort for a group of buildings, comprising, in combination, installing within a fenced area what is basically a group of chillers comprised of a bank of narrow and shallow and uncovered containers, tilting or suspending said chillers so they will be surrounded on the top and bottom by cool night air which causes the water temperature to drop to that of the atmosphere, seasonally adding an insulating transparent panel to the top and an insulating panel to the bottom of said chillers, then alternately removing and adding said panels with each passing season so that by the interchange of materials water can also be heated by exposing it to sunlight, periodically filling and emptying and storing the hot or cold water made in said fenced area and pumping it into radiators that are centrally located within an air duct system in the buildings to be heated or cooled, blowing air through the radiators and forcing hot or cold air through the ducts out into all the rooms in the buildings, and comprising the following sequence of operations: periodically throughout the day or night pumping de-energized water from a large storage tank especially designated for such water within a closed cycle of equipment into said interchangeable solar structures by using an automatic device which has been pre-set to automatically open and close the pIping and start and stop a pump which moves said water through said piping from said large storage tank to said interchangeable solar structures, placing a control device within one of the interchangeable structures that closes the piping and stops the pumping after said structures are filled, periodically throughout the day or night pumping energized water made in said interchangeable solar structures into a large storage tank which is especially designated for such water by using an automatic device which has been pre-set to open and close the piping and start and stop a pump which moves said water through said piping from said interchangeable structures to said storage tank, placing a control device within one of the interchangeable structures which senses whether said water is hot or cold enough and which either permits or delays the drainage of water from said interchangeable structures, installing a temperature control device within the buildings to be heated or cooled that automatically controls other automatic devices which control the flow of water and air through the buildings and comprising the following sequence of operations: periodically throughout the day or night pumping energized water from said large storage tank into a small storage tank near the buildings by using a control device inside the small tank which starts a pump when said tank is nearly empty, setting the main temperature control at a desired temperature for keeping the buildings comfortable throughout the day and night and connecting it to an automatic device which has been pre-set to automatically open and close the piping and start and stop a set of pumps which brings energized water to and carries de-energized water away from a radiator that is centrally located in an air duct system and which simultaneously runs a motor-fan unit which blows air through the radiator and air ducts and forces hot or cold air into all the rooms of the buildings, installing a temperature sensing device in the plenum of the air duct system and connecting it to the automatic device which is pre-set to automatically open and close the piping and start and stop the pumps and run the fan unit which blows air through the radiator and duct system so that all these devices continue to re-cycle until all the rooms in the buildings are heated or cooled to the temperature set on the main temperature control, and repeatedly throughout the day and night continuing the above cycles so that the buildings will always remain comfortable.