The demand for energy is forever on the rise, and the traditional fossil fuel resources that provide it are of a finite supply. Also, the burning of such fuels contributes to atmospheric pollution and leads to the production of carbon dioxide, which is suspected to accelerate the greenhouse effect and lead to global warming or climate change. Sun as an energy source is inexhaustible and is becoming increasingly popular due to its cleanliness and availability.
In some settings it may be particularly advantageous to use solar energy to heat water supplies. For example, at holiday (vacation) homes or resorts, people often wish to have a shower or wash, for example after swimming in the sea, lake or swimming pool. Such locations often have excellent supplies of solar energy. In the case of holiday homes or remote resorts, it may be particularly desirable to reduce reliance on main grid or generator supplied electricity for hot water heating. Another example would be for uses such as medical and communal facilities in remote and developing communities.
Some basic solar powered showers are known. One very basic type of solar-heated shower takes the form of a plastic bladder, which may be black on one side and transparent or translucent on the other, and supplied with an inlet and an outlet hose having a manually operated valve and shower head. In use, the bladder is filled with water and laid in the sun. Solar energy heats the water. When a user desires a shower, the bladder is suspended at a suitable height. By opening the outlet valve, the heated water is released by the effect of gravity for showering. These constructions suffer from the disadvantage that they have to be manually filled, laid out for a predetermined time to heat, and hung up to use. They are heavy and awkward to handle when full, especially by children. They have a very limited capacity, determined by the weight which can readily be lifted. Also, it is difficult to tell how hot the water has become, and there is therefore a risk of scalding when the valve is opened. The bladder is vulnerable to puncture, and the showers are aesthetically unattractive.
A large number of solar heating arrangements, both proposed and in-use today, incorporate mechanisms for solar heating water into panels. Many commercial solar heaters exist which may be installed on house roofs for example. Freestanding or fence-style panels are also known. U.S. Pat. No. 4,164,933 entitled CONCRETE SOLAR COLLECTORS to Alosi, the teachings of which are incorporated by reference by way of further background, proposes a concrete solar collector panel. The panel is developed with passageways which serve as a conduit for conveying a fluid. By constructing the panel as a structural member, a plurality of panels can be employed as a fence to receive radiant energy from the sun and transfer the collected heat to the fluid flowing within each of the panels. U.S. Pat. No. 4,280,477 entitled COMBINATION FENCE AND SOLAR HEATER FOR SWIMMING POOLS to Divine, the teachings of which are incorporated by reference by way of further background, proposes a combination fence and solar heater for swimming pools. A tubular heat exchanger is formed in at least one section of the fence and includes an exterior surface adapted to absorb solar energy which communicates with the water in the swimming pool. A pump flows the water in the swimming pool through the heat exchanger fence sections during daylight to heat the pool water. Also, U.S. Pat. No. 4,562,884 entitled HEAT-EXCHANGER ARRANGEMENT to Gebriider Uhl, the teachings of which are also incorporated by reference by way of further background, proposes a solar heat absorber including a plurality of heat exchange elements which are provided with external fins and have internal flow through passages for fluid. The passages communicate with internal channels of collector pipes. The collector pipes are in turn connected by respective corner members to connecting pipes to form a frame. A plurality of such frames can be arranged next to one another to form a fence with heat exchanging capability. In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 5,572,988 entitled SOLAR ABSORBER ASSEMBLIES to Neumann Steel Pty Ltd, also incorporated herein by reference by way of further background, proposes a solar absorber assembly having connectors between which tubes extend for conveying water to be heated. The tubes are surrounded by a glazing assembly which is supported by the connectors. The connectors may be connected with adjacent connectors of adjacent assemblies to form a fence panel.
However, all of these proposals for harnessing energy from the sun are relatively inefficient, in particular because only the surfaces that face the sun at a particular time are heated. It is therefore desirable to provide a solar water heating assembly which overcomes at least some of the disadvantages of the above-described prior art, generally increasing heating efficiency with a system that is easy and convenient to use, does not require major structural changes/additions to a building, provides a large volume of heated water and is aesthetically pleasing.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds