Portable Solar HVAC System with All-In-One Appliances

Abstract

This invention relates to a portable or fixed solar powered heating ventilation air conditioner (HVAC) system. The disclosed invention consists of the following major components. 1) Solar Hot Water Tank/Storage Tank, 2) Solar Generator, 3) Solar HVAC Heat Exchanger Unit, 4) Solar Grill, 5) Wireless Network Energy Monitoring System and 6) Supervisor Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system. Also included is a list of appliances that the HVAC system can be configured to function as: a) refrigerator, b) air purifier/fan, c) pressure cooker, d) drink dispenser, and e) pressurized hot water supply. The HVAC system and above listed appliances is designed to be used in homes, businesses, camping, military, hospitals, FEMA and in developing countries with very little electrical or plumbing infrastructure. The HVAC is capable of supplying all the above mention functions while being powered solely on solar power, solar hot water/fluid or geothermal and a chilled water source, therefore creating a NetZero Energy Machine that required no power from a utility grid when properly sized.

Claims

1. A portable or fixed solar powered heating ventilating and air conditioner (HVAC) system with all-in-one appliances, comprising the combination of the following major components: A) Solar Hot water tank/Storage Tank, B) Solar Generator, C) Solar HVAC assembly D) Solar Grill assembly, E) Wireless Network Energy Monitoring System and F) Supervisor Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system. A) Said solar hot water tank and storage tank as described in FIGS. 9, 10, and 11 consist of a means to hold assembly together with perimeter framing, rotational means for moving storage tank, means for supporting solar tank with human hands, means to thermally insulate framing and back panel; heat exchange means consisting of an upper tank and lower tank joined fluidly and mechanically via a plurality of vertically mounted tube pipes, means for measuring temperature inside of said heat exchanger, means to electrically heat a fluid inside of said heat exchanger, means for measuring a fluid level inside of heat exchanger, a solid but transparent means to that allow short wavelength infrared light from the sun to penetrate solid transparent material, but reject long wavelength heat waves from leaving the tank enclosure, means for supporting and thermally sealing transparent material, means for protecting heat exchanger from harsh outdoor environmental conditions, means to intake a fluid via a hose or fixed piping, means to control fluid flow on and off, means to allow fluid out of heat exchanger via a hose or fixed piping, means to allow an outside pressurized fluid source to connect to an intake valve with means for electric control of fluid flow either on or off, means to pump fluid into and out of said heat exchanger, electrical energy storage means to power electrical devices, means for measuring fluid volume and temperature, means to relieve pressure build up inside of heat exchanger; means to control fluid temperature inside of heat exchanger and means to electronically control a fluid pump, means for cascading more than one solar tank together using garden type hoses or fix piping, means to configured solar tank to operate as a standalone unit or fixed unit to provide an independent supply of pressurize hot water via a garden hose with an optional sprayer with a switch mounted on the sprayer to activate a fluid pump, means for mounting a shower adapter to a garden hose type connector, means to implement black body technology such that all exposed parts will absorb all wavelengths of the sun's radiation to assist with heating up the heat exchanger pipes; B) Solar Generator with means to charge an energy storage device using an array of photovoltaic cells/solar panels, means to generate electricity from the sun's radiation, rotational means for moving enclosure, means for a human to support unit while moving it, means to provide uninterruptible power supply function to provide alternating electricity if primary energy storage unit is depleted, means to provide electricity to the HVAC main assembly and solar hot water tank assembly, means to charge electric energy storage devices either via a first automatic transfer switch with an input from a battery charger, means to filter utility grid power, means to connect a second input into first automatic transfer switch to an array of photovoltaic cells/solar panels via a solar battery charge controller, means to connect the output of the first automatic transfer switch to a bank of electrical energy storage batteries, means to switch the charging source to a utility grid power when no solar charging source is available or the batteries charge level is low, means to manually switch a transfer switch to either solar powered charge or grid powered charge, mean for a second automatic transfer switch to provide electrical loads with the choice of utility grid power source or alternating power from an DC/AC inverter; means for solar generator enclosure top to fit on hinges of HVAC enclosure and latch in place, means for solar generator's lid to be thermally sealed when place on top of HVAC enclosure, means for external generator connection, means for connecting with all devices indoors and outdoors; C) The Solar Powered HVAC consist of means to insulate enclosure, means to heat a fluid and produce heat using a heat exchanger consisting of a plurality of vertically mounted finned pipes mounted in rows fluidly and mechanically connected to an upper and lower tank, means to intake a fluid via a garden type hose or fix piping, means to control fluid flow on and off, means to measure the temperature inside of the heat exchanger, means to relieve a pressure inside of the heat exchanger, means to block pressure relief valve, means to vent upper tank of heat exchanger, mean to block vent pipe of upper tank of heat exchanger, means to receive a fluid being pumped from either the solar hot water tank or from a pressurized fluid supply source, means to connect a garden type hose or fixed piping from an outlet valve on the solar water/fluid tank to the intake valve on the HVAC unit upper tank, means to output a pressurized fluid from the lower tank via a garden type hose or fixed piping, means to control fluid flow on and off, means to input a fluid into upper tank via an input valve, means for the HVAC controllers to monitor the temperature (T1) of the fluid in the solar water/fluid tank, means for HVAC controller to monitor and control the temperature of fluid in the HVAC unit's heat exchanger, means for the HVAC controller to monitor and control the temperature in the solar tank, means to heat a fluid inside the heat exchanger using electric heating elements, means to circulate air with a fan blower, means to intakes air from outside the unit via an intake vent and circulate air through finned pipes of the heat exchanger where the air absorbs heat from the finned pipes by convection and exits through the outlet vent, means for creating air conditioned cooled air using the thermoelectric effect where a voltage difference across a material of Serbect Coefficient (N-doped, and P-doped) semiconductors produces a temperature difference, such that absorbed heat flows from one side of the junction making one side of the junction cool and other side heated, means for circulating air for all modes of operation in the upper tank of the heat exchanger causing the heat exchanger with finned pipes to cool or heat circulating air accordingly as a result of the heat exchanger exchanging energy with surrounding air through finned pipes, means to circulate air from intake vent and across the heat exchanger finned pipes causing the heat exchanger to absorb heat energy from the air therefore cooling the air by convection with the air exiting through the outlet vent, means for collecting condensation as a result of warm air coming in contact with cold heat exchanger finned pipes, means for piping the condensation from a drip pan located at the bottom of the enclosure via a drain line that drains fluid to a bottle by gravity feed or optional via a fluid pump, means to add frozen ice cubes to the opened upper tank of the heat exchanger in order to enhance cooling in the refrigerator and in air conditioner modes; Means for configuring HVAC system to operate as the following appliances: C1. Means to produce heat as described in sub claim C. C2. Means to produce air conditioning as describe in sub claim C. C3. Means for refrigeration by mounting the HVAC enclosure top lid cover with a thermoelectric unit and fan mounted inside of cover to circulate air inside of HVAC's heat exchanger, means to use upper tank of heat exchanger to storage items for refrigeration, C4. Means for air purification by installing air filters inside of sleeves of all air vents as described in sub claim C. C5. Means for circulating air using a fan blower as described in sub claim C. C6. Means to dispense a fluid from HVAC's heat exchanger as described in sub claim C, C7. Means for pressure cooker mode by mounting the grill surface top with its pressure seal on top of upper tank of HVAC's heat exchanger, means for measuring pressure and temperature of pressure cooker, means for bypassing the pressure relief blocking valve, means to bypass vent pipe by closing vent blocking valve, means for installing a cooking apparatus inside heat exchanger for pressurize cooking, means for securing the grill tank top to the upper tank of HVAC's heat exchanger to create a pressure sealed unit, means to heat a fluid either with electric heating elements or by receiving a hot fluid from the solar hot water/fluid tank, C8. Means for a pressurized hot water supply by either utilizing the solar hot water tank or the HVAC unit to supply pressurized fluid via a pump installed on either on the solar water/fluid tank or HVAC unit, C9. Means to provide alternating current and direct current from connections to the solar generator. D) Means for a cooking grill using a grill surface that is mounted on top of HVAC's heat exchanger using clamping or screw method, means for a grill cover contain a glass opening for viewing cooking, means for an electric light inside grill cover, means for grill to be controlled by HVAC controller, means for grill cover to be protected from harsh outdoor environmental conditions, means for grill surface that functions as tank top of HVAC's heat exchanger to be installed with or without a pressure seal in order to allow the grill surface to come in direct contact with upper tank of the heat exchanger, means to thermally seal air vents, means to bypass the pressure relief valve for HVAC's heat exchanger, means to open and close vent pipe for upper tank of HVAC's heat exchanger, means for grill surface to heat up from convection as result of hot air circulating inside of the upper tank, means heat fluid inside of HVAC's heat exchanger to be heated using electric heating elements, means to power grill from said solar generator; E) means for a network energy monitoring system to measure energy generated by an array of photovoltaic cells/solar panels, means to measure energy consumed by all electrical loads using electrical meters, fluid volume meters and temperature sensors, means to communicate data collected to a centralized energy network monitoring computer, means to analyze the data, store historical data and graphically displayed data trends, means for transmitting energy data over a wireless or hardwired network to a centralized computer F) Means for a supervisory control and data acquisition system to send control signals to and from the HVAC unit controller to control its devices and receive monitoring data over a wireless or hardwired network to a centralize computer or handheld smart phone;

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

DESCRIPTION

[0030] The disclosed invention consists of the following major components. 1) Solar Hot Water Tank/Storage Tank 536, 2) Solar Generator 535, 3) Solar HVAC Unit 537, 4) Solar Grill 538, 5) Wireless Network Energy Monitoring System 361 and 6) Supervisor Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system 362. Also included is the following list of appliances that the HVAC system 537 can be configured to function as: a) refrigerator, b) air purifier, c) pressure cooker, d) drink dispenser, and e) pressurized hot water supply.

[0031] 1) The solar water/fluid tank 536 is portable and on wheels 470 with cotter pins to secure the wheels in place 485 as described in FIGS. 9, 10, and 11. The body of the solar water/fluid tank has an insulated 495 frame 425; handle bar 430, fluid/water pump 509, thermocouple 491, fluid level 492, battery 510, water meter 516, electric heating element 490, Low emission glass 435, glass support moldings trim and seal 500 and a temperature control unit 515. There is an upper tank 440 and lower tank 475 that is fluidly and mechanically connected to a plurality of vertically mounted tube pipes 450. The solar hot water tank 536 has a pressure relief valve 445, an intake valve 420 and outlet valve 465 with standard type garden hose connectors (optional fix pipe for all connections) 565 that allow a garden hose 525 rated for hot water to connect to the solar water/fluid tank's 536 corresponding intake valve 420 or outlet valves 465 of the main HVAC unit. The solar hot water tank's 536 main function is to generate hot water from the sun's radiation and pump 509 it to the main HVAC unit 537. The solar water/fluid tanks 536 can be cascaded together using garden type hoses 525 to create any size hot water tank or storage tank 536. Furthermore, the solar water/fluid tank 536 can be configured to operate as a standalone unit to provide an independent supply of pressurized hot water via a garden hose 525 with an optional sprayer 570 with a switch 575 mounted on the sprayer 570 to activate a water/fluid pump 509 or a shower adapter 577 can be attached to the hose. The solar water/fluid storage tanks 536 utilize a black body (painted flat black) on all exposed metal objects to absorb all wavelengths of the sun's radiation to assist with heating up the heat exchanger pipes 450. There is low emission glass 435 mounted on the front of the tank 536. This glass 435 helps heat up the heat exchanger pipes 450 by allowing short wavelength infrared sunlight to pass through the glass to heat the heat exchange pipes 450 but reflects long wavelength in heat waves inside the tank 536 glass 435 to keep the tank's heat from escaping.

[0032] 2) The solar generator 535 operates as a portable or fixed solar generator 535, and uninterruptible power supply to provide alternating current and alternating voltage to electrical loads. The solar generator 536 is the main power source for the HVAC unit 537 and solar hot water tank 536. The unit has two ways to charge the solar battery bank 325. The first automatic transfer switch 320 has an input from a battery charger 315 that is connected to a filtered 300 utility grid power source 275 while the second input of the transfer switch is from an array of photovoltaic cells/solar panels 335 connected to a battery charge controller 340. The output of the first automatic transfer switch 320 connects to a bank of solar storage batteries 325 for charging. When no solar charging is available or the batteries charge level is low, as an option the unit switches the charging source to the utility grid power 275. There is also a manual switch 345 for manually switching the first transfer switch 320 from either solar powered charge or grid powered charge. There is an optional second automatic transfer switch 305 that provides the electrical loads with the choice of utility grid power source 275 or AC power from a DC/AC inverter 330.

[0033] 3) The Solar Powered HVAC unit 537 has an insulated enclosure 115 with a heat exchanger 534 that consist of a plurality of vertically mounted finned pipes 220 that are connected to an upper tank 225 and lower tank 270. The upper tank 225 is separated from the lower tank 270 by a plurality of finned tubes 220 fluidly and mechanically connected to both the upper tank 225 and lower tank 270. The upper tank 225 has a thermocouple sensor 235, an electric heating element 230, fluid level sensor 255, pressure sensor 256 mechanically mounted inside the upper tank 225. The upper tank 225 also has a garden hose 525 type with a garden hose connector intake valve 260 and pressure relief valve 265 with a valve 261 controlled vent pipe 262. In the heating mode, the HVAC unit 537 receives hot water via a water/fluid pump 509 mounted either on the solar hot water tank 536 or mounted on the HVAC unit 537. There is a garden hose 525 that connects from the outlet valve 465 on the solar water/fluid tank 536 to the intake valve 260 on the HVAC unit upper tank 225. The lower tank 270 of the HVAC has an outlet valve 195 with a garden hose connection 565 back to the intake valve 420 of the solar water/fluid tank 536. The HVAC temperature controllers 160 monitors the temperature (T1) of the water in the solar water/fluid tank 536 and the temperature of water in the HVAC upper tank 225 T3. If T1 temperature is lower than its preset temperature T2, and T3 temperature is below its preset temperature T4, then the HVAC unit 537 will activate its heating elements 230 to bring the water temperature T3 its to a preset temperature T4. If the temperature T1 of the water in the solar tank 536 is equal to or greater than its preset T2 temperature, then the HVAC temperature controller 160 will activate the fluid/water pump 509 for a predetermined amount of time (t) to refill the HVAC tank 537 with the water from the solar water/fluid tank 536. The heat exchanger 539 is heated up by the hot water/fluid inside of it that comes from either the solar water/fluid storage tank 536 or from activation of heating elements 230. There is a fan blower 190 that intakes outside air through the intake vents 15 and circulates the air through finned pipes 220 of the heat exchanger 539 where the air absorbs heat from the radiating heated finned pipes 220 and exits through the outlet vent 16. In the air conditioning mode, a thermoelectric unit 534 mounted inside the lid of the HVAC's enclosure 115 is used to cool the air in the upper tank 225 of the heat exchanger 539 with the grill tank top 240 of the heat exchanger 539 removed. Cold air flows inside the heat exchanger 539 from the thermoelectric unit 534 and cools the finned pipes 220 of the heat exchanger 539 by absorbing heat energy from the finned pipes 220. Therefore, when the fan blower circulates warm air flows into the intake vent 15 and across the cold finned pipes 220 of the heat exchanger 539, heat is transferred to the finned pipes to cool the air that arrives at the outlet vent 16. The HVAC unit creates condensation in both the air condition mode and refrigeration mode as result of warm air coming in contact with the heat exchanger finned pipes 220. The condensation is collected in a drip pan 200 located at the bottom of the enclosure with a drain line 205 that drains fluid to a bottle 215 via gravity feed or optional via a water/fluid pump 205. The drained fluid is stored in a water/fluid bottle 215. Moreover, ice cubes can be added to the opened upper tank 225 of the heat exchanger 539 to enhance the cooling effect of the HVAC unit.

[0034] 4) The Solar Powered Grill 535 requires the solar generator 536 enclosure top 535 to be removed and mounted on top of the battery bank enclosure 325 using the same type of hinges and latches used on the HVAC enclosure. The grill covers 246 is installed on the HVAC unit 537 using the same hinges 247 and latches used to hinge the solar generator lid 535. The grill surface tank top 240 is installed without its pressure seal 248 and the air vents 15 & 16 are covered with vent covers 17 to thermally seal the HVAC enclosure 115. The grill mode also requires the pressure relief by-pass-valve 265 to be closed to block any water/fluid from coming in contact with the pressure relief valve. The vent valve is opened to allow the water in the upper tank 225 to vent via the vent pipe 262 so that the fluid/water in the upper tank can reach temperatures above boiling. The grill surface 245 is heated up as result of the tank top 240 being in direct contact with the upper tank 225 when it is full of hot water/fluid, therefore causing heat to transfer from the upper tank top 225 to the grill surface 245 via direct contact and from convection as result of hot air circulating inside of the upper tank.

[0035] 5) The network energy monitoring system 361 uses electrical meters 390 & 391 to measure the energy generated by an array of photovoltaic cells/solar panels 335 and measures the energy consumed by the electrical loads 310. The data is collected by connecting electric meters 390 & 391 to the solar generator 535 to monitor the kilowatts hours generated. To measure the electric energy consumed, an electric meter is connected to the output of the solar generator or optionally to each individual electric load devices 310. To measure the BTU generated and the amount of hot water produced and consumed, a water meter 516 is place in line with the solar water/fluid tank 536 along with a water thermocouple 491. The water temperature is also measured inside the water tank 225 of the HVAC system 537 using thermocouple 235. The collected data is used to calculate the BTU's generated and BTU's consumed. An energy data report is communicated through a wireless network (or hardwired network) to a centralized energy monitoring computer 361 where the data is analyzing, stored and graphically displayed to show data trends.

[0036] 6) The Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system 362 utilizes a wireless network to send control signals to the HVAC unit controller 160 to control its devices and receives monitoring data over the wireless network 365 from electronic devices. There is a touch control pad with an electronic display on the HVAC unit 537 (not shown on the drawings) that allow an operator to control all the functions of the HVAC unit 537 and control the solar generator, heating, air conditioning, fan, refrigerator, air purifier, grill, pressure cooker and pressurized fluid supply. The SCADA system 362 is also capable of communicating with mobile handheld device like smart cell phones or handheld computers. The main HVAC unit 537 can be configured to operate as the following appliances:

[0037] a. Refrigerator modeIn this mode the thermoelectric unit 534 installed in the lid of HVAC enclosure 115 with its fan 95 pointing down inside of the upper tank 225 creates cool air using a thermoelectric cooling generator. The upper tank 225 is opened and is use to storage items for refrigeration. The air vents 15 &16 are blocked to thermally seal the unit. The refrigerator temperature is monitored by a thermocouple 235 located inside the upper tank 225 and controlled by the HVAC computer controller 155 or optionally via a touch pad and display unit not shown on the drawings.

[0038] b. Air Purifier/FanAir filters 17 can be installed inside the vents of the intake air vent 15 and outlet air vents 16 to filter air in a room when the fan blower is running.

[0039] c. Drink DispenserThe HVAC upper tank 225 can be filled with any type of drink liquid and dispensed via the outlet valve 195 and or inlet value 260.

[0040] d. Pressure CookerIn this mode the grill tank top 240 is installed with its pressure seal 248 mounted between the tank top 240 an upper tank 225. The pressure relief blocking valve is closed 266 and the vent blocking valve 261 is closed to create a pressurize enclosure inside the heat exchanger 539. A small cooking pot with items requiring pressurize cooking can be placed inside the upper tank 225 and then securing the grill tank top 240 closed with thumb screws 250 or optional hinge clamps 251. This step will allow the upper tank 225 to become pressurize when a fluid is heated up inside the upper tank 225 using heating elements 230.

[0041] e. Portable Pressurize Hot Water Supply can be configured by either utilizing the solar hot water tank 536 or the HVAC unit 537 to supply pressurized hot water. A fluid/water pump 509 can be installed on either on the solar water/fluid tank 536 or HVAC unit 537 to achieve a pressurized hot water supply. With a garden type hose 525 attached to the outlet valve of the HVAC unit, a shower adapter 577 can be attached to establish a means for showering or a water hose sprayer 570 with a switched mounted on it to activate a water/fluid pump can be attached to the hose to provide a mean to spray hot water.

SEQUENCE LISTING

[0042] None