Heating cooling and storing energy in a building with just two moving parts

Solar-fin overview
Nature is the most efficient collector of energy: A flower opens and closes with the sun to collect energy. So why can’t buildings do the same? The Solar-fin system emulates this simplicity with 2 moving parts to heat or cool a thermal storage medium and to then transfer this energy as required to the building’s thermal mass. The parts and materials are readily available to keep costs down so that payback periods are minimal.
The façade is clear glass and the solar-fin energy controller is behind this. The whole system has two moving parts namely solar-fin collector (a rotating semi-circular insulation panel which swivels around a column with heat storage capacity) and the solar-fin connector (from the column to the steel reinforcement of the building.) The heat storage column is insulated from the building mass so that thermal transfers occur only when required.
• By simple rotation of the solar-fin insulation, collectors are exposed to the sun as required to gain heat.
• To cool the building at night again the insulation is opened so that the collector radiates heat to the night sky.
During both these processes the insulated panel faces the interior so that excessive heat or cold in the heat storage media is shielded from the buildings users. A separate insulated internal wall can be added to control the way heat is distributed by convection or radiation.
The insulated panel is rotated outwards to protect the thermal storage column in conditions of excessive heating or cooling. The secret of the system is that the insulation always retains its integrity, overcoming all the problems of previous systems.
Furthermore the solar-fin panels are connected to the building structure only when required either to heat or cool the building, transferring thermal energy through steel reinforcement to the concrete building mass, a natural heat storage medium.
Spin-offs are:-
• The system can be controlled manually or by computer linking into weather forecasts.
• There is a green house effect between the glass wall and the collector and temperatures will reach 80 deg C. This can be used directly by opening vents to the interior for instant space heating. Heat could be collected at the top of the façade or roof can be transferred using heat pumps to cool or freeze the ground
• The stack effect in the façade will enable forced ventilation, drawing cool air from a shaded side to the heated side
• The building will have two faces: Black when collecting or dissipating heat for maximum efficiency, and silver in heat protection mode. This change makes the façade a changing bill board with advertising revenue reducing the pay back periods.
• The solar-fin system can be integrated with other technologies: PV systems in the glass and water heaters are both good examples.
In conclusion the solar-fin system provides enormous opportunities; even a carbon neutral building in desert conditions where the daily weather pattern is ideal; cold at night and really hot during the day.

Attached files:
Solar.FIN.pdf

Patents:
US 201,101,980,521 issued 2011-08-18   [MORE INFO]
CN 101,952,667 issued 2011-01-19   [MORE INFO]
CN 101,952,667 issued 2011-01-19   [MORE INFO]

Type of Offer: Sale

Asking Price: US$500,000



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