GB2113821A - Heat-dissipating device operated by solar energy - Google Patents

Abstract

A hot air outlet for the roof (11) of a building or of a vehicle comprises an outlet duct supporting a rotatable outlet member (6). Within the duct, there is a heat-dissipating gauze (5) thermally coupled by a metal rod (4) to a metal plate (1) which acts as a solar collector. In operation, the heated gauze causes a chimney effect whereby warm air is extracted and replaced by cooler ambient air. When applied to a vehicle, the metal plate (1) is coupled to the exhaust pipe of the engine by a further metal rod. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Heat-dissipating device operated by solar energy This invention relates to a heat-dissipating apparatus. Which is completely energized by solar energy to cause a "cool in, hot out" circulation by means of the "chimney effect" of its heatdissipating pipe.

It is an object of this invention to provide a movable outlet of hot air which always faces opposite to the wind direction so as to prevent the wind from blowing into the outlet and blocking the outflow of hot air.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an accessory device which enables the heatdissipating apparatus to work in rainy, cloudy days or at night in which the sun is absent, by exploiting the exhaust heat of vehicles.

This invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof which is made, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which like numerals designate like parts: Brief description of the drawing: Fig. 1 is a lateral sectional view of a preferred embodiment of this invention; Fig. 2 is the same as in Fig. 1 provided with means to exploit the exhaust heat.

Detailed description of preferred embodiment: With reference to Fig. 1 , the roof of a building (or the top of a car) (11) is provided with heat collecting aluminium plate (1) for transferring absorbed solar energy through a heat-conducting aluminium rod (4) connected with said plate (1) to the interposition of heat dissipating tube (9), where the heat is radiated by means of heatdissipating gauze (5). The hot air rises up to the rotatable outlet (6) and is exhausted therefrom. In so doing, cool air is incessantly inhaled to replace the exhaled hot air, thereby achieving a "chimney effect" which results in a powerdispensible air conditioner.Heat collecting aluminium plate (1) has superimposed on it, a transparent plastic panel to isolate it from direct exposure to the atmosphere to avoid heat loss, and underlying the plate (1) is a heat insulating layer (3). To render the rotatability of outlet (6), there is provided a highly efficient bearing (7) interconnecting outlet (6) and heat dissipating pipe (9). In order to more rapidly adjust the orientation of the outlet in response to the change of the direction of the wind or the vehicle, there is further provided a wind cup (8) which enables the rotatable outlet to receive more impact of the wind to accelerate its rotation. In so doing, the outlet (6) is always facing opposite to the wind direction to avoid the flow-in of the wind which would otherwise cause a counterflow in the heatdissipating pipes and reduce the efficiency of heat removal therein.The inlet of the air path is located in the interior of a building or a vehicle, thereby removing the relatively bad air, and replacing it with cool, fresh air from the ambient atmosphere.

When applied to vehicles instead of buildings, a modification of this invention as shown in Fig. 2.

which exploits the exhausted heat of the engine as its energy source, enables the "chimney effect" to operate on even rainy or cloudy days, or at night.

In this case, there is provided a metallic rod (12) having good heat conductivity extending to bridge or interconnect the heat collecting aluminium plate (1) or heat conducting rod and a heat exchange location in the path of the exhaust pipe of the vehicle, preferably the exhaust manifold (13) of the engine. The metallic rod (12) is externally enclosed by heat-insulating material. To prevent heat loss, and at its bottom end where it joints the manifold (13) it is formed as a metallic sleeve (14) to enhance the heat exchange between it and the exhaust pipe. Even on sunny days, the exploitation of the exhaust heat may cooperate with the solar energy.

1. A cooling device equipped on the roof of a building or the top of a vehicle, comprising: a heat-collecting metallic plate overlaying the roof of the building or the top of the vehicle; ' a.-transparent panel superimposed upon said metallic plate; an insulating layer lying beneath said metallic plate; an air path with an inlet at the interior of said building or vehicle, and a rotatable outlet; a heat-dissipating gauze located in said path; a metallic rod interconnecting said metallic plate and said heat-dissipating gauze; said air path being such that cool air enters through the inlet, carries the heat of said gauze transferred from said metallic plate heated by solar energy through said metallic rod, and leaves it through said rotatable outlet; ; said rotatable outlet being elbow shaped, with one end vertically and rotatably mounted and the other end being horizontally oriented.

2. The device according to Claim 1, wherein the top of said outlet is provided with a cup, which opens opposite to the direction of its orifice.

3. The device according to Claim 1, further comprising, when applied to the top of a vehicle, means for exploiting the exhaust heat of its engine, comprising: a heat exchanging means connected to the exhaust manifold of the engine; a further metallic rod interconnecting said heat

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (4)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Heat-dissipating device operated by solar energy This invention relates to a heat-dissipating apparatus. Which is completely energized by solar energy to cause a "cool in, hot out" circulation by means of the "chimney effect" of its heatdissipating pipe. It is an object of this invention to provide a movable outlet of hot air which always faces opposite to the wind direction so as to prevent the wind from blowing into the outlet and blocking the outflow of hot air. It is a further object of this invention to provide an accessory device which enables the heatdissipating apparatus to work in rainy, cloudy days or at night in which the sun is absent, by exploiting the exhaust heat of vehicles. This invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof which is made, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which like numerals designate like parts: Brief description of the drawing: Fig. 1 is a lateral sectional view of a preferred embodiment of this invention; Fig. 2 is the same as in Fig. 1 provided with means to exploit the exhaust heat. Detailed description of preferred embodiment: With reference to Fig. 1 , the roof of a building (or the top of a car) (11) is provided with heat collecting aluminium plate (1) for transferring absorbed solar energy through a heat-conducting aluminium rod (4) connected with said plate (1) to the interposition of heat dissipating tube (9), where the heat is radiated by means of heatdissipating gauze (5). The hot air rises up to the rotatable outlet (6) and is exhausted therefrom. In so doing, cool air is incessantly inhaled to replace the exhaled hot air, thereby achieving a "chimney effect" which results in a powerdispensible air conditioner.Heat collecting aluminium plate (1) has superimposed on it, a transparent plastic panel to isolate it from direct exposure to the atmosphere to avoid heat loss, and underlying the plate (1) is a heat insulating layer (3). To render the rotatability of outlet (6), there is provided a highly efficient bearing (7) interconnecting outlet (6) and heat dissipating pipe (9). In order to more rapidly adjust the orientation of the outlet in response to the change of the direction of the wind or the vehicle, there is further provided a wind cup (8) which enables the rotatable outlet to receive more impact of the wind to accelerate its rotation. In so doing, the outlet (6) is always facing opposite to the wind direction to avoid the flow-in of the wind which would otherwise cause a counterflow in the heatdissipating pipes and reduce the efficiency of heat removal therein.The inlet of the air path is located in the interior of a building or a vehicle, thereby removing the relatively bad air, and replacing it with cool, fresh air from the ambient atmosphere. When applied to vehicles instead of buildings, a modification of this invention as shown in Fig. 2. which exploits the exhausted heat of the engine as its energy source, enables the "chimney effect" to operate on even rainy or cloudy days, or at night. In this case, there is provided a metallic rod (12) having good heat conductivity extending to bridge or interconnect the heat collecting aluminium plate (1) or heat conducting rod and a heat exchange location in the path of the exhaust pipe of the vehicle, preferably the exhaust manifold (13) of the engine. The metallic rod (12) is externally enclosed by heat-insulating material. To prevent heat loss, and at its bottom end where it joints the manifold (13) it is formed as a metallic sleeve (14) to enhance the heat exchange between it and the exhaust pipe. Even on sunny days, the exploitation of the exhaust heat may cooperate with the solar energy. CLAIMS

1. A cooling device equipped on the roof of a building or the top of a vehicle, comprising: a heat-collecting metallic plate overlaying the roof of the building or the top of the vehicle; ' a.-transparent panel superimposed upon said metallic plate; an insulating layer lying beneath said metallic plate; an air path with an inlet at the interior of said building or vehicle, and a rotatable outlet; a heat-dissipating gauze located in said path; a metallic rod interconnecting said metallic plate and said heat-dissipating gauze; said air path being such that cool air enters through the inlet, carries the heat of said gauze transferred from said metallic plate heated by solar energy through said metallic rod, and leaves it through said rotatable outlet; ; said rotatable outlet being elbow shaped, with one end vertically and rotatably mounted and the other end being horizontally oriented.

2. The device according to Claim 1, wherein the top of said outlet is provided with a cup, which opens opposite to the direction of its orifice.

3. The device according to Claim 1, further comprising, when applied to the top of a vehicle, means for exploiting the exhaust heat of its engine, comprising: a heat exchanging means connected to the exhaust manifold of the engine; a further metallic rod interconnecting said heat exchanging means with the metallic plate or metallic rod of this device.

4. A cooling device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, or as illustrated in, Figure 1 or Figure 1 as modified by Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings.