Solar heating for refrigeration and fluid heating devices

Abstract

A fluid-based system for use in heating and/or cooling. In particular, the system may have a fluid heating device, which may be a solar fluid heating device, configured to heat a fluid. Heat from the heated fluid may be transferred to one or more cooling subsystems or heating subsystems. A cooling subsystem may be an absorption cooling subsystem, for example, wherein heat may cause phase change of a refrigerant. A heating subsystem may include a storage tank through which heated fluid may be circulated to heat the storage tank. A system of the present disclosure may include multiple cooling and/or heating subsystems for cooling and or heating a variety of different environments, objects, or materials.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A thermal fluid system comprising:
 a fluid heating device configured to heat a fluid circulated therethrough; and   at least one of:
 a heating subsystem configured to heat an enclosure or material by circulation of heated fluid from the fluid heating device through the heating subsystem; and 
 a cooling subsystem configured to provide refrigeration, wherein at least a portion of the cooling subsystem is powered by heated fluid from the fluid heating device; 
   
     
     
         2 . The thermal fluid system of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid heating device is a solar fluid heating device comprising:
 a solar collection system comprising:
 a reflective surface configured to focus sunlight on a focal axis; and 
 a fluid heating tube arranged along the focal axis; 
   a fluid control system comprising one or more valves for directing fluid through the solar collection system;   a support structure arranged and configured to support the solar collection system and at least a portion of the fluid control system; and   a tracking system configured for manipulating the support structure.   
     
     
         3 . The thermal fluid system of  claim 1 , further comprising a control valve for directing heated fluid to the at least one of a heating subsystem and a cooling subsystem. 
     
     
         4 . The thermal fluid system of  claim 1 , wherein the cooling subsystem comprises an absorption cooling system. 
     
     
         5 . The thermal fluid system of  claim 4 , wherein the cooling subsystem comprises a refrigerant-absorbent fluid mixture, and a generator configured for separating the refrigerant from the absorbent. 
     
     
         6 . The thermal fluid system of  claim 5 , wherein the generator comprises the fluid heating device, and wherein fluid circulated through the fluid heating device comprises the refrigerant-absorbent fluid mixture. 
     
     
         7 . The thermal fluid system of  claim 1 , wherein the heating subsystem comprises a storage tank. 
     
     
         8 . The thermal fluid system of  claim 7 , wherein the heating subsystem comprises a pipe configured to carry heated fluid from the fluid heating device through the storage tank to heat the interior of the storage tank. 
     
     
         9 . The thermal fluid system of  claim 1 , further comprising a solar electric device configured to collect and store solar energy. 
     
     
         10 . The thermal fluid system of  claim 9 , further comprising an electric heating device operable by stored solar energy. 
     
     
         11 . A control system for a thermal fluid heating system, the control system comprising:
 a controller configured to direct flow of a heated fluid from a fluid heating device to at least one thermal subsystem, the at least one thermal subsystem comprising at least one of:
 a heating subsystem configured to heat an enclosure or material by circulation of the heated fluid from the fluid heating device through the heating subsystem; and 
 a cooling subsystem configured to provide refrigeration, wherein at least a portion of the cooling subsystem is powered by the heated fluid from the fluid heating device; 
   a temperature sensor communicably coupled to the controller over a network and arranged in one of the heating subsystem and the cooling subsystem; and   a control valve communicably coupled to the controller over a network, the control valve operable by the controller and configured to control the flow of fluid to one of the heating subsystem and the cooling subsystem.   
     
     
         12 . The control system of  claim 12 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 receive a user input regarding a desired temperature for at least one of the heating subsystem and the cooling subsystem; and   based on the user input and a temperature sensed by the temperature sensor, operate the control valve.   
     
     
         13 . The control system of  claim 12 , wherein the controller is configured to direct flow the heated fluid from the fluid heating device to at least two thermal subsystems, and wherein upon an interruption of power to the fluid heating device, the controller is further configured to prioritize a first thermal subsystem. 
     
     
         14 . The control system of  claim 11 , further comprising a database storing sensed temperature data and user inputs. 
     
     
         15 . The control system of  claim 11 , further comprising a user device communicably coupled to the controller over a network, the user device configured to transmit user inputs to the controller. 
     
     
         16 . The control system of  claim 11 , further comprising at least one additional sensor selected from the group consisting of: a temperature sensor, a flow sensor, and a pressure sensor. 
     
     
         17 . The control system of  claim 16 , wherein the controller is further configured to operate the control valve based upon at least one of sensed temperature data, flow data, and pressure data. 
     
     
         18 . A method of heating and cooling, the method comprising:
 directing fluid through a fluid heating device to heat the fluid; and   operating a control valve to direct the heated fluid to at least one of:
 a heating subsystem configured to heat an enclosure or material by circulation of the heated fluid from the fluid heating device through the heating subsystem; and 
 a cooling subsystem configured to provide refrigeration, wherein at least a portion of the cooling subsystem is powered by the heated fluid from the fluid heating device; 
   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising receiving a user input regarding a desired temperature for the at least one of a heating subsystem and a cooling subsystem. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the fluid heating device is a solar fluid heating device comprising:
 a solar collection system comprising:
 a reflective surface configured to focus sunlight on a focal axis; and 
 a fluid heating tube arranged along the focal axis; 
   a fluid control system comprising one or more valves for directing fluid through the solar collection system;   a support structure arranged and configured to support the solar collection system and at least a portion of the fluid control system; and   a tracking system configured for manipulating the support structure.