Solar canal

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The present invention overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art by a very simple, yet efficient solar canal.
This solar canal preferably comprises an enclosed solar pond, employing a rigid cover plate and optionally a thin covering material placed on the fluid surface to retain the fluid in an essentially airtight environment.
The solar canal of the present invention overcomes many of the disadvantages of solar ponds discussed above.
The solar canal of the present invention is used for the collection and storage of solar energy.
Such a solar canal comprises a fluid filled collection and storage pond with a rigid cover plate covering the pond to retain the fluid in an essentially airtight environment.
This cover plate which is transparent or translucent to solar radiation and preferably opaque to thermal infrared radiation isolates the pond fluid, thus eliminating many of the problems associated with prior art solar ponds.
A covering material may optionally be placed between the rigid cover plate and the fluid and in contact with the surface of the fluid.
The use of the covering material in contact with the surface of the fluid provides additional insulation by isolating the air under the rigid cover plate from the fluid.
This film is also transparent or translucent to solar radiation and preferably opaque to thermal infrared radiation.
Water and heat loss through evaporation from the surface of the fluid are eliminated.
Problems of algal growth are eliminated by this isolation from the atmosphere and the removal of an oxygen source.
Problems associated with wind and wave stirring, such as increased evaporation, decreased clarity due to wind blown debris and destruction of the salt gradient due to stirring and mixing are eliminated by the rigid cover plate.
The production of an isolated fluid system provides for simplified and possibly automatic management of the saline gradient.
The isolated fluid solar canal of the present invention may be used with both convecting and non-convecting solar ponds