Solar hot water system without heat exchanger

DETAILED DESCRIPTION It is claimed: 1.
Solar hot water system comprising: a non-pressurized storage tank, a solar collector connected to the tank, a heater means connected to the storage tank, means to withdraw water from the upper portion of the storage tank to provide a pressurized hot water supply, a vertically moveable insulated divider in the storage tank to separate hot and cold water in the storage tank, the divider being weighted to float on water of pre-determined temperature and density.
2.
Apparatus as in claim 1 having a venting valve connected to the top of the collector to facilitate draining the collector back into storage during freezing conditions.




Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD This invention relates to solar hot water systems and more particularly to such systems which do not utilize a heat exchanger and which can under freezing conditions drain back into the storage tank.
BACKGROUND ART Conventional solar hot water systems generally transfer one liquid through the solar collector and then transfer the heat from that liquid to the house hot water system through a heat exchanger.
The heat exchanger is an expensive item and is also an additional possible source of failure and cuts the efficiency of the system.
The present invention provides a solar hot water heat system which eliminates the necessity for the heat exchanger.
The present invention uses a non-pressurized insulated storage tank where heat water from the collector is fed to the top of the tank and the heated water from the top of the tank is pumped out to an insulated pressure tank and then to the house hot water system.
The storage tank preferably has a thermo-siphon heating device connected for auxiliary heat.
The storage tank also preferably has an insulated divider which is weighted to float on water of a predetermined density.
The divider is formed of insulating material and tends to separate the water on the top of the tank from the cold water in the bottom of the tank.
Therefore, instant hot water is available at all times