System has been placed in operation to verify technical feasibility of using solar energy to provide residential heating and cooling. Complete system analysis was performed to provide design information

Humphries, W. R.

Melton, D. E.

English

NASA Technical Reports Server

August 1975	 B75-10165 
NASA TECH BRIEF 
Marshall Space Flight Center 
NASA Tech Briefs announce new technology derived from the U.S. space program. They are issued to encourage 
commercial application. Tech Briefs are available on a subscription basis from the National Technical Information 
Service, Springfield, Virginia 22151. Requests for individual copies or questions relating to the Tech Brief program may 
be directed to the Technology Utilization Office, NASA, Code KT, Washington, D.C. 20546. 
Solar Residential Heating and Cooling System 
From a recent investigation it has been concluded 
that a solar-powered residential heating and cooling 
system is technically feasible. A complete system 
analysis was performed to provide design information 
and to establish the contribution which solar energy 
could make to the heating and cooling requirements 
of a selected building configuration. Based on this 
analysis, a test system which provides heating and 
cooling to a simulated residence has been fabricated 
and is in operation at the Marshall Space Flight 
Center. The system has been placed into operation to 
verify the technical feasibility of utilizing solar energy
to provide heating and cooling and to identify areas 
where additional development is required to provide 
reliability and to produce an economically attractive 
system. 
The basic elements of the system (see figure) 
include: 
a. A flat-plate solar collector to collect solar energy, 
b. A thermal-energy storage system (thermal storage 
tank) to store collected energy for use during the 
night or during periods of inclement weather, 
c. An absorptive cycle air-conditioner for cooling the 
building, 
.
0
Thermal
Storage Tank 
Collector Pump 
Thermal Storage 
Bypass Valve 
Absorptive Air-
Conditioning System
Winter/Summer 
Control Valve 
Solar-Powered Residential Heating and Cooling System
(continued overleaf) 
This document was prepared under the sponsorship of the National
	
Government assumes any liability resulting from the use of the 
Aeronautics and Space Administration. Neither the United States
	 information contained in this document, or warrants that such use 
Government nor any person acting on behalf of the United States
	
will be free from privately owned rights.
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19750000165 2020-03-19T20:25:41+00:00Z
d. A liquid /gas heat exchanger (heating coil) to heat 
the residence, 
e. Auxiliary heaters to provide the energy required by 
the absorptive air-conditioner or the heating 
system, if the energy stored in the energy storage 
system (thermal storage tank) is depleted, and 
f. A control system (instrumentation panels) which 
allows automatic operation of the system and 
utilizes conventional residential thermostats for 
adjustment. 
Note: 
Requests for further information may be directed 
to:
Technology Utilization Officer 
Marshall Space Flight Center 
Code ATO1 
Marshall Space Flight Center, Alabama 35812 
Reference: B75-10165
Patent status: 
Inquiries concerning rights for the commercial use
	
40 
of this invention should be addressed to: 
Patent Counsel 
Marshall Space Flight Center 
Code CCO1 
Marshall Space Flight Center, Alabama 35812 
Source: D. E. Melton and

W. R. Humphries
(MFS-23260) 
Categories: 06 (Mechanics) 
B75-10165	 03 (Physical Sciences)


Solar residential heating and cooling system

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