New greenhouse design

Adolf Ceska (aceska@freenet.victoria.bc.ca)
Sat, 18 Mar 1995 06:39:58 -0800 (PST)

CP readers may find this posting from BEN (Botanical Electronic News)
interesting. --- Adolf Ceska <aceska@freenet.victoria.bc.ca>

REVOLUTIONARY GREENHOUSE DESIGN FROM THE CZECH REPUBLIC

A group of scientists associated with the Botanical Institute
of the Czech Academy of Sciences in Trebon, Czech Republic,
designed a unique roof solar collector. The key element of the
collector is a glass linear Fresnel lens that concentrates the
direct part of solar radiation to a narrow strip. This strips
lies in the focal plane of the lens, at a distance
approximately 40 cm. Concentrated sun radiation is converted to
heat energy in absorbers, situated in the focal plane. The heat
is taken away with the flowing water to a hot water storage
tank.

The heat collector is also an ideal skylight. The direct part
of radiation is used for heating the water. The space under the
collector, on the other hand, is not overheated and is evenly
lighted by diffused sun light because the optical system
separates and absorbs the direct part of sun radiation.

The most basic function of this type of collector is hot water
preparation, but the system is also ideal for the construction
of winter gardens and greenhouses. The standard panel is 4.2 m
wide and 2.36 m high and consists of six linear Fresnel lenses
(0.75 x 2.0 m). The system was developed and is distributed by

SOLARGLAS s.r.o
nam. Ceskeho povstani 228
161 00 Praha 6 - Czech Republic
tel./fax: 02/316 32 34