1. A modular thermal panel comprising:
a thermal mass unit having a top and bottom surface and a plurality of outer edges with a central region disposed centrally between the outer edges;
a heat exchanger having connected top and bottom panels with channels formed there between for receiving a heat exchange fluid, the top panel of the heat exchanger being coupled to the bottom surface of the thermal mass unit, the heat exchanger having a channel inlet and a channel outlet which are positioned near the central region of the thermal mass, such that the channel inlet and the channel outlet are offset from the edges of the thermal mass;
an insulation layer having a top surface and a bottom surface, the top surface of the insulation layer being coupled to the bottom surface of the heat exchanger, and such that the heat exchanger is effectively sandwiched between the thermal mass unit and the insulation layer, with groves formed into the bottom surface of the insulation layer;
inlet and outlet tubes coupled to the channel inlet and the channel outlet of the heat exchanger, respectively, for feeding heat exchange fluid to and from the heat exchanger, the inlet and outlet tubes being positioned within the groves formed into the bottom surface of the insulation layer;
wherein the edges of the heat exchanger are substantially aligned with the edges of the thermal mass;
wherein the heat exchanger is made of thermally transmissive material including polymers, stainless steel, aluminium, or copper; and
wherein the thermal mass unit is made of a material which includes modular or formed in place concrete, cement, gypsum concrete, or stone.
2. The modular thermal panel of claim 1 wherein, when the thermal mass unit is coupled to a pedestal:
corners of the insulation layer are removed to expose corners of the heat exchanger;
a corner alignment ring is located between a pedestal and a corner of the thermal mass unit and contacts a corner of the heat exchanger; and
the insulation layer is coupled to the bottom panel of the heat exchanger.
3. The modular thermal panel of claim 2 wherein the corner alignment ring is made of polymers, stainless steel, copper, aluminum or rubber.
4. The modular thermal panel of claim 3 wherein the insulator layer is made of expanded or extruded polystyrene, icynene, urethane or isocyanurate.
5. The modular thermal panel of claim 3 wherein the corner alignment ring located at the corner of the thermal mass unit hold the thermal mass unit in place laterally.
6. The modular thermal panel of claim 5 wherein the corner alignment ring includes vertical alignment tabs for aligning and securing one or more adjacent thermal mass unit in place relative to each other.
7. The modular thermal panel of claim 6 wherein the corner alignment ring includes slots for facilitating cutting of the corner alignment ring into halves or quarters.
8. The modular thermal panel of claim 7 wherein the corner alignment ring has a center boss with a pre-formed hole for receiving a fastener which allows the corner alignment ring to be fastened mechanically to a pedestal or substrate.
9. The modular thermal mass unit of claim 8 wherein the corner alignment ring allows the transfer of weight of the thermal mass unit to be transferred to an underlying pedestal.
10. The modular thermal panel of claim 1 wherein at least one of the inlet or outlet tubes to the heat exchanger is coupled to a connector.
11. The modular thermal panel of claim 10 wherein the connector comprises an O ring that creates a waterproof seal.
12. The modular thermal panel of claim 11 wherein the connector is at least one of a union connector, a friction fit connector, a soldered connector, a brazed connector or a welded connector.
13. The modular thermal panel of claim 1 wherein the inlet and outlet tubes of the heat exchanger are round.
14. The modular thermal panel of claim 13 wherein a coating of thermal mastic is sandwiched between the top panel of the heat exchanger and the bottom surface of the thermal mass unit.
15. The modular thermal panel of claim 14 wherein a membrane interface is located between the thermal mass unit and the heat exchanger.
16. The modular thermal panel of claim 1 wherein the thermal mass unit is an architectural paver with a thickness of three inches or less.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An obstruction lighting system, comprising:
a printed wiring board having a generally planar surface;
a plurality of light emitting diodes mounted to the planar surface of the printed wiring board, a central light emitting axis of the light emitting diodes being oriented generally perpendicularly away from the planar surface;
a reflector coupled to the printed wiring board, the reflector having a first side, a second, opposing side, and an outer surface extending between the first and second sides, the outer surface having the shape of a rotated conic section,
the first side of the reflector facing toward the printed wiring board and the second side of the reflector facing away from the printed wiring board,
the outer surface of the reflector having an optical axis generally perpendicular to the central light emitting axis of the light emitting diodes; and
an auxiliary lighting assembly proximate the second side of the reflector, the auxiliary lighting assembly being configured with an infrared light source such that at least a portion of the infrared light emitted from the obstruction lighting system is generally perpendicular to the printed wiring board.
2. The obstruction lighting system of claim 1 wherein the light emitting diodes are surface-mounted to the printed wiring board.
3. The obstruction lighting system of claim 1 wherein the printed wiring board is configured to block light emissions from the light emitting diodes in a downwardly direction from the obstruction lighting system.
4. The obstruction lighting system of claim 1, further including a power supply configured to operate from an AC power source, the power supply having an electrical input, a first AC-to-DC converter, a DC-to-regulated AC converter, and a second AC-to-DC converter.
5. The obstruction lighting system of claim 1, further including a power supply configured to operate from a DC power source, the power supply having an electrical input, a DC-to-regulated AC converter, and an AC-to-DC converter.
6. The obstruction lighting system of claim 1 wherein the reflector further includes a generally hollow interior portion.
7. The obstruction lighting system of claim 1 wherein the reflector has a developed-shape rotated conic section.
8. The obstruction lighting system of claim 1 wherein the auxiliary lighting assembly is disposed within an interior portion of the reflector.
9. The obstruction lighting system of claim 1, the infrared light source comprising at least one infrared light emitting diode.
10. The obstruction lighting system of claim 9 wherein the auxiliary lighting assembly further includes an auxiliary printed wiring board, the auxiliary light emitting diode being mounted to the auxiliary printed wiring board.
11. The obstruction lighting system of claim 10 wherein the auxiliary printed wiring board comprises a first surface and an opposing second surface, the first and second surfaces having thermally conductive elements, the auxiliary printed wiring board further including at least one thermal via extending between the first and second surfaces and thermally coupled to the thermally conductive elements of the first and second surfaces.
12. The obstruction lighting system of claim 11 wherein the at least one thermal via is located under the auxiliary light emitting diode.
13. The obstruction lighting system of claim 11 wherein the auxiliary lighting assembly is detachably coupled to the printed wiring board with a standoff, the standoff being thermally coupled to the thermally conductive elements of the auxiliary printed wiring board.
14. An obstruction lighting system, comprising:
a housing;
a lens;
a lens retainer intermediate the housing and the lens;
a printed wiring board having a generally planar surface, the printed wiring board being immediately adjacent the lens retainer and in thermal communication therewith;
a plurality of light emitting diodes mounted to the planar surface of the printed wiring board, a central light emitting axis of the light emitting diodes being oriented generally perpendicularly away from the planar surface;
a reflector coupled to the printed wiring board, the reflector having a first side, a second, opposing side, and an outer surface extending between the first and second sides, the outer surface having the shape of a conic cross section, the first side of the reflector facing toward the printed wiring board and the second side of the reflector facing away from the printed wiring board;
the outer surface of the reflector having an optical axis generally perpendicular to the central light emitting axis of the light emitting diodes; and
an auxiliary lighting assembly proximate the second side of the reflector, the auxiliary lighting assembly being configured with an infrared light source such that at least a portion of the infrared light emitted from the obstruction lighting system is generally perpendicular to the printed wiring board.
15. The obstruction lighting system of claim 14, the infrared light source comprising at least one auxiliary infrared light emitting diode.
16. A method for providing obstruction lighting, comprising the steps of:
obtaining a printed wiring board having a generally planar surface;
mounting a plurality of light emitting diodes to the planar surface of the printed wiring board, a central light emitting axis of the light emitting diodes being oriented generally perpendicularly away from the planar surface;
coupling a reflector to the printed wiring board, the reflector having a first side, a second, opposing side, and an outer surface extending between the first and second sides, the outer surface having the shape of a rotated conic section,
the first side of the reflector facing toward the printed wiring board and the second side of the reflector facing away from the printed wiring board,
the outer surface of the reflector having an optical axis generally perpendicular to the central light emitting axis of the light emitting diodes; and
mounting an auxiliary lighting assembly proximate the second side of the reflector, the auxiliary lighting assembly being configured with an infrared light source such that at least a portion of the infrared light emitted from the obstruction lighting system is generally perpendicular to the printed wiring board.
17. An obstruction lighting system, comprising:
a disc having a generally planar surface;
a plurality of light emitting diodes mounted to the planar surface of the disc, a central light emitting axis of the light emitting diodes being oriented generally perpendicularly away from the planar surface;
a reflector coupled to the disc, the reflector having a first side, a second, opposing side, and an outer surface in the shape of a rotated conic section, the outer surface of the reflector extending between the first and second sides and having an optical axis generally perpendicular to the central light emitting axis of the light emitting diodes;
the first side of the reflector facing toward the disc and the second side of the reflector facing away from the disc; and
an auxiliary lighting assembly proximate the second side of the reflector, the auxiliary lighting assembly being configured with an infrared light source such that at least a portion of the infrared light emitted from the obstruction lighting system is generally perpendicular to the disc.
18. The obstruction lighting system of claim 17 wherein:
the reflector includes an interior portion; and
the auxiliary lighting assembly is disposed within the interior portion of the reflector.
19. The obstruction lighting system of claim 1 wherein the printed wiring board is a disc.
20. The obstruction lighting system of claim 8, wherein:
the second side of the reflector includes a rim; and
the auxiliary lighting assembly is disposed within the interior portion of the reflector, below the rim.
21. The method of claim 16 wherein the infrared light source comprises at least one infrared light emitting diode.
22. The obstruction lighting system of claim 17 wherein the infrared light source comprises at least one infrared light emitting diode.