Stoves and furnaces – Solar heat collector – With means to convey fluent medium through collector
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-11
2001-03-06
Lazarus, Ira S. (Department: 3743)
Stoves and furnaces
Solar heat collector
With means to convey fluent medium through collector
C126S621000, C126S711000, C126S714000, C126S709000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06196216
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to solar collectors.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Solar collectors are known in many embodiments. Known solar collectors often have a relatively high efficiency but, as a result of the design requirements, this means that, they have the drawback of high cost.
It is an object of the invention to embody a solar collector such that it can be manufactured with very simple and commercially available materials such that the manufacture can take place with per se known simple means and the solar collector can thereby be manufactured very cheaply.
It is a further object of the invention to embody a solar collector such that it is suitable for manufacture not only in a factory but, if desired, also on-site. This latter embodiment can have the advantage that the collector can be easily adapted to the conditions, whereby, in the case conditions vary slightly from working location to working location, no delay in the work need occur.
A further advantage of manufacturing a solar collector on-site in accordance with the present invention can be that transport problems relating to often vulnerable structures such as solar collectors are essentially prevented. Only optionally pre-processed raw materials have to be transported.
A further advantage of a solar collector according to the invention is that it is integrated into the roof-covering, whereby the water-sealing layer does not have to be drilled through for mounting of a solar collector, that less material is used for both roof-covering and solar collector whereby there is less impact on the environment, and that in the case no heat is absorbed from for instance solar radiation, heat from the building on which the roof-covering lies can be collected before it reaches the outside air.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In respect of the above stated objectives and advantages the invention generally provides a solar collector which has the special feature that:
the cover layer consists of a weather-resistant plastic roof-covering foil;
the tubes consist at least partially of a plastic material welded fixedly to the cover layer;
the carrier layer is provided with recesses in which the tube system is accommodated.
The tubes of the tube system can be embodied as known commercially obtainable tubes. An advantage of this structure is that such tubes possess an excellent technical medium-tightness and are relatively inexpensive. The drawback of such a structure can be that both the cover layer and the tube wall give rise to a certain heat resistance, whereby in combination the heat transfer from the outer surface of the cover layer heated by the sun to the heat transfer medium may leave something to be desired in some conditions.
In respect of the above, the solar collector in this specific embodiment can have the special feature that the tubes are embodied as gutters, the free end zones of which are welded to the cover layer. In this embodiment the stated heat resistance consists solely of the heat resistance formed by the cover layer, whereby an increased efficiency is obtained.
A specific embodiment has the feature that the cover layer consists of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or a foil of thermoplastic olefin (TPO) such as polyethylene (PE), an ethane-propene copolymer (EP) or other weldable materials. It is noted that this material is highly suitable since it has very little tendency to static charting and thus attraction of dirt.
According to a specific aspect the solar collector according to the invention can have the special feature that the cover layer consists of EPROTOP®, Gebr. Kooij, Enschede, the Netherlands.
Alternatively, the cover layer can consist of MECHAFOL®, Gebr. Kooij, Enschede, the Netherlands.
Depending on the nature of the material of the carrier layer, an appropriate technique can be chosen for arranging the recesses. Generally deemed very practical is an embodiment in which the recesses are formed in the carrier layer by milling.
An alternative embodiment has the special feature that the carrier layer with the recesses is formed by means of a correspondingly modelled mould, for instance by moulding, injection moulding or the like.
Different materials can be considered suitable for manufacture of the carrier layer. A very suitable embodiment has the feature that the carrier layer consists at least partially of mineral wool, polyurethane (PU), polystyrene (PS) or the like, optionally with a cover layer consisting of a web of fibre material, for instance glass fibres.
In order to optimize heat transfer a preferred embodiment can have the special feature that the outer surface of the cover layer possesses spectrum-selective properties, is for instance matt black.
For a very good dimensional stability the solar collector can have the special feature that the cover layer comprises a reinforcement.
The tubes can consist off any suitable material. Suitable choices include materials corresponding with the roof-covering.
The invention further provides a method of manufacturing a solar collector of the above specified type. According to the invention this method comprises the following steps, to be performed in suitable sequence, of:
(a) providing a cover layer consisting of a weather-resistant plastic roof-covering foil;
(b) providing elongate structures for forming a tube system;
(c) providing a carrier layer;
(d) welding the elongate structures fixedly to the cover layer to form a tube system coupled inseparably to this cover layer;
(e) modelling or treating the carrier layer such that it acquires recesses into which the tube system fits;
(f) placing the cover layer with the tube system on the carrier layer in register with the recesses.
A specific embodiment comprises the step of
(g) performing step (d) by welding the elongate structures and the cover layer to each other over the nominal elongate contact surfaces by means of a welding head, for instance a hot air blowing device, moved at a chosen speed along said contact surfaces by for instance causing the welding head, in the case of said blowing device, to blow hot air continuously into the pinch between these contact surfaces or by heating these contact surfaces in other manner, followed by pressing thereof such that first melting, followed by pressing, fusing and cooling occur.
Finally, the invention provides a method of the type stated in the foregoing paragraph, comprising the following steps, to be performed in suitable sequence, of:
(h) providing a tray serving as mould;
(i) placing the cover layer with tube system obtained in step (g) into the tray such that the cover layer lies on the bottom of the tray;
(j) filling the tray with curable, optionally foaming plastic, for instance polyurethane (PU);
(k) closing the tray with a cover, at least when foaming plastic is used;
(l) causing the plastic to cure;
(m) removing the finished solar collector.
The invention will now be elucidated with reference to the annexed drawings.
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Lazarus Ira S.
Lee David
Webb Ziesenheim & Logsdon Orkin & Hanson, P.C.
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