Stoves and furnaces – Solar heat collector – With means to convey fluent medium through collector
Patent
1997-02-28
2000-04-11
Price, Carl D.
Stoves and furnaces
Solar heat collector
With means to convey fluent medium through collector
126684, 126692, 126694, 126698, 126704, 126705, 126707, 126711, 16510426, F24J 332, F24J 210, F24J 212, F24J 250
Patent
active
060476974
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a solar collector and particularly to a solar collector of the sort which operates by collecting and distributing heat by means of vaporisation and condensation of a heat transfer fluid.
In the art, such solar collectors are also called heat tubes or pipes.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Typical prior art solar collectors are disclosed in GB-A-2023804 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,311,131. These collectors comprise a housing within which is located an absorber. The absorber comprises a plate through which heat is transferred to the working or heat transfer fluid contained in an attached tube. AU-B-537408 describes a solar collector comprising an envelope and an absorber within the envelope, the absorber likewise comprising means by which heat is transferred to the heat transfer fluid.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention aims at providing an improved solar collector.
According to one aspect, the present invention provides a solar collector comprising: an envelope; an absorber housed inside the envelope and comprising plates which define an evaporation gap providing communication between a reservoir of heat transfer fluid at a first end of the absorber and a condenser at a second end of the absorber, the arrangement of the plates defining the evaporation gap being such that capillary action between the plates can draw heat transfer fluid from the reservoir along at least a substantial portion of the evaporation gap to the condensor; the absorber serving to transfer heat derived from incident solar radiation to heat transfer fluid contained in the evaporation gap. The envelope may advantageously be evacuated.
Throughout the specification, the term `plate` should be construed broadly, and for the avoidance of doubt, should be understood as including membranes and the like.
By virtue of the heat transfer fluid being drawn from the reservoir into the evaporation gap by capillary action, at any given instant, a large surface area per unit mass of fluid is exposed to the incident solar radiation. In addition, even as the fluid is boiled from the liquid into the vapour phase the volume of liquid in the evaporation gap remains constant due to capillary action, thereby maintaining the favourable exposure of the liquid heat transfer fluid to the incident solar radiation.
Further, the solar collector of the present invention tackles the problem prevalent in some prior art designs of the channel containing the heat transfer fluid overheating immediately after a sunless period, as at least a substantial portion, or possibly all, of the gap is still filled by fluid even when the sun does not shine.
The plates of the absorber can also define a condensate channel providing communication between the condenser and the reservoir.
According to a further aspect, the present invention provides a solar collector comprising: an envelope; an absorber housed inside the envelope and comprising a plurality of plates which define a gap, the gap extending lengthwise, and providing fluid communication, between first and second ends of the absorber, the width of the gap being substantially greater than the spacing between the plates; the absorber serving to transfer heat derived from incident solar radiation to heat transfer fluid contained in the gap. The envelope may advantageously be evacuated.
In an alternative aspect, the invention provides a solar collector comprising: the concentrator is preformed to optimise the concentration of incident solar radiation onto the absorber.
Preferably the concentrator is formed by moulding or extrusion. The concentrator may be formed as a single moulding or extrusion, or as a plurality of moulded or extruded pieces.
In one aspect of the invention, the concentrator comprises a tube of extruded, clear plastics material, having a reflective layer on one of its surfaces to reflect incident solar radiation back onto the absorber. In another aspect, the concentrator is formed of a reflective material and has a substantially parabolic cross-
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Energy International Systems Limited
Price Carl D.
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