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US 2011/0226233 A1Published application
Method and Apparatus for Collecting Solar Energy
OwnerJohn Randall Schwarz, Jeffrey Lawrence Deeinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Various embodiments for an improved solar collector are disclosed. For example, a heat absorber can be positioned inside an evacuated chamber formed by a frame and a transparent cover. Heat absorbed by the heat absorber within the evacuated chamber can be delivered to a heat transfer fluid inside a chamber of a heat exchanger. The heat exchanger chamber can also reside in the evacuated chamber. In a preferred embodiment, the heat absorber comprises a planar heat pipe. Also in a preferred embodiment, a reflector can be positioned to reflect energy radiated by the heat absorber back to the heat absorber.
Claims113
An apparatus for collecting solar energy, the apparatus comprising:
- a planar heat pipe configured to absorb heat;
- a frame surrounding the planar heat pipe, the frame forming a chamber within which at least a portion of the heat pipe resides;
- and
- a transparent cover engaged with the frame to enclose the chamber;
- and
- wherein the chamber comprises an evacuated chamber.
3 more elements
The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the heat exchanger comprises a multi-chamber bidirectional flow manifold heat exchanger.
A method for collecting solar energy, the method comprising:
- absorbing heat with a solar collector, the solar collector comprising a planar heat pipe positioned inside an evacuated chamber formed by a frame and a transparent cover.
An apparatus for collecting solar energy, the apparatus comprising:
- a planar heat pipe configured to absorb heat, the heat pipe having a plurality of holes;
- a frame, the frame comprising a bottom member and a plurality of sidewalls forming a chamber within which the heat pipe resides;
- a transparent cover engaged with the frame to enclose and seal the chamber, wherein the chamber comprises an evacuated chamber;
- a heat exchanger in cooperation with the heat pipe, the heat exchanger comprising a heat exchanger chamber and an output, the heat exchanger being configured to receive and transfer the heat absorbed by the heat pipe to the output, wherein the heat exchanger chamber is positioned inside the evacuated chamber;
- and
- a plurality of free-floating pins positioned to support the heat pipe without the heat pipe contacting the frame, the pins having a bottom portion for engaging the bottom member and a top portion for engaging the transparent cover, and wherein the pins pass through the heat pipe holes.
3 more elements
An apparatus for collecting solar energy, the apparatus comprising:
- a heat absorber configured to absorb heat;
- a frame adapted to form a chamber within which at least a portion of the heat absorber resides;
- a transparent cover engaged with the frame to enclose the chamber, the cover configured to permit solar energy to enter the chamber and impact the heat absorber;
- and
- a reflector positioned and configured to reflect energy radiated by the heat absorber back to the heat absorber.
2 more elements
A method comprising:
- within a solar collector having a heat absorber positioned inside a chamber, reflecting energy radiated by the heat absorber back to the heat absorber with a reflector.
A method comprising:
- within a solar collector having a heat absorber positioned inside a chamber, the chamber being formed by a bottom member, a plurality of side walls and a transparent cover, positioning an energy reflector between the heat absorber and the bottom member.
An apparatus comprising:
- a flat plate solar collector having an evacuated chamber within which a heat absorber and a reflector are positioned, the reflector being positioned beneath the heat absorber for reflecting energy radiated by the heat absorber back to the heat absorber.
An apparatus for collecting solar energy, the apparatus comprising:
- a heat absorber configured to absorb heat;
- a frame surrounding the heat absorber, the frame forming a chamber within which the heat absorber resides;
- a transparent cover engaged with the frame to enclose and seal the chamber, wherein the chamber comprises an evacuated chamber;
- and
- a heat exchanger in cooperation with the heat absorber, the heat exchanger comprising a heat exchanger chamber and an output, the heat exchanger being configured to receive and transfer the heat absorbed by the heat absorber to the output, wherein the heat exchanger chamber is positioned inside the evacuated chamber.
2 more elements
A method for collecting solar energy, the method comprising:
- absorbing heat with a heat absorber, wherein the heat absorber is positioned inside an evacuated chamber formed by a frame and a transparent cover of a solar collector;
- and
- transferring the absorbed heat to a heat exchanger, the heat exchanger comprising a heat exchanger chamber, wherein the heat exchanger chamber is also positioned inside the evacuated chamber.
An apparatus for collecting solar energy, the apparatus comprising:
- a heat absorber configured to absorb heat, the heat absorber comprising a plurality of holes;
- a frame, the frame comprising a bottom member and a plurality of sidewalls that form a chamber within which the heat absorber resides;
- a transparent cover engaged with the frame to enclose and seal the chamber, wherein the chamber comprises an evacuated chamber;
- and
- a plurality of free-floating pins positioned to support the heat absorber without the heat absorber contacting the frame, the pins having a bottom portion for engaging the bottom member and a top portion for engaging the transparent cover, and wherein the pins pass through the heat absorber holes.
2 more elements
A method for collecting solar energy, the method comprising:
- absorbing heat with a heat absorber wherein the heat absorber is positioned inside an evacuated chamber formed by a frame and a transparent cover of a solar collector, the heat absorber comprising a plurality of holes;
- and
- supporting the heat absorber within the frame with a plurality of free-floating pins that pass through the heat absorber holes, the pins positioned to support the heat absorber without the heat absorber contacting the frame, the pins having a bottom portion for engaging a bottom member of the frame and a top portion for engaging the transparent cover.
An apparatus for collecting solar energy, the apparatus comprising:
- a vacuum pump line for connection to a vacuum pump;
- a plurality of branch vacuum pump lines for connection to the vacuum pump line;
- a plurality of solar collectors connected to at least one of the branch vacuum pump lines to form an array of solar collectors, each solar collector comprising an evacuated chamber, a heat absorber positioned at least partially inside the chamber, and a tube valve for connection to the at least one branch vacuum pump line;
- and
- a solenoid valve connecting the vacuum pump line with the at least one branch vacuum pump line, the solenoid valve being configured to open and close to maintain a vacuum pressure inside the chambers of the solar collectors in the array and isolate the solar collectors in the array from the vacuum pump line in response to a control signal.
2 more elements
A method for collecting solar energy, the method comprising:
- collecting energy with a plurality of solar collectors, each solar collector comprising an evacuated chamber and a heat absorber positioned inside the evacuated chamber;
- and
- using at least one solenoid valve to maintain a vacuum pressure inside the evacuated chambers and isolated the evacuated chambers from an upstream vacuum pressure fault.
An apparatus for collecting solar energy, the apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of branch pipe lines;
- a trunk pipe line configured to deliver heat transfer fluid to the plurality of branch pipe lines;
- and
- a plurality of solar collectors serially connected to at least one of the branch pipe lines to form an array of solar collectors.
1 more element
A method comprising:
- delivering heat transfer fluid from a trunk pipe line to a plurality of branch pipe lines, wherein at least one of the branch pipe lines comprises a plurality of solar collectors serially connected to form an array of solar collectors;
- and
- collecting energy with the array of solar collectors to heat the delivered heat transfer fluid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.