US 4,067,315 AGranted

Solar heat pipe

AssigneeCorning Glass Works

InventorsFrancis P. Fehlner, Ugur Ortabasi

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A heat pipe for converting solar energy into thermal energy comprising an envelope provided with an evaporator region and a condensor region, a quantity of vaporizable working fluid within the envelope, a wick within the envelope having capillary means for transporting the working fluid, and, preferably, evacuated transparent container means surrounding the evaporator region for insulating the evaporator region. The evaporator region of the heat pipe is made from a material which is substantially transparent to radiation in a selected range of the solar spectrum, and a wick therewithin which substantially absorbs radiation in at least a portion of the range of the solar spectrum transmitted through the evaporator region. Solar energy is thereby converted into thermal energy or heat directly within the wick, and the heat generated within the wick causes portions of the working fluid therein to evaporate.

Claims6

Dependent claims

Solar heat pipe apparatus comprising a hermetically sealed envelope having an evaporator region for receiving solar radiation and a condensor region for transferring heat therefrom, a quantity of vaporizable working fluid within said envelope, wick means within said envelope for transporting said working fluid, at least the evaporator region of said envelope having wall portions substantially transparent with respect to radiation in a selected range of the solar spectrum whereby such radiation is transmittable through such wall portions of said evaporator region, said wick means having a surface portion which is substantially absorptive of radiation in at least a portion of said selected range of the solar spectrum, said absorptive surface portion of said wick means being positioned within said envelope adjacent the inner surface of said substantially transparent wall portions to receive and absorb radiation transmitted through such wall portions of the evaporator region whereby solar radiation is converted into heat within said absorptive surface portion for evaporating working fluid in said wick means, a vapor duct surrounded by said wick means for directing the movement of the vaporized working fluid from said evaporator region to said condensor region, said condensor region having wall portions for condensing said vaporized working fluid and for transferring heat therefrom, and evacuated, at least partially transparent, container means surrounding said evaporator region for thermally insulating the wall portions of the evaporator region from the ambience.

A heat pipe device for converting solar energy into thermal energy comprising;

a hermetically sealed, elongated envelope having first and second closed ends;
a quantity of vaporizable working fluid within said envelope;
wick means longitudinally disposed within said envelope for transporting said working fluid by capillary action, said wick means contiguous with an inner surface portion of said envelope and extending a predetermined distance from near the first closed end toward the second closed end of said envelope;
said wick means having a surface portion adjacent said inner surface portion of said envelope which is substantially absorptive of radiation in at least a portion of the visible range of the solar spectrum;
said envelope having an evaporator wall portion which is substantially transparent with respect to at least the portion of the visible range of the solar spectrum substantially absorbed by said surface portion of said wick means, whereby radiation transmitted through said substantially transparent wall portion is absorbed within said absorptive surface portion of said wick means to generate heat within said wick means and evaporate working fluid contained therein;
said envelope having a condensor wall portion oriented to transfer heat therefrom to an external medium;
vapor duct means extending longitudinally within said envelope for directing the vaporized working fluid formed by the heat generated within said wick means toward said condensor wall portion, wherein said vaporized working fluid condenses within said condensor wall portion and releases its heat of vaporization for transfer through said condensor wall portion to said medium, with the condensed working fluid transported by said wick means back to said absorptive surface portion of said wick means within said evaporator wall portion;
and evacuated substantially transparent jacket means hermetically sealed to said envelope for insulating said evaporator wall portion.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 05/625,650Filed 24 Oct 1975
Granted: 10 Jan 1978
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

F28D 15/04
In which the medium condenses and evaporates, e.g. heat pipes: with tubes having a capillary structure
F24S 10/45
In absorbing elements surrounded by transparent enclosures, e.g. evacuated solar collectors: the enclosure being cylindrical
F24S 10/95
Using internal thermosiphonic circulation: having evaporator sections and condenser sections, e.g. heat pipes
F28D 15/0283
In which the medium condenses and evaporates, e.g. heat pipes: means for filling or sealing heat pipes