Method of fabricating a solar heating unit
AssigneeKennecott Copper Corporation
InventorsJoseph A. Godrick, Joseph L. Sliney
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of fabricating a solar heating unit having tubular conduits for containing high pressure fluids is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of forming a thin sheet of soft metal, preferably a fully annealed copper sheet, by applying sufficient temperature and pressure to creep or thermally form the sheet in a grooved plate using an assembly of the fluid conduits having a paste solder applied thereon. The solder is melted during the creep forming step to form a good metallurgical bond between the sheet and the conduits.
Claims8
A process of fabricating a solar heating unit for heating fluids comprising the steps of
- a. placing a thin, soft, annealed sheet having a good thermal conductivity characteristic in an abutting relation to a grooved surface of a self-supporting, thermally conductive planar plate, the sheet being between one-eight hard and fully annealed,
- b. assembling a plurality of cylindrical elongated hard drawn tubular elements in a spaced apart planar relation, the spacing between said elements equal to the spacing between said grooves, and the contour of said grooves substantially conforming to an attachment portion of the contour of said cylindrical elements,
- c. connecting headers in a fluid-tight connection to the assembled elements to provide fluid flow paths between said headers and through said elements,
- d. applying a thermally conductive paste adhesive along said attachment portion of the elements,
- e. positioning said assembled elements in an aligned relation to the grooves in said plate with said attachment portion abutting said thin sheet, and
- f. pressing said elements against said sheet with sufficient pressure and temperature to creep form said sheet around said attachment portion of said elements, and to simultaneously melt said paste adhesive to thereby provide a good thermally conductive metallurgical bond between the elements and the sheet.
A process of fabricating a solar heating unit for heating fluids comprising the steps of
- a. placing a thin, soft annealed sheet of copper in an abutting relation to a grooved, self-supporting, thermally conductive planar plate, the sheet being substantially fully annealed,
- b. assembling a plurality of circular cross section elongated tubular elements in a spaced apart planar relation, the spacing between elements equal to the spacing between said grooves and the contour of said grooves conforming to an attachment portion of the contour of said cylindrical elements,
- c. connecting headers in a fluid-tight connection to the assembled elements to provide fluid flow paths between said headers and through the elements,
- d. applying a thermally conductive paste solder to an attachment portion of said elements,
- e. positioning said assembled elements in an aligned relation with the grooved plate and with said attachment portion abutting said thin copper sheet, and
- f. heating said sheets to between 600.degree. and 700.degree. F to melt said paste solder and simultaneously applying a pressure force to slowly urge said elements against said sheet to creep form said sheet around substantially one-third of the surface contour of said elements,
- thereby to provide a good large surface, thermally conductive, metallurgical bond between the elements and the sheet.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.