Solar collector panel

A solar collector panel comprising in combination:

• a first fiberglass matrix saturated with a catalyzed liquiform resin;
• a second fiberglass matrix saturated with a catalyzed liquiform resin;
• a layer of porous honeycomb material bonded between said first and second fiberglass matrices, said layer comprising a plurality of individual cell structures wherein the walls of essentially each cell structure are substantially perpendicular to the surface of one of said matrices, are resin-saturated and are integrally bonded to at least one of said fiberglass matrices;
• and
• a layer of gel coat type material bonded to the surface of one of said first or second matrices;
• a plurality of tubes bonded in heat-transfer relation to said gel coat type material.

A solar collector comprising:

• a first fiberglass matrix saturated with a catalyzed liquiform resin;
• a layer of black gel coat type material bonded to the surface of said first fiberglass matrix;
• a plurality of tubes bonded in heat-transfer relation to said layer of black gel coat type material;
• a second fiberglass matrix saturated with a catalyzed liquiform resin, said second fiberglass matrix being draped over said tubes so as to form an insulating air pocket about each tube;
• a third fiberglass matrix saturated with a catalyzed liquiform resin;
• a layer of honeycomb material bonded between said second and third fiberglass matrices, said layer of honeycomb material comprising a plurality of individual cell structures that are substantially perpendicular to the surface of one of said matrices;
• and
• a layer of clear gel coat type material bonded to the exterior surface of said third fiberglass matrix, said layer of clear gel coat type material comprising a substance for screening out ultraviolet rays.

A method of manufacturing solar collector panels, comprising the steps of:

• saturating a first layer of fiberglass mat with a catalyzed liquiform resin;
• placing a first layer of unimpregnated, porous material having a honeycomb structure onto said saturated first layer of fiberglass mat;
• sealing said first honeycomb layer by placing a gas-impervious layer of material on top of said first honeycomb layer;
• liberating styrene gas in response to said sealing step, thereby causing said resin to be at least partially drawn up into said first honeycomb layer;
• removing said gas-impervious layer after said resin has at least partially cured;
• saturating a second layer of fiberglass mat with catalyzed liquiform resin and placing said second layer on top of said first honeycomb layer;
• bonding a plurality of tubes to the second fiberglass layer as the resin of the second fiberglass layer is cured;
• saturating a third layer of fiberglass mat with catalyzed liquiform resin and draping said third layer over said tubes;
• placing a second layer of honeycomb structure material on top of said third fiberglass layer;
• and
• saturating a fourth fiberglass mat layer with catalyzed liquiform resin and placing said fourth layer on top of said second honeycomb layer, so as to form an enclosed solar collector panel.