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US 4,304,222 AGranted
Low profile evacuated-bottle solar collector module
OwnerHarry E. Novingerinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A low profile, light weight and economical evacuated-bottle solar collector module is described. A row of off-shelf high vacuumware bottles as used for soup or coffee, without their usual reflective silvering, are fitted with absorbers and have their open ends fixed in grooves for support and thermal insulation in a combination insulation-support carrying frame. Holes are adapted in the frame for passage of the heat transfer fluid. Additional insulation members form header ducts for an air transfer medium or provide insulation and support of liquid tight tubing for a liquid transfer medium.
Claims7
An evacuated-bottle solar collector module comprising;
- a row of vacuum insulated bottles having one mouth each;
- absorber means associated with the bottles for heat absorption and the absorber means for each bottle comprises a plate absorber approximately parallel the axis of the bottle, extending approximately through the length of the bottle, through its respective frame hole and into the combination inlet-outlet header duct ending in a down stream direction;
- a carrying frame having portions defining holes, the frame disposed beneath the bottles and carrying the bottles in spaced relation in grooves in its top surface centered about its holes, the carrying frame further comprised of rigid insulation, at least one surface of each bottle mouth additionally insulated and fixed by each groove, and the carrying frame having at least one surface reflective;
- means for fixing the bottle mouths to carrying frame for bottle support;
- header duct means fixed beneath the carrying frame for passage of a heat transfer fluid into and out of the module and this means having ducts comprised of rigid insulation, at least one surface reflective and comprising a combination inlet-outlet duct;
- bottle duct means associated with the carrying frame holes, the bottles and the absorber means for ducting the heat transfer fluid into and out of the bottles, the bottle duct means for each bottle having two ducts and a portion of one formed by the hole in the carrying frame and further comprising an air deflector between one side of the plate and one side of the combination inlet-outlet duct for directing a quantity of the header duct air stream into the bottle ducts, each deflector next down stream progressively larger than the one next up stream for progressively increasing an in-series controlled quantity of air to flow through each respective located bottle;
- means for fluid tight communication between the header duct means and the bottle duct means;
- and,
- reflector means spaced behind the bottles and fixed for support to the carrying frame for reflecting heat into the bottles.
6 more elements
An evacuated-bottle solar collector module comprising;
- a row of vacuum insulated bottles having one mouth each;
- absorber means associated with the bottles for heat absorption;
- a carrying frame having portions defining holes, the frame disposed beneath the bottles and carrying the bottles in spaced relation in grooves in its top surface centered about its holes, the carrying frame further comprised of rigid insulation, at least one surface of each bottle mouth additionally insulated and fixed by each groove and having one surface reflective;
- means for fixing the bottle mouths to the carrying frame for bottle support;
- header duct means fixed beneath the carrying frame for passage of a heat transfer fluid into and out of the module and this means having ducts comprised of rigid insulation, at least one surface of the header ducts reflective and comprising a combination inlet-outlet duct;
- bottle duct means associated with the carrying frame holes, the bottles and the absorber means for ducting the heat transfer fluid into and out of the bottles, the bottle duct means for each bottle having two ducts and a portion of one formed by the hole in the carrying frame and further having the portion of one of its ducts that is within its respective bottle of a size approximately the volume of the bottle and equipped with absorbing characteristics, a lower portion of this duct extending into and in direction of the header duct air stream, the lower end of this bottle duct having a deflector across the header duct stream for directing a quantity of the header duct air stream into the bottle ducts, each deflector down stream progressively larger than the one next upstream for progressively increasing an in-series controlled quantity of air to flow through each respective bottle;
- means for fluid tight communication between the header duct means and the bottle duct means;
- and
- reflector means spaced behind the bottles and fixed for support to the carrying frame for reflecting heat into the bottles.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.