Solar collector with fiber material absorber layer

A solar collector for converting solar radiation to heat energy over a specified surface area and for collecting the heat energy by trickle feeding heat transfer fluid over an absorber surface, comprising:

• a glazing first layer for receiving and passing incident solar radiation over the specified surface area;
• an impervious backing layer spaced from the glazing first layer;
• an absorber layer sandwiched between the glazing first layer and backing layer, said glazing first layer and backing layer contacting the absorber layer on opposite sides across said surface area of the solar collector to avoid condensation and fogging on the inside surface of the glazing first layer;
• said absorber layer comprising a layer of woven or nonwoven fabric fiber material having radiation absorbing surfaces defining capillary channels and spaces in the absorber layer between the glazing first layer and backing layer, said absorber layer of fabric fiber material being formed with a radiation absorbing color and defining a relatively high surface area to volume ratio trickle feed absorber surface through the absorber layer;
• said solar collector being constructed with a collecting orientation having an open top end and an open bottom end communicating with the absorber layer;
• a heat transfer fluid inlet channel coupled to the open top end communicating with the absorber layer, said heat transfer fluid inlet channel being formed with at least one opening for trickle feeding heat transfer fluid by gravity through the capillary channels and spaces of the absorber layer, said glazing first layer being formed over the heat transfer fluid inlet channel at the open top end of the solar collector, said absorber layer of fabric fiber material being wrapped around the heat transfer fluid inlet channel under the glazing first layer for trickle feeding of the heat transfer fluid from the at least one opening of the heat transfer fluid inlet channel into the absorber layer;
• said glazing first layer and backing layer overlapping the heat transfer fluid inlet channel and absorber layer to form a top edge of the solar collector, said glazing first layer and backing layer being bonded together at the top edge of the solar collector;
• and a heat transfer fluid outlet channel coupled to the open bottom end communicating with the absorber layer for delivering heated fluid, said heat transfer fluid outlet channel being formed inside the backing layer at the open bottom end of the solar collector communicating with the absorber layer, said absorber layer of fabric fiber material being formed with a terminating end at said outlet channel for delivering heated fluid, said glazing first layer and bottom layer overlapping the heat transfer fluid outlet channel and absorber layer to form a bottom edge of the solar collector, said glazing first layer and backing layer being bonded together at the bottom edge of the solar collector;
• said first glazing layer and backing layer defining the walls of a circulating manifold contacting and confining the absorber layer and heat transfer fluid between the heat transfer fluid inlet and outlet channels.