Evacuable flat panel solar collector

A flat panel solar collector system, comprising:

• at least one flat panel solar collector adapted to be evacuable and vacuum-tight, said solar collector comprising
• at least one absorber;
• at least one conduit which is at least partially thermally associated with said at least one absorber;
• a holding structure comprising a perimetric frame;
• at least one first transparent wall;
• the first transparent wall and the holding structure having a substantially flat overlapping area, the holding structure overlapping area comprising a metal;
• at least one side of the first transparent wall comprising at least partially at said overlapping area a metal coating comprising a copper layer and tin cover layer forming at least one metallized area on the transparent wall;
• and
• a first soft metal ribbon sealing a junction between a first transparent wall and the holding structure, said metal ribbon comprising at least one of the elements selected from the group consisting of copper and lead, and which is soldered to the holding structure overlapping area comprising said metal with a first soft soldered portion at one inside edge of the ribbon and to the metallized area of the first transparent wall at an opposite outside edge of the ribbon with a second soft soldered portion at said edge of the transparent wall;
• and
• at least one mirror positioned to reflect light onto said at least one first transparent wall of said flat panel solar collector.

A method for preparation of a flat panel solar collector, comprising the steps of:

• providing at least one holding structure comprising a perimetric frame with connection ports, said holding structure having a substantially flat overlapping area comprising a metal, at least one absorber, at least one conduit, at least one first transparent wall, at least one bottom part or at least one second transparent wall, and a metal coating comprising a copper layer and tin cover layer on a side of and at a periphery edge of the first transparent wall;
• providing a soft metal ribbon soldered to said metal coating with a second soft soldered portion at an outside edge of the ribbon at said periphery edge, said metal ribbon comprising at least one of the elements selected from the group consisting of lead and copper;
• providing a getter;
• fitting a spacer into the perimetric frame;
• fitting at least one conduit in thermally associated fashion to the at least one absorber, and into the connection ports of the perimetric frame;
• connecting ends of the conduit to the connecting ports;
• fitting the first transparent wall onto the holding structure;
• soldering said soft metal ribbon to the holding structure overlapping area comprising said metal with a first soft soldered portion at an opposite inside edge of said soft metal ribbon;
• evacuating the solar panel by use of at least one external pump;
• and
• heating the flat panel solar collector for a period of time to provide a sufficient outgassing of the collector and heating the flat panel solar collector in order to activate the getter.

A flat panel solar collector adapted to be evacuable and vacuum-tight, comprising:

• at least one absorber;
• at least one conduit which is at least partially thermally associated with said at least one absorber;
• a holding structure;
• at least one transparent wall;
• the transparent wall and the holding structure having a substantially flat overlapping area, said holding structure overlapping area comprising a metal;
• a side of the first transparent wall comprising at least partially at said overlapping area a metallized area comprising a plasma spread copper layer and tin cover layer on the transparent wall at an edge of the wall;
• a metal ribbon sealing a junction between the first transparent wall and the holding structure by soft soldering with a second soft soldered portion at an outside edge of the ribbon to said transparent wall metalized area and to said holding structure overlapping area comprising said metal with a first soft soldered portion at an opposite inside edge of said ribbon, said ribbon comprising at least one of the elements selected from the group consisting of lead and copper;
• and
• a wall on said holding structure opposite the transparent wall.

A method for preparation of a flat panel solar collector, comprising the steps of:

• providing at least one holding structure having a substantially flat overlapping area comprising a metal, at least one absorber, at least one conduit, at least one top transparent wall, at least one bottom wall, and a metal coating comprising a plasma spread copper layer and tin cover layer at least at a portion of a periphery edge of the transparent wall;
• providing a metal ribbon soldered to said metal coating with a second soft soldered portion at an outside edge of the ribbon at said periphery edge of the wall, said metal ribbon comprising at least one of the elements selected from the group consisting of lead and copper;
• providing a getter;
• fitting at least one conduit in thermally associated fashion to the at least one absorber, and into connection ports in the holding structure;
• connecting ends of the conduit to the connecting ports;
• fitting the transparent wall and bottom wall onto the holding structure;
• soldering said metal ribbon to the holding structure overlapping area comprising said metal with a first soft soldered portion at an opposite inside edge of said soft metal ribbon;
• evacuating the solar panel by use of at least one external pump;
• and
• heating the flat panel solar collector for a period of time to provide a sufficient outgassing of the collector and heating the flat panel solar collector in order to activate the getter.