초록 ▼

This invention relates to a more cost effective construction of an air type flat-plate solar collector. More particularly the invention has reference to replacing the usual combination of insulation backing and a good thermally conducting metal black absorber surface by a single, specially grooved a

This invention relates to a more cost effective construction of an air type flat-plate solar collector. More particularly the invention has reference to replacing the usual combination of insulation backing and a good thermally conducting metal black absorber surface by a single, specially grooved and blackened, foam insulation type absorber surface. The airstream flows mainly inside the grooves to minimize its contact with the transparent cover. This new configuration saves weight, materials and cost, and shows little or no loss in performance during steady state efficiency tests. Due to the low thermal capacity of the foam absorber surface the collector warms up very quickly and often the internal thermal switch will actuate the fan motor within five minutes after exposure to solar radiation. This low time lag allows it to collect more heat during a day with intermittent sunshine than a collector with identical efficiency but with a metal absorber of greater thermal capacity which takes longer to warm up.

대표청구항 ▼

In a solar collector for transferring solar energy to air, the improvement comprising: a black absorber for absorbing solar energy impinging thereon having a plurality of adjoining grooves, said plurality of grooves being V or U-shaped and having deeply cut sides diverging rom the bottom of the groo

In a solar collector for transferring solar energy to air, the improvement comprising: a black absorber for absorbing solar energy impinging thereon having a plurality of adjoining grooves, said plurality of grooves being V or U-shaped and having deeply cut sides diverging rom the bottom of the groove to substantially increase both the radiation absorptivity by generating multiple reflections and the heat transfer surface area of said black absorber, said black absorber being formed by blackened insulating foam having numerous exposed air pockets to thereby increase the surface heat transfer coefficient; and a flat smooth diaphanous surface mounted in close proximity to said plurality of grooves in said black absorber in order to force substantially all the air in said solar collector to be conveyed by said plurality of grooves.