초록 ▼

There is disclosed an electromagnetic energy collector assembly in which a transparent cylindrical glass tube made from common glass tubing lengths is sealed under vacuum at one end to an inner cylindrical energy absorber having a plurality of grooves on the exterior surface. The inner absorber may

There is disclosed an electromagnetic energy collector assembly in which a transparent cylindrical glass tube made from common glass tubing lengths is sealed under vacuum at one end to an inner cylindrical energy absorber having a plurality of grooves on the exterior surface. The inner absorber may be constructed of glass, metal, or other material and the energy absorbing surfaces have grooves which may be helical, or parallel or longitudinal to the normal axis of the absorber. One or more of energy collectors are connected into a manifold for circulation of a fluid working media, e.g., gas or water, which is eventually utilized in any application of thermal energy, e.g., heating, cooling or driving a turbine. The collector assembly is particularly useful in the collection of solar energy.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An energy absorber system for heating fluid therein responsive to impingement by energy within the electromagnetic spectrum, comprising: (a) a rigid outer tube member substantially transparent to predetermined bandwidths within said electromagnetic spectrum, said outer tube member having an ou

1. An energy absorber system for heating fluid therein responsive to impingement by energy within the electromagnetic spectrum, comprising: (a) a rigid outer tube member substantially transparent to predetermined bandwidths within said electromagnetic spectrum, said outer tube member having an outer tube member axis line; (b) a first inner tube member containing said fluid to be heated, being mounted internal said outer tube member substantially coincident with said outer tube member axis line, said outer and first inner tube members being spaced each from the other defining an evacuated chamber therebetween, said first inner tube member having grooves formed on an external surface thereof, and a substantially smooth inner surface for providing substantially linearly directed fluid flow in said axis line direction, said grooves defining an included angle within the approximate range between 3.0° to 30.0°, said grooves having a metallic coating formed thereon adapted to provide a plurality of reflections of said energy within said grooves; and, (c) a second inner tube member mounted internal said first inner tube member, said first and second inner tube members being spaced each from the other, said fluid to be heated entering said energy absorber system within an annular space defined by said substantially smooth inner surface of said first inner tube member and a substantially smooth external surface of said second inner tube member between said first and second inner tube members and exiting through said second inner tube member in a linearly directed manner. 2. The energy absorber system as recited in claim 1 where said grooves formed on said external surface of said first inner tube member extend over substantially the entire circumference of said first inner tube and substantially throughout a length of said first inner tube member in a direction coincident with said axis line, said first inner tube member being impinged by said energy within said electromagnetic spectrum over a full 360° arc. 3. The energy absorber system as recited in claim 2 where said grooves are formed in accordance with the relation: ##EQU##H/W>10.0 where: H=height of said grooves above said external surface of said first inner tube member W=width between successive grooves. 4. The energy absorber system of claim 1 wherein the first inner tube member is constructed of glass, coated with a film of metal of low emissivity. 5. The energy absorber system of claim 1 wherein the first inner tube member is constructed of glass, coated with a solar selective coating. 6. The energy absorber system of claim 1 wherein the first inner tube member is constructed of metal.