초록 ▼

The solar thermal collector system of this invention consists of an evacuated glass solar collector, a heat storage system, and a tubular heat pipe system to transfer heat from the evacuated glass solar collector directly to the heat source system. The evacuated glass solar collector has substantial

The solar thermal collector system of this invention consists of an evacuated glass solar collector, a heat storage system, and a tubular heat pipe system to transfer heat from the evacuated glass solar collector directly to the heat source system. The evacuated glass solar collector has substantially parallel linear concentrating troughs with mirror surface in vacuum which concentrate, approximately ideally, solar radiation onto internal glass tubes coated with selective absorber. The selective absorber converts the concentrated solar radiation into heat. The tubular heat pipe system consists of a plurality heat pipes. The evaporating end of each tubular heat pipe receives heat from solar radiatiion and transfers it directly to the condensing end of the heat pipes. The condensing end of each metal heat pipe is in good thermal contact with the heat storage tank of the heat storage system. The heat storage system has means of limiting the maximum temperature of the stored heat and means of removal of the heat for use. The solar thermal collector system of this invention forms a simple, compact, integrated unit of low cost and high efficiency which can be combined with other units to form an array of larger area.

대표청구항 ▼

A solar thermal collector system, one of a class of devices which converts solar radiation into heat and transmits this heat to storage from whence it is utilized, comprising: an evacuated glass solar collector, the evacuated glass solar collector having a glass vacuum envelope, the upper portion of

A solar thermal collector system, one of a class of devices which converts solar radiation into heat and transmits this heat to storage from whence it is utilized, comprising: an evacuated glass solar collector, the evacuated glass solar collector having a glass vacuum envelope, the upper portion of the glass vacuum envelope also serving as window to pass solar radiation, the evacuated glass solar collector having a multiplicity of substantially parallel linear adjacent concentrating troughs, each trough shaped and mirror surfaced so as concentrate solar radiation in the vacuum, the mirror surface inside the vacuum and the concentration approximately ideal, the multiplicity of substantially parallel linear adjacent troughs extending substantially over the entire length and width of the evacuated glass solar collector, the upper portion of the glass vacuum envelope joined to the lower portion of the glass vacuum envelope between each trough substantially along the entire length of each trough, the upper portion of the glass vacuum envelope joined to the lower portion to the glass vacuum envelope around the outer perimeter of the evacuated glass solar collector so as to provide a glass vacuum seal, the evacuated glass solar collector having a multiplicity of glass absorbing tubes, each glass absorbing tube coated with selective absorber, each glass absorbing tube positioned in vacuum in corresponding substantially parallel linear adjacent trough, and extending substantially along the entire length of the trough, so as to receive the concentrated solar radiation, each glass absorbing tube having one end closed inside the vacuum near one end of the corresponding trough, each glass absorbing tube having glass vacuum seal at the other end near the opposing end of the corresponding substantially parallel linear adjacent trough, each glass absorbing tube having means of heat pipe removal of the collected heat through the glass vacuum sealed end, the glass of the evacuated glass solar collector being like glass; a heat storage system, the heat storage system adjacent to the evacuated glass solar collector, the heat storage system having a heat storage tank which is thermally insulated, the heat storage tank containing a heat storage medium, and the heat storage system including means of removal of heat from the heat storage tank for utilization; a tubular heat pipe system, the tubular heat pipe system having an evaporator portion, the evaporator portion comprising primarily of a multiplicity of substantially parallel linear adjacent tube members, the evaporator portion inside the glass vacuum envelope so as to receive the heat from the concentrated solar radiation with the substantially parallel linear adjacent tube members in each corresponding substantially parallel linear adjacent trough and extending substantially over the entire length of each trough, the tubular heat pipe system having an adiabatic portion, the adiabatic portion proceeding directly from the evaporator portion to exit from the part of the glass vacuum envelope closest to the heat storage tank, the tubular heat pipe system having a condenser portion, the adiabatic portion proceeding directly from the glass vacuum envelope to the condenser portion, the condenser portion having means of efficient transfer of heat to the heat storage tank and heat storage medium, the tubular heat pipe system suitable for passing vapors from the evaporator portion to the condenser portion, and return of condensed vapors from the condenser portion to the evaporator portion, but substantially limiting the passing of condensed vapors from the evaporator portion to the condenser portion; and with the solar thermal collector system having means of limiting the maximum temperature reached by the heat storage tank.