Solar panel for water-heater

• US 20040255932A1
• Filed: 03/05/2004
• Published: 12/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ocv Intellectual Capital, Llc (Owens Corning)
• Original Assignee: Ocv Intellectual Capital, Llc (Owens Corning)
• Inventors: Nocera, Pierre-Jean
• Granted Patent: US 7,431,030 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 126/634
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 10/501 having conduits of plastic material
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 10/504 having conduits formed by paired non-plane plates
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 80/30 Arrangements for connecting the fluid circuits of solar collectors with each other or with other components, e.g. pipe connections; Fluid distributing means, e.g. headers
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 80/457 made of plastics
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 80/60 Thermal insulation transparent coverings F24S80/50
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/20 Solar thermal
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/44 Heat exchange systems

Abstract

Solar panel for water-heater of the type comprising a heat exchanger made of moulded synthetic material, having a plurality of passages 7 in which a heat-exchanging fluid can circulate and a translucent cover sheet 17 attached to the exchanger with a clearance, characterized in that the heat exchanger constitutes the brace supporting the panel and consists of two identical half-shells 1a, 1b furnished with parallel longitudinal central projecting ribs 2a, 2b and one projecting edging rib 4a, 4b of greater dimension than a central rib, the two half-shells being bonded or heat sealed so that the central ribs define the abovementioned passages 7 and that the respective edging ribs 4a, 4b define a sealed hollow edging frame full of insulating air confined on the periphery of the exchanger.

Claims

1. Solar panel for water-heater of the type comprising a heat exchanger made of moulded synthetic material, having a plurality of passages (7) in which a heat-exchanging fluid can circulate and a translucent cover sheet (17) attached to the exchanger with a clearance, characterized in that the heat exchanger constitutes the brace supporting the panel and consists of two identical half-shells (1a, 1b) furnished with parallel longitudinal central projecting ribs (2) and one projecting edging rib (4) of greater dimension than a central rib, the two half-shells being bonded or heat sealed so that the central ribs define the abovementioned passages (7) and that the respective edging ribs (4a, 4b) define a sealed hollow edging frame full of insulating air confined on the periphery of the exchanger.

2. Solar panel according to claim 1, characterized in that the two half-shells (1a, 1b) also comprise two transverse projecting ribs (5) of the same dimension as a longitudinal rib (2) and defining on two sides of the exchanger two collector channels (8) in communication with the ends of the abovementioned passages (7).

3. Solar panel according to claim 2, characterized in that it comprises at least two attached conduits (11) for the inlet and outlet of the heat-exchanging fluid, the conduits passing through the hollow edging frame while remaining sealed and emerging into the collector channels (8).

4. Solar panel according to claim 3, characterized in that each conduit (11) is fitted with a threaded captive connector nut (16).

5. Solar panel according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cover sheet (17) is bonded or heat sealed onto the hollow edging frame to define the upper face of the panel.

6. Solar panel according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an insulating material (21) is placed on the lower face of the panel.

7. Solar panel according to claim 6, characterized in that the insulating material (21) is delimited by the hollow edging frame and is of such thickness that it does not project substantially relative to the said edging frame.

8. Solar water-heater, characterized in that it comprises one or more panels, as defined in any one of the preceding claims, interconnected in series.