OPTICALLY EFFICIENT AND THERMALLY PROTECTED SOLAR HEATING APPARATUS AND METHOD
First Claim
1. A solar heating apparatus for heating a liquid or aerosol medium, comprising:
- a reflective collector having a substantially concave cross-section shaped for concentrating incident light within a substantially cylindrical concentrating region extending along a length of the reflective collector and within the cross-section;
at least one transparent tube having a cross-sectional center substantially disposed at a center of the concentrating region and a length disposed along the length of the reflective collector, through which the liquid or aerosol medium is conducted;
a porous optically absorbing material or structure disposed within the at least one transparent tube, whereby the liquid or aerosol medium is permitted to percolate through the at least one transparent tube; and
a transparent top for covering the reflective collector and sealing the reflective collector at tops of the sides of the cross-section of the reflective collector along a bottom surface of the transparent cover, whereby another liquid medium can be contained within the volume defined between the outer surface of the at least one transparent tube, the concave surface of the reflective collector and the bottom surface of the transparent top.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An optically efficient and thermally stable solar heating apparatus and method provide efficient heating by using a solar collector having a transparent tube containing a porous absorbent material or structure that permits liquid or aerosol to percolate through the transparent tube. Thermal protection against overheating is provided when the system is drained by a transparent top with a bottom surface that, when in contact with another liquid medium filling the collector, permits incident light to enter and be collected, but when the liquid medium that normally contacts the bottom surface of the top is absent when the system is drained, incident light is reflected. The collector, top and transparent tubes may be extruded and made from the same recyclable plastic material, making the assembly lightweight for installation and ease of structural integration, while facilitating recyclability of the entire collector.
46 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A solar heating apparatus for heating a liquid or aerosol medium, comprising:
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a reflective collector having a substantially concave cross-section shaped for concentrating incident light within a substantially cylindrical concentrating region extending along a length of the reflective collector and within the cross-section; at least one transparent tube having a cross-sectional center substantially disposed at a center of the concentrating region and a length disposed along the length of the reflective collector, through which the liquid or aerosol medium is conducted; a porous optically absorbing material or structure disposed within the at least one transparent tube, whereby the liquid or aerosol medium is permitted to percolate through the at least one transparent tube; and a transparent top for covering the reflective collector and sealing the reflective collector at tops of the sides of the cross-section of the reflective collector along a bottom surface of the transparent cover, whereby another liquid medium can be contained within the volume defined between the outer surface of the at least one transparent tube, the concave surface of the reflective collector and the bottom surface of the transparent top. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11)
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8. The solar heating apparatus of claim 8, wherein he predetermined angular magnitude is substantially equal to 62 degrees.
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12. A method for manufacturing a solar heating apparatus for heating a liquid or aerosol medium, the method comprising:
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extruding a polymeric material to form a collector having multiple collector channels having substantially concave cross-sections disposed along a width of a primary plane of the collector and shaped for concentrating incident light within substantially cylindrical concentrating regions extending along a length of the collector and within the concave cross-sections; disposing an optically reflective coating on the outer surface of the concave cross-sections to form one or more optically reflective surfaces; and locating a plurality of transparent tubes for containing an optically absorbent material or structures within the collector channels, such that the plurality of transparent tubes have cross-sectional centers substantially disposed at center of corresponding ones of the concentrating regions and lengths disposed along the length of the collector. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method for heating a liquid or aerosol medium, comprising:
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providing a reflective collector having a substantially concave cross-section shaped for concentrating incident light within a substantially cylindrical concentrating region extending along a length of the reflective collector and within the cross-section; providing at least one transparent tube having a cross-sectional center substantially disposed at a center of the concentrating region and a length disposed along the length of the reflective collector, wherein the at least one transparent tube contains a porous optically absorbing material or structure; providing the reflective collector with a transparent top and sealing the reflective collector at the ends of the cross-section of the reflective collector at a bottom surface of the transparent top; introducing another liquid medium within the volume defined between the outer surface of the at least one transparent tube, the concave surface of the reflective collector and the bottom surface of the transparent top; and conducting the liquid or aerosol medium through the at least one transparent tube. - View Dependent Claims (23)
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24. A solar heating apparatus for heating a liquid or aerosol medium, comprising:
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a thin-wall polymeric optically transparent structure including a substantially planar top surface for admitting light and at least one curved surface for forming a shaped optical reflector for concentrating the light admitted through the top surface; and a reflective coating disposed on the at least on curved surface for forming the shaped optical reflector. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27)
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Specification