US2005211238A1PendingUtilityA1

Low cost transpired solar collector

43
Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Mar 23, 2004Filed: Mar 23, 2004Published: Sep 29, 2005
Est. expiryMar 23, 2024(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:John P. Archibald
Y02E10/47F24S 10/503F24S 2025/011Y02E10/44Y02B10/20F24S 10/80F24S 25/63F24S 10/504
43
PatentIndex Score
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Cited by
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References
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Claims

Abstract

A low cost solar collector, or collector system, that employs opposing plate members separated by spiral coils over which a transpired material is interwoven in an alternating or zigzag manner, and further including side closures to form a fluid flow path between the plates. With a transparent or translucent top plate, sun light entering the collector will heat the spiral coils and the transpired material so that fluid flowing through the coils and transpired material will be heated.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . A solar energy collector comprising 
 a transparent or translucent top plate    a bottom plate    a series of fluid permeable supports to space the top and bottom plates apart and to support the top plate    a porous absorber material for converting solar energy to thermal energy, said absorber being arranged alternately above and below said fluid permeable supports, and    two side closure members which cooperate with the top and bottom plates to form a fluid flow chamber wherein fluid flows through the absorber and the fluid permeable supports to remove the heat from the absorber and the supports.    
     
     
         2 . The collector of  claim 1  wherein the top plate is corrugated.  
     
     
         3 . The collector of  claim 1  wherein the top and bottom plates are corrugated.  
     
     
         4 . The collector of  claim 1  wherein the absorber is a polymer material.  
     
     
         5 . The collector of  claim 4  wherein the polymer material comprises a fabric.  
     
     
         6 . The collector of  claim 1  wherein the fluid permeable support comprises a spiral coil.  
     
     
         7 . The collector as in  claim 6  wherein the coil comprises a polymer material.  
     
     
         8 . The collector of  claim 1  wherein the closure member comprises a channel formed from a polymer material.  
     
     
         9 . The collector of  claim 1  further including support clips to attach the plates to a support structure to accommodate thermal expansion.  
     
     
         10 . The collector of  claim 1  wherein the bottom plate is an existing planar structure upon which the other components are placed.  
     
     
         11 . The collector of  claim 1  wherein the bottom plate is an existing corrugated structure and upon which the other components are placed to form a new solar collector system including said corrugated structure.  
     
     
         12 . The collector in  claim 1  where the fluid is air.  
     
     
         13 . The collector as in  claim 1  wherein the tilt angle of the absorber material is adjustable within the collector.  
     
     
         14 . The collector as in  claim 13  wherein the tilt angle is adjusted by varying the size of the fluid permeable supports.  
     
     
         15 . The collector as in  claim 1  further including restraining clips to connect at least portions of an edge of the collector to a support wherein the restraining clips provide vertical restraint but permit horizontal movement.  
     
     
         16 . A solar energy collector comprising: 
 a transparent or translucent top plate,    a series of heat absorbing fluid permeable supports provided at intervals below the top plate and a lower surface to which the supports are affixed    a porous absorber material for converting solar energy to thermal energy, said absorber extending between said fluid permeable supports, and    two side closure members which cooperate with the top plate and the lower surface to form a fluid flow chamber there between wherein fluid flows through the absorber and the fluid permeable supports to remove the heat from the absorber and the fluid permeable supports.    
     
     
         17 . The collector of  claim 16 , wherein the lower surface is a material that can support the absorbing surface, the top plate and any load applied to the collector.  
     
     
         18 . The collector of  claim 16 , wherein the top plate is corrugated.  
     
     
         19 . The collector of  claim 16 , wherein the top plate and lower surface are both corrugated.  
     
     
         20 . The collector of  claim 16  wherein the absorber is a polymer material.  
     
     
         21 . The collector of  claim 20  wherein the polymer material comprises a fabric.  
     
     
         22 . The collector of  claim 16 , wherein the fluid permeable support comprises a spiral coil.  
     
     
         23 . The collector of  claim 22  wherein the coil comprises a polymer material.  
     
     
         24 . The collector of  claim 16 , wherein the closure member comprises a channel formed from a polymer material.  
     
     
         25 . The collector of  claim 16 , further including support clips to attach the top plate and lower surface to a support structure to accommodate thermal expansion.  
     
     
         26 . The collector of  claim 16 , wherein the lower surface is an existing planar structure upon which the other components are placed.  
     
     
         27 . The collector of  claim 16 , wherein the lower surface is an existing corrugated structure and upon which the other components are placed to form a new solar collector system including said corrugated structure.  
     
     
         28 . The collector as in  claim 16  wherein the fluid is air.  
     
     
         29 . The collector as in  claim 16  wherein the tilt angle of the absorber material is adjustable within the collector.  
     
     
         30 . The collector as in  claim 29  wherein the tilt angle is adjusted by varying the size of the fluid permeable supports.  
     
     
         31 . The collector as in  claim 16  further including restraining clips to connect at least portions of an edge of the collector to a support wherein the restraining clips provide vertical restraint but permit horizontal movement.  
     
     
         32 . A solar energy collector comprising: 
 a corrugated top plate,    a corrugated bottom plate,    a sheet of transpired material attached tautly between the tops of the corrugations on the bottom plate and the bottoms of the corrugations on the top plate,    wherein the transpired sheet supports the top plate and    wherein clips at spaced intervals along the side of the collector hold the top and bottom plates to an underlying support.    
     
     
         33 . The collector of  claim 32 , wherein the transpired material is connected to the top plate.  
     
     
         34 . The collector of  claim 33 , wherein the transpired material is attached only at the ends of the top plate.  
     
     
         35 . The collector of  claim 34 , wherein the transpired material is attached to the corrugations in which the transpired material is in contact.  
     
     
         36 . The collector of  claim 32 , wherein the transpired material is connected to the bottom plate.  
     
     
         37 . The collector of  claim 36 , wherein the transpired material is attached only at the ends of the bottom plate.  
     
     
         38 . The collector of  claim 37 , wherein the transpired material is attached to the corrugations in which the transpired material is in contact.  
     
     
         39 . The collector of  claim 32 , wherein the transpired material is attached with an adhesive.  
     
     
         40 . The collector of  claim 32 , wherein the transpired material is attached with hot-melt glue.  
     
     
         41 . The collector of  claim 32 , wherein the transpired material is attached by spot welding.  
     
     
         42 . The collector of  claim 32 , wherein the transpired material is attached by a mechanical device.  
     
     
         43 . The collector of  claim 32 , wherein the transpired material is attached so that a degree of conforming drape exists between the transpired material and the plate structure to which it is attached.  
     
     
         44 . The collector of  claim 32 , wherein the top plate and bottom plate have different corrugated shapes.  
     
     
         45 . The collector of  claim 1 , wherein the supports are tubular.  
     
     
         46 . The collector of  claim 1 , wherein the supports are angled.  
     
     
         47 . The collector of  claim 1 , wherein the supports are “U” shaped.  
     
     
         48 . The collector of  claim 1 , wherein the supports are ribbed.

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