Solar panel

Abstract

A solar panel includes a circumferential upstanding rim defining a cavity therein. An insulating layer is mounted in the cavity and extends substantially completely across the cavity. A metal heat-exchanger sheet is overlaid onto the insulating layer and substantially entirely covers said insulating layer. A light-transmissive sheet overlays the heat exchanger sheet and is mounted to the rim. An array of fluid transmission tubes are mounted to the heat-exchanger sheet by welding closed of channels in the sheet so as to tightly encase the tubes in the channels. The fluid transmission tubes conduct a flow of heat-exchanger fluid in a heat exchange circuit.

1 . A solar panel comprising a frame having
 a circumferential upstanding rim and defining a cavity therein,   an insulating layer mounted in said cavity and extending substantially completely across said cavity so as to abut said rim substantially contiguously around said rim,   a heat-exchanger sheet made substantially of collector sheet metal overlaid onto said insulating layer and substantially entirely covering said insulating layer,   at least one light-passing sheet overlaying said heat exchanger sheet and mounted to said rim at edges of said light-passing sheet,   an array of fluid transmission tubes mounted to said heat-exchanger sheet, said fluid transmission tubes conducting a flow of heat-exchanger fluid in a heat exchange circuit,   wherein said array of fluid transmission tubes is mounted to, so as to lay substantially flush along, said heat-exchanger sheet within a corresponding array of channels formed in said heat-exchanger sheet,   and wherein each channel in said array of channels is wrapped snugly around each corresponding tube in said array of fluid transmission tubes for direct metal-to-metal heat transfer of heat from said heat-exchanger sheet to said array of fluid transmission tubes, and wherein said each channel when so wrapped forms a seam of adjacent folds in said heat-exchanger sheet along upper edges of said each channel when formed into said snug wrapping around said each corresponding tube, and wherein said seam is welded closed with a weld thereby tightening closed said seam and consequently tightening said snug wrapping.   
     
     
         2 . The panel of  claim 1  wherein said collector sheet metal is aluminium sheet. 
     
     
         3 . The panel of  claim 2  wherein said edges are closely adjacent along said seam. 
     
     
         4 . The panel of  claim 2  wherein said light-passing sheet is maintained spaced above said heat-exchanger sheet so as to maintain an air gap therebetween. 
     
     
         5 . The panel of  claim 1  wherein said collector sheet metal is aluminium sheet and said array of tubes is a substantially parallel array of tubes and wherein an inlet header and an outlet header are mounted in fluid communication with said array of tubes at, respectively, inlet and outlet ends of said array. 
     
     
         6 . The panel of  claim 5  wherein said inlet end of said array is at an end adapted to be mounted elevated above said outlet end of said array. 
     
     
         7 . The panel of  claim 6  wherein said inlet header is a hollow member having an array of orifices each in fluid communication with a corresponding tube of said array of tubes for simultaneous metering of said fluid into each tube of said array of tubes, and wherein said aluminium sheet is of a thickness less than or substantially equal to 24 gauge, and wherein said thickness is sufficient for said weld to be welded to said seam. 
     
     
         8 . The panel of  claim 1  wherein said light-passing sheet is a plurality of glass sheets in a linear array mounted to said rim, and wherein adjacent glass sheets in said linear array overlap along their common edges. 
     
     
         9 . The panel of  claim 8  wherein said panel has an upper end and an opposite lower end and wherein said upper end is adapted to be elevated above said lower end, and wherein said overlap between said adjacent glass sheets is a cascading overlap wherein a lower-most edge of an upper sheet overlaps on top of an upper-most edge of a lower sheet. 
     
     
         10 . The panel of  claim 9  wherein every said overlap between said adjacent sheets is a said cascading overlap. 
     
     
         11 . The panel of  claim 9  wherein a first hooked member is mounted in said overlap so as to support and mount said common edges to one another. 
     
     
         12 . The panel of  claim 11  wherein said first hooked member forms a common-edge receiving channel in a hook of said first hooked member for receiving one of said common edges in said channel, and wherein a planar flange portion of said hooked member is adhesively mountable to another of said common edges. 
     
     
         13 . The panel of  claim 1  wherein a second hooked member is mounted to said rim, and wherein said second hooked member has a hook portion forming an edge receiving channel for mounting therein of an edge of said light-passing sheet, and wherein said second hooked member has a planar portion mounted to said rim. 
     
     
         14 . The panel of  claim 13  wherein said edge of said light-passing sheet is adhesively mounted in said edge receiving channel. 
     
     
         15 . The panel of  claim 14  wherein said edge-receiving channel extends, substantially entirely along a corresponding said edge of said light-passing sheet. 
     
     
         16 . The panel of  claim 15  wherein said edge-receiving channel extends completely along longitudinal edges of said rim. 
     
     
         17 . The panel of  claim 13  wherein a moisture deflecting cap is mounted on said second hooked member to inhibit ingress of moisture into said edge-receiving channel. 
     
     
         18 . The panel of  claim 13  wherein said panel is adapted for flush mounting adjacent a second said panel by a pair of said second hooked members mounted oppositely disposed along said rim so as to oppositely dispose on said rim a corresponding pair of said edge receiving channels. 
     
     
         19 . The panel of  claim 18  further comprising fasteners mounting said pair of second hooked members to an upper edge of said rim. 
     
     
         20 . The panel of  claim 13  further comprising fasteners mounting said second hooked member to an upper edge of said rim. 
     
     
         21 . The panel of  claim 13  further comprising a drip gutter mounted between said second hooked member and an upper edge of said rim. 
     
     
         22 . The panel of  claim 21  further comprising a moisture impervious flexible sheet mounted sandwiched between said drip gutter and said upper edge of said rim. 
     
     
         23 . The panel of  claim 22  wherein said flexible sheet extends from said rim under said insulating layer.