Heat collector

Abstract

A heat collector is disclosed. The heat collector includes a heat collecting part to receive external heat while working fluid as a heat transfer medium flows therethrough, a heat insulating part provided to surround the heat collecting part so as to decrease heat loss of the heat collecting part, and a reflecting membrane formed in the heat insulating part to reflect and concentrate incident light onto the heat collecting part. Accordingly, since the reflecting membrane is positioned around the heat collecting part, incident light can be concentrated on the heat collecting part. Since the vacuum part is provided between the heat collecting part and the heat insulating part, heat radiation from the heat collecting part due to convection and conduction is decreased. Efficiency of the overall system is enhanced.

1 . A heat collector comprising: a heat collecting part to receive external heat while working fluid as a heat transfer medium flows through the heat collecting part; a heat insulating part provided to surround the heat collecting part so as to decrease heat loss of the heat collecting part; and a reflecting membrane formed in the heat insulating part so as to reflect and concentrate incident light onto the heat collecting part. 
   
   
       2 . The heat collector according to  claim 1 , wherein the reflecting membrane is formed to be rounded, centering on the heat collecting part. 
   
   
       3 . The heat collector according to  claim 1 , wherein the reflecting membrane is made of a material capable of reflecting the incident light to the heat collecting part so that the incident light is concentrated on the heat collecting part. 
   
   
       4 . The heat collector according to  claim 3 , wherein the reflecting membrane is made of a flexible material. 
   
   
       5 . The heat collector according to  claim 3 , wherein the reflecting membrane divides the heat insulating part into two spaces, and the two spaces have pressures different from each other. 
   
   
       6 . A heat collector comprising: a heat collecting part to receive external heat while working fluid as a heat transfer medium flows through the heat collecting part; and a heat insulating part filled with a heat insulating gas, the heat insulating part being defined by a heat insulating membrane provided to surround the heat collecting part, and the heat insulating membrane including an inner surface having a reflecting function so as to reflect and concentrate incident light onto the heat collecting part. 
   
   
       7 . A heat collector comprising: a heat collecting part to receive external heat while working fluid as a heat transfer medium flows through the heat collecting part; a heat insulating part filled with a heat insulating gas, the heat insulating part surrounding the heat collecting part to decrease heat loss of the heat collecting part; and a vacuum part provided between the heat insulating part and the heat collecting part to wrap the heat collecting part, the vacuum part being formed so that a negative pressure is generated therein. 
   
   
       8 . The heat collector according to  claim 7 , wherein the vacuum part is sectioned into spaces by a plurality of partitions. 
   
   
       9 . The heat collector according to  claim 8 , wherein the spaces sectioned by the partitions have the same pressure. 
   
   
       10 . The heat collector according to  claim 8 , wherein the partitions are formed with through-holes. 
   
   
       11 . The heat collector according to  claim 7 , further comprising: an air path to allow external air to be introduced or discharged into/from the vacuum part. 
   
   
       12 . The heat collector according to  claim 7 , wherein the vacuum part and the heat insulating part have pressures different from each other. 
   
   
       13 . A heat collector comprising: a heat collecting part to receive external heat while working fluid as a heat transfer medium flows through the heat collecting part; a heat insulating part provided to surround the heat collecting part so as to decrease heat loss of the heat collecting part; a vacuum part provided between the heat insulating part and the heat collecting part to wrap the heat collecting part, the vacuum part being formed so that a negative pressure is generated therein; and a reflecting membrane formed in either the vacuum part or the heat insulating part to reflect and concentrate incident light onto the heat collecting part. 
   
   
       14 . A heat collector comprising: a heat collecting part to receive external heat while working fluid as a heat transfer medium flows through the heat collecting part; a heat insulating part defined by a heat insulating membrane provided to surround the heat collecting part so as to decrease heat loss of the heat collecting part; and a vacuum part defined by a vacuum membrane provided between the heat insulating part and the heat collecting part to wrap the heat collecting part, the vacuum part being formed so that a negative pressure is generated therein, wherein either the heat insulating membrane or the vacuum membrane includes a surface which opposes the heat collecting part and has a reflecting function within a predetermined region thereof. 
   
   
       15 . The heat collector according to  claim 2 , wherein the reflecting membrane is made of a material capable of reflecting the incident light to the heat collecting part so that the incident light is concentrated on the heat collecting part. 
   
   
       16 . The heat collector according to  claim 9 , wherein the partitions are formed with through-holes.