US2012312295A1PendingUtilityA1

Solar thermal collection apparatus and methods

50
Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Jun 8, 2011Filed: Jun 8, 2011Published: Dec 13, 2012
Est. expiryJun 8, 2031(~4.9 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Gary D. Conley
F24S 10/40F24S 10/72Y10T29/49355F24S 2023/84F24S 23/74F24S 23/80F24S 2080/05F24S 10/748Y02E10/44F24S 80/56F24S 70/225Y02E10/40F24S 80/52F24S 70/25
50
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Claims

Abstract

A solar thermal collector includes a receptacle and a fluid conduit. The receptacle is evacuated to a subatmospheric pressure. The receptacle includes a window and a reflector facing the window. The window and the reflector are exposed to the subatmospheric pressure in the receptacle. The fluid conduit extends through the receptacle between the window and the reflector. The reflector concentrates solar radiation passing through the window onto the fluid conduit.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . A solar thermal collector, comprising
 a receptacle evacuated to a subatmospheric pressure and comprising a window and a reflector facing the window, wherein the window and the reflector are exposed to the subatmospheric pressure in the receptacle; and   a fluid conduit extending through the receptacle between the window and the reflector, wherein the reflector concentrates solar radiation passing through the window onto the fluid conduit.   
     
     
         2 . The solar thermal collector of  claim 1 , wherein the reflector comprises a pair of concave radiation-reflective surface portions that meet along a longitudinal axis in a longitudinal plane. 
     
     
         3 . The solar thermal collector of  claim 2 , wherein the fluid conduit extends adjacent the reflector along a direction in the longitudinal plane that is parallel to the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         4 . The solar thermal collector of  claim 1 , wherein the reflector comprises a plurality of reflector elements each comprising a respective pair of concave radiation-reflective surface portions, the concave radiation-reflective surface portions of each reflector element meet along a respective longitudinal axis in a respective longitudinal plane, and the respective longitudinal axes are parallel. 
     
     
         5 . The solar thermal collector of  claim 4 , wherein the fluid conduit comprises parallel linear segments each of which extends adjacent a respective one of the reflector elements along a respective direction in a respective one of the longitudinal planes that is parallel to the respective longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         6 . The solar thermal collector of  claim 5 , wherein the fluid conduit comprises curved segments that interconnect the parallel linear segments to define a serpentine fluid flow path adjacent the reflector. 
     
     
         7 . The solar thermal collector of  claim 4 , wherein each reflector element concentrates radiation passing through the window onto different respective sections of the fluid conduit. 
     
     
         8 . The solar thermal collector of  claim 1 , wherein the receptacle comprises a base, and the window is mounted to the base with a connection that maintains the subatmospheric pressure in the receptacle. 
     
     
         9 . The solar thermal collector of  claim 8 , wherein the base integrally incorporates the reflector. 
     
     
         10 . The solar thermal collector of  claim 9 , wherein the base is a unitary metal structure that comprises the reflector. 
     
     
         11 . The solar thermal collector of  claim 10 , wherein the window is formed of glass, and further comprising between the window and the base a glass-to-metal seal that maintains the subatmospheric pressure in the receptacle. 
     
     
         12 . The solar thermal collector of  claim 9 , wherein the base is plastic and the reflector is bonded to the plastic base. 
     
     
         13 . The solar thermal collector of  claim 1 , wherein the window comprises an antireflective coating. 
     
     
         14 . The solar thermal collector of  claim 13 , wherein the antireflective coating is porous. 
     
     
         15 . The solar thermal collector of  claim 1 , wherein the window comprises first and second parallel surfaces each of which is coated with a respective antireflective coating. 
     
     
         16 . The solar thermal collector of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid conduit comprises an outer surface carrying a radiation-absorbent coating, and an inner surface exposed for contact with fluid flowing through the fluid conduit. 
     
     
         17 . The solar thermal collector of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid conduit comprises an outer surface, and a textured inner surface exposed for contact with fluid flowing through the fluid conduit. 
     
     
         18 . The solar thermal collector of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid conduit comprises a plurality of fluid channels for conveying fluid. 
     
     
         19 . The solar thermal collector of  claim 18 , wherein each of the fluid channels has a respective inner diameter between 0.75 millimeter and 0.25 millimeter. 
     
     
         20 . A method of manufacturing a solar thermal collector, comprising
 attaching a fluid conduit to a base comprising a reflector;   mounting a window to the base to form a receptacle containing the fluid conduit, wherein the reflector faces the window and concentrates solar radiation passing through the window onto the fluid conduit; and   evacuating the receptacle to a subatmospheric pressure, wherein the window and the reflector are exposed to the subatmospheric pressure in the receptacle.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the reflector comprises a plurality of reflector elements each comprising a respective pair of concave radiation-reflective surface portions, the concave radiation-reflective surface portions of each reflector element meet along a respective longitudinal axis in a respective longitudinal plane, and the respective longitudinal axes are parallel. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein each reflector element concentrates radiation passing through the window onto a different respective section of the fluid conduit. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the receptacle comprises a base, and the mounting comprises attaching the window to the base with a connection that maintains the subatmospheric pressure in the receptacle. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the base is a unitary metal structure that comprises the reflector, the window is formed of glass, and the mounting comprises forming between the window and the base a glass-to-metal seal that maintains the subatmospheric pressure in the receptacle. 
     
     
         25 . The solar thermal collector of  claim 20 , wherein the fluid conduit comprises a plurality of fluid channels for conveying fluid. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising purging the receptacle with an inert gas before evacuating the receptacle. 
     
     
         27 . A solar collection method, comprising
 providing a solar thermal collector comprising
 a receptacle evacuated to a subatmospheric pressure and comprising a window and a reflector facing the window, wherein the window and the reflector are exposed to the subatmospheric pressure in the receptacle, and 
 a fluid conduit extending through the receptacle between the window and the reflector, wherein the reflector concentrates solar radiation passing through the window onto the fluid conduit; and 
   circulating fluid through the fluid conduit.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the fluid comprises super-critical carbon dioxide. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the fluid conduit comprises a plurality of fluid channels for conveying the fluid. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein each of the fluid channels has a respective inner diameter between 0.75 millimeter and 0.25 millimeter.

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