Method of fabricating a component of a solar energy system

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a method of fabricating a component of a solar energy system. The method comprises the step of providing a tube. The tube comprises a material that deforms when at least a length of the tube is exposed to a suitable difference in pressure between an interior portion of the length of the tube and an exterior portion of the length of the tube. The method also comprises providing a die having a cavity arranged to receive the length of the tube. The cavity defines a shape that is related to that of the component of the solar energy system. Further, the method comprises positioning the length of the tube in the cavity of the die. The method also comprises increasing a relative pressure of a fluid within the interior portion of the length of the tube relative to a pressure within the cavity and outside the interior portion of the length of the tube such that at least a portion of the length of the tube expands at to a shape that is related to that of the component of the solar energy system.

1 - 17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . A method of fabricating an ejector of a solar energy system, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing a tube, the tube comprising a metallic material that deforms when at least a length of the tube is exposed to a suitable difference in pressure between an interior portion of the length of the tube and an exterior portion of the length of the tube;   providing a die having a cavity arranged to receive the length of the tube, the cavity defining a shape that is related to that of the ejector;   positioning the length of the tube in the cavity of the die;   heating the length of the tube to a temperature above a transition temperature at which the material changes from a brittle state to a ductile state; and   increasing a relative pressure of a fluid within the interior portion of the heated length of the tube relative to a pressure within the cavity and outside the interior portion of the length of the tube such that at least a portion of the length of the tube expands to a shape that is related to that of the ejector.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  comprising the step of controlling a temperature of the fluid. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the step increasing the relative pressure of the fluid within the interior portion the of the length of the tube relative to a pressure within the cavity and outside the interior portion of length of the tube comprises increasing the pressure within the interior portion of the tube. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the step of providing the tube comprises shaping the tube and wherein the method comprises locally reducing the exterior diameter of the tube such that the tube has a non-uniform exterior diameter. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the exterior diameter of the tube is selected and reducing the external diameter of the tube is conducted such that the step of increasing the relative pressure within an interior portion of the tube results in less expansion compared to the use of a tube having a uniform and smaller exterior diameter 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the step of providing the tube comprises pre-forming or pre-machining tube material such that an additional amount of the tube material is located at a region of the length of the tube that is subjected to more expansion than another region of the length of the tube. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 18  comprising the step of heating the length of the tube prior or during the step of increasing the relative pressure. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 18  comprising the step of exposing the length of the tube to an axial compression during expansion of the length of the tube. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 18  comprising the step of disposing a lubricant between the length of the tube and the die. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the shape that is related to that of the ejector or the component of the solar energy system comprises the shape of a compressor portion of the ejector. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27  wherein the shape also comprises a nozzle housing of the ejector such that the compressor portion and the nozzle housing are formed integrally. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the fluid is a liquid and the method comprises the step of charging an interior portion of the length of the tube with the liquid. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the die is arranged and the tube material is selected such that the tube slightly contracts in diameter when the relative pressure within the interior portion of the length of the tube is reduced. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30  comprising controlling the temperature of the fluid such that the tube material is exposed to rapid cooling after expansion of the length of the tube. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 18  comprising the step of determining a temporal pressure profile of the fluid. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32  comprising determining a rate of relative pressure increase of the interior portion of the length of the tube and a rate of subsequent relative pressure decrease of the interior portion of the length of the tube. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 32  wherein the step of increasing the relative pressure is defined at least in part by the determined temporal pressure profile.