Solar energy collectors and methods for solar energy systems

Abstract

The present invention offers improved absorber plates for solar energy collectors, improved cover glazings for solar energy collectors, improved concentrating solar energy collectors, and solar energy collection methods that use one or more of the improved solar energy collectors for useful residential, commercial, and industrial applications. The improved absorber plate solar energy collectors utilize a porous metal to improve solar radiant absorption collection and utilization, the improved concentrating solar energy collectors are Fresnel lens faced ducts of various geometries that enable efficient axial length solar energy collection, and the improved cover glazings utilize transparent front and back faces with other improvements to enable increased solar radiant energy collection per unit front face cover area of solar collector.

I claim: 
     
         1 . Solar energy collection apparatus wherein Fresnel refractor lenses are utilized at least as part of the face of a duct facing the sun. 
     
     
         2 . The solar energy collection apparatus of  claim 1  wherein a working fluid is contained within at least one inner conduit that traverses within the Fresnel refracting lens faced duct. 
     
     
         3 . The solar energy collection apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the Fresnel lens faces are in shapes selected from the group flat-faced squares, flat-faced rectangles, flat-faced circles, concave-faced hemispheres, cubes, rectangles, spheres, partial cylinders, and complete cylinders. 
     
     
         4 . Solar energy collection apparatus wherein Fresnel refractor lenses are utilized at least as part of the face of the duct facing the sun, and wherein at least part of the interior of the duct has a solar light reflective surface that is formed in the shape of a parabolic trough. 
     
     
         5 . The solar energy collection apparatus of  claim 4  wherein a working fluid is contained within at least one inner conduit that traverses within the Fresnel refracting lens faced duct. 
     
     
         6 . The solar energy collection apparatus of  claim 4  wherein the Fresnel lens faces are in shapes selected from the group flat-faced squares, flat-faced rectangles, flat-faced circles, concave-faced hemispheres, cubes, rectangles, spheres, partial cylinders, and complete cylinders. 
     
     
         7 . The use of the solar energy collection apparatus of  claim 1  for achieving a temperature increase in a working fluid within the Fresnel refractor lens faced duct for the purpose of reducing the viscosity of the working fluid within the duct. 
     
     
         8 . The use of the solar energy collection apparatus of  claim 4  for achieving a temperature increase in a working fluid within the Fresnel refractor lens faced duct for the purpose of reducing the viscosity of the working fluid within the duct. 
     
     
         9 . The use of the solar energy collection apparatus of  claim 1  for achieving a temperature increase in a working fluid, and the working fluid is then used to transfer heat to a heat sink selected from the group consisting of a heat pump, an indoor coil, a heat exchanger, a tank, and radiator. 
     
     
         10 . The use of the solar energy collection apparatus of  claim 1  for directly heating water. 
     
     
         11 . The use of the solar energy collection apparatus of  claim 1  for directly heating air. 
     
     
         12 . The use of the solar energy collection apparatus of  claim 4  for achieving a temperature increase in a working fluid, and the working fluid is then used to transfer heat to a heat sink selected from the group consisting of a heat pump, an indoor coil, a heat exchanger, a tank, and radiator. 
     
     
         13 . The use of the solar energy collection apparatus of  claim 4  for directly heating water. 
     
     
         14 . The use of the solar energy collection apparatus of  claim 4  for directly heating air.