Solar heat collector module

Abstract

A solar heat system is comprised of a panel or bank of heat collector modules each of which has a fluid-carrying tube of an elongated triangular shape in transverse cross section formed with longitudinally extended inwardly projected heat radiating fins. A tube is mounted within a concavo-convex reflector of a hyperbolic form such that the side walls of the tube are subjected to reflected rays of solar radiation over an effective range of solar exposure of about one hundred and fifty (150°) degrees. The reflected rays are concentrated in a longitudinally extended focal zone on each side wall of the tube and these zones of concentrated solar radiation move transversely of a side wall in response to the angle of the solar rays falling upon the reflector.

I claim: 
     
       1. A fixed position concentrating solar heat collector module for radiantly absorbing solar heat including: a. an elongated housing having a transparent top wall,   b. a reflector of a concavo-convex hyperbolic shape having a concave reflecting surface,   c. said reflector positioned within and extended longitudinally of said housing with the concave reflecting surface thereof faced upwardly,   d. means in said housing for thermally insulating the convex surface of said reflector, and   e. a heat collector tube of an elongated triangular shape in transverse cross section longitudinally mounted within the lateral confines of the arc of said reflector having a base wall thereof positioned upwardly and one side wall thereof arranged substantially perpendicular to a chord extended between the extremities of the arc of said reflector and having a vertical dimension substantially equal to the maximum lateral dimension of the reflector.   
     
     
       2. The fixed position concentrating solar heat collector module according to claim 1, wherein: a. said maximum lateral dimension of the reflector is in a plane extended longitudinally of the reflector and perpendicular to and intersecting said chord about one-third the length thereof from one of said arc extremities, and   b. said heat collector tube is located substantially within the confines of said one-third length of the chord with said one side wall thereof opposite said one arc extremity.   
     
     
       3. The solar heat collector module according to claim 2, wherein: a. the linearly extended width of said reflector is about one-third longer than the length of said chord.   
     
     
       4. The solar heat collector module according to claim 1, wherein: a. said heat collector tube has the side walls thereof about equal in width and the base wall of a width equal to about one-third of the width of a side wall.   
     
     
       5. The solar heat collector module according to claim 1, wherein: a. the portions of said reflecting surface at opposite sides of the heat collector tube reflect solar rays therefrom to a single focal zone linearly extended longitudinally of and over substantially the full length of an adjacent side wall of said tube.   
     
     
       6. The solar heat collector module according to claim 5, wherein: a. the focal zones on said side walls move laterally of said walls in opposite directions in response to the travel of the sun across the sky. .Iadd.   
     
     
       7.  A fixed position concentrating solar heat collector module for radiantly absorbing solar heat including: (a) an elongated housing having a transparent cover wall,   (b) a reflector of a concavo-convex hyperbolic shape having a concave reflecting surface with a zone of maximum lateral dimension adjacent one end thereof,   (c) said reflector positioned within and extended longitudinally of said housing with the concave reflecting surface thereof faced toward said cover wall; and   (d) a heat collector tube of an elongated shape in transverse cross section longitudinally mounted within the lateral confines of the arc of said reflector in said zone of maximum lateral dimension, said tube having a pair of linear side walls extended between said cover wall and said reflecting surface, and an end wall located adjacent said transparent cover wall, with each of said side walls being of a width substantially equal to the maximum lateral dimension of the reflector. .Iaddend. .Iadd.   
     
     
       8.  The solar heat collector module according to claim 7, wherein: (a) the portions of said reflecting surface at opposite sides of the heat collector tube reflect solar rays therefrom to a single focal zone linearly extended longitudinally of and over substantially the full length of an adjacent side wall of said tube. .Iaddend. .Iadd.9. The solar heat collector module according to claim 8, wherein:   (a) the focal zones on said side walls move laterally of said walls in opposite directions in response to the travel of the sun across the sky. .Iaddend. .Iadd.10. The solar heat collector module according to claim 7, wherein:   (a) the linear sidewalls of said collector tube converge toward each other from said end wall..Iaddend.