Fluid sheet solar collector

Claim 1

A solar energy transformation device for converting solar spectrum radiation to fluid mass heat content by means of an efficient solar spectrum absorber in or on a base material which is not necessarily flat configuration and is not necessarily of high thermal conductivity but is necessarily in intimate thermal contact over its entire surface with a thin collector fluid sheet of 3/8 inch or less average thickness, means for retaining such fluid in sheet form between two material surfaces, one of which may contain the solar spectrum absorber, under the combined actions of body stresses in the materials and of reduced fluid body pressure with respect to ambient pressure such to achieve net compressive and shear stresses in the juncture of the two materials at their edges, means for connecting the collector fluid sheet at top and at bottom through a channel structure to provide continuity of the fluid mass throughout the sheet and the channel structure and to provide facility for fluid mass circulation loopwise throughout the sheet and channel configuration under the thermodynamic influence of fluid material heating in contact with the solar absorber material and/or fluid material cooling in the channel structure, either to produce a net lesser mean density of fluid in the sheet than in the channel at a characteristic vertical elevation, and consequently to effect an upward flow of fluid in the sheet with a corresponding downward flow of fluid in the channel structure, means for incorporating a heat exchanger element in the upper portion of the channel structure, and means for effecting thermal isolation between the fluid sheet and the fluid channel flow patterns and for thermal isolation of the sheet and of the channel from the ambient environment.