Solar collector apparatus

Claim 1

A glass solar energy collector tube comprising an outer cylindrical evacuated jacket having a reflective coating on its inner surface extending approximately half the circumference of the jacket and constituting a concave mirror, inner glass absorption tubing circulating heat storing fluid in and out of the jacket, said tubing lying in the focal plane of the concave reflecting surface, glass connecting means between the outer jacket and inner tubing to support and position the tubing within the jacket, and blackening means associated with the inner tubing to increase the absorption of heat energy, the jacket comprising a main elongated cylindrical body portion having a central longitudinal axis, a sealed necked entry portion coaxial with the longitudinal axis, and a diminished rounded end, and the reflecting surface extending the length of the main elongated cylindrical body portion of the jacket, the absorption tubing for circulating the heat storing fluid entering through the sealed entry of the jacket and being offset in the main body portion, extending nearly the length of the main body portion of the jacket, and doubling over upon itself, an ingress leg of the absorption tubing lying along the principal axis of the concave mirror and an egress leg of the inner tubing paralleling the ingress leg of the tubing between the ingress leg of the inner tubing and the longitudinal axis of the body portion of the jacket for capturing scattered radiation and being similarly offset to exit the sealed necked entry of the jacket.