Solar collector

Claim 2

In a solar collector: a. extruded absorber means made of high thermal conductivity structural material having a top wall to be exposed to solar radiation, and having a series of side-by-side flow channels separated by a series of ribs substantially all of which extend from said top absorber wall; b. a bottom wall for said flow channels; c. end members attached to said absorber means and closing the ends of said flow channels; d. some of the ribs being cut away adjacent the end members in order to define a serpentine path for transfer fluid in an ultimate direction transverse to the flow channels; e. each rib being formed in one piece with said top absorber wall whereby a low thermal impedance path free of welds is provided for efficient transfer of thermal energy to the transfer of fluid; and f. supporting means connected to opposite sides of said absorber means for suspending said absorber means, said ribs adding structural strength to said absorber means sufficient to resist excessive deflection under load.

Claim 3

The solar collector as set forth in claim 1 together with means forming inlets to said collector at the sides of said absorber means; means forming an outlet at the center of said absorber means whereby the temperature differential at the location of the supporting means is minimized for increase of thermal efficiency.

Claim 4

In a solar collector: a. extruded absorber means made of high thermal conductivity material having a series of side-by-side flow channels separated by a series of ribs extending from a common absorber wall; b. end members attached to said absorber means and closing the ends of said flow channels; c. some of the ribs being cut away adjacent the end members in order to define a serpentine path for transfer fluid in an ultimate direction transverse to the flow channels; d. each rib being formed as a unit with its companion absorber wall whereby a low thermal impedance path free of welds is provided for efficient transfer of thermal energy to the transfer fluid; e. means forming inlets to said collector at the sides of said absorber means; f. means forming an outlet at the center of said absorber means; g. means supporting said absorber means at the sides whereby the temperature differential at the location of the supporting means is minimized for increase of thermal efficiency; h. said flow path having a greater effective cross-sectional area at the center than at the sides whereby the flow rate of the transfer fluid adjacent the location of the supporting means is relatively increased for increase of thermal efficiency.

Claim 5

In a solar collector: a. extruded absorber means made of high thermal conductivity material having a series of side-by-side flow channels separated by a series of ribs extending from a common absorber wall; b. end members attached to said absorber means and closing the ends of said flow channels; c. some of the ribs being cut away adjacent the end members in order to define a serpentine path for transfer fluid in an ultimate direction transverse to the flow channels; d. each rib being formed as a unit with its companion absorber wall whereby a low thermal impedance path free of welds is provided for efficient transfer of thermal energy to the transfer fluid; e. means forming inlets to said collector at the sides of said absorber means; f. means forming an outlet at the center of said absorber means; g. means supporting said absorber means at the sides whereby the temperature differential at the location of the supporting means is minimized for increase of thermal efficiency; h. said flow path having a greater effective cross-sectional area at the center than at the sides whereby the flow rate of the transfer fluid adjacent the location of the supporting means is relatively increased for increase of thermal efficiency.

Claim 6

In a solar collector: a. extended absorber means having a series of side-by-side cells forming substantially parallel flow channels separated by a series of ribs extending between a common absorber wall on the top and a common bottom wall; b. end plates attached to the absorber means and closing the ends of said flow channels; c. some of the ribs being cut away adjacent the end plates in order to define a sinuous flow path for transfer fluid in the absorber means, and which flow path has an ultimate direction transverse to the flow channels; d. each rib being formed in one piece with the top absorber wall whereby a low thermal impedance path substantially free of welds is provided for efficient transfer of thermal energy to the transfer fluid; and e. supporting means connected to opposite sides of said absorber means for suspending said absorber, said ribs adding structural strength to said absorber means sufficient to resist excessive deflection under load.

Claim 7

In a solar collector: a. extended absorber means having a series of side-by-side cells forming substantially parallel flow channels separated by a series of ribs extending between a common absorber wall on the top and a common bottom wall; b. end plates attached to the absorber means and closing the ends of said flow channels; c. some of the ribs being cut away adjacent the end plates in order to define a sinuous flow path for transfer fluid in the absorber means, and which flow path has an ultimate direction transverse to the flow channels; d. each rib being formed in one piece with the top absorber wall whereby a low thermal impedance path substantially free of welds is provided for efficient transfer of thermal energy to the transfer fluid; and e. supporting means connected to opposite sides of said absorber means for suspending said absorber, said ribs adding structural strength to said absorber means sufficient to resist excessive deflection under load.

Claim 8

The combination as set forth in claim 4 in which said supporting means attach to said bottom wall at the sides of said absorber means whereby the thermal conduction path of thermal energy from the absorber to the supporting means is dependent upon said bottom wall.

Claim 9

In a solar collector: a. extruded absorber means having a series of side-by-side cells forming substantially parallel flow channels separated by a series of ribs extending between a common absorber wall on the top and a common bottom wall; b. end plates attached to the absorber means and closing the ends of said flow channels; c. some of the ribs being cut away adjacent the end plates in order to define a sinuous flow path for transfer fluid in the absorber means, and which flow path has an ultimate direction transverse to the flow channels; d. each rib being formed as a unit with its companion absorber wall whereby a low thermal impedance path substantially free of welds is provided for efficient transfer of thermal energy to the transfer fluid; e. said bottom wall being extended laterally of said flow channels at the sides of said absorber means; and f. beams extending along the sides of said absorber means, the laterally extended portions of said bottom wall being attached to the under surfaces of said beams.

Claim 10

In a solar collector: a. extruded absorber means having a series of side-by-side cells forming substantially parallel flow channels separated by a series of ribs extending between a common absorber wall on the top and a common bottom wall; b. end plates attached to the absorber means and closing the ends of said flow channels; c. some of the ribs being cut away adjacent the end plates in order to define a sinuous flow path for transfer fluid in the absorber means, and which flow path has an ultimate direction transverse to the flow channels; d. each rib being formed as a unit with its companion absorber wall whereby a low thermal impedance path substantially free of welds is provided for efficient transfer of thermal energy to the transfer fluid; e. said bottom wall being extended laterally of said flow channels at the sides of said absorber means; and f. beams extending along the sides of said absorber means, the laterally extended portions of said bottom wall being attached to the under surfaces of said beams.

Claim 11

The combination as set forth in claim 6 together with means forming inlets to said collector at the sides of said absorber means; and means forming an outlet at the center of said absorber means.

Claim 12

The combination as set forth in claim 7 in which said flow path of transfer fluid has a greater effective cross sectional area at the center than at the sides whereby the flow rate of the transfer fluid adjacent the location of the supporting beams is relatively increased for increased thermal efficiency.

Claim 13

In a solar collector: a. a plurality of spaced beams; b. a plurality of solar collectors fitting between the beams to form a building structure therewith; each of said solar collectors comprising; i. extruded absorber means having a series of side-by-side flow channels separated by a series of ribs all extending from a top absorber wall, each rib being formed in one piece with said top absorber wall whereby a low thermal impedance path is provided for efficient transfer of thermal energy to the flow channels; ii. end members attached to said absorber means and closing the ends of said flow channels; iii. diathermic sheet material overlying the absorber means and supported by said beams; and c. means connected to opposite side of said absorber means for supporting said absorber means on said beams, said ribs adding structural strength to the absorber means sufficient to resist excessive deflection.

Claim 14

In a solar collector: a. a plurality of spaced beams; b. a plurality of solar collectors fitting between the beams to form a building structure therewith; each of said solar collectors comprising; i. extruded absorber means having a series of side-by-side flow channels separated by a series of ribs all extending from a top absorber wall, each rib being formed in one piece with said top absorber wall whereby a low thermal impedance path is provided for efficient transfer of thermal energy to the flow channels; ii. end members attached to said absorber means and closing the ends of said flow channels; iii. diathermic sheet material overlying the absorber means and supported by said beams; and c. means connected to opposite side of said absorber means for supporting said absorber means on said beams, said ribs adding structural strength to the absorber means sufficient to resist excessive deflection.

Claim 15

In a solar collector: a. a plurality of spaced beams: b. a plurality of solar collectors fitting between the beams to form a building structure therewith; each of said solar collectors comprising: i. extruded absorber means having a series or ribs extending from a common absorber wall, each rib being formed as a unit with its companion absorber wall whereby beam strength is imparted to said collector and whereby a low thermal impedance path is provided for efficient transfer of thermal energy to the flow channels; ii. diathermic sheet material overlying the absorber means and supported by said beams; c. thermal insulation material underlying said absorber means; and d. thermal fuse plugs exposed beneath said thermal insulation material and connected to said flow channels whereby the transfer fluid in said flow channels is available for fire abatement.

Claim 16

In a solar collector: a. a plurality of spaced beams: b. a plurality of solar collectors fitting between the beams to form a building structure therewith; each of said solar collectors comprising: i. extruded absorber means having a series or ribs extending from a common absorber wall, each rib being formed as a unit with its companion absorber wall whereby beam strength is imparted to said collector and whereby a low thermal impedance path is provided for efficient transfer of thermal energy to the flow channels; ii. diathermic sheet material overlying the absorber means and supported by said beams; c. thermal insulation material underlying said absorber means; and d. thermal fuse plugs exposed beneath said thermal insulation material and connected to said flow channels whereby the transfer fluid in said flow channels is available for fire abatement.

Claim 17

In a solar collector: a. a series of side-by-side absorber modules, each absorber module being a cellular extrusion providing a number of side-by-side cells defining flow channels separated by a series of ribs, said ribs extending between a common absorber wall on the top and a common bottom wall on the bottom; b. means securing the modules in side-by-side relationship; c. end members at the ends of the flow channels; d. some of the ribs being cut away adjacent the end members to define serpentine paths for transfer fluid in the channels, the paths having an ultimate direction transverse to the flow channels; e. means forming inlets at the flow channels on opposite sides of the collector; f. means forming an outlet near the center of the collector.

Claim 18

In a solar collector: a. a series of side-by-side absorber modules, each absorber module being a cellular extrusion providing a number of side-by-side cells defining flow channels separated by a series of ribs, said ribs extending between a common absorber wall on the top and a common bottom wall on the bottom; b. means securing the modules in side-by-side relationship; c. end members at the ends of the flow channels; d. some of the ribs being cut away adjacent the end members to define serpentine paths for transfer fluid in the channels, the paths having an ultimate direction transverse to the flow channels; e. means forming inlets at the flow channels on opposite sides of the collector; f. means forming an outlet near the center of the collector.

Claim 19

The combination as set forth in claim 11 together with means for supporting the collector so that the thermal losses by conduction exist only at the sides.

Claim 20

The combination as set forth in claim 11 together with means supporting the collector at the sides and from the bottom portion of the collector.

Claim 21

The combination as set forth in claim 13 in which the cut away ribs determine a flow path having a smaller cross sectional area at the sides than at the center for increased flow rate at the sides.

Claim 22

The combination as set forth in claim 11 in which said modules have flanges at the sides forming initially open flow channels, the flanges of adjacent modules being welded together and the flanges at the bottom wall of the outside modules being attached to a support.

Claim 23

In a solar collector: a. structural extruded absorber means of metal or metal-like material having high thermal conductivity, said absorber means having a series of side-by-side flow channels separated by a series of ribs extending from a common absorber wall; b. end members attached to said absorber means and located at the ends of said flow channels; c. end rib being formed in one peice with its companion absorber wall whereby a low thermal impedance path free of welds is provided for efficient transfer of thermal energy to the transfer fluid in the flow channels; and d. supporting means connected to opposite sides of same absorber means for suspending said absorber means, said ribs adding structural strength to the absorber means sufficient to resist excessive deflection.

Claim 24

In a solar collector: a. structural extruded absorber means of metal or metal-like material having high thermal conductivity, said absorber means having a series of side-by-side flow channels separated by a series of ribs extending from a common absorber wall; b. end members attached to said absorber means and located at the ends of said flow channels; c. end rib being formed in one peice with its companion absorber wall whereby a low thermal impedance path free of welds is provided for efficient transfer of thermal energy to the transfer fluid in the flow channels; and d. supporting means connected to opposite sides of same absorber means for suspending said absorber means, said ribs adding structural strength to the absorber means sufficient to resist excessive deflection.

Claim 25

The collector as set forth in claim 16 in which said end members are manifolds, and inlet and outlet members at the manifolds respectively.

Claim 26

The collector as set forth in claim 16 in which said extruded absorber means has a bottom wall formed as a unit therewith.

Claim 27

The collector as set forth in claim 16 in which said extruded absorber means has a bottom wall formed as a unit therewith, and beams extending along the sides of said absorber means, the bottom wall having laterally extended portions attached to said beams whereby the flow of thermal energy to said beam is dependent upon the said bottom wall.