Solar heating collectors

Claim 1

A solar energy collector comprising: a first and a second tray-like member resting one upon the other and secured together, each tray-like member including a floor and top, and sidewalls interconnecting said floor and top, said first tray-like member containing on opposite ends thereof respective fluid inlet and outlet headers, a plurality of thermally conductive tubes extending between said fluid inlet and outlet headers in thermal contact with the top wall of said first tray-like member, and an insulating material filling the interior space of said first tray-like member, the top of said first tray-like member forming the floor of said second tray-like member and being formed of heat absorbing material, said first tray-like member top having undulations therein respectively accomodating said plurality of tubes, said second tray-like member containing an additional heat absorbing wall between the top and floor thereof, said additional wall contacting with the crests of the undulations in the top of said first tray-like member to define a plurality of ducts between neighboring undulations, the cross-section of the ducts being greater than the cross-section of the tubes, said second tray-like member including an inlet header and outlet header connected to opposite ends of said ducts and the top of said second tray-like member being formed of a material transparent to light.