Solar collector

Claim 1

In a solar energy collector of the type including an inner core for absorbing energy and a fluid flow passageway defined in said inner core through which fluids flow to receive heat energy transferred thereto from said inner core, the improvement comprising: a triangular shaped glass housing enclosing said inner core and extending longitudinally therewith, said glass housing reflecting infrared radiation directed thereon but transmitting visible wavelengths of energy inwardly therethrough towards said inner core, said inner core having three outwardly extending projections that extend proximate to the inner surface of said glass housing for absorbing said visible wavelengths of energy transmitted through said glass housing, each of said three outwardly extending projections being directed towards a different corner of said triangular glass housing, said inner core and said outwardly extending projections being coated with a material adapted to absorb said visible wavelengths of energy and emit a corresponding quantity of infrared energy, a plurality of flat mirrors arranged for reflecting solar energy towards said triangular glass housing, and a heat insulated outer chamber for enclosing said inner triangular glass housing and for providing insulation between said inner triangular glass housing and its surrounding environment to retard heat transfer from within said inner triangular glass housing to said surrounding environment, said outer chamber being defined between said plurality of flat mirrors and a sheet of glass above said inner glass housing, whereby said infrared energy radiated by said inner core is maintained proximate to said inner core by the reflective effect of the inner surface of said glass housing so that a substantial portion of said infrared energy radiated by said inner core is transferred to fluid within said fluid flow passageway defined through said inner core.