US4911353A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Solar collector having absorber plate formed by spraying molten metal
Assignee: UNIVERSAL ENGINEERING Co OF AMERICA Inc
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Filing: 1988-09-29
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Granted: 1990-03-27
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Expires: 2008-09-29
Abstract
Abstract A method of making a solar energy collector where the absorber plate, selective surface, and protective outer skin of the collector are formed by spraying molten metal particles onto a substrate and building a coating of metal up to a desired thickness. This process allows greater flexibility in permitting a greater choice of materials and geometric shapes to be used for manufacturing the collector. The process may also be used to create the individual components of the collector, i.e., body, absorber plate, or selective surface as well as a storage tank.
Inventors
- 👤 David Deakin
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 10:13
CPC Classifications
C; C23; C23C; C23C4/00; C23C4/12; C23C4/123; F; F24; F24S; F24S10/00; F24S10/70; F24S10/75; F24S70/00; F24S70/10; F24S70/12; F24S70/20; F24S70/225; F24S70/25; F24S70/30; F24S70/60; F24S80/00; F24S80/40; F24S80/45; F24S80/453; F24S80/70; F24S2010/71; F28; F28F; F28F2275/00; F28F2275/02; Y; Y02; Y02B; Y02B10/00; Y02B10/20; Y02E; Y02E10/00; Y02E10/40; Y02E10/44; Y10; Y10S; Y10S126/00; Y10S126/907; Y10S126/908
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
99 words
A method of making a solar energy collector adapted to transfer heat to a working medium, said collector comprising a substrate means and tubular heat exchange means for transferring solar energy to said working medium, said method comprising the steps of: providing a base surface, arranging said tubular heat exchange means on said base surface in a structural supporting pattern, spraying molten metal on said base surface to form said substrate means and to join said tubular heat exchange means to said substrate means thus formed, and providing a supporting means for the sprayed metal of said substrate means.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
99 words
A method of making a solar energy collector adapted to transfer heat to a working medium, said collector comprising a substrate means and tubular heat exchange means for transferring solar energy to said working medium, said method comprising the steps of: providing a base surface, arranging said tubular heat exchange means on said base surface in a structural supporting pattern, spraying molten metal on said base surface to form said substrate means and to join said tubular heat exchange means to said substrate means thus formed, and providing a supporting means for the sprayed metal of said substrate means.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
126 words
A method of making a solar collector adapted to transfer heat to a working medium, said collector comprising: substrate means for providing a base surface for forming an absorber plate of said solar collector and circulation means for conveying solar energy to said working medium, said method comprising the steps of: forming said absorber plate on said substrate means and integrally joining said circulation means therewith by spraying molten metal on said substrate means, said spraying step including building up sprayed molten metal of a sufficient thickness to achieve a unitary structure, providing a supporting means for the sprayed metal of said absorber plate, and embedding said circulation means by a method including said spraying step thereby to protect said circulation means from an external environment.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
126 words
A method of making a solar collector adapted to transfer heat to a working medium, said collector comprising: substrate means for providing a base surface for forming an absorber plate of said solar collector and circulation means for conveying solar energy to said working medium, said method comprising the steps of: forming said absorber plate on said substrate means and integrally joining said circulation means therewith by spraying molten metal on said substrate means, said spraying step including building up sprayed molten metal of a sufficient thickness to achieve a unitary structure, providing a supporting means for the sprayed metal of said absorber plate, and embedding said circulation means by a method including said spraying step thereby to protect said circulation means from an external environment.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising the step of: preheating said substrate prior to spraying said molten metal whereby to improve the adhesion of said sprayed molten metal.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising the step of roughening the surface of said substrate prior to spraying said molten metal thereon whereby to improve adhesion of said molten metal particles.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising the steps of applying a plurality of layers of said sprayed molten metal wherein subsequent sprayed molten metal layers are applied on a preceding layer prior to solidification thereof.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising the step of spraying said molten metal by use of a stream of pressurized gas, said gas being inert to reduce oxidation of said sprayed molten metal.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
105 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said substrate includes grooves for receiving said heat exchange means and said heat exchange means comprises tubes, said method further comprises the step of forming grooves in said substrate means, depositing an adhesive enhancing primer on said substrate means, placing said heat exchange means in said grooves so as to set in said primer to form a fillet between said substrate and said heat exchange means, and spraying said molten metal onto the surfaces of said heat exchange means and said substrate means in a fashion to fill the intersticies between said heat exchange means and grooves.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method as recited in claim 7 wherein said adhesive enhancing primer comprises sodium silicate and aluminum oxide.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
51 words
A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising the steps of: depositing on said substrate a primer substance having high quality adhesive properties with respect to said substrate, and subsequently spraying said molten metal onto said primer substance whereby to improve adhesion of said sprayed molten metal onto said substrate.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
70 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said spraying step is carried out in sequence operations including the steps of: spraying said molten metal onto said substrate means in thin layers, and allowing the respective layers to cool uniformly between successive spraying steps to prevent unequal expansion and/or contraction whereby to reduce cracking, warping and deformation of the successively sprayed layers forming the absorber plate means and said substrate.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said spraying completely embeds said heat exchange means whereby to reduce the likelihood of galvanic corrosion.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the spraying step comprises spraying at least two layers of different metallic substances.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
42 words
A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising the steps of depositing a material suitable for forming a selective surface on said heat exchange means by spraying a metallic substance thereon and subsequently treating said material for forming said selective surface.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
83 words
A method of making a solar energy collector as recited in claim 1 further including the steps of: providing a reservoir of molten metal, pressurizing the molten metal reservoir at a first pressure level, providing an evacuated chamber for housing the substrate to be sprayed, and providing spray means between said reservoir and said chamber whereby the lower pressure of the evacuated chamber enables said molten metal to be deposited on said substrate by a pressure differential between the chamber and the reservoir.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
68 words
A method of making a solar energy collector as recited in claim 1 further comprising the steps of: providing a molten metal reservoir at atmospheric pressure, providing a chamber for housing said substrate wherein the chamber has a lower pressure than said reservoir, and providing spray means between said reservoir and said chamber whereby molten metal is forced into said vacuum chamber to be deposited on said substrate.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
163 words
A method of making a solar collector panel comprising a housing, a metallic tubular conduit for carrying a working fluid, and sprayed metal absorber plate for absorbing radiant energy, said method including the steps of: A. providing a base surface, B. placing a metallic foil means over said base surface, C. prearranging the tubular conduit in a pattern and placing said tubular conduit on said metallic foil means, D. forming said absorber plate integrally with said prearranged tubular conduit and said metallic foil means by spraying molten metal over said tubular conduit and foil means, E. embedding said patterned tubular conduit by a method including said spraying step so as to shield said tubular conduit from an external environment thereby to prevent corrosion, including galvanic corrosion resulting from any difference between the metals of said tubular conduit and said absorber plate, and F. mounting said foil means, tubular conduit and sprayed absorber plate in a housing thereby to form said solar collector panel.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
163 words
A method of making a solar collector panel comprising a housing, a metallic tubular conduit for carrying a working fluid, and sprayed metal absorber plate for absorbing radiant energy, said method including the steps of: A. providing a base surface, B. placing a metallic foil means over said base surface, C. prearranging the tubular conduit in a pattern and placing said tubular conduit on said metallic foil means, D. forming said absorber plate integrally with said prearranged tubular conduit and said metallic foil means by spraying molten metal over said tubular conduit and foil means, E. embedding said patterned tubular conduit by a method including said spraying step so as to shield said tubular conduit from an external environment thereby to prevent corrosion, including galvanic corrosion resulting from any difference between the metals of said tubular conduit and said absorber plate, and F. mounting said foil means, tubular conduit and sprayed absorber plate in a housing thereby to form said solar collector panel.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method for making a solar collector panel as recited in claim 16 further comprising the step of applying a selective surface to said foil means.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method of making a solar collector panel as recited in claim 16 further including the step of blackening the surface of said foil means to improve radiant energy absorption.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
160 words
A method of making a solar collector panel comprising a housing, a metallic tubular conduit for carrying a working fluid, and a sprayed metal absorber plate for receiving radiant energy, said method including the steps of: A. providing a base surface, B. prearranging the tubular conduit in a pattern and placing said prearranged tubular conduit on said base surface, C. forming said absorber plate integrally with said prearranged tubular conduit and said base surface by spraying molten metal over said tubular conduit, D. embedding said prearranged tubular conduit by a method including said spraying step so as to shield said tubular conduit from an external environment to prevent corrosion, including galvanic corrosion resulting from any difference between the metals of said tubular conduit and said absorber plate, E. providing a supporting means for the sprayed metal of said absorber plate, and G. mounting said tubular conduit and sprayed absorber plate in a housing thereby to form said solar collector panel.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
160 words
A method of making a solar collector panel comprising a housing, a metallic tubular conduit for carrying a working fluid, and a sprayed metal absorber plate for receiving radiant energy, said method including the steps of: A. providing a base surface, B. prearranging the tubular conduit in a pattern and placing said prearranged tubular conduit on said base surface, C. forming said absorber plate integrally with said prearranged tubular conduit and said base surface by spraying molten metal over said tubular conduit, D. embedding said prearranged tubular conduit by a method including said spraying step so as to shield said tubular conduit from an external environment to prevent corrosion, including galvanic corrosion resulting from any difference between the metals of said tubular conduit and said absorber plate, E. providing a supporting means for the sprayed metal of said absorber plate, and G. mounting said tubular conduit and sprayed absorber plate in a housing thereby to form said solar collector panel.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method of making a solar collector panel as recited in claim 19 further including the step of blackening the surface of said sprayed metal absorber plate to improve radiant energy absorption.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1993-03-26 | 1993-09-25 | 1994-03-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1997-03-26 | 1997-09-25 | 1998-03-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2001-03-26 | 2001-09-25 | 2002-03-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |