Importance

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Abstract

An efficient solar collector includes an outer evacuated envelope having an upper transparent surface to admit light rays to the envelope and a tube extending in the envelope from one end towards the other for conveying fluid to be heated into the collector and for removing heated fluid from the collector. A selectively absorbing surface is provided on the tube for selectively absorbing energy having predetermined wavelengths and rejecting other wavelengths. An elongate reflector having a particular locus is located internally of the light and arranged to reflect light received through the transparent surface onto the tube at a concentration ratio which is the ratio of the transverse width of the upper transparent surface to the outer circumference of the tube. The locus of the reflector surface is the shape required to ensure that all incident rays received through the upper transparent surface within the acceptance angle .theta. determined by the equation C=1/sin .theta. where C is the concentration ratio are concentrated on the tube while rays outside the acceptance angle are reflected. The collector may be used in a solar energy collection system with any convenient space heating or cooling system. A solar collection system utilizing a series of modular collectors is described.

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First Claim