Importance

Loading Importance Indicators...

Abstract

A solar energy collector having an energy concentrating unit and an energy collecting unit is disclosed. The concentrating unit includes at least one converging lens for concentrating the sun's rays onto the collecting unit. Each lens may be blow-formed from sheets of thermoplastic. Each lens may be hollow or filled with a liquid. The collecting unit includes a fluid-transporting member having a heat transfer fluid therein. Input and output pipes connected to the fluid-transporting member carry the heat transfer fluid to and from the fluid-transporting member, respectively. The fluid-transporting member may be a coil, or it may be a double-walled dome, or an arch of flat hollow plates. The solar energy collector further includes a backplate for fixing the position of the collecting unit relative to the concentrating unit such that the focus of each lens is on or near the fluid-transporting member. The backplate may have translucent portions for allowing a portion of the sun's rays to pass through the solar energy collector.

Loading the Abstract Image...

First Claim