Importance

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Abstract

A solar thermal energy collector includes a thermal receiver for receiving thermal energy from incident solar radiation and converting that energy, with minimum heat loss, into thermal energy transferred to and carried by a thermal fluid in a copper conductor. The copper tube is placed within a lower aluminum extrusion and may be secured thereto with a metal-filled silicone adhesive. The adhesive also acts as a heat-transfer device. The lower aluminum extrusion rests upon a foundation of isocyanurate urethane insulation which in turn rests upon the lower portion of a solar collector so that the central axis of the thermal fluid conducting tube lies along the axis of concentration of received solar energy. An upper aluminum extrusion is placed on top of the upper half of the copper tube and secured thereto with metal-filled silicone adhesive. The top surface of the upper aluminum extrusion is painted black and has a triangular-faceted surface. The faceted top surface of the upper aluminum extrusion is configured such that the triangular prisms run along an axis parallel to the central axis of the thermal fluid tube. A clear silicone layer is placed on top of the upper aluminum extrusion with its lower surface interlocked with the triangular faceted top surface of the upper aluminum extrusion. The clear silicone layer has a prismatic upper surface with the longitudinal axes of the prisms being arranged perpendicularly to the longitudinal axes of the facets along the top surface of the upper aluminum extrusion.

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First Claim