Glass heat pipe evacuated tube solar collector

Patent · Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1984

OSTI ID:865174

McConnell, Robert D ^[1]; Vansant, James H ^[2]

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1. Lakewood, CO
2. Tracy, CA

A glass heat pipe is adapted for use as a solar energy absorber in an evacuated tube solar collector and for transferring the absorbed solar energy to a working fluid medium or heat sink for storage or practical use. A capillary wick is formed of granular glass particles fused together by heat on the inside surface of the heat pipe with a water glass binder solution to enhance capillary drive distribution of the thermal transfer fluid in the heat pipe throughout the entire inside surface of the evaporator portion of the heat pipe. Selective coatings are used on the heat pipe surface to maximize solar absorption and minimize energy radiation, and the glass wick can alternatively be fabricated with granular particles of black glass or obsidian.

• Research Organization: National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: EG-77-C-01-4042
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 4474170
• OSTI ID: 865174
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

glass
heat
pipe
evacuated
tube
solar
collector
adapted
energy
absorber
transferring
absorbed
fluid
medium
sink
storage
practical
capillary
wick
formed
granular
particles
fused
inside
surface
water
binder
solution
enhance
drive
distribution
thermal
transfer
throughout
entire
evaporator
portion
selective
coatings
maximize
absorption
minimize
radiation
alternatively
fabricated
black
obsidian
energy radiation
thermal transfer
transfer fluid
energy absorber
solar collector
inside surface
heat sink
heat pipe
solar energy
fluid medium
glass particles
solar absorption
evacuated tube
tube solar
glass heat
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