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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Solar collector panel

Patent ·
OSTI ID:5163090

A solar collector panel apparatus is provided which can be easily manufactured in different shapes and capacities. A pair of manifolds is supported in a spaced relationship by one or more conductive tubes. Each tube has a helical wound tube wrapped therearound and having each end operatively connected into one manifold to create a passageway from one manifold to the other. A transparent sleeve is mounted over and spaced from each conductive tube having a helically wound tube thereover and is connected between the manifolds. A reflective material is positioned along one side of each sleeve for reflecting solar energy passing through the sleeve back towards the helically wrapped tube. An input is provided into one manifold and an output from the other manifold. The conductive center tube may be filled with a material, such as a eutectic salt, and act as the supporting framework to hold the manifolds in a spaced, fixed position. A solar collector test apparatus is also provided, which has solar panel support brackets along with a plurality of infra-red lamps mounted in a lamp shroud and spaced a predetermined distance from the solar panel. A pump passes water through a solar panel mounted on the test stand into a recovery tank which is mounted on scales to determine the amount of water passing through the solar panel. Inlet and outlet temperature, inlet fluid pressure and tank temperature monitors are all connected to the system.

Assignee:
EDB-82-140196
Patent Number(s):
US 4324230
OSTI ID:
5163090
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English