Header for a solar energy collection system

Patent · Tue Dec 18 04:00:00 EST 1979

OSTI ID:5606094

Erb, R A

In a solar thermal energy collection system comprising at least one unitary, coextruded solar collector panel, having an upper, heat insulating region, and a lower, heat absorbing region, each region has channels extending longitudinally, adapted to contain a fluid therein, and a pair of headers, connected to the collector panel along an interface abutting the ends of the channels of the heat insulating region and the heat absorbing region, and connecting the collector panel to the remainder of the collection system. An improved header is provided, having a wall, which extends outward, initially tangentially, from a point along the interface which is substantially closest to the axial center of the header, and then along the interior of the wall of the header, forming a transitional channel which communicates with the second channels and which uniformly directs a fluid between the second channels and the central cavity defined by the header. It has an inner and outer wall, separating the cavity of the header from its exterior, and a plurality of ribs seprating the inner and outer wall from each other, to form longitudinally extending channels which serve as heat insulating channels between the exterior of the header and the fluid circulating therein.

• Assignee: Franklin Inst.
• Patent Number(s): US 4178914
• OSTI ID: 5606094
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
141000* -- Solar Collectors & Concentrators
DESIGN
EQUIPMENT
EXTRUSION
FABRICATION
FLAT PLATE COLLECTORS
FLUIDS
HEAT TRANSFER FLUIDS
MATERIALS WORKING
MECHANICAL STRUCTURES
SOLAR COLLECTORS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SUPPORTS
THERMAL INSULATION
WALLS