Sun tracking solar energy collector system
A sun tracking solar energy collector system comprises a plurality of light focusing elements disposed side by side in the form of a surface array, providing a linear array of foci; and a metallic heat exchanger tube having externally a high absorbtivity, low reflectivity coating containing a working fluid such as water, air, hydrogen or helium, to which a substantial portion of the energy in the focused light is imparted. The system includes an insulator tube external to the heat exchanger and providing small apertures covered by glass to allow the light focused by each focusing element to enter the interior of the insulator tube, where the light may impinge directly on the heat exchanger tube or on solar cells attached to the heat exchanger and facing the apertures, for conversion of a portion of the focused light energy directly into electricity, while the greater portion of the energy focused through the apertures ends up as heat through the heat exchanger tube into the working fluid, capable of raising its temperature to a desirable temperature. A highly reflective internal surface of the insulator tube serves to reflect toward the heat exchanger radiation reaching it from the solar cells and the heat exchanger, so that with the reflective internal surface being much larger than the surface covered by the apertures a very small percentage of the radiated energy is allowed to escape to space through the apertures. A vacuum maintained between the heat exchanger and the external insulator tube serves to minimize conductive losses.
- Assignee:
- IFI; EDB-82-076861
- Patent Number(s):
- US 4307711
- OSTI ID:
- 5648396
- Resource Relation:
- Patent File Date: Filed date 25 Feb 1980; Other Information: PAT-APPL-124517
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
COMBINED COLLECTORS
DESIGN
CONCENTRATING COLLECTORS
SOLAR TRACKING
EVACUATED TUBE COLLECTORS
AIR
HELIUM
HYDROGEN
SOLAR ABSORBERS
SOLAR CONCENTRATORS
THERMAL INSULATION
TUBES
WATER
WORKING FLUIDS
ELEMENTS
EQUIPMENT
EVACUATED COLLECTORS
FLUIDS
GASES
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
NONMETALS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
RARE GASES
SOLAR COLLECTORS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
141000* - Solar Collectors & Concentrators