U.S. patent application number 12/174519 was filed with the patent office on 2008-11-06 for solar collectors with evacuated receiver and nonimaging external reflectors.
This patent application is currently assigned to Solargenix Energy LLC. Invention is credited to Roland Winston.
Application Number | 20080271731 12/174519 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 33310887 |
Filed Date | 2008-11-06 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080271731 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Winston; Roland |
November 6, 2008 |
SOLAR COLLECTORS WITH EVACUATED RECEIVER AND NONIMAGING EXTERNAL
REFLECTORS
Abstract
A solar collector with external reflector. A solar collector
includes a glass housing having a heat pipe disposed within the
housing and a light reflector disposed external to the housing.
Inventors: |
Winston; Roland; (Merced,
CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
FOLEY & LARDNER LLP
321 NORTH CLARK STREET, SUITE 2800
CHICAGO
IL
60610-4764
US
|
Assignee: |
Solargenix Energy LLC
|
Family ID: |
33310887 |
Appl. No.: |
12/174519 |
Filed: |
July 16, 2008 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
10829700 |
Apr 22, 2004 |
7412976 |
|
|
12174519 |
|
|
|
|
60464429 |
Apr 22, 2003 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
126/684 ;
29/890.033 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F24S 10/95 20180501;
F24S 10/45 20180501; Y10T 29/49355 20150115; F24S 10/75 20180501;
Y02B 10/20 20130101; F24S 23/80 20180501; Y02E 10/44 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
126/684 ;
29/890.033 |
International
Class: |
F24J 2/12 20060101
F24J002/12; B23P 15/26 20060101 B23P015/26 |
Claims
1. A solar collector, comprising: a housing for the solar
collector, the housing comprised of a glass tube; a heat pipe
disposed within the housing wherein the heat pipe further is
coupled to contoured heat transfer fins wherein the heat pipe is
sandwiched between at least two of the heat transfer fins; and a
light reflector externally disposed relative to the housing.
2. The solar collector as defined in claim 1 wherein the heat
transfer fins are molded to maximize contact with both the heat
pipe and the inside surface of the glass tube.
3. The solar collector as defined in claim 1 wherein the heat pipe
and the fins are disposed in a flow-through heat transfer
manifold.
4. The solar collector as defined in claim 1 wherein the light
reflector comprises an external compound parabolic concentrator
(XCPC).
5. The solar collector as defined in claim 1 wherein the housing
comprises an all glass dewar-type tube.
6. The solar collector as defined in claim 1 wherein the heat pipe
includes a hollow center with a vacuum.
7. The solar collector as defined in claim 1 wherein the heat
transfer fins substantially encompass the heat pipe.
8. The solar collector as defined in claim 1 wherein the heat pipe
comprises a copper pipe.
9. The solar collector as defined in claim 1 wherein the heat
transfer fins comprise aluminum.
10. The solar collector as defined in claim 1 wherein the light
reflector comprises a nonimaging reflector.
11. The solar collector as defined in claim 1 wherein the housing
comprises an evacuated glass tube.
12. A method of making a solar collector, comprising the steps of:
providing a housing for the solar collector; positioning a heat
pipe inside the housing wherein the solar collector further
includes contoured heat transfer fins substantially surrounding the
heat pipe; evacuating the housing; and positioning a light
reflector to illuminate the heat pipe.
13. The method as defined in claim 12 wherein the heat pipe
comprises a hollow copper tube.
14. The method as defined in claim 12 wherein the light reflector
is disposed at least one of internal to the housing and external to
the housing.
15. The method as defined in claim 14 wherein the light reflector
comprises a non-imaging reflector.
16. The method as defined in claim 15 wherein the non-imaging
reflector comprises an XCPC light reflector.
17. The method as defined in claim 12 wherein the heat transfer
fins are shaped to maximize contact with both the heat pipe and an
internal surface of the housing.
18. The method as defined in claim 12 wherein the heat transfer
fins are comprised of aluminum.
19. The method as defined in claim 12 wherein the solar collector
further includes a flow-through heat exchanger manifold.
20. The method as defined in claim 12 wherein the solar collector
is not moved, thereby performing as a stationary solar collector
having a reliable performance upper limit.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation and claims priority from
copending U.S. application Ser. No. 10/829,700, filed Apr. 22,
2004, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, which
claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application 60/464,429, filed
Apr. 22, 2003, incorporated herein by reference in its
entirety.
[0002] The invention is directed to a collector having an
externally disposed nonimaging reflector and more particularly is
directed to a solar collector with a heat pipe positioned within an
evacuated glass tube with an externally disposed nonimaging
reflector.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] It was recognized more than 20 years ago, that combining
selective absorbers, vacuum insulation and nonimaging concentration
(using Compound Parabolic Concentrator, or "CPC", type optics as
shown in FIG. 9A-9C) enabled stationary mid-temperature collectors
to have a useful operating range approaching 300 degrees Celsius".
Following the early proof-of-concept experiments, a commercial
collector was developed in the last 5-years with good performance
up to 250 degrees Celsius. These configurations integrated all the
optics within the vacuum envelope. For this reason we refer to them
as ICPC's (integrated CPC's). Their cost of manufacture is
presently too high for widespread applications. On the other hand,
the advent of very low-cost evacuated tubes allows us now to
consider these as candidates for low-cost mid-temperature
applications. One can combine various of these features to use such
low-cost tubes (intended as stand-alone low-temperature collectors
for providing domestic hot water) as receivers and now combined
with external nonimaging reflectors. Since these glass tubes were
originally intended for low-temperature (domestic hot water) use,
their use at higher temperatures raised issues such as providing
for efficient heat transfer to a working fluid, and assuring
against thermal-induced tube breakage.
[0004] A solar collector which is efficient at temperatures in the
125 to 150 degree Celsius above ambient range would therefore be of
great utility for many high-value applications. For example,
operating temperatures for solar cooling in conjunction with
double-effect chillers are in this range. At the same time the
collector component would need to be low-cost, have minimal
operation and maintenance cost and long life. The external
reflector form of a CPC has the potential for satisfying these
criteria. The vacuum receiver has intrinsically long-life, being
protected from the environment. The impressive commercial
development of vacuum solar collectors in China over the last
decade and more demonstrates that these can be manufactured and
sold at low-cost. To give an example; in the year 2000 the
all-glass dewar type solar tube made in China was available at an
OEM cost of $3 US. Since the volume of manufacturing has been
rising, prices are not increasing. It is significant to observe
that a wide-angle CPC reflector will "unwrap" the cylindrical solar
tube to an aperture of approximately 0.2 square meters. Therefore
the vacuum component contributes $15 per square meter to the cost.
The heat extraction device which may be a manifold likely adds a
similar amount. The nonimaging reflector can be estimated at $20
per square meter, which is dominated by the material cost for a
high quality aluminum mirror. An installed cost of approximately
$100 per square meter would be a reasonable goal. The availability
of an efficient mid-temperature solar collector for $100 per square
meter would have a broad vista of applications.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] A solar collector system is directed to a combination of a
heat pipe disposed within a housing which is at least partially
transparent to light with the housing preferably evacuated. The
heat pipe includes a copper pipe and coupled aluminum heat transfer
fins disposed about the heat pipe. The fins are molded to optimize
thermal contact with the heat pipe and interior surface of the
housing. The solar collector further includes a reflector assembly
externally disposed to the housing to simplify construction and
costs of manufacture. Preferably the reflector is a nonimaging
design.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] FIG. 1 shows XCPC thermal model performance and measured
performance of a test panel with dewar tubes;
[0007] FIG. 2 shows instantaneous solar to thermal conversion
efficiency for a heat pipe embodiment for mid temperature
performance ranges;
[0008] FIG. 3 shows performance limits of a commercial VAC 2000
solar collector;
[0009] FIG. 4A shows a disassembled embodiment of a portion of a
solar receiver and
[0010] FIG. 4B shows a cross section of an assembled unit;
[0011] FIG. 5 shows a partially assembled collector system with the
manifold and heat pipe in position;
[0012] FIG. 6 shows a first collector configuration with external
reflector;
[0013] FIG. 7 shows a second collector configuration with external
reflector;
[0014] FIG. 8 shows a third collector configuration with external
reflector;
[0015] FIG. 9A shows a CPC shape for various incidence angles, FIG.
9B shows 0.degree. (normal) incidence and FIG. 9C SHOWS 30.degree.
incidence;
[0016] FIG. 10A shows a plot of thermal performance of collector
test number C444 with wind; FIG. 10B shows the performance without
wind;
[0017] FIG. 11A shows a plot of thermal performance of collector
test number C500 with wind; FIG. 11B shows the performance without
wind; and
[0018] FIG. 12A shows a plot of thermal performance of collector
test number C370 with wind; FIG. 12B shows the performance without
wind.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0019] In accordance with the invention, two types of preferred
combination of solar collectors 12 (concentrators or receivers) are
described, including an all glass dewar-type tube 11 and a
heat-pipe 10 in a conventional evacuated tube 13 (see FIGS. 4A, 4B
and 5). The dewar-type 11 is very low-cost since it is made in
large quantities by a large number of manufacturers and uses a very
low-cost borosilicate glass tubing. Good heat transfer poses
technical challenges, and our experiments with a heat transfer
compound to couple the tube 11 to a manifold 20 gave encouraging
results. The preliminary mid-temperature performance obtained with
a test panel with dewar tubes is compared with that predicted by a
simple model shown in FIG. 1. The heat-pipe evacuated tube 13 (see
FIG. 4B), uses the same very low-cost glass tubing. The heat
transfer is accomplished in an elegant way by the incorporation of
the heat pipe 10 within the evacuated tube 13 which in turn is
disposed in a full panel array 15 (see FIGS. 4A, 4B and 5). The
heat pipe 10 of FIGS. 4A and 4B includes a copper heat pipe 16 and
contoured aluminum heat transfer fins 18 with the heat pipe 10
inserted into the glass tube 14 sandwiched between two aluminum
fins 18. The fins 18 are molded to maximize contact with the heat
pipe 10 and the inside surface of the evacuated glass tube 14. The
heat pipe 10 transfers heat to the manifold 20 shown in FIG. 5 via
heat transfer liquid inside the hollow heat pipe 10. The hollow
centre of the heat pipe 10 includes a vacuum, so that at even at
temperatures of around 25-30 C..degree. the well known heat
transfer compound will vaporize. When heated the vapor rises to the
tip (condenser) of the heat pipe 10 where the heat is transferred
to the water flowing through the manifold 20. The loss of heat
causes the vapor to condense and flow back down the heat pipe 10
where the process is once again repeated. The preliminary
mid-temperature performance obtained with the prototype heat-pipe
version is shown in FIG. 2. The performance limit of known CPC-type
vacuum solar collectors (not shown) can be gauged from FIG. 3. In
this type of solar device both absorber and nonimaging
concentrating optics are encased in an integral glass envelope, and
this is called the integrated CPC or ICPC. Commercial collectors of
this type have a higher cost than the all glass dewar type with
external CPC reflectors 22 of FIGS. 6-8. However, it does indicate
a practical and realizable performance upper limit for the
stationary nonimaging solar collectors 12. One can further combine
the advantages of the low-cost all-glass evacuated receiver with
the heat pipe. As shown in FIGS. 4A, 4B and 5, the heat pipe 10 and
absorber fin assembly is inserted in the double-walled evacuated
tube 14 and the heat pipes 10 are inserted into the simple
flow-through heat exchanger manifold 20. There is no fluid
connection, which is one of the chief advantages of a heat
application, but appears sufficiently robust to withstand
stagnation temperatures. Various examples of performance of a
conventional evacuated tube but externally disposed reflector
(without the heat pipe 10) are shown in Examples I-III wherein
collector test results are shown in FIGS. 6-8 for the collector
configurations. These tests were made by Solartechnik Pruifung
Forschung, located in Bern, Switzerland.
[0020] While preferred embodiments have been illustrated and
described, it should be understood that changes and modifications
can be made therein in accordance with one of ordinary skill in the
art without departing from the invention in its broader
aspects.
EXAMPLES
[0021] The following non-limiting examples describe various
embodiments and associated performance test results.
Example I
[0022] Collector Test No. C444. The embodiment of FIG. 6 is
described in Table 1 and was subjected to various tests as set
forth in Table 2. Note there was no stagnation temperature for
standard values ISO 9806-2 and EN 12975-2 are 30.degree. C./1000
W/m.sup.2. The thermal performance (flowrate at test: 204 l/h) is
shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B, with and without wind,
respectively.
TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Contact Ritter Solar GmbH, D-72135
Dettenhausen Tel. +49 (07157) 5359-0, Fax +49 (07157) 5359-20
Distributed in * DE Type ETC, cylindrical absorbers, CPC, direct
heat transfer Assembly Installation * Installation on sloping roof,
Flat roof with support Rated flowrate * 180 l/h Absorber coating *
Al/Al N Dimensions 2.010 m.sup.2, 1.988 m.sup.2, 2.286 m.sup.2
(absorber, aperture, gross) Gross dimensions: 1.640 .times. 1.394
.times. 0.105 l, w, h (in m) Weight including 35 kg glazing * *
manufacturer information
TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Carried Test out Section Report* Durability
test according to ISO No 3 LTS C444 Durability test according to EN
No 3 C444LPEN Measurement of stagnation temperature No 3.1
Efficiency measurement acc. SPF Yes 4.1 Efficiency measurement acc
ISO, DIN, Yes 4.1 EN Incidence angle modifier (IAM) Yes 4.4
Measurement of pressure drop No 4.5 Measurement of thermal capacity
Yes 4.6 Measurement of time constant Yes 4.6 *contact manufacturer
for details!
[0023] Tables 3A and 3B illustrate characteristic efficiency values
(normal incidence, G=800 W/m.sup.2) for efficiency with and without
wind, respectively. Tables 4A and 4B show power output (power in
watts per collector, normal incidence, beam irradiation) with and
without wind, respectively.
TABLE-US-00003 TABLES 3A and 3B Reference area Absorber Aperture
Gross Reference area Absorber Aperture Gross .eta. (T.degree..sub.m
= 0.00) 0.62 0.62 0.54 .eta. (x = 0.00) 0.62 0.62 0.54 .eta.
(T.degree..sub.m = 0.05) 0.56 0.57 0.49 .eta. (x = 0.05) 0.56 0.57
0.60 .eta. (T.degree..sub.m = 0.10) 0.50 0.51 0.44 .eta. (x = 0.10)
0.50 0.51 0.44
TABLE-US-00004 TABLES 4A and 4B Irradiation 400 W/m.sup.2 700
W/m.sup.2 1000 W/m.sup.2 Irradiation 400 W/m.sup.2 700 W/m.sup.2
1000 W/m.sup.2 t.sub.m - t.sub.n = 10 K 474 846 1'218 t.sub.m -
t.sub.n = 10 K 475 847 1'219 t.sub.m - t.sub.n = 30 K 429 801 1'173
t.sub.m - t.sub.n = 30 K 431 803 1'175 t.sub.m - t.sub.n = 50 K 382
754 1'126 t.sub.m - t.sub.n = 50 K 385 757 1'129
[0024] Table 5 shows incidence angle modifier (IAM), Table 6 shows
pressure drop in Pascals (test fluid 33.3% Ethylenglykol) and Table
7 shows thermal capacity and time constant.
TABLE-US-00005 TABLE 5 0.degree. 10.degree. 20.degree. 30.degree.
40.degree. 50.degree. 60.degree. 70.degree. 80.degree. 90.degree.
K(.THETA.),.sub.long 1.0 0.90 0.0 K(.THETA.),.sub.trans 1.0 1.01
1.0 1.01 1.01 1.05 1.16 0.0
TABLE-US-00006 TABLE 6 100 l/h 150 l/h 250 l/h 350 l/h 500 l/h
20.degree. C. 60.degree. C. 80.degree. C.
TABLE-US-00007 TABLE 7 Thermal capacity (kJ/K) Time constant (s)
16.2 202
[0025] These tests were performed by SPF, Hochschule Rapperswil
(HSR) at Oberseestr. 10, CH-8640 Rapperswil.
Example II
[0026] Collector Test No. C500. (Consolar GmbH, TUBO 11 CPC) The
embodiment of FIG. 7 is described in Table 8 and the tests of Table
9 were performed. There was no stagnation temperature for standard
values ISO 9806-2 and EN-12975-2 were 30.degree. C./1000 W/m.sup.2.
The thermal performance (flowrate at test: 100 l/h) is illustrated
in FIGS. 11A and 11B, with and without wind, respectively.
TABLE-US-00008 TABLE 8 Contact Consolar GmbH, D-60489 Frankfurt/M.
Tel. +49 (069) 61 99 11 30, Fax +49 (069) 61 99 11 28 Distributed
in * DE, AT, *EU* Type ETC, cylindrical absorbers, CPC, direct heat
transfer Assembly Installation * Installation on sloping roof, Flat
roof with support Rated flowrate * 100 l/h Absorber Metal carbide
coating * Dimensions 0.873 m.sup.2, 0.967 m.sup.2, 1.163 m.sup.2
(absorber, aperture, gross) Gross dimensions: 1.860 .times. 0.625
.times. 0.045 l, w, h (in m) Weight including 13 kg glazing * *
manufacturer information
TABLE-US-00009 TABLE 9 Carried Test out Section Report* Durability
test according to ISO No 3 LTS C500 Durability test according to EN
No 3 C500LPEN Measurement of stagnation temperature No 3.1
Efficiency measurement acc. SPF Yes 4.1 Efficiency measurement acc
ISO, DIN, Yes 4.1 EN Incidence angle modifier (IAM) Yes 4.4
Measurement of pressure drop Yes 4.5 Measurement of thermal
capacity No 4.6 Measurement of time constant No 4.6 *contact
manufacturer for details!
[0027] Tables 10A and 10B illustrate characteristic efficiency
values (normal incidence, G=800 W/m.sup.2) for efficiency with and
without wind, respectively. Tables 11A and 11B show power output
(power in watts per collector, normal incidence, beam irradiation)
with and without wind, respectively.
TABLE-US-00010 TABLES 10A and 10B Reference area Absorber Aperture
Gross Reference area Absorber Aperture Gross .eta. (T.degree..sub.m
= 0.00) 0.73 0.66 0.55 .eta. (x = 0.00) 0.73 0.66 0.55 .eta.
(T.degree..sub.m = 0.05) 0.66 0.59 0.49 .eta. (x = 0.05) 0.67 0.60
0.50 .eta. (T.degree..sub.m = 0.10) 0.59 0.53 0.44 .eta. (x = 0.10)
0.61 0.55 0.46
TABLE-US-00011 TABLES 11A and 11B Irradiation 400 W/m.sup.2 700
W/m.sup.2 1000 W/m.sup.2 Irradiation 400 W/m.sup.2 700 W/m.sup.2
1000 W/m.sup.2 t.sub.m - t.sub.n = 10 K 241 431 622 t.sub.m -
t.sub.n = 10 K 244 434 624 t.sub.m - t.sub.n = 30 K 217 407 597
t.sub.m - t.sub.n = 30 K 224 414 604 t.sub.m - t.sub.n = 50 K 192
383 573 t.sub.m - t.sub.n = 50 K 204 394 584
[0028] Table 12 shows incidence angle modifier (IAM), and Table 13
shows pressure drop in Pascals (test fluid 33.3%
Ethylenglykol).
TABLE-US-00012 TABLE 12 0.degree. 10.degree. 20.degree. 30.degree.
40.degree. 50.degree. 60.degree. 70.degree. 80.degree. 90.degree.
K(.THETA.),.sub.long 1.0 0.93 0.0 K(.THETA.),.sub.trans 1.0 1.0 1.0
0.95 0.82 0.84 0.90 1.02 1.03 0.0
TABLE-US-00013 TABLE 13 50 l/h 100 l/h 150 l/h 175 l/h 200 l/h
20.degree. C. 6400 13300 21400 26000 30700 60.degree. C. 80.degree.
C.
Example III
[0029] Collector Test No. C370. (Paradigma-Schweiz, CPC 14 Star)
The embodiment of FIG. 8 is described in Table 14, and the tests of
Table 15 were performed. The stagnation temperature for standard
values ISO 9806-2 and EN 12975-2 were for 30.degree. C./1000
W/m.sup.2, 269.degree. C. The collector also passed a durability
test. The thermal performance (flowrate at test: 179 l/h) is shown
in FIGS. 12A and 12B, with and without wind, respectively.
TABLE-US-00014 TABLE 14 Contact Paradigma-Schweiz, CH-6201 Sursee
Tel. +41 (041) 925 11 22, Fax +41 (041) 925 11 21 Distributed in *
CH, DE, AT, *EU*, PL, HR Type Evacuated tube collector, cylindrical
absorbers, CPC, direct heat transfer Installation * Installation on
sloping roof, Flat roof with support, Facade installation Rated
flowrate * 180 l/h Absorber Al/Al N coating * Dimensions 2.332
m.sup.2, 2.325 m.sup.2, 2.618 m.sup.2 (absorber, aperture, gross)
Gross dimensions: 1.613 .times. 1.623 .times. 0.120 l, w, h (in m)
Weight including 42 kg glazing * * manufacturer information
TABLE-US-00015 TABLE 15 Carried Test out Section Report* Durability
test according to ISO Yes 3 C370QPISO Durability test according to
EN Yes 3 C370QPEN Measurement of stagnation temperature Yes 3.1
C370QPEN Efficiency measurement acc. SPF Yes 4.1 LTS C370
Efficiency measurement acc ISO, DIN, Yes 4.1 C370LPEN EN Incidence
angle modifier (IAM) Yes 4.4 Measurement of pressure drop No 4.5
Measurement of thermal capacity Yes 4.6 Measurement of time
constant No 4.6 *contact manufacturer for details!
[0030] Tables 16A and 16B illustrate characteristic efficiency
(normal incidence, G=800 W/m.sup.2) for efficiency with and without
wind, respectively. Table 17A and 17B show power output (power in
watts per collector, normal incidence, beam irradiation) with and
without wind, respectively.
TABLE-US-00016 TABLES 16A and 16B Reference area Absorber Aperture
Gross Reference area Absorber Aperture Gross .eta. (T.degree..sub.m
= 0.00) 0.68 0.68 0.60 .eta. (x = 0.00) 0.68 0.68 0.60 .eta.
(T.degree..sub.m = 0.05) 0.59 0.60 0.53 .eta. (x = 0.05) 0.60 0.60
0.54 .eta. (T.degree..sub.m = 0.10) 0.50 0.51 0.45 .eta. (x = 0.10)
0.52 0.52 0.46
TABLE-US-00017 TABLES 17A and 17B Irradiation 400 W/m.sup.2 700
W/m.sup.2 1000 W/m.sup.2 Irradiation 400 W/m.sup.2 700 W/m.sup.2
1000 W/m.sup.2 t.sub.m - t.sub.n = 10 K 593 1'065 1'537 t.sub.m -
t.sub.n = 10 K 597 1'069 1'541 t.sub.m - t.sub.n = 30 K 517 989
1'461 t.sub.m - t.sub.n = 30 K 528 1'000 1'472 t.sub.m - t.sub.n =
50 K 437 909 1'381 t.sub.m - t.sub.n = 50 K 455 928 1'400
[0031] Table 18 shows incidence angle modifier (IAM).
TABLE-US-00018 TABLE 18 0.degree. 10.degree. 20.degree. 30.degree.
40.degree. 50.degree. 60.degree. 70.degree. 80.degree. 90.degree.
K(.THETA.),.sub.long 1.0 0.90 0.0 K(.THETA.),.sub.trans 1.0 1.01
1.00 1.01 1.01 1.05 1.16 0.0
* * * * *