Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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SOLAR PANEL
Cross Reference to Related Application
This application claims priority from United States Provisional Patent
Application No. 60/932,176 filed May 30, 2007 entitled Solar Panel.
Field of the Invention
This invention relates to solar collection panel construction and in
particular to
cost effective and highly efficient solar energy collector panels constructed
in a scalable
manner as a single integrated unit onto the roof or other support structure.
Background of the Invention
It is known that when making solar collectors based on heat transfer to a
fluid,
that a sheet or thermally conductive material that readily absorbs solar
energy is placed in
thermal contact with fluid carrying elements, tube or pipe to transfer the
absorbed solar energy
to the fluid which is ultimately pumped and stored for use in heating or power
generation
applications. The construction of the solar collector often includes a
framework or housing
which can be mounted to a structure such as a building roof. The housing
typically insulates
the solar panel from the surrounding environment and generally has a optically
clear cover
such as a glass panel which allows a substantial portion of the solar energy
impinging on it to
pass through to be absorbed by the underlying sheet of the solar collector.
The construction of
the solar collector sheet and the housing enclosing it can vary greatly in
both cost and
efficiency.
Applicant is aware of patents regarding solar collector design and housing
such
as US Patent No. 5,431,149 titled "Solar energy collector", issued to Fossum ,
et al. on July
11, 1995. Fossum teaches a large rectangular solar heat absorber which
includes a plurality of
identical rectangular heat absorbing panels which, when assembled in side by
side and end to
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end relationship will form a total heat absorbing surface area of the desired
dimensions, with
each panel comprising a rectangular heat absorbing plate having a top surface
to receive
incident solar radiation, a black body radiation coating on the top surface;
and one or more
pipes secured in heat transferring relation to the bottom surface of said heat
absorbing plate; a
rectangular frame dimensioned to mount a number of panels in side by side and
end to end
relation; a panel of glass covering the panels and having the property of
reflecting infrared
radiation emitted by said black body coating; means for securing the glass
cover to the frame;
means connecting the adjacent ends of said pipes to provide heat transfer
fluid flow paths
extending the length of the end to end panels; header means connected to the
non-adjacent
ends of said pipes for directing fluid flow through all of said heat transfer
flow paths; pump
means for producing turbulent flow of heat transfer fluid through all of said
pipes; an inlet
header connected to one end of a first set of pipes providing a fluid flow
path to said first set of
pipes; an outlet header connected to one end of a second set of pipes
providing a fluid flow
path from said second set of pipes; said inlet header and outlet header being
on the same ends
of said panels with connecting means providing horizontally parallel fluid
flow paths; and
header means directing fluid flow from said first set of pipes to said second
sets of pipes, said
second set of pipes having a fluid flow path in a direction opposite the fluid
flow path of said
first set of pipes.
US Patent No. 4,201,193 titled "Solar energy absorbing roof' issued to Ronc
on May 6, 1980 , teaches a solar roofing structure combining the covering and
waterproofing
functions of a conventional roof with the functions of a solar energy-
collecting panel, and
which consists of a supporting base; a layer of insulating material on said
base; waterproofing
cover of elastomers and bitumen, the outer surface of which is covered on its
upper surface
with mineral particles selected from the group consisting of gravel, glass and
ceramic particles;
and means separate from said waterproofing cover means defining circulation
channels for a
liquid, in close contact with and below the waterproofing cover means, and
between said
waterproofing cover and the insulating material and in contact with each.
US Patent No. 4,172,311 titled "Process for manufacturing solar collector
panels" issued to Heyman on October 30, 1979, teaches a method for fabricating
a lightweight
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economical solar energy collector panel comprising the steps of: building a
solar collector by
inverting the outer frame having an inwardly protruding top flange defining a
radiation-
receiving opening, thereby upwardly exposing the underside of the top flange;
positioning on
the upwardly exposed underside of the top flange a translucent glass or
plastic layer
substantially transparent to solar radiation spanning the outer frame across
the opening beneath
the top flange; placing on the upwardly exposed underside of the translucent
layer a spacer
partition means underlying the translucent layer, and having a plurality of
rigid upright support
wall portions spanning the outer frame and juxtaposed to the translucent
layer; forrning a
manifold-connected plurality of heat-conductive fluid conduit means shaped and
dimensioned
for underlying the spacer partition means; forming a temporary array
comprising a thin
metallic foil sheet foldably formed into cylindrical channel heat-transmitting
portions which
all embrace the fluid conduit means, and which are contiguously foldably
joined by
substantially flat heat-receiving portions shaped for extending across the
opening beneath the
spacer partition, exposed to solar radiation entering the opening; inverting
and positioning the
temporarily assembled metallic foil sheet and conduit array on the exposed
underside of the
upright support wall portions of the spacer partition means with the conduit
array protruding
into the interior region of the outer frame away from the spacer partition
means; and foaming
in place a polymer foam back directly in contact with the temporarily
assembled metallic foil
sheet and fluid conduit array, spanning and substantially filling the
remaining space within the
outer frame and thereby permanently anchoring the foregoing assembled
components into an
interconnected panel unit.
US Patent No. 4,164,935 titled "Solar heating panels" issued to Marles, et al.
on
August 21, 1979 , teaches a solar heating panel comprising a plurality of
cylindrical tubes for
carrying a liquid to be heated and an absorber plate for absorbing solar
radiation falling
thereon, the absorber plate including a plurality of rigid plate sections each
having at one edge
an outwardly-facing eoncave substantially semi-cylindrical portion, the
concave surface of the
semi-cylindrical portion having the same radius of curvature as the outer
circumferential
surface of one of the eylindrical tubes, and. clamping means engaging the
convex outer
surfaces of the semi-cylindrical portions on two adjacent plate sections and
thereby clamping a
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cylindrical tube with its outer surface in heat-conducting contact with the
concave surfaces of
said semi-cylindrical portions, each of the plates of said plurality of plate
sections being
shaped at an opposite edge which is parallel to the said one edge such that
the said opposite
edge faces towards the said one edge thereby defining a channel in the plate
section within
which channel a similar opposite edge of another plate section is slidingly
engaged in a
manner which detachably interlocks the opposite edges but permits expansion of
the plate
sections relative to one another.
US Patent No. 4,072,262 titled "Method of fabricating a solar heating unit"
issued to Godrick , et al. on February 7, 1978, teaches a process for
fabricating a solar heating
unit for heating fluids where the process consists of: placing a thin, soft,
annealed sheet
having a good thermal conductivity characteristic in conformal relation to a
grooved surface of
a self-supporting, thermally conductive planar plate, assembling a plurality
of tubes in a
spaced apart planar relation, the spacing between the tubes equal to the
spacing between said
grooves, and the contour of the grooves substantially conforming to a portion
of the contour of
the tubes, connecting headers in a fluid-tight connection to the tubes to
provide fluid flow
paths between said headers and the tubes, applying a thermally conductive
paste adhesive
along the conformal portion of the tubes, and positioning the assembled
elements in an aligned
relation to the grooves in the plate with the conformal portion abutting the
thin sheet, and
pressing the tubes against said sheet with sufficient pressure and temperature
to creep form the
sheet around the attachment portion of the tubes, and to simultaneously melt
the paste adhesive
to provide a good thermally conductive bond between the elements and the
sheet.
US Patent No. 4,011,856 titled "Solar fluid heater" issued to Gallagher on
March 15, 1977, teaches a solar energy fluid heater made of an open housing
having rigid
bottom and side panels; a plurality of abutting solar panels for collecting
solar energy
positioned within the housing, each having an upper surface positioned below
the opening in
the housing for collecting solar energy, an open circular channel formed in
the center portion
of each panel having an opening smaller than the diameter of the channel along
the
longitudinal center of the solar panel, with the channel being below the
opening and the upper
surface and the portions of the upper surface adjacent each side of the
opening having a linear
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downward slope; a conduit member positioned within the channel having a
diameter greater
than the relaxed diameter of the channel and a length sufficiently long to
extend from each end
of the solar panel; header members one connecting each adjacent end of the
conduit and
extending to the exterior of the collector housing; a number of support
members spaced apart
along the bottom panel of the housing for spacing the solar panels from the
bottom panel;
insulation is placed between the solar panels and the bottom of the housing;
at least one panel
of translucent material is placed above said upper surface of the solar panel
is sealed to the
side panels forming an enclosure for the opening of the housing; and pressure
applying means
for securing the edges of the adjacent panels in firm physical contact to
ensure heat transfer
between the adjacent panels by thermal conduction. The solar heat collector
would typically be
coated with a solar energy absorbent material on its upper exposed surface. In
addition the
fluid carrying conduit having a greater diameter than that of the relaxed
channel diameter for
securing the conduit within the channel by spring tension; and screw anchors
for securing the
edges of the panel in firm physical position to maintain said mechanical force
between said
channel and conduit as the temperature of the panel increases to insure heat
transfer between
said panel and conduit by conduction.
Summary of the Invention
The present invention serves to collect solar energy for the purposes of
heating
and / or generating electricity for various purposes. The present invention
uses a modular sheet
metal surface with imbedded tubing to conduct thermal energy absorbed by a
high absorption
low emissivity painted surface. After pressing the tubes into the sheet metal
or otherwise
forming the metal snugly around the tubes, the sheet metal surface is formed
to be welded to
itself along the top of the tubes, thereby securely capturing the tubes and
maintaining direct
thermal conductivity between the sheet metal, the tube, and the fluid or gas
flowing through
the tubes into the solar collector circuit and reservoir circuit without the
need for thermally
conductive filler or adhesive, etc., clips, or other means found in the prior
art for adhering a
collector sheet to a fluid conducting tube. The collector modules can be
scaled in length and
width to increase solar collection coverage over areas of various size.
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The solar collector can be configured for liquid coolant or phase change
materials such as liquid / gas refrigerants, with the potential for a broad
range of operating
pressures. The solar collector may be housed in a roof mount or stand-alone
configuration. A
glazing profile, used in conjunction with a rubbery for example silicon
extrusion, provides an
efficient method of constructing the solar collector of the present invention.
The solar collector is built onto the supporting structure by laying down EPDM
(Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer) roofing rubber membrane and then fastening
a
framework to the support, followed by insulation, aluminum foil, a black
anodized or painted
aluminum sheet that has been folded or otherwise formed about a plurality of
copper tubes and
welded along the fold seam along the top of the tubes so as to form an
contiguous surface, with
an air gap and a pane of glass.
In summary, the solar panel according to the present invention may be
characterized in one aspect as including a circumferential upstanding rim and
defining a cavity
therein, an insulating layer mounted in the cavity and extending substantially
completely
across the cavity so as to abut the rim substantially contiguously around the
rim, a heat-
exchanger sheet made substantially of collector sheet metal overlaid onto the
insulating layer
and substantially entirely covering said insulating layer, at least one light-
passing sheet
overlaying the heat exchanger sheet and mounted to the rim at edges of the
light-passing sheet,
and an array of fluid transmission tubes mounted to the heat-exchanger sheet,
the fluid
transmission tubes conducting a flow of heat-exchanger fluid in a heat
exchange circuit. The
array of fluid transmission tubes are mounted to, so as to lay substantially
flush along, the
heat-exchanger sheet within a corresponding array of channels formed in the
heat-exchanger
sheet.
Each channel in the array of channels is wrapped snugly around each
corresponding tube in the array of fluid transmission tubes for direct metal-
to-metal heat
transfer of heat from the heat-exchanger sheet to the array of fluid
transmission tubes. Each
channel when so wrapped forms a seam of adjacent, for example closely
adjacent, folds in the
heat-exchanger sheet along upper edges of each channel when foimed into the
snug wrapping
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around each corresponding tube. The seam is welded closed with a weld thereby
tightening
closed the seam as the weld and channel cools, and consequently tightening the
snug wrapping
of each channel around its corresponding tube.
Advantageously, the collector sheet metal is aluminium sheet, and the light-
passing sheet, for example of glass, is maintained spaced above the heat-
exchanger sheet so as
to maintain an air gap therebetween. The aluminium sheet may be of a thickness
less than or
substantially equal to 24 gauge, wherein the thickness is sufficient for the
weld to be welded to
the seam.
In one embodiment the array of tubes is a substantially parallel array of
tubes
and wherein an inlet header and an outlet header are mounted in fluid
communication with the
array of tubes at, respectively, inlet and outlet ends of the array. The inlet
end of the array is at
an end adapted to be mounted elevated above the outlet end of the array,
wherein the inlet
header is a hollow member having an array of orifices each in fluid
communication with a
corresponding tube of the array of tubes for simultaneous metering of the
fluid into each tube
of the array of tubes.
In a further embodiment, the light-passing sheet is a plurality of glass
sheets in
a linear array mounted to the rim, wherein adjacent glass sheets in the linear
array overlap
along their common edges in the fashion of a shingled roof. In such an
embodiment, the panel
has an upper end and an opposite lower end and the upper end is adapted to be
elevated above
the lower end, so that the overlap between the adjacent glass sheets is a
cascading overlap
wherein a lower-most edge of an upper sheet overlaps on top of an upper-most
edge of a lower
sheet. For example, every overlap between adjacent sheets may be a cascading
overlap.
In the embodiment taught herein, which is not intended to be limiting, a first
hooked member is mounted in the overlap, where in one example the overlap is a
laterally
extending seam, so as to support and mount the common edges of the glass
sheets to one
another. The first hooked member forms a common-edge receiving channel in a
hook of the
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first hooked member for receiving one of the common edges in the channel. A
planar flange
portion of the hooked member is adhesively mountable to another of the common
edges.
In the embodiment tauglit herein, which is again not intended to be limiting,
a
second hooked member is mounted to the rim for example along longitudinal
edges or seams.
The second hooked member has a hook portion forming an edge receiving channel
for
mounting therein of an edge of the light-passing sheet. The second hooked
member has a
planar portion mounted to the rim. The edge of the light-passing sheet is
adhesively mounted
in the edge receiving channel, substantially entirely along a corresponding
edge of the light-
passing sheet. For example, the edge-receiving channel extends completely
along longitudinal
edges of the rim. Advantageously, a moisture deflecting cap may be mounted on
the second
hooked member to inhibit ingress of moisture into the edge-receiving channel.
As also taught herein, each panel may be adapted for flush mounting adjacent a
second panel by a pair of second hooked members mounted oppositely disposed
along the rim
so as to oppositely dispose on the rim a corresponding pair of edge receiving
channels.
Fasteners mount the pair of second hooked members to an upper edge of the rim.
A drip gutter
may be mounted between the second hooked member and the upper edge of the rim.
A
moisture impervious flexible sheet may be mounted sandwiched between the drip
gutter and
the upper edge of the rim. The flexible sheet may extend from said rim under
said insulating
layer.
Brief Description of the Drawings
In the drawings similar characters of reference denote corresponding parts in
each view, and wherein:
Figure 1 is, in front plan view, an embodiment of the solar panel of the
present
invention with two ganged tube embedded sheet collectors behind a single pane
of glass.
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Figure 2 is, in perspective cutaway view, an embodiment of the solar panel of
the present invention showing the preferred construction for installation of
the solar panel on a
sloped roof.
Figure 2a is a perspective cutaway detail view showing a close up cutaway of
the embodiment of the solar panel of Figure 2, showing the preferred
construction for
installation of the solar panel on a sloped roof.
Figure 3 is, in front plan view, an embodiment of the solar panel of the
present
invention with three ganged tube embedded sheet collectors and a short
collector behind two
overlapping panes of glass, demonstrating the scalability of the present
invention.
Figure 4 is, in plan view, an embodiment of the tube embedded sheet collector
of the present invention.
Figure 4a is, in front sectioned perspective view, the embodiment of the tube
embedded sheet collector of Figure 4 enlarged to show more detail.
Figure 4b is, in front sectioned detailed perspective view, the enibodiment of
the tube embedded sheet collector of Figure 4a showing in detail the press fit
of the tube in the
metal sheet and the welded seam.
Figure 5 is, in front perspective view, two tube embedded sheet collectors
being
joined together.
Figure 6 is, in front perspective view, the embodiment of Figure 3.
Figure 6a is, in side detailed section view, one embodiment of the overlap of
the glass on the vertically scaled up solar panel of the present invention.
Figure 6b is, in end cross sectional view along line 6a-6a in Fig 9, the
overlap
of the glazing strips supporting the overlapping panes of glass.
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Figure 7 is, in front sectioned view, shows the cross section of a glazing
securement method.
Figure 8 is, in front perspective view, a solar collector panel of the present
invention configured for refrigerant operation where the refrigerant is
metered into the solar
collector tubes near or at the top of the collector.
Figures 8a and 8b are, in front detailed perspective view enlarged from Figure
8, metering headers of the refrigerant based embodiment of the solar collector
of Figure 8.
Figure 9 is, in plan view, a solar collector array of the present invention
that has
been scaled out both vertically and transversely for mounting on a pitched
roof, and
customized in profile along its upper edge to match a gable roof line.
Detailed Description of Embodiments of the Invention
The present invention includes a solar collector panel array 1 in which the
active element or collector panel 3 includes a single thin sheet 15 of
thermally conductive
material such as but not limited to aluminum or other heat-conductive sheet
metal wllich may
be welded (herein collectively referred to as collector sheet metal), that has
had fluid
conducting metal (for example copper) tubes 4 pressed into or othemfise
positioned so as to lie
in channels 15b in sheet 15 so that the sheet 15 conformally encases the tubes
4. The channels
are closed by a weld W in welded seam 18, best seen in Figure 4b, where the
opposed facing
folds 15a in sheet 15 substantially meet or are closely adjacent after
encircling the tubes 4.
The tubes 4 are typically made of copper, steel, or some other suitable sized
material capable
of handling high pressures for solar energy collection applications using
fluid.s ranging from
water to liquid/vapor phase change refrigerant materials as would be known to
one skilled in
the art. The thermally conductive metal sheet 15 is typically coated on the
upwardly or
outwardly exposed surface with a high solar radiation absorption and low
infrared emissivity
paint as well known in the art.
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Welding seam 18 closed aids in tightening the encasement of channels 15b
about tubes 4. In particular, during the welding process the metal of sheet 15
adjacent the
seam and channels 15b are heated and expand. While so expanded if the channels
15b are
maintained and snugged around tubes 4 and folds 15a welded to one another,
then upon the
metal of channels 15b cooling and contracting, the channels 15b tighten so as
to be closely
clamped in metal-to-metal contact around tubes 4. This then avoids the use as
seen in the prior
art of clips, conductive adhesives/fillers, or, if unsecured, the loosening
of, and lessening of,
metal-to-metal contact in collector/tube interfaces due to expansion and
contraction as would
be seen in some of the prior art, leading in some cases perhaps to unwanted
electrolysis
between the metals.
Thus in a preferred embodiment which is not intended to be limiting,
aluminum sheet 15 may be for example 24 of 22 gauge aluminum sheet, or thinner
if folds l 5a
can still be welded together to tightly encase tubes 4 in channels 15b. Tubes
4 may be copper
tube having 1/4 inch inside diameter. The solar collector according to the
present invention
may, as described below, be quite long, for example 24 feet or more, and
modularly
constructed of 4 foot-by-8 foot panels.
Thus, the solar collector of the present invention may advantageously be
constructed in a modular fashion by the interconnecting of tubes 4 by the use
of flared ends 16
that are flared to a diameter that accepts the original outside diameter of
the exposed end of a
corresponding tube 4. In this way more than one module may be stacked or
interconnected so
as to mate the ends of the tubes exposed between modules as illustrated in
Figure 5 to create a
larger solar collector 13 as shown in Figures 3 and 9. Typically after the
male ends 17 of the
tubes of one solar collector module are inserted into the female flared ends
16 of the tubes of
the next adjacent collector, the joints between the ends of the tubes arc
heated and solder is
applied to bond the tubes and providing a sealed fluid path. In this way a
solar panel I of
custom length can be made by joining one or more whole or part modules 3 in
series, creating
a panel the same width as the original module.
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As shown in figure 8 and described above, welding seam 18 while the
conformally encased tube 4 is pressed and held in channels in sheet 15 results
in a tensioned
contact between the channels in sheet 1.5 and tubes 4 resulting in a good
thermal connection
between the two that will be maintained over the life of the solar collector 3
in spite of tlzermal
expansion and shrinkage. The operation of pressing the tube into the sheet 15
where the sheet
is made of aluminum results in work hardening of the aluminum, which further
reduces the
likelihood of it moving much due to thermal expansion and contraction, thereby
maintaining
the physical and thetmal connectivity between the tube 4 and the sheet 15.
The collector panels 3 can be configured for either liquid heat transfer fluid
such as water or glycol, or refrigerant coolants. One embodiment of the
present invention may
be implemented for a gravity fed refrigerant based solar collector 22 without
a pump in the
circuit as shown in Figure 8, where a metered inlet header 25 can be located
part way down
from the top, or alternatively such as header 29 at the top of the array such
that it is far enough
below the condenser in the heat reservoir that the liquid refrigerant has
enough head to return
to the solar collector evaporator. Thus for example, where there is
insufficient head to supply
a header 29 at the top of the array, a header 2t positioned part-way down the
array may be
used.
Keeping in mind that the collection panel I is inclined as it would be if
mounted on a pitched roof or inclined for example vertically on a stand, upper
inlet header 29
is elevated above lower header 30. In a liquid refrigerant embodiment example
header 29 is
metered as better seen in Figure 8b so that liquid refrigerant is introduced
through metering
ports 26 into tubes 4. The metered header 25 better seen in Figure 8a also
introduces liquid
refrigerant through metering ports 26 into tubes 4. Metering ports 26 for the
liquid refrigerant
embodiment may be for example conventional refrigerant metering tubes (for
example a #36
metering tube for a 24 foot long array) soldered into the header, where the
upper header may
be a 3/8 inch pipe. In other words, the metering orifice is essentially a pin-
hole size, being of
1/16'h inch or less. in embodiments using for example water as the heat
transfer fluid the
header would be for example 3/4 inch pipe with a 1/4 inch hole feeding
directly into tubes 4.
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The refrigerant header 25 is located pai-t-way down from the top of the
collector
22 such that refrigerant that flashes to gas can rise to the top of the array
24 to be collected by
the upper header 29 and returned to the condensing heat exchanger in the heat
reservoir, while
gravity draws the liquid refrigerant down into the larger lower section 23 for
solar heat
absorption. The gas, and maybe a small amount of liquid, is accumulated by
lower header 30,
and circulated back to the condenser in the heat reservoir along with the gas
from the upper
header 29. Lower header 30 may be situated part way up the collector from the
bottom for the
gas return of the refrigerant to the condenser in the heat reservoir. In this
implementation the
bottom-most header 30 can simply act as a liquid accumulator, for example when
the sun is
weak or at the end of the day, or botli, and pressure balancing passage
between the various
solar tubes 4, with both ends of the header capped.
In the refrigerant embodiment of the present invention refrigerant based heat
exchange media is pumped to the inlet metering valves 26, better seen in
Figure 8b, between
the upper inlet header 29 and the solar collector tubes 4. Gas and any left
over liquid
refrigerant flows back to the condenser from the lower header 30. The
uppermost ends 4a of
tubes 4 are capped or otherwise sealed closed.
The injector orifice into each tube 4 is sized for the length of the tube,
allowing
the refrigerant to evaporate as it runs down the length of the tube under the
force of gravity.
This allows, with the appropriate quantity of injected refrigerant, for an
even evaporation
along the length of tube, that is along the length of the collector, resulting
in an even
temperature along the collector. This avoids a problem encountered by the
applicant where the
liquid alcohol refrigerant would not flow above five feet before the alcohol
evaporated
allowing the collector to get very hot above the five foot levels. Thus using
the solution to that
problem according to the present invention even long runs of tubes 4, that is,
when a plurality
of modular panel section are joined together to form a long for example 20
foot or more length
of collector panel 1, the amount of refrigerant being injected from the upper
header may be
adjusted to balance for the extra length of evaporation occurring in the extra
length of the
tubes.
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The solar collector panel 1 can be configured for roof top installation or as
a
stand-alone unit. Figures 2 and 2a show cutaway views of the roof top
embodiment panel 6 of
the solar panel 1, where a layer of waterproof material such as EPDM (Ethylene
Propylene
Diene Monomer) rubber sheet 7 is put on the existing roofing structure
sandwiching sheet 7,
and then a wooden frame 8 is fastened onto the existing roofing structure, and
insulation 9 is
placed on the EPDM sheet 7 and within the frame 8, with a layer of paper
backed aluminum
foil 9a placed on top of the insulation. The EPDM sheet 7 is wrapped around
the frame 8,
terminating within the enclosed frame work and overlapping the insulation 9
slightly.
The base edge 6a of panel 6 as seen in Figure 2 and the opposite top edge (not
shown) may advantageously be constructed so as to allow air transfer into and
out of the panel
to help alleviate condensation. Consequently the base and top edges of the
panel are not
sealed in the fashion of the side edges such as illustrated in Figure 2a.
Rather, the top of the
frame member is not sealed with a J-clip 19, type 37 and silicon bead 32.
Instead, the edges of
glass sheet 11 are siliconed directly down onto aluminum flasliing 31.
Flashing 31 has for
example a sniall upstanding lip 31 a against which the edge of the glass is
rested. Silicon
adhesive is used between the underside of the edge of the glass sheet and the
top surface 3 lb
of the flashing.
Solar collector modules 3 are placed into the framework 8 on top of the
insulation 9 complete with plumbed headers 29, 30 to connect with the solar
collection circuit.
Oppositely disposed glass-supporting channels 19a are provided by J-clips 19
(or other
channel members) which are installed over a C-shaped aluminum profile which
serves to catch
drips, herein drip edge or drip gutter 39. Drip gutter 39 is itself mounted
down onto the
EPDM sheet 7 and frame 8 by screws 38. Sheets of glass 11 are retained in
channels 19a in J-
clips 19. In order to facilitate lateral edge-to-edge expansion of the solar
collector array, the
lower flanges 19b of J-clips 19 extend horizontally outwardly, for example so
as to terminate
flush with the edges of frame 8. Glass sheets 11 may be 3 millimeter thickness
glass.
Channels 19a may have a 1/4 inch gap to accommodate 1/8fl' inch foam tape 37
and the 3
millimeter thick glass sheet 11. When the lower, inner flange of C-clip 21 or
flashing clip 36,
as the case may be, is also inserted under the upper flange of a J-clip 19,
tape 37 is compressed
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so that the edge of the glass is clamped in the J-clip channel. The J-clip
flanges and web may
for example be 1/16"' inch thick.
Channels 19a serve to support the edges 11 a of glass 11 sandwiched between
the lower flanges 21 a of a cap member such as C-clip 21 and double-sided tape
37, such as
double-sided foam window glazing tape. The bottom surface of tape 37 is
mounted to the
lower flanges 19b so that edges 11 a of glass 1 I rest on, and are adhered to,
the top surface of
tape 37. Beads 32 of resilient sealant adhesive such as glazing silicon are
used to resiliently
seal tape 37 within channels 19a while providing for thermal expansion and
contraction of
glass 11. Beads 32 and tape 37 are of such diaineter and durometry that the
resting weight of
the glass 11 only slightly compresses the bead and tape. C-shaped clips 21
when mounted
along the length of the top profile of J-clips 19 act on glass 11 so as to
urge the glass
downwards onto the tape 37 and beads 32, tliereby slightly compressing the
tape and beads,
resulting in a seal between the glass 11, the tape and beads, and the lower
flanges 19b of J-
clips 19.
The roof mount configuration is very scalable by extending the framework both
vertically and horizontally. Figures 3 and 6 show a single module width, and
Figure 9 a double
module widtli solar collector 1 of the present invention extended by
cascading, that is
overlapping like a shingled roof, a number of full and partial length solar
colleetor modules 3.
At some point the size of the solar collector 1 will require glass 11 that is
too large to be
handled in one piece. At this point more than one pane of glass is thus called
for. The panes
of glass may be installed by the following method: The lower-most pane 11 a of
glass 1 I is
silicon adhered at its lower end onto flashing 31 mounted on EPDM sheet 7 on
the lower end
of Frame 8, where the flashing 31 is not sealed onto the sheet 7 and the frame
to allow air
seepage.
As seen in Figure 6a, a second, upper pane llb of glass 11 has a J-clip 19
mounted to its lower end, along its lower inside edge using glazing adhesive
32' such as
structural silicon glazing adhesive. The J-clip 19 is mounted with its wider
flange 19b abutted
against the lower inside edge of upper pane l lb, and is oriented so that
channel 19a is open
CA 02633025 2008-05-30
downwardly so as to receive therein the upper edge of lower pane 11 a. The
upper edge of
lower pane 11b mates into channel 19a against a resilient bead, member or
insert such as
snake-like silicon gasket 20 inlaid along the length of the base or web of
channel 19a.
Advantageously wide flange 19b presents at least a one inch wide bearing
surface for adhesion
to upper pane 11 b. The second lower pane 1 I a thus overlaps under the upper
first pane 11 b
along overlap seam 3a.
Figure 6b is illustrative of one way, not intending to be limiting, to mount
onto
frame 8 the intersection as seen in Figure 9 of lateral or horizontal over-
lapped seams 31 with
longitudinal or vertical abutting seams 3b between adjacent panels 3. In
particular, the side
edges of the overlapped portion (the one inch overlap between upper and lower
glass sheets
1 I b and 1 I a) are each supported in, respectively, an upper J-clip 19 and a
lower, modified J-
clip 19". Thus upper glass sheet 1 lb is supported in the upper J-clip 19 as
taught with respect
to the single layer abutting seam of Figure 7. The lower J-clip" is modified
to remove the
upper flange 19c while leaving the web of the J-clip and lower flange 19b.
Thus upper J-clip
19 may be overlapped onto lower J-clip 19" by, again, approximately one inch,
without the
upper flange of lower J-clip 19" interfering with the upper J-clip 19. As seen
in Figure 6b, the
J-clips 19' and corresponding adhesive 32' stop short, that is, end laterally,
before they interfere
with the J-clips 19, adhesive beads 32, etc, making up longitudinal seam 3b.
Again, as seen in
Figure 7, a fastener such as screw 38 fastens the J-clips 19 in seam 3b down
onto frame 8. In
one embodiment drip gutters 39 are also overlapped at seam 3a, along seam 3b.
This allows
the use of manageable lengths of drip gutters 39, that is of the same length
as the sheets of
glass 11, that is, for example eight feet.
The solar collector panel 1 can similarly be configured for stand alone
operation
wherein the roofing structure is replaced by a lightweight support backing
such as corrugated
"Chloroplast". Such standalone solar collector panel may be mounted on a
ground based
stationary or dynamically steerable tracking frame that optimizes the
orientation of the solar
collector panel I as the sun moves across the sky.
16
CA 02633025 2008-05-30
As will be apparent to those skilled in the art in the light of the foregoing
disclosure, many alterations and modifications are possible in the practice of
this invention
without departing from the spirit or scope thereof. Accordingly, the scope of
the invention is
to be construed in accordance with the substance defined by the following
claims.
17
