Composite Solar Collector Structure for Strength and Heat Absorption
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current solar collectors, both glazed and unglazed, face issues with fragility, low efficiency, and aesthetic concerns, leading to high maintenance and installation challenges, and are often inaccessible due to their fragile nature, which affects their heat transfer rates and longevity.
Innovation Solution
A composite solar collector made from materials with equal coefficients of elasticity, such as wood and polymers, that is self-supporting, robust, and environmentally friendly, allowing for increased material thickness without compromising thermal efficiency, enabling dual-side absorption and improved durability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional unglazed solar collectors use thin material thickness to increase heat transfer rates, then heat transfer efficiency is improved, but structural strength and durability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials consisting of a polymer matrix combined with reinforcing fibers (glass, carbon, or natural fibers) to create a material that simultaneously provides high heat transfer efficiency and structural strength. The composite structure allows thin-walled construction for thermal efficiency while the fiber reinforcement compensates for the inherent weakness of thin polymer materials, resolving the contradiction between heat transfer rate and structural strength.
2Use of energy by moving object
If glazed solar collectors use glass tubes to improve heat absorption, then thermal efficiency is improved, but fragility and handling difficulty worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional glass tube mechanical structure with a polymer-based composite material structure. The polymer composite maintains the necessary thermal absorption properties while eliminating the fragility and handling difficulties associated with glass, providing a more reliable and durable solution.
3Use of energy by moving object
If solar collectors are installed on roofs to maximize sun exposure, then heat absorption is improved, but accessibility for maintenance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs durable polymer composite materials that are resistant to damage and degradation, creating a solar collector that can withstand installation and maintenance activities. The enhanced durability allows for easier maintenance and potential relocation without significant damage risk, addressing the accessibility issue while maintaining roof installation options for optimal heat absorption.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The composite solar collector provides enhanced durability, increased efficiency, and longer product life, while being aesthetically versatile and cost-effective, allowing for various applications including building materials and portable use, with improved heat retention and reduced UV degradation.
Implementation Method 1
heat transfer between the solar collector and the medium inside is essential for the efficacy of the solar collector
Implementation Method 2
adapted to absorb thermal heating from the sun
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A solar collector adapted to absorb thermal heating from the sun, wherein said solar collector comprises hollow sections adapted to house a medium. The solar collector is a self-supporting composite solar collector produced from a composite material constituted of at least a first and second material, wherein said first and second materials have equal or substantially equal coefficients of elasticity.