Carbon Nanotube Solar Collector for High Light Absorption
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional solar collectors have limited heat-absorbing efficiency due to the difficulties in applying thin films on large-area substrates and the materials used, restricting their overall performance.
Innovation Solution
A solar collector with a heat-absorbing layer made of carbon nanotubes, which are dispersed uniformly and can be arranged in ordered or disordered structures, enhancing light absorption and heat transfer, and a reflection layer to prevent thermal radiation loss, integrated into a solar heating system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If traditional thin film materials are used on large-area substrates, then manufacturing complexity increases due to difficulty in evaporation, but heat absorbing efficiency is limited by material properties
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from traditional thin films to carbon nanotubes, which can be deposited as free-standing films without requiring high vacuum conditions. This parameter change resolves the contradiction by enabling easy manufacture of large-area substrates while achieving superior heat absorbing efficiency (up to 96%) through the unique optical properties of carbon nanotubes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs carbon nanotubes as a composite material that combines structural integrity with exceptional light-absorbing properties. The carbon nanotube film serves as both the structural substrate and the heat-absorbing layer, eliminating the need for separate thin film deposition processes and achieving high manufacturing efficiency alongside high heat absorbing efficiency.
2Ease of manufacture
If traditional absorbing materials are used in solar collectors, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but heat absorbing efficiency is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from traditional absorbing materials to carbon nanotubes, which can be manufactured at reasonable costs through chemical vapor deposition or other scalable methods. The carbon nanotube film maintains structural integrity while achieving up to 96% light absorption, resolving the contradiction between manufacturing cost and heat absorbing efficiency.
3Manufacturing precision
If carbon nanotubes are used as heat-absorbing layer, then light-absorbing efficiency increases to 96%, but device complexity increases due to new material integration
Solution Approach 1:
The carbon nanotube film serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as the structural substrate, the heat-absorbing layer, and the free-standing support structure. This multi-functionality reduces device complexity by eliminating the need for separate components that would traditionally be required to achieve similar performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a flexible carbon nanotube film that can be directly integrated onto the solar collector surface without rigid structural support. This thin film approach simplifies the overall device structure while maintaining high light-absorbing efficiency, as the carbon nanotube film is self-supporting and can conform to various substrate geometries.
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 carbon nanotube-based solar collector achieves high light-absorbing efficiency, with a light-absorbing ratio of up to 96% and durable construction, reducing costs by eliminating the need for high vacuum conditions and improving overall solar energy harvesting.
Implementation Method 1
The carbon nanotube structure includes a plurality of carbon nanotubes dispersed uniformly in the heat-absorbing layer... achieves high light-absorbing efficiency, with a light-absorbing ratio of up to 96%
Implementation Method 2
heat is generated by the substrate 52 and is transferred to a storage apparatus... heat-absorbing layer 14 and received in the sealed chamber 16
Implementation Method 3
a reflection layer to prevent thermal radiation loss
Data Source
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AI summary
A solar collector (10) includes a substrate (11) having a top surface (111) and a bottom surface (112) opposite to the upper surface (111), a sidewall (12), a transparent cover (13), and a heat-absorbing layer (14). The sidewall (12) is arranged on the top surface (111) of the substrate (11). The transparent cover (13) is disposed on the sidewall (12) opposite to the substrate (11) to form a sealed chamber (16) with the substrate (11) together. The heat-absorbing layer (14) is disposed on the upper surface (111) of the substrate (11) and includes a carbon nanotube structure.