Solar thermal collector
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing solar thermal and PV systems suffer from poor integration with roofing and wall cladding structures, leading to inefficient energy harvesting due to thermal isolation and re-radiation losses, as well as poor thermal and electrical connections between thermal absorbers and PV elements.
Innovation Solution
A solar thermal collector with a collector body formed of adhesively bonded body portions featuring complementary bonding surface profiles, creating a continuous liquid flow passage that resists mains pressure, and integrating solar PV elements close-thermally bonded to the absorber surface for enhanced energy transfer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a transparent housing is used to mount and integrate solar thermal and PV components, then the components are integrated with the roof structure, but the housing acts as a window for re-radiation losses and traps air spaces subject to condensation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the transparent housing from the system entirely, replacing it with a dark-colored integrally formed body that directly integrates with the roof structure. This extraction eliminates the housing's function as a window for re-radiation losses while maintaining structural integration through the body's own design features.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful effect of re-radiation losses by eliminating the transparent housing that caused them. The dark-colored body absorbs rather than transmits re-radiated energy, turning the previously harmful transparent structure into a beneficial heat-absorbing surface that improves thermal efficiency.
2Ease of manufacture
If body portions are adhesively bonded together with standard bonding surfaces, then the components are assembled, but the bond section is insufficient to resist mains pressure in the liquid flow passage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetric bonding surface profiles where the bond section length is deliberately made greater than the bonding surface width, creating an optimized adhesive joint geometry that resists mains pressure. This asymmetric design ensures the bond section extends sufficiently along the flow passage to provide reliable pressure containment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the bonding surfaces by specifying that the bond section length exceeds the bonding surface width. This parameter modification optimizes the adhesive joint's pressure resistance capability while maintaining ease of assembly through the defined complementary profiles.
3Ease of manufacture
If clear plastic material is used for the collector body, then the body is easy to manufacture, but there is no efficient thermal connection between PV cells and thermal absorber due to thermal insulation properties
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a dark-colored integrally formed body that combines structural and thermal functions. The dark coloration enhances thermal absorption while the integral formation ensures efficient thermal pathways from the absorber surface through the body to the liquid flow passage, eliminating the thermal insulation problem of clear plastic.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the structural body, thermal absorber, and liquid flow passage containment into a single integrally formed component. This consolidation eliminates thermal barriers between components and creates direct thermal pathways, improving heat transfer efficiency while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through integral formation.
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
This solution improves energy harvesting efficiency by ensuring effective thermal and electrical integration, reducing thermal isolation, and utilizing waste heat for efficient operation of PV cells, thereby enhancing the overall energy harvesting performance.
Implementation Method 1
an absorber surface adapted to be exposed to sunlight and be heated thereby
Implementation Method 2
a liquid flow passage therethrough adjacent said absorber surface
Implementation Method 3
transfers heat via a fluid connector to a circulated-fluid system
Implementation Method 4
body portions adhesively bonded together at two or more sets of complementary bonding surface portions
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a cladding member (13) formed of a supporting body portion (67) having mounts (54) and a head portion (12), and an absorber surface portion (70) having a peripheral boundary wall (71) defining a recess into which a solar cell array (removed in this view for clarity) is bonded. The supporting (67) and absorber surface (70) body portions are pressure moulded from polyvinyl ester/glassfibre (30%)/fire retardant (40%)/pigment sheet moulding compound. Complementary bonding portions (72) form a glue line in assembly and have complementary water passages (73) defined therebetween. The bonding portions (72) contrive a generally sinusoidal glue space (74) that is longer that the transverse sectional dimension of the boding portions (72), cooperating with the adhesive system to resist water pressure in the passages (73).