Vacuum Solar Panel Return Routing to Cut External Piping Losses
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing solar array field configurations suffer from significant heat losses and high costs due to extensive external piping, particularly in medium temperature applications, where fiberglass insulation is necessary but prone to moisture penetration and mechanical damage.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves routing the return portion of the heat transfer fluid circulation path through the vacuum solar thermal panels themselves, with a single pipe connecting subsequent panels, and a heat-absorbing plate divided into thermally decoupled parts to reduce transverse thermal conductivity, thereby minimizing external piping and insulation requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional external piping configurations are used to connect vacuum solar thermal panels, then the panels can be connected in series or series-parallel arrangements, but the length of external piping increases significantly, leading to higher heat losses and higher insulation costs
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the forward and return circulation paths by routing both through the vacuum panels themselves. The return portion of the circulation path is provided through the vacuum panels, allowing the hydraulic circuit to traverse the panels twice - once in the forward direction and once in the return direction - thereby eliminating the need for separate external return piping and reducing total pipe length.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention utilizes the internal structure of the vacuum panels by providing both forward and return pipes within the panel assembly. This dimensional reorganization moves the circulation path from external three-dimensional routing to internal two-dimensional routing within the panel plane, reducing the overall external piping length.
2Loss of energy
If thick fiberglass insulation is applied to external piping to reduce heat losses, then heat losses can be controlled, but the cost of the insulation system increases significantly due to material costs and protective cladding requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the circulation path from the external environment and relocates it inside the vacuum panels. By providing both forward and return pipes within the vacuum-sealed environment, the system eliminates the need for external insulation on the return piping, removing the source of the problem rather than applying a corrective measure.
3Temperature
If the heat transfer fluid temperature is increased for medium temperature applications, then the useful heat output increases, but heat losses from external piping increase proportionally
Solution Approach 1:
The vacuum environment inside the panels acts as an inert thermal environment with extremely low heat transfer coefficients. By routing the hot return portion of the circulation path through this vacuum environment, the system eliminates convective and conductive heat losses that would otherwise occur in ambient air, allowing high temperature operation without proportional increases in heat losses.
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 configuration significantly reduces heat losses and costs by limiting the length of insulated external piping and maintaining temperature differences between forward and return pipes, achieving an 8% and 3% reduction in heat losses compared to traditional configurations.
Implementation Method 1
The solar radiation thus enters the vacuum envelope through the front plate, is collected by the heat-absorbing plate and converted into heat
Implementation Method 2
vacuum solar thermal panels comprise a flat vacuum tight envelope
Implementation Method 3
In order to reduce losses, a good thermal insulation, in the form of a thick low thermal conductivity layer wrapped or clamped around the pipes, has to be provided
Data Source
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AI summary
The present application relates to a solar array field (100) having an improved configuration, comprising a plurality of vacuum solar thermal panel (1) and a hydraulic circuit (10) for circulating a heat transfer fluid, said hydraulic circuit (10) comprising at least one circulation path (13, 14, 15, 16) connecting a low-temperature inlet (11) to a high-temperature outlet (12), said circulation path (13, 14, 15, 16) comprising a forward portion (15) successively traversing a plurality of vacuum solar thermal panels (1); said circulation path (13, 14, 15, 16) further comprising a return portion (16) connected downstream to said forward portion (15), said return portion (16) traversing the same vacuum solar thermal panels (1) in reverse order.