Apparatus and method for solar thermal energy collection
View Patent ↗An apparatus for collecting solar energy includes a receptacle adapted for receiving solar thermal energy; an insert located within the receptacle, the insert being a heat pipe adapted to transfer heat; and an absorption device positioned proximate to and substantially conforming to at least a portion of an internal surface of the receptacle and thermally coupled to the insert. The insert enters the receptacle substantially at a cross-sectional center of the receptacle, and further inside the receptacle, the insert shifts to become closer to the absorption fin.
1. An apparatus for collecting solar energy, comprising:
a receptacle adapted for receiving solar thermal energy;
an insert located within the receptacle, the insert being a heat pipe adapted to transfer heat to a manifold, the heat pipe being further configured to have no fluid flowing between the heat pipe and the manifold; and
an absorption device positioned proximate to and substantially conforming to at least a portion of an internal surface of the receptacle and coupled to the insert;
wherein the insert enters the receptacle substantially at a cross-sectional center of the receptacle, and further inside the receptacle, the insert includes a shifting portion which shifts the insert to become closer to the absorption device; wherein a reflector is adapted to direct sunlight onto the absorption device.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the receptacle has a vacuum drawn interior that is sealed with a glass to metal seal.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a non-imaging optic reflector located external to the receptacle and adapted to direct solar thermal energy to the receptacle.
4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the reflector is a compound parabolic concentrator (CPC).
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a substantial portion of one side of the insert is adjacent the absorption device.
6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the insert shifts to become closer to a non-imaging optical reflector.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the insert is a metal selected from the group consisting of brass, copper and aluminum.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the absorption device is a metal selected from the group consisting of brass, copper and aluminum.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a manifold adapted for circulating a fluid and thermally coupled to the insert; and
a pump utilized for the circulating.
10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the manifold is thermally coupled to multiple inserts.
11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the absorption device is coated with a coating.
12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the coating is aluminum nitride.
13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the absorption device has a corrugated shape.
14. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the insert is a heat pipe with a hollow interior, the hollow interior having a heat transfer fluid therein.
15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the heat transfer fluid is adapted to transfer heat by vaporizing and condensing.
16. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a seal connecting the receptacle to the insert.
17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the seal is a metallic disk, and wherein the insert extends through a center of the metallic disk.
18. A method for collecting solar thermal energy, comprising:
positioning a reflector exterior to a receptacle, the receptacle containing an absorption device positioned proximate to and substantially conforming to at least a portion of an internal surface of the receptacle, wherein the reflector is adapted to direct sunlight onto the absorption device;
positioning an insert inside the receptacle, the insert being coupled to the absorption device, and the insert being a heat pipe adapted to transfer heat to a manifold, the heat pipe being further configured to have no fluid flowing between the heat pipe and the manifold; and
positioning the insert such that the insert enters the receptacle substantially at a cross-sectional center of the receptacle, and further inside the receptacle, the insert includes a shifting portion which shifts the insert to become closer to the absorption device.
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein a manifold is adapted to circulate the fluid, the insert being thermally coupled to the manifold.
20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the manifold is coupled to multiple inserts.
21. The method of claim 18 , wherein the absorption device is coated with a coating of aluminum nitride.
22. The method of claim 18 , wherein the reflector is a compound parabolic concentrator (CPC).
23. The method of claim 18 , wherein the insert and the absorption device are formed of a metal selected from the group consisting of brass, copper and aluminum.
24. The method of claim 18 , wherein the insert is a heat pipe with a hollow interior, the hollow interior having a heat transfer fluid therein.
25. The method of claim 24 , wherein the heat transfer fluid is adapted to transfer heat by vaporizing and condensing.