Patent ID: 8161963
Filing Date: 2012-04-24
Classification: F24S,Y02E

Abstract:
1. A solar collector comprising: a front sheet formed from a polymer film; a back sheet formed from a polymer film, wherein the front and back sheets are welded together to define a storage tank, a manifold and a multiplicity of fluid flow channels that extend substantially longitudinally between the manifold and the storage tank, the storage tank being located at a first end of the panel and the manifold being located at a second end of the panel, wherein the fluid flow channels, the manifold and the storage tank are arranged to facilitate a thermosiphon based circulation of a working between the fluid flow channels and the storage tank and wherein all of the fluid flow channels open directly into the manifold and directly into the storage tank; and a heat exchanger disposed in the storage tank, the heat exchanger having a target fluid inlet and a target fluid outlet that cooperate to permit a target fluid to pass from outside of the solar collector through the heat exchanger and back outside the solar collector without any direct contact between the working fluid and the target fluid, whereby the heat exchanger facilitates the transfer of heat between the working fluid within the storage tank and the target fluid passing through the heat exchanger.