Patent ID: 8474446

Claim:
A solar collector array comprising: a plurality of interconnected solar collectors, wherein each solar collector includes: a housing; a first header contained within the housing that extends along a horizontal axis and defines a low point within the housing, the low point being positioned between a first port and a second port located at respective ends of the first header, the first port and the second port extending through the housing and being configured to fluidly connect the first header of a respective solar collector to adjacent solar collectors; a second header that includes a third port and a fourth port at generally opposite longitudinal ends of the second header and configured to fluidly connect the second header of the respective solar collector to adjacent solar collectors; and a plurality of riser tubes communicating with the first header and the second header; wherein the first headers of the solar collectors extend along the horizontal axis; and wherein the low point within the housing of the first header of each solar collector is connected to a fluid circulation tube such that fluid contained within the second header and the plurality of riser tubes is able to drain from each solar collector into the fluid circulation tube through the low point of the first header of each solar collector.