Mini-channel tube solar collector

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9310099-B2
Application number	US-200913055136-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 21, 2009
Priority date	Jul 22, 2008
Publication date	Apr 12, 2016
Grant date	Apr 12, 2016

Abstract

A solar collector device is provided. The solar collector device includes an evacuated tube and a mini-channel tube mounted within the evacuated tube, the mini-channel tube comprising a first plurality of ports for inflow of a heat-transfer fluid and a second plurality of ports for outflow of the heat-transfer fluid to a heat exchange system. The mini-channel tube may have a hydraulic diameter in a range of approximately 3 millimeters to approximately 200 micrometers. The mini-channel tube may have a hydraulic diameter in a range of approximately 200 micrometers to approximately 10 micrometers.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A solar collector device comprising:
an annular mini-channel tube comprising a first section and a second section, wherein the mini-channel tube defines two slits, each slit extends along at least a portion of a length of the mini-channel tube, and the two slits are separated around a circumference of the mini-channel tube such that the two slits separate at least a portion of the first section from at least a portion of the second section;
wherein each of the first section and the second section comprises a first plurality of ports and a second plurality of ports,
wherein each of the first section and the second section defines a plurality of mini-channels, and each mini-channel is an opening that extends from a respective one of the first plurality of ports to a respective one of the second plurality of ports, and
wherein the at least a portion of the first section is thermally isolated from the at least a portion of the second section.

2. The solar collector device of claim 1 , wherein the two slits each extend along the entire length of the mini-channel tube.

3. The solar collector device of claim 2 , further comprising at least one support positioned between the first section and the second section within one of the two slits.

4. The solar collector device of claim 2 , wherein each of the first section and the second section are shaped substantially half-cylindrically.

5. The solar collector device of claim 1 , further comprising a connector positioned at an end of the mini-channel tube, wherein the connector is configured to channel a fluid into the first plurality of ports in the first section and into the first plurality of ports in the second section.

6. The solar collector device of claim 1 , further comprising a connector positioned at an end of the mini-channel tube, wherein the connector is configured to channel a fluid out of the first plurality of ports in the first section and out of the first plurality of ports in the second section.

7. The solar collector device of claim 1 , further comprising an end cap positioned at an end of the mini-channel tube, wherein the end cap is configured to channel a fluid out of the first plurality of ports in the first section and to channel the fluid into the first plurality of ports in the second section.

8. The solar collector device of claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of ports are rectangular in shape.

9. The solar collector device of claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of ports are circular in shape.

10. The solar collector device of claim 1 , further comprising a heat-transfer fluid enclosed within the mini-channel tube.

11. The solar collector device of claim 1 , wherein each mini-channel has a hydraulic diameter in a range of approximately 10 millimeters to approximately 200 micrometers.

12. The solar collector device of claim 1 , wherein each mini-channel has a hydraulic diameter in a range of approximately 200 micrometers to approximately 100 millimeters.

13. The solar collector device of claim 1 , further comprising an evacuated tube, wherein the mini-channel tube is mounted within the evacuated tube.

14. The solar collector device of claim 13 , wherein the second plurality of ports are mounted to the evacuated tube.

15. A solar collection system comprising:
a solar collector comprising a mini-channel tube comprising:
a first plurality of ports; and
a second plurality of ports; wherein:
an outer surface of the mini-channel tube is substantially cylindrical;
the mini-channel tube has a substantially annular cross-section;
the mini-channel tube defines a plurality of slits along the length of the mini-channel tube that divide the mini-channel tube into a plurality of sections;
at least two of the plurality of sections are thermally isolated from each other; and
each section defines a plurality of openings, each opening extending from a respective one of the first plurality of ports to a respective one of the second plurality of ports;

a solar energy concentrator configured to direct solar energy onto the solar collector; and
a connector configured for mounting the solar collector to the solar energy concentrator.

16. The solar collection system of claim 15 , further comprising an end cap positioned at an end of the mini-channel tube, the end cap configured to receive a fluid from the first plurality of ports in a first section of the plurality of sections and provide the fluid to the first plurality of ports in a second section of the plurality of sections.

17. The solar collection system of claim 15 , further comprising a connector positioned at an end of the mini-channel tube, the connector configured to receive a fluid from the first plurality of ports in each section of the plurality of sections.

18. The solar collection system of claim 15 , wherein the mini-channel tube has a hydraulic diameter in a range of approximately 3 millimeters to approximately 200 micrometers.

19. The solar collection system of claim 15 , wherein the mini-channel tube has a hydraulic diameter in a range of approximately 200 micrometers to approximately 10 millimeters.

20. The solar collection system of claim 15 , wherein the solar collector further comprises an evacuated tube, and the mini-channel tube is mounted within the evacuated tube.

Assignees

• Diaz Gerardo C
• Sharma Neeraj
• Univ California

Inventors

• Diaz Gerardo C
• Sharma Neeraj

Classifications

• F24S10/45 Primary

  the enclosure being cylindrical · CPC title

• F24S10/502

  having conduits formed by paired plates and internal partition means · CPC title

• Y02E10/44

  Heat exchange systems · CPC title

• Y10T29/49956

  Riveting · CPC title

• Y10T29/49826

  Assembling or joining · CPC title