Solar energy collector for heating homes and supplying water vapor.

摘要

Parent patent described a solar energy trap in which the rate of flow of a fluid down between the main panels of the trap was restrained by having a very narrow clearance between the panel faces, i.e. a clearance of a few tenths of a mm. To overcome suspicions about the use of such narrow clearances, this addition describes similar traps having a greater clearance between the panels, with the fluid flow being restricted by a layer of porous material, e.g. a fibrous mat or an open-cell foam (rigid or flexible). Pref. used are felt made of mineral wool, glass fibres or acrylic fibres, esp. as a felt about 3.5 mm thick, weighing about 350 g/m2 and made of fibres having surface of 0.1-0.5 mg/m2, i.e. 0.5-5, pref. about 2.5 dtex. Fibres may be dark coloured, to enhance heat absorption. Foams may be of polyurethane, polystyrene, PVC phenols or aminoplast, pref. treated to make them hydrophilic and have a density of 0.05-0.25 g/m3.