Heat collecting device

Abstract

A heat collecting device includes: a first vacuum device which includes a first housing and which defines a first vacuum chamber; a second vacuum device which includes a second housing that contains the first vacuum device and which cooperates with the first vacuum device to define a second vacuum chamber therebetween; a metal plate mounted within the first vacuum device and having a plate body and an extension portion extending from the plate body to project outwardly of the first and second vacuum devices, the metal plate being capable of absorbing heat energy from an external heat source through the first and second vacuum devices; an insulating layer enclosing the extension portion; and a thermoelectric semiconductor device attached to the extension portion of the metal plate, extending through the insulating layer, and disposed outside the second vacuum device for conducting the heat energy absorbed by the metal plate.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a heat collecting device, more particularly to a heat collecting device that has enhanced heat collecting and retaining effects.

2. Description of the Related Art

With the gradual depletion of natural resources on this planet, the concept of energy conservation is extensively promoted and applied.

In existing vacuum heat collectors, heat is absorbed by an outer portion of a vacuum heat collector and is collected in a vacuum chamber. As the flowability of fluid under vacuum is low, the heat energy can be conserved to achieve the purpose of vacuum heat collection.

However, a conventional vacuum heat collector, such as the solar energy collecting device disclosed in US Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0230300 A1, has a single layer structure, which does not provide ideal heat collection so that subsequent heat conduction is not satisfactory. As such, the intended effect of recycling the collected heat energy cannot be fully achieved.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a heat collecting device that has enhanced heat collecting and retaining effects.

Accordingly, a heat collecting device of this invention includes: a first vacuum device which includes a first housing and which defines a first vacuum chamber; a second vacuum device which includes a second housing that contains the first vacuum device and which cooperates with the first vacuum device to define a second vacuum chamber therebetween; a metal plate mounted within the first vacuum device and having a plate body and an extension portion extending from the plate body to project outwardly of the first and second vacuum devices, the metal plate being capable of absorbing heat energy from an external heat source through the first and second vacuum devices; an insulating layer enclosing the extension portion of the metal plate; and a thermoelectric semiconductor device attached to the extension portion of the metal plate, extending through the insulating layer and disposed outside the second vacuum device for conducting the heat energy absorbed by the metal plate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawing, of which:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view to illustrate the preferred embodiment of a heat collecting device according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIG. 1, the preferred embodiment of a heat collecting device according to the present invention is shown to include a first vacuum device 1, a second vacuum device 2, a metal plate 3, an insulating layer 4, and a thermoelectric semiconductor device 5.

The first vacuum device 1 includes a rectangular first housing which defines a first vacuum chamber 10. One of the walls 11 of the first housing is formed from a glass material. The other walls 12, 13 and 14 of the first housing can be formed from a plastic material. The wall 12 is formed with an opening 121.

The second vacuum device 2 includes a rectangular second housing that contains the first vacuum device 1, and cooperates with the first vacuum device 1 to define a second vacuum chamber 20 therebetween. One of the walls 21 of the second housing confronts the wall 11 of the first housing, and is formed from a reinforced glass material. The other walls 22, 23, and 24 of the second housing are formed from a heat-resistant plastic material. Furthermore, the wall 22 is formed with an opening 221 aligned with the opening 121 in the first housing.

The metal plate 3 is formed from a conductive metal material, such as copper and aluminum, and is mounted within the first vacuum device 1. The metal plate 3 has a plate body 31 and an extension portion 32 that extends from the plate body 31 and through the openings 121, 221 in the first and second housings in sequence. Preferably, an outer surface of the metal plate 3 is coated with a black paint material 33 to enhance heat collection and conduction of heat energy.

The insulating layer 4 is formed from a plastic material, and is disposed to enclose sealingly the extension portion 32 of the metal plate 3.

The thermoelectric semiconductor device 5 is attached to the extension portion 32 of the metal plate 3, and extends through a hole 41 formed in the insulating layer 4, and is disposed outside the second vacuum device 2. The thermoelectric semiconductor device 5 has a heat-collecting side 51 attached to the extension portion 32 of the metal plate 3, and a heat-radiating side 52 opposite to the heat-collecting side 51. The heat-collecting side 51 absorbs the heat energy collected by the metal plate 3, whereas the heat-radiating side 52 conducts the absorbed energy to the outside. In this embodiment, the thermoelectric semiconductor device 5 is a highly efficient, high-performance thermoelectric cooling unit. Since the construction of the thermoelectric semiconductor device 5 is not the crux of this invention, it will not be described in detail herein for the sake of brevity.

In use, the plate body 31 of the metal plate 3 absorbs heat energy from an energy source 100 through the glass walls 11, 21 of the first and second housings of the first and second vacuum devices 1, 2. At this time, the temperature of the plate body 31 of the metal plate 3 rises, and the heat is conducted to the extension portion 32. The thermoelectric semiconductor device 5 attached to the extension portion 32 of the metal plate 3 senses the heat energy accumulated on the metal plate 3, and conducts the heat energy outward from the heat-radiating side 52. By attaching the heat-radiating side 52 to a water storage device (not shown) of a water heater, water in the water storage device will be heated, thereby forming a water heating device.

Since the heat collecting device of this invention utilizes the first and second vacuum devices 1, 2 to form the first and second vacuum chambers 10, 20 that constitute a double chamber construction of inner and outer chambers, heat energy collected within the two vacuum chambers 10, 20 will not easily dissipate to the outside. Moreover, with the use of the black paint material 33 on the metal plate 3 that has heat collecting and conducting effects, the heat energy in the first and second vacuum chambers 10, 20 can be effectively conducted to the thermoelectric semiconductor device 5.

Regarding the supply of the energy source 100, sunlight exposure or sunlight focusing can be employed. For sunlight exposure, a temperature as high as about 350° C. can be reached. For sunlight focusing, a temperature as high as about 600° C. can be reached.

In sum, compared with the conventional vacuum heat collector which does not have a satisfactory heat collecting effect, the present invention provides a double vacuum chamber structure that can collect heat energy via the metal plate 3 and that can better retain the heat energy in the first and second vacuum chambers 10, 20 so that the temperature around the metal plate 3 can be maintained at a high level and so that the heat energy thus collected will not easily dissipate to the surrounding. The provision of the black paint material 33 on the outer surface of the metal plate 3 further enhances the heat collecting and conducting effects.

While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiment but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements.

Claims

1. A heat collecting device, comprising:

a first vacuum device which includes a first housing and which defines a first vacuum chamber;

a second vacuum device which includes a second housing that contains said first vacuum device and which cooperates with said first vacuum device to define a second vacuum chamber therebetween;

a metal plate mounted within said first vacuum device and having a plate body and an extension portion extending from said plate body to project outwardly of said first and second vacuum devices, said metal plate being capable of absorbing heat energy from an external heat source through said first and second vacuum devices;

an insulating layer enclosing said extension portion of said metal plate; and

a thermoelectric semiconductor device attached to said extension portion of said metal plate, extending through said insulating layer and disposed outside said second vacuum device for conducting the heat energy absorbed by said metal plate.

2. The heat collecting device according to claim 1, wherein said metal plate is formed from a material selected from the group consisting of copper and aluminum.

3. The heat collecting device according to claim 1, wherein said metal plate has an outer surface that is coated with a black paint material.

4. The heat collecting device according to claim 1, wherein each of said first and second housings is a rectangular housing, said first and second housings having confronting walls that are made of glass.