Abstract: A heat-pipe type solar collector comprises as its principal portion a plurality of heat pipes arranged in parallel with each other and having vaporizing portions and condensing portions, and a plurality of heat collector plates traversing the heat pipes and arranged in parallel with each other, the vaporizing portion of each heat pipe penetrating through and fixedly mounted to the collector plates in intimate heat conductive relation therewith, and each collector plate having a lower portion bent substantially perpendicular to the remaining portion to cover a space between itself and an adjacent collector plate.According to this arrangement, solar heat can be effectively collected by the collector plates and transmitted to the heat pipes with a negligible heat loss. Thus the heat collecting efficiency of the water heater can be remarkably enhanced.

Abstract: A combustion device of the type for atomizing liquid fuel by an ultrasonic atomizer and mixing the atomized fuel particles with air for combustion. A first air passage is defined around a horn of the ultrasonic atomizer by an inner cylinder, and a second air passage is defined around the first air passage by the inner cylinder and an outer cylinder. The air flowing through the first air passage is discharged into a cylindrical combustion section substantially in parallel with the axis thereof while the air flowing through the second air passage is swirled in the direction substantially tangential to the inner wall of the combustion section and discharged toward the atomizing surface of the horn, whereby the satisfactory mixing of the atomized fuel particles with the combustion air may be attained and the flame may be optimumly stabilized.