Abstract: The object of this invention is to provide a solar cell module having a terminal extracting structure for it, with high adhesion workability, high productivity, and high reliability. The solution to this object is a solar cell module wherein a box member having therein an electrical connecting portion between a solar cell element and an outer lead wire is adhered to the solar cell module with a pressure-sensitive adhesive, and a lid member is adhered to the solar cell module with an adhesive so as to cover the box member.

Abstract: A solar collector comprising an evacuation envelope; an absorber housed inside the evacuated envelope and comprising plates which define an evaporation gap, the evaporation gap providing communication between a reservoir of heat transfer fluid at a first, bottom end of the absorber and a condenser at a second, top end of the absorber. The plates define the evaporation gap so that capillary action between the plates can draw heat transfer fluid from the reservoir along at least a substantial portion of the evaporation gap to the condensor. The absorber transfers heat derived from the incident solar radiation to heat transfer fluid contained in the evaporation gap.

Abstract: An outer wall element for buildings wherein, between the inner wall shell and a solar-radiation permeable outer wall shell, a solar-radiation permeable and heat-insulating layer is arranged, the latter being separated from an inner heat-insulating layer of the inner wall shell by an interface that absorbs the solar radiation from the outer heat-insulating layer. At least the inner wall shell is provided with marginal lining elements, which can be parts of a frame, panels or the like, extending at least up to the interface and conveying heat to the inner wall side. In order to protect the lining elements from the high temperatures reached in the outer heat-insulating layer because of the use of solar energy, the outer heat-insulating layer and the lining elements are separated from each other by insulating elements with poor heat conductivity, which starting from the lining elements cover the inner heat-insulating layer along a marginal strip in the interface.

Abstract: A light weight modular solar water heater whereby the entire solar collector of the system can be shipped in a single box by a low cost parcel service (like UPS) which is designed to be easily assembled and installed by one person such as a homeowner, handyman or installer hereinafter referred to as "installer" wherein the preferred embodiment the collector module is shipped in a single box with the frame and solar energy absorber in two sections using a three piece glazing and trim assembly allowing for the collector end sections to be fully assembled at the factory and allowing for the center section to be open for the solar collector installer to have easy access to connect the frame and absorber sections and may be attached to the roof using a unique tabbed mounting rails which allow for the attachment to the roof of multiple collectors using a tabbed U shaped bracket between collectors with absorber connections made using couplers which pull or "float" out of the collector after shipping for connection t

Abstract: A central solar receiver comprising a tubular housing with a central axis, a radiation admitting aperture and an absorber chamber having an outer wall, two oppositely located ends, an inner-wall-forming substantially tubular transparent window co-axial with the tubular housing. The solar receiver further comprises injection means near a first of the oppositely located ends and at least one egress opening means near a second of the oppositely located ends. The injection means are capable of injecting into the absorber chamber a multicomponent fluid mixture comprising at least one radiation absorbing component and are so designed that the fluid mixture is injected into the absorber chamber adjacent and essentially tangentially to the outer wall, whereby contact between the mixture and the window is reduced. The egress opening enables the egress of the fluid mixture from the absorber chamber.

Abstract: An apparatus for supporting a solar collector unit comprises a pair of spaced carriers, and a support net for supporting a solar collector unit thereon. The support net includes a set of longitudinal wires extending between the carriers, and a set of transverse wires extending in a direction transverse to the longitudinal wires and welded thereto. A pair of tension mechanisms are mounted to the carriers to adjust the tension of the longitudinal wires. The tension mechanisms include holders for holding opposite ends of the longitudinal wires between the carriers, and fasteners operatively associated with the holders to adjust the tension of the longitudinal wires so that the longitudinal wires are aligned in a transverse direction.

Abstract: A solar energy collector consists of a plurality of collector elements (5, 6, 7, 8) which can be secured on a preferably inclined supporting surface (2), for example a roof, and which have each a base body (9) with one or several collector channels lying in a plane (12) that faces the sun and connectable to a heat transfer fluid network, as well as possibly one or several absorber channels lying in a plane (13) transversely oriented to the collector channel. At least in the area of two parallel sides among its four sides, the base body (9) of the collector element is provided with a coupling stud (15) that extends transversely to the plane (14) of the base body, and at it opposite side, the base body (9) is provided with a coupling groove (17) whose dimensions are adapted to those of the coupling stud (15) and which receives the coupling stud (15) of the directly adjacent base body (9).

Abstract: A solar heat collecting panel having three stacked compartments enclosed within a frame. A pair of similar spaced apart parallel clear plastic sheets form the top and bottom of the uppermost compartment. The middle compartment is formed by the bottom sheet of the uppermost compartment and a similar parallel spaced apart sheet. A metallic heat absorption sheet lies parallel to the bottom sheet of the uppermost compartment and is spaced between the top and bottom sheets of the middle compartment. The upper side of the metallic sheet is covered with a black coating. The lowermost compartment is formed by the bottom sheet of the middle compartment and a similar parallel spaced apart sheet lying beneath the bottom sheet of the middle compartment. The five sheets of the solar heat collecting panel may be either flat or contour-profiled.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a solar energy water heating apparatus. The apparatus is comprised of a solar panel having a plurality of channels through which the water flows. Each channel has a top lens portion which focuses and intensifies the light energy of the sun on the water. This allows the water to be heated in a more efficient and effective manner. An end cap is coupled to each end of the solar panel. The end caps prevent the water from leaking out of the solar panel. A nozzle is coupled to the end cap which allows the water to enter the apparatus and exit the solar panel once the water has been heated.

Abstract: A solar collector and a method of manufacture is disclosed. The solar collector frame has internally oriented projections for positioning a light transmissive cover, absorber plate, insulation and base to form an enclosure. To provide for maximum active or passive collection efficiency, by increasing resistance to heat flow, an easily maintained evacuated cover is disclosed. The solar collector can be economically manufactured and can be on-site fabricated, and adapted for single or multiple installation in original or retrofit applications in a building with minimal structural modification.

Abstract: Compact solar energy collector that incorporates into the same housing the collector itself and an accumulator in the shape of a parallelepiped and divided by walls to better withstand water pressure, being then complemented with the remaining conventional elements such as pump, differential thermostat, purges and valves, the housing being fitted with a transparent cover (3) and a heat exchanger inside (13) that is connected to the pump (1) and to the collector (6) and at the other end to valve (11) and lip (10), the rest of the interior of the housing containing insulating material. The water pumping rate is controlled by supplying the pump (1) with electrical power generated by a photovoltaic panel (2) in proportion to the intensity of available sunlight.

Abstract: A roof shingle for solar heat collection comprises an upper segment and a lower segment. The upper segment of the roof shingle has a greater thickness than the lower segment. The upper segment has a transverse opening extending therethrough for receiving hollow tubing inserted therein. The opening is adapted to be aligned with openings in adjacent roof shingles on either side of the roof shingle.

Abstract: A solar panel (FIG. 7) comprises an extruded plastics matrix (20) comprising a plurality of side-by-side compartments each of which provides an actual fluid-flow channel without the need for providing separate metal pipework. Each compartment may include a filler (62) to define a fluid-flow channel between the upper surface of the filler and the lower surface of a membrane (28) of the matrix. The provision of the filler (62) is optional and the cross section of each compartment may be optimized to the fluid-flow channel size requirements. At least part of a surface of each fluid-flow channel has a covering comprising a solar radiation absorber; for example, the absorber may comprise a channel-shaped foil (72) which exhibits high absorbence of solar energy together with low emittance of infra-red radiation.

Abstract: A solar collector assembly includes a base frame having a half-round channel body and two side wings, a collector unit supported on two supports within the half-round channel body, two vertically spaced transparent top covers covered over the collector unit, and two end covers sealed at two opposite ends of the half-round channel body and the transparent top covers, wherein the supports can be adjusted to change the elevation and the angle of inclination in the X-axis or Y-axis direction; the base frame has inside space stuffed with a heat insulative material.

Abstract: A solar collector assembly comprised of a solar collector unit, which includes a solar collector panel disposed within a housing thereof, an elevation adjustment unit mounted around the housing and controlled to tilt the housing in the longitudinal axis for adjusting the angle of elevation of the housing, and a focusing adjustment unit fastened to the collector panel and controlled to oscillate the collector panel sideways for adjusting the angle of inclination of the collector panel.

Abstract: A solar collector including a plate disposed in a bottom portion of a housing, one or more tubes disposed above the plate for accommodating water, and one or more reflecting surfaces formed in the upper portion of the plate for reflecting lights in order to heat the water contained in the tubes.

Abstract: A system for heating a fluid (5) conveyed or contained in process equipment (7) comprises a layer of transparent thermal insulation (9) which partly covers the process equipment so that a section (13) is exposed to solar radiation and thus is heated by the solar radiation and thereby heats the fluid (5). The "window" defines a form of thermal diode concentrator in that the surface area of the "window" is great than that of the exposed section (13) of the process equipment (7) and thus the "window" in effect concentrates the solar radiation onto the exposed section (13) of the process equipment, and the transparent thermal insulation (9), albeit transparent, minimises heat loss from the fluid (5).