Solar collector

摘要

A solar collector for heating water includes a collector housing having a longitudinal axis. The upper edges of the side walls of the housing define a plane in which the longitudinal axis of the housing lies. A curved concentrating light reflector is mounted in the housing so that the surface of the reflector is substantially symmetrical relative to the longitudinal axis of the housing. The collector assembly includes a collector tube through which water to be heated flows. The collector tube and collector assembly have an axis of symmetry. The inlet to the collector tube causes water flowing into the tube to follow a helical path to improve the rate of transfer of heat to the water within the collector tube. A hollow cylindrical energy conservator tube is spaced around the collector tube by end caps at opposite ends of both the collector tube and conservator tube. The assembly is mounted in the housing so that the longitudinal axis of the collector assembly substantially coincides with the longitudinal axis of the housing. A curved dome made of a material which substantially transparent to solar radiant energy is mounted on the housing to enclose the assembly within the housing.