US 12,442,563 B2
Solar thermal collector
Faisal Ghani, Dundee (GB)
Assigned to Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh (GB)
Appl. No. 17/619,800
Filed by Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh (GB)
PCT Filed Jun. 19, 2020, PCT No. PCT/GB2020/051490
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Dec. 16, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/254822, PCT Pub. Date Dec. 24, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 1908889 (GB), filed on Jun. 20, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0307727 A1, Sep. 29, 2022
Int. Cl. F24S 10/70 (2018.01); F24S 20/50 (2018.01); F24S 80/453 (2018.01); F24S 80/457 (2018.01); F24S 80/50 (2018.01)
CPC F24S 10/746 (2018.05) [F24S 10/73 (2018.05); F24S 20/50 (2018.05); F24S 80/453 (2018.05); F24S 80/457 (2018.05); F24S 2080/502 (2018.05)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A solar thermal collector adapted to be assembled from a flat pack configuration, the solar thermal collector comprising:
a conduit configured to carry fluid and to absorb radiation;
a base above which the conduit is mounted, the base having a central portion and an outer perimeter;
a plurality of panels configured to interconnect with the base to produce a housing for the conduit; and
a column attached to the base, the column supporting the conduit and comprising a plurality of plates projecting upward from the base, the plates each extending along the base in a direction from the outer perimeter of the base toward the central portion of the base;
wherein each of the plurality of plates of the column has a first edge and a second edge, the first and second edges extending upwardly from the base, the first edge of each plate being engaged with at least one of the other plates of the plurality of plates and the second edge being free of engagement with any of the other plates of the plurality of plates.