Vacuum Collector Tube and Method for Producing Said Type of Vacuum Collector Tube

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This patent describes a vacuum collector tube designed for highly efficient sunlight absorption and conversion into heat, particularly for solar thermal applications. The invention consists of at least two concentric tubes, with the inner tube featuring a transparent conductive oxide (TCO) layer, over which vertically-standing zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorods are deposited. This layered nanostructure acts as a selective absorber, improving light injection and reducing thermal emission. The manufacturing method includes depositing the ZnO nanorods on the TCO layer through a controlled electrodeposition process.

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• Solar water heaters and solar thermal energy collectors for residential and commercial building heating systems.
• Industrial solar heating plants requiring efficient solar energy absorption and heat transfer.
• Hot water production in remote or off-grid locations using solar vacuum tubes.
• Integration into concentrated solar power (CSP) systems to improve light absorption efficiency.
• Design of advanced solar collectors with reduced heat loss and high durability for use in challenging environments.

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• Significantly improved sunlight absorption and conversion efficiency due to the innovative ZnO nanorod/TCO selective absorber structure.
• Lower heat loss thanks to reduced thermal emission from the inner tube, leading to higher energy retention.
• Manufacturing process allows for cost-effective, scalable production of high-quality nanostructured coatings.
• Applicable to a variety of tube materials, including glass, plastic, or metal, increasing design flexibility.
• Selective absorber is less dependent on the angle of incident sunlight, maintaining high efficiency throughout the day.
• Potential reduction in manufacturing complexity by eliminating the need for multiple separate absorber and anti-reflection layers.

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Patent Abstract

In order to improve the injection of light, a vacuum collector tube comprises at least two tubes which are arranged in each other in a concentric manner and forms a closed chamber which is evacuated. The outside of the inner tube comprises a TCO layer which is covered with a layer of ZnO nanorods which are vertically free-standing and the inner tube, the TCO layer and the ZnO nanorods form the selective absorber of the vacuum collector tube. ZnO nanorods are deposited by electric deposition on the TCO layer which is applied by known means.