HK1176990A - A solar collector - Google Patents

Description

Solar energy collector

The application is a divisional application of an invention patent application with the application date of 2008, 5 and 30, the application number of 200880017414.8 and the name of a solar collector.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a solar collector for converting solar radiation into heat and to transfer the heat with the greatest possible efficiency to a fluid heat transfer device (e.g. water or air), whereby the heat can be used in domestic or industrial applications, for example for heating domestic hot water or central heating systems.

Background

Solar collectors typically include a plurality of elongated tubes containing radiation absorbing panels for absorbing solar radiation contacting a pipe through which a fluid to be heated may flow or within which a working fluid is contained for transferring heat to the fluid to be heated. The radiation absorbing panel and at least a portion of the conduit are enclosed in a hollow radiation transmissive enclosure to prevent heat loss.

In one type of solar collector (known as the direct current type), the fluid to be heated flows through pipes in contact with the plates for directly conducting heat between the plates and the fluid.

In an alternative type of solar collector (known as a heat pipe type), a pipe forms an enclosed chamber and contains a working fluid, the pipe defining an evaporator section in thermal contact with the radiation absorbing plate and a condenser section remote from the plate, the plate and the evaporator section of the elongate tube being enclosed in a hollow radiation transmissive enclosure to prevent heat loss. The condenser section is placed in thermal contact with the fluid to be heated to allow heat transfer between the working fluid and the fluid to be heated.

Thermal pipe type collectors employ phase change of the working fluid to achieve greater efficiency. The energy required for the working fluid flow is provided by gravity, so that no external pump-out source is necessary. A known solar collector of the heat pipe type is disclosed in GB 2103350.

Both types of solar collectors also include a heat collection manifold containing the fluid to be heated and having at least one solar tube receiving aperture therein for insertion of one end of each elongate tube to enable transfer of the fluid to be heated into and out of the tube of each elongate tube in the case of the straight flow type or to allow heat transfer between the working fluid within the condenser section of the tube and the fluid to be heated in the case of the heat pipe type. The manifold is typically equipped with an inlet connection and an outlet connection.

The separate elongate tube and heat collection manifold of the solar collector need to be able to be easily assembled on site and designed to be able to eliminate the tolerances common in the art without risk of damage or leakage. Furthermore, these components must be easily replaceable. Conventional solar collector manifolds to date typically have a fixed number of receiving apertures as shown in fig. 1. A conventional solar collector 1 comprises a manifold housing 2, a plurality of elongate tubes 3 and a support structure 4. The manifold is typically provided with an inlet port 5 and an outlet port 6 to allow the flow of the fluid to be heated. A plurality of inlet apertures 7 are also provided to allow insertion of the elongate tubes 3 into the manifold 2. The limited design of such conventional solar thermal collectors limits the flexibility of the solar collector for different applications. Efficient redesign of the heat collection manifold 2 is often required in order to provide systems of various sizes and energy production capabilities. Conventional manifolds are fixed in terms of their size and the number of solar tubes they can receive.

The present invention aims to address the deficiencies in current collector designs by providing a solution that is sufficiently flexible to allow the collector to be built with any number of solar tubes and the size of the collector is not limited to the design and structure of the manifold.

The benefit of this approach is that the collector can be more accurately sized for its particular application or to fit in a confined or different space.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide a solar collector which is highly efficient and can be constructed inexpensively, can be easily assembled and overhauled and uses fewer components than prior art devices.

Disclosure of Invention

According to the present invention there is provided a solar collector comprising at least one elongate tube comprising means for absorbing solar radiation, means for transferring heat from the heat absorbing means to a fluid to be heated, and end fittings providing fluid communication means for connection with respective end fittings of adjacent elongate members to allow fluid to pass between the end fittings without the need for a separate manifold.

In one embodiment, the end fitting is provided at one end of each elongate member.

In one instance, the end fitting includes a fluid passageway adapted to sealingly engage a like passageway of an adjacent end fitting.

Preferably, the end fitting includes a seal for sealingly engaging the passageway of an adjacent end fitting. The end fitting may include a groove or recess for receiving an O-ring seal.

In one embodiment, the end fitting comprises a receiving portion for receiving an end of a fluid flow conduit of a solar collector tube or a condenser section of a solar collector tube. The receiving portion may extend substantially perpendicular to the fluid passage.

In one case, the receiving portion is adapted to sealingly engage an end of a fluid flow conduit or condenser section of the solar collector tube.

The receiving portion may comprise a smooth face or seal for engaging a seal for sealingly engaging an end of a fluid flow conduit of a solar collector tube. The seal may comprise an O-ring. The receiving portion may be adapted to sealingly engage with a sealing plug of a condenser section of a solar collector tube.

In one embodiment, the passageway is divided by a longitudinally extending dividing wall into a cold fluid passageway for a cold fluid stream and a hot fluid passageway for a hot fluid stream.

In one case, the compartment wall comprises an opening through which a hot fluid conduit of the solar collector tube extends for transferring hot fluid from the solar collector tube into the hot fluid pathway.

The cold fluid passageway is preferably in fluid communication with the cold fluid conduit of the solar collector tube.

In a preferred embodiment, the compartment walls of the end fittings are substantially contiguous when one end fitting is assembled to an adjacent like end fitting.

In one embodiment, the solar collector comprises a protective housing for receiving the end fitting and the end of the solar collector tube. The end fitting and/or the end of the solar collector tube is preferably releasably engaged in the protective housing.

In one case, the protective enclosure comprises a main protective body and a cover member movably mounted to or removable from the main protective body. The protective housing may include a removable end cap. Preferably, the protective housing comprises a hinged or pivoting cover part.

In one embodiment, the protective casing comprises a receiver for receiving a locking clip for securely mounting the solar collector tube and/or the associated end fitting in the protective casing.

The protective enclosure may include a support structure. The support structure may be integral with the protective housing.

In one case, the support structures of adjacent protective enclosures are interconnectable. Adjacent support structures may be interlocked by an interconnecting member. At least a portion of the interconnecting member may be integral with the support structure. The interconnecting member may be separate or separable from the support structure.

The invention also provides a solar collector assembly comprising a plurality of like solar collectors as claimed in any preceding claim.

According to the present invention there is provided a solar collector comprising at least one elongate tube comprising means for absorbing solar radiation; means for transferring heat from said heat absorbing means to a fluid to be heated; and fluid communication means for connection with respective fluid communication means of adjacent elongate members and/or to an inlet or outlet conduit to allow passage of said fluid to be heated between adjacent elongate members without the need for a separate manifold.

Preferably, the connection means is provided at one or both ends of each elongate member.

Preferably, each elongate member comprises attachment means to enable the elongate member to be attached to the support structure.

Preferably, each fluid communication means preferably comprises one or more sealing means, such as an O-ring or a compression fitting.

Preferably, said absorbing means of each elongate tube comprises a radiation absorbing surface (e.g. a plate) enclosed in a hollow radiation transmissive envelope formed of a radiation transmissive material (e.g. glass).

Preferably, the fluid communication means is formed on an end fitting provided on one or both ends of the hollow tube of each elongate tube. Preferably said support structure attachment means is provided on each end fitting. In one embodiment, the support structure attachment means comprises one or more channel segments disposed transverse to the longitudinal axis of each elongate tube.

In a preferred embodiment, the fluid communication means comprises a tubular opening adapted to sealingly engage a similar tubular opening on an adjacent elongate tube. Preferably the tubular opening comprises a central compartment wall dividing the opening into an inlet port and an outlet port. O-rings may be provided between the tubular openings of adjacent elongate tubes to prevent fluid leakage.

In one embodiment, said radiation absorbing surface of each elongate member is in thermal contact with an elongate tube having at least one internal fluid passageway for flow of said fluid to be heated, said at least one internal fluid passageway being in communication with said fluid communication means.

Preferably, the elongate tube comprises a first passageway extending from the fluid inlet to the distal end of the tube and a second fluid passageway extending from the distal end to the fluid outlet adjacent the fluid inlet. The first and second fluid passageways may be arranged concentrically or side-by-side, separated by an internal dividing wall within the elongate tube. Where the first and second fluid passageways are concentrically arranged, the first passageway, including the inlet channel, may be defined by an annular space between the concentrically arranged inner and outer conduits, and the second passageway, including the outlet channel, may be defined by an inner one of the concentrically arranged conduits.

The fluid communication means may be arranged such that the plurality of elongate tubes are connected side by side, whereby the cold fluid inlet communicates with the inlet end of the first passageway of each elongate tube and the hot fluid outlet communicates with the outlet end of the second passageway of each elongate tube.

Preferably said connection means of each elongate member is defined by a tubular passage extending through said end fitting and open on opposite sides of said end fitting to communicate with a respective passage of an adjacent elongate member, said tubular passage having a central compartment wall dividing the passage into an inlet flow and an outlet flow, said first passage of the elongate tube being in communication with said inlet flow and the second passage being in communication with said outlet flow. Alternatively, the inlet and outlet flows may be defined by separate, substantially parallel passages extending through the end fitting.

In an alternative embodiment, said radiation absorbing surface of each elongate member is in thermal contact with an evaporator section of a thermal conduit comprising an elongate tube containing a heat transfer medium, a second section of the elongate tube defining a condenser section of the thermal conduit being in thermal contact with a fluid chamber defined in said elongate member, preferably in said end fitting, and communicating with said fluid communication means, thereby enabling heat transfer between said fluid to be heated and said heat transfer medium.

In such an embodiment, the fluid chamber of each elongate member may be defined by a passage extending through the end fitting, the end fitting having openings at both ends thereof to define the fluid communication means for fluid communication with a corresponding fluid chamber of an adjacent elongate member, the condenser section of an elongate tube passing into or forming a wall portion of the fluid chamber to allow heat transfer between fluid within the chamber and working fluid within the condenser section.

The present invention combines a number of components that are separate from each other in the prior art, thus reducing the overall complexity of the solar collector, thereby allowing for a reduction in cost and material usage without a reduction in efficiency, and facilitating assembly and reliability of the solar collector.

Drawings

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a prior art solar collector;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a solar collector element with a straight type tube and end fittings according to a first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the direct current type solar collector tube of FIG. 2 taken along line III-III;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a connected solar tube and end fitting of a first embodiment of the present invention for a straight type tube;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a plan sectional view of a direct current type connecting tube having an end fitting;

FIG. 7 is an isometric view of two end fittings and a tube in a first embodiment of a connection technique;

FIG. 8 is a cut-away partial cross-sectional view of the end fitting and tube of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the two end fittings and the pipe of FIGS. 7 and 8;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of two adjacent end fittings connected together in position with a resilient clip;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a single solar collector having a first embodiment of an outer protective housing;

FIG. 11A is an enlarged view of the outer protective housing of FIG. 11;

FIGS. 12-19 are perspective views showing the removal of the tube from the protective housing of FIG. 11;

FIG. 20 is a perspective view of a plurality of tubes when joined together using the joining technique of the present invention;

FIG. 21 is a plan view of a plurality of tubes connected together in position with a protective housing;

FIG. 22 is a cross-sectional view of two adjacent tubes connected together in position with a protective outer shell;

FIG. 23 is a cross-sectional view of the assembly of FIG. 22;

FIG. 24 is a view similar to FIG. 21, showing the tubes disconnected from each other;

FIGS. 25-27 are views of a connecting tube with various brackets/holders;

FIG. 28 is a cross-sectional view of an assembly of several tubes and end fittings with the end connector in the normal position;

FIG. 29 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the invention for a heat pipe type pipe;

FIG. 30 is a cross-sectional view from line XXX-XXX of the hot pipe type solar tube of FIG. 29;

FIG. 31 is a perspective view of a connected solar tube and end fitting for a heat pipe type tube;

fig. 32 is a cross-sectional view of fig. 31.

Detailed Description

As shown in fig. 2-28, a solar collector assembly of the direct current type according to a first embodiment of the invention comprises a solar absorber tube 3 and an elongated tube 11, the solar absorber tube 3 comprising a hollow radiation transmissive envelope 8 enclosing an absorber section 9, the absorber section 9 comprising a radiation absorber plate 10 for absorbing solar radiation, the elongated tube 11 comprising a working fluid (heat transfer medium) being in thermal contact with said solar absorber plate 10. The elongate tube 11 contains an inner conduit 12 arranged concentrically so as to form two concentric inner fluid passageways 13, 14 for the flow of fluid to be heated. The elongated tube 11 extends out of one end of the solar absorption tube 3 and into an end fitting 15, wherein the annular outer passageway 13 of the elongated tube 11 communicates with a cold fluid inlet conduit stream 16 within the end fitting 15 and the annular inner passageway 14 of the elongated tube 11 communicates with a hot fluid outlet conduit stream 17 within the end fitting 15. Fluid is conveyed from the annular outer passageway 13 to the inner passageway 14 via a fluid path provided at the distal end of the elongate tube 11.

The end fitting 15 incorporates a tubular passage 18 having a central compartment wall 19, the compartment wall 19 dividing the passage 18 into said cold fluid inlet conduit 16 and said hot fluid outlet conduit 17. The tubular passage 18 extends transversely across the end fitting 15 and is open at both end sides of the end fitting whereby fluid can flow between the tubular passages 18 of adjacent solar tubes 3. The open end of the channel 18 includes a groove for providing a circumferential seat 20 for an O-ring 21 or similar sealing means to provide a fluid tight seal when adjacent end fittings 15 are joined together.

Each tubular passage 18 is provided with a receiving portion 22 extending perpendicularly to the tubular passage 18 for receiving an end of the concentric elongated tube 11. One or more O-ring seals 23 are disposed in the annular seat around the circumference of the pipe for providing a seal between the end of the pipe 11 and the pipe receiving portion 22.

The inner conduit 12 of the concentric elongated tube 11 defining said inner passageway 14 extends beyond the outer portion to extend through the aperture 24 in the compartment wall 19 of the tubular channel 18, whereby the annular outer passageway 13 of the double walled conduit communicates with one side of the tubular passageway 18 to define the cold fluid inlet stream 16 and the inner passageway 14 communicates with the other side of the tubular passageway 18 to define the hot fluid outlet stream 17.

The end region of the outer wall of the double walled pipe 11 comprises a flexible section 25 in the form of a corrugated or convoluted section of pipe to provide some flexibility to allow for slight misalignment of the pipe and to absorb vibration or shock.

The end fitting 15 may be formed from a temperature resistant polymeric material, possibly injection moulded.

Fig. 7-9 show the connection of two end fittings 15 connected to two solar tubes 3 of the direct current type. The inlet flow channel 16 of one of the end fittings 15 communicates with the inlet flow channel 16 of the adjacent end fitting 15. In addition, the manner in which the outlet flow channels 17 communicate with the outlet flow channels of the adjacent end fittings 15 is also shown. The flow is shown in fig. 9, with the dashed arrows indicating hot fluid flow and the solid arrows indicating cold fluid flow.

Figure 10 shows one way of fastening adjacent tubes 3 to each other during installation of the collector using the invention. Resilient clips 32 are arranged in two guide slots 33 on one side of the end fitting 15 (the end fitting 15 engaging with a circumferential ledge 34 on its opposite end) to provide a secure locking mechanism that withstands high pressure conditions common in the art. Various other connection techniques that may be employed include a twist lock fit in which a recess on one end fitting 15 engages a protrusion on an adjacent end fitting, or a clamp that engages a circumferential recess on an adjacent end fitting or a protrusion on its opposite face to secure the two end fittings together.

In one embodiment of the invention, the end fitting 15 is enclosed in a protective housing, as shown in fig. 11-27. In a first embodiment of the protective housing 26, it comprises a main body housing 27 with an integral support structure 28. Additionally, the protective housing is equipped with removable end caps 29 and inlet and outlet ports 30, 31 to allow insertion of the end fittings 15. A plurality of solar collectors incorporating the end fittings 15 and protective housings 26 of the present invention are shown in fig. 20.

Fig. 11-19 show by way of example a schematic view of a single tube of a first embodiment of the invention. When assembled, both the direct flow type and the thermal conduit type have the same exterior aesthetic appearance. The completed tube comprises an upper fitting 50, a solar tube 3 and a lower fitting 51. Preferably, both the upper joint 50 and the lower joint 51 are provided with channels 52 to allow insertion of the support structure.

Fig. 20-28 further illustrate the assembly of multiple tubes using the present invention to build a solar collector.

The end fitting 15 is fitted into a protective housing 26, the protective housing 26 comprising: a main body housing 27 (including a unitary structure for supporting the tubes when installed), a top cover 60 and an end cap 29. A retaining clip 61 is provided for securing the tube into the end housing 26.

The tube 3, end fitting 15 and protective housing 26 are assembled as follows. Referring first to fig. 19, the end fitting 15 is mounted in place in the main body housing 27. The fitting 15 is inserted so that the tube receiving port 22 faces upward and so that the end fitting 15 slides horizontally into position within the main body housing 27 (see fig. 18). Once the end fitting 15 is in place, it is rotated-90 ° (see fig. 16) until the tube receiving port 22 faces the tube 3. The end fitting 15 will be preferentially clamped/locked in place by this 90 deg. rotation action during factory assembly.

The tube is then inserted into the large open end of the main body enclosure 27 so that the flexible neck/condenser of the tube fits into the end fitting 15. Once the tube is inserted, it will be secured in place by retaining clip 61. When a direct flow type tube or a heat pipe type tube is inserted, the retaining clip 61 engages the convolutions of the flexible bellows on the tube to hold the tube in place. Once the retaining clip 61 is secured in place, the tube cannot be removed from the main body enclosure 26 because the clip 61 is secured against the inner planar face of the main body enclosure, thereby preventing the tube from being removed.

Once the tube is secured in place, the cap 60 (see FIG. 14) is placed in place and pivoted to the closed secured position, as shown in FIG. 13. The top cover 60 pivots so that if the tube 3 is to be removed at a later stage, the top cover 60 can pivot to an open position, allowing access to the retaining clip 61 (for disengagement/removal) to allow the tube 3 to be removed from the main body housing 26.

When the top cover 60 is in the closed position shown in fig. 13, the end cap 29 may then be attached as shown in fig. 12. The end cap 29 twist locks into place and secures the top cover 60 in its closed position. End cap 29 is easily removable to assist in accessing inner retention clip 61, thereby allowing removal and replacement of the tube.

Fig. 11A shows how the finished tube is shipped from the factory. The O-ring 21 may also fit in the groove 31 (see fig. 9). The tubes 3, which are pre-assembled in groups of 2 or more (ideally 5 or more) are also optionally shipped.

Fig. 25-27 show how the tubes are connected together during installation as follows:

figure 25 shows how the tubes can be locked together torsionally by employing the projections/indentations on the end fitting 15. A twist of about 20 ° may be used to lock the tubes together.

Fig. 26 shows the tube being mounted on the rail support 65. The tubes slide along the support rails and are secured together with a clip mechanism 32, as shown in fig. 10.

Fig. 27 shows how the tubes are pre-assembled and fastened together by twist lock fastening or clamp mechanism 32, and then the support rail 66 is inserted through the passage 67 in the support 28 for the main body enclosure 27.

Fig. 20 shows a plurality of tubes connected together-the product either shipped as a pre-assembly as shown in fig. 20, or as a single piece of tube to be assembled in this manner by an installer on site.

The tubes may be connected together in any number of 2 or more. Fig. 24 shows a plurality of tubes before being joined together, while fig. 21 shows the same tubes after being joined.

Figure 28 shows the flow path through the end fitting/tube when one or more tubes are connected. Furthermore, the black areas 70, 71 at either end indicate end fittings that are fitted to ensure that the flow properties are as desired, only one flow channel in and one flow channel out. The end fitting 70 is a female end connector and the end fitting 71 is a male end connector. The end fitting 70 leaves an inlet port 72 for the entry of cold fluid (thick arrows) and the end fitting 71 leaves an outlet port 73 for the exit of hot fluid (thin arrows).

As shown in fig. 29-32, the second embodiment of the invention for a heat pipe type solar collector comprises an end fitting 15 provided with a tubular channel 18, the tubular channel 18 being provided with a pipe receiving portion 22 extending perpendicularly to the tubular channel 18, the pipe receiving portion 22 being modified to receive a condenser 35 and a sealing plug 36 of a heat pipe type solar collector pipe 3.

Each heat pipe solar tube 3 comprises a hollow radiation transmissive tube 8 surrounding a radiation absorbing plate 10, the radiation absorbing plate 10 being in thermal contact with a hollow section 38 of the heat pipe 37. A hollow section 38 is enclosed in the hollow radiation-transmissive tube 8 to prevent heat loss. Each heat pipe solar tube 3 comprises a suitable working fluid.

Each heat conduit comprises a condenser section 35 distal to the evaporator section 37 at the distal end of the elongate tube 3, wherein vaporized working fluid evaporated in the evaporator section 37 is condensed before draining back down to the evaporator section 37.

The condenser section 35 of each heat pipe tube 3 is inserted into the receptacle 22 of the end fitting 15, whereby heat transfer can take place between the condenser section 35 of the heat pipe tube 3 and the heat transfer fluid (water) via the flow path 18 in the end fitting 15. The end fitting 15 includes inlet and outlet openings 39, 40 on either side thereof to allow the heat transfer fluid in the end fitting 15 to circulate through the lumens of adjacent tubes.

As schematically shown in fig. 29 and 30-32, the end fitting 15 includes an opening 41 to allow the condenser section 35 to enter the end fitting 15 to be immersed in the fluid contained therein. An O-ring seal 36 or similar resilient sealing means is provided around one end of the heat pipe 3 to form a fluid tight seal in said opening 41. Alternatively, the condenser section 35 may be placed in thermal contact with the wall section of the end fitting 15.

The solar tubes of the heat pipe may be mounted into a containment housing and the solar tubes may be interconnected, disconnected as previously described.

Various modifications and alterations to the described embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims. While the invention has been described in connection with specific preferred embodiments, it should be understood that the invention as claimed should not be unduly limited to such specific embodiments.

Claims (18)

1. A solar collector, comprising: a heat conduit having a radiation absorber that absorbs solar radiation and an elongated tube for containing a heat transfer medium, the elongated tube having an evaporator section in thermal contact with the radiation absorber and a condenser section remote from the radiation absorber, the radiation absorber and the evaporator section of the elongated tube enclosed in a hollow radiation transmissive enclosure and the condenser section located outside the transmissive enclosure; and an end fitting providing fluid communication means for connection with a corresponding end fitting of an adjacent heat pipe to allow fluid to pass between the end fittings without requiring a separate manifold, the end fitting including an opening for receiving a condenser section of the heat pipe.

2. A solar collector as claimed in claim 1 wherein the end fitting is provided at one end of each heat pipe.

3. A solar collector as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the end fitting comprises a seal for sealingly engaging a passageway of an adjacent end fitting.

4. A solar collector as claimed in claim 3 wherein the end fitting comprises a groove or recess for receiving an O-ring seal.

5. A solar collector as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4 wherein the opening for receiving the condenser section extends substantially perpendicular to the fluid passageway.

6. A solar collector as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5 further comprising a protective casing for receiving the end fitting and the end of the solar collector tube.

7. A solar collector as claimed in claim 6 wherein the end fitting and/or the end of the solar collector tube is releasably engaged in the protective casing.

8. A solar collector as claimed in claim 7 wherein the protective casing comprises a main protective body and a cover member movably mounted to or removable from the main protective body.

9. A solar collector as claimed in claim 8 wherein the protective housing comprises a removable end cap.

10. A solar collector as claimed in claim 8 or 9 wherein the protective casing comprises a hinged or pivotal cover portion.

11. A solar collector as claimed in any of claims 6 to 10 wherein the protective casing comprises a receiver for receiving a locking clip for securely mounting the solar collector tube and/or associated end fitting in the protective casing.

12. A solar collector as claimed in any of claims 6 to 11 wherein the protective casing comprises a support structure.

13. A solar collector as claimed in claim 12 wherein the support structure is integral with the protective casing.

14. A solar collector as claimed in claim 12 or 13 wherein the support structures of adjacent protective casings are interconnectable.

15. A solar collector as claimed in claim 14 wherein the adjacent support structures are interlocked by an interconnecting member.

16. A solar collector as claimed in claim 15 wherein at least a portion of the interconnecting member is integral with the support structure.

17. A solar collector as claimed in claim 15 wherein the interconnecting member is separate or separable from the support structure.

18. A solar collector assembly comprising a plurality of like solar collectors according to any preceding claim.