Segment of a solar collector and solar collectors

Abstract

The segment of a solar collector comprises a top side, a bottom side and a circumferential end face having at least one longitudinal side, wherein the longitudinal side forms a top edge with the top side and forms a bottom edge with the bottom side, and comprises a core structure having at least one core made of foamed material. The segment of a solar collector further comprises a shell made of one or a plurality of layers of a fiber material, wherein the shell at least partially covers the top side, the bottom side and at least the longitudinal side of the circumferential end face, wherein at least one layer of the shell extends about the top edge and at least one layer of the shell extends about the bottom edge, and a reflection layer disposed on the top side.

1 . A segment of a solar collector comprising:
 a top side, a bottom side and a circumferential end face having at least one longitudinal side, the longitudinal side forming a top edge with the top side and forming a bottom edge with the bottom side,   a core structure having at least one core made of foamed material,   a shell made of one or a plurality of layers of a fiber material, the shell at least partially covering the top side, the bottom side and at least the longitudinal side of the circumferential end face, with at least one layer of the shell extending about the top edge, and at least one layer of the shell extending about the bottom edge, and   a reflection layer disposed on the top side.   
     
     
         2 . The segment according to  claim 1 , wherein the shell comprises of at least one first shell member made of a fiber material that is arranged on the top side and covers the core structure on the top side, and of a second shell member made of a fiber material that is arranged on the bottom side and covers the core structure on the bottom side. 
     
     
         3 . The segment according to  claim 2 , wherein the first shell member extends around the top edge and the second shell member extends around the bottom edge. 
     
     
         4 . The segment according to  claim 2 , wherein the shell comprises a third shell member made of a fiber material that is arranged on the at least one longitudinal side and covers the core structure on the longitudinal side, the third shell member extending around the top edge and the bottom edge. 
     
     
         5 . The segment according to  claim 2 , wherein the first, the second and the third shell member respectively comprises of at least one layer of fiber material, preferably of at least two layers of fiber material and with particular preference of three layers of fiber material. 
     
     
         6 . The segment according to  claim 1 , wherein the layers of the shell are made of glass-fiber or carbon-fiber material and comprise unidirectional or multi-axial fibers. 
     
     
         7 . The segment according to  claim 1 , wherein a reinforcement strip of fiber material is arranged around the top edge, the bottom edge and around the further edges formed between the surrounding end face and the top side and the bottom side, so as to reinforce the top edge, the bottom edge or the further edges. 
     
     
         8 . The segment according to  claim 1 , wherein the core structure comprises at least one rib of a fiber material, preferably of wood, the rib being preferably arranged parallel to the at least one longitudinal side. 
     
     
         9 . The segment according to  claim 8 , wherein the core structure comprises of two cores of foamed material and of three ribs, the ribs and the two cores of foamed material being arranged alternately. 
     
     
         10 . The segment according to  claim 8 , wherein each rib comprises a cover made of a fiber material. 
     
     
         11 . The segment according to  claim 1 , wherein, adjacent to the longitudinal side, a flange is arranged for attachment of the segment to an opposite segment. 
     
     
         12 . The segment according to  claim 1 , wherein the top side has a curvature. 
     
     
         13 . The segment according to  claim 1 , wherein the layers of the shell, the at least one core of foamed material, the ribs of the core structure, the shell of the ribs, and the reinforcing strips are bonded to each other, by of an epoxy resin adhesive. 
     
     
         14 . A solar collector comprising a plurality of segments according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         15 . The solar collector according to  claim 14 , wherein two adjacent segments are bonded to each other via the longitudinal sides and wherein a row of mutually bonded segments can be connected, with the aid of the flanges, to a further row of opposite segments. 
     
     
         16 . The solar collector according to  claim 15 , comprising two rows of segments connected to each other via the flanges of the segments, and by a U-profile enclosing the flanges. 
     
     
         17 . The solar collector according to  claim 16 , wherein the U-profile comprises a plurality of layers of fiber material which are bonded to each other, preferably by a resin-based adhesive, and with particular preference by an epoxy resin adhesive. 
     
     
         18 . The solar collector according to  claim 14 , comprising of 24 segments. 
     
     
         19 . The solar collector according to  claim 14 , wherein a framework construction for increasing the torsional stiffness is arranged on the surface formed by the bottom side of the segments, the framework construction being attached to the solar collector preferably via fastening means bonded between two adjacent segments. 
     
     
         20 . The solar collector according to  claim 19 , wherein the framework construction is connected to a support structure of an absorber. 
     
     
         21 . The solar collector according to  claims 19 , wherein the framework construction is connected to the support structure of the solar collector, preferably to an attachment metal plate of a solar collector support.