Lockheed Martin Corporation

David Velasco

John Ditri

Nancy E Wasson

Kristopher Thomas Heick

John J Morber

Matthew M Kapelanczyk

David S Munsky

Mark Trent

Christina M Gallo

A solar heat collecting element for use in solar troughs and solar power systems. The solar heat collecting element includes a conduit for carrying a heat transfer fluid; a light transparent envelope disposed about the conduit; and an edge welded metal bellows assembly coupling a first end of the conduit with a first end of the envelope.

Solar heat collecting element having an edge welded bellows assembly

A receiver used in a solar collection assembly includes a tube adapted to carry a heat transfer medium therethrough. An envelope surrounds the tube and has opposed ends and a diaphragm is interposed between each end and the tube to support the tube from the envelope. The diaphragm comprises radially oriented convolutions which minimizes the axial length of the diaphragm and hence reduces shading of the absorber tube.

Solar receiver diaphragm

A matched glass-to-metal connecting device for use in a vacuum tube collector for a solar energy collecting apparatus is made of a glass envelope and a metal sleeve directly bonded to the glass envelope. The glass envelope is made of a glass having a composition, in percent by weight on the basis of oxide content, consisting essentially of BO, 19; AlO, 8; NaO, 2; KO, 3; BaO, 3; LiF, 1; and balance of SiOand the metal sleeve consists of metal material number 1.3981 of DIN 17745. The glass envelope has a thermal expansion coefficient that deviates from the metal part's thermal expansion coefficient by no more than 4% in the temperature range from 25&#xb0; C. to 350&#xb0; C.

Robust glass to metal sealing joint

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Clifton, NJ, United States of America

David Velasco