Solar collector manufacturing process

• Grant number: 99/06165-2
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Innovative Research in Small Business - PIPE
• Start date: January 01, 2000
• End date: July 31, 2002
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Mechanical Engineering - Manufacturing Processes
• Principal Investigator: Mauro Hirdes
• Grantee: Mauro Hirdes
• Company: Nova Aliança Comércio e Indústria de Sistemas Solares e Produtos Afins Ltda
• City: São José dos Campos

Abstract

During the first half of 2000, the company NovaAliança (formerly Dynamikarman) and the engineer Mauro Hirdes, the project coordinator, developed a new process for manufacturing solar collectors for heating water. Thus, they arrived at a process proposal based on brazing and on changing the panel material to copper. Because of its innovative nature, it was decided to submit a financing project to develop it to FAPESP. The purpose of the original project was to enable the construction of a new type of high-efficiency collector, known as “Cellular”, and it had undergone corrosion and supply problems in its original design concept - aluminum roll- bond panel. The collector, unconventional in its construction, has a capture panel made of two sheets shaped and welded to each other so as to form channels along which water can flow. The interconnection between these channels, in a network similar to a hexagonal beehive, makes the panel highly efficient at capturing solar rays. Impressing with elastomer and spot welding was employed as the manufacturing process, and copper was chosen as the basic material to avoid problems with corrosion and to increase the efficiency of capturing the rays of the sun. A cooperation agreement was arranged with the Materials Characterization and Development Center - CCDM, of São Carlos Federal University, to provide technological support for the project. (AU)